By Emily Rae Bergan Seniors; if you’re having difficulty staying updated for deadlines, here is the information you need to know.
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By A.F. They’re in lockers. They lurk in coat pockets and inside the waistband of jeans. Juuls are a smoking alternative shaped like a “...hard drive full of death,” as one student at West Valley put. They’re available with flavors such as creme brulee, cucumber, and bubblegum, and are the paramount of efficiency. To charge a Juul, you simply plug it and it’s charger into a USB port. When puffed, Juuls emit a smaller amount of vapor, but with a larger dose of nicotine, equal to about 29 milliliters more than the average e-cig. Because Juuls are so unassuming, they can be smoked in a shirt or behind a book. At home or at school.It’s the perfect storm.
Although some teenagers today are recovering smokers, they don’t all account for the staggering two million adolescents, according to the New York Times, who puff on the Juul, an e-device that is causing a social uproar. Teenage smoking and tobacco abuse had been in a steady decline since the start of the 21st century. However, a new pattern is emerging that is akin to the myth of the greek Hydra; you cut one head off, and another will take its place. Due to the widening availability of nicotine products, teenagers across the country are now habitually using Juuls, instead. In Alaska, these rates are even higher. Juuling has caught some interior teachers completely off guard. One West Valley teacher commented that it was “disrespectful, and disrupts a safe space I’ve worked hard to maintain.” She mentioned how she and many other faculty members are aware students are ‘Juuling’ behind their backs, whether it be in class or in the halls. A student from California- who now attends West Valley disclosed that there was a similar situation in his previous school. “Anytime you go into the bathroom,” he began, “you’d find between four to six kids in there Juuling.” amid light laughs, he added, “A lot of kids don’t call them bathrooms anymore. We call them Juul rooms.” By Duncan Baumgarten Grayscale photos of children holding shooting targets to their chests hang silently on the walls of the exhibition.
Art and activism have always been intertwined, and the gun safety issue is no different. In celebration for Kate Wool’s new exhibit I am NOT a Target, on October 5, featuring the above mentioned pieces, the Fairbanks community held a gun safety community forum at Raven’s Landing. Featured was Dr. Karen Gaborik, the superintendent for the school district since 2014. Joining her was Kaden Monzingo, a recent West Valley graduate, Dr. Valerie Gifford, and Dr. Rob Duke, both assistant educators at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The discussion opened with Dr. Gaborik. She emphasized her responsibility to “look at the big picture”, when considering gun safety around schools. The superintendent made a point to showcase the school district’s motives and efforts to minimize the risk of any firearm-related incidents for Fairbanks. Her main point was prevention, far more than in-the-moment response. Her two major points were “prevention” and “security”, pointing to the safety measures being brought to the school district. Namely, Joy Elementary, which is the first in the community to engage a “Camera Buzzer” system. Following the beginning of the school day, the doors are locked, and any visitor must answer to scrutiny via a camera, feeding into the front office. She cited the importance of engaging the system in the two schools originally chosen, Joy and Tanana, because of the distance between the front doors and the front office. She reassured attendee of the importance of allocated resources concerning security. “We would be remiss,” Gaborik said, “if we didn’t pay attention to security.” By Madi Fisher Thirty-five students from West Valley, and many more from schools from the surrounding area, attended College and Career Day at the Westmark Hotel downtown on Oct. 8. Colleges from Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Arizona,and Washington as well as trade union apprenticeships.were present.
Bryan Mitchell, the West Valley freshman counselor, was a chaperone to the career fair. Mitchell has been working for the school district since 2003 and has been working at West Valley since 2017. Mitchell stated that it was a great opportunity to start making connections with some of student’s first choice colleges that had set up booths at the fair. “Before students get to the fair, they should try to have at least 3 questions that really matter to them about the school,” Mitchell said. “You should know where you want to go to school at, what kind of tuition you can afford, and if that school has a career path that you're interested in.” Mitchell says. “Even if you have already been accepted, you should still go to make connections and start networking.” Senior Hannah Denton attended the College and Career fair even though she has set her eyes on Vanderbilt University in Tennessee. Although she has already picked the colleges that she would like to attend, she wanted to “keep an open mind and hope that there was a school that she would be interested in.” Without a very large variety of schools present, Denton was underwhelmed and Vanderbilt University remains her top choice to finish out her schooling career. “I think it was a good experience only because it gave me a chance to talk to college representatives in person,” Denton says. “I didn’t find a college that really jumped out at me, but at least I went to survey my options.” If you have any questions on how and when to apply to colleges, be sure to contact your counselor. By Duncan Baumgarten Aqua blue chairs hugged against the black round tables. Purple and white napkins sat folded neatly inside of glasses. Posters of “partners”, or corporate sponsors, hung behind the front table. Cameras and photographers lined the back wall, eyes and lenses trained at the front. Long tables with black tablecloths, microphones, and pitchers of water were textbook political discussion fare.
On October 16, the Carlson Center in Fairbanks hosted the US House of Representatives Candidate forum. Congressman Don Young was the first to enter the room, fifteen minutes before the event officially began. He talked with a few constituents who had already arrived, and were seated at the round tables costing $300 each. With a checkered shirt, Alaska state seal pin, and a well-trimmed beard, he listened intently to the majority elderly population in attendance. Alyse Galvin, his opponent, hadn’t even taken her plum purple jacket off before walking over to speak to the constituents in the back row. She shook hands, had short conversations, and even shared the occasional hug with her possible constituents. Young did not visit the back row. As opening statements began, Galvin thanked the audience for coming, and made it clear that the state “needs new leadership in Congress”. She was running to “serve the people of Alaska”. She mentioned Young’s tendency towards partisan issues. Young declared himself a “big believer in individual rights”, and assured that he knew how to “get things done”. The first question posed to the candidates concerned national military spending. “Whoever controls Alaska, controls the world,” said Young. “We need a strong military. If we don’t, we can’t protect the rights of Alaska, or the world.” The Master of Ceremonies, Vice President of Shannon and Wilson, Christopher Darrah, asked Young about improvements to the congressional delegation. “Elect me,” Young replied, with a smile. He was met with sparse applause. “We need the right people in the right places,” said Galvin. “We must have readiness facing Russia.” By Ashtyne Christiansen Students and staff at West Valley dressed up for the Homecoming Spirit Week from Sept. 24-Sept. 28. The Spirit Week at West Valley consisted of Wild Wild West Monday, Tourist Day Tuesday, Red and Gold Wednesday, and Class Themed Thursday. Each class chose a city theme day, Freshman were Las Vegas, Sophomores were New York, Juniors were Hollywood, and Seniors were Atlantis.
A few students said they didn’t participate in Spirit Week because it was too bland and not worth dressing up for. Others argued that Spirit Week was fun and that they can't wait for the next one! A few teachers and students recommended some ideas for future spirit weeks including, jersey day, crazy hat day, and flannel day. A student, Bryon Skufca, stated that Spirit Week should be more creative, ¨students should try and go all out for Spirit Week and have a good attitude and demeanor towards their school spirit.¨ One thing Bryon would change if he could would be the student's outlook. Heidi Benson, a teacher, brought up the idea of having a teacher spirit week along with the students, whether it's the same as the student's themes or different. Some students participate very well in spirit week, others have no part in it, however even if it’s a little bit of spirit, everyone should work together to participate! |
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