By Augustin Standlee-Strom
The Bardathon, an event first held in 1999 where community members get together and read Shakespeare’s work nonstop for a week, makes an in-person return this year. The event, held at Raven’s Landing in Fairbanks, starts with an opening ceremony on the Feb. 11 at five pm in the Fireplace lounge. Members of the troupe will put on short scenes and monologues and food will be served. After this, the reading starts at 8 pm with "Romeo and Julie"t in Raven 4. From this point forward, plays and sonnets will be read without pause until Feb.19 at noon. The event will conclude with a reading of "Much Ado About Nothing". The event is an incredibly approachable way for someone to experience the Bard’s writing. The communal aspect of the reading allows for someone who has had trouble getting into Shakespeare in the past to basically watch and potentially participate in a rehearsal of the play. FST’s Executive Director Emily Yates echoed these words, inviting any and all interested students to join the festivities.
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By Jacob Fisher West Valley's MCJROTC is participating in the Toys for Tots drive this year. The goal is to raise at least $20,000 in toys for the entire Fairbanks area. The drive will end on December 20th.
Toys for Tots is a toy drive inspired by Bill and Diane Hendricks, which is run by the United States Marine Corps Reserves. The purpose of the drive is to bring gifts to kids who don't have Christmas presents this year. Toys for Tots starte in 1947. It has produced over $246 million dollars in donations and toys. Originally, Major Bill Hendricks and his wife Diane tried to donate a homemade Raggedy Ann doll to a child in need, but could find no organization to do so. Thus, Bill and Diane Hendricks began their own drive, and Major Hendricks gathered other local Marine Reservists to help in the drive. It was so successful in its first year, that in 1948 it became a national campaign. Toys for Tots has been a staple of the United States Marine Corps, showing the Marines willingness to engage in selfless service and sacrifice for their community and country. The dress blues, the uniform they wear during the drive, in the cold or in the heat, give the event a face to associate it with. This has been helpful in the drive’s success. Toys for Tots has effectively raised money and toys for over 71 years, and it will continue to do so. Toys for Tots is a wonderful event that will continue to provide for children in need for the future to come. Toy collection will end the 20th of December. If you wish to donate, there are boxes at the front of the school and in the JROTC room. By Duncan Baumgarten Part 3 of 3 The soft clink of glassware against glassware brewed an ambient atmosphere of community. Crisp coffee soaked into the walls, and into the pores, like smoke. Despite the time of day, the shop was fairly empty, the round tables left vacant. A juxtaposition formed; the darkness of the Fairbanks mid-day, to the warmth and invitation of the soft-brown wood interior. It provided an opportunity for frankness and honesty as I began my conversation with Borough Assembly Member Liz Lyke, on Tuesday, December 11. Lyke, the first transgender woman elected to Fairbanks public office, had been spending a late evening at the city council. Not as a politician, however, but as a citizen, awaiting a verdict on an LGBTQ ordinance. If passed, it would protect those who identify within the LGBTQ community from discrimination. The ordinance was tabled, leaving Lyke feeling disappointed.
It was a seamless transition to the topic I wanted to discuss: how politically active is Fairbanks, on a scale of one to ten? “I’d say, overall, it’s about a five,” said Lyke, but stressed that “there’s people on both sides of the spectrum who are a ten.” Her own political involvement reflected her personal views; she served on campaigns for democrats during the midterms, and ran for borough assembly in October. Her ambitions began with something much simpler, however. It was the summer of 2016. Jane Peppy, a friend of Lyke’s, proposed that they begin a small feminist book club. Following the November 2016 elections, with Donald Trump becoming the 45th president of the United States, they decided to commit. As the years passed, it blossomed into what is now known as the Fairbanks Activist Forum, or the FAF. The FAF has dedicated their efforts to protests, rallies, and activism since its inception. Highlights included opposition to Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings, and support for those affected by the Parkland shootings. “We empowered students to rally,” said Lyke, “it’s so good to see so many high school students.” Making the community’s voice heard is vital, said Lyke, stressing the importance of having a balance between an online presence, and being present for rallies and activism. “You have to have both,” she asserted. When it comes to legislature, the borough assembly member could speak from experience about the helpfulness of community input. By Duncan Baumgarten Part 2 of 3 The mayor’s office was sheltered behind glass, with trinkets and memories lining the walls. Fluorescent lights and carpet made the room feel soft, even inviting. “I don’t like to be called the mayor,” said city mayor Jim Matherly, “I like to be called their mayor.”
“I want to be seen as an involved, approachable mayor.” On November 8, I went downtown to City Hall, to discuss the political climate of Fairbanks with city mayor Jim Matherly. Since 2017, there have been a handful of political rallies, protests, and demonstrations, most recently in support of Youth v. Gov, the landmark court case intent to sue the US government for knowingly polluting the environment. I asked Matherly about the political awareness of the Fairbanks community, on a scale of one to ten. “I’d say it’s about an eight, between high schools, young adults, and guys my own age.” he stressed that most issues have a political component, and that politics is “much more than just running and serving”. Matherly wasn’t aware of Juliana v. United States, but when I asked for his take on the process of political activism, he showed his admiration. “Protesting is fantastic,” said Matherly. “If you want to get a point across, putting together a march or a rally, is a great idea, because sometimes, that’s the only voice that you have.” However, having grown up in Fairbanks, with his youth in the 1970s, Matherly didn’t notice much political demonstration, in part because of the speed of the news cycle. “The internet causes a lot of anxiety,” he said, noting the irony of the claim that “we love the technology we have, but we yearn for a simpler time”, a time of youth. “It’s a flippin’ firehouse,” he laughed, speaking of the seemingly endless and uncontrollable stream of information in the 21st century. “You can watch any leader speak at any time 24 hours a day. There’s a lot more information than there ever was, at your fingertips, and I think that fuels a lot of protest.” By Kara Wollman SOS club (Signs Of Suicide) will be handing out sack lunches December 21 after the last final in front of the bus doors. The lunch will have a cup of noodles, granola bar, fruit, a Poptart, and a bottle of water. Lunches will be available for all students who would like one. If you would like to volunteer to help out with this act of kindness go talk to Ms. Lee-Sankoh in room 115. Donations of fruit cups and lunch bags are still needed.
Community member gather October 29, 2018 in Golden Heart Plaza for a rally to support Juliana v. United States. By Duncan Baumgarten Part 1 of 3 "What will you leave behind?" "Think of the little children" "Honor the Earth" The plaza was cast in a pale blue. Breath condensed inches in front of faces. Arms held handmade signs aloft, bright white knuckles against deep pink hands. The First Families statues, the fountain long since run dry, watched the forming crowd.
On October 29, a group of approximately thirty community members rallied in support for the revolutionary Juliana v. the United States, at the Golden Heart Plaza in downtown Fairbanks. A crowd of “young, old, and somewhere in between” came together to support the landmark environmental case. Juliana v. the United States, also known as Youth v. Gov, is a lawsuit originally filed in 2015. A group of twenty-one plaintiffs brought charges against the US government for, according to Tom Baring, father of one of the plaintiffs, having “knowingly exacerbated” pollution and climate change. The plaintiffs are represented by Our Children’s Trust, who intend to “elevate the voices of youth” and “to secure the right to a stable climate and healthy atmosphere” according to their website. Environmentalist and activist Tristan Glowa held the role of master of ceremonies as the event coalesced. He proclaimed the need to show the youth “that we’ve got their back”. He stressed the importance of humanity’s respectful relationship with the environment, and with the land. “People power helps moves us to justice,” said Glowa. Among the twenty-one plaintiffs is nineteen-year-old Nathan Baring, a recent West Valley graduate. His father, Tom Baring, spoke at the rally. He found the youth activism as well as his son’s work to help hold the government accountable “incredibly inspiring”. He avowed the Trump Administration’s attempts to “circumvent” the proper legal procedure, as the case had been repeatedly halted by attempts to dismiss, specifically the ninth circuit court. “The Trump administration is trying to silence our youth,” he said. Baring cited various cases of environmental endangerment, with a recent Hawaiian island “disappearing” following a typhoon, and the current state of the Barrier Reef being very near elimination. He also spoke of struggles related to climate change in Barrow, and condemned the Federal Government for ignoring it for so long. “How many disasters do we need?” he asked, but stressed that there was still time to cause more damage. “This is a moral and spiritual issue,” he said, “and we’re making it a legal issue, too.” Baring declared happily that out of all the speakers for the rally, he was “the only one over the age of nineteen”. By Duncan Baumgarten “A lot has changed in the last week.”
Andrew Genson’s words, as journalist and moderator, rang true at the 2018 Gubernatorial Forum. The event, held at the Fairbanks Westmark on October 24, featured former Anchorage mayor and Senator Mark Begich, and former Senator Mike Dunleavy. The forum was originally scheduled to feature Begich and Governor Bill Walker. However, amidst Lt. Governor Byron Mallott’s resignation after inappropriate comments to a female colleague came to light, Walker dropped out of his 2018 re-election campaign. Despite Walker’s absence, the energy in the room was no different. Distinguished guests, among them politicians and business owners, sat under golden lights from chandeliers. The back wall, lined with cameras and news coverage, accommodated three rows of chairs. The rows were occupied almost entirely by West Valley history students. As the afternoon began, Dunleavy and Begich gave their opening statements. “I’m here,” joked Dunleavy, a reference to his last-minute agreement to appear for the forum, in the absence of Walker. With 13 days left until election day, he emphasized the importance of the midterm elections. “This will determine Alaska’s future,” he declared. Begich drew attention to the “toxic environment” of the modern political landscape, and was glad to have an opportunity to discuss the issues affecting Alaska openly. “I’m glad that it’s to a sold out audience.” By Emily Rae Bergan Seniors; if you’re having difficulty staying updated for deadlines, here is the information you need to know.
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! By R.J. Sullivan Students have all heard it at some point in their educational career “such and such is getting cut” or “that teacher is being let go”. It’s a hard truth that the past few years students have watched as unique educational opportunities are being cut one by one.
In the last few years West Valley has had a number of programs at risk of getting cut. Some notables being the Chinese class last year, which was consolidated and put as a seventh period, and the removal of choir class a few years back. But after all that, how much do students really know about the budget and how it really affects them? In order to get a grasp on how much students know about the school budget, I ran a quick survey on 32 random people with four yes or no questions. The results were surprising; only roughly 28% of people felt like they knew how the budget worked, however 81% of people said they knew how budget cuts affected them. Most of our money comes from the state and is pushed down to the borough, which decides how much money gets funneled into our schools. However the state legislature doesn’t decide the amount of money the borough gets until May or June, meaning the school district has to make their budget based off estimates until they know how much money they have at the next school year. This means that some teachers might get laid off only for the district to ask for them back the next year, when the budget comes out higher or lower than estimated. So when did this start happening? According to Mr. Genson around the early 2000’s the budget stopped growing while other costs such as healthcare and utilities kept going up, meaning the district was paying higher costs but with the same budget that couldn’t handle the rising costs. So why doesn’t the borough just give more money to schools? Well it’s not that simple, they’re capped at a certain amount of money they can give the school district by law. So when the budget doesn’t grow with costs, it leads to class sizes being expanded into what Social Studies teacher Sean Genson calls “hectic” and “crazy” with class sizes averaging at around 30 students. When asked about the importance of having a healthy education budget Mr. Genson responded calling it “absolutely vital” as it “has to be a huge thing” for Alaska. As of the writing of this article most of the 8 million dollar cuts made to this years budget have been restored as the district had obtained more money than expected. By Robert Willard The West Valley High School MCJROTC will be hosting a silent auction and dinner fundraiser for the school and community on Friday, October 12th, 2018. The fundraiser will be held at West Valley High School in the commons/cafeteria from 6:00-9:00 pm.
The Senior Marine Instructor of the MCJROTC program, Major Leroy Hessner, says, “This will be the first cadet planned fundraiser.” He hopes to build relationships with the community and wishes the student body would come and show their support for the program and Wolfpack Pride. The cadets that are part of the planning committee for the fundraiser are, Amber Pollen, Caitlyn Berrian, Hannah Hanson, Dickson Hubb, and Hailey Clawson. These committee members, advised by Hannah’s mother, Mrs.Hanson-Whatley, are to plan and have everything ready to go to before the big night. The cadets have invested their time for a month, and are very excited to see this event happen. Hessner says, “This is a big turning point for the West Valley High School MCJROTC program and the cadets” because this will test the cadets to prove themselves. Cadet 2nd Lt. Jake Kinder, who is the executive officer of the MCJROTC, hopes to see a lot of positive outcomes from this event and also encourages the student body to come help and support the auction. Kinder says that he would like cadets that are part of the JROTC family “to come experience this event” he encourages the growth of cadets within the school and encourages them to always keep learning and pushing on to what ever dream they might have. Cadet 2nd Lt, Amber Pollen, is the Operations officer of the MCJROTC. She is in charge of the committee and the whole dinner planning. Pollen says she “is so grateful for the cadets who took their time to help”. According to Pollen when it comes to planning big events it relieves so much stress when there are people to help. Pollen feels confident in this event and is happy that all is running smoothly and she also cannot wait for the big night to start. By Duncan Baumgarten On Wednesday, September 12th, outside of Mrs. Damario’s history classroom during fifth period, a very important man sat on the floor. He helped campaign for, and run, a middle-school Model UN conference at West Valley, on May 5, 2018, which 30 students attended. He is part of the planning for an upcoming conference on November 10th. He belongs to an exclusive club, one of only four members. He boasts an uncontested election. With an assured smile, and luscious locks that could unify a nation, he might not immediately strike a student as a man of power,but he leads one of the most popular, and influential, clubs at West Valley. His name is Jack Winford, and he’s the President of Model United Nations, or Model UN.
President Winford has a myriad of accolades to his name; “Brave”, says Mrs. Damario, the adult sponsor of Model UN; “Relaxed and confident”, says Sarah Gerstenfield, a member; an “outgoing” and “genuine guy”, says Secretary of Model UN Naomi Hartman. Since it’s early days for Model UN, there haven’t been any major conflicts. However, tensions were high for his first meeting. Damario describes herself as rigid, while Winford is laid back. With such conflicting styles, one might assume that there would be impassable conflict. “I work for him”, says Damario. “I have to step back… I trust him completely”. With seventy-five students at their first meeting, Sept. 10, there was no PowerPoint, like his predecessor, President Tanner Sprankle. Winford pulled up a chair and spoke. Damario promises that he is going to make it his own, when questioned whether he will be as consequential as his former presidents. Winford is guided by his own actions, not by the actions of others. Words like “redefine” and “out of the box” and “dedicated” came up repeatedly. “I’m interested to see how he takes on the role”, with such big shoes to fill, says Zee Nace, the Official Liaison for Model UN. Winford stresses a new aspect to Model UN. “We’ll be less focused on trips, and more focused on the community,” says the President. This new focus on the community was a main focal point of his opening speech as President. Model UN member Sarah Gerstenfield predicts Winford is “bring[ing] something different in than what we do now”. Vice President Sebastian Boice describes the President’s governing style as “what the club needs right now”. President Winford has an energy and ability to encourage excellence. “He has a great combination of being laid back, but has the ability to mobilize people”, says Damario. It’s in his job description to create and maintain the community feel, to advocate for joining, and to draw everyone together. A lofty task, but according to both members of his team, and members of the club alike, he fulfills it. “I teach more than I tell,” he says, when describing his own view of his governing style. A common explanation for a lack of involvement in clubs is a lack of time to commit. However, President Winford has an alternative. “Model UN is for people who are too busy for clubs. If it’s not your habit, we’ll make it your habit.” It was stressed that “If there is a club at West Valley that needs help to accomplish their goals, Model UN can help them.” It all goes back to the creation of a community feeling, which returns to the foundation of what West Valley is about. “I’m impressed,” says Damario. Model UN meets Mondays and Fridays at lunch in the Dewild Theatre. Visit Ms. Damario, or President Winford, for more information. |
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