October 17, 2013

Volume 95

Haunted Corn Mazepg. 7

Flooding Recovery pg. 3

Fear pgs. 10-14

Athletes with Diabetespg. 17

Global Awareness pg. 21

3400 Lambkin Way Fort Collins, CO 80525 Phone: (970) 488-8199 Fax: (970) 488-8008 Issue 2

PHOTO BY SARAH BALES

SpilledInk

NewsOct. 17, 20132 Spilled Ink

Corrections Page 6- Senior Amber English was identified as a junior. Page 3- The main feature implied that the teachers profiled are the only new FCHS faculty members. However, all new faculty will be profiled throughout the year on page 3.

News A&E Sports In-Depth Perspectives

Holmes’ experience in China inspiring,

colorfulPage 5

October Artist Spotlight:

Danni Cox Page 9

Fear series of chemical reactions in

the brainPage 11

Awkward Athlete makes friend in team, finds enemy in sport

Page 15

Kindness, acceptance could change FCHS

Page 21

Inside the Ink

China propaganda department

“employs 2 million to police internet”

Cross-country

unicycle ride pays respect

to Syrian refugees

Nine-year-old boy makes flight without parents,

ticket

Pages 2-5 Pages 6-9 Pages 10-14 Pages 15-18 Pages 19-23

Ski resort built in North Korea for underprivileged citizens

Homeless man returns

backpack worth $42K

to police, receives

donations

Elephants in Zimbabwe wildlife park

poisoned with cyanide

News Oct. 17, 2013 3Spilled Ink

In Brief

On Oct. 26 the FCHS National Honor Society will host the annual Halloween Carnival to benefit the Food Bank for Larimer County from 5-8 p.m. in the spine.

The carnival will feature many activities for kids including musical chairs, a cakewalk and a haunted house, all run by NHS members. Admission is $3 or a 2 can donation to the Food Bank per child. Admission for parents is free.

“We usually receive a great turnout,” NHS Board Member Nick Seitz said. “Kids have a bunch of fun and the donated food really helps the community. It benefits people all over Fort Collins while having fun at a local event.”

NHS Halloween Carnival Fundraiser Oct. 26

The Yearbook deadline for submitting senior quotes and pictures is Nov. 1.

“If you don’t get your picture in by Nov. 1, I will choose whatever picture I want for you,” Yearbook adviser Tiana Song said.

Seniors must submit quotes through the FCHS website.

Follow the following links on the website to submit: Students, School-Sponsored Activities under Student Organizations, and Yearbook under Category I.

There, a picture in a 300 dpi jpg format can be uploaded and a senior quote of fewer than 20 words can be e-mailed to yearbook advisor Tiana Song through or via the linked e-mail address.

Senior photos will also be accepted online or through the main office on a CD or USB drive.

Yearbook quotes due Nov. 1

Counselors are currently requesting that all seniors schedule a required pre-graduation meeting in the counseling office. Seniors should complete the meeting with their counselors prior to Dec. 20.

“The meetings are important because they give the seniors college information and make sure that the seniors are on track to graduate,” Michele Lae, counseling department secretary, explained. “They also discuss scholarships and after graduation plans.”

The meetings last approximately 45 minutes, during which counselors review senior credits and course registration to ensure district graduation requirements are met. To allow enough time, seniors are encouraged to speak to their counselors to sign up for a meeting time during an off hour.

Senior meeting deadline Dec. 20

Andrew Smalley Editor-in-Chief

Nick HawleyGuest Writer

Ben KochGuest Writer

Flooding causes damage to homes, roads

In September, heavy rain conditions affected Colorado, bringing on floods that destroyed much property and left many homeless. Starting Sept. 9, the heavy rains intensified until flash flooding hit counties such as boulder and Larimer.

The massive flow of water caused considerable amounts of damage in Larimer county, destroying personal property, businesses, and many roads.

“I don’t know if ever in our recorded history if we have had one [flood] of this magnitude in terms of geographic area,” executive officer of Larimer County Sheriff’s office Nicholas Christensen said. “In 1976 there was the Big Thompson flood, but that was fairly localized. This one impacted multiple counties and important roads. It had a larger impact in that sense and we had a lot of lives lost.”

One of the lives impacted was that of Jodi Suther, a work at home mother who lives near the Poudre River in La Porte, just north of Fort Collins.

“We live in the flood plain, so we did have knowledge that flooding could happen,” Suther said. “We were aware what was going on in Boulder, so we were keeping a close eye on it here. Even the night before, I started becoming aware of way too much water and rain going on. On Thursday night, we started to move precious items, mostly photos, off the walls to upstairs.”

That night, as the flooding became more serious, Suther started to prepare to leave.

wall to wall natural canyon again,” Christensen said. “Some spots you can’t even really see [the road] there is so much [rock] in the way. You can’t even tell it is road anymore.”

Governor John Hickenlooper is making plans for repairing the roads. He is using Colorado’s flood disaster money to pay the 120 soldiers working on the highway, and National Guard engineers are helping to rebuild the roads.

“What the governor has committed to is that by December 1, there will be passable roadway access to those areas, namely Estes Park. I think that that is an admirable goal, but optimistic,” Christensen said. “To the extent that there is roadway access by then, I think it will be pretty rudimentary, and I think it will be a year or more before we are back to what we had prior to the floods.”

The flooding has especially proved destructive for towns such as Estes, a tourist based town. Without tourists, they will struggle to stay in business, and many may have to resort to bankruptcy.

“We are certainly very sensitive to the situation in Estes Park. It is certainly part of our county. It is very important to those businesses to get people up there at this time of year to get people to see the leave changing and hear the elk bugling and all that,” Christensen said. “From here it is about a three hour drive, when usually it is a forty five [minute] to an hour drive, and I’m sure some of those businesses won’t make it as a result. I think it is going to be a big impact for them, but I think that most of them will pull through. Both personally and professionally, I think the people in our county are very resilient.”

“Thursday night we did get a series of alerts, and as they got more serious I knew evacuation was imminent. I went ahead and got my animals and my son down to my mother’s house, thinking I would come back up,” she said. “But when I got down there, I was urged to stay, by both my mother and husband. So I chose just to stay put.”

The flooding caused much damage to Suther’s house, the crawlspace in her house filling up with about five feet of water, along with a layer of sediment that completely covered her lot. In dealing with this, she had some unexpected help to pull her through the experience.

“I have some great friends that just have helped me in many, many ways. They have been the biggest gift in all this,” Suther said. “I got a call from my friends on the telephone that they came and rescued my chickens. It wasn’t something I asked of them, it was just something they did because they knew how it was making me feel. When they got to them the water was probably four feet, about at the point where the coop was, right under their perches. All six of them were there, huddled together. It was just a very heartwarming, big relief.”

Along with homes, roads have also been desecrated by the flood waters, costing nearly half a billion dollars in repairs. Much of the damage was dealt in the mountains, roads rendered completely unusable by the rocky remains from the flood.

“In some of the worst areas in there [the mountains], the road is just completely gone, all just

Zach Stetter Staff Writer

New Teacher Q&A

Waters rise on Sept 13 at the Swetsville Zoo located just a few miles from FCHS. PHOTO BY ZACH STETTER

Why do you teach?

How do you like Fort Collins High School so far?

I thought it [teaching] would be a great way to change the way education is seen by kids, and focus on making it fun and making it interactive and relevant. I enjoy working with kids in general.

I love it. Ever since I’ve been coaching here three years ago I‘ve considered myself a Lambkin. Even when I was teaching at Lesher, I felt a connection here. So for me to be actually teaching at this school has pretty much been a dream come true. In my opinion it’s the best high school in Fort Collins. The history and the fact that it’s the oldest high school is super appealing to me, and it’s got diversity and the culture can’t be matched by any other school. The staff is pretty awesome too. I love it, I’m glad I’m here, and I’m looking forward to what else comes my way.

Interview by Jordan Leone

Nicholas BaltzellSocial Studies Teacher

NewsOct. 17, 20134 Spilled Ink

In the life of a high school student, academic challenges are not uncommon. While one student may struggle writing a thesis for an advanced placement English class, another may find difficulty in memorizing a map for a geography class. Though help is not always readily available for those struggling with these classes, students taking mathematics have a source of help first through eighth hour.

Available from 7 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. every day of the school week in the math office, math tutor Deona Altemose serves as a resource for students.

“I provide help for all levels of math,” Altemose said. “From credit recovery and Algebra, all the way up to Calculus 3 and AP Statistics.”

Altemose is able to coach students in such a broad range of mathematics due to her time spent studying and practicing the subject.

“I have a Bachelor’s degree in math, and nineteen hours of graduate level math,” she said. “I went to college at Appalachian State University and graduate school at Florida State University.”

Altemose also explained that while she attended high school, she took the time to tutor her peers. After college graduation, she decided to come back and relive such experiences.

“I love my students most,” she explained. “The most rewarding part is to help the student who hates math enough to get successful at it and they learn that math is fun when you ‘get it.’”

Just as Altemose appreciates her

“Many kids struggle with math at this school, and having this help is invaluable.”

No matter what level of math it may be, Altemose is willing to help any student who walks through her door with questions.

Altemose’s services are not only appreciated by students, but by teachers as well.

“It [the tutor position] is the most important benefit we have at this school,” science teacher Enrique Blas explained.

work, the students she works with appreciate her and her methods.

“I like how Mrs. Altemose will show you different ways to solve a problem,” sophomore Jaci Dull said. “Then you can choose which method works best for you.”

Caleb Schwindt Sports Editor

School cancellation balances conditions, requirements

When bad weather approaches, the thought of school cancelation rings in the halls. For students, the day off is a break from school but for Poudre School District’s administrators, it’s a process of questions that need answers.

“It’s not an exact science and there are a lot of factors that play into school getting canceled,” Superintendent Sandra Smyser said.

For Smyser, all pieces of the puzzle have to fit for her to make the final decision around 5:30 a.m. When the choice to delay or cancel school comes, she considers things such as road conditions, weather forecasts, and the temperature.

“I do have to take in all parts when I cancel school and never will everyone agree with my choices, but I make the decision based off of my opinion,” Smyser said.

Smyser also takes input from Matt Bryant, head of the district’s department of transportation. Even though school doesn’t start until 7:30 a.m., bus drivers begin working on their buses around six in the

morning. They have a check list of regulations they have to run down before they can pick their first child up.

“It takes a long time to get the buses warm and ready for transit,” Smyser said. “If it is too cold outside, the buses can’t run.”

When temperature plays into school cancelation, Smyser examines weather patterns. If the weather looks like it will clear and the temperature will warm up after the sun rises, she will delay school rather than cancel.

The delay also allows more time for plows to get roads cleared and sidewalks to be shoveled for students who have to ride their bikes or walk to school.

An additional concern when making the decision to delay or cancel school is that the state of Colorado requires students attend 1,080 hours in each school year.

Assistant Principal Joe Ahlbrandt said that FCHS builds 1,154.75 hours into the year to provide a cushion for cancellations without having to worry about having to add days on to make up time.

“We have never come across the point where we needed to add days to the school year,” Ahlbrandt said. “We have a good amount of hours added so that problem never occurs.”

Amanda Evans Staff Writer

Your ad here.

Working with senior Josie Natrasevschi, math tutor Deona Altemose explains a physics problem. Altemose is available to help students with math-related homework throughout the day. PHOTO BY CALEB SCHWINDT

Students find additional study resource in math tutor

GRAPHIC BY HANNAH MECHTENBERG

What were some of the things you did while you were there?

We visited five major cities. We visited Beijing, Xian, where the Terracotta Army is, we spent a week in a place called Choing Quing. We went to the Great Wall, and many monuments and temples, and the Forbidden City in Beijing, and we were treated to lectures by professors of history, and language, and economics, and media specialists. It was a very, very packed tour that was educational in nature, with the intent--it was put together by the National Committee on Chinese and American Relations--for us to come back home and educate our students better about China.

What surprised you most about the culture in China? Shanghai is very capitalistic. And that blew my mind. I was not expecting to see Prada, Gucci, Dolce Gabbana, Bentleys on the road, Maseratis, I mean, they are making money. And in particular Shanghai and Hong Kong, obviously Hong Kong, but again, it was kind of mind-boggling to have in your mind this picture of this Communist nation, and then they are just blowing up economically, so that was, that was pretty shocking.

News Oct. 17, 2013 5Spilled Ink

Why did you decide to go to China?

I was actually awarded a Fulbright-Hays Scholarship, which is a teaching scholarship that is granted by the federal government.

How did your experiences in China affect what you teach in Asian Humanities and how you teach it?

China, India, Japan, and Korea are my curriculum. I’ve found in my travels that I’ve been to all the countries I teach about, that I’m able to bring a different viewpoint to my students, and that I’m able to have richer content, that just by having been there, you can speak from your heart with a deep passion about these places that I love. And I would say to the student body that you know if you put your heart and your mind into to going to see these places, it can happen.

Holmes imports viewpoints, experience from China

What was your favorite part of the trip? Oh my goodness, the food. Yeah, the food was amazing. My professor was awesome because he really wanted us to know and to love China. Nevan Fischer was his name, and he’s a teacher at a college in upstate New York, and just amazing. So I mean that was great, to have such a scholar expert. He teaches at Nazareth College, in Rochester, New York. So the camaraderie of the teachers was amazing. You know, to travel to a different place with a bunch of people you don’t know is awesome. I have to admit that the Great Wall was pretty amazing this time. I’d been to China in 2006, so this wasn’t my first trip there.

What would you like the student body to know about China?

I’m fascinated that they learn English from the time they are in kindergarten on, so their students work very hard to learn and perfect their English. I really would encourage us to start learning Chinese. They’re an amazingly rich and beautiful and fascinating culture that has been around for a long time, and not to be feared.

Viewed across the Yangtze river, new business developments are part of the revived Chinese economy. Holmes witnessed the changes firsthand during her trip to the country from June 5 to July 8. PHOTO COURTESY OF ELAINE HOLMES

Dressing up in the Forbidden City, home to China’s former emperors, two young kids take part in an interactive workshop by displaying their traditional cultural heritage. PHOTO COURTESY OF ELAINE HOLMES

Performing Tai Chi in Chonquing with a local man, Holmes experienced a gentle form of martial arts as part of her cultural exchange. PHOTO COURTESY OF ELAINE HOLMES

Q&A by Evan Bode

Elaine Holmes Social Studies Teacher

A&EOct. 17, 20136 Spilled Ink

Whether we choose to claim them as our own or not, our family is a crucial part of who we are.

Building our identity starts with knowing where we come from, and whom we come from. Our family tree can lead us to answer some of these questions.

Solid answers to these curiosities formulate better understanding of our roots and how we came to be who we are.

Our background is more than where we grew up and who our parents are; it’s a lot about what our families experienced and overcame throughout their lives.

As fun as it is to hear aunts and uncles rant for hours about how Great-Grandpa Somebody did something sometime long ago, the Ancestry App

by Ancestry.com makes family history readily available with a modern twist.

This free app designed for both Apple and Android products, makes it easy to get started with a step-by-step tutorial to begin the process of building a family tree.

The tree allows its user to upload pictures to preserve memories, and learn about historical events that occurred during the lives of ancestors.

Grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and more can be shown in a visual representation of a family tree, all interconnected and accompanied by a variety of information.

As your use of the app continues and becomes more in-depth, Ancestry continues to search for more information based on the information entered by its user. A shaking leaf appears next to a person within the family tree to signal it has discovered new hints about a person’s past.

With over 11 billion historical records at its fingertips, Ancestry is the largest online family resource. This concentration of traceable history makes it easy to learn about how our families

Family tree maker simple, informational

As the wind turned chilly, sweaters came out of closet hibernation, and grocery stores began to saturate our minds with ideas of Hallmark holiday goodness, caramel apples seemed to be the obvious recipe to turn to in my craving for the feeling of fall. But never before had I realized what a challenge these delicacies pose.

Instead of relying on recipes for ideas, I decided to get creative with my apples. With five honey crisp apples, wooden skewers, basic instructions from my bag of Kraft caramels, and various candy, I embarked on one of the most harrowing cooking escapades of my life.

I washed and cleaned my apples, twisted off their stems, stuck the sticks through them, chopped handfuls of candy and recruited my 12-year-old sister Katherine to continuously stir the caramel as it melted on the stove.

Keeping the heat on, I used a spoon to drape sheets of said hot caramel over an apple.

Dismayed, I watched the caramel set at a seemingly unnatural rate as I hurriedly attempted to make mini M&M’s stick to the surface. Having brusquely pushed M&M’s into the caramel surface until they stuck, I had completed one of the five obstacles I was to overcome.

Over the next hour, I manically completed my other four apples: a plain apple, one coated

half-and-half in dark chocolate and caramel, an apple covered in sea salt chocolate bits, and an apple coated using s’mores ingredients.

Four stubborn apples and a painstaking cleaning of my caramel-coated kitchen later, I felt like a kindergarten teacher struggling to keep the children from touching each other as I scrupulously placed the apples on a plate to be refrigerated.

After refrigerating all of the apples for an hour, I sampled each flavor. The M&M’s coated apple and the traditional apple were by far my favorites. The plain apple was simple caramel yumminess, and the M&M’s coated apple remained soft and chewy while still appealing to my chocolate-lover side.

I don’t consider the other apples to be a success. Funky flavor mixes and excessive hardness resulted in problems even sweetness couldn’t cure.

After making and taste-testing these sweets, a few points came to mind: don’t be afraid to get creative with toppings, but consider how the flavors and textures will taste together, and keep in mind the toppings must be put on the caramel before it hardens—I’m talking less than a minute. Secondly, don’t touch the hot caramel (talk about a boo-boo, and not the Halloween-y kind of boo). A final word of advice is to use hot water when cleaning pots and work surfaces, as it will soften the caramel and make it easier to remove.

Despite the fact that this culinary adventure left traces of melted chocolate in my hair, on my arms, and speckled over my face and that many of my end products physically hurt my jaw to bite into, I still consider making caramel apples worth the time. However, this activity is not for the faint of heart. Beware, and only engage in this formidable activity if you’re not afraid to get down and dirty with these ornery caramel treats.

Dipped in caramel and covered in various candies, caramel apples provide a challenging yet exciting fall treat. PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH BRIDGWATER

Elizabeth BridgwaterPerspectives Editor

Jamie Tafoya & Jordan Leone Columnists

Caramel apples offer challenge

subscription. Monthly memberships range from $19.99 for all US records, to $44.99 for all Ancestry resources, including international documents.

Ancestry also appeals to high school students by offering the option to log into a Facebook account. Through Facebook, the App can easily access information rather than having its user hand type all of the required fields.

With few original inputs, the app is able to locate records to help fill in the blanks that our knowledge cannot. By using the ancestry app, finding out your family’s big secret is as easy as opening an app on the home page of your smart phone.

have changed and grown over time. The best part about Ancestry is

the fact that you don’t need to be an expert to start. Beginning with simple entries of full names and birth dates, the app immediately pulls from its collection of records in order to quickly find as much about the user’s parents and grandparents as possible.

All of the information entered into a cellphone is also available on the computer when logged into the same account.

The app offers an additional upgrade to those looking for more than names and places. Documents and other official records can be accessed through a paid

GRAPHIC BY HANNAH MECHTENBERG

A&E Oct. 17, 2013 7Spilled InkFive simple steps for carving a pumpkin

Corn maze offers festive fall activities

ABOVE: Providing a clue, the clown face entrance shows mazegoers what fear they are about to face. RIGHT: Located throughout the maze, six hole punches are needed for completing the scavenger hunt. PHOTOS BY SARAH BALES

Wandering through the seemingly endless field of corn, we were hopelessly lost. During the day, we were searching for hole-punches to use on our scavenger hunt card; at night, we were running from the monsters chasing us.

The Northern Colorado Corn Maze offers a 15-acre maze twisting through row after row of corn. It is family friendly during the day, but around 7 p.m. the sun sets, and monsters emerge.

I had only one friend with me during the daytime corn maze, but I think that was for the better.

A little trailer that stood near the parking lot was where we paid $10 each to enter the maze, and an additional $2 for the scavenger hunt punch card. We then spent the next 20 minutes looking for the first post. Eventually a graveyard, with skeletons emerging from mounds of dirt in front of tombstones appeared. This was a turning point for me because I knew we weren’t walking in endless circles anymore.

We found a post with a hole punch attached to it and were ecstatic. After an hour we had found four out of the six punches we needed. Unfortunately, we reached the end of the maze before we finished the scavenger hunt. However between 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., the $10 ticket allows you unlimited times through the

maze, so we were able to start over.After reentering the maze,

we successfully found our final hole punch and our way back out of the maze. As a prize, we went out to a pumpkin patch and cut our very own small pumpkin.

With time to spare, we took advantage of the other activities our admission offered, including pedal carts, a petting zoo, and bouncy houses. Fortunately for me, I have yet to turn 17, so I did not break the 16-and-under age limit for the pedal cars and the bouncy houses. I let out my inner child throughout the whole day.

Petting miniature horses, pigs,

and goats made me feel very young at heart. I appreciated the loving licks from the horses, and petting the coarse hair on the pigs. I did not, however, l enjoy the goats thinking my fingers were food.

Despite the goat incident, I thoroughly enjoyed what the corn maze had to offer during the day.

I came back at night with a larger group of friends to experience a shift in the environment. During the day families with small children inhabited the place, but at night, teenagers and adults came to experience the thrill of being scared by college students dressed up in monster costumes.

I arrived at 7 p.m. and met my group. The ticket prices become $16 when the haunted corn-maze begins, which in my opinion, is a little pricey, considering we get only

one time through the maze, but we were all ready to experience a thrill.

After buying a ticket, we went to the line. Despite having three separate entrances into the maze, only one was letting people in. My group of eight waited for about twenty minutes, laughing and making jokes.

About half of us were scared out of our minds when it was finally our turn, and we plunged into the darkness. I had done a haunted corn maze several years ago, so I was not as scared as some of my friends who clung onto my hands.

We walked for a couple minutes, suspense building with each

step we took, the rustling of the corn as we brushed past it creepily breaking the silence. Finally, a wart-faced, big-headed monster yelled and jumped out. All of us screamed and yelped in surprise. After that we could hear his

footsteps right behind us, but it wasn’t scary. A part of me kept saying “this isn’t real,” so some of the effect was lost on me.

We wove our way through the twisted path, Sasquatches, Frankensteins, and zombies jumping out at us every few minutes.

Eventually we came to a tunnel with a giant clown face as the entrance. Everyone in my group stopped. We knew we were about to face something horrible. We all stood there for about three minutes, before perspectives editor Elizabeth Bridgwater stepped up and stepped into the strobe-light-filled tunnel.

We all had our moments when we were brave, and we had our moments when we almost peed our pants. Overall the haunted corn maze was thrilling, but overpriced.

Zach StetterStaff Writer

Step 1: Select your pumpkin and tools, which may include knives of a variety of sizes, and then draw your design on your pumpkin.

Step 2: Carve out the top of your pumpkin.

When doing this, make sure to cut at an angle. This will ensure that the top does not fall inside the pumpkin once you

finish your carving.

Step 3: Scrape out all the seeds and guts of the pumpkin with a

spoon.

Step 4: Proceed to

carve out the shape that

you drew on earlier.

Step 5: Put in a candle, turn out the lights, and admire

your finished masterpiece.

About half of us were scared out of our minds.

Sarah BalesA&E Editor

For more tips, visit: http://spoonful.com/halloween/perfect-pumpkins

and

http://spoonful.com/halloween/a-pump-kin-carving-primer

Northern Colorado Corn Maze

2318 South County Road 5

www.nococornmaze.com

A&EOct. 17, 20138 Spilled Ink

Calendar of the ArtsThursday October 24th Jazz Concert with Jazz Choirs and Jazz Band, 7 P.M. in McNeal Auditorium

Friday October 25th and Saturday October 26thAll State Choir Auditions at FCHS

Monday November 4th- Friday November 8th CSU Honor Band and Northern Colorado Honor Band Auditions

Tuesday November 5thThe Laramie Project: Ten Years Later Auditions, 3-5 P.M.

Thursday November 7th Metro State Choral Celebration with A Cap and Canta Bella, All Day, at Metro in Denver

Thursday November 7th – Saturday November 9thUNC Western States Honor Orchestra, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley

Monday November 11th Deadline for All State Orchestra Auditions for all Instruments

Monday November 11th Choral Middle School Invitational with all Choirs, 7 PM, in McNeal Auditorium

Thursday November 14th – Friday November 15th Seussical Auditions, 3-5 P.M.

Wednesday November 20th – Thursday November 21st Cabaret Auditions, Common Lunch

History of holiday observed

When I say October, what comes to mind? I’m pretty sure you just thought about Jack-O-Lanterns, trick-or-treating, or some other tradition with too many hyphens. It is Halloween, the time when people love to dress up in costumes, sweets are given to the youngins in large numbers, and things tend to get a whole lot creepier. It exists in the realm of quasi-holiday, alongside others such as Valentine’s Day or Saint Patrick’s day— times when we like to have fun and decorate, but it isn’t quite enough to justify a day off of school or work.

century, bringing some traditions with it, as well as creating new ones. The favorite, guising (trick-or-treating), originated from an exchange that was first found in the Middle Ages, when the poor and homeless would go door-to-door and request food in return for prayers, which evolved over time to become today’s version: children going door-to-door requesting candy by chanting “Trick-or-treat!” like a cult. (I’m not sure if that’s really what the Pagans had in mind for it).

It’s funny how far a holiday can come in about a thousand years, isn’t it? A festival has transformed into a Hallmark Holiday, and practices once meant to ward off evil spirits are now used to entertain children that aren’t old enough to know what is going on (Yes, that scarecrow is going to jump up and frighten you). I guess it just goes to show that our traditions evolve with our society… and that we can associate candy with anything.

The festival, however, originated in a different incarnation a long time ago, in a land far, far away—Scotland. Its beginning is typically linked to the Gaelic festival of Samhain, or summer’s end, which was a festival celebrating the end of the harvest season and preparing for the oncoming half-of-a-year of cold. Samhain was also seen as a time when the souls of the dead could return to visit their homes in the realm of the living, and people would take steps

However, in 835, the Catholic Church noticed the celebration and decided that it would make a good day for a Christian holy day. So their own version, with Christian variations, was created and they dubbed the 31st of October “All Hallows Eve,” a holy day when dead saints would be honored, as well as recently departed souls (Really creative, guys).

The holiday then migrated to North America during the 19th

The air is crisp as we wait outside, but that’s no reason to put on more clothes. Someone screams for lipstick. Passing drivers stare as we cheer for a man in nothing but gold underwear, dancing on the pole of a streetlamp.

This is “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”At Denver’s Esquire Theater, which

monthly turns itself into a midnight mecca for scantily clad freaks like me, my corset is laced, my lips are red and I’m ready to experience the ultimate cult movie again.

Inside, a dance party commences.

Unique theater atmosphere makes up for cheesy movie

Gretchen AdamsColumnist

a job to remember what to say and do and when to say and do it; some songs even have alternate lyrics and dances.

The movie itself is awful. A recently engaged couple, Brad and Janet, have car trouble one night while on a trip to see their old teacher. They knock on a castle door to see if they can use the phone, and sexy, song-filled hilarity ensues.

I love to make fun of it but also love its message and the culture surrounding it. A bunch of strangers of every race, size and sexual orientation sit half-naked in a movie theater…

It sounds like the opening of a joke. But for all the weird traditions and randiness, it’s not. Rocky Horror embodies something precious. It’s a chance to be you, without labels. It’s a look at what a better, more accepting, more lipsticked world could be. And someday, I hope we won’t dream it just for a single night, we’ll be it.

who’ve never had the experience before. Maybe they’ve watched the movie at home, but everyone’s a Virgin until they’ve been hit in the head with flying toast and learned some profane things to yell at the screen.

The methods of induction to our cult can vary, but normally, Virgins come to the front, grab their ankles, and bounce. It’s quite a sight.

After the Virgins are sufficiently humiliated and barely-legal $5 lap dances (including a free prop bag!) have been sold, it’s time for the movie to start.

This is where the real fun begins. It’s time to throw props and yell weird things at the movie; it’s time to get up onstage and be part of a fantasy; it’s time to do “The Time Warp” again.

I can’t record any of the things we yell at the screen here, partly because they’re generally profane but also because it would take too much explaining. It’s

Everyone is invited onto the “stage” (an area in front of the screen where the floorshow happens) to jam, and regular cast members inform us it’s “tag night.” This means the legendary floorshow will be performed by audience members. Just steal a character’s name tag, and you get to be onstage until someone else taps you out.

This is one of many rituals associated with the floorshow, a tradition in itself. Basically, unpaid actors dress up like the characters in the movie and, noiselessly, act out what’s happening onscreen. It’s a reference to the floorshow that happens at the end of the movie and… yes, it’s as strange and complicated as it sounds.

But really, that’s just how Rocky Horror culture is, cryptic and nonsensical until you’ve been a few times. Even today, I don’t understand some things.

The Virgins’ initiation, however, I understand perfectly. Virgins are people

Jason Stroh-FaronColumnist

GRAPHIC BY HANNAH MECHTENBERG

A&E Oct. 17, 2013Spilled Ink 9

What would you say is your main art concentration?

My concentration ideas for now are eating disorders and how they affect people, or a study of an artist. I’m interested in doing pictures of the back of people’s hair.

What do you enjoy about art?

That you can make a statement to people and say whatever you want to, and there are really no limits to what you can do with art.

What do you plan to do with art in your future?

Well, my hopes are to become a professional photographer and work for a fashion magazine in New York like Vogue or something like that. If not that, then I would love to be an art teacher at a college or even at kindergarten level because kindergartners are cute.

Do you have any idols or people that have inspired you?

This lady Agnes Cecil—and she’s Italian—she’s an amazing artist and that’s who I wanted to do a study of for my concentration. Right now that’s the only person I’m super interested in, but there are lots of amazing photographers that I try and base my stuff off of.

Using photographs as well as Photoshop, senior Danni Cox creates images of different tones. Cox, shown above would like to major in photography in college. PHOTOS COURTESY OF DANNI COX

Your ad here.

Danni CoxPhotographer

Q&A by Joey Freeman

Oct. 17, 201310 Spilled InkIn-Depth

By definition, fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.

Fear controls more aspects of our lives than most would like to admit. Being one of the most common emotions humans experience through the course of a lifetime, fear can range from a brief moment to a lifelong phobia.

With Halloween around the corner, the staff of Spilled Ink unveiled the meaning of fear

in high school, life, and inside the mind.To find stories related to fear, look for a graphic

of a horrified man throughout the In-Depth section.On page 11, assisted by information from

Colorado State University Assistant Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience Lucy Troup, Managing Editor Joey Freeman closely examines the science behind why we experience fear, and how we respond to it.

Putting the concepts Troup talks about into action, high school students deal with their fears daily, as described on page 14 by guest writer Leah Johnson.

A more extreme variation of a stressful

experience, interpreted by Staff writer Gretchen Adams on page 10, placed a foreign exchange student in a life or death situation.

Fears with lasting effects are highlighted within the centerfold. These pages focus in on what students in our school view as horrifying and how they developed their fears. Included are students with phobias of snakes,

bees, chickens, fear, spiders, and even Cheerios. An A-Z list of fascinating phobias lines the sides of the pages.

Appealing to readers looking to understand how to deal with their fears, guest writer Nicole Santner outlines how students cope with fright on the final page of the section.

Editor’s NotE: FEarJamie Tafoya

In-Depth Editor

Frightening incidents don’t hinder student’s American experienceGretchen Adams

Story Writer end of Rocchi’s American troubles.

When her PE class got the lockdown a n n o u n c e m e n t on Aug. 28, their teacher shepherded them into the gym’s supply closet.

The “bad guy,” as Rocchi calls the student who brought an airsoft gun to school that day, was in the closet as well, right

next to her. “It was really scary,” she said. While many other fears typically haunt

foreign exchange students, most of them

A mere two weeks prior, she left her native country for the first time and boarded a plane to America, travelling from New York to Colorado with a marginal knowledge of English and little help from anyone. Her first few weeks have gone pretty well—but her car is headed straight into an airplane hangar.

Behind her slight smile, junior Letícia Rocchi’s eyes are still somewhat fearful as she tells the story.

She and another foreign exchange student were at the Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Airport, having just returned

from a quick foray to Wyoming, when their pilot and chauffeur for the day passed out after tearing his ACL getting off the plane. The car kept moving straight for the hangar.

“I just lost everything,” she said of her ability to speak English in that moment. Acting on impulse, with little knowledge of cars, especially American ones, she managed to turn off the ignition, saving the day.

But this incident didn’t mark the

don’t involve airplane hangars or gun threats. But, aside from everything that’s happened, Rocchi says she’s enjoying her American experience so far. Her favorite part is the mountains, and she loves Wyoming’s wide open spaces, which create a strong contrast to her native São Paulo, Brazil’s largest and busiest city.

She says she doesn’t think any less of our country because of the series of strange and frightening things that have happened to her here, and understands she’s just had bad luck.

Now, with the help of her host family and her new friends, she feels secure in America. A smile on her face, she said, “I don’t have scared moments here.”

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“I just lost everything.”— Leticia

Rocchi

In-Depth Oct. 17, 2013Spilled Ink 11

Response to rational, irrational fear originates in brain

Feeling fear is something that we do without thinking about how our body responds, but during our knee-jerk reaction in a fearful situation, our brain is working hard to process information and produce a reflex.

The body’s reaction to fear is controlled by the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which manipulates multiple functions including the ability to prepare in dangerous situations. The ANS is divided into two parts: the parasympathetic and the sympathetic systems.

“The sympathetic gets you all aroused and sends norepinephrine and epinephrine, which are two neurotransmitters running through the body. It gets you into a state of arousal. The parasympathetic sedates you and keeps you dozy and sleepy and that kind of thing,” Colorado State University Assistant Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience Lucy Troup explained. “So those two things kick off, and obviously in a fear response, the Sympathetic nervous system is more active because you are aroused.”

Although the body is aroused when in a fearful situation, it is also aroused in a positive situation. The brain must decide which emotion to feel when undergoing the stimulation.

“So when I teach this in class, I’m telling students I have a severe dislike of Tom Cruise, but I have a severe crush on Colin Farrell. So when I see both of those men

corn maze,” Troup said. “When you get 15 people in the corn maze, everyone is feeding off of people’s excitement, reading the situation differently.”

According to Troup, this fear which is created by the influence of others or an experience comes from exogenous (outside of the brain) things, whereas other fears created within the brain itself are known as endogenous.

Both of these types of influences can create fears within the mind, but there are some fears which don’t have a distinct origin.

“Some [fears] are what we call irrational fears, and those are, in some respect, more interesting because we can’t explain them,” Troup said. “Why are people terrified of flying when you’re more likely to die crossing the road than you are in an airplane? Those are the ones we find quite interesting.”

While irrational fears remain unexplained, there are ways of overcoming them. Techniques such as taking classes, undergoing therapy including exposure therapy, and desensitization can help to decrease the amount of fear.

The body’s reaction to fear, which is commonly perceived as a simplistic action, is in actuality a process of chemical reactions in the brain which can be affected by both external and internal forces. It is this natural process which causes us to react appropriately in a threatening situation and saves our bodies from overreacting to other events.

they both evoke activity in my sympathetic nervous system, and then my brain has to make sense of which one it is,” Troup said. “Is it Tom Cruise? Am I angry? Am I going to punch him? Or am I happy and I’m going to rush towards him and fling my arms around him?”

This talk-down technique can also occur when experiencing fear.

“We know it’s something that can be controlled by cognitive talk-down, cognitive function,” Troup

said. “You can convince yourself something is not scary. You can convince yourself something is scary.”

Just as the brain can correct its own thinking, the actions and emotions of others can also influence its perception of fear.

“This time of year—you’ve all been to those corn mazes—you all know what’s going to happen in a

Science of Fear

Joey FreemanManaging Editor

FEAR by thE numbERs:

Information gathered by Jamie Tafoya Sources: freakonomics.com, 42fun.com

36MurdererThe number of times an average person walks by a

over the course of his/her life.

10In just

MinutesA hurricane releases as much energy as all the nuclear weapons in the world combined.

More likely to die within a week of receiving a monthly paycheck

13%On average, a person is

“Why are people terrified of flying when you’re more likely to die crossing the road than

you are in an airplane?”-Lucy Troup

GRAPHIC BY HANNAH MECHTENBERG

Information gathered by Joey Freeman Source: University of Turin, www.sciencedaily.com, and www.healthemotions.org

In-Depth12 Spilled InkOct. 17, 2013

Allodoxaphobia- Fear of opinions. Batophobia- Fear of heights or being close to high buildings. Consecotaleophobia- Fear of chopsticks. Doraphobia- Fear of fur or skins of animals. Ereuthrophobia- Fear of blushing. Felinophobia- Fear of cats. Geniophobia- Fear of chins. Hippopotomon- Strosesquipedaliophobia- Fear of long words. Ideophobia- Fear of ideas. Japanophobia- Fear of Japanese. Kleptophobia- Fear of stealing. Levophobia- Fear of things to the left side of the body. Mnemophobia- Fear of memories. Novercaphobia- Fear of your step-mother. Octophobia - Fear of the figure 8. Pogonophobia- Fear of beards. Rhytiphobia- Fear of

FEAR

What is something you Fear?Spiders.

How long have you had his fear?For as long as I can remember.

Why do you think you developed this fear?They look like they came straight from hell, and sit in the dark like little assassins

waiting for you to fall asleep so they can eat you.

How does this fear affect your life?My fear doesn’t really prevent me from doing anything, but it always sits in the back of my mind.

Arachnophobia

What is something you Fear?Chickens.How long have you had his fear?Since I was 2 years old.Why do you think you developed

this fear?I stepped on a chicken’s foot when I was younger and it attacked me.How does this fear affect your life?I can’t look at or be around chickens without hyperventilating.

Ophidiophobia

Alektorophobia

What is something you Fear?Snakes.How long have you had this fear?Since the first time I saw one.Why do you think you developed this fear?They’re slithery and freaky.

How does this fear affect your life?Now I can’t watch Discovery Channel.

Audra KoopmanFreshman

Erin MorrisonSenior

In-Depth 13Spilled Ink Oct. 17, 2013

Strosesquipedaliophobia- Fear of long words. Ideophobia- Fear of ideas. Japanophobia- Fear of Japanese. Kleptophobia- Fear of stealing. Levophobia- Fear of things to the left side of the body. Mnemophobia- Fear of memories. Novercaphobia- Fear of your step-mother. Octophobia - Fear of the figure 8. Pogonophobia- Fear of beards. Rhytiphobia- Fear of

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FEAR

What is something you Fear?Spiders.

How long have you had his fear?For as long as I can remember.

Why do you think you developed this fear?They look like they came straight from hell, and sit in the dark like little assassins

waiting for you to fall asleep so they can eat you.

How does this fear affect your life?My fear doesn’t really prevent me from doing anything, but it always sits in the back of my mind.

Arachnophobia

ApiphobiaWhat is something you Fear?Bees.How long have you had his fear?I’ve had this fear since this summer.Why do you think you developed this fear?I developed this fear because I

was stung a ridiculous amount of times in the course of two days and I didn’t even see it coming.How does this fear affect your life?Every time I see a bee now I panic and run around.

Why do you think you developed this fear?I am an idiot. How does this fear affect your life?I overthink things sometimes just to make sure I’m not doing something incredibly stupid, just because I don’t naturally fear it.

What is something you Fear?I have a fear of fear. I don’t fear enough. How long have you had his fear?Pretty much since forever.

Phobophobia

What is something you Fear?Cheerios.How long have you had his fear?Ever since I have been conscious of my existence.Why do you think you developed this fear?I have no bloody clue.How does this fear affect your life?My brother and dad eat Cheerios, so whenever they’re in the room I skimp.

Cibophobia

Mitchell KhouriSenior

Arthur KippSophomore

Nick KippSophomore

Maria LawsonJunior

In-DepthOct. 17, 201314 Spilled Ink

Self-doubt, failure typical fear of students

The bell rings and the repetitive chimes resonate in the fearful hearts of freshmen as they take their first steps into the next four years of their lives. Each one of the underclassmen prepares to face fears held since middle school, but what these new students don’t realize is that they are entering a place where not only freshmen have fear, but the entire student body has fear. Whether it’s being afraid of asking someone out, failing a class, or going to college, every high school student is afraid of something.

Throughout this time of transition, for many one of the most intimidating and vital parts of entering high school is being accepted. The thought of not fitting into a certain social group—or at all—is exceedingly daunting as young students awkwardly navigate the clustered halls of high school.

“I was scared I wouldn’t be welcomed, I wouldn’t be accepted, because freshmen usually get picked on,” freshman Morgan Huffman said of her first-year worries.

Though time passes, the fear of being not accepted as a freshman often progresses into the fear of not being accepted in general.

“As far as fears go, all people have a fear of like, ‘Do people like me? Am I a likeable person?’. I think we all—even as adults and teenagers–reflect upon what we are putting out to the world,” counselor Ted Brugman said. “How are we perceived by others? I think that’s a concern for teenagers as well as adults. I think that’s kind of amplified in adolescence.”

This sense of self-doubt is only

can cause a damaging buildup of stress. “I bottle it up—if I have to answer

honestly—and I have massive meltdowns. On the inside I’m kind of like this rubber-band-ball of feelings,” May said. “If someone were to crack me open, they would be struck by one of my intestines unwinding.”

Stomach churning stress is not only caused by the looming choices of the future, but also the romantic choices that can be made instantly—like dating.

While relationships may induce sweaty palms, shaky knees, and pounding hearts, the fear of asking someone out or trying to make the next step can be alleviated with the realization that relationships in high school don’t necessarily have to go on past high school, according to senior Turner Harshaw.

“The biggest part of relationships in high school is knowing that you don’t need to plan for next year,” he explained. “You can just plan for right now.”

Planning for the now as opposed to the far-off future can help to reduce the fears and stresses that come along with high school.

enhanced with the worry of getting good grades and impressing potential colleges. “The upperclassmen are worried about the grade point average, and making sure they keep the GPAs up for the colleges they’re interested in,” science teacher Michelle Goodwine said.

With the high standards colleges expect of their applicants, many experience the stress of having the perfect application and maintaining good grades, while still participating in afterschool and in-school activities.

Keeping up with the high academic expectations of college

is even more difficult if one year of high school was troubling.

“I had what they have dubbed a ‘sophomore slump’ and I got a D and a C. And I’m not a good test taker,” senior Hannah May said. “I wish you had a button on every college application that you could push to say ‘Don’t look at my scores.’”

May’s pressure to improve her grades and ACT score before applying to college results in a fear of not being accepted into any of her desired colleges. This pressure of having to make a decision for the future brings up the fear of becoming a failure and continued stress without relief

Leah JohnsonGuest Writer

Fears change, students develop strategies to cope Nicole Santner

Staff Writer

When we were little, it was monsters under the bed. A quick lullaby and a couple of hugs from Mom or Dad and the tears were gone, all right with the world once again. But as we grow and mature, so do our fears. The big, scary monster under the bed becomes the big, scary 675-point World Literature project, the SAT, the party of the year, or the best friend who suddenly joins another group. Now that we’re older, Mom and Dad can’t make everything go away with a few soothing words or big bear hugs.

In the words of author Veronica Roth, “Becoming fearless isn’t the point. That’s impossible. It’s learning how to control your fear, and how to be free from it.” According to psychologists and fear experts, one of the best ways to overcome fear is exposure—facing fears straight on until they no longer trigger nervous system responses.

Noam Shpancer, Ph.D. in clinical psychology and psychology professor at Otterbein University, recommends facing fears as much as possible instead of avoiding them as much as possible.

“Every time you avoid a feared object or situation, your anxiety gains strength while you lose some. Every time you avoid the feared object or situation, you accumulate another experience of failure and another piece of evidence attesting to your weakness,” Shpancer wrote in his article “Overcoming Fear: The Only Way Out is Through.”

This is also the strategy senior Makayla Trugillo recommended for high school students dealing with fear. Trugillo noted that many high school students seem to fear failure and peer judgment when the

chances of seeing most classmates after graduation are slim. In her view, obsessing about what everyone thinks now is pointless. Instead, one should spend his or her time caring about the opinions of people who are truly meaningful in one’s life, such as friends and family.

Recognizing the importance of friends and family, senior Catherine Arneson, a peer counselor, suggested that surrounding oneself with a strong support system of encouraging and positive people is a great aid in conquering fear.

Another popular strategy includes breaking down big fears to make them seem less intimidating and

more manageable. Senior Paige Massey encourages dealing with fear by taking baby steps, tackling the little things first, and avoiding negative thinking.

“Try not to think about it too much,” she advised. “You’re still gonna know it’s there, but there’s no need to dwell on it more than you have to.”

Often, students must deal with fear on the spot. Sophomore Cody Faber faces many of his fearful moments on the baseball diamond.

“Usually, I get a lot of nerves when I have to be in a clutch situation. I put a lot of pressure on myself,” he explained. “I want the ball in my hands in a clutch situation, and that puts a lot of stress on my shoulders.”

Faber practices a talk-down technique to get himself through his stressful moments.

“I just let it go,” he said. “If it gets bad, I sit back and talk to myself, calm myself down.”

While countless theories, strategies, and studies about dealing with fear exist and aid numerous people every day, everyone deals with fear in his or her own way. Whether the strategy be exposure, communication, or avoidance, in the words of Shpancer, “the only way out is through.”

5 Steps to Dealing with Fear

Step 1: Determine what your fear is. Work to identify what specifically causes you to feel anxious. This makes for easier communication with others to lessen the fright.Step 2: Be aware of your reaction to fear. Pay attention to what runs through your mind when encountering a fearful situation. Say something positive to yourself.Step 3: Exaggerate the worst possible outcomes. Our imaginations are much harsher than reality. We fear the outcomes more than the idea itself.Step 4: Use your imagination positively. Allow yourself to relax before entering a feared situation. Imagine yourself dealing with all of the consequences from step 3.Step 5: Approach the situation head on. Be aware of your self-talk and exaggerations. You may find rewarding outcomes to conquering a fear.

“You’re still gonna know it [fear] is there, but there’s no need to dwell on it more than

you have to.”— Paige Massey

Information gathered by Jamie Tafoya Source: University of Florida

GRAPHIC BY HANNAH MECHTENBERG

Sports Oct. 17, 2013Spilled Ink 15

Successes, failures discovered in first volleyball experience

Walking into the gym, I immediately thought: “Good god, I’m in a room of athletic models.”

I was surrounded by girls that I have known since middle school or at least the beginning of high school and have always looked up to. Literally, they are so tall I’ve always been looking up to them.

I felt like all cliché young people when they first arrive in New York City, overwhelmed by all the people and the skyscrapers overhead, but instead of skyscrapers these were teenage girls.

No, this time around I’m not trying modeling (uh, duh that’s called my everyday life), but volleyball, a sport usually reserved for those of the tall variety—so not me.

My arrival alone had caused me to reach the highest precipice of awkwardness, but unfortunately for me it only got worse.

Not only was I one of the shortest (there was no approximation so I’m

not sure exactly how I compared with everyone else), but I was the only person not wearing an FCHS Volleyball shirt; understandable, but still cringe-inducing nonetheless.

The practice began with a simple four laps around the gym, which was, although you all may not have expected it, the easiest part of practice.

After this warm up, the team split up into four groups: Varsity, Junior Varsity, C-Team, and D-Team. I was put on D-Team, by my request (surprise surprise), and

we began with bumping and setting. The ultimate goal, I was told, was

to be able to bump the ball back and forth with your partner 200 times. Guess what didn’t happen? I’m sorry to my partner, because I lack the basic hand-eye coordination. So the attempt at bumping back and forth for 200 times straight turned into the ball getting passed to me, my attempt at hitting it which equaled a “Sorry!” and me scrambling to go pick up the ball.

Eventually I was on the court,

participating in a scrimmage game that is called Burn in which the goal is to get the opposite team out by not allowing them to hit the ball back.

At some point during this activity, I saw the ball sailing towards me. In my mind I knew that if I put my hands together to attempt to bump the ball, I might be able to send it back across the net. But of course, in Awkward Athlete fashion, instead of the ball making a nice connection with my forearms, it collided with my shoulder, not necessarily the place I wanted the ball to go.

And this wasn’t my only athletically challenged encounter with the beast I will now refer to as the volleyball. While just observing a scrimmage I was hit in the shin, and during Burn I was like a lost tourist in China.

Even though my fellow teammates watched me try and fail miserably, and continuously, they immediately welcomed me into their pseudo family. Many of the girls asked me how I was feeling, high-fiving me, and even let me into their group hug that occurs after all drills.

I thought that maybe I would find a friend in this sport (figuratively, not literally since the girls of the team were so welcoming), but instead I felt like Tom Hanks in “Cast Away”, betrayed by a volleyball…damn you, Wilson.

With so many choices of what we can eat around us today, from an organic apple to a Subway Footlong, we all know that eating correctly is significant to our health, but it affects much more than that. How we perform during the day relies heavily on what we consume, which is especially true for athletes.

“If you don’t eat right before you work out, you cramp up a ton. It feels like a knot basically, with sharp pains and that kind of stuff,” senior cross country runner Audrey Oweimrin said. “You have got to be really careful.”

According to head swimming coach Aaron Thatcher, in order to secure a good performance during either a workout or a game, athletes need to eat things like lean meats and proteins with a good mix

of carbohydrates, such as rice or brown breads. Potatoes and sweet potatoes are decent choices as well.

It isn’t only what athletes eat that effects them, but what they drink as well. For the most part, they need to stay away from anything but water, as other drinks can cause unexpected side effects such as cramps and vomiting when athletes are training or playing.

“I’ll tell kids in general—you probably hear me in the hallways—that sodas are

terrible for you, especially diet pop. So I don’t like, or recommend, that they drink pop during the season, especially before meets,” Thatcher e x p l a i n e d .

Paying attention to what they eat and when they eat it leads many athletes to see breakfast as one of the most essential meals of the day. Not only does it set them up for the rest of the day and give them the

energy to get them going, but it jump starts their metabolism. Ideally, athletes

Preparing to practice their serves, the team lines up side by side.

want to eat their second largest meal at lunch, and a light meal at dinner, as that is when they will burn the fewest calories.

“Timing is just as important to nutrition as what you eat. The best time to do it [eat] is after you have a good workout,” Thatcher said. “You need to make sure you eat within the first thirty minutes of it, and make sure they are good foods.”

There are many opportunities and diets in today’s culture that allow us to eat healthy but still let us pick and choose what we prefer.

“Diets are kind of customizable so there are different diets and different foods out there that kids have available to them,” Thatcher said. “We know more about nutrition than we ever have and how it relates to performance. It’s OK to cheat and have ice cream or whatever else, your favorite food on Sundays. But getting a good mix is one of the best practices.”

Joey FreemanColumnist

Zach StetterStaff Writer

Diet choices contribute to athletes’ performance

LEFT: Attempting to return a serve, Joey misreads the direction of the ball and sends it toward the ground. RIGHT: Successfully hitting the ball, Joey bumps it to the other side of the net. PHOTOS BY DALENA GROEN

GRAPHIC BY HANNAH MECHTENBERG

Oct. 17, 201316 Spilled InkSports

People change after high school. Habits change, friendships change, and personalities change. This is an evolution for which 2006 graduate Melissa Schaaf is thankful.

After graduating, Schaaf immediately began expanding her horizons. Having studied abroad in Spain while still in high school, she elected to continue exploring the world while also working on a degree at CSU. She studied in Argentina and Peru in support of her second major, Spanish.

Her first major began developing on the staff of Spilled Ink. A passion for journalism led her to a bachelor’s degree in the subject and work ranging from public relations to breaking the story on Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch’s flood damage in September.

To pay for college, she worked three jobs and put her Spanish skills to use as a private tutor. Her hard work paid off as she graduated with a double major in journalism and Spanish, a minor in ethnic studies, and no students loans.

“I would not recommend that to anyone,” Schaaf said, due to her crazy schedule.

After college, Schaaf’s plan was to go into the Peace Corps in Nicaragua, but three weeks before she left, her doctor delivered tragic news: she had to have another surgery on her foot. From 2008-2012, she was constantly in and out of doctor’s offices, and

her plans for the Peace Corps and graduate school were left behind as she embarked on the healing process, and numerous hours of physical therapy.

Even with the challenges brought about by recovery, one thing that has never changed for Schaaf is her love of softball. A broken foot and four surgeries

No matter what sport an athlete plays, one common occurrence is guaranteed to happen once (or twice, or three times in the case of Brett Favre). At some point in his career, he must make the difficult decision to hang up his gear for the last time. When an athlete retires, it is almost always met with respectful applause. But when an athlete retires after a long, successful career with one team, something truly special is taking place.

Such retirements bring out the sensations of past moments with these players. Elway diving into the end zone to beat the Packers in Super Bowl XXII, Rivera throwing the last strike to seal the Yankees a World Series victory, and Russell winning his 11th NBA title in his final season are all spectacular moments in sports that no sports fan will ever forget. John Elway, Mariano Rivera, and Bill Russell all had memorable careers,

making their retirements emotional for everyone, especially the fans that grew up watching them.

As Rockies fans, we have had only twenty years with our beloved team. Seventeen of those seasons have been spent with Todd Helton, where he played in the outfield during his rookie year and manned first base for the remaining sixteen years. As the Rockies regular season came to a close, the exit of Helton was hard for any fan. Helton announced he would retire on Sept. 14, just two weeks before the last game of the season.

Helton’s declaration made us look back on his career accomplishments. In his seventeen seasons for the Rockies, he hit for a .316 batting average, .414 on base percentage, and he had 592 doubles which is sixteenth all time.

In Helton’s final game, teammates, coaches, and a sold-out crowd of 48,775 fans all took part in the celebration of his wonderful career. He gave the fans that have grown up loving him something to take with them when he hit a home run in his first at bat of the game. Helton ended up with two hits in three at bats, three runs batted in, a double, and a home run in his final game at Coors Field.

His stellar performance during the game was not the only highlight of the night. In the ever-so-emotional home finale, the first pitch was thrown out by Helton’s older daughter. He was also presented with a horse with the Rockies logo inscribed on

the saddle for his retirement gift, and the light-filled stadium awarded him with standing ovations every time he walked off the field or came up to bat.

While Helton’s last at bat will always be remembered, his true legacy lives in the Rockies postseason run in 2007.

The memorable moment was led by Helton’s bat and defense when the Rockies won twenty one of twenty two games in 2007 to advance to the Series. Although the Rockies suffered a four-game sweep at the hands of the Red Sox in the Series that year, that magical run still replays in our minds. As we recall Helton holding the ball up in his glove, yelling in triumph after the Rockies defeated the Diamondbacks to advance to the World Series, a chill runs down our necks, the hair stands up on our arms, and we get goose bumps.

For everything Helton did for the Rockies organization and the fans, he deserved every bit of the fan support, standing ovations, horse equipped with a saddle, and even more that all that. Without him, the Rockies would be a forest-dwelling cricket team. Thanks for the memories, Todd.

Tyler Mathewson & Caleb SchwindtColumnists

Thany DyksonStaff Writer

Multi-sport athlete stays active, travels despite trials

“When I was in high-school, I thought I had my entire life mapped out. I was going to go to college, I was going to

graduate, I was going to join the Peace Corps. Don’t map out your whole life because there are going to be changes.

They may be welcome, or unwelcome.” — Melissa Schaaf

Rockies first baseman honored in final home game

LEFT: Smiling for her senior photo, Schaaf graduated as a part of the class of 2006. PHOTO COURTESY OF YEARBOOKRIGHT: Schaaf poses for a photo on Oct. 6. PHOTO BY THANY DYKSON

later, she continues to play the game she loves. She even started her own co-ed team in 2008 and still plays with many of the original team’s members.

Crossfit and boxing take up most of Schaaf’s time outside of work and softball. She is also currently training for a marathon, taking advantage of the miracle that she is able to run.

Once again, she finds herself working three jobs, as she writes for an online blog, pursues journalism through an internship with the Northern Colorado Business Report, and waits tables at Fish, a restaurant in Old Town.

Knowing the value of change, traveling the world has always been one of Schaaf’s favorite things to do. She wishes she could do it more, and encourages high-school students to travel as well. Also, she encourages students to wait to plan their whole future. She recommends not doing that now, because there will be plenty of time for that later.

“When I was in high-school, I thought I had my entire life mapped out. I was going to go to college, I was going to graduate, I was going to join the Peace Corps,” Schaaf reminisced. “Don’t map out your whole life because there are going to be changes. They may be welcome, or unwelcome.”

Sports Oct. 17, 2013Spilled Ink 17

Athletes face challenges presented by diabetes

With the pounding feet of athletes to the left and right, the gym is teeming with activity. As one girl sprints toward the springboard preparing for her vault, another does a round off back-handspring back-tuck.

Walking into the stuffy but buzzing RMHS gym, a spectator finds it easy to become caught up in the action. The athletes are covered with chalk, sweat, and tape, practicing a challenging sport.

It’s a sport the Collins gymnastics team is good at. The team took second at state last year and is shooting for another title this year.

This year’s team is relatively young, with a number of new members. It’s not a big team, so anybody who is “willing to work hard” is welcome, according to head coach Laura Slocomb.

Senior Alex Flory is part of the experienced core, having competed on the team for all four years of high school. Flory, who began gymnastics at a young age at her grandma’s suggestion, felt the pressure of wanting to be an asset to the team when she first started out.

“I felt so insignificant,” Flory said. “I tried so hard to be my best.”

As a returning senior, Flory is continuing her effort to improve her own performance.

“I’m just really glad I get to compete at most of the meets and at state, and I’m looking forward to lettering,” she

explained. I’m also looking forward to showing the younger girls it gets better. It means that I’m helping contribute to the school and helping win.”

Coming to the team three years ago from the cheer squad, senior Marinna Dilley also put pressure on herself to live up to expectations.

“My goal was to prove that I deserved to be on the team as much as they [the other members] did,” she explained with a proud look in her eyes.

Last year, Dilley lived up to her goal, helping the team to second in state.

Both gymnasts have grown into their leadership positions, and they welcome new teammates.

“We try to be as supportive as possible,” Dilley said.

More support comes from head coach Slocomb. Though it is always demanding for a team to live up to or surpass a previous year’s successes, she looks forward to working with her gymnasts. She expects the team to deliver strong performances in beam and floor and to face their greatest challenge in the uneven bars. With a team comprised mainly of inexperienced members, she may have her work cut out for her this year, but she is enjoying the job.

“It’s new, it’s fun, and it’s nice to know that my sport isn’t dying,” she said.

The time and place for the 2013 regional gymnastics competition were not yet announced at press time, but the state competition will be Nov. 1-2 at Thornton High School.

Gymanstics presents physical, emotional challengesDalena Groen

Guest Writer

Tyler MathewsonStaff Writer

Getting a base hit with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to bring in the winning run, hitting a game winning three while the clock expires against a rival, or making a stop on the one yard line while the clock ticks to zero are just some of the things athletes dream of accomplishing. But for junior Quinn Tomasino and sophomore Sam Bostak, completing these challenging tasks became much harder when the two were diagnosed with diabetes.

When Tomasino was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes his life would never be the same.

“It was in the spring of second grade. I was thirsty constantly and had to go to the bathroom a lot. The eye catcher was that I was a 7 year old kid who had lost a lot of weight,” Tomasino said. “It’s funny ‘cause when my mom took me to the doctor I asked if I would get a shot. Unknowing of the disease she told me “No.” I later learned I would be taking shots the rest of my life.”

He is forced to check blood sugar levels before and after every game. If levels become too low it is possible he could lapse into a coma which could even result in death.

The constant worry over blood sugar levels makes it tough for Tomasino to focus on playing at a consistently high level.

“Diabetes impacts my participation in sports a lot depending on how high or low my blood sugar is. If my blood sugar is stable I can be active and participate in sports as well as be able to participate to my full ability,” Tomasino explained.

“If my blood sugar is low I feel dizzy and shaky. If it’s high I can’t perform well and get tired easier and I’m irritable.”

Physical limits are part of any athlete’s game but most don’t have to deal with the additional steps that Tomasino has to follow during practice and games to be able to play.

For Bostak, diabetes is just another roadblock in the way of being the best football player he can be. Not only does he have to focus on being well conditioned and know what he is doing on the field at all times, but in order to be successful he also has to monitor blood sugar levels during games and practices.

“I have to be very careful on what my blood sugar is before playing. It can’t be too high or too low,” Bostak said. “I have to test my blood sugar throughout practice and games to make sure I am at a healthy level. If not it can be hazardous to my playing and health.”

Depending on his blood sugar level Bostak has to either eat sugar to raise his levels or take insulin if they are too high.

Not only does it does it affect the person living with the disease but Bostak’s friends and family have to realize when levels are high or low to be able to help him and others in case of an emergency.

“It makes people more aware of what I go through,” Bostak said. “Also gives people a better idea of how to help other people with diabetes.”

Tomasino and Bostak have not let these challenges stop them from playing the sports they love. Bostak is currently playing varsity for the football team and Tomasino hopes to accomplish the same this winter and spring with basketball and baseball.

Quinn Tomasino’s tattoo:

A diabetes medical alert symbol, which contains the serpent known as “Cedusa,” along with feathers branching off it.

ABOVE: Displaying his new tattoo, junior Quinn Tomasino poses in the middle of the gym. PHOTO BY CALEB SCHWINDT BELOW: Running to the sideline, sophomore Sam Bostak hustles off the field after a play during a game against Columbine on Aug. 30. PHOTO COURTESY OF DEAN DVORAK

Showing their smiles for the team photo, the 2012-2013 FCHS Gymnastics team placed second in state. PHOTO COURTESY OF YEARBOOK

How long have you been playing the sport?

10 years if you count T-ball.

What about the sport do you like?

The competitiveness of it; I love the bond you have with the team. It’s like you have an entire team on your side.

What keeps you playing?

I keep playing for the love of the sport. I know I want to make a college career out of it.

Do you want to continue into college?

Yes; because I love it. It’s just something I want to continue. I can get a scholarship to go to college.

What is your favorite thing about the sport?

Batting, because I think it’s a battle between you between you and the pitcher. It’s the only hard of the game you control. It’s not your teammates, it’s just you.

Fort Collins High School

Oct. 17, 201318 Spilled InkSports

“

Taylor White

Softball Junior

Fort Collins High School

PHOTO BY AMANDA EVANS

“ “She’s real athletic behind the plate

and she calls a great game.”

”

”

Coach Keith Aragon

TJ Ascough & Tony Steinle

TennisSeniors

How did you get started in tennis?

Tony: Both of my older sisters played so, I guess, influence.

When did you start playing together?

TJ: This year, at the beginning of the season in August.

What has been your greatest accomplishment thus far, and how do you look to build on that?

TJ: Definitely beating Fossil this year. I want to build by doing well at state this year.

How much does communication factor in to how well you play together?

Tony: It settles us down and helps us focus. It’s always good communication. It sometimes helps you see things that you wouldn’t normally see. Two minds are better than one.

“They have blended their talents to become

an excellent doubles team.”

Coach Ed Kalin PHOTOS BY AMANDA EVANS

Perspectives Oct. 17, 2013Spilled Ink 19Staff Ed

A bit of friendly rivalry between schools can be healthy and positive, but this conflict needs to have its limits. Similar to most other high schools, an everyday cultural norm at FCHS is to detest and berate any school other than our own, to the point where their students become our enemies. If taken too far, this attitude can be harmful, and the unbridled hatred of other schools needs to stop.

To understand this issue, it is important to realize that we have more similarities than differences with students from other schools. They go to class, study for tests, and deal with social lives just like we do; yet we ruthlessly judge them based on stereotypes, when any of them would be Lambkins if they lived in a different part of town. Not to mention, if we went to another school, we would probably hate Collins. When you think about it, having an inherent dislike for people we haven’t even met is unreasonably judgmental.

Changing this judgmental mindset within our community will be a challenge, but it can undoubtedly be accomplished. One essential step is having respect for students at other schools. Even if this respect isn’t mutual, this mindset is a significant shift in the right direction. We could all find great friendships with people from other schools, and many of us already have. However, to make a friend, you first have to be a friend, and the key to doing so is showing respect.

All of the high schools in PSD may have their strengths and weaknesses, but one thing certain is the fact that together, we’d be stronger. The bottom line is, we are all part of the same organization: Poudre School District. This common bond should serve to encourage us to be the best school district we can be. Since we’re all part of the same community, it is in our best interest to shift the overall attitude from a hostile competition to a productive collaboration.

This doesn’t mean that the friendly rivalry between us should cease to exist – but we should celebrate school spirit by supporting Collins instead of hating other schools. We all want to win, but we shouldn’t want the other to lose.

Next time you are tempted to insult another school, think about the intent behind this action and decide whether it is really necessary.

Friendly rivalry between schools must replace hostile attitude

“This doesn’t mean that the friendly rivalry between us should cease to exist — but we should celebrate school spirit by supporting Collins instead of hating other schools. We all want to win, but we shouldn’t want the other to lose.”

At 1:10 p.m. today, the time of Spilled Ink’s second distribution, I will have been alive for a whopping 5, 768 days, an approximation of 8, 304, 954 minutes.

The way I see it, in these eight million minutes, I’ve had a boggling amount of time to create memories. Many of these memories I have relate specifically to fall; as the leaves decay into their symbolic autumn colors and brisk mornings make me long to read Robert Frost with a cup of tea, I’ve noticed a specific correlation between many of my most vivid memories and emotions that pertain to fall: they have a corresponding scent or smell. Upon hearing certain sounds nostalgic thoughts creep into my mind, and wafts of different scents slide me into sentimental moments of adoration.

This observation sparked a hypothesis: perhaps specific smells and sounds create nostalgia.

Some of these links to nostalgia make sense; hearing the scuttle and tumble of leaves along a sidewalk or smelling melted caramel are obvious indicators to me that fall is here. It’s what I’ve always grown up experiencing this time of year—these culturally relatable aspects are part of my mental map of fall.

Apart from the aspects which are stereotypically relatable to fall, not all of the links made sense. I found when I listed my personal connections to fall that some of the items aren’t typical fall-related items. Although not normally an artist I listen to, I began to crave Ed Sheeran’s pop-folky-hip-hop creations. Whenever my headphones transmitted his voice and music into my ears, the tone I heard made me think of fall.

But why would Ed Sheeran remind me of fall if there’s no cultural connection in my mental map?

An answer to this question was provided by Matthew Rhodes, associate professor in Cognitive Psychology at CSU. Although he didn’t know of any evidence stating that people link specific things to a season, he agreed that it’s plausible I made this connection because the first time I listened to Ed Sheeran was during fall.

“Think about all the different times you’ve listened to this artist almost like a sequence of experiences,” Rhodes said. “We tend to be better at remembering both our first experiences and our last experiences, with the middle sometimes getting drowned out.”

Just as novelty is part of the complex human memory web, scent and sound play a role as well.

According to Rhodes, these scents and sounds have the ability to provide nostalgia, which he defined as recalling being in past state.

“Smells tend to be really unique in the sense that you have very specific smells attached to very specific things,” he said. “And some sounds are very specific and are attached to very specific things.”

Of our five senses, scent and sound are especially distinct, which is why we so readily make the connection between scent or sound and a memory. To better explain why we can pick a scent or sound out of a sea of memories, Rhodes compared this ability to finding a friend at a Broncos football game. If told to look for your friend in an orange shirt among the thousands of fans bedecked in orange, your search would be at the very least difficult. But if you were told to pick out your friend by looking for her neon green dress, the task would be much easier. Scents and sounds

are like the neon green dress; they’re unique, and therefore easier to find.

Apart from being completely awesome, this phenomenon caused me to rethink my lifestyle. Years from now when I hear the voice of Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory or smell the perfume I wear now, it’s probable that I’ll be thrown into a mess of memories, remembering how it felt to be in high school.

This simple cue from the scent or smell will act wonders on my crowded memory and remind me of this important part of my life. I could be reminded of any number of things, such as my friends, what I did in my free time, or which classes and extracurricular activities I participated in, according to Rhodes.

This means that the smell of McDonald’s, which is located oh-so-conveniently next to FCHS, or the sound of “The Boxer” by Simon and Garfunkel, which is my favorite music group, has potential to remind me for the rest of my life about my high school experience.

The way I see it, this means I better make the experience good. If my future child wants a McFlurry or if I’m in the mood to give him or her a healthy dose of late 1960s’ culture, I don’t want to be reminded of painful, distressing, or unhappy memories. I want to soak up that burst of nostalgia and be reminded of one of the best times of my life.

What started off as a curious excursion into the fascinating realm of psychology has turned into an attitude-changing point. If I’m not striving to be my best every day, I’ve found another source of incentive. Packets of scents and sounds strewn throughout the world wait to bring nostalgia upon me, so I want to make sure these smells and sounds remind me of something superb.

Elizabeth BridgwaterPerspectives Editor

Scents, sounds provide cues to nostalgia, encourage creating positive memories

GRAPHIC BY HANNAH MECHTENBERG

PerspectivesOct. 17, 201320 Spilled Ink

Developing independence now eases transition in future

Whether it’s a new car, new clothes, or a college education, we all have things that we want and that movies tell us our parents should pay for. While being given such big, expensive possessions is definitely nice, it’s not always the best way to be prepared for living on your own.

Though this isn’t true for everyone, many high school students take their parents, and their parents’ money, for granted. Of course, most of us are taken care of financially by our parents or guardians to some extent, some more than others.

According to Daily Finance, only 1 in 4 teens plan to be able to support themselves financially by age 27.

This sense of entitlement that takes prominence over the pride in self-sufficiency is not uncommon; however, it is hard to live without after a while. Developing independence early is the best way to prepare for the day you won’t be living with your parents.

One of the most valuable skills to possess is the ability to manage money, and balance want with need.

At this age, practicing financial responsibility provides students with an opportunity to learn and still have a safety net.

When we are held accountable for what we buy and when we buy it, we are forced to be responsible and prioritize. Exercising discretion teaches us to appreciate what we have, rather than resenting what we lack.

Knowing what should come first in the long line of expenses is absolutely crucial. We need to know when to stop going out to lunch and when to start putting away money for college.

Further than knowing what to cut and what to keep, having to purchase our own belongings with the money we’ve spent long hours earning encourages us to respect them. Putting quality time and attention into working gives that income more value, which in turn makes us want to take better care of the things we own. That car is fueled with gas paid for out of your own pocket, and is rationed and used thoughtfully. Those clothes are taken care of, and kept nice for a long time.

Your parents can still buy you nice things without spoiling you. Still, being supported by your parents shouldn’t take precedence over taking care of yourself.

You have to appreciate that independence carries you through the rest of life; once you’re on your own, it becomes a requirement. Getting everything you ask for may be great now, but as soon as those privileges are no longer instantly available, you’ll be left without money and the knowledge of how to acquire it. Learning these skills now, and developing an appreciation for hard-earned money, will last a lot longer than a brand new car.

Jordan LeoneNews Editor

proportion, causing the American public to lose faith in the government or its corporations, because of a misconception.

Occasionally, a major media outlet will mess up due to lazy researching and generally bad sources. This problem arises when someone mistakes a joke for news, and it blows right up until the story is out of control. A good example of this was quite recent. Fox News accidentally mistook a fake story about President Obama funding a museum of Islam, its source being parody news site National Report. The problem is not that they messed up— they are only human after all—the problem comes when the story explodes and no one ever admits to messing up.

While I am willing to admit that, yes, news sources do need to grab attention somehow, using false and blown out of proportion stories is not the way to do it. Ultimately, the reason this happens, is us. The general population puts up with this style of journalism, so it continues. In the end, the power lies with the patrons, so patronize the media sources that do it the correct way.

Sensationalism an immoral technique used by media

Every day of our lives, we are flooded with useless, inaccurate, and pointless information by today’s media outlets.

From “journalistic sources” featuring articles about celebrity gossip, to fashion magazines making huge political assumptions, to news sources blowing a “scandal” incredibly far out of proportion, it’s sensationalism at its finest. Any measure will be taken to sell just one more copy, or make one more household tune in. It is saddening, and sources that use this tactic to entice people should get the opposite response.

A number of types of sensationalism exist, each with the same goal of increasing viewership or readership. The most common type , and the most nail-bitingly useless, occurs

when a news source grabs hold of a celebrity’s life, or a small mishap and beats the story until the person is dead, or at least until they report he or she is dead once or twice. Such irrelevant topics are simply information that no one needs, and hearing about them wastes time.

The second, or the “scandal” level, can be easily identified when the suffix -gate is added to any headline, in order to compare an event to the famous

1972 Watergate scandal and grab people’s attention. The most recent of these would be “Horsegate,” when horse meat was found in frozen meat products. A “-gate” can sometimes bring to light a level of government corruption, and can be good for the general public to know about, such as NSA-gate. These “scandals,” however, usually blow a minor issue out of

For teenage girl costumes, flaunting

ridiculous cleavage and short skirts is in style.

This look is intentionally sexual and extremely uncreative when it

comes to costume ideas.

As lifetime goals go, portraying myself as a sexual object doesn’t even make the list, so why would I dress up like one when I could

choose a more creative option?

Of course I have to choose to dress up like Harry Potter!! I

am much more confident dressing up as someone that I love.

Alohomora!

Any measure will be taken to sell just one

more copy, or make one more household tune in.

Jason Stroh-FaronStaff Writer

GRAPHIC BY HANNAH MECHTENBERG

Halloween is approaching, which means that it is time to decide what to

dress up as.

Perspectives Oct. 17, 2013Spilled Ink 21

Buddhist advocates use of Dharma, kindness to better FCHS

Cliques, bullying and exclusion are common events in the lives of teenagers. We are often pressured to look and act a specific way and if someone decides not to follow society’s strict guidelines then he or she can be brutally judged by peers. Being completely yourself is often confused with being “weird” or a “freak.”

But what if we all decided to put our judgments aside and just looked at one another with loving kindness? The effect on FCHS or even the world could be monumental. Together, by incorporating ancient Buddhist anti-judgmental ways to live into our day, by cherishing one another’s individuality with kindness in our hearts, we can create a better world.

Buddhism is often bizarre and unusual in many people’s minds. It’s not very well known in the Western world but it is a religion based on the principles of kindness, acceptance and love that originated in Asia. Buddhists use kindness and acceptance and the Dharma (Buddha’s teachings) to end the cycle of suffering which humans must endure.

Although Buddhism can appear unusual and complex, it can actually help change a person’s outlook on the world and that’s what happened to me. Now that I know what the Buddhist teachings

Buddha and cherished that person’s individuality instead? An inner Buddha (bodhisattva) is inside every being and many believe that it is the source of kindness. We all have something special inside of us and although we all have faults as well, those can be overlooked.

There is a saying in Buddhism that when a person tries to become special like someone else, they actually ruin the individuality that they already possess. Once someone looks past an individual’s unattractive features they can truly see the good inside them and they can finally then see the inner Buddha that lies inside that person.

All beings deserve the opportunity to be accepted with loving kindness by their peers because even if they act a certain way that isn’t favorable that doesn’t change the fact that they are humans with feelings and hearts. With even just a little bit of knowledge about how to connect with the inner Buddha inside everyone and how to cherish one another’s differences we can change how we view our friends, acquaintances, and even enemies.

I often struggle with how people view me and how people will not accept the fact that I’m a Buddhist, but whenever I feel threatened or hurt by someone else, I just remind myself that they too are a human with faults. But they still deserve the right for me to accept them as people and to treat them with kindness. Our school can be changed with just a little bit of work. If we all decide to bring the Buddhist value acceptance and loving kindness into our hearts, imagine how much we can influence our school. Imagine how much we can influence our world.

our differences! By just taking a little time to understand Buddhist values we can create a wonderful community that is loving, safe and accepting.

Frequently, differences create issues between people but what if every person instead of being intolerant of someone’s unique quality, channeled their inner

can do to one person, I always imagine how peaceful and happy our school or our world would be if we just worked on being a little more accepting of one another.

Every single one of the students who go to FCHS is a human and can’t be replaced. We are all unique and we all have value, so let us celebrate

Readily available knowledge increases awareness

“Yeah, but why should I care?” I’ve heard this way too many times, while watching the news in the presence of a friend or trying to start a discussion about some hot issue at the lunch table.

The speaker’s reasons are endless: “I’m just a teenager, I can’t vote, that’s not my problem.” But guess what? You live on this planet too, and if you don’t know what’s going on, you might get left behind.

In the wonderful world of the grownups, it can sometimes seem that boring, monotonous news is all they talk about—government shutdown, Syria, the recession… It can get overwhelming really fast. But becoming aware of what’s going on in the world around you is important, and it’s not as difficult or scary as you think.

I used to be unaware too, until my next door neighbors’ cousin came from Syria to visit them, and ended up staying. We became friends, and she told me about what was going on in her homeland. I’d had no knowledge of it before then, and I was shocked to find out what was going on. After that, I started reading the paper more and more, until eventually I became kind of a news junkie.

I’ve learned so many things just by taking half an hour a day to find out what’s happening. My parents’

political discussions have come into context, and their friends are always impressed when I have something to say about a “grownup” topic. Now, I’m confident that when I can finally vote, I’ll be able to make a legitimate, informed decision instead of just writing in Nicholas Cage as a friend and I had planned. I feel more empowered to make choices because I’m more aware in general; I’m no longer a “because my dad says” person.

As for how to become more aware, you don’t have to sit down and read The New York Times every day, I promise. But, if you are a newspaper sort of person, The Coloradoan is a great source, either online or in print, and you can get many other newspapers online too. The world’s most influential newspapers are just a quick Google search away.

For those who prefer shorter articles on just the key points, most major news channels have smartphone apps that will notify you only when something really important happens. You can read the more in-depth article if you want, but these apps are good for a quick summary of what’s up. I have the BBC News app, and I love it.

And, of course, there’s always good old television and radio. Listening to the news on your way to school is a pain-free way to become more aware.

Most importantly, talk to people. As kids, we’re always warned against bringing up politics, but as long as you make it clear you want to keep it light, the right people (that can be teachers, friends, mentors or parents) will probably be happy to talk with you.

Many more options for becoming aware of the world are available, and you can mix and match them in any way you like. But, the important thing is that you do; because of you don’t start caring, who will?

Gretchen AdamsStaff Writer

How aware are you? Take the quiz!

1. True or False: The United States is going to intervene in Syria.

2. The debate about _____ is the primary reason for the government shutdown. A. Marijuana B. The Affordable Care ActC. Abortion

3. Why are some people opposing hosting the winter Olympics in Sochi?A. It’s too cold! B. Russia is allied with Iraq.C. The country’s anti-gay laws are considered by some to be discriminatory. D. They aren’t sure the city of Sochi can provide proper funding.

4. Who is Mohammed Morsi?A. The current Egyptian presidentB. A foreign rock starC. The current Syrian president D. The former Egyptian president

:Answers: 1. False; 2. B; 3. C; 4. D

McKenna ChristianGuest Writer

Personifying her Buddhist beliefs, sophomore McKenna Christian calmly sits in front of prayer flags with prayer beads strung around her neck. GRAPHIC BY HANNAH MECHTENBURG

Information gathered by Gretchen Adams

PerspectivesOct. 17, 201322 Spilled Ink

Shallow high school judgmentshould not be feared

Caution towards others’ judgment

lessens negative labels

Talking poinTs:

Jason Stroh-Faron Staff Writer

Amanda Evans

Staff Writer

Judgment is shallow and based on a person’s physical features without taking character into consideration.

Being scared of others in high school is pointless; high school lasts only four years.

Don’t allow fear of other people’s judgments to hold you back.

Candy-coated smiles hide the poison that surges through the thoughts of others. With stares as quiet as shadows and conversations that cease when I enter arises suspicion. What are they saying? What can’t I know? Was it about me?

I have to survive the death glares and hushed whispers that loom over my head as I walk through the halls of school for another three years. I would like to say that I am fearless, but there are some things I do fear. I fear judgment.

I can’t help asking myself, What are they hiding, what are they saying about me? Do they not like what I wear, who

I hang out with, and the things I say? What if it’s my music they don’t like? Am I too big, too small, or too loud? What is it about me that they don’t like?

Fearing judgment doesn’t make me weak; it makes me cautious. I fear labels because I don’t want people to label me harshly without getting to know who I am and what I’m about. When they judge me, their opinion of me is what they will always take with them. If the original label they choose for me is negative, that is what they may always perceive me as, and they may never give me a second chance. I feel like I am stuck under a microscope and nothing I do is good enough.

I’m not the only one who thinks that fearing judgment isn’t irrational. “It’s human nature to want to please people,” Guidance counselor Brett Fedor said. In fact, those who pretend not to care about judgment, tend to build up a resistance to feelings.

“People who say they are going to be who they want to be and not care about the judgment of others are really putting up a wall,” Fedor explained.

This wall shuts people out and causes more people to judge based merely on what they see. What people say about me can flow over into my future and the labels could stick with me. If I apply for a job and the employer has caught wind of those rumors or bad labels that others have given me, it may hinder my option for the job. Senseless judgment like this can influence more than self-judgment; it can affect the future.

What people say about me labels me and can end up creating a false image for me. High school is four years long. I just scraped by my freshman year, but coming into this year I have already received judgment walking through the front door. I have another three years here and I don’t want to have to spend that time recovering from someone’s criticism.

When people are talking about you behind your back, it is natural to wonder what they are saying.

Caution comes from a fear of judgment.

Negative labels can affect the future.

Judgment is a wonderful evolutionary trait. It has allowed humans to survive by judging environments and threats, and to produce stronger humans by judging potential mates to find the best one. However, in your friendly neighborhood high school, it is a pointless and overhyped element of our continued existence.

Judgment runs rampant in high school; everyone has something to judge: style, intelligence, looks, personality, etc. But does it really matter?

I know what happens when the people around you judge you… nothing. Yes, they may think badly of you because your hair is messy or because those pants are so last year, but does that truly, really matter? The short answer is no.

Judgments are usually shallow things, not taking into account anything about the real you, only taking account of your outward self. These people who judge are not your friends, and most likely not even acquaintances, but outsiders in your life, orbiting peers that have nothing else to think of you, and no way to do so because they don’t know you.

Being afraid of these judgments does not help us in a high school setting. Perhaps if we were competing on a reality TV show on which we were are constantly in competition with everyone, then judgment would be useful. However, in our current environment, we are all working together to survive and get the best experience and most knowledge out of our four years here, so what is the point of being scared what those around you think, when they have no reason to actively use that against you.

Even if your peers are actively plotting your downfall based on shallow and uninformed judgments of you, you have to deal with them for only four years at

maximum, before you go your separate ways. Even better, it could last even less than those four years of high school, as the judgmental person in question may simply mature, and realize that judging peers is pointless and simply stop doing it.

We should not be afraid of our peers’ shallow opinions. They are

useless, shallow, immature, and they cannot harm us in any feasible way if we simply ignore them, and let the judgers realize just what they are doing, and deal with themselves. Don’t be afraid, and don’t feed them, and these judgments will disappear.

Talking poinTs:

Perspectives Oct. 17, 2013Spilled Ink 23

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‘Loose-end friends’ deserve appreciation despite lacking social connectionsmeet Merrick, a homeschooled freshman new to the world of public high school. As his sister’s best friend’s brother, I assumed the relationship to be short-lived, believing our friendship would soon become an acquaintance. This all changed once I began to know him “deeper than the weather.”

While hanging out at first, we performed the typical routine: looking up Best Vine videos, messing around on bikes, exploring the uninstalled sewer tunnels east of his house, and playing poker. Later on, the poker games transfigured into Merrick’s describing the wonders of card tricks and magicians, detailing how physics and human perceptions via the five senses lead the human brain to arrive at conclusions separate from reality. Our conversation a few days afterward delved into the realms of philosophy and modern theory; a friendship I once doubted the validity of had developed into one I value and strive to continue.

However, when introducing Merrick to my main circle of friends, the two parties were separated in a way I have yet to fully comprehend. He wavered on the edge of the troupe, engaging in conversation

occasionally, but not appearing to be fully compatible with the group. Perhaps it is a question of differences. In that situation, he was the loose-end friend, yet by virtue of knowing him, I alone recognized him as much more than merely a “friend of friends.”

Merrick changed the way I view the world of magic, and allowed me to sample his perspective on philosophy – I have taken these concepts and incorporated them into my world view, an entity which will always affect my identity as an individual. In essence, floaters are invaluable, deep friends, and possess the potential to make unique and instrumental additions to one’s mental map. Take time to cultivate relationships with these loose-end friends, and enjoy the rewards such a friendship emits.

Differences manifest themselves as a rule; they are widely apparent within our universe, where life depends on diversity itself. Within the human realm, differences in opinion, clothing, and personal choices tend to stand out. In our high-school setting, one conspicuous variation among students is the people with whom they associate, and how they connect with their friends.

We all have that “one friend,” who prefers to teeter on the edge of a circle rather than cannon-ball into the center of attention. He or she might not have any strong ties to any friend-group in particular, content with having friends within the social circles. This person may well remain stationary after the group has moved on for lunch or fresh air, being unique and different: different in background, different in thinking, different in action.

These “loose-end friends,” or “floaters,” do not feel the need to conform to a certain group, possessing the self-confidence to run solo. However, they do understand the beauty and benefits friendships hold; loose end friends can turn out to be the strongest individuals and deepest friends, even changing the perspectives of their companions.

Over the summer, I was fortunate enough to

Our conversation a few days afterward delved into the realms

of philosophy and modern theory; a friendship I once doubted the

validity of had developed into one I value and strive to continue.

Joe SponslerGuest Writer