Volume L Issue 4

SectionsNews.................2, 3Athletics...............4

Entertainment....5Features.............6,7Commentary.......8

Tomorrow’s WeatherChance of rain, highs

of 60 to 63.

From faith to school, Josh Richard-son achieves highly...

Page 6 Features

RECYCLE, PLEASE!

Keeping Thurston High School informed every step of the way...

Pony ExPrEssTHE

Monday, March 3, 2014

Prom’sComing

Up!

Seniorsat

StateSee page 7 “ Senior Wrestlers Leave it All on the Mat”

See page 7 “In a Secret Garden” and “All Dressed Up”

The Mr.THS boys line up in an assembly in January. From left Corey Maberry, Sam Westerfield, Aaron Smart, Zach Farr, Juan Rodriguez and Matt Selby (not pictured:Austin Dillon, Andrew Kronser, Cole

Miller, Chris Mudder, Drake Ortmann, and Jon Sims)

Matt Selby is spoon-fed baby food by his commit-tee girl, Abby Hyland, as he glares at his oppo-nents

Chris Mudder climbs over the senior section in the bleachers, in search of money, wearing a beard of baby food

Hailey Pratt | PHotograPHer

Jessica HarPer | rePorter

After overthrowing the elder gods, or the Titans, the Olympian Gods became the main gods of Greece. Though each god has one unique power, they act very much human; much like the Mr. THS candidates.

Probably the most unique candidate out of all the boys is Corey Maberry, also known as Hypnos, the god of sleep. Why was he chosen as the god of sleep?

“Cause nobody knew who I was,” claims Maberry.

Though Mr. Maberry hasn’t

been involved with as many leadership activities, this could be his advantage, for he has room to impress all of us.

Sam Westerfield, or Hephaestus, the god of fire, believes his modesty and family connection to the NICU are important qualities for his campaign. Though a seemingly calm person, perhaps Westerfield’s inner fire will burst through on the night of the patient; a sight to be seen.

Cole Miller is more than a god, for he is a hero. Perseus is the hero who cut Medusas head

clean off, using a mirror and a sword. “It’s such a big deal, and I’m a part of it, and saving babies essentially,” describes Miller. His energetic and heroic attitude will be his mirror and sword in this competition.

Ares, the god of war, has been given to Zach Farr. Though his height may seem intimidating, he has a soft spot for kids, because his parents run their own daycare. The fact that he works so well with kids won’t be easy to beat.

It’s no surprise that Andrew Kronser was chosen to be Apollo. He is a god of music, poetry,

healing, light and truth; a well-rounded god just like Kronser. Being an NICU child himself, Kronser has a deep connection with the program. His diversity will be his strength in this pageant. “I think in a lot of ways I’m really well rounded. I’ve kind of been in different parts of the school,”.

Aaron Smart describes his god to be the god of love and desire. There’s no doubt that this god is Eros. Unlike Cupid, Eros is the son Aphrodite, the goddess of love. “Cupid is a cherub; Eros is usually portrayed as a really

beautiful man. He is also the god of lust,” Smart has a fun loving spirit that he will be bringing to the stage on patient night.

If you know the Greek Epics, then you’ll know the story of Odysseus. Once a king of Ithaca, he was the hero of the Trojan war. The hero of skill and strategy has been appointed to Chris Mudder. His goal is not to beat the other contestants, but to raise the most money to help the kids. Even without competition, his attitude is nothing short of heroic.

Continued on page 2... “Men of Mr. Ths”

Not ‘So Clean’ AnymoreMadison Wilson | edi-tor-in-cHief

14 so clean? I don’t think so: try ‘14 Twerk Team. As announced at the assembly on Friday, January 17th, this year’s seniors have a new class motto.

This decision was made by seniors that are apart of lead-ership and has been well-re-ceived by the class of ‘14.

“We felt like our old mot-to didn’t accurately represent our class. Also, this makes a relevant reference to current events that we’ll remember after we graduate,” said senior

class president, Matt Selby.Other classes seem to be

satisfied with their original mottos. With the other mot-tos consisting of ‘We’re lean, we’re mean, we’re the class of ‘15’, ‘Sweet, sweet 16’, and ‘17 Red Machine’, the other three classes felt no need for a change.

Though the other classes are satisfied with their mot-tos, whether it’s ‘14 so clean or ‘14 Twerk Team, this year’s seniors are all likely to be ex-cited about graduating this coming June.

Senior Class President, Matt Selby, unveils the new slogan for the class of 2014

Greek Gods and Heroes:Savin’ Babies

Hailey Pratt | PHotograPHer

{CURRENT EVENTS} 2...continued from front

Being a football and baseball star, Juan Rodriguez is a man of courage and strength, much like Hercules. Besides his muscles, Rodriguez’s personality is also big and powerful. He’s strong yet gentle charisma will be a great factor in this competition.

All of these gods and heroes wouldn’t be where they are if it wasn’t for Hermes, given to Mr. Austin Dillon. His speed in running makes Dillon a perfect match for the messenger of the gods, with his winged shoes. Dillon explained, “I wanna be someone that can kind a do something my senior year, and this is something special,”. Because of his dedication to making a change, Dillon is a great candidate.

Jon Sims is constantly in the spotlight at Thurston’s theater department, so it’s no surprise that he was appointed as Dionysus, the god of festivities, or more commonly, the god of wine. Sims has been seen in the fall play, The Three Musketeers. He has proven that, though godlike, the Mr. THS boys are still very human, for he has been ill in the beginning of this competition. Thankfully, he is better just in time for finals and will pick up where he left off in this pageant.

Twelve boys were chosen to be the Greek Gods of the school, but only one will be chosen to be this year’s Mr. THS. Though it will be a close competition, all of these boys are conquering something bigger than Mount Olympus, for they are helping families and the community one baby at a time.

Tell Us WhaT YoU ThinkContact us at: newspaper.publications@gmail.com

The Pony Express aims to inform the THS student body of the newsworthy events, people, and ideas around campus that simply aren’t covered anywhere else.We encourage you to join our endeavor by submitting a letter to our editors.Letters may be turned into Room 140, and must be signed. Limit 250 words.

AdvisorJoseph Roberson

Editors-in-ChiefMadison Wilson

Zachary Farr

Page EditorsKatie LivelyKevin HagelConer Jensen

Alex Youngbauer

Copy EditorAndrew Kronser

ReportersHarley Emery

Jesse Cope

Reporters Cont.Jess Harper

Sam WesterfieldCody MittsRyan Carr

Angel PrimroseTeddi Trotter

Men of Mr. THS

ZacH farr | editor-in-cHief

Just before 7 in the morning on February 6th, snow began to fall over most of the Willamette Valley. This marked the beginning of the second large snow storm to hit the area this school year.

Because the snowfall did not start until after 6:30, which is the district’s deadline for school cancellation, students attended school on a normal black day schedule. Snow continued to fall throughout the morning, and it was announced during fourth

period that students would be released from school early. Classes were shortened to just under an hour, and school was officially closed at 1.

The snow and ice caused problems on major highways; I-5 being particularly dangerous. Just north of Albany, a chain of crashes occurred at around 8 am. These crashes slowed down traffic for the remainder of the day, as tow crews worked to remove the crashed vehicles.

Snow showers continued off and on for the remainder of the day in the Thurston area,

and by late afternoon an inch and a half had accumulated. The Springfield School District decided to cancel school early, as the storm was just beginning. Light snow fell overnight, but the majority of the four inches Thurston received came down in the early hours of Friday morning. Students had mixed feelings about the snow. In a poll of 50 students, 32 were grateful for the day off, while the other 18 would have preferred attending school as scheduled to another makeup day tacked onto the end of the year.

This storm would prove to be very different from the first. By late afternoon on Friday, the snow had transformed into freezing rain, driving most students out of the cold. The freezing rain came down all afternoon, and off and on through the night. When morning came on Saturday, the snow had transformed into a solid sheet, and most trees were encased in .25” of ice.

Because the extra weight of the ice could not be dumped like snow, many trees lost large limbs. Several of these fallen limbs broke power lines,

leaving thousands without power. Power companies worked nonstop through the weekend, replacing the downed lines, but by Monday power was still out for more than 6,000 residents of the Eugene-Springfield area.

Though the recent storm was shorter than the storm in December, far more damage was done due to the freezing rain and ice. Eugene Public Works stated that clean-up costs for this storm will exceed the costs of December’s storm, which has totaled over $45,000 so far.

School Cancelled for Snow:Second Storm of the School Year Hits Harder Than the First

THS Leadership Brightens Valentines Day

Harley eMery | rePorter

On Thursday, February 13th, over 30 leadership students went to the Briarwood assisted living facility with over 80 handmade Valentines. At Briarwood, the students mingled with the elderly during their lunch time, and distributed Valentines to the residents. All of the recipients of the Valentines were extremely grateful and appreciative of the students’ thoughtfulness.

The week leading up to Valentine’s Day, all of

leadership class spent time creating Valentines with encouraging messages written on them. Sophomore Paige Nelson was the student behind this act of kindness.

“I really like old people, and I’ve always wanted to visit an elderly home, and I love making Valentine’s,” said Nelson.

Many of the residents do not have family to spend time with on the holidays, so the interactions with the leadership class were especially meaningful.

All of the students who

participated in the project seemed to have a wonderful time talking to the elderly at Briarwood. Junior Lindsey Martin met a woman named June Marie, who was very enthusiastic about the Valentine she was given.

“She wanted to scrapbook my card; I thought it was cute, but a little awkward because I had to keep repeating myself so she could hear me,” said Martin.

Nelson also enjoyed meeting new friends at the retirement home. One couple that stood out to her was the

Millers, who had been married since 1947. Several other students reported having met couples who had been married for over 70 years.

“As leadership we do a lot for young people, but we’ve never done anything to help the elderly,” said Nelson.

The leadership class works hard to improve Thurston High School, but rarely gets the chance to do community outreach projects like this. It proved to be very successful, and hopefully there will be more events such as this in the future.

The Millers at Briarwood, after receiving valeintines from THS Leadership students.Harley Emery | Reporter

{CURRENT EVENTS} 3

saM Westerfield | rePorter

It was a rumble in the jungle as this year’s Sadie Hawkins winter bash took place at THS Saturday January 18th. The annual winter bash concluded an awkward week at school in which Thurston’s females got the chance to feel what it is like to be a high school boy, during the weeks leading up to Homecoming or Prom. The boys get October and May to take a chance and ask their special someone to the ball. Winter at THS always gives the girls, (those whom are brave enough) to return the favor.

Once the questions were

popped and plans were made, our lovely ladies forced their boy’s into cheetah print and animal masks. Music and anticipation filled the cafeteria as couples entered around 8pm. But these cool cats didn’t show up one by one. Packs of wild animals entered and began to transform a cafeteria into the Congo. Thurston’s own DJ Drake provided an outstanding variety of music and complaints seemed nonexistent. Proving why he is a T-Town favorite. THS students were given a much needed opportunity to let loose and show off their wild side.

In a cafeteria filled with

palm leaves and animal print, a certain positive vibe was blatantly evident. Every Lion felt like a King as students traveled from pack to pack to talk about costumes, dancing styles and weekend plans. Every costume had its own twist. As some couples went for the look of “Tarzan and Jane” other’s went for a Cougar seen the other night, or the Liger from Napoleon Dynamite.

None the less this year’s winter bash was a fun fest. The rumble in the jungle theme was widely accepted by students as a majority participated in dressing up while following dress codes and other school

policies. Chaperones were given an opportunity to enjoy themselves as almost all attendants proved to be well behaved.

The conclusion of this Sadie Hawkins thriller left the class of 2016 with a noticeable increase in their bank account which will go into effect during graduation two years from now. The rumble in the jungle was without a doubt an absolute success for all involved and has built anticipation for the Highlighter Dace which is right around the corner. Thurston was quite the fun and exciting jungle Saturday night.

Ryan CaRR | RepoRteR

In January a number of student directed “One Acts” were performed in the theatre, during lunch, for those interested in watching. Five acts were shown between Jan 16th and Jan 24th.

Each act was between 10 and 30 minutes. They were directed and performed by students. Students had been rehearsing them since early December, when directors chose their acts and students auditioned.

Originally there were 12 acts, but because of the rescheduling directors were allowed to choose whether or not they still wanted to show their act’s.

In years past the acts were performed after school in the theatre, and there was a cost for admittance. However, due to the snow days in December the One Act Festival had to be rescheduled, and the only time possible was during lunch. For this reason the One Act Festival is being called The Show-Must-Go-On Festival this year.

In case you missed them, here is a synopsis of each:

Thirteen Ways to Screw Up your College Interview (Jan 16th): When two college entrance interviewers discover that they need to admit one more student to their college, they have to resort to the waiting list of sub-par students. Thirteen hilarious interviews with deranged and crazy applicants ensue. The fantastic comedy starred Moriah Booker, Teric Sargeant, Greg Crawson, Kayleen Casey, Kevin Hagel, and Cady Smith, and was directed by Treyson Sherk.

Regina Fletcher Wins the Science Fair (Jan 21st): Regina Fletcher’s science fair project didn’t go too well. She ran out of tape, spelled detergent wrong, and she’s not the best public speaker. On top of that her peers mock her, but when her presentation is at its worst she finds the courage inside of her to tell off her peers because she did her very best. The comedy ended on a touching note. It starred Bailey Howard, Austin Dillon, Kat Peirce, and Ryan Carr and was directed by Natalie Pasley.

The Ugly Duckling (Jan 22nd): When a faraway kingdom is having trouble

wedding off their princess, due to a curse that makes her appear ugly, they try to dupe a prince into marrying her by having him meet a different girl. Unbeknownst to the kingdom, the prince is also having someone pretend to be him. When by coincidence the actual prince and princess meet, while hiding from each other the two fall in love. This act was very touching and cute, but also had some comedic bits. It starred Alyssa Kinnison, Lexus Neuberger, Billy Mangold, Vanda Hunter, Brianna Moretti, Kameron Lightheart, and Teric Sargeant, and was directed by Bree Fowler.

The Magic Conch (Jan 23rd): Georgia is a young girl stricken by self-esteem issues. She is plagued by a barrage of her peers voices that she constantly hears in her head. Her only relief is a magic conch that silences the voices in her head. After a nasty relationship and her mom dying, Georgia learns that she deserves to feel better about herself. The tragedy starred Laura Zimmerman, Alexa Moser, Rachel Eisel and Conner Criswell. Unlike the other acts, the director, Aaron Smart, wrote the play himself. He directed it with help from Cleo Keener.

The Other Room (Jan 24th): The Other Room gives a unique look into the mind of an autistic boy when he meets a girl who shares his interest in astrology. The boy’s interactions with the girl played out on one side of the stage while characters representing parts of the boys mind interacted on the other side of the stage. It was the first time hes connected with someone, but his autism ruins the friendship. The act starred Daniel Ericson, Laraine Clawson, Avery Powell, Kyra Major, Drake Ortman, Dallon Dziggel, and Jon Sims. It was directed by Conner Criswell and Clarea Smith.

Lexus Neuberger, Billy Mangold, Vanda Hunter, Kameron Lightheart, and Teric Sargeant performing in, “The Ugly Duckling"

The Show Must Go On:One Acts go on at lunch due to snow days

Rumble in the Jungle

14 Spring Assem-bly

15 Highlighter Dance

17 St. Patrick’s Day

20 Band/ Orchestra Concert

24-30 Spring Break

On The Calendar for March

{ ATHLETICS }

Jess HarPer | rePorter

It’s hard enough to swim in cold water wearing a skinny suit, with parents watching intently and coaches yelling, but it’s even harder when the pool experiences a power outage. Even when the lights shut off and the facility was forced to keep a small bit of electricity going with a generator, the athletes of the Thurston Swim Team pulled through at districts, winning 4th place for the girls, and 5th place for the boys team.

This year, the seniors that guided the team to a successful season had built a strong foundation for the underclassmen to expand

their skills. Jacob Oehler, the boy’s senior captain, explains “I think the team was good this year, we had some new swimmers that did really good. Some of the older swimmers did really good, and we’re having some stars that hopefully, when their time comes, they will shine,”.These stars are none other than the qualifiers of state: Katie Lively, Tayland Mclean-Frieze, Jacquie Price, and Mya Falk.

Instead of a walk through with music for the finalists and the presentation of the metals, the athletes had to swim through every event as quickly as possible, giving them very little rest time. Sophomore Tayland Mclean-

Frieze, placing 3rd in her 50 free and 1st in the 100 free at districts, describes the power outage and the rush during districts to avoid the overuse of the generator, “I thought it was kind of bologna. Not just for me, but for the seniors who didn’t get the full experience,” Despite the stressful turn of events, the girls won districts in their relays.

The girls placed 14th in the 200 relay and 16th in the 400 relay at state. “It was a lot of fun,” Sophomore Jacquie Price portrays, “I liked hanging out with my friends. It was really tiring though,” In order to perform their best, all the girls ate healthy, got more hours of sleep, and practiced to stay in

shape for State. “Stayed off the junk food,” mentioned Mya Falk, placing 3rd in both the 200 free and the 500 free at districts.

Sydney Jones, the girl’s senior captain, tells of the other team members who worked just as hard, “We obviously had some really talented people. People are working hard and having fun,” One of these talented people were Jones’ own brother. Freshman Jack Jones swam for the Willamalane Swim Club in his 5th and 6th grade. “My dad made me play football, so I couldn’t swim until my freshman year. I’m really competitive for swim. It’s one of my favorite sports,”

Jones will be a rising star for years to come.

Shane Williams will be a favorite at the championship next year. Placing 7th in both the 100 breast and the 200 Individual Medley, he will be practicing even harder to accomplish his goal of qualifying for state.

All in all, the 2014 season was a memorable one for the entire team. Though many seniors will be leaving, raising underclassmen will take on the role they have left behind. Thurston Swim Team is still going strong.

saM Westerfield | rePorter

The Colt Coliseum was packed to the roof for the first time this year as cross town rivalry took action. The Thurston Colts took on the Springfield Millers in varsity boy’s basketball in what turned out to be more than just a sports competition, but battle on the court. This game proved to be one of the best sports rivalries our community possesses. It was a thriller that came down to the final seconds. There was nothing civil about this war.

This town is split. We

have families divided where one child will pursue their education at Thurston, and the other Springfield. A parent might teach at SHS while their child attends THS. This border is overlapped by families and friendships. Our beloved town of Springfield has been split down the middle since 1960, the west side blue and white, and the east side black and red.

Unfortunately for the Colts, this year’s first game ended with a last second basket by the Millers who ran out of T-Town with a close 59-57 victory. The Colts dug themselves into a bit

of a hole early in the game, but erased the deficit and led by as many as five in the fourth quarter. But after tying the score at 57 a lapse in defense allowed an easy layup, and the Millers prevailed in this thriller. However the real story was not the score as much as the behavior from the Millers, as their raucous Miller Mob damaged Thurston’s visitor section bleachers, breaking holes through the seats and prematurely rushed the court following the game, defying OSAA sports regulations for spectator conduct.

“Springfield’s student

section was out of control,” stated ASB class president Chris Mudder who was delighted by the attendance to this civil war. However, he along with many other fans wearing red and black was unimpressed with how Springfield students handled themselves.

In the midst of rushing the court, profanity and inappropriate gestures were given off by our guests who treated a 2 point victory like the sealing of a championship game. Needless to say, this rivalry is heated each time the Colts meet the Millers.

Emotions continue to build between two schools each trying to own the same town.

“It was great to see how involved our student section was in this game”, added Mudder, who took pride in the maturity that Thurston students possessed no matter the score of the game. In the next meeting of these two teams, the athletes and students of the east side of Springfield will look for some vengeance, but with class.

Athletes on Thurston’s basketball team get pumped before a game.

Thurston’s Civil WarThurston’s basketball team takes on the Millers in a heated game representing their rivalry

Seniors Pave Way for New Swim Stars

{ ENTERTAINMENT }

angel PriMrose | rePorter

On April 26th at the Ford Alumni Center in Eugene, from eight until eleven thirty, Thurston High School’s 2014 Prom will be held. Solo tickets cost $25.00 or a $45.00 ticket, per couple.

This year’s theme Secret Garden was chosen by Olivia Reiersgaard, the one behind the beauty of the operation.

“Expect lots of ivy,” she said.

Although nervous about the

end result she says compared to last years prom which was a huge success, “Chris Mudder is a hard act to follow,” but the junior still has the normal high school girl excitement.

“I started looking [for my prom dress] around homecoming,” and she’s already scored one in plenty of time.

Billy Mangold our Junior Class President, working out the general details such as venue and budget is confident in this year’s prom.

“I think this year’s prom is going to be better than last year just because of the team we have planning it,” he adds in the fact “I also have Chris Mudder for advice and tips along with a great theme and location to work with.”

This year’s prom was supposed to be held at Emerald Valley Center like last year but due to miss-communication and unavailable dates it was changed, not that it’s going to stop Roop Kaur from getting pumped for it.

“I think it’s going to be rad!” Exclaims the junior, “With Billy in charge it’s going to be lots of fun, and it seems like there’s going to be something for everyone.”

Kaur is also in charge of the Clothing Closet which has free Prom apparel available for those who need it, both boys and girls, just talk to your counselor for more information. Kaur along with Reiersgaard and Mangold seem to be doing everything to make this prom amazing for

us all, and Mudder agrees that they are on the right track.

“If you’re on top of it, and if you put your heart into it, you’ll get a great result,” says Mudder.

It’s safe to say this team is definitely putting a lot of work into it as Mangold says “If you thought homecoming this year was great just wait until prom.”

So make sure to be there or miss what Drake Ortmann says is going to be a “kick butt prom.”

Prom’s Coming Up!Prom’s a big deal in high school, so here’s a few pointers on what to do involving prom, and what are prom should be like this year.

In a Secret Garden...

Harley Emery | Reporter

For a number of girls, prom is one of two major life events that require the perfect gown. Besides your wedding, you may not have many other chances to wear an elegant dress that showcases your personality. The memories and pictures from prom will last a lifetime, so it is crucial to look and feel your best. Here are eight important tips you must know before buying your prom dress.

1. Be careful of buying a dress from online, because there are numerous things that could go wrong by doing so: the dress may not fit, it may be poor quality, a shipment could be delayed, and often the return policies

with websites are expensive and complicated. In addition to these possible issues, far too often when the dress arrives it may not even look like the picture you fell in love with to begin with.

2. To avoid the problems stated previously, it is best to order an online dress through a prom or bridal store. If a dress comes into a store with an issue, they can exchange it for you, or offer you back-up dresses, so you are not stuck without a dress for prom.

3. There are very few prom dress stores in the area, and in the past they have not had many style options. I would highly recommend visiting The Bridal Gallery, in Salem. They have a large variety of dresses, the service is wonderful, and

they are able to order dresses from many designers you will see on prom dress websites. Although the store is 45 minutes away, it is well worth the drive, and I guarantee you will leave satisfied.

4. Before you buy a dress, ask yourself if you will be able to wear it again. Especially if a dress is expensive, make sure it is a style that will be flattering on you for several years. Try to choose something that you could wear to a variety of events in the future, because you never know when you will need a fabulous ball gown!

5. Bring a friend along when you try on dresses. It is very important to have an honest opinion with you when shopping, because it could end up saving you lots of time

and money! It’s helpful to have an extra pair of eyes to notice details that you would otherwise miss.

6. Find a dress that makes you look amazing, but is also somewhat modest. I cannot stress this enough! Often girls try to make themselves look more mature by wearing extremely tight dresses, or dresses that show more skin than the average swimsuit. This look ends up coming across as cheap, rather than attractive.

7. If you must wear four inch heels to prom, invest time to practice walking in them beforehand so as not to embarrass yourself the night of the dance. Do not wear high heels just so you can brag about wearing high heels. If the

shoes you plan on wearing are at all uncomfortable, invest in gel heel inserts to avoid getting blisters and foot cramps while dancing.

8. Finally, do not be afraid to take risks! It is inevitable that there will always be at least two girls with the same dress at prom. However, you don’t need to be one of them. Wear something unique, even if you think it may be “out of style,” or too different. The dresses that stand out are the ones that receive the most compliments, and by wearing something out-of-the-ordinary you will exude confidence all night long.

All Dressed Up

The Bridal Gallery in Salem, Oregon has a wide variety of quality dresses that are sure to please any picky prom-goer

5

{ FEATURES }6Katie lively | Page editor

When given a choice, most students will choose to take an interesting elective to fill a hole in their schedule—a class in such arts as sculpture, painting, or theater. However, a handful of students make the decision to spend those 90 minutes in room 47 helping students who are not having the easiest time understanding their schoolwork.

From fifth through eighth period, room 47 is used as the school’s tutoring room, and students are welcome to drop by as they please. Though there is always an adult in the room to help when necessary, it is dedicated students who keep the room running successfully.

Senior Danyelle Hintz, a frequent presence in the tutoring room, believes that the tutors gain as much from the experience as do the students they are tutoring.

“Going there and then helping everybody just kind of makes you feel good,” Hintz said.

One of Hintz’s fondest memories in room 47 is of tutoring a student who was

struggling with two-step algebraic equations.

“I was coming up with different ways to explain it, to

figure out what clicked with his brain,” Hintz said. “And then, like a week or two later, he aced his test. And it made me feel great because without me, he

wouldn’t have been able to do that.”

In exchange for the hard work they put in to help other students, the tutors have time to study when they are not working with others. Even then, they still check in regularly to make sure the students in the room understand the assignment they are doing.

“I check in on what they’re doing and make sure they’re doing it right,” said senior tutor Ben Quesada. “You don’t want to do it wrong.”

The tutoring room can always use more bodies to make tutoring easier and more one-on-one. Hintz, in particular, has seen the

benefits of being in the room at the same time as another tutor.

“One time somebody was getting tutored and then their tutor left, and then they came and asked me for help and they were like, ‘Honestly, you’re, like, my favorite tutor,’” Hintz said.

Between motivated students who are willing to ask for help and supportive tutors like Hintz and Quesada, the tutoring room is becoming increasingly productive and will surely continue to grow. Any student who would like to help out and receive community service hours for their efforts is encouraged to talk to their counselor or see Natalie Rombach in room 47.

Student Tutors Transform Academic Environment

Kayla Hinson observes as other students work to complete their homework in the tutoring room. Hinson, a senior, volunteers her time in the room regularly.

High-Flying Eagle Soars Into BYU Harley eMery | rePorter

It’s fair to say that sophomore Matt Gley’s life revolves around music. Since elementary school, Gley has played several instruments, including the clarinet, drum set, snare, marimba, timpani (kettle drums), bass, guitar, and piano, to name a few. Gley is not just proficient at playing many of these instruments, but in 2013 he was named the state champion on timpani.

“I got my first drum set in 5th grade,” said Gley, who hasn’t stopped playing since. In middle school, Gley began practicing and performing with the high school marching band, and is still a part of it. In addition to marching band, Matt is a member of the Jazz Ensemble, Code Red, the Basketball Band, Percussion Ensemble, and Symphony.

“I practice about three hours a day,” said Gley. Music is a part of Gley’s daily routine, not only at school, but outside of school as well. Gley plays in the Eugene Youth Symphony, and is currently starting a percussion quartet with three other high

school percussionists from around the area.

“He is hands-down the best high school percussionist I’ve ever heard,” said fellow percussionist Dorian Dilley about Gley’s talent. Other members of Thurston’s music department share similar opinions. “Matt is really great, he’s fun to jam with and has a cool personality,” said senior Beau Stevens, who has played alongside Matt on many occasions.

When he isn’t practicing or performing, Gley enjoys playing basketball, and listening to music. “I like all music except for country and mainstream rap,” said Gley. In what spare time he has, Gley also writes some of his own music. “I wrote a duet for marimba and vibraphone for fun; my friend Alex and I played it together,” said Gley.

As for Gley’s future plans, he hopes to major in music, possibly at a conservatory on the East Coast. He would like to play professionally, and maybe even teach at a college level. “I’ll be able to make a career out of something I love, and I’m looking forward to that,” said Gley.

Percussion Propels Gley to Bright Future

Harley eMery | rePorter

An Eagle Scout, varsity athlete, and 4.0 student, senior Josh Richardson has high hopes for the future. Ever since childhood, Richardson has strived to be exemplary in all that he does. Being the brother of four valedictorians and two salutatorians, all of whom attended Brigham Young University, Richardson is hoping to follow in their footsteps.

“My older siblings have been the biggest examples and motivation for me,” said Richardson.

After attending BYU for a year, Richardson will go on a two-year mission for his church, The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints. He does not know where he will be sent to serve, but if he were able to choose Richardson would want to be sent to Europe, specifically London, England. After completing his mission, Richardson will return to BYU to continue his education.

Richardson plans to major in

secondary education in college.“I enjoy working with

children; I think teaching is one of the most important things a person can do,” said Richardson.

As one of only 18 students in AP Calculus this year, Richardson pushes himself in school and puts great value in his education.

Regarding AP Calculus, Richardson said, “It’s pretty rough, it definitely feels like a college class.”

Richardson is also the president of the Ping Pong Club, and a member of the National Honor Society.

Outside of school, Richardson is involved in a copious amount of extracurricular activities. Richardson has played varsity tennis all four years of high school, and participated in soccer and swimming as a freshman. Since the age of 12, Richardson has been a Boy Scout, and two years ago became an Eagle Scout. He is very involved in his church, and does community service through it.

“Going there and then helping

everybody just kind of makes you feel

good.”-Senior Danyelle Hintz

{ FEATURES }

Seniors Brandon Morgan and Adam Webb wrestle at the district competition in Roseburg, both qualifying for stateMadison Wilson | editor-in-cHief

Madison Wilson | edi-tor-in-cHief

Starting in November, the wrestling team begins preparation for their sea-son. This year, the team has a strong core of seniors.

Isaiah Harris is one of these seniors. Weighing in at 120, Harris is the light-est senior on varsity. Har-ris has been wrestling since 3rd grade, and can hardly imagine his life without wrestling.

“It keeps me out of trou-ble,” Harris said, “I don’t know what else I’d do if I didn’t wrestle.”

Aaron Webb is in the second highest weight class at 126. He joined the team as a freshman and qualified for state as a junior and as a senior.

The wrestler that is the next weight class up is

closely associated with Aar-on Webb, being that it’s his twin brother: Adam Webb. The two wrestle in adjacent weight classes, Adam Webb at 132, but they’re very dif-ferent from one another.

“Aaron and Adam are seen as really similar peo-ple by a lot of people, but they’re both really different from each other,” said fel-low senior teammate Mav-erick Wiseman, “Adam is more outspoken than Aar-on, and Aaron’s a little qui-eter, but they’re both really good wrestlers.”

Adam Webb qualified for state during his sopho-more freshman and senior year.

Eddie Hill is in the next weight class up, at 145. Hill has been wrestling since freshman year.

Triston Thomason is an-other wrestler that has been

on the team since freshman year. Thomason was also a part of the state-champion cheer team this year.

“Triston works hard and has definitely improved since he has started,” said Thomason’s sister, sopho-more Maya Jenkins, “I’m lucky to attend as many tournaments as I have; I en-joy supporting and watch-ing him.”

At 170, Brandon Morgan has the best wrestling re-cord of anyone else on the team, this year. Placing sec-ond at districts, Morgan’s record before state was 34 and 1. With his almost un-defeated streak, Morgan beat the previous record for going undefeated at Thur-ston.

“I can’t imagine my life without wrestling,” Morgan said, “I have quite a few sto-ries about the team: 90% of

them are about the Webbs, none of them are appropri-ate.”

The student who has been wrestling the longest is Maverick Wiseman. Be-ginning at age five, wres-tling became a large part of Wiseman’s life. Wiseman is the third heaviest varsity member at 195.

“I love the sense of ac-complishment you get from it,” Wiseman said, “Like, you’ll be going through a re-ally hard practice, and you’ll get through it, and you’ll be like ‘yeah, I made it’.”

In the second highest weight classes, 220, Bryce Palahniuk rounds out the wrestling team. Palahniuk joined the team his fresh-man year, and though he didn’t love it at first, he came to enjoy the sport throughout his four years on the team.

Chantz Hecht is Thur-ston’s varsity heavyweight. His wrestling career began and ended his senior year, but he also had football to occupy his time throughout high school.

While most seniors are on varsity, Alex Youngbau-er weighs in at 120. Young-bauer has been wrestling for six years, starting in middle school.

This season was pretty successful for the Colts. At the district competition on February 15th, six students qualified for state, and one student that wrestles for Thurston but doesn’t tech-nically attend Thurston, Mason Davis, also qualified at 145.

Though these students will be leaving this year, the memories of wrestling with their teammates will last much longer.

teddi trotter | rePorter

With droopy, tired eyes, students walk into room 130 often not wanting to be at school, but Valerie Rippey welcomes them in with her energetic, joyous smile.

“She always has a smile on her face, and she’s always like ‘hi guys!’ and it’s so awesome,” said Ally O’Sheedy, said

one of Rippey’s students. In addition to her

teachings, Rippey visited France for a year, went to Bucknell Pennsylvania, and transferred over to University of Oregon, later she started student teaching at Thurston High School. Rippey’s presence has brought great joy to the students as well as the faculty.

“Oh I remember Valerie as a student teacher, she’s excellent,

so glad we hired her, truly a great young woman,” said Noland Peebles, ‘the boss’ of Thurston High School.

Besides being a teacher, she always enjoys the outdoors and loves cats. In the winter her fun free activity is to ski.

“I love to ski, and I used to not like cats, but my friends convinced me to get one, and now I love them,” said Rippey

herself. “Ms. Rippey absolutely

adores cats,” said Searra Glandon, another junior class student.

Also, her teaching in astonishing. She walks around the room, always willing to help and help her students learn, and tries to be helpful as much as possible.

“I love Ms. Rippey’s class, I feel like I’m learning more with her teaching me this,” said

Mary Johnson, another one of her students.

F u r t h e r m o r e , even when the class misbehaves, a smile always appears on Rippey’s face. Though she is rather new to the teaching world, Ms. Rippey is beloved by students and peers alike and has already made an impact on Thurston High School.

Valerie Rippey Inspires Students

Senior Wrestlers Leave it All on the Mat

{Commentary} 8

angel PriMrose | rePorter

Trends are a big part of high school. I’m sure anyone would agree, everyone cares about who’s wearing what and if it’s the must have of this week. The question is how-ever, whether or not all these trends are worth the money and when is the time to throw them out.

“I’m not a big fan of trends either way,” stated Kaleb Weeks when questioned about this year’s population of bean-ies. Of course not everyone is quick to judge, Drake Ort-mann is on the fence when it comes to any trends. Although he’s not always one to sport a beanie, he thinks they are a cool accessory, just a little irri-table maybe.

“I’ve worn them before but not very often, they usually make my head itch.”

However beanies aren’t the only trend that won’t leave this year, a certain $150.00 pair of boots seems to be in almost ev-ery teenage girl’s closet.

“I think they’re comfort-able, I have a pair but I prefer my rain boots.” Jasmin Carlos explains that the Uggs were passed down from her sister but she probably wouldn’t have bought them herself.

“They’re too expensive, and I mean they’re cute but not enough to wear every day,” added Carlos.

Uggs are usually an acces-sory to a casual but lazy day look that works great for a simple outfit along with pro-tection from unpredictable Oregon weather. This look also tends to include a pair of black yoga pants or leggings, which are thankfully a lot cheaper than the infamous footwear.

“Definitely love them; I wear them all the time,” Alan-na Moore states gesturing to the leggings she’s sporting at the moment.

But when I asked Ortmann about the trend, “They’re not bad but I don’t think people should wear them every day,” was his view on the subject.

Trends are never a bad thing entirely, but putting a limit to how much they are embraced is the key, as Roop Kaur puts it.

“Honestly, I think every-one should dress for original-ity, like dress for who you are, yourself. Do you.”

Originality was definite-ly the way to go for Kaur, her clothes coincide with her friendly and exuberant per-sonality. Maybe she will even set the next trend, a bright pastel sweater with a big cheesy smiley face on the front perhaps?

Trendy OpinionsJesse coPe | rePorter

Well…..finals have come and passed, and I am excited to see them go. I’m sure you all understand, especially those with lower grades who’s finals can make or break the possi-bility of passing the class. This can lead to a whole bunch of uneeded stress that could of been avoided with a bit more time management. I did some looking, and I have gathered some studying tips that can help you relieve some stress in future finals.

1.) Study In Bursts: instead of cramming information into your memory bank in a short amount of time, break reading into chapters and take notes as you go. When you finish a chapter, review your notes and let the information sink in. Just do not get carried away and spend too much time in between study sessions.

2.) Manage Your Time Wisely: Do 30-50 minutes of studying followed by a ten-minute break. It is good to set a time limit on your study-ing and your break periods. Use your breaks for physical activity or eating. It is general-ly not a good idea to play video games, or watch TV.

3.) Limit Distractions: Go somewhere you know you will be able to focus on the materi-al in front of you. A 2010 study found that people who listen to music while studying were more likely to score worse on tests. Music can cause your mind to wander off

4.) Get Enough Sleep: Young adults need nine to ten hours of sleep. If you get at least eight and do not stay up too late, studies have shown your memory will be better for it.

5.) Don’t be like me: I don’t really study for test because I’m lazy. That my friend is a bad. The thing is I pass most of my finals somehow in the past. Try not to sit by your friends because that will make you fail big time, you may be best friends but if you don’t want to be a super senior.

Follow these tips and your final stress will fade away. Even though I don’t study I’m still going to study because it’s my senior year and I want to graduate. So follow these tips and take your time on it. Don’t rush and don’t just guess, think about the answer and some of them go with your gut. Good luck!

coner Jensen | Page editor

So while you have been ex-ploring our newspaper a few thoughts might of occurred to you such as; why did they spell that student’s name wrong? Do these people really know what they are talking about? What the heck is a newspaper?

If you have any had thoughts relating to our comp-tetness as editors, then I have just the solution for you. We here at Thurston Publications have recently decided to create an email that is made specifi-cally for your starving ques-tions (or corrections, we are

humans thus we also make mistakes!).

I know that you are itching to send us some questions, but before I give out the address I would wish to give you a few guidelines:

Preferably we would wish for your emails to be fairly lighthearted. We don’t mind being critiqued or even cor-rected, but what we don’t want to see is how much you hate the newspaper and how much smarter you are then us. Please avoid sending us thse kind of emails, because more then likely we will ignore them. But please do hesitate to send us feedback, if you believe it will

end up improving your friend-ly school newspaper!

Another fact you should know is that we are consider-ing opening an advice column for the commentary section! This means that you can send us your anonymous questions for our writers and we will try to advise you to the best of your ability. Please avoid using real names, we wish for this to be almost entirely anonymous. If we get enough questions we will open the next paper with this column, so please send as many questions as you can! Again, keep them anonymous.

And without further ado I should reveal our email ad-

dress. We look forward to your questions, critiques, and cor-rections!

Email us at:n e w s p a p e r .publications@gmail.com

angel PriMrose| rePorter

sTUDyTIMEhABITs

Questions? Comments? Concerns?

Student Michael Freeman models a trendy beanie