Volume 93 Issue 2, November 29, 2016 1410 NE 66th St.

Seattle, WA 98115

The Roosevelt News

November 29, 2016

the roosevelt news

Staff Reporters
News Staff
Josie Aydelott

Editor in Chief
Sage Bitter

Chief Content Officer

Chloe Swedberg
Layout Editors
Anna Galbraith and
Nadia Kao
Online Editor
Olivia Capestany
Publications Director
Nate Sanford
Managing Editor
Sophia OHara
Graphics Editor
Maxine Adams
News Editors
Jonathan Kent
Silas Miller
Opinion Editors
Jocelyn Ruby
Sam Wright
Feature Editors
Joey Rasmusson
Grace Jones
Sports Editors
Vasili Varlamos
Julia Swanson
A&E Editors
Jess Flynn
Riley Collins
Copy Editor
Amy Alverson
Photo Editor
Allison Bullard

Connie Bernard
Dylan Baker
Sophie Bell
Nick Conrad
Ella Frederiksen
Isabella Glenn
Finley Harrison
Jonah Harper
Natalie Hutson
Sofia James
Mari Kramer
Mackenzie Kilroy
Max Mayer
Galen Ogden
Henry Sanford

Illustrators
Tiamo Minard
Jared Rose-Kim
Maggie Udd
Kelly Shor
Nadia Kao
Savannah Wellenstein
Photographers
Taylor Powers
Marco Say
Roxanne Alabastro
Natalie Kauper
Maya Williams
Lidia Elala
Hannah Silver
Hannah Nichols
Anika Wheeler

News

4
with the Seahawks
5Bangin
Do field trip rules make field trips rule?
6SPS initiative to #CloseTheGaps
class ranks?
The Sisleys
7 Inflated

about the election

8Emotions
Bikers: a disease infecting Seattle streets
9Risks in the Classroom
The thing about homework
Distress behind the scenes: tech terror
10

foibles: boys v. girls
11Toilet
Rants and raves

The Roosevelt News aims to represent the diverse student population

at Roosevelt. We strive to provide
accurate, fair and unbiased news in
order to increase reader awareness
of issues apparent to the immediate and global community. We are a
student-run publication serving students, staff, parents and alumni and
are an open forum for opinions of all
those we serve.
Signed opinion pieces represent
the views of the writers and not necessarily those of the Editorial Board.
The Roosevelt News accepts signed
letters to the editor. Please submit
them to Room 235 or Ms. Rouxs
mailbox or by email to caroux@
seattleschools.org. The Roosevelt
News reserves the right to reject any
advertisement deemed unacceptable for publication. The Roosevelt
News does not run illegal, hateful, or
inappropriate advertisements. If you
are interested in placing an ad, call
(206) 252-4880.

our sports support

17Showing
Predicament: we move forward

Arts & Entertainment

Feature

12

Racially disproportionate discipline: Inequality hiding in plain sight

most effective electives

18The
Rough Riders give thanks this season
it up
19Jazzin
Teddy Talks
theatre presents MMC
20RHS
Humans of Roosevelt
feature student artists
21Mics
Wacky winter holiday stories

Corrections from October issue:

Nelsen misspelled on page 3, 4, and 15

Rant on cracking knuckles page 10 actually
written by Julia Swanson

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Back Page
Maxine Adams

Mission Statement

a Hike!
14Take
Memorial monster
to fall sports
15Throwback
Hit the slopes!
athlete profiles
16Winter
Basketball at its best
Its time for an eating team

Opinion

Front Page
Allison Bullard

Advisor
Christina Roux

Sports

Washington election results

Numbers in the news

Nice job on the editorial. An important topic to raise here at Roosevelt where many students assume a high
moral stance, while silencing the opinions of others, though ridicule, intimidation, etc. Never a good thing. I
agree that inclusivity is too often meant as: I will include those that agree with me but not the others. This
attitude makes intelligent and meaningful conversation impossible. Well-written and provocative. Keep up the
good work.
-Ben Masaoka, Language Arts teacher at Roosevelt High School
I liked your article on Mindfulness. Mindfulness cant completely solve all of our problems but it sure can be
part of an overall strategy to manage stress so that you can enjoy your high school life. Taking 1-2 minutes a day
to shed your busy thoughts and listen to silence can be a healing experience. Stress busters also include getting
enough sleep, eating the best quality food (staying away from highly processed foods), daily exercise, fresh air, surrounding yourself with people who care, staying away from drugs and alcohol, telling yourself positive messages,
and assigning yourself a realistic class load taking into consideration your extracurricular activities. Finally, there
are a lot of adults at Roosevelt and in the THC who will offer support if you let them know what is going on.
-Samara (Sami) Hoag, School Nurse at Roosevelt High School

28-29th

November
Dramafest callbacks

December
3rd
9th
13th
16th
19th
24th
25th

Duke Ellingtons Jazz Nutcracker 7:30-9:00 p.m.

Winter Assembly, Battle of the Bands 7:30-9:00 p.m.
Roosevelt High School Building leadership team meeting 3:30-4:30 p.m.
One hour early dismissal
Winter Break begins
Start of Hanukkah
Christmas Day

November 29, 2016

Heard in the Halls

Im drunk off sleep deprivation

At any given time its
Wednesday somewhere in
the world

Sage Advice
F

And Bitter Truth

ew feelings are more crushing than disappointment. Its a different beast than sadness or anger.
Disappointment comes from failure to fulfill an expectation or hope and leaves a bad taste in the mouth and
a hollowness in the stomach. Election night was one of
the most disappointing events of my life, and while the
nation was divided, the majority of the people in my
life were not. After the votes were tallied and the maps
colored, we were left to deal with the disappointment
of looking our grandmothers, parents, friends and
teachers in the eye to say not yet.
A Trump supporter I met in person spoke about
how Kellyanne Conway has been the most successful
female campaign manager in American history. Is it
success if a woman willingly stands before a crowd to
denounce anothers sexual assault and defend a man
that perpetrates it? Its not enough to have a woman
on your team if it means you wont respect women off
your team. And the same goes for all the groups that
have been marginalized, terrified and disappointed by
the Trump campaign. It is not enough.
I do not believe Hillary Clinton should have won
because she is a woman, I believe she should have won
because she is everything Trump is not. Hillary has
come farther than any woman before, and with her
tweet To all the little girls watching never doubt
that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of
every chance & opportunity in the world, more than
anything, I want to believe. But the doubts nag at me
and my disappointment flares when I ask myself, if she
couldnt, how can I? Hillary is a woman I see myself
in. I am a product of so many other strong men and
women who have encouraged me to think for myself,
taught me how to look past differences, to act with
intention, and above all, to stay true to my values. The
hard thing for me to justify is knowing that if you go
just an hour east there are Trump supporters saying
the exact same thing.
On either side it is easy for this disappointment to
harden and make us bitter; to dull the love we have
felt for each other in the past and to cloud our judgment and muddle the paths we decide to take. But we
do not have to sacrifice our own beliefs for the sake
of unity. Instead we have to begin to shake our disappointment, no matter the pain, and make preparations for our futures. We can all do this by utilizing our
rights to choose; focusing on which steps to take, what
messages to spread and by understanding the positions
of power and privilege some of us possess, and by deciding we will use this privilege to benefit ourselves as
well as those without.

Happy? Sad? Miffed or mad? Send a letter

to the editor at therooseveltnews@gmail.
com!

My mitochondria is shriveling
Would you rather be constantly wet or never wet
again?
I would feel honored if he
blocked me

#trntweets
The Roosevelt News is not responsible
for the creation of these tweets or their
content.

@clairewolfie Dont aux if you have

spotify free
@Elibernardd I just asked this little
kid dressed as Kylo Ren if he killed his
dad, he replied with, No my dads at
work.
@imjustjoshing_ If 3/4 dentist recommend a toothpaste you buy it, but
if 99% of scientists warn you about
climate change you doubt them...
@RooseveltFB Theres something
brewing. Its simmering now, I wonder
if we can get it to boil? Who Rides!?
@Jaleeeeah I just added 3 Canadian
schools to my college list.

Hey Roosevelt!

The Roosevelt News is doing a

special project on mental health
at Roosevelt. If you are interested
in being interviewed on the subject of mental health please email
therooseveltnews@gmail.com

Mr. Bates is having a child

in two months? He doesnt
even look pregnant!

The Roosevelt News Crossword: RHS history edition

Across:
4. Language not taught anywhere else in Seattle
5. Nickname given to first United States Volunteer cavalry
7. Political party founded by Theodore Roosevelt
8. An illness from which our namesake suffered
9. The year Roosevelt opened
10. Before it was a library it was a _____
Down:
1. Where Roosevelt classes were held during 2004 remodel
2. Decade of Roosevelt footballs state championship win
3. Group created in 2001 to discuss social justice issues
6. Often overshadowed musician and 2006 RHS Graduate

Across:
4. ASL
5. Rough Riders
7. Bull Moose Party
8. Asthma
9. Nineteen twenty two
10. Theater
Down:
1. Lincoln High School
2. Fifties
3. Hands for a Bridge

Editor in Chief Sage Bitter

the roosevelt news

4
5
6
7
8

10

NEWS

the roosevelt news

November 29, 2016

Washington election results

A rundown of elections and initiatives on King County ballots

Galen Ogden

Sound Transit Proposition 1:

Approved (54%)

KC Charter Amendment 1:
Approved (75%)

Bill will raise taxes to pay for a $54 billion extension of Link Light Rail expected to service
an estimated 32,000 new users living in King,
Snohomish, and Pierce counties. Although it
passed, many are concerned that it will raise
taxes too much and will be outdated by the
time it is completed in 2040.

Will amend the King County Charter to make

the Attorney General nonpartisan. This means
that the judicial position of the attorney will
be removed from partisan competition. Previously the Attorney General would run under
a party label.

Staff Reporter
Washington Governor:
Jay Inslee (56%)

Inslee has served as Washingtons Governor

since 2013 and defeated Republican Bill Bryant in this years election.
U.S. Senator:
Patty Murray (74%)

Initiative 1464:
Rejected (46%)

Votes for
Sound Transit
Proposition 1
by County

This is Patty Murrays fifth term as a U.S.

Senator. She is currently the highest ranking
woman in Congress, and the 12th most senior
member.

Would have created an election finance system by allotting state funds to political campaigns and added enforcement requirements,
among other things.

U.S. Representative (District 7):

Pramila Jayapal (56%)

Initiative 732:
Rejected (41%)

Initiative 1433:
Approved (58%)

Jayapal is the first Indian-American woman

elected to the Congress. She was a State Senator and an immigration activist who was endorsed for this position by Bernie Sanders.

Would have imposed a carbon emission tax

applicable to any fuel burned. The initiative
would have also reduced sales taxes and certain manufacturing taxes, as well as providing
a low income exemption to the carbon tax.
Most of the opposition focuses
on the money lost by the reduced taxes that are necessary
to balance out
the new one.

Will raise the state minimum wage to $13.50

by 2020. It will also require paid sick leave
under the Minimum Wage Act, and has provisions to prevent discrimination.

Initiative 735:
Approved (63%)
Urges Washington State Congress to propose
a constitutional amendment that declares
constitutional rights are not extended to corporations, and that free speech excludes the
spending of money. This initiative opposes the
Citizens United decision.
KC Charter Amendment 2:
Approved (66%)
Will amend the King County Charter so it
uses gender neutral language. This will make
the charter more inclusive and uniform.

Initiative 1491:
Approved (70%)
Will allow courts to suspend the gun rights of
individuals who have been shown to be mentally ill or violent. Although the law previously
allowed for the surrender of firearms under extreme circumstances, this initiative will allow
people to petition for someone they believe
is dangerous to have their access to firearms
taken away. It also allows for the immediate
seizure of firearms by law enforcement officers under dire circumstances.

Numbers in the news

306

electoral votes were

won by Donald
Trump, winning him
the presidency.

1500

bolivars to one U.S.

dollar is the exchange rate for Venezuelas currency after
high inflation.

mass shootings in
Washington State
this year after a
shooting on Nov. 9.

more states legalized

marijuana for recreational use.

192

states and the EU

signed the Paris
Climate Agreement,
which came into effect in November.

NEWS

November 29, 2016

the roosevelt news

Bangin with the Seahawks

Roosevelt drumline performs at the Seattle favorites half-time

always fun to particiIts
pate with the other groups

Isabella Glenn

Staff Reporter
o doubt youve seen drumline marching down the
halls every Friday before a football game. If you havent seen them, youve definitely heard them. On Sunday, Nov. 20, Roosevelt and other local school drumlines lit up CenturyLink field for the Seahawks crowd,
and their audience got a whole lot bigger. They collaborated with the Seahawks drumline, Blue Thunder, to
create some smashing sounds together.
The Roosevelt drumline worked hard to earn an appearance like this and all members were ready to per-

around Seattle... They tend

to play a lot of the different
events we participate in

performed at the
Weve
halftime shows at our own

football games but in terms

of crowd, this is probably
the biggest crowd we will
have performed in front of

form at their very best. Of course, success comes at a

price drumline practices Tuesdays, Wednesdays and
Thursdays for about two hours. Practices are led by the
section leaders: juniors Jackson Bohrer and Louis Fuchs.
Bohrer and Fuchs both help with group communication
and ensure that all aspects of drumline are well-organized. Additionally, they learn and perfect music above
and beyond whats required for pep and marching band.
Bohrer says, The Roosevelt drumline is proud of being

Photo By Hannah Silver

Drumline members practice for two hours after school

on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in preparation
for their performance at the Seahawks half-time.
student run something that is relatively uncommon
here at Roosevelt.
Everyone in drumline was very excited to be playing
at the Seahawks game. Junior Jacob Mina, a member of
drumline, says, weve performed at the halftime shows
at our own football games but in terms of crowd, this is
probably the biggest crowd we will have performed in
front of. When asked how he felt about collaborating
with other schools, senior Henry Caldwell says, its always fun to participate with the other groups around
Seattle [] they tend to play a lot of the different events

that we participate in and we tend to rank pretty highly. Roosevelt drumline is the perfect example of how
hard work pays off.
With an average of 6 hours of practice a week, all
members of the Roosevelt drumline are extremely committed and hard-working. Before the game, music was
sent to them by the Blue Thunder drumline, and which
they practiced, and later performed at the game. [Blue
Thunder] had the music sent out and we had to learn it
and then we got there early on game day and practiced it
with them and then we all played together, says Bohrer.
Drumline arrived at CenturyLink stadium at seven a.m.
sharp ready to practice with the other drumlines. The
energy was obvious and Roosevelt drumline was more
than ready to take CenturyLink by storm. We were
pumped! says senior Henry Caldwell.

an average of 6 hours
With
of practice a week, all
members of the Roosevelt
drumline are extremely
committed

Do field trip rules make field trips rule?

Jonah Harper

Staff Reporter
ield trips have become quite a hassle for teachers because of all the rules laid out by the Seattle
School District. Now, when filing for a field trip, teachers must fill out forms for the details of the trip as well
as their own information.
Background checks have become a normal procedure
in todays school system, which some believe is a good
thing. It assures less probability
of someone being there who
shouldnt. Others, like Scott
Brown, believe that it is a
necessary but stringent
process because a single infraction from one
school could affect the
entire districts field
trip privileges. Another issue is that of
parent volunteers.
As of this year,
there must be
one chaperone
per 10 students.
In
addition,
they must fill
out online background checks
and watch sexual assault pre-

vention videos. This paperwork also includes copying

a passport or license and filling out a stack of paperwork on the chaperones history that is confirmed by
the state police. Parent chaperone and field trip coordinator Ulli Harper explains it is a necessary hassle,
because I would rather do the paperwork and have everything work out.
These changes dont only affect parent volunteers
and teachers, it also affects students because the annual
change in policy and rules leaves some unaware of the
changes. For example, while on a field trip, if any student breaks a rule, they would be sent home without a
second option. While this would make sense to ensure
students followed the rules, none of the students really
know the rules they must follow. These rules are briefly

is a necessary, but strinItgent

process because a
single infraction from one
school could affect the entire districts field trip privileges

covered by the teacher before the trip, and not again

until one is broken, but by then it is already too late.
The mounds of annual paperwork and changes in

large field trips are

When
performed, the program

and schools go under a

microscope, and can have
long term effects if rules
are broken

policy, rules and code of conduct is creating a more difficult environment for the teachers, students and parents than ever before. Brown says, When large field
trips are performed, the program and schools go under
a microscope and can have long term effects if rules
are broken. This means that trips like band camp, an
overnight trip for the Roosevelt band, can be in danger
of being canceled every year. Junior Satchel Schwartz,
a member of both the drumline and band says, its
the second year in a row that its been canceled, so its
frustrating as hell. It really makes a difference for the
marching band because its crucial to the learning process of the band, and according to him the band
was told it got canceled because the head staff forgot
about the paper work and it wasnt turned in on time.
Policies and rules for field trips apply to students, parent chaperones, and teachers alike. But the small risk of
an incident may not be worth the hassle of stacks of
paperwork.

the roosevelt news

NEWS

November 29, 2016

SPS initiative to #CloseTheGaps

District officials working to close the racial achievement gap in SPS
Mackenzie Kilroy and Henry Sanford
Staff Reporters

eattle Public Schools recently announced a district-wide initiative to close the achievement gap in
schools. This initiative, running under the name #CloseTheGaps, aims to address the huge achievement gap
between white and Asian students and other minorities
in Seattle especially African American males. One
major focus is building better relationships between
students and teachers by implementing new strategies.
The core idea

they are currently looking

at is the Four Ps: Positive Learning,
Positive Beliefs, Positive Relationships, and Positive Partnerships. Part of this action
plan is a temporary ban on non-violent suspensions, as
well as a variety of programs that focus on student mental health. In fact, according to Juan Price, Rider Time
and the later start times were introduced in part to help
with this initiative.
It remains to be

seen how effective it will be,

but it could be a step towards
helping to fix the districts large achievement gap.
In 2015, a Seattle Times study uncovered that the Seattle School District had the fifth worst achievement
gap out of the top 50 cities in the nation. It seems
pretty clear that African American kids, Hispanic kids,
low-income kids in the city are enrolled in fundamentally different quality schools than other kids are says
Betheny Gross, one of the studys authors. Superintendent Larry Nyland says that eliminating opportunity
gaps is the issue of our time, and that race matters
and we have got to figure out a way to close that gap.
The achievement gap between white and black student
enrollment and graduation in Seattle schools is a huge
issue that needs to be addressed promptly.
The gap in the District is also the largest in Washington state by a wide margin. In Seattle, white students are significantly above the statewide average on
many tests of proficiency, but black students are below.
Not only that, but according to Seattle Public Schools
records, in 2014, 83 percent of all white students graduated high school, compared to 67 percent of black stu-

dents. The gap goes deeper. The suspension/expulsion

rate was four times as high for African American students than white students in the 2013-2014 school year.
These same figures appear year after year.
The achievement gap at Roosevelt isnt nearly as large
as the districts, but it is definitely present. Principal
Brian Vance says that theres definitely an opportunity
gap based on race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status. Although, according to Vice Principal Juan Price, the gap
here at Roosevelt isnt as bad as the district as a whole.
In the spring of 2015, 94 percent of white students at
Roosevelt were found to be proficient in language arts
on state tests, while black students had a 75 percent
proficiency rate. This is a gap of 19 percent, which
is much smaller than the district gap of 42 percent on those same tests. Roosevelt is
trying to eliminate this gap by taking more time during teacher training to teach teachers how to better
build relationships with students. However, its still
unclear whether and to what degree these methods will
reduce the gap at Roosevelt.
When asked about treatment and experience at
Roosevelt, junior Joyce Musafiri responds with an unexpected outlook. At Roosevelt, students who need
assistance definitely receive that help she says, but
minorities in Roosevelt are treated as less. When you
walk into a classroom, the teacher automatically thinks
that because you are a person
of color, or not white, that

you need extra help, but if I was

a white person, then they would automatically assume that I have the money
to pay for things like sports and activities.
Junior Michael Paz, on the other hand, does
not see a big inequality between students. At Roosevelt, minorities are treated equally. When I go into
the halls I see Hispanics, blacks and whites all
joining together. We have a really good community here, he states during a Black Student
Union meeting.
Seattle has a long history of attempting to
make their schools more equal across the city,
both between classes and between ethnicities.
In the 1970s and 80s, a busing program was implemented to bring students from the north to
South End schools, and
to bring kids living in
the south up to North
End schools. This program allowed all schools
to be nearly equal in their
diversity and racial makeup. A schooling experience
like this one was more inclusive and diverse, but parents
petitioned to end it. They
didnt understand why their
children should have to sit
on a bus for 45 minutes when
there were perfectly good
schools just blocks away. The
end of this program led to the
de facto re-segregation of Seattle Schools. The next district

initiative was the implementation of magnet schools

and the Accelerated Progress Program. Magnet schools
had a focused theme like science or mathematics, while
the APP program placed gifted students ahead in their
studies. These programs had all-city draw and helped
once again to diversify schools. But one-by-one they
were dismantled until only APP remained. Today APP
continues to have a big impact on schools and is creating some separation between races. Amy Noji is a new
LA teacher at Roosevelt this year. She taught in the APP
and general education programs at Washington Middle
School (one of four APP middle schools in Seattle) and

2014, 83 percent of all

In
white students graduated
high school, compared to
67 percent of black students

she did notice differences among her classes.The APP

classes were predominantly very white, with a sprinkling of Asian and maybe one or two African American kids per classroom of 32. In the general education
classrooms, because of the neighborhood, there were
very colorful classes. There could be kids of African
American descent, kids coming from the Middle East,
immigrants, Asian Americans who have lived here for
a while, newer Asian Americans, and then there would
be just a sprinkling of Caucasian kids, she says, going
on to explain, Advanced learning programs do not get
extra money they dont get any fewer kids and any
field trips that we did any teacher had the ability to
sign up for field trips. Those teachers just didnt do it.
Do we have any more parental involvement in APP?
Heck yeah. Did I easily always have chaperones if I
needed them? Yes. Did the general education program
at Washington have difficulty getting chaperones? Yes.
Noji expresses the difficulty in the system and some of
the inequalities which exist. If you are a parent thats
working two or three jobs or you dont speak English as
your first language or you dont know how the system
and the bureaucracy really works you dont know to
sign your kid up, or that if you get a rejection you can
appeal that by setting up an appointment with a school
psychologist It has been unequal in some ways in
terms of getting the word out and who can really access it and who is going to pursue it.
The district does acknowledge this vast array of
problems and are working towards solutions with
actions such as the African American Male Initiative providing assistance to boys of color in
and out of the classroom. But despite the Seattle School Districts work on closing gaps, some
believe that the program isnt changing things
fast enough. It will be over 30 years before we
are able to close any gaps, says Michael Tolley,
the Associate SPS Superintendent for Teaching
and Learning. We have to identify the problems and address them, but closing is not urgent
enough. It has to be about eliminating gaps and
eliminating them now. Efforts to help the districts
schools will continue. We are constantly working
to develop new
plans and initiatives to eliminate
opportunity gaps,
states SPS communications specialist,
Luke Ducey.

NEWS

November 29, 2016

the roosevelt news

Inflated class ranks? The Sisleys

Concerns over Running Starts effect on rank Homes to be improved
Ella Frederiksen

Staff Reporter

s seniors work to complete their college applications, many will find they have to provide their
class rank to their prospective schools. This list ranks
students based on their academic achievement, and
gives colleges an idea of how well a student does in
comparison to their classmates. A students GPA determines their rank, but certain courses are weighted
heavier than others. AP, Honors, College in the High
School, and Running Start classes all boost up a students GPA, and in turn, their class rank.
Roosevelt guidance counselor Niki Duncan says the
reasoning for adding more weight to Running Start
classes is that theyre considered college level, rigorous
courses. By weighting these classes students are given a fair ranking based on the difficulty of their course
schedule.

reasoning for addThe

ing more weight to
running start classes is
that theyre considered
college level, rigorous
courses

Senior Quinn Marshall, whos ranked number one in

the senior class rank has taken all of his classes at North
Seattle Community College for the past two years. His
decision was largely financial. He says, Im paying for
my own college so Running Start was a good opportunity for me to get free college credits. If I do Running
Start full time for two years, I can get 90 credits or so,
so thats just a lot of
money that I dont
have to spend on
college.
The
classes he takes
through Running
Start
are
harder
for him than
the ones hes
taken at Roosevelt. Right
now Im taking a lot of
math and science classes, so
theyre pretty
hard, he says,
the classes are only
an hour long but the
homework is probably two hours for
each hour you spend
in class. Seeing as Marshall is challenged
more by his Running Start classes,
it seems only
fair to weigh
these on a heavier scale than normal high school
courses.
Senior
Grayce

Crick, however, had a different experience when she

did Running Start at North Seattle her junior year.
The classes at Running Start were not very hard, she
says, and I ended up not being able to take many of the
classes at Roosevelt that I wanted to. For her, Running
Start became an inconvenience that didnt challenge

classes at Running
The
Start were not very

hard, and I ended up

not being able to take
many of the classes at
Roosevelt that I wanted

her as a student. Ultimately, this is why she chose to

take classes at Roosevelt full time for her senior year.
According to Duncan, through their colleges Running Start students also have more resources available
to them. Theres a writing center they can drop into and
get help if theyre writing a big essay. Theres a math
center... We dont have that same level of availability
here. Some Roosevelt teachers have office hours where
students can come in and get help, but these are often
only on specific days, or during times when students
have other commitments such as sports or other extracurriculars. Running Start classes could be more difficult, but students have access to far more resources that
can allow them to excel in those classes.
Thus, the amount a Running Start student is challenged depends on course selection and whether a
student takes advantage of resources at their college.
Is this fair then to place more weight on a class that
may or may not be easier than some regular high school

class rank itself

The
isnt heavily used for
making the decision

Sofia James

Staff Reporter

cross the street from Roosevelt lie a series of

fenced off and run-down buildings in the process
of condemnation by the City of Seattle and a local development group, the Roosevelt Development Group,
or RDG. These properties have been sitting, fenced
off for almost two years, leading many to wonder when
changes will actually occur. During this wait period, one
of the properties, formerly home to the hardware store
R&R Hardware, burned down, leading to further speculation by locals on when the changes will happen. The
two groups, RDG and the City of Seattle, have different plans for improving the lots for the greater community, but the process of doing so is long and unclear.
The City of Seattle plans on making part of the lot
into a public park. The City of Seattles Public Information Officer on Law, Kimberly Mills, says the city
is trying to condemn [a] small parcel [of the properties] for a park. Mills says the condemnation process

has been unclear

Itwhen
the various projects are going to start

is often very slow, though, because the city first has to

prove it needs the park under a public use and necessity rule which has to be decided in court. Because of the
previously mentioned legal process, it is unclear when
the neighborhood could see a park.
The Roosevelt Development Group, however, wants
to turn the properties into apartment buildings with
possible retail space. According to the RDGs website,
the properties detract from the vitality of the neighborhood. They plan on exploring the potential for
mixed-use development and building modern, high

classes? Perhaps a bigger question is what this means

in the college admission process. Many schools require
students to report their exact class rank and what percentile they fall in. Duncan, however, says
that overall the class rank itself isnt
heavily used for making the decision of
whether to admit a student or not. It
does give colleges an idea of how difficult a school is, because if you look at
a student with a 3.8 GPA and theyre
down at 102 in the ranking theyre
going to know its a tough school.
In terms of weight in the admission
process however, class rank plays a
minimal role. Roosevelt counselors
have actually considered not providing class rank to colleges, but
Duncan says they havent made this
decision as they want to make sure
thats not going to hurt anyones
chances of getting into a school.
When it comes to the decision to take Running Start
classes then, it really comes down to the person. AP,
Honors, and CIHS classes all are weighted just as heavily, so it all depends on what a student is looking for in
their educational experience.

quality amenities that still take into account the preservation of views to and from [Roosevelt High School]
and [the preservation of] the character of the Roosevelt
Neighborhood. These apartments and retail spaces
will bring in new residents and business contributing to
the vitality of the neighborhood.
Principal Brian Vance says the properties are an eyesore for the school and the neighborhood but it has
been unclear when the various projects are going to
start. Students like senior Heather Templeman hope
for more food and places to eat lunch. Overall, the community seems to agree that the properties will be a welcome change, but is unsure as to when this will occur.

the roosevelt news

OPINION

November 29, 2016

Emotions about the election

An RHS student explores post-election thoughts and feelings

Ella Frederiksen

Staff Reporter

very generation experiences moments so

monumental and consequential that they remember them for the rest of
their lives. For our generation, the 2016 election
is sure to be one of these
moments. Sadly, for many like myself it is one of the
scariest and most heartbreaking moments we will have
to live through.
Lets be clear: this election did not create hate and
divisiveness in our country, it only revealed the tension that has existed below the surface for decades.
Lower class white citizens have felt marginalized and
overlooked by the government for so long that when
Donald Trump made the announcement that he would
be running for president, they saw him as an answer to
their prayers. To them, Trump represents the opposite
of the political establishment they felt had ignored
them for so long. Unfortunately for Hillary Clinton,
her immense experience in politics put her at a disadvantage in the eyes of these voters, who saw experience
as a negative and as a sign of corruptness. Trump was
able to carry his reputation as an outsider all the way
to his victory on Nov. 8.

This was a win few people saw coming, and for good
reason: Trump seemed to do everything wrong. He lost
all three of his debates against Clinton, he was accused
of sexual assault by 12 women, and he has never held
a political office nor been in the armed forces. Yet he
won the election against Clinton, who has served as
Secretary of State to the Obama Administration, and
participated in politics for over 30 years. As a woman, this is crushing. Clinton
worked hard for so
long and had devoted her life
to serving the
American
people, yet lost
the election to a man
who,
until recently,
has
been known
only as
a reality TV
star
and business
man.
More
horrifying
still,
this is a man
who wants
to build a wall
to keep
out immigrants,
who once
made
fun of a
reporter
for having a
disability,
who has
made
jokes
about
sexually

assaulting women, and whose running mate, Mike

Pence, believes in conversion therapy. For many Americans, Trumps victory was not merely disappointing
on the basis of their candidate losing; it was terrifying
in that half of the people in this country support these
racist, sexist, homophobic, and xenophobic views.
Even if a Trump supporter doesnt share all of Trumps
opinions, by voting for him, they compromised their
morals and ethics. What is the message then that we
are sending to the rest of the world? Are we saying that
were okay with targeting whole groups of people in
order to raise up others? We pride ourselves on being
a progressive country, but just how progressive are we
if in the past week Latinos, Muslims, and homosexuals
have felt terrified to leave their own homes? If in the
past week I myself have felt disrespected and scaredknowing our future president doesnt respect women
or their bodies?
Its easy to say that Trump is all talk, and to not take
these fears seriously. Many didnt take his candidacy
seriously, and look where he is now. This is a pivotal
moment in our lives and we have to be thoughtful in
deciding where to go from here. Violence and hate will
only put us on Trumps level. We must remain peaceful, but this does not mean we must be silent. Those
targeted by Trump do not owe him respect if he does
not give it in return. Now more than ever, it is of the
utmost importance to stand up for each other and our
beliefs, and remember that love always trumps hate.

Bikers: a disease infecting Seattle streets

Isabella Glenn

Staff Reporter

he obnoxious Seattle
biker. We all know the
type. Overly tight spandex,
a salty attitude, and a tendency to be an idiot. To be
fair, Im talking about the
small population of bikers
that give all bikers a bad
reputation. We know that not all cyclists are like this.

seem to think that

Cyclists
rules dont apply to them

Not to state the obvious but the most annoying

thing about bikers? Theyre biking. Oh, and theyre always in the way. Cyclists seem to think that rules dont
apply to them. As a group, they appear to suffer from
colorblindness, because they seem unable to grasp the
many complexities of the stoplight. In Biker World,
red, yellow, and green lights are just suggestions, stop
signs are an inconvenience, and intersections are their
own private domain, because of course, theyre above
the law. In case you havent heard of it, theres something called the Pyramid of Humankind. At the top
are cyclists, because they are clearly so smart and then
at the bottom is everyone else. Elitist bikers know
this, but do you? Of course not, because youre at the
bottom.
Certain cyclists who train on local trials for
their super important races speed past at a million
miles an hour, knocking old ladies over left and right.

If youve ever had to stop so a biker could cross the

street, youll notice that they never say thank you. This
is because bikers are better than those who drive cars,
as they are earth-friendly and you drive a gas-guzzling,
tree-killing hunk of metal. Bikers also light
up the world. Literally. Or so they would
like to think, and therefore never wear
reflective gear, lights, or bright
clothing at night. If not for
their annoying and shrill
bells, you wouldnt even
know they were there.
Its almost like they
want you to run them
over; pity its against
the law.

They dont give way, thereby forcing you halfway into

the oncoming lane just to get around them. Then they
will yell at you with their big, self-righteous mouths
and flip you off with their smoothly shaved arms (and
legs, too). Its a thing, look it up. Even if theyre in

Why not carpool? That way

the rest of us dont have to
deal with you

the wrong, theyre not. Its you. And how about those
outfits? Their garishly colored spandex garb (which, it
must be said, cling too tightly in all the wrong places)
are littered with logos of sponsors that really dont
care. No one believes that Nestle or Ferrari want to
sponsor your ride to work. The spandex uniforms
really need to stop. This aint the Tour de France,
Lance! So lose them.
Bikers also buy those ridiculous, energy-boosting
shot blocks and pop them in their mouths every half
a mile. Biking down the road to the library isnt
exactly the Olympic trials. It also doesnt make
you any younger no matter how tight your
shorts are. We all know youre 100 years old
so you should probably just stick to bingo.
Lets face it: biking is good for the environment and it could possibly be fun if
one tried really hard to like it. But as more
bikers hit the road, they need to follow the
rules just like the rest of us. So the next time
you bikers want to help the environment, why
not carpool? That way, the rest of us dont
have to deal with you.

OPINION

November 29, 2016

the roosevelt news

Risks in the classroom

Uncomfortable subjects are a vital part of the learning process

Editorial

TRN Editors

nlike every other facet of the public education

system, how teachers approach controversial
subjects and/or subject matter is not standardized. The
way in which students are introduced to difficult topics
varies across the board, and ultimately causes a cycle
of distress in which, unfortunately, many are put at a
disadvantage.
This is especially prevalent in high school, where
students are exposed to a more mature curriculum in
Language Arts and Social Studies classes. Studying literary works like The Catcher in the Rye, The Kite
Runner, and Fences can sometimes be a challenging

students need to learn it,

Ifthen
the teachers should
teach it

unit for teachers and students alike, who have to grapple with issues surrounding sexuality, race, ethnicity,
and many more. Even covering necessary subjects in
Social Studies like slavery, the Holocaust, genocide,
and ethnic cleansing have proven to be uncomfortable parts of every lesson plan.
Teaching and discussing these parts of our history
is unavoidable, however, because improperly doing
so provides students with a censored version of the
context of our society. At majority white schools in
particular, like Roosevelt, students cant afford to be
handed an easy alternative to our admittedly gruesome
history.

For example, many freshmen at Roosevelt read The

Kite Runner in their first high school Language Arts
class. The novel features strong elements of ethnic
discrimination, violence, poverty, pedophilia, Nazism,
drug abuse, sadism, and suicide, but most notably includes a rape scene between two adolescent boys under
Taliban rule. Teacher Ben Masaoka presents this well,
broaching the subject before students read the book,
and inviting discussion and analysis during the reading.
Students and teachers alike are almost always uncomfortable about tackling the issues surrounding this
scene in particular, because it describes in detail an act
that many would prefer to remain indescribable. What
makes something like rape easier for students to learn
about and easier for teachers to teach about, is open
discussion. Addressing the impending controversiality of specific subject matter prevents students from
being blindsided when they come upon it, and shows
students that uncomfortable topics are still important
to confront and talk about. A classroom which encourages deeper exploration of controversial topics teaches
students that learning about difficult topics is just as
important as learning about comfortable ones.
Many teachers do choose to address difficult subject
matter before it even comes up in class. This not only
lets students know that theyre expected to adhere to
an advanced level of maturity and comprehension, but

As a part of the education

system,
teachers as well as

students need to focus on

teaching and learning not
solely what is easy, but instead
delving into the controversies
and complexities which are
mirrored in our lives

Photos by Taylor Powers

Roosevelt teacher Janith Pewitt is not scared to address
important yet uncomfortable topics.

Teachers at Roosevelt have admirably risen to this

task of addressing controversial subjects, especially
those who emphasize discussion before and during the
study of said subjects. Before actually delving into the

Students cant afford to be

handed
an easy alternative
to our admittedly gruesome
history

subject matter, many students find it helpful to discuss

the difficult issues that they will be reading about, and
more importantly, why its difficult to talk about them
in class.

demonstrates the mutual respect fostered between

student and teacher.
Many teachers bring a personal touch to this type of
teaching. Thus while it is important that teachers address these topics, having a school district completely
standardize a curriculum or lessons for topics that are
more sensitive would create a negative effect because
the teaching would risk losing its feeling of care. This
characteristic is utterly imperative when it comes to
teaching a sensitive topic because the student needs to
be engaged in order to learn about and understand the
importance of these topics.
Teachers play a main role here, but students are truly
the players being affected most directly. Some may
not want to learn about these topics because they feel
uncomfortable, but that is exactly why they should
learn about these things. If we teach students to deal
with difficult subject matters even when they may feel
uncomfortable with it, they will be prepared for the
many uncomfortable situations that must be dealt with
as adults. We believe, however, that a large portion
of students are willing and interested to deal with
and learn about these topics, because they tend to be
intriguing.
If the students need to learn it, then the teachers
should teach it. However, some teachers may feel just
as uncomfortable with the material as some students
would. This is where a standardized curriculum could
be an advantage, as it would make teachers confront
topics that they may not necessarily feel comfortable

Catcher in the Rye was banned from school curriculum for years.
with. The key to making these teachers successful
would be instruction on how to approach sensitive
topics and an explanation on why the material is in
fact important.
On top of this, we as a staff believe at some point,
as a school district, we need to make a distinguishable
difference between teaching difficult subject matter
in LA and in History. In History, there is an absolute
necessity to address uncomfortable topics because our
history is not comfortable. The history of the human
race is a brutal one, including slavery, torture, terrorism, prejudice of all sorts, death, disease and distress.
In Language Arts, topics like these could be avoided if
desired by a teacher, while writing and reading about
difficult topics may advance student writing. Wrestling with difficult feelings gets to the true essence of
writing, which in many cases is feelings and emotions.
Teachers should be rewarded for teaching difficult
subjects with grace and consideration, as it is difficult
to teach controversial subjects. However, it greatly
influences and broadens the course of a students
education. As a part of the education system, teachers as well as students need to focus on teaching and
learning not only what is easy, but instead delving into
the controversies and complexities which are mirrored
in our lives.

Banned books taught at

Roosevelt

1. Beloved by Toni Morrison

2. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott
Fitzgerald
3. Their Eyes Were Watching God
by Zora Neale Hurston
4. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt
Vonnegut
5. Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
6. To Kill a Mockingbird by
Harper Lee

10

the roosevelt news

OPINION

November 29, 2016

The thing about homework

Is assigned work outside of class helping or hurting?
Finley Harrison

Staff Reporter

ne of the most ordinary things in a students life is homework.

Each afternoon, we settle
down and open up textbooks, scribble away at paper, type on computers and
read passages from texts.
Teachers use homework as an educational tool to help
us succeed, and were all too used to it being assigned,
but when were stressed out from trying to juggle
homework with sports, clubs and other extracurriculars, the question arises whether all this homework is
actually benefiting us. Homework can be a great tool
for advancing the knowledge and academic prowess of
a student, but how much is too much?
Denise Pope, a researcher at Stanford University, is
an expert on homework. Results of her study, published
in the Journal of Experimental Education, shows
that students should be assigned homework, but only
in moderation. In high school, she writes, there is
a strong correlation between students who do two
hours of homework a night and higher levels of academic achievement, but this improvement fades when
students exceed the two-hour threshold. Popes study
also showed that too much homework is associated
with greater stress, health problems, and less time for
friends, family, and extracurricular pursuits.

To further illustrate Popes findings, there is a compelling real-world example the Finnish education
system. Students in Finnish schools are limited to 20
hours of class time per week and homework takes less
than an hour. However, with this reduced load, Finnish
students scored the highest in the world when they participated in the Programme for International Student
Assessment; a standardized test given to 15-year-olds in
over 40 countries. Finland has done an amazing job of
proving that less is actually more.
Research has strongly demonstrated that, in
addition to their studies, students need
to be able to participate in extracurriculars, play sports, and hang
out with friends in order
to develop into happy,
healthy adults. Kids
need to be kids to develop the necessary social skills to participate
in this social world.
Im sure everyone has had
a moment of panic at one in
the morning knowing that they
might not be able to complete
an assignment and still be able to
get a little shut-eye. According to
the National Heart, Lung and Blood
Institute, Sleep helps your brain
work properly. While youre sleeping,
your brain is preparing for the next day.

Its forming new pathways to help you learn and remember information.
When students end up going to bed at midnight or
even later because they have too much homework,
their sleep is impacted and in turn, their ability to learn
is as well.
Before anyone gets too excited about a reduction
in homework, let me play devils advocate and tell you
why it could be a bad idea. Without homework, many
students would spend their afternoons watching
Netflix, playing video games, or blowing hours
on social media. If homework was reduced to
help free up your afternoon, it is your responsibility
to care about your well being and not squander that
time by being on screens.
Homework may not be the
best way to spend an afternoon, but students need
to spend that time
doing something
constructive, not
wasteful.
I think all of
us can agree that
homework is important. But as the
research has shown,
there are consequences in terms of
learning and well-being when students are assigned
excessive amounts of homework.

Distress behind the scenes: Tech terror

Sophie Bell

Staff Reporter

oosevelt is well-known
for its theater program, and with that prestige comes responsibility.
Musical auditions start
first semester and preparation lasts all through the
year until opening night.
And its not just actors that have it hard. Theater Tech
students have to put in hours of work, especially now
with the new system of logging their work. This year,
Theater Tech students must earn 100 points before
working on the musical. There is one point per hour
0f work, and an automatic 25 points given to returning students. Points can also be allotted for completing
Theater Tech tests or taking Theater Tech classes outside of school. The system was implemented to make
sure Theater Tech students are dedicated to the class,
and not just taking it for a credit.
Lizzy Noble, a junior in sixth period Theater Tech,
says that the purpose of the points is to make sure
everyone involved in the musical is committed and is
learning about all the different parts in tech. However, Noble finds it hard to get all the points she needs,
saying, its an okay system for people who have been
working on tech for a long time, and people who want
to do that with their lives. Roosevelt is notably low on
Theater Tech kids, and Noble thinks that the point system might be one obstacle on the way to getting more
students in the program. The point system makes it extremely hard for students who have after-school activi-

ties to get all the points.

Another student in Theater Tech, Harriet Wright, is
having trouble getting the points she needs in order to
work on the musical. The tech system logically makes
sense. We want to have qualified people working on
the show. The quality of the show is very important,
but its difficult for students to get the 100 points after
school because they dont always have 20-30 hours after school to dedicate to just things for the drama program.
For students like Wright, this point system makes it

Photo By Marco Say

Theater Tech student Alarik Rask builds a prop for Roosevelts production of Medea Macbeth Cinderella.

hard for them to do the drama program because they

dont have enough time to get what they need done.
It seems unfair to make students who are dedicated to
theater work extra after school when they may already
have a rigorous schedule. If you play sports or have any
other activity after school or over the weekends, its difficult to be able to squeeze in one more task and still
have time for homework. The unrealistic expectations
for these students can push them away from Theater
Tech because of the added stress, which is thoughtless
and unfair towards those Theater Tech students.

system works for

This
some students and not
others

However, some
students find it quite easy to get
the points they need, like Parker Lambert, a junior in
sixth period Theater Tech. Lambert usually works after school until five or six, and during lunch. He gets
his points easily, and on the topic of students not being
able to get those points, he says theres ways to get 100
[points]. You just put in an hour right after school or
come in an hour before school, or you could do [work]
during lunch for half an hour.
This system works for some students and not others.
It may have good intentions, but it sets unrealistic expectations for those with less time on their hands. The
musical is always a lot of work, and students have to be
dedicated to be a part of it, but is this the right way to
make sure they are?

OPINION

November 29, 2016

When youre nice

enough to lend people
your clothes, and then
they never return them.
-Hannah Nichols
I wish the drumline would get
stuck in another dimension
where they are marching down
an endless hallway for eternity.

the roosevelt news

I will never understand

why people say heads up
when they want you to
duck. Its counterintuitive
and so dangerous tbh.

11

Headphones that betray

you and allow music to
blow out of your phone
instead... you suck.
-Mari Kramer

-Ella Frederiksen

-Nick Conrad

Toilet foibles: boys vs. girls

No mirrors, no soap, no paper towels, no locks? No problem
Max Mayer

Connie Bernard

Staff Reporter

ou dont have to be a boy to know that the bathrooms are horrible. There are 18 total spots for
intended mirrors in the regular boys restrooms, but
only five mirrors are actually there. The locks dont
work in the northwest restrooms on the second and
third floors, not to mention that the floors are all suspiciously sticky and graffiti is
generally all over the walls. From one of the stalls, I quote: FUCK RHS FUCK
TOYS ANUS BABY.
But you didnt come here to read about something you already knew. No, you
wanted to read something provoking, something captivating. Well, here you are,the
boys restrooms should keep us grateful. Wait, what? Its not like a crappy restroom
builds character, so why on earth would I say that? Roosevelt is, generally speaking, a privileged school. It was built in 1922, yet its nicer than schools established
decades afterward. The architecture of the theater or the library, for example, is
beautiful inside and out. Visitors
walk in and are amazed.
Visitors would not be amazed,
however, if they walked into the
boys restrooms. Stolen mirrors
and busted stall locks are not
hallmarks of a privileged school.
Theyre embarrassing, really.
But so what if no restroom
ever has paper towels, a working stall lock, and mirrors at the
same time? Are you going to sue?
Why not dry your hands in the
air, assume no one will open a
stall with protruding legs, and Photos By Natalie Kauper
make the best of it. Nobodys forcing you to use the schools restrooms anyway
except your body.
Think of the other things at Roosevelt we complain about the parking lot, for
instance. Those of us with cars are lucky to have them. Or the school Wi-Fi yeah,
just about all of us have smart phones. Thats privilege. Even access to a quality education; plenty of kids dont have that. Hell, I bet theres someone out there wishing
they could do key terms.
Now, Im not saying we should thank our lucky stars that we have restrooms. The
boys restrooms certainly arent up to par, but that should only remind us of all that
we do have. Sh*t happens.
I love that random day
in the middle of a really
stressful week when you
go home and realize you
have no work left to do.
-Max Mayer

Staff Reporter

fter sitting in class for a dragging 50 minutes,

only one thing can lift my spirits: a stop by the
Roosevelt girls bathrooms. Nothing gives me joy like
waiting in line behind the entire RHS female population. Finding that there is no toilet paper or that the
paper towels have run out is just an added bonus. Most days, I have so much fun
waiting in line that I dont have a chance to even use the bathroom itself!
I honestly feel bad for the boys, who seem to never have a line coming from their
bathroom. What do they do with their passing periods, if not visit the bathroom
and take in its sweet odors? Do they actually make it to class on time? They unfortunately have to miss out on the impromptu twister games that occur when too
many people are crammed into a small space. Games like this are commonplace in
the girls bathroom.
The extended passing periods have only added to the fun. Many more girls visit the bathrooms during this
time, believing that they will be
allowed a quicker trip. This is
not the case. Because every girl
thinks this way, extended passing periods make the bathrooms
even more cramped, and therefore, more fun.
Sometimes I forget that I am
in a bathroom, and instead feel
transported to an art museum.
With famous exhibits like One
Big School Full of Fake Bitches,
it is a true wonder that I dont
have to pay to see these works
of art. My favorite piece is the modernist expression Hair in the Sink. This interactive exhibit allows me to wash my hands while trying to avoid the glob of wet hair
which obviously represents the black hole that is high school.
And our freshmen have certainly made a wonderful contribution to the bathroom
party with their large class size. The more the merrier, right? Even better is when
teachers grace our gatherings with a once-in-a-lifetime visit. With sweet words of,
You better have done the homework, nothing beats seeing a teacher in the bathroom. A rite of passage, no, a privilege, for those who go to Roosevelt, the bathrooms are one of the best experiences a girl can have during high school.

Christmas trees,
hot chocolate,
fuzzy socks, and
holiday music.
-Hannah Nichols
Shout out to all the people
that write the answers in my
Spanish book. You guys are
the OG homies.
-Josie Aydelott

I love those pink sugar cookies from Safeway. The sweet

artificial icing combined with
the cakey delicious cookie
makes the perfect snack.
-Sofia James

12

the roosevelt news

FEATURE

November 29, 2016

FEATURE

November 29, 2016

Racially disproportionate discipline:

Inequality hiding in plain sight
Racial bias hits home in the Roosevelt community
Natalie Hutson and Josie Aydelott

Demographics of Roosevelt

Staff Reporters

Photos By Hannah Silver

o some, Seattle may seem separated from issues

going on in our country. However, when taking a
closer look at the statistics concerning suspension and
incarceration rates in relation to race, it becomes apparent that racial and opportunity inequalities exist in our
own communities.
A present trend in the U.S. is the mass incarceration
of communities of color. Throughout history, people of
color have been dehumanized through slavery, restriction of rights, and segregation. As our society has progressed towards equality for all, this deeply rooted issue
is still seen in the racial disparities that exist today This
trend can be seen in King Countys incarceration rates,
and on a smaller scale, Roosevelts suspension rates.
Racially disproportionate mass incarceration first
came onto the scene in the 1980s as a quick fix for the
ever-present war on drugs. This was an acceleration
point for more heavily emphasizing and stereotyping
people of color as criminals. Black and Latino people,
especially, became viewed as a threat to communities
and were seen as groups that needed to be monitored
The consequences of these racially biased beliefs are
shown in incarceration rates throughout a seemingly
progressive King County. The Seattle justice and public schools system may appear to be treating everyone
equally, however, the reality is far from it. In 2011, the
incarceration rate of African Americans in King County was eight that of whites, according to Sightline Institute. This supports the fact that racial disproportion
is ingrained in Seattles justice system. This disparity
can be found at all levels of the criminal justice systemfrom patrol and arrests to sentencing and the racial makeup of jails and prisons. According to a study
done at Seattle University, among felony drug offenders, black defendants were 62 percent more likely to be
sentenced to prison than similarly situated white defendants. These numbers clearly attest to the racial bias in

At Roosevelt, in the 20152016

school year, Hispan-

I think that in Seattle

there is racial bias, but
at Roosevelt I feel like
everybodys really supportive and you dont
really see that much
racism here. And if
theres ever discrimination theyre [BSU] just
always there and like
no thats not okay.

There are gonna be

biases wherever we go,
theres always biases
whether we take note
of them or not. I think
that Seattle is working
really hard on it, I know
theres probably some
issues still but were
doing pretty well.

Rosa Alcaraz

Jinji Amen

Well, systematically
its hard not to see
at least the results of
some kind of bias.
The demographic
trends are really clear
and consistent and
predictable.

David Grosskopf

ic students received 31.6

times more long-term suspensions than Caucasian
students

King Countys court system. When a person is arrested

and convicted of a serious crime, they lose their right to
civic participation. This means that they become unable to vote, serve on a jury, and can be disabled from
getting licenses needed to perform certain jobs. They
can also be forced to give up custody of their children,
lose federal benefits, housing, and in cases of immigration, be deported. When specific ethnic groups are targeted for incarceration, their communities become victims to these issues. In this way, mass incarceration has
resulted in the further marginalization these groups.
While mass incarceration is an example of harmful
prejudices against adults, disciplines such as suspension
and expulsion are symbols of racism towards students
in schools. A Preliminary Report on Race and Washingtons Criminal Justice System by Seattle University

the roosevelt news

13

concluded that in Washingtons juvenile justice system,

it has been found that similarly situated minority juveniles face harsher sentencing outcomes than those
given to white juveniles. This goes hand in hand with
the rates for conviction of adults of color in King County. The disparity found in the juvenile justice system is
mirrored by the rates of discipline here at Roosevelt. In
comparison to other schools in Seattle, Roosevelt is not
very racially diverse. Last year, African Americans made
up 4.8 percent of the schools population, Caucasians
67.1 percent, and Hispanics 8.5 percent. The district
compares the discipline of students by race with a ratio
that is calculated by dividing the percentage of students
disciplined in one race/ethnicity by the percentage of
Caucasian students disciplined in that category. The
Caucasian group ratio for all disciplinary measures is
always 1.0; therefore, a ratio of 2.0 would mean that
the compared group was being disciplined twice as
much as Caucasian students. At Roosevelt, in the 20152016 school year, Hispanic students received 31.6 times
more long-term suspensions than Caucasian students.

The disparity found in the

juvenile
justice system is mir-

rored by the rates of discipline here at Roosevelt

Furthermore, African American students received

84.6 times more suspensions than Caucasian students.
These numbers show that there is a clear disproportion
in discipline at Roosevelt.
It is clear suspensions and arrests that occur in high
school have a direct, negative impact on the students
they are given to. Students who are suspended for their
disruptive or violent actions are often then sent back to
the source of their issues, whether that is their family
life or an otherwise unhealthy environment. Furthermore, students who face suspension often become discouraged, confused, and are more likely to develop negative attitudes towards their teachers and classmates.
As a result, these students are far more likely to leave
high school without a diploma and possibly resort to
crime later in their lives, a perpetuating cycle known as
the school to prison pipeline.
All across the Seattle School District, inequalities can
be found. In 2013, over 19 percent of the districts African American students were either expelled or suspended, whereas only around 3 percent of white students
were. This is an example of the apparent difference in
the way that minority students and white students are
treated when dealing with disciplinary matters.
The racially unequal discipline that occurs at Roosevelt and throughout school systems results in students
who face suspension being less likely to succeed in their
academics. As a consequence of suspension, students
have increased academic struggle which makes them
more likely to be forced into the system of mass incarceration. Students cannot learn if they are not in class,
and if they cannot learn, they are put at a disadvantage
in realizing their dreams.

14

SPORTS

the roosevelt news

November 29, 2016

Takeahike! Memorial monster

Amy Alverson

Copy Editor

Hopes to improve the problematic home field

Mackenzie Kilroy

Staff Reporter

T
Photo By Amy Alverson

Beginner:
Heybrook Lookout
2.6 miles round trip
850 feet elevation gain
1 hour drive
If you are looking for an easy hike away from the
crowds, Heybrook Lookout is the place for you. Just
off Highway 2, it has the views of Rattlesnake Ridge
without all the people there to block it. The first mile
is the hardest, with all 850 feet of elevation included
in it. However, it is a short hike, and the next 0.5
miles is relatively flat until you reach the towering
lookout. The last leg of this hike is a walk up the
stairs to the top of the lookout there are more
than youd think! But when you get to the top, you
will be rewarded with beautiful views of Mount Persis, Mount Baring, and the rest of the Cascade Range.
Moderate:
Lake Valhalla
7.0 miles round trip
1500 feet elevation gain
1.5-2 hour drive
Lake Valhalla is an exquisite landmark hidden in the
central Cascades. But beware, there are two recorded beginnings to the trailhead. The Stevens Pass
trailhead is 12 miles round trip and very flat, so it
is great for a trail run or a more relaxed hike. The
Smithbrook trailhead, on the other hand, is a shorter
and steeper alternative. The trail starts with gentle
switchbacks until it connects with the Pacific Crest
Trail, which will take you the rest of the way to the
lake. If you are craving more of a challenge, there is
another connecting trail up to Mount McCausland.
The mountain overlooks the lake, showing a birds
eye view of it instead of the same level. Valhalla was
named after the legendary Norse hall located in
Asgard where brave warriors go after they die to feast
and fight for the rest of their afterlives.

hree years ago, Seattle Public Schools created a

plan for a $250 million renovation on Memorial
Stadium the school districts downtown sports
stadium. Seattle Schools project plan included moving the parking lot underground and building new
tunnels, but this renovation was deemed too costly.
Memorial Stadium, in the Seattle Center, is owned by
the Seattle School District as a field to hold football
games and graduation ceremonies. During the summer and off-seasons, the city uses the space for larger
events, such as Bumbershoot and smaller, adult league
sports. This field has changed hands many times since
it opened in 1947 as a memorial to WWII soldiers. It
hosted the opening ceremonies to the 1962 Century
World Fair and was the Seattle Sounders stadium in
the 1970s. The field was bought by Seattle Schools in
1967 and became the first high school stadium in the
country to install artificial turf. The stadium serves as
home field to Roosevelt and other high schools in the

cant really read the

We
score board due to a

lack of light...we cant

really see whats going on

district.
Over the years it has become host to many problems
which students and families experience upon every
visit. Being in band, we orient our performances
around whether the team is in time out or how much
time is left on the clock. A big issue is that we cant
really read the score board due to a lack of light we
cant see whats going on, says junior Graham Fulton.
He experiences a number of issues each time band
performs at a football game. The old benches we are
standing and bouncing around on we dont want

Expert:
Bandera Mountain
8.0 miles round trip
3400 feet elevation gain
1 hour drive
Bandera Mountain is stunning, but hard. It begins
with long and lazy switchbacks, fooling you into
thinking it will not be a challenge. Soon after the
trail splits with Mason Lake, it heads straight up. You
have to climb through a near vertical plain of beargrass. However, when you finish, the trail rewards
you with a ridge to walk along, crossing through rock
fields until it reaches the summit. There is no official
signage for the summit, but there is a large pile of
rocks that are perfect to sit and eat lunch on. The
hike is possible to do in the winter, but be sure to
bring yaktrax (spikes), an emergency blanket, and
lots of layers! The snow adds a beautiful layer to the
scenery. Its difficult, but the view is worth it.

Roosevelts downtown home field sits directly

underneath the Space Needle, providing a
nice view but also a heavy commute for RHS
students.
to break anything, but every now and again a bench
will get taken away. Lately, at some exciting football
games, the cheering and jeering Roosevelt crowds have
broken some of the out-of-date benches. Replacements for the old seating is long overdue and at this
point a hazard to the hundreds of students standing
and sitting on them each year. The stairs at Memorial
Stadium may also be one of the most pressing issues.
Extending downward in never-ending steepness and no
railings to hold, one fatal misstep is all it takes. This is
a real danger for anyone, but especially for parents and
grandparents attending events such as graduation. In
addition to these problems, on a trip to Memorial Stadium one will encounter filthy, outdated bathrooms,
missing stall doors and a vast lack of water fountains to
quench their thirst.
However, there is some good news. Seattle Schools

summer SPS plans

toThis
launch a $50 million
renovation at Memorial

Photos by Anika Wheeler

The rickety benches are definitely a safety

hazard, as they have broken at Roosevelt
football games before.

revised their renovation proposal, and starting this

summer SPS plans to launch a $50 million renovation.
The construction will start June 17, just after the last
SPS commencement ceremony, and will be complete
by the end of August, SPS communications director, Teresa Wippel says. They will be replacing the
turf field, installing a new rubber surface along the
sidelines, repairing the concrete in the grand stands,
installing new sound systems, and placing new pads
and painting around the field. While this plan may not
seem to cover all the bases, there will be some major
improvements coming soon to our home field.

SPORTS

November 29, 2016

the roosevelt news

15

Throwback to fall sports

A recap of Roosevelts fall athletics
Connie Bernard

Staff Reporter

id golf go to state? How did football do this

season? With so many different teams it can be
hard to keep track of how each Roosevelt sport did
this past season. Teams like cross country, girls swim,
football, and many more have all had fantastic fun
filled seasons. Here is a recap of each teams standings
and memorable moments.
Girls and boys cross county had strong seasons filled
with many personal records and some tough competition. In the first meet of the season, boys and girls
varsity each placed first. Junior Graham Fulton says
that boys had a really strong team this year, with all
of our top seven varsity runners under 18 minutes for
3.1 miles. Despite this, neither boys or girls qualified
for State as a team. This year, during the qualifying
meet, two Districts combined: one from Seattle and
one from Eastern Washington. As a result, there was
more competition, so fewer teams qualified. While
neither qualified for State as a team, each sent individual runners to the meet. Jane Barr qualified, placing

Photo By Roxanne Alabastro

Through hard work and dedication, Roosevelt

Football placed 2nd in their division this year.

sixth in the district meet. Boys Diego Berho and Jack

Bylund also qualified individually for State. During the
meet all three ran incredibly well with times of 17:52
for Bylund and 16:32 for Berho. Barr placed ninth with
a new PR of 18:42, finishing off an awesome season for
cross county.
Girls swim team also performed well this season.
We got fourth at Metro. I took 50 girls, out of the 77
girls that were on the team. Everybody swam phenomenally, best times across the board. We [had] 19 girls
going on to Districts voices coach Brenda Tomtan.
She believed that the team was able to build more
of a community this year with the new switch to the
morning practices, everybody would come to practice
and be there and then everybody was in the same boat
trying to get ready really fast. It was almost fun. The
morning practices meant that more people were able
to show up consistently due to less before-school conflicts, and thus a stronger team bond was created this
year. With this closeness they were able to beat tough
teams like Ballard and move on to State. At State RHS
placed fifth and broke the school record of the 400
freestyle relay with the team of Louise Daigneault,
Melissa Funes, Mia Syme and Jen Wen.
Throughout the season, girls volleyball remained
undefeated. They also placed fourth in the Metro
tournament, according to Abby Wolfe, a player for the
varsity team. Wolfe reports this year we were definitely more united as a team on and off the court, we
all knew what our goals were and definitely wanted to
work hard together to reach them and attributes this
to their teams success. This year, varsity was able to
defeat their longtime rival, Garfield, during Garfields
senior night. Varsity placed fourth in Districts. While
the team did not place at State, it was the second time
the team had made it, which is a remarkable feat in of
itself.
Football had a tough but rewarding season, and
is optimistic for the years to come. This year they
finished second in their division but were unable to
make it to State. Despite this, coach Matt Nelsen is
happy with how the players improved over the season,
saying, there was a lot of new guys getting a chance
to play, theres no substitute for experience playing in
a football game. Nelsen thought that even though
the team did not qualify for the tournament, they still
played well right to the end of the game but [that
they] just didnt get it quite to the end zone in the
end. He was also proud of how the JV teams played as
well and believed that with some hard work and prac-

Roosevelts History of
Championship Titles

tice they could turn out to be something great. In the

end he believed that it was important to look towards
a brighter future.
Girls soccer has kicked it out of the park this
season, making it to State for the first time in many
years. Senior Libby Hjelm looked forward to going to
State for the first time during her four years playing
soccer for Roosevelt, believing that it was a nice way
to end senior year. Hjelm also thought that the team
worked well together this year, and that everyone was
friendly to each other and inviting. During State the
team made it through the first round and to the quarterfinals, but lost a close game to Bellevue. With the
final score of 0-1 the Riders still finished their season
strong. The JV team also did well, beating the tough
team of Seattle Prep during their final game.
Boys golf also made it to State this fall season and
five girls made it to Districts. Despite an initial tough
beginning of the season due to many people graduating, sophomore Kyle Luttinen said that they were able
to have a lot of good people come up this season; a
lot of freshman. With these new players, boys golf got
third in Metros, second at Districts, and girls sent six
players to Metros and five are moving on to Districts.
Three boys are going onto State, Luttinen, Gabe Spach
and Jack McMullin. Both the boys and girls did well in
the fall and will attend State in the spring.

Hit the slopes!

Jonah Harper

Staff Reporter

ith winter and hot chocolate soon approaching,

many people are also gearing up for the upcoming ski season. As snow starts to accumulate on the
passes and mountains, the ski areas are getting ready
to open for the general public. However, this year
doesnt look to be a great year for precipitation in the
ski areas. According to the National Weather Service,
throughout December and January there is only a 68
percent chance of snow. Although it might not be the
best forecast, there are some great spots in the NW to
hit the slopes.
Crystal Mountain is a two hour drive from Seattle

and has 57 different trails covering a part of Mt.

Rainier. It is one of the most popular ski resorts nearby, and can be sure to be filled with
people throughout the season, especially
since last season was missed due to lack
of snow.
Snoqualmie Pass is a one hour
drive, and is one of the most reliable
places to ski near Seattle. It is
perfect for Seattleites looking for
a one day ski trip. It will open
soon, and everyone is sure to
be headed there.
White Pass, near Yakima,
is a 1,402 acre alpine and cross country ski

area. The Pass has over 40

runs and lifts for use by
all, along with jumps
and other fun activities. The day lodge
is in the ski area,
which makes it
an easy commute to the
slopes.

16

SPORTS

the roosevelt news

November 29, 2016

Winter Basketball at its best

Athlete profiles
Galen Ogden

Staff Reporter

Gavyn Brayman

Photos by Lidia Elala

Gavyn Brayman began swimming at age six, starting

off his racing career with a quick meltdown behind
the blocks. Despite the rough start, Brayman has only
gotten faster since. Now Brayman specializes in the
100 yard backstroke, and hopes to make a State relay.
He has high hopes for the team this year, stating that,
its a great community filled with hard workers who
want to succeed in and out of the pool.

Isabel McGough

Though she began her gymnastics career at age five,

McGoughs passion for the sport was reinvigorated
here at Roosevelt. Now a senior and captain of the
gymnastics team, McGough specializes in floor routines. Although she feels most at home on the floor,
McGough finds that the bar is the most interesting to
watch. Having lots of adrenaline makes it hard to focus, especially when youre on a beam only four inches
wide, McGough states.

Tony Chen

Tony Chen began wrestling his freshman year,

though he started learning martial arts at a young
age, even learning how to use nunchucks. Wrestlers
at Roosevelt have to work very hard to maintain their
weight, because the lower the weight class theyre in,
the easier the competition. The weight process is
really tough says Chen, stating that if you dont make
weight on the day of the match, you used to have to
put on a sweatsuit and run around until youre light
enough. Although, Chen hasnt had much of an issue
with competition in the lowest weight class.

Roosevelt is ready for its new dynasty

Nick Conrad

Staff Reporter
n a mutual decision Roosevelt parted ways with head
boys basketball coach, Bart Brandenberg at the end
of his twelfth season, and have since brought in Roosevelt alum Ben Scheffler. The move was due in part to
what Athletic Director Matt Katinas corroborated as a
culture shift.
Leading an inclusive and positive attitude is part
of Schefflers philosophy. Bringing people together
is really what basketball and sports as a whole are all
about, he says. Asaph Brumer, a junior this year, has
noticed this spirit. Brumer claims, Hes always staying
positive and trying to keep everybody else upbeat. He
doesnt like negativity.

Bringing people together is

really what basketball and
sports are all about

Scheffler has an impressive resume which includes

some time spent as a player at Roosevelt, then Seattle
Pacific University. Here he was multiple time First
Team All-Academic, as well as a long career as a coach
for SPU, Madison College in Wisconsin. Scheffler has
a lot of experience at high level AAU programs, and
most recently, as a head coach for Shorewood High
School. Katinas was especially glowing when referring
to Schefflers work ethic in saying that, I sense a work
ethic, but more than that, I sense a passion. A passion
for kids, and a passion for basketball, and those two
things are priceless.
Katinas also mentioned the importance of being
familiar with the Roosevelt legacy, and our new head
coach certainly fits that description. Not only was he
a player, but he played under one of the best coaches

Photo by Hannah Silver

Newly hired basketball coach Ben Scheffler (above)
adds a new excitement to a team that hasnt been very
successful as of late.

in Roosevelt history, Ben Snowden, whose name is

printed on the same court that Scheffler will look at
every day. Along with his history as a student athlete,
Scheffler has come back for a couple years since his
graduation to work with the special education department.
Brumer, who worked with the athletic department
during the hiring process, was quick to say that long
term planning was a significant factor in the decision,
I dont want to just get a coach for one year then have
another the next he says. I want to get to know him
and the system. Katinas echoed these sentiments in
saying, Were really excited to get his coaching career
here under way.... to be able to have him in a long tenured position would be awesome. Scheffler may not
reach 41 years at Roosevelt like his coach did, but he
figures to be a big part of the program for the foreseeable future.

Its time for an Eating Team

Max Mayer

Staff Reporter
f school serves any kind of purpose, its what it
serves: the food. Students with brains and stomachs can agree their favorite part of the school day is
lunchtime. Eating is healthy, which suggests that being
able to eat competitively, like any other sport, requires
athleticism and gets you in shape. That is why we need
to rekindle the gastrointestinal fire that is competitive
eating club!
Competitive eating is disgusting, fascinating, and
also practical. Its a great way to efficiently provide
those life-sustaining calories. If youre looking to gain
weight (for wrestling, for instance), competitive eating
is perfect for you! Senior Claire Kiersky says, I would
join competitive eating if I got to eat endless tiramisu! But because Roosevelt no longer has this club,
we need to revive it. In addition to its practicality,
competitive eating would also be a fun way to spend
your time.
Have you ever watched Man v.s. Food? How about
the annual hot dog eating contest on the 4th of July?
These awesome feats of consumption inspire everyone
who they dont repulse. Dont you want to live the
dream and be the MVP, instead of watching dejectedly
from the sidelines? Thats why we need you to help to

reform this excellent club.

Beware! Competitive eating is not for the weak of
digestion; competitive eaters are serious about their
craft. Its a lifestyle that demands training, commitment, and the willingness to eat what others cant. We
need to bring back competitive eating because the
eaters of Roosevelt havent fully realized their potential. Will you?

Top foods to
competitively eat:
1. Hot dogs
2. Pies
3. Dans fries
4. Your feelings
5. Christensens math
homework
6. Football sized calzones
7. Footballs

SPORTS

November 29, 2016

the roosevelt news

17

Showing our sports support

Rider Nation displays school spirit all day, every day

Dylan Baker

Staff Reporter
ost Roosevelt students have been to a football
game, but what about the less popular sports?
Roosevelt has a vast array of different sports and
athletes that dont all get equal support. Fortunately,
theres a club that exists solely to erase this problem.
Rider Nation is a group of students whose goal is to
attend every type of sport at Roosevelt and cheer
them on. Having support at less popular sports makes

go to all the games I can

Iand
its a cool way to sup-

port a lot of the sports that

dont get a lot of attention

everyone at Roosevelt feel connected and spirited,

no matter what sport they play. The group consists of
mostly juniors and seniors who are passionate about
school spirit, but anyone who wants to can join.
Ben Early, a junior and a member of Rider Nation,
says that he joined Rider Nation because, I am a huge
fan of sports, I go to all the games I can and its a cool
way to support a lot of the sports that dont get a lot
of attention but deserve it just as much as everyone
else, and you just get to be with your friends. While
Rider Nations main objective is for students to go
out and watch their peers, they make sure to have a
great time doing it too. One main appeal for the club
is its atmosphere, which is fun and relaxed, but at the
same time, dedicated to school spirit. Rider Nation is
another example of the great community at Roosevelt
and why we do so well in so many different sports.
Early believes it not only raises energy and spirit, but
also helps the athletes during games as, if youre at a
sport where theres usually no fans there and suddenly
one game theres 30-something fans there cheering you

Photo by Locke Bradley, Locke Bradley Photography

Rider Nation has always been a huge part of sports here at RHS. Fans like Lilly Runacres and Sara Flynn (pictured above) show their support at a football game.
on, youre going to be a lot more motivated to win and people that also like going to the games. Along with
play better. When asked about their goal of attending the Roosevelt bear mascots, cheerleaders, marching
a wide range of sports and raising school spirit, he said band, and drumline. Roosevelt continues to have
they accomplished a lot last year, and is confident they strong school spirit and support at events. Rider Nation will be seen not only at football games, but also
can do it again this year. Mary Hawkins, a sophomore
at less attended sports. They have found that it makes
in Rider Nation strongly agreed, she expects the
a real difference in the Roosevelt community, and
2016-2017 school year to be another successful one.
Hawkins anticipates that every sport will be supported revolves around the students ability to be inclusive
and spirited.
in great numbers by Rider Nation. She recommends
joining, and shares why she joined originally, I love
going to all the games anyways for all the sports and
I thought it would be cool to be in a club with other

Predictament: We move forward

Scoring: Closest to actual
result receives 4 points,
next closest receives 3, etc.
Predictor of correct winner
receives a bonus of 1.

Sam, Sage, and Vasili

Olivia, Sophia, Grace, Riley

Julia and Jess

Nate, Silas, Jonathan, Nick

Score This Week

(Cumulative Score)

8
(15)

13
(19)

7
(13)

8
(17)

(NCAAB) Washington Huskies

(NCAAB) Cal State-Fullerton Titans

106-94 (Huskies Win)

5-5 (Tie)

82-72 (Huskies Win)

76-64 (Huskies Win)

(MLS) Seattle Sounders

(MLS) Colorado Rapids

2-0 (Sounders Win)

2-1 (Sounders Win)

3-2 (Rapids Win)

2-1 (Rapids Win)

(NHL) Pittsburgh Penguins

(NHL) Washington Capitals

3-1 (Penguins Win)

5-4 (Penguins Win)

4-2 (Penguins Win)

4-3 (Penguins Win)

18

the roosevelt news

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

November 29, 2016

The most effective electives

A fun way for students to get all of their graduation credits
Sofia James

trition is where this magic happens. Students learn to

make delectable treats and like Theatre Tech, these
skills easily transfer into real life. Plus, you get to eat all
the food you make!
Drama: Bring out your inner actor in the various
available drama classes. From basics in Drama 1 and
2 to the advanced directing class known as Drama 6.
Youll gain insightfrom working professionals and other
students in order to improve confidence and become a
true thespian.
Engineering: If you like to challenge yourself and
have a way with technology, engineering is the elective
for you. Sophomore Max Druliner recommends the
class not only because its fun, but because it also makes
you think. In terms of what the class does day to day,
Druliner says that they try not to catch stuff on fire.

Staff Reporter

igning up for courses as Roosevelt is usually pretty

straightforward, as students request their required
courses without hesitation. Electives, on the other
hand, are a crapshoot. Its always difficult to determine
which electives will allow you to have a good time while
also learning something new. There seems to be endless
options, from Apparel to Marketing, but which ones
are actually good?
Theater Tech: Almost everyone who joins this class
loves it. Theater Tech students build sets and help backstage at Roosevelt Drama productions. Students get a
large amount of freedom, and a great and welcoming
community. Plus, the skills you learn hammering toKarl Ruff , the engineering teacher, creates a work environment that allows students to push their creativity.

Photos By Anika Wheeler

Stage manager and senior Rose Bryers takes time to

help out with costumes.

gether sets can be used later on in your everyday life

when you need to make repairs.
Speech: Learn to become a better speaker, rant on
topics you hate, rave about what you love, and recite
your favorite movie monologues. Senior Sydney Johnson loves how the class pushes [her] out of her comfort
zone in a friendly environment. Speech students have
the opportunity to practice with various kinds of public
speaking, from a demonstration speech to a Ted Talk,
and are encouraged to speak about topics they are passionate about.
Yoga: Downward dog, sun salutations, and frog pose
are just a few of the zen poses you will learn in this class.
Definitely the most relaxed PE class, yoga allows you
to engage in physical activity without the running or
weight lifting. Senior Annika Prichard likes the class
because you feel like youre exercising, but most of the
time youre just lying on a mat with the lights off listening to relaxing music.
Nutrition & Cooking: Do you get incredibly jealous when you see people walking around the school
with fresh baked cookies or when you see delicious
looking pizza on your friends Snapchat stories? Nu-

A Costume Design student hard at work putting the

finishing touches on a costume.

Roughriders give thanks this season

Finley Harrison

Staff Reporter

alvin Williams, a RHS freshman, has divided

Thanksgivings. With his parents being divorced,
no two years are the same. My sister and I switch off
between celebrating with my mom and my dad, Williams explains. When hes with his dad, Williams spends
Thanksgiving celebrating with his grandmother and
second cousins. Every other year when hes with his
mom, he eats with everyone from his stepfamily. Sometimes, his stepfamily will gather around and reminisce
by looking through old photos. No matter who hes
with, Williams always has a ton of fun.
Sophomore Ava Paul generally spends the Thanksgiving holiday with her cousins. My family and I drive
down to Portland every year because my dads cousin
and her husband always host, Paul says. She usually
never sees her cousins and extended family outside of
the Thanksgiving holiday, so that makes the holiday

very special. One of Pauls favorite holiday traditions is

playing competitive cards with her cousins. We have a
yearly tradition of playing cards for food, she explains,
[the] loser has to take requests and go get food for
the rest of us. To make the Thanksgiving holiday even
more special, her grandfathers birthday falls around the
same time, and her grandmother always bakes a bunch
of pies to celebrate.
Like Paul, Addie Brooke-Pike spends her Thanksgiving with her grandmother. Brooke-Pikes grandma lives
on Angle Lake, and thats where Thanksgiving is always
hosted. The whole family is there, and we have a huge
dinner party, she says. The lake is the perfect place for
a Thanksgiving celebration: pretty views and a nice environment. Brooke-Pike and her parents make mashed
potatoes while her grandmother makes a couple pies,
and the whole family always has a great time.
Like many people, Danny Higgins and his family usually stay home for the Thanksgiving holiday. His holiday is more focused on family than anything else. We
all cook the turkey and stuffing as a family and that gives

us a good chance to talk

gether, he says. Higgins
to bond over the holiday
to get stressed out about
members.

and work tofamily tries

and try not
crazy family

November 29, 2016

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

the roosevelt news

19

Teddy talks

Photo By Natalie Kauper

Jazzin things up
New musicians expanding the music scene
Henry Sanford

Staff Reporter

his year the Roosevelt band program added two

new bands to its roster in order to adapt to its
growing size and variety. One of the bands added, Wind
Ensemble, is a group of highly skilled musicians that
frequently collaborates with the orchestra. Jazz Band 4
was also added, which is a jazz band composed of mostly freshman.
The Roosevelt band program has been growing slowly since it was created, but this new rate of growth is

There were more people

interested in jazz than there

were spots for musicians, so
band director Scott Brown
decided to create a new jazz
ensemble, as well as increasing the size of most of the jazz
bands

unprecedented. This year 140 musicians auditioned just

for the jazz program, and 80 new freshman joined the
band program, a 60% increase from last year. There
were more people interested in jazz than there were
spots for musicians, so band director Scott Brown decided to create a new jazz ensemble as well as increasing
the size of most of the jazz bands. He also added Wind
Ensemble to the roster, which is composed of advanced
wind players and works with the symphony orchestra.
This ensemble helps provide opportunities for the variety of players within the band program. Brown wanted
motivated wind players to develop more skill and get
more playing time. Sophomore Francesca Skene explains that the addition of Wind Ensemble allows people who want to focus more on marching to do that, and
then people who want to focus on harder music can do
that. Wind Ensemble also helps by grouping together

very skilled players. Senior Oliver Fox describes that

last year there was a bit of a skill gap in symphonic
band, but in Wind Ensemble everybody is close to the
same skill level, which can help with a more connected
sound.
According to many reports, Wind Ensemble is a success so far. Brown says that it is starting to form into
a cohesive unit. At their first concert, Brown decided
to program a very challenging piece called Armenian
Dances. According to Skene, the time constraints of
the concert made it difficult for the band to fully master
the song, and led to a few hitches at the concert. Brown
says that, despite a few mistakes, he thought the band
had a really great sound. The Wind Ensemble is set to
perform again on Dec. 15 at Roosevelt.
Jazz Band 4 has also found its groove. According to
Brown, they have a really solid rhythm section, particularly their drummers and bassists. Brown comments
that if you have strong drummers and bassists you can
really build a strong band off that foundation. Stephen
Shettler, a freshman trumpet player in Jazz 4 comments
that everyones really focused and were having a good
time. Jazz 4 recently performed at their first festival,
which was at the Edmonds Jazz Symposium. Although
it wasnt competitive, they received many compliments
on their playing and sound.

Upcoming Band Events

Macys Day Parade- Nov. 25
Ellington Jazz Nutcracker- Dec. 3, 4
Jazz Concert- Dec. 8
Hollyberry Concert- Dec. 15

Dear Teddy,
As a senior, Im right in the middle of this dreadful college process. But whenever I think of something that I
might actually enjoy doing for the rest of my life, there
is always somebody to tell me that its a bad idea. What
am I going to do with my life?
- Fresh Outta Ideas
Dear Fresh,
You want life advice from me? Id love to tell you what
I think, but I dont want you to get too hung up on me,
since I know thatd be aiming too high. As you probably
know, I went to Harvard and enjoyed a wonderful educational experience. But remember, it doesnt matter
where you go, but what you take away from the adventure. Dont sweat it - surely you dont need to decide
what you want to do with your life right now.
Your favorite scholar,
Theodore
Dear Teddy,
I cant believe it. Were barely three months into the
school year and I already feel like times running out.
Oh Teddy, with such a wacky schedule, how am I going
to find time to sleep in each day, let alone the whole
year?
- Sleepless in Seattle
Dear Sleepless,
Change always makes life harder, and clearly this shift
in the schedule has knocked you off your rocker. The
first thing I need you to remember is that life doesnt
have a schedule, so you cant depend on things always
going your way, at least not in a timely fashion. As you
know, I lost my wife, which was obviously unexpected.
But you dont see me dragging my feet. A savvy teen like
you should cherish that extra sleep and make use of the
time that you do have after school
Never a slacker,
Theodore
Dear Teddy,
Ever since I started high school, all my friends are drifting apart and the extent of my social life is late night
runs to the grocery store with grandma. I cant let this
happen, Teddy! How do I put myself out there?
- Ala Lone
Dear Ala,
Like I say, a man who lives a life of ease has never left
a name worth remembering. If you want to be remembered try joining a club. I love the outdoors so I would
suggest an outdoors club. But who says you need friends
to be successful? If you can learn anything from me, its
that I didnt need someone to the lead the way for me.
Sometimes you just have to take a step forward and see
where things go. Dont let the little things get to you,
and dont forget that youre the best friend youll ever
have.
Your (maybe) friend,
Theodore

20

the roosevelt news

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

November 29, 2016

RHS Theatre presents MMC

Medea Macbeth Cinderella proves to be innovative twist
Sofia James

Staff Reporter
rom Nov. 16 to 20, Roosevelt students took the
stage in the drama departments fall show, Medea
Macbeth Cinderella, or MMC. The show combined
the three stories into one fluid script, exploring similarities and common themes among the seemingly
very different plots. The show has proven to be very
different and more of a challenge than previous plays
because of the complexity of three stories being intertwined. Drama teacher and director of the show,
Mr. Stuart, comments that the actors have to know
three times as much as they would in a normal show.
Sophomore Sage Gunning, who plays a Chorus Leader in Medea, says the show is so complicated but
she is excited to be in something that is so different.
Medea Macbeth Cinderella was originally sched-

Photos by Carlos Key

Macbeths witches played by Sofia James, Sophia Power, and Mae Lederman cackle during a performance.

Medea, portrayed by Lila Lang, is accompanied by a

Greek chorus of Elisa Kodama, Sage Gunning and
Catherine Salman.
uled for a slot in early February, but was rescheduled
to a fall slot and swapped with Dramafest, the student
directed festival of one-act plays, because many of the
senior actors had college visits and auditions conflicting with the original dates of the show. Stuart says
that with a show like [MMC] you really gotta have
everybody there. He talked about how he decided
the show was better suited to go up in November because it would be more accommodating to all students.
Senior Duncan Weinland played Macbeth and is also
directing a Dramafest show, The Sequence. He sees
both upsides and downsides to this switch. Weinland
thinks that pushing Dramafest to winter gives more
people the opportunity to audition because students
get the whole first part of the year to work on a monologue. For Weinland, though, having this big of a
show in the fall [can be] really hard for people trying
to do college apps and start off the year with a good
GPA because it takes up so much time and energy.

Students who are solely directing Dramafest dont see

the change as a big deal. Senior Inga Phlegar is also directing a Dramafest show, Pictures of Dorian Gray, but
is not in MMC. Phlegar doesnt think the change will
have any big, shattering impacts on the productions
in Dramafest, but says students were used to [Dramafest] being in the fall and theres something about
breaking the tradition that is a little bit heartbreaking.
Stuart predicts no change in student participation in Dramafest, as when he student taught at
Roosevelt in 2009, Roosevelt put on White Christmas in the fall and Dramafest was in the winter and he doesnt remember there being an uptick or downtick in either way in participation.
Despite these changes, Drama students and Stuart remain very excited about Dramafest and hope
it will be a hit in Roosevelt and the community.

Tessa Weinland, pictured above, played parts in all stories as they slowly became more and more interwoven.

Humans of Roosevelt
Ella Frederiksen

Staff Reporter

hen you walk through Roosevelts halls, what do you imagine rushes through the heads of your peers? What tensions exist? Where have our minds
gone? Where will they go? Find out what opinions are held in the halls of Roosevelt High.

Photos by Hannah Nichols

I used to care so much about what everyone thought
of everyone else and of me and now I just dont have
time for that, you know? I have too much going on. Im
just going to keep it in my own circle and not let myself
get dragged into that kind of stuff.
-Juno Spafford 17

I was really nervous trying out for dance team. I was

the only boy. I tried my hardest and I didnt make it.
Some people may think its a bad thing not making
it on the team but Im really proud of myself that I
tried and I have the experience now to try out again.
- Riley Marshall 20

My best friend and I have a lot of different ideas. In

first grade we really didnt like each other but weve gotten a lot closer though throughout the years and shes
opened my mind up to a lot of different perspectives.
- Sage Gunning 19

November 29, 2016

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

the roosevelt news

21

Mics feature student artists

Poetry, music, and literature at open mics and mini mics!

Dylan Baker

Staff Reporter

very few weeks after school, students gather to present their original songs, poems, stories, and more to
an attentive and artsy crowd at Roosevelts open mics.
So far the 2016-17 school year has had two, both receiving generous turnouts from students wanting to share
their original works, and some who just come to listen
to their peers. Those in attendance include some of the
most notable poets, writers, and musicians the school
has to offer, as well as less experienced students who
just recently became involved. Some also take part in
similar clubs at Roosevelt, including Inkwell and the
Poets Committee, and the open mics are a chance for
those students to share what they have been working
on.
Open mics are a great example of how the Roosevelt
community benefits from clubs and events that encourage students to be creative and do art. Its a way for
us to connect with students and provide them opportunities outside of school, says Reid von Pohle, one
of the teachers who organizes and advises open mics.
While many of the people that attend have been sharing their work for years, open mics are an accessible and
accepting place to start. This is one reason why senior
Caleb Backer-Corthell enjoys open mics so much. He
says theres a sense of acceptance there, you can go up

Photo by Taylor Powers

Open mics run either before school or in the evenings,
amd are for all grades and voices.

and say whatever you want. Another benefit that many

gain by attending this year is extra credit. Von Pohle,
as well as other Language Arts teachers, give out extra credit to encourage more students to show up, and
many of the students wind up enjoying it. The open
mics are a place where students are very open and welcoming, so Ive had many people go for extra credit, but
they really discovered their voice and got involved, says
von Pohle.
A typical open mic might only consist of poetry, but
the Roosevelt open mics welcome anything from rapping to stand-up comedy. It can be anything students
want it to be really, its just an opportunity for students
to be able to share their creative works with each other, von Pohle adds. The 2016-2017 school year has many
open mics still remaining that everyone is encouraged
to attend, whether students are performing or watching. We do them for the student body to come and
watch, if you want to perform you can, but theres totally no pressure, says Backer-Corthell, who recommends
that every student try it out at least once. The open
mics occur once to twice a month, with exact dates and
location subject to change each month due to availability. The one constant is the time, which is expected to
go from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Some of the open mics
are also themed, as was the case on Nov. 2, when everyone wore pajamas. To get more information, wait for a
morning announcement, which should give the details
ahead of time for those who are interested.

Wacky winter holiday stories

Sophie Bell

Staff Reporter
veryone has awkward family stories where their
drunk uncle caught the Christmas tree on fire or
their mother overcooked the turkey and the family had
to eat chicken for Thanksgiving. If you havent experienced any crazy chases after your drunk uncle, here are
a few stories to get you into the festive fear of holidays
with the family.

One year we had Thanksgiving at my aunts house

and it was the first time that Thanksgiving was at
her place. She didnt have tables that were long
enough to fit the entire family, so she put a few
of them together. They didnt line up in height, so
she stacked a bunch of books underneath one of
the tables. Somehow, one of the tables that was up
on the books came off the stack, and the entire
table food, candles, and all landed on top
of my 5-year-old cousin. My aunt has never had
Thanksgiving at her house since.
Kitchen Palooza

Last Christmas, my moms family was over, and
about 50 people showed up. We have a tradition
of playing pictionary, so we all sat down to continue the holiday tradition. My 8-year-old cousin goes up to the board and draws a stick figure
with a giant stick covered with dots coming out
of the waistline. The drawing took up most of the
board, and we all got a little red in the face. Everyone was guessing what it was, making wild guesses
that tried to incorporate whats below the waistline. Long story short, it ended up being a syringe
coming out of a penis.
Inappropriate Contemporary Artist

Photos by Marco Say

The holidays bring a time of awkward family hugs,
pinching cheeks and unnecessary questions about your
significant other.

The night after Christmas, my family and I were

still at my aunt and uncles house and I was sleeping in the basement of their house with my two
younger brothers. In the middle of the night, one
of my brothers gets up and sleepwalks up the
stairs. He walks into my aunt and uncles room,
turns on their lights, grabs their Christmas candy, and walks out. He then proceeds to sleepwalk
into my other aunt and uncles bedroom, does the
same thing with the lights and candy, then climbs
into bed with them. I woke up to them carrying
my brother down the stairs, with the candy that
he wont let go of, and laying him gently into bed.
And the next morning, I woke up and saw my
brother was surrounded by candy. We both went
upstairs later and my whole family was really
hardcore judging my brother.
Bedtime Brother

Two years ago, my family had Christmas at

my grandparents house. My uncle brought his
then-girlfriend (now wife) and had gotten her a
puppy in an attempt to be romantic. He put it
in a big present box, and tried to keep it behind
the couch to surprise his girlfriend. Somehow,
it got out, and no one noticed. The puppy then
proceeded to pee under the Christmas tree and
on all the presents. Luckily it turned out okay, as
my uncles girlfriend liked the puppy and theyre
married now, but all the presents just smelled like
dog pee for a while.
Puppy Relief

22

the roosevelt news

OUR SUPPORTERS

November 29, 2016

Football-Sized Calzones!
3617 NE 45th St. Seattle, WA.
98105
Order for Pickup:
(206) 522-8515

OUR SUPPORTERS

November 29, 2016

the roosevelt news

Roosevelt High School

Roughrider Special!
$7 Take out

Lunch Box: Rice, Butter chicken, Naan

or

$8.95 Dine In
$2 Soda with either

Indian Bistro

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Mon-Thurs: 11am - 9:30 pm

Fri-Sat: 11am - 10pm
Sun: 11 am - 9pm

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(206) 517-4444

(206) 985-0041

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23

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