Anthony Buchananstaff writer

Preparations for a musical are quite extensive

the Talismana student newspaper

page 2

Sheldon High School 2455 willakenzie Rd., Eugene, Or 97401 vol. 46 Issue 6 April14, 2011

Help support Sheldon programs by attending the Irish Night of Giving

Annual Irish Night of Giving offers chance to help

Madison Bakerfeatures editor

Chasity Barneseditor-in-chief

4J school district is in for some big changes

pages 4-5

After thirteen years of being Eugene District’s 4J’s superintendent, George Russell has decided to retire. The man to be taking his place is Dr. Sheldon Berman. A school superintendent for nearly two decades, Dr. Berman has led both larger and smaller school districts. He is currently the Superintendent of Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville, Kentucky. Dr. Berman will return to Eugene for an April or May planning session with the school board and the current superintendent, Russell, to plan for the transition. On Wednesday, February sixteenth the three fi nalists for the position were named: Dr. Darlene Schottle who is currently the Superintendent at Kalispell Public Schools in Kalispell, Montana; Mr. Michael Munoz, the current Chief Academic Offi cer with Des Moines Public Schools

Every year Sheldon Theatre has put on a fall play, a winter show, and a spring musical and sometimes more. This year the school musical is The King and I. The King and I takes place in the year 1862 while Anna Leonowens and her son Louis are traveling to Bangkok, Siam – now modern day Thailand – where Anna has been summoned to be the school teacher of the King’s many children. When she gets there she fi nds that things were not as she expected, in fact they are very different. This story takes the audience through several years as Anna and Louis live at the palace and their eyes are opened to a whole new world they never thought they would experience. So what does a show like this take to put together? Well every show has a cast that can include one to any number of people the director wants to cast. The King and I has 62 high school age kids and ten elementary/middle school age kids in the cast and crew. Besides the actors there are the crews, each crew member is called a techie. The techies are divided into two groups: the hard techs and the soft techs. The hard techies work on or around the stage while the soft techies work backstage. The hard tech crews are Stage Crew – they move the sets around the stage and control all the curtain; Props crew – they make all the things that the actors carry on and off stage; Lights Crew – they provide and control all the lights that light up the stage for every performance; and Sound Crew – they control the sound and

The Irish Night of Giving is a night to raise money for the school amongst other things. There is also an Honors Ceremony to notice, appreciate, and award the people who have helped Sheldon out so much. Karen Arbogast Nichols will be one of many receiving this award; she has been announced as being this year’s Sheldon Ambassador for Kids. Ambassador Karen Nichols said, “It is a great thing for people to get noticed for what

Rising gas prices near $4.00

A peek behind the scenes of the chaos that is a theatre production

they do for Sheldon, but it is also feels good to do things and help raise money for these kids and their school.” This year there will be three activities to celebrate this great event. The Sheldon Alumni and Friends Social will be held at the Oregon Electric Station on Friday, April 15, 2011, and will be taking place from 7:00p.m. to 10:00p.m. The annual Irish Open Golf Tournament is Saturday, April 16, 2011, which will be held at River Ridge Golf course and begins at 9:00 a.m. and will conclude when all participants have fi nished. The Irish Night of Giving and Honors Ceremony will take place Saturday evening in the Sheldon High School cafeteria. The silent auction and dinner will begin at 5:00 p.m. and following will be the Oral Auction and Honors Ceremony. The entire event will end by 8:30 p.m. Freshman Drew Dymock said, “My family and I have gone in the past and it was fun going to

in Des Moines, Iowa; and the man who got the job, Dr. Sheldon Berman, who’s currently Superintendent at Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville, Kentucky. When interview by KMTR news station Dr. Berman said, “I am very excited to join the 4J team. Throughout my visits and interviews I experienced the district’s commitment to quality and innovation as well as the positive educational environment that staff has created for students. I was equally impressed by the community’s support for the district. I look forward to working with the board, staff and community to build on the district’s long-standing tradition of excellence.” The city council had decided that Dr. Berman, out of three top candidates, would do the best work with our in dept budget. “With this budget I can’t say if he’ll do a good job. But I hope so,” said Mr. Stan Washburn. Dr. Berman began his education career as a social studies teacher in 1975. He holds a Doctor of Education and a Master of Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, a Master of Education degree from the University of Maine, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from

After a long and grueling process, the new 4J Superintendant has been chosen

any sound effects that the audience hears. Then we have the soft tech crew, they are Hair Crew, Costumes Crew, Make-Up Crew, and fi nally House Crew – they run the box offi ce, concessions and are the ushers for each performance. The musical process begins with the directors coming together and planning how the auditions are going to go and when rehearsals will start. This year the directors are Cherie West, Nancy Anderson and Allen Adams. After they plan everything out, auditions begin. Auditions take a whole week and can be very extensive. There are two days of singing auditions, then dance auditions, cold reads which are reading right out of the script without looking at it before hand and then call backs. At call backs the directors have specifi c actors come back and re-audition for the main roles. After about two to three hours (and sometimes more) of call backs, the actors leave and the directors have to cast the show. The casting can take anywhere from an hour to several days. Once the cast list is posted rehearsals begin. Every show starts with a full-cast read through, which then begins three months of rehearsals every day after school. Over time the actors get to know their characters backwards and forwards, and become those characters on stage. Sophomore India Potter said, “You have to really put yourself into the characters’ shoes and think what it would be like them, and you [always] have to believe completely in what you’re saying.” Potter is playing Lady Thiang – the head wife of the king – in The King and I. The actors also block out where and how they walk

shstalisman@gmail.com

Chess’ growingpopularity

the University of Wisconsin. Dr. Berman has published numerous books, articles and curriculum materials on critical thinking, service learning, the development of social responsibility, and innovation in math, science and technology. He serves on the boards of numerous educational and community organizations, including Educators for Social Responsibility, the Muhammad Ali Center, Fund for the Arts and KentuckianaWorks. “I am told that he places a great value on equity, and I am happy for that.” Randy Bernstein, South Eugene High School Principal, said about our new superintendent. Choir and theatre director, Nancy Anderson said this about what she would like to see Dr. Berman do, “Support the arts, of course! Also, we need to make schedules the same across the district so specialists can work easily in more than one school.” All in all it seems as though Dr. Berman has his hands full and is ready for the challenge. Anderson stated that he will be used to public heat because he has made tough decisions in his previous district that he worked at. Now the school district must wait and see if the new changes Dr. Berman is to make will be for the better or for the worst.

the dinner and auction. Donating money for my school is a cool thing to do and it’s a good thing to say I did.” Parts of this event do cost money but all proceedings go to the school. Reservations for the Honors Dinner and Ceremony run $45 per person. The fee for the Golf Tournament is also $45 per person. Sponsorships for the event start at $300 and go up to $3,000. Proceedings from the event consist of ninety percent going to Students in Life Crisis. Another fi ve percent goes to Academic Support, and the last fi ve percent goes to the Athletics Program. Vice Principal Mike Johnson said, “The whole night really helps out things we do here at Sheldon. The people and parents who choose to participate are all very good people and are doing good things for all of us here.” Everyone is encouraged to come and support the school. It will be appreciated greatly.

Chasity Barnes illustration

into a scene. On top of this in a musical there are also musical numbers that the cast has to learn. Sometimes an entire rehearsal is spent blocking one dance number. Along with all these rehearsals the entire company has to complete ten hours of set construction (a.k.a. Set Con). During Production Week (Hell Week), the cast and crew run the show every day prior to opening night. Sophomore Danny Beckett said, “My favorite part of the musical is when everything comes together and I get to see the chemistry between all the characters.” Then the show fi nally opens. Junior Samantha Little said, “I love opening night when [we] can see all our hard work pay off.” There could be anywhere from fi ve to eight performances per musical. This year The King and I has fi ve performances beginning Friday May 13 at 7:30pm. See the posters around the school for more information.

Sheldon’s ownstudentmusicians

pages 4-5

2 the TalismanNews

Japan’s earthquake/tsunami impact

Natural disasters are part of Earth’s life cycle. Lives are taken away, homes are destroyed, and insurance goes through the roof. On March 11, Japan was hit by an earthquake/tsunami that was reportedly an 8.9. Compared to most earthquakes that hit planet Earth over the last century, this one was massive. It was massive enough to develop a tsunami which took out much of northern Japan, specifi cally the Myagi region. Many lives were lost, and many people disappeared. Some survived

the horrid tsunami, and others witnessed it in action. It’s no surprise that this event was horrifi c to most American citizens and the rest of the world. Much of northern Japan was greatly affected by the tsunami. Homes were destroyed, cars were swept away, and citizens were washed away by the waves. Senior Taylor Sheldon said, “I was horrifi ed when I heard about the earthquake. I felt terrible for all people that were caught by the tsunami.” An event like this is hard to recover from and move on, but natural disasters will always occur. But, what’s more intense than natural disasters is seeing them happen on television. Sophomore Bryce Shaneyfelt said, “It was crazy to witness the tsunami on TV.” People would fi nd this event similar to those of recent years. For example, Hurricane Katrina, an event which specifi cally hit the southern part of Louisiana, killed a couple thousand civilians and totaled up to about 90 billion dollars in damage. Shaneyfelt also said, “I remember seeing the damage of Hurricane Katrina on TV and thinking how terrible it was so yes, Katrina is very similar to the events

People hear about natural disasters all the time, but what do they think when they see it on their own TV?

Perspectives on teen pregnancyShould teens stay abstinent, or should they follow MTV’s example of it being okay to be sexually active and pregnant?

April 14, 2011

of the tsunami in Japan.” But in some ways it is in no way similar to Katrina. Unlike Katrina, the tsunami had a body count of about 12,000 civilians, where as Katrina had 1,800 casualties. Both events were devastating. But do not fear, many millions of people are doing their part to help Japan recover. Whether it is through the sale of songs on iTunes or through relief funds, the world is caring. Sophomore Colton Williams said, “I am satisfi ed with the efforts people are making to help Japan. Everywhere I go I see something that is dedicated to helping Japan.” It seems the whole world is contributing to what has only affected a little piece of Earth. It has been over a month since the Tsunami occurred, and since then it has been a big topic on the news. It was a tragic event that left 12,000 dead, and for the most part Japan is working toward recovering. Nuclear threats have been reported but also contained, and there is only one question left to ask: Will this event be remembered 30 years from now? Some will say yes, others would say no. Either way, Japan will fully recover.

Tim Lawrencestaff writer

Courtney Farrellstaff writer

Anthony Rhoadsstaff writer

Japan’s nuclear power struggle

Natalie Flores - staff writer

Teenage pregnancy seems to be very common these days. There are even reality TV shows of the struggles of teenage pregnancy, but are the shows really showing the hardships of teenage pregnancy or are TV networks trying to glamorize it? Shows like Secret Life of the American Teenager, Teen Mom, and 16 and Pregnant are all about teenagers getting pregnant. Are the reality shows really showing real lives or are they scripted? MTV claims they are real, but they also say that they try to spice it up a little and add contracts to the shows. Junior Quinten McGuire said, “They try to show the hardships of being a teen mom but

A nuclear power plant on Japan’s east coast struggles to contain radiation following the recent deadly earthquake and tsunami

Ben Green photo

On March 11, 2011, at 14:46 in Japan, a magnitude 8.9 earthquake shut down all backup systems of one of the nuclear reactors on the east coast. When the quake hit, it knocked out power, then the generator went out, then the power cells failed. 19:46 - The government revealed a cooling problem at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant on the northeast coast, which bore the brunt of the quake and tsunami. 21:34 - TEPCO confi rmed water levels falling inside reactors at the plant, and said it was trying to avert the exposure of nuclear fuel rods by restoring power to its emergency power system so that it could pump water inside the reactors. 21:49 - Jiji News Agency said the evacuation area around the plant was extended to 3 km from 2 km and quoted authorities as saying no radioactive leak had been confi rmed. 21:55 - The government said radiation had leaked from one of the plant’s reactors. On March 12 at 07:19 - TEPCO said it had lost its ability to control pressure in some reactors of a second nuclear power plant at its Fukushima facility. Pressure was stable inside the reactors but rising in the containment vessels, although offi cials did not

then again [the teen moms] are on TV getting paid to show how hard it is.” Sites online, like Yahoo.com report that the girls get paid from 2,000 to 10,000 dollars per episode. No wonder some teenagers want to get pregnant; they want to go on a show for the money and to become famous! Should more people convert to abstinence so they aren’t at risk of getting pregnant? Sophomore Tyler Williams said, “No, because if they are being safe, why not?” According to statistics on yahoo.com eight out of ten girls who are sexually active become pregnant and eighty one percent of these girls are unmarried. Even when one is being safe, something could go wrong staying abstinent is the way to go. When a girlfriend or partner gets pregnant, do most guys stick around and help? Senior Kaitlyn Gaughan said, “A really low percentage stick around because guys just want to have fun in high school and not have such a big responsibility to take on.” This is true. It is very rare for a guy to stick around and if he does he only sticks around for a little bit because he gets scared of the responsibility and runs away. Do the couples ever last or fall apart when they have a child? Sophomore Kelsie Burke said, “I don’t think couples in high school last with a baby because they would have to be committed and it’s hard for someone so young to do that when they want to live their lives.” Yahoo.com says that only three percent of teenagers who have a baby stay together and are happily married. Ninety seven percent stay together for a little while, but it never seems to end up working out.

Planning a trip over the summer? Maybe to a lake or a new city? How about to a national park or a different state? If the answer is yes, better hope you have a ride that is fuel-effi cient or get ready to feel the pain in your pocketbook because you and your traveling buddies will face some of the highest gasoline prices ever. Over the years gas prices have increased to record-high levels. People in America are looking to save money these days and traveling less is a good option. With average prices at the pump approaching $4 a gallon, fi lling up is causing American consumers pain in their back pockets.

know if there would be a need to release pressure at the plant at that point, which would involve a release of radiation. 20:43 - TEPCO planned to fi ll the leaking reactor with sea water to cool it and reduce pressure in the unit. The nuclear accident in Japan has been rated as a four, while the accident in Chernobyl in 1986 was a seven on the one to seven scale. 23:37 - TEPCO prepared to put sea water into the No.2 reactor at its Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The company had already injected sea water into the No. 1 and No. 3 units at the plant to cool them down and reduce pressure inside the reactor container vessels. On March 14 things escalated; 20:10 - Water vessels inside the Fukushima Daiichi complex’s No. 2 reactor were almost empty, TEPCO said. Jiji News Agency said the operator of the plant had started injecting sea water into the reactor in the hope of cooling it down. On March 15 a fresh explosion was heard at the plant around 07:57. 09:01 - Radiation levels in the air surrounding the plant had risen fourfold after the explosion. 14:07 - A no-fl y zone was established for a 30-km radius around the plant. Since things continued to get worse, on March 18, 17:53 - Electricity could be restored on Saturday morning at the No.1 and No.2 reactors, the country’s nuclear safety agency said on Friday. The agency also raised the incident level at reactors No.1, No.2, and No.3 at the Daiichi plant to level 5 from level 4. In Japan, both the death toll and the threat of nuclear radiation are on the rise. On April 1, the number of recovered bodies stood at about 300; on April 5, Japan’s Kyodo News reported that authorities found about 2,000 bodies on beaches in Miyagi. Japan will struggle to get the reactors under control and until they do, the world will be watching.

Rising gas prices

April 14, 2011 3the Talisman Entertainment

Darin Phillips staff writer

Lauren Daviesstaff writer

Lady Gaga: profi le and next move

Wiz Khalifa: entertainment and abuse

Paige Heatonstaff writer

94.9 jamz plays Black and Yellow by Wiz Khalifa a lot. Other popular songs by him played on the radio are Burn After Rolling, Mafi a Music, and Gone. He’s a 24 year old rapper from Pittsburg Pennsylvania. He got famous with Black and Yellow just over six months ago. Some of the more popular artists he raps with are Snoop Dogg and Kev. Last year he preformed at the Wow Hall here in Eugene. He has a reputation for smoking marijuana during his concerts. Some people have an issue with this considering the drug is illegal, and it could be hurting his fan because parents of the younger audiences would not be okay with them attending his concerts. Popular artist have a great infl uence over the people who listen to their

Lizzie McGuire returns

Many teens around the world remember the famous show Lizzie Mcguire from when they were younger. The show fi rst premiered in 2001, leaving viewers wondering what would happen in the episodes to come. The show was about three best friends: Lizzie; played by Hilary Duff; Miranda, played by Lalaine Vergara; and Gordo, played by Adam Lamberg. The show sadly ended in 2004, leaving everybody wondering what would happen with the characters’ lives. Disney channel decided to make a second appearance for the show and it will now be called Lizzie Mcguire College Life. Hilary Duff, despite being in her 20s, is going to play Lizzie once again, along with the other original actors. Junior Shiloh Jackson said, “When I fi rst heard about the show I thought they were going to put different actors in to replace the original ones. I was so happy to fi nd out they’re not!” The Lizzie Mcguire show is all about the life of three high school teenagers and their ways to get through every teen’s problem: drama. Viewers also watched Lizzie’s growth into teen hood. Whether it’s drama about boys, school, family, or friends, Lizzie and her friends always found a solution. Junior Erin Carey said, “The show can be very inspirational for teens and kids. That’s part of the reason why I watched it.” “I think this will be an awesome comeback to the original show because the characters are older now, so I think the show will be a little more mature for older teens,” said, junior Mandi Comer. Although the characters are older, Disney will have to keep it PG for the younger viewers of the show, as all of the other shows on Disney do. The exact date of the premiere of the new show has not been publicized yet, but the show is set to air in spring of 2012.

In the Spring of 2012, Lizzie McGuire will make a comeback, but as a college student

What’s expected of Lady Gaga’s new album Born This Way?

New to fame, Wiz Khalifa has fallen into the abuses of the music world: doing illegal drugs while performing and setting bad examples for kids

Talented, successful, and smart: three traits which belong to the famous singer Lady Gaga. After only fi ve years of being in the music industry, she has already been ranked the 73rd most popular artist of the 2000s decade. Soon after Gaga’s career advanced, she immediately earned a new name, “The new Madonna.” She may be thought of as the new Madonna, but Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (Gaga’s real name) is her own special person. “I think she is really weird but also very talented,” said sophomore Kaitlyn Penrod. Lady Gaga initially signed with Def Jam Records when she was just nineteen years old. After only three months, the record company had already dropped her, but shortly after, Gaga was introduced to singer and songwriter RedOne, who the company also managed. Soon, Gaga’s fi rst song with RedOne called Boys, Boys, Boys was produced. Years later, she was signed by Cherrytree records, who were soon

to be the producers of her fi rst album called The Fame. Gaga is well-known for her crazy and exotic outfi ts. She was an attention grabber at the 2011 Grammy’s when she showed up in a giant egg and refused to come out of it until her performance. “I’m not sure what I thought of her egg outfi t, but I defi nitely wasn’t surprised she did something like that because of all of her past crazy outfi ts,” said sophomore Maddie Glaze. Gaga still continues to show up in strange clothing to almost every event that she attends, including the 2010 VMA’s where she arrived in clothing made up of real meat. Gaga, on the Ellen Degeneres Show, stated that her outfi t wasn’t aimed at vegetarians, but she simply wanted to have fun with it. No one knows what Gaga will show up in next, but the media is always in for a surprise when she comes around. Gaga’s upcoming album Born This Way will be her third release in three years. Gaga said, “It came so quickly. I’ve been working on the album for months, and I feel very strongly that it’s fi nished right now. Some artists take years. I don’t. I write music every day.” The album is described as a mix among all genres. It will be released on May 23, 2011. “Her upcoming album will most likely be good because I think all of her music is enjoyable,” said sophomore Sophia Roberts. Gaga’s music continues to inspire and amaze as her career expands.

From playing Harry Potter in Starkid Productions A Very Potter Musical to Blaine—an out and proud gay kid—on the television show Glee, Darren Criss has made it big. Criss’ fame fi rst skyrocketed when he and some college buddies wrote and performed a parody musical of J.K. Rowling’s, Harry Potter. The musical got over a million hits in a matter of days, and currently has over four million views. A Very Potter Musical, however, was never meant to become that big; it was only ever meant to be seen by Starkid’s friends and family, but after the musical went viral, Starkid decided to release more musicals. The other musicals, however, were released after Criss and his friends graduated from the University of Michigan, so they had more time (and less stress) to put them together. Criss then moved to Los Angeles, California, where he auditioned for multiple roles—one of which included Josh Burton on Eastwick. He played a geeky, high school kid for multiple episodes, until Eastwick was dropped off-air for not getting enough viewers. On only playing young high school characters Criss said, “It’s one of those things I always joked about as an actor in high

Darren Criss goes from Starkid to GleeDarren Criss started out as a normal college student, until a play unexpectedly brought fame

Kelsey Shermannews editor

music and attend their concerts. If a teenager hears their favorite artist say, “Police are bad,” and has a reason to believe it, then that certain person might now hate the police because that rapper whom look up to or even idolize, hates the police. When Wiz Khalifa smokes marijuana on stage, he is telling people that it’s okay to smoke. The Wow Hall holds about 30 concerts a year so they have to be careful about who they allow to perform in their venue. Junior Dongmin Roh said “If an artist who is requesting the venue has a violent past during pervious concerts then [the Wow Hall] should be allowed to deny them the venue.” Performance halls also need to monitor alcohol in their venues. Some shows are only 21 and over while others are friendly to people of all ages. This situation can be handled in many different ways. Senior Pedro Perez commented, “At all the concerts I’ve been to, there are two [separate] sections where the teens can listen to the concert and where the adults can drink and still listen to the music.” Now the question is: can anybody become a rapper? Perez’s answer was simple: “Anyone can become a rap artist, but it takes real skills, dedication, and commitment to become famous.”

school; being like ‘Yeah, you know, when I graduate I’ll probably be right back in high school,’ because that seemed to be the trend for young actors.” So it was no surprise that his next role was playing a high school character as well, but this time on the hit show Glee. Most people now know Criss from his role on Glee. Sophomore Shelby McCool stated, “I fi rst saw him on Glee, and he was a strong and confi dent gay boy, who wasn’t afraid to be himself. Which I think really attracted a lot of viewers to the character.” There is no doubt that she is right; many people have agreed that Blaine’s confi dence is what really drew them into the character, and in turn wanted to learn more about Darren Criss. Darren, however, stated that he is straight but has absolutely no issues with playing a gay teen. “As an actor, your objective is always to play the scene. And in this case, he happens to be a gay teen,” Criss stated. Even though Darren Criss is most well-known for his role on Glee now, some people still remember fi rst seeing him as Harry Potter. Sophomore Sophia Roberts stated, “I heard about him from A Very Potter Musical on Youtube, and I am a big Harry Potter freak, so I got hooked [to Starkid Produtions]. Now, many Glee fans have become fans of Criss and have gone back looking up his previous theater productions. In fact, Starkid Production even got on MTV’s The Sevento debut their new musical Starship—in which Criss wrote every song for, but was unable to perform in because of his new role on Glee. Criss will be very busy for the next few years between playing Blaine on Glee, writing music for Starkid Productions, and writing music for his own, solo music career.Kelsey Sherman illustration

Fe

at

ur

es

Fe

at

ur

es

Sheldon High School students had the privilege to travel across the Atlantic, to Europe dur-ing spring break. Teachers Madame Barley and Senora Albrich have been chaperoning the trip to Europe for the past couple of years and did so this year as well. The group traveled through Spain and France during the course of the week and where able to experience a Eu-ropean lifestyle. During their vacation Sheldon students got to interact with the local people, have fun, and got an educational experience. This is a trip that kids look forward to all year. Junior Payton French said, “The trip to Europe was a fun and educational experi-

ence.” French was one of many kids who got the opportunity to travel across the world this spring break. French continued, “Spain was by far the most enjoyable por-tion of the trip, our group visited Pamplona, where The Running of the Bulls takes place, and Barcelona where we spent most of our time shopping and sightseeing.” French also said, “I would do the trip all over again if the opportunity came up again.” During the fi rst portion of the trip, students visited Paris, France, where they experienced many famous landmarks including the Louvre Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Eiffel Tower. Senior Logan Burger said, “The trip to Europe was an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. The sightseeing and landscapes were very different than here in Eugene.” Junior Peter Anderson said, “This trip was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I was fortunate to go on.” For juniors this was the last chance to go on the trip since Madame Barley and Senora Albrich only do the trip every other year. Ander-son later said, “This trip was amazing and I would recommend this trip to any un-derclassmen who are interested in traveling overseas and exploring new things.”

Spencer Haugen staff writer

Spring Break France and Spain trip a hitSheldon students took a trip to France and Spain to experience cultures they had only read about in textbooks

There are many fashions fl oating around Sheldon these days ranging from animal-style tails to patterned long socks. Especial-ly since its fi nally Spring, it is the time that many people start to be fashionable and almost “jump out of their boxes.” At Sheldon most people dress comfortably and contemporarily, as in yoga pants or sweats, which aren’t bad; it’s just a comfortable look. Junior Maddie Gunson said, “People at Sheldon dress mostly gross.” Gunson also said that the actress Mary-Kate Olsen is her fashion

icon. “Mary-Kate Olsen’s fashion style is kind of laid back and a little bit vintage. Some of her clothes are outrageously cute and at sometimes just plain funky, but in a good way,” said Gunson. Junior Shaynah Vandegriffe said, “People at Sheldon dress really ‘relaxed’ and kind of sloppy, except a few people who actually dress like they care.” Vandegriffe said that her fash-ion icon is the actress Emma Watson. She said that she likes Watson’s style because “it’s quirky, and she mixes vintage or classy pieces with a contemporary look; it’s super cute!” Junior Jennifer Ontivaros said that her every-day fashion choices consisted of, skinny jeans, a light jacket or sweatshirt, vans, and a tee-shirt. According to Teen Vogue magazine, the top ten fashion trends for girls today vary from tee’s, graphic patterns, nau-tical-themed bags and purses. Some girls prefer short fl owing or skin tight skirts, cool cover ups (as in light but wonderful

Students take notice of popular fashion trends

People watch TV a lot these days, which means that they have to see those annoying commercials that come with it. Although commercials can be annoying at times, some of them can be very catchy and cute. From fast food to car insurance commercials, everyone has his or her favor-ites. So what are Sheldon students’ favorite commercials? Freshman Ian Adair said, “My favorite commercial is one of the Jack in the Box commercials because it’s hilari-ous.” So do people actually make profi ts off of their com-mercials? Freshman Savannah Jones said, “My favorite commercial is the Chef Boyardee one where the ravioli can follows the little girl in the store home. I think they were successful at selling their product because I buy raviolis.” Although a lot of people watch television not all of them like commercials. Senior Megan Burch said, “I think most

You can fi nd them across the country, donning t-shirts of bands you’ve never heard of, drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer, or riding their fi xed-gear road bikes with one of their pant legs rolled up to the knee. They’re hipsters. The term originated in the 1940’s towards the end of the Jazz age, and has been revived in recent years. But what does it really mean to be a hipster? Many people have different interpretations of the term, which can cause some confusion between real hipsters and posers. It is diffi cult to defi ne hipsters because the hipster culture derives from a broad range of cultural infl uence and interests. There are plenty of students at Sheldon High School that would classify themselves as hipsters (minus the beer drinking, of course), but there are those who call themselves hipsters when that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Among the names mentioned in the many conversations about hipsters here at Sheldon, one name comes up more often than any others – your very own Mr. Irish,

Some people think certain ethnic groups get recog-nized more than others here at Sheldon. We have Span-ish club, French club, and a Japanese club, but what about the Native American students at Sheldon? What if stu-dents had an opportunity to learn more about the Na-tive American culture by starting such a group or club? Students have many thought and feelings about the different ethnicities at Sheldon. Freshmen Olivia Broadous said, “I think there is not enough Native population here to start a club, but I would totally join if there was one.” In fact, students might be surprised at how many students at Sheldon are either part/full Native American. By starting up a club or a group this could bring all those people together to be more informed about the

Sheldon’s chess club has become more popular over the years. The chess sets are in the campus supervisors’ offi ce. The chess sets that are handed out consist of a board and chess pieces. After players are done with the chess boards they must return them to the campus supervisors’ offi ce. Campus supervisor Darin Henry said, “I love that so many kids are getting more interested in chess.” Statis-tics from the campus supervision offi ce show that over twelve chess boards are handed out to at least 30 peo-ple each day. This shows a rising in chess popularity at Sheldon. Students mostly play chess during free periods. The chess tables in front of the main offi ce have been vandalized. They are only used for chess tourna-ments. Chess is mostly played in the library. Fresh-man Tanner Davies said, “I enjoy playing chess

Rotary is one of the oldest service groups in the world with 30,000 clubs and 12 million members. They are involved in many service projects including organizing student exchanges around the world and the eradication of Polio. Rotary Youth Exchange offers high school students between the age of fourteen and eighteen an opportunity to participate in exchanges with over 80 countries all over the world. Sheldon is currently hosting two students through Rotary, senior Pancho Fadda from Cordoba, Argentina, and sophomore Christian Primus from Berlin, Germany. Preparing to spend the 2011-2012 school year abroad are sophomores Lauren Gleim, Aubrey Brown and Erin Murphy. They are headed to France, Bolivia and India respectively. Students spend anywhere from ten months to a full year in their host countries. The amount of time they are there is normally dictated by their schools at home and abroad. The program costs students 4,800 US dollars (although this number is subject to change in upcoming years). This number includes the cost of one round trip plane ticket, and any consulate trips that may be required to obtain a student visa.

Many students at Sheldon High School play musical in-struments. Music is a great way for people to express them-selves in different ways. People in school sometimes dress a certain way to express the type of music they prefer. Popular instruments played in Sheldon include the guitar, the piano, and the sackbut. On collegeconfi dential.com it is agreed that colleges prefer students who play instruments over students who do not play instruments. Music is loads of fun for people of all ages. Everyone has different preferences from rap, to classical, to jazz, and to rock. High school is a coterie of all these different music preferences mixed into one building. Sophomore Halley Bouwhis plays the piano. Her fa-vorite music is rock, and she prefers guy singers over girl singers! When asked if music has changed her life she an-swered, “Yes, it has, because it has given me something to work for, and a way to creatively spend time.” She also prefers men who play an instrument over men who don’t. The Love Doctor is back, with new info. Junior Chris-tian Nilsen, who plays several instruments, said, “I play the

Hipsters; a rising phenominom in the USAClark Fancher. “Clark has to be the biggest and best hipster that Sheldon has to offer,” said senior Chris Strub. “His style just says it all, and have you seen that kid’s bike? Total hipster.” But is being a hipster just about material possession or is it something more? According to senior Eric Levine it’s not. When asked what makes a hipster, Levine replied, “Hipsters buy cheap beer, smoke everything they can fi nd, or they’re straight edge. Hipsters are cheap. I hate hipsters.” It seems that a lot of people are resentful towards hipsters, but when asked to give explanations as to their reasons, they are unable to give substantial answers. Perhaps hipsters are misunderstood, but regardless, there seems to be a lack of defi nition for what it means to be hipster. Senior Clark Fancher, the man whom many seem to regard as a hipster, hardly considers himself to be one. When asked whether he liked being considered a hipster he replied, “I’m indifferent. It’s better than being a hood rat.” There is no concise defi nition to what it means to be a hipster, just a long list of things that hipsters do. Whether or not one needs to do all or just some of these things to be a hipster is up to interpretation. No one seems to willingly call themselves a hipster and there are a lot of negative opinions about hipsters out there – stuck up, ostentatious, self righteous, etc. – but clearly this is not the case with our beloved Mr. Irish. As with all trends there are followers and haters, and this is true with hipsters. Maybe it’s safe to say everyone has a certain degree of hipster in them.

Jordan Schmidtstaff writer

Hipster: a person, especially during the 1950s, characterized by a particularly strong sense of alienation from most established social activities and relationships

Sheldon’s Chess Club and tournament gains popularityGood players develop a tactical instinct, a sense of what is possible or likely and what is not worth calculating. - Samuel Reshevsky

Blake Schaufl erstaff writer

with my friends in the library during my free period.” The chess tournaments at Sheldon start in the fall and end at the start of winter break. Junior Roberto Tort said, “I enjoy playing in the chess tournament with my friend Jr; we both are skilled at chess and always try to beat each other, and we sometimes practice at my house.” The Sheldon chess tournament bracket is displayed in the front of the main offi ce. It is on the wall next to the snack machine. The champion of the tournament gets his or her name on the Chess Champions board next to the main offi ce. Junior Jr Hanner said, “Sheldon’s chess reputation has changed from being nerdy or dorky to cool and fun.” Shel-don students play chess with friends, more than with students they don’t know. This is because they feel more comfortable playing chess with their friends than with other students. In Sheldon’s chess tournaments students are placed against other students randomly. The more matches students win the higher they get placed in the tournament. Sheldon’s chess tournament rules are if a student loses one match he or she is eliminated. The Sheldon chess program is just the basic high school chess program. When a student wins the tournament they their name in the school newspaper. There are fi fteen chess sets and one tournament a year. So the question is will you play?

Native American culture so that they in turn could tell other people. So how many students would actually join this group or club? Fresh-men McKenzie Farrington said, “I think the students that enjoy learn-ing about history would participate.” At Sheldon students are en-couraged to try new things. If a Native American Club was created maybe students could be encouraged to try that too. Farrington says, “I tried a new class this year and loved it, so maybe there’s a chance something new [like a Native American club] will spark people’s ex-citement.” In the future hopefully a club will be started and stu-dents will become more informed about the Native American culture.

Desiree Phillipsstaff writer

Applications are available at September presentations, online at the RYE site or through the Rotary clubs. Interested students can expect two separate interviews, given by a panel of Rotarians, before being accepted into the program. Murphy commented, “At the interview, which is kind of intimidating, with about seven old people grilling you, you answer questions about yourself; ‘What do you like to do in your spare time? Where do you want to go on exchange? Why? How are you going to cope with being away from family for a year?’ Stuff like that.” Gleim has some good advice to follow in answering those questions, “You just have to be a genuine person willing to try new things and have fun with basically anything that’s put in front of you.” This concept carries over into the rest of the Rotary experience. In the year prior to the exchange, students leaving the country (Outbounds) and students who are currently on exchange in the country (Inbounds) go to various meetings and the yearly district conference together. Students create lasting bonds with other exchange students. There is no standard personality or lifestyle for an exchange student; the only connecting factor is that you’re an exchange student together.

Rotary Youth Exchange presents opportunities

jackets), hoodies, or pea coats. They also use, color block-ing, which is adding one very brightly colored item to your outfi t. Some also bring in the turban. Not a full-headed turban, but an almost headband, or bandana-like turban with a bow or fl ower on it. The list also includes boyish or gladiator fl ats, Marc by Marc Jacobs, white skinny jeans, and a more punkish look, as in silver studded leather, more outrageous updos, and combat boots. Other things that are in right now are big hair, big fl owers, and unique hats. At Sheldon the most common pieces of fashion cloth-ing seen are yoga pants, sweatshirts or zippies, and good ol’ jeans. For the select few who actually dress to impress, they would wear more of the shorter skirts, fl owing or tight, with large and fashionable belts around their wastes for a little taste and some solid or patterned fl ats to fi nish off their fashionable look.

Kathryn Bothmanbackpage editor

Students from all over the world trade places and lives in order to gain a global perspective

guitar, the piano, the fl ute, the accordion, and I’m quite accomplished with the turntables.” Nilsen explained, about how prolifi c music is in his life and stated, “Mu-sic is a big part of my life, such as when I blast my tunes and roll up to the school hopefully attracting any women that witness my presence. I love music, it has in-fl uenced my life for so much good, and has helped me get through so many hard times in my life.” Senior Anthony Romero said that he does not know anyone in the school who plays instruments, he does not play any instruments, and that he does not care whether a girl is singing or a guy is sing-ing. He does, however, prefer girls who play an instrument over girls who do not play instruments. Obviously, there are many differ-ent views on how music infl uences people’s lives and how it is a good way to spend time or attract different people. Many agree that it is attrac-tive in the opposite gender to play

Gwyn LeCavalierstaff writer

Jeans and t-shirts are the standard, right? Not if you take a look around

Native American Culture Club a potential realityShould Sheldon make a Native American cultural club?

commercials are annoying but my favorite would prob-ably be the Nutella commercials.” A couple of students were asked what they thought the catchiest or cutest commercials were. Jones said, “I think the cutest com-mercial is the Direct TV commercial with the baby giraffe.” Adair added, “I like the Free Credit Report.com commercials; they have really catchy songs.” Over the years the Super Bowl has become known for their funny commercials. Everyone loves to sit down and watch new commercials during the Super Bowl. So what are some of the favorite Super Bowl commercials? Junior Kacey Baker said, “My favorite Super Bowl commer-cial is the Doritos one with the little kid.” Sophomore Colton Williams said, “My favorite would probably be they Doritos or Budweiser Super Bowl commercials.” Commercials are also a great part of history. As we com-pare our commercials to the ones of the past, we can see how products have improved. Through commercials we can also see how the world has modernized compared to how it was 50 years ago. From Old Spice to Life Alert there will always be commercials that Sheldon students love.

an instrument. Music is rampant around Sheldon, Eugene, and the culture of western Oregon. There are many students at Sheldon who play instru-ments. Music is a huge part of so many people’s lives whether it’s physically playing an instru-ment or just having a love for music in general.

Some Sheldon students have unexpected musical talentsEric Robinson

staff writer

Why haven’t they told us about this? TV and its annoying friend, commercialsSomehow, annoying commercials have found a place in American Society

Sam Greenentertainment editor

Drew Haugen photo

There are many different and exciting clubs around Sheldon, but some might wonder how to start a club and lack the motivation to start one. There are many people who want to start clubs, but need someone to help them. People don’t know the excitement of being in a club. For some, being in a club is the highlight of a student’s day. Clubs are a great way of becoming more social and contributing to the school. Senior Tre Robinson said if he could start a club it

April 14, 20116 the Talisman

Talisman StaffChasity BarnesMadison BakerDrew HaugenKathryn BothmanSam GreenBen GreenAnthony RhoadsKelsey ShermanAnthony RhoadsMadison BakerChasity BarnesSimone Balazs

Annesha MilosevichDarin PhillipsDesiree PhillipsEric RobinsonJarred RogersBlake Schaufl erBrennan Schaufl erJordan SchmidtSarah SeversonAndrew SmithKristina Tamburrini

Greg Cantwell

Editor-in-Chief Features Editor Sports Editor Backpage Editor Entertainment Editor Opinions Editor Frontpage Editor News Editor Ads Manager Photo Editor Photo Editor Copy Editor

Staff Writers Anthony RhoadsAnthony BuchananMari ChesterLauren DaviesCalvin EverittCourtney FarrellElla GuardinoTiwanna HamiltonSpencer HaugenPaige HeatonTim LawrenceGwyn LeCavalier

Staff Advisor

A message from the TalismanThe Talisman is run by students for students. The views ex-pressed in the Talisman are not necessarily those of the Talis-man staff, those of Sheldon High School, or those of the Shel-don community. If you have any letters to the editor, please e-mail the Talisman at shstalisman@gmail.com, or drop a let-ter in our box located in the offi ce. We kindly reserve the right

to edit all stories we print.

Opinions

Brennan Schaufl erstaff writer

Annesha Milosevichstaff writer

Everyone has heard about the school budget cuts. There is some argument on what should be cut; everybody has varied opinions on this. A lot of people disagree about certain things like whether athletics should be cut or the arts. There is also some disagreement on whether the income tax should be raised to help it. Junior Joe Spears said, “I don’t want things like athletics to be cut because a lot of students have a drive to do well in school so they can play their sports.” Many other athletes would also agree with Joe’s statement, including myself. A lot of sports this year and in the past have relied heavily on donations from businesses, personal sponsors, and fundraisers. There are elective classes like art where students could

Students voice their opinions about animal abuse and ways to help prevent it

There are many ways we can help prevent animal abuse. One way to prevent abuse is to arrest all the people abusing their animals. Another way to prevent it is to report any abuse seen or heard by bystanders. Sophomore Henry Asay said, “I would call the police if I saw anyone abusing their animals.” This is the reaction that most people would have. People need to reach out for help when they see abuse on animals; they can help prevent the abuse in many ways. Some people think it is okay to abuse their animals, but it is not okay! No human or animal deserves be beaten or cruelly abused in any way. Sophomore Juan Gonzalez said, “I was around animal abuse all the time, but I never had the chance to do anything about it.” He wishes that he could have stopped the abuse, and now is strongly against abuse. “Abusing animals is not cool,” Gonzalez stated. If a person comes from an animal abusive family, it is never too late to change their ways. People should be supportive and understanding about someone if they are trying to change their ways and views on animal cruelty. Certain types of animals are consistently abused more than others. The highest rate of abuse is on dogs. Junior Garrett Mores stated, “Pit bulls and Rottweilers seem to be beaten the most everyday. Why? Because their owners are heartless and think it’s funny to see their animals cry.” Statistics show

Animal abuse should be prevented

would be a basketball club, and there would be at least thirty people. Robinson said, “Play quick and not in a hurry.” He also thinks that there should not be any restrictions to having a club. People should be able to start a club, and be able to have their minds wander. Freshman, Trisha Taylor said that if she could start a club it would be a snowboarding club. Taylor said she would have about twelve in the club. About ways to get more people into the clubs she said, “I would put up fl yers and signs to get more people to join to keep the club running.” Taylor also said there should be at least three meetings a week to plan for the trip to go snowboarding. Freshman Ben Harter said that if he could start a club it would be an archery club. He said there would be about ten in the club. “I would want to start this club because

many other schools have an archery club and we could compete against them.” Harter also said there would be practices at least three days a week to get ready for our fi rst game. “They would also have weekend games for fun and the practices would be held at Sheldon or an archery fi eld.” There are many opinions about creating new clubs starting to occur and many people want a say in what clubs are being created. Unfortunately, no one seems to agree with all the clubs people are choosing. People at this school should be able to start any club they want because many people need to have an after school or during school activity to look forward to. Judging by the number of opinions out there, Sheldon has an ever-increasing desire to add more school activities for more students to become involved in school.

Students wanting to start new clubsStudents suggest clubs they would like to create and get involved with

Sarah Seversonstaff writer

Ben Greenopinions editor

thousands of animals die each year due to animal abuse and irresponsible ownership. Don’t let your animal be one of those thousands.

Is waiting to drive friends really that different from driving siblings?

Recently, teenage fi rst-time drivers getting their licenses are taking the risk of driving other people not in their family even though it’s illegal. Getting caught with someone not in your immediate families in the car with you when you have only had your license for less than six months can result in a suspension of your license. I don’t think this should be the case, and I think that this rule is not effective. One of the reasons why I think this rule is not effective is because my sister can distract me just as much as me driving

Students voice their opinions about animal

There are many ways we can help prevent animal abuse. One way to prevent abuse is to arrest all the people abusing their animals. Another way to prevent it is to report any abuse seen or heard by bystanders. Sophomore Henry Asay said, “I would call the police if I saw anyone abusing their animals.” This is the reaction that most people would have. People need to reach out for help when they see abuse on animals; they can help prevent the abuse in many ways. Some people think it is okay to abuse their animals, but it is not okay! No human or animal deserves be beaten or cruelly abused in any way. Sophomore Juan Gonzalez said, “I was around animal abuse all the time, but I never had the chance to do anything about it.” He wishes that he could have stopped the abuse, and now is strongly against abuse. “Abusing animals is not cool,” Gonzalez stated. If a person comes from an animal abusive family, it is never too late to change their ways. People should be supportive and understanding about someone if they are trying to change their ways and views on

thousands of animals die each year due to animal abuse and irresponsible ownership. Don’t let your animal be one of those thousands.

Animals in distress tend to stir up emotions for people around the world, however, this dog was not abused; he has a condition in which he is allergic to fl eas so he excessively licks himself.

Hayley Balli photo

Six month driving rule: necessary or not?

Which budgets should be cut?use more money and when the budget gets cut it makes the art budget shrink even more. James Lanier, the photo and ceramics teacher, said,” It’s unfortunate that art’s budget will be smaller.” He later said, “It will impact students and staff alike greatly, here at Sheldon.” This would also be disappointing because photo is one of my favorite classes. My overall opinion is that educational funding shouldn’t be cut at all. If anything funding should be added to the budget. Vice Principal Watson said, “Nothing should be cut at all, but it’s like balancing your check book.” I think he’s right about that because you may need to cut things you want so you can pay for what you need.

Disagreements between electives and athletics lead people to discuss which programs should be cut

one of my friends. On the other hand, senior Megan Burch took a different stance on the situation. She said, “It helps maintain the stress level for new drivers especially when they are fi rst starting off. Maybe in hindsight, once I’ve been driving for three years I’ll agree with this statement. In other states they don’t even have this law; new drivers get their license and can drive other people even outside of their families. Sophomore Halley Bouwhuis came up with a happy medium and said, “I think this law is effective in a way, but I think that they should shorten the time of waiting before you can drive other people to three months instead of six.” I think that it is effective only if people follow it (just like every other law). Another problem though with your friends being in the car with you when you fi rst get your license is peer pressure. Drivers fi rst starting off by themselves don’t need that kind of pressure; they need to be focused on their driving.

Sophomore Annie Todd stated, “I wasn’t too fond of this rule when I fi rst started off driving, but overall it’s not that big of a deal to wait six months and I can also use that time to improve my driving skills without the distractions. So over all, the consensus of the people I talked to said that it helped them in the long run but they didn’t realize it fi rst starting off. I still don’t think that this should be a law but my views can easily change with time.

April 14, 2011 7the Talisman Sports

U of O Baseball builds on late 2010 successA young Ducks team looks to one day capture Pac-10 championship, National Title

A.J. Smithstaff writer

2011 season starts strong for girls lacrosse

Simone Balazscopy editor

New coaching staff and team captains have the Irish playing with confidence

Butler falls to UConn in NCAA championshipAfter a month of madness, UConn Huskies are crowned number one

Drew Haugensports editor

Students believe many Irish sports disserve more notice around school

Tiwanna Hamiltonstaff writer

Drew Haugen photo

What are the less-publicized sports at Sheldon? Sports such as pétanque, golf, ultimate frisbee, and tennis can be called the “less publicized sports.” At Sheldon, football is the most popular sport, considering we have won numerous league championships, and three state championships. Basketball is also another popular sport, as well as track. But what can be done to make the other sports more publicized as well? “In order to give recognition to all sports, I think that we should have announcements daily about all sports and their upcoming events or games, just to make it fair,” said junior Danny Herrera. “I think pétanque could be more publicized to the student body. I never hear much about it but it seems interesting and I personally would like to hear more about it,” said sophomore Emily Stringfield. Many people also think track should receive more recognition. “In my own opinion, I think track is the least-publicized out of them all. Maybe it is because I run track and I never hear about it, but I just feel that way,” said junior Meaghan Ellis. It sounds like as a whole, the school could do a better job of acknowledging all sports because to some it seems unfair the way it is now. Things such as posters and announcements would be a good way to publicize all sports. Overall, it would make everyone happier just to announce all sporting events instead of just the popular ones.

Oregon baseball is a fairly new sport to enter the Oregon athletic line-up. After a less-than-stellar re-opening season in 2009, the team got together and finished with 40 wins and 24 losses in 2010. As the 2011 season is upon us, many fans wonder how this year will go for the new-found baseball team. After reaching Regionals in the College World Series last year, they plan to go farther into the 2011 tournament. Sophomore Sam Seno said, “I’m not a big baseball fan, but at least their mascot is cool.” He has a point, as The Duck is one of the best-received mascots on the college level. Not only is the mascot cool, but the program as a whole is. After the decision to bring back the sport, the program got a brand new stadium to call their own. In addition to sharing it with the Eugene Emeralds, PK Park is the permanent home of the program. At 15 wins and 14 losses,

The girl’s lacrosse team is back, and they are looking forward to a strong season this year. With new coaching staff, and confident team captains, they are bound for success! The girls have already had a great start entering this season, with a positive turn out at the Portland jamboree, as well as winning their first game. They have an arrangement of exciting games this year that the team should be looking forward too. But the key to a winning team is dedication, and perseverance, which is something the girl’s lax team has a lot of! Junior Kelsey Jost said

“this year our team is really strong, we all work really hard, and we are all satisfied with our team effort.” The team has already started their season off to a good start, with lots of fresh faces playing and their loses only being within a point. So far the team has played Marist, Roseburg, Corvallis Crescent Valley South Eugene, and West Salem. They have an exciting arrangement of games to look forward to this season. Junior Madison Dunne said “I love the team this year, everyone is just great! I feel like all the girls are equal.” This proves the fact there’s no I in team. Junior Olaf St. Onge said “the girl’s lacrosse team

has a lot of heart and determination. I think once they get in their groove they will just take off!” Coming off of a fresh win, the girls look forward to the rest of the vigorous season. Their next game will be here at Sheldon, Tuesday the 19th, and they will play Marist. Along with another game Friday the 15th against Roseburg.

Lesser-publicized sports need recognition, too

U of O’s new baseball field, PK Park, is shared with the Eugene Emeralds.Drew Haugen photoMany Sheldon students would like to see more

sports publicized and celebrated, such as track.

For basketball fans across the nation, the month of March has become synonymous with huge plays and highlight reel finishes in the world of NCAA hoops. This year, more than any in recent history, has seen the biggest upsets and bracket busters. After a month of intense basketball action, only two teams remained standing on April 4: the Connecticut Huskies and the Butler Bulldogs. UConn finished the regular season with a nine-and-nine record in Big East conference play under head coach Jim Calhoun. Many of the Husky faithful believed this would be a rebuilding year for the young team after underachieving. However, Connecticut then went on an improbable winning streak, lead by Naismith Award finalist Kemba Walker, who averaged 25 points per game. Said junior Sam McCaskill, “Walker was one of the nation’s most explosive players in 2011. He also seemed to elevate the play of his teammates when he was on the court.” After clinching the conference title, the red hot Huskies continued their dominance in the NCAA tournament. After wins against Bucknell, Cincinnati, San Diego State, Arizona, and Kentucky, UConn punched a ticket for their fourth National Championship in twelve years. Following a heartbreaking loss to Duke in the title game the previous season, few people believed that

Butler could replicate the same success in 2011. However, the Bulldogs came out strong with an overall regular season record of 28-10. Guided by senior center Matt Howard and junior guard Shelvin Mack, Butler went on to win the Horizon League championship for the second year in a row under head coach Brad Stevens. Entering the tournament, the experienced squad made quick work of higher seeded teams including Pittsburg, Wisconsin, and Florida. Said junior Tanner Zent, “Butler’s tournament run was exciting to watch. They showed they can play with the top basketball teams in the country.”After a showdown with Cinderella-story VCU, Butler had earned its way back to the NCAA Championship. The 2011 National Championship turned out to be a low scoring, grind-it-out affair by all accounts. As the the first half of basketball came to a close, the scoreboard read 22-19 in favor of the Bulldogs. With a last second shot at the buzzer by Shelvin Mack, many believed Butler would carry that momentum into the final twenty minutes. That prediction would be proven wrong as UConn held Butler to only nineteen percent shooting in the second half. The scoring drought finally came to an end as the final horn sounded; the Huskies had won one of lowest scoring title games in history 53-41. Said junior Zach Trahan, “Butler is a well-coached basketball team and they fought hard in the National Championship. If Brad Stevens continues coaching for the Bulldogs, we will see them back in the tournament soon.”

the Ducks have a chance to do well in the upcoming weeks. Sophomore Keegan Taylor said, “I have watched a few games this year and they are looking strong and ready to win. If they keep it up they have a shot at a Pac-10 title.” If the Ducks continue to do well, this possibility is not too far out of the question. After the revival of the baseball program, the sport has picked up in popularity. Sophomore Mito Melo said, “I love watching Oregon Baseball. It’s a blast and very entertaining.” Many baseball fans in Eugene had the Eugene Emeralds to watch in the past years, but were lacking baseball at the college level. Since PK Park is shared by both the Ducks and the Ems, it is a great way to watch both teams.

Opening windows into Chilean culture

Quotable teachers make an impact

Spirit Week 2011

Jackson Darlandcontributing writer

Kristina Tamburrinistaff writer

Jarred Rogers staff writer

Language barriers are more complex than Sheldon sophomore expected

Red, green, gold, clear and orange. Gummy bears are a favorite.. But where did they come from?

Are you trying to build yourself up by tearing me down? Loser. -Lynn Hellwege

Backpage

There are many teachers throughout the school, but with so many students around, each has an opinion about specifi c teachers. Whether they like the teachers or not, every teacher has his or her own way of saying something. It can be quirky or just plain stupid, but to some kids it can make a lasting impact on their life after they are done with school. To some teachers, the kids make an impact on their lives and have kept them doing what they love to do best: teaching and inspiring kids. Most teachers and students have a memory of what they have heard a teacher say or even what a student has said that has stuck with

a teacher throughout his or her teaching career. Juniors Olaf St. Onge and Chris Ulloa said their most inspiring quote is from Mr. Hellwege: “Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure.” To St. Onge it is inspiring because it has given him discipline. For Ulloa, it has made him not give up on the things he has to do whether it is in or outside the classroom. Teacher Wade Powell’s most inspiring quote is: “If you want to be happy for a day get married, If you want to be happy for a lifetime, plant a garden.” This is a quote from Confucius; Mr. Powell loves this quote because it makes him realize his quality of life and gives a good reality to the real meaning of happiness: even if it’s from a garden, it is the enjoyment of a person doing what he or she loves to do. Senior Cayla Bollinger said, “Sharpen up” by teacher Lane Johnson is her favorite quote from a teacher. It is Bollinger’s favorite because it is kind of funny, but when she says those two words it inspires her to fi nish or do her

work, even stay in line with the tasks that are given. Though teachers can be intimidating or seem to get on a student’s nerves, they will always leave an impact on the students in some way. Their sayings can bring joy or pure fear, but most times what they say ends up making sense after one thinks about it, or sometimes from the fi rst time one hears it.

a creek or awaking out of a dream, when I am introduced to something

that was previously unfamiliar. I think the walls of my room are going to be full of windows when I get home, though I think there’s always going to be more to see when I look in a different direction or from a different angle. I can say that I got to do things that I have never been able to do before, and I feel I can empathize with a fresh handful of people in the world. It feels good, almost like washing my face in the cool clear water of a creek or awaking out of a dream, when I am introduced to something that was previously unfamiliar. I think the walls of my room are going to be full of windows when I get home, though I think there’s always going to be more to see when I look in a different direction or from a different angle.

Gummy Bears!!

Cowboys, Hippies, football players, Oh my!

Here I am, still observing, learning, experiencing, letting ideas sink in as I move forward in my Chilean adventure. But more than moving forward, I’m moving deeper, delving into this different culture. I believe that it is on the brink of impossible to write the actual feel--mental and physical--of immersing into a foreign culture in a way that can be grasped by those who have not taken part in the real experience, but that won’t keep me from trying to describe certain aspects of it. Language is obviously a huge component of culture, and it has been one of the most interesting aspects of my stay thus far. Before (though I had a better apprehension than most because of my having lived in Japan) I viewed the challenge of learning Spanish as solely the breaking of a code, a mathematical equation, or the unscrambling of words; however, over the past two months, another one of my numerous curtains has been pushed aside, exposing a new window through which I can see just a fragment more of what is outside of my room. No, a language not only embodies words, but also tones, and actions, and all of it changes when in different contexts or situations. Like in the U.S., there is a time and a place for certain behavior. Peers, like in a case with classmates, we use slang and act in a way that would be insulting in a more formal situation when communicating with each other. Here, we use the universal term, “juevon” (which means something along the lines of “imbecile”) to indicate “you” or “he.” We are always roughing each other with punches, and poking, and teasing. Our rowdiness makes our fellowship all the stronger as we are all forced to humble ourselves. If anyone were prideful, I think he would be ripped apart. In my school, we boys are all equals, greeting each other throughout each day with friendly handshakes and big grins, or knocking each other down to the fl oor and then helping each other back up, laughing the whole time. Of course we all have to pull it together when talking to someone of higher respect such as a teacher. In these cases, we use the more formal word “Usted” or “Ustedes” to address “you” or “you guys.” Appropriate behaviors can be very distinct depending on each circumstance, but I have really started to become accustomed to it. I have no doubts that as I spend more time here on exchange, something still unknown to me will be exposed and impress upon me yet another understanding of culture. Even today I can say that I got to do things that I have never been able to do before, and I feel I can empathize with a fresh handful of people in the world. It feels good, almost like washing my face in the cool clear water of

In 1967, Hans Riegal Senior made an invention that would forever change the world: Gummy bears. Gummy bears are one of the most popular candies in the world. So popular, in fact, Disney ended up making an animated television series about gummy bears set in the Middle Ages. There was also the popular song I’m a Gummy Bear, which was, go fi gure, about a gummy bear. But when they were invented, did Riegal think his gum-my candy could potentially be dangerous in the future? Gummy bears actually started off as regular gum that came shaped like bears. Riegal did some tinkering, and came up with what we now know and recognize as Gummy Bears. It was then that the Haribo Company began to rise in popu-larity. “The Haribo Company is okay,” said freshman An-drew Crampton, “but the whole TV show thing is kind of weird.” So why did Disney make a TV show about gummy bears? The most likely reason was to cash in on some of the fame the small gummy candies had already acquired. “Gummy bears are popular with children and marketed accordingly,” said freshman Chad Carpenter, “the gummy TV show sounds dumb to me, but kids probably like that kind of thing.” This idea is probably not far off the mark. Much like alcohol and tobacco, gummy bears are indeed marketed at children with the hopes of creating lifetime customers. Many of the Haribo commercials are cartoonish and attempt at humor, trying to draw in a wide audience. Though gummy bears were created in Germany, they are popular all over the world. Though Haribo was the original gummy bear brand, there have been multiple companies that mainly make gummy candies. Such companies include Black Forest, which is another main manufacturer of gum-my candy. Many stores also create their own gummy bears, though the quality of generic candy doesn’t usually match up to Haribo. There are also countless types of gummy bears: gummy cola, gummy cherries, gummy spiders, you name it. Gummy bears are all over in many different shapes and sizes. But one question that has come up over the years remains: can gummy bears cause diseases such as mad cow? There has been much speculation of this, but little proof. It is true many of the ingredients in gum-mies come from animals, but the notion gummies can cause disease has so far gone unproved. With that, only one serious problem remains: At Target, you can buy three pounds of Haribo brand gummy bears for fi ve dol-lars. At Market of Choice, only one pound goes for fi ve dollars. “That’s because Target is better,” said Span-ish teacher Lisa Albrich, “doesn’t everyone think so?”

Sheldon’s annual spirit week is a great way to show some school spirit by dressing up as different things and people. These events are mostly held the last term, close to the end of the school year. All grades are able, and encouraged, to show their spirit and take part in the week to show their Irish pride. Both students and teachers take a big part in celebrating spirit week each and every year. When junior Erin Carey was asked what she thought spirit week was here at Sheldon High School, she said, “It is when people dress up for a week and show their school and team spirit”. She feels that it is a good way for teachers and students to express how they feel by dressing up and showing spirit. Each day of the week there is a different theme. Senior Brook Doyle stated, “I think this year I’m going to dress up my best because it’s my senior year and it only gives me one more chance to celebrate spirit week.” Many seniors have said the same thing as Doyle and would like to take part in the event as well. This is a great way for the school to bond as a whole. The more people who are a part of this tradition, the better it will be.

Mari Chesterstaff writer