Memories

There are those times that you look at somthing or a thought pops into your head and you just can't stop remembering how much you love someone and miss them so much--you just want them back to finish life the way you wish it could be.

Tears bring memories back. Tears brinig back love that has been forgotten. Tears bring wishes that people did not have to pass so soon without the ability to really know them.

R.I.P Grandpa Curley. I really wish i could have him back!

Journalism Scholarship Convention in Washington DC

Arriving
I was sure the plane to Washington DC would lead me to my doom.

My heart was beating quickly as I stepped off the plane, wondering how many news-hungry, voracious journalists would be at the hotel to meet me. I was feeling very un-free spirit-like: self-conscious and timid.

Thump, thump, thump.

Little did I know that those frightening young journalists (often with big scary teeth, in my imagination) would be some of the greatest people I’d ever meet. We would laugh, cry, and share glory stories and horror stories and all kinds of stories, as if we’d known each other for years. So goes the situation when 102 aspiring young journalists commune for 6 days to experience the wonders of the nation’s capital. 

Thump, thump, thump.

As soon as I reached baggage claim, a group of smiling journalists was there to meet me, piles of their school newspapers surrounding them on the floor of the Dulles airport. We exchanged names and states, which would become a regular custom, along with questions like, “So what do you even DO in (insert state name here.)”

Soon we were whisked away, on a bus across the highways of Washington DC, towards a week that would alter our lives more or less for good.

The Beginning

The Free Spirit Scholarship program was founded by Al Neuharth, well-loved S.O.B. and founder of one of the nation’s most popular newspapers, “USA TODAY.” In a time where people are shuddering in fear at the prospect of newspapers dying, this conference was a breath of fresh air for young journalists who needed a little encouragement to persevere into an unknown future of journalism. Each student receives $1,000 to a college of their choice, and the two main winners receive $10,000.

When I received the e-mail notifying me that I was the female winner from Washington state, I had two reactions. First, I squealed. And I don’t ever squeal. Then, I immediately blanched at the prospect of traveling with 101 other people I didn’t know whatsoever. However, on that first day in the Marriott Hotel talking with the other scholars, I realized I’d finally found 101 other people who understood how I spent my life, what consumed my thoughts, and where I wanted to be in five or ten years - all these kids eat and breathe journalism in their daily lives as well. Our thoughts bounced and ricocheted across the table, all our sentences overlapped as we compared staff stories, article stories, design stories, deadline stories. After all, that’s what we were made of: rich, detailed stories.

On the second day, we were given the unique opportunity to visit NBC studios and view a live taping of David Gregory on “Meet the Press.” We all shuffled in quietly and watched in amazement - many of us could not believe we’d gotten this opportunity in the first place.

The day went quickly - we visited the enormous and amazing Newseum, also founded by Al Neuharth, and then met the man himself - decked out in a red suit and looking dashing at a ripe age of 85. He and other members of the Freedom Forum gave speeches and answered questions of the Free Spirits. A common question asked was “Are newspapers REALLY dying?” 
And the answered was a firm: No. Though the public outcry is ubiquitous, most of the speakers at the conference insisted that this temporary rift in the newspaper continuum will be remedied - whether it be through paying for internet articles or any other genius plan concocted by the titans of the newspaper industry.

Al Neuharth’s stories about his successes and failures encouraged each and every one of us to approach life with an unmatched vigor. As a young boy in South Dakota, he started a newspaper called “SoDak Sports,” which failed quickly due to budgetary issues. To know that a millionaire, who now owns a multitude of papers across the country, had once failed taught us that taking failure with a grain of salt was always the best choice if we ever wanted to make it.

“Learn from failures, then go on and succeed,” he said.

Behind the Scenes

Though the organized speeches and activities were a great opportunity, I found that most of the most interesting experiences came unexpectedly.

During the nighttime monument tours, Matt from Virginia and I were walking along the path of the Vietnam Memorial, tracing names with our fingers and staring, amazed, at the magnitude of names on the wall. As we were nearing the end, we noticed a man telling passerby that he was a Vietnam veteran and could give anyone information on the names on the wall. We walked on, but Matt had the sudden urge to turn around and talk to the man. I followed.

The man launched quickly into a list of many names, several with rich explanations. He led us to the names and their exact location on the wall, without searching for more than a second. His voice held a monotony that did not seem bored, but life-worn and weary. His eyes looked out in the distance and drool slowly dripped from the lazy corner of his mouth. We were morbidly enthralled in his stories of all the people who’d given their lives. 

Then he told his own story.

After two combat tours in Vietnam, he returned back to America after his finger was cut off and his stomach was shot four times. Though he received a number of awards in the army, including two Purple Hearts, he still is having trouble with government funding. He continues with his monotonous recitation.

“I have prostrate cancer, liver cancer, type 2 diabetes, I’ve been fighting the VA now for over two years for benefits, and for the past year and 110 days today, I’ve been doing that homeless,” he said, staring just past our faces. “The VA has denied my claim for benefits twice. That appeal has been sitting on someone’s desk waiting for a signature since June of last year. In the mean time, I stay in a homeless shelter only two blocks away from our nation’s capital. I can’t go in until after 11 o’ clock each night and they kick me out at six each morning, and i have to beg for money to eat every day. There is maybe $750 billion to bail out Wall Street, but on the streets of every major American city there are homeless veterans. Something’s wrong with that picture. Someone needs to do something right.”

After this story, we stood in shock. Whether all of his story was complete truth, we still saw parts of the truth as we shook hands with his hand missing a finger, and as we looked up to see his weather-worn face, a hat with army pins perched on his head.

This was not just an arbitrary story. This was journalism in action. This was finding real problems in the real world and using our pens and recorders to fix them. This trip had opened up all of our eyes to a bigger world.

Not only did events like this give the trip character, but the people I was surrounded by did as well. We all had lively discussions about journalism, our newspapers, and life in general. The nature of the conference operated so that we all became inevitably close by the end of the six-day whirlwind.

These instances, along with a multitude of amazing speakers, inspired me to go beyond the world of high school journalism and launch into the future of journalism, without the fear of newspapers dying. 

I realized that there will always be stories; there will always be pictures; there will always be something to print in the morning. 

And there will always be free spirits there to make it happen.

Educate Our Lawmakers.. Oh Wait That Costs Money.

Today it is very hard to be a college student. I feel as if the future holds nothing but gloom. Our governor just passed a bill to increase college tuition in Washington. The community college I attend will increase tuition so students can continue to ride the bus for free. I feel as if the less money we have, the more prices rise. It is indeed frightening to be a college student in 2009!

I noticed these issues in our school newspaper, while I discussed them I started to get very riled up. So now I'm writing as a release. I feel like our country has come so far with public colleges, loans, financial aid, and scholarships to make college affordable! And now it's like we're taking a giant step backward. The main reason I am not attending University of Portland in the fall is because of money. It's a private school and I did get a scholarship but nothing can really pay for 32g a year! My credits from South Puget Sound also wouldn't transfer so to me I had to realize that unless I wanted to be in debt, this school wasn't an option anymore.

How sad is that? I have worked my butt off all four years of high school with a 3.8 GPA and have almost earned my AA through Running Start. And what do I have to show for it? I can't go to the college of my choice because my parents don't qualify for financial aid, and loans are pretty much impossible to come by now.

What is going to happen to our education system if going to college is pretty much impossible? Even community colleges are effected. My school decided it'd rather increase the tuition instead of paying for the bus. I don't even take the bus! I already pay for parking, now my tuition is going to be increased.

Welcome to the America where only the people who are supported by the government get by.

New Era of Media

As most probably know, the journalists are going through a rough time with the economy and the growth of technology. More and more papers are closing; some of those are transferring to the web, but not all. Physical newspapers are slowly being terminated--whats going to be the effect of that?

With the newspapers moving online, some things have crossed my mind. Is it going to be good for the people because they will now have easier access to the news 24/7? Is it still going to be free or will people have to subscribe? What about the people that don't have access to computers? Also, is it going to be beneficial for the paper? Are they going to end up loosing money? Would they be able to continue being online for a long period of time?

Then it comes to the people working in that field of business. How is it going to affect them? The people that were working at the printing press part are going to be out of a job and most likely going to have to acquire a new skill to keep them going. Then there's those people that have worked there for so long they are used to the one way and it may be hard for them to adapt to the new system. With that, the company may be looking for more younger employees that have new and fresh skills that the older employees may not have; and they will be able to pay them less.

My final thought is how is the world of journalism going to change in the next years with the evolution of media? And will that change, if any, be good or bad?

Soldiers Taking the Fall for Teen Death

As a military girlfriend I feel a special connection with the death of Leah King. I send my condolences out to her friends and family. This incident has exposed Ft. Lewis and its many flaws. However I don't want to focus on those since everyone has their thought and opinions on the matter.

I would like to however share a different side to the story.

I got real passionate about this subject because my dad brought it up trying to say that the soldiers were predators picking up on sixteen year olds. I wasn't sixteen too long ago, and I remember the crazy thoughts and emotions running through my blood. I didn't always think my actions would have consequences. I was invincible. Sixteen is the age of freedom and rebelling. Although what I did wasn't always the right thing, I loved that adrenaline rush of almost getting caught. Soldiers can't be blamed for young girls wanting to have fun.

Ever since I started dating AJ, I have learned a whole lot about the army and its regulations. We started dating when I was 16, so legally I was allowed on base but not in the barracks. AJ is a good guy, and takes his job seriously, so the subject of him sneaking me in was never brought up. Him and his friends are such good guys that it just makes my stomach turn to even think of them as being predatory. Honestly, they are young guys just wanting to get the best out of life before they deploy.

People don't realize how young these men are. Although they may be drinking and partying, well they're doing what any 20 year old would do. But they're soldiers people argue. They're also people. Young people at that. Men who would be drinking and partying at college right now if they hadn't joined the military. I'm not saying it's okay and that some actions should go unpunished. But what I am saying is that accidents are going to happen anywhere you go, whether it be on a military base, a college campus, or a bar.

So for them to blame the soldiers for this death is really inaccurate. This girl was young, and simply it was an accident.

-Ashley Kahn

The Holiday Spirit

The holiday season has already past. It was a rough time for a lot of people this year. Money was tight and stores were pricey but the holiday spirit was strong as always. With many indeed there was a lot to help out with.




If you're wanting to put some extra care into this special season take a peak at your cupboards and stop by the food shelters with anything you can spare. The shelves are extraordinarily bare this year and people will be grateful for anything they can get to help them out. I'm sure you will brighten up someones day.



Another great cause that has just recently happened where tons of families have been given an extra hand for this holiday season. The Puyallup School District puts on this terrific program, Puyallup Giftmakes, with its 22nd annual gift giveaway this year. Toys, books and more are donated by the various students and the community to be given to kids in hopes of making their holiday season more joyful. It's a two day operation with many volunteers from schools all around people and community members, where specially invited parents shop to fill a holiday bag full of gifts. It was a privilege volunteering for this amazing program and just knowing that our less privileged peers will now have a Christmas to remember is an absolute honor to know that I put in a helping hand.

A Computer Game That Fights Hunger;

Believe it or not, it is indeed true.
At freerice.com, kids 8 and older can build their vocabulary and help end world hunger.
For each correct word match on the quiz, sponsors donate 20 grains of rice to the United Nations' World Food Program. FreeRice had raised over 44 billion grains; that's enough to feed more than two million people for a day.
Just today I donated over 80 grains, why can't you? Even if you aren't big on helping the world solve it's hunger problem, this program builds a better vocabulary.

Our economy may be in a recession, and not all of us can contribute as much as we should, but FreeRice is an easy and effective way of doing what you can for society.
I WOULD STRONGLY ADVISE IT.

*Fun Fact of the day #1: properly inflated tires on a vehicle can save up to 144 gallons of fuel a year & reduce the vehicles carbon dioxide emissions by 2,880 pounds!
[Source: City of Olympia]

Laura Schmitt, CAPS (Centralia)

College. A Decision That's Easier Said Than Done

College. One word I haven't been able to get off my mind since stepping into the ninth grade. And four years later the word hasn't become any clearer. These days that word looms over me like an impending death or misfortune.

Why the negativity? I'm scared. I like having a plan. And in that plan I need detailed steps to make sure I won't screw it up. Yet I'm afraid that with every decision I make, someone will end up getting hurt. I don't live for myself. I live for others. And this college decision, well it's the first choice I need to make without thinking of others. But I can't do that.

For starters I have a boyfriend in the army. He's scheduled to go to Iraq early next year, and where does that leave me? A hopeless mess waiting for his return? Not exactly. I figured my ideal situation would be moving 2 hours south in hopes of starting my life. But without him. That thought seems like betrayal. I can't mindlessly go to class every day, hopping from one routine to the next, while he's across the world not knowing where he's going to sleep that night. That kills me. That thought alone makes me want to put my life on hold just for him. Push the pause button, and when I'm ready to jump back on the ride, I'll push play.

With this being said my mom thought it'd be better if I stayed home and went to Evergreen State College. I couldn't believe what she was saying. For starters I totally disagree with everything Evergreen represents. For those of you who don't know, it's a school where they don't give grades, and students are morphed into hippies that wander the campus shoeless. Ah, I'd fit in nicely. Since I like to look at the wholistic picture, I'll give the pros to going to Evergreen. The professors have high credentials, and academically Evergreen is well respected. My mom thinks I'd have a better knowledge of seeing life from a liberal prospective, especially if I wanted to argue my conservative beliefs. So I see the good sides of it, I wouldn't be put under too much stress but I'd still feel like I'm stuck in Olympia.

That's where I'll conclude. I feel like if I stick around in this town then I'm a loser. I know what people expect out of me. They expect me to go off to a ritzy school, major in writing, and become a well renown author. Well sadly, it's easier said than done. The facts are money is an issue and I can't just go anywhere without the resources. Simply said, I need advice. What would you do in my position? Would you leave that comfort called home to taste that sense of adventure? Or would you stay home knowing that the time and dedication to an education would be worth it after all?

-Ashley

A lone Republican in a world of Democrats

First off, I want to say congratulations to Barack Obama for becoming the first African American president. I know this is a historic moment, especially for the African American community so I congratulate Obama and his campaign. Even though I'm a Republican I'm not going to sit in denial and blame the democrats for "stealing" the election as they have done so in the past election(s).

Obama ran a great campaign, yet the odds were in his favor. The media was rooting for him, whatever happened to objective journalism? The only news station that wasn't biased was Fox News who actually covered the election fairly, presenting both views, not just ragging on the McCain campaign. And as for celebrities? Who gave them the right to think they know what's best for their country? Tina Fey bashed Sarah Palin which hurt their campaign tremendously. On the opposite end when celebrities endorsed Obama, such as Oprah it gained a whole lot of support for his campaign. People love Oprah, so why not love Obama?

Being a Republican in a very liberal city has never made me question my beliefs surprisingly. I live in Olympia, and it's as bad as it gets. Liberals always have the audacity to take it to another level, where as Republicans modestly accept the defeat. Like in John McCain's concession speech, he didn't bash Obama and claim the election was stolen, no, he congratulated him. He accepted his defeat and tried to unify his audience even if the election was lost. After the polls clearly showed Obama as the winner, President George W. Bush called and congratulated him. Not only did he congratulate him, but offered to give him a tour of the white house. How classy is that? No president has to do this. Republicans may lose their place in office, but they'll never lose their class. After Bush won the 2004 election, Democrats were furious and didn't even accept their defeat. They claimed the election was stolen. We didn't see any of this last night did we?

And now we have elected a Democrat president. Not slightly Democrat, not even a little liberal, but the farthest left you can be on the spectrum! People complain about taxes now in our state, but imagine how it'll be in a few years with even higher taxes. And "spreading around the wealth?" What does this mean? Basically those who can't afford to live in a house and spend more then their income, get help from the government so they can afford it. That's ridiculous. People should work hard for their money and shouldn't depend on the government to support them. The wealthy shouldn't be punished for working hard and being smart with their money. Yet that's exactly what's going to happen. The wealthy will have to give part of their hard earned money to people who don't even deserve the house they live in. If you can't afford to live in a house, then you shouldn't make it a priority. Start from the bottom and work up, you should never spend money if you don't have enough to pay your house payment. Why do people blame the economy for their own foolishness!? Goodbye democracy, hello socialism.

I don't understand why people think this will help our economy. If anything it scares me. I'm scared for the future with Obama, yet everyone is excited because of "change." Do they even know what this means? The voter turn out yesterday was phenomenal. But who was exactly voting? Young kids, people who are simply brain washed by the word "change." I don't believe any of them really had an understanding of the issues though, they just wanted an African American president. It was a popularity contest, and Obama being more likeable, won. My parents were infuriated. "The young generation just defeated the greatest generation ever," I remember my mom saying as John McCain gave his concession speech. This generation who doesn't even know the meaning of a dollar, just voted in America's next president.

This system of voting isn't fair. How do ignorant, uneducated 18 year olds get the same vote as a 40 year old? Someone who is far more educated and experienced in life than say someone who just celebrated their 18th birthday by getting drunk. Now I'm not saying every 18 year old is like this, but I believe there should be a system, say a test that you have to take before being allowed a vote. Or at least a prerequisite of having to take a Political Economics class. I just don't believe this is a fair voting system, I understand this a lot more now that I'm older. Voting is a privilege that everyone including adults should respect and take seriously.

I know I'll get a lot of hate mail for this article, so don't expect me to lower my standards and reply. This is my opinion alone and it shouldn't offend you. Hopefully our country will come together in spite of the division between Republican and Democrat. I just wanted to voice my opinion before it was too late to be heard!

Ashley Kahn
Tumwater, WA

a year ago today;

It was Halloween, exactly a year ago and my week had been filled with work, school, and a journalism workshop to attend; I thought I knew what stress was..but I had no idea what was in store for the 365 days. A year ago, I made a promise to make something happen, to spark a change, to try and make people do something about drunk drivers, instead of having to respond to them; and a year has gone by with nothing and everything changed. A year ago today, my best friend died at the hand of a drunk driver. I think since a year has gone by with little change, it's a good time to begin.

I started little with strongly advising against it (drunk driving), even getting to the point of refusal to speak to some people, and little change occured; but I didn't give up, I couldn't. I had a responsibility to Zack and anyone else who has passed due to driving under the influence to MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN.

2008 has been a strange year, a year full of opportunity as well as tragedy, a very long year. It's time to step up and stop letting death at the hand of a drunk driver rule. No longer am I going to sit back and watch my friends die. S.A.D (students against drunk-driving) and numerous other groups have tried to make something happen, but NOBODY CARES enough to put any effort into actually putting a stop to it. We need a new way of reaching people, a new and innovative approach to stopping the problem; what we need is ideas, do you have any?

Laura Schmitt, CAPS (Centralia)

Journalism? CUT?!

I was very shocked after learning that the journalism program at my school had been cut. About two years ago, Fife High School's journalism program was on the verge of being cut because their was a huge controversy between the former principal and the former journalism teacher.

However, this was not the reason why the journalism program was cut this year. It was because we were not financially stable enough to have journalism as a class. Of course, we can still form a club but I can already see a mountain of problems forming.

I have also noticed that other schools, including my school, have been cutting back on their spending this year. For example, we used to have poster boards available to everyone to use for projects but now we don't. Is Washington State not giving enough funds to public schools? As election day approaches rapidly, you might want to think about that.

Bringing to Surface the Underground Community

LOST VELOCITY, FOUND HOPE
The whole city of Kent appears to be asleep.
It is 9:30, and we are determined to find the elusive club that our tattered Mapquest directions insist is located in this shady neighborhood. We travel down the same street at least four times; the adult video store, dilapidated motels, multiple bars and out-of-place Bigfoot Java become a familiar blur. We finally admit defeat and are forced to use the "phone a friend" lifeline. Even the manager at Denny’s hasn’t heard of a place so many high school students have been talking about: a 16 and up dance club – Club Velocity.

Parked at the eerie corner where this club should have been located, it seems two prepared, well-researched and determined high school journalists are stumped. We spend at least an hour making phone calls to people with internet access and trying to figure out if we’re just incompetent or if finding a club could really be this challenging. If so many kids from around the area could unravel the mystery and attend, why not us? But our only choice is to return home to suburbia and try to figure out what key information we must be missing.

Google "Club Velocity Kent WA" (or Club Spectrum, as it used to be called) and you’ll soon discover that the venue doesn’t have anything resembling a website. With an outdated MySpace as our surest source of information, there was no choice but to call the phone number meant to "text to get on the VIP list." After being redirected three times, Hayley ends up with the valuable information that the club is open on Saturday nights, not Friday. She also ends up with a MySpace Friend Request from the same sketchy 23-year-old guy and an uncomfortable message that reads, "Hey, you’re kind of cute."

After another week has gone by and we have plenty of time to vent about our unsuccessful voyage to Velocity, we know it is time to revisit the mysterious world of teen clubbing. We leave behind spring tolo and scurry off to Kent in full "disco" attire. We are aware of the humiliation that will come with sporting such outfits to a night club, but we don’t mind. The theme of the night is just one more piece of information we are unable to find out.

CLASSY WEAR AND TRASHY DANCING
After effortlessly navigating our way to Kent once again, we pull up to the familiar warehouse district and are relieved to see lines filling the once-abandoned parking lot. The crowd is divided into two lines - boys and girls. Bouncers are seen surveying the masses, shouting instructions and blinding everyone with flashlights for no apparent reason.

It is time to split up, so Colin quickly says goodbye and vanishes into the crowd of males as Hayley joins the mass of girls that seems to be twice as long. After all, admission is cheaper for females. A group of young girls run over to the line, screaming, and link arms with an existing group of rambunctious girls already waiting. More than one group of girls from Puyallup has found its way to this unmarked lot. A sudden gust of wind leaves everyone chilled and reveals that a pale young girl is wearing nothing but a skin-colored band aid under her skirt.

The line of males proves to be equally as entertaining. A group of men congregate by the alleyway, discussing the latest additions to the adult video store and a fresh drug deal from last week. Colin stands close behind, eagerly awaiting entrance. One thing is for sure - he doesn’t fit in. Not only is he not a regular at Velocity, a Kent resident, or club-savvy, but he is missing the proper attire. Hayley rushes over to Colin to reveal to him that there is a mix-up. All men are required to wear collared shirts. Hayley has no choice but to go in alone.

A dark hallway ends in a dimly lit intersection: to the left, a snack area that doesn’t serve alcohol; to the right, a dirty hallway lit with UV lights that leads to a grimy bathroom; straight ahead, the life of the party – the dance floor. The floor is illuminated with strobe lights and lasers, pounding with rap music played by a DJ in an elevated room at the front of the dance floor, filled with a mass of teens grinding and writhing with no regard for personal space, surrounded by wallflowers in groups of two and three leaning on the dark edges of the room.
It’s a sensory overload, which is why many club-goers have escaped to the hidden corners of Velocity. The atmosphere is electric, like you could walk up to anyone and start a conversation.

"There’s a lot of kids that are here every week. You get to know people you run into," a grinning Kent local said with a scantily clad girl on each arm and a glow stick around his neck.

It seems that dancing and socializing, dressed to impress, is an ideal pastime for the regulars; it’s a community of friends, a place of acceptance. Velocity’s strict rules – over 16 with ID, dress code, no drugs or alcohol – make it a safe place for teens to come.

"I definitely see some of the same kids every week. The turnover rate for employees is faster than clubbers," the stringy-haired cashier said, exposing the gap in her teeth. "We don’t really have a problem with people being drunk or high or getting in fights or anything. I don’t think that’s why they’re here."

Surrounded by sweaty dancers they don’t know beyond the dim lighting of the club, people feel at home.

Hayley finally emerges from the club, satisfied with solving some of the mysteries of teen clubbing. It’s time to head home once more. Meanwhile, Colin slumps in the backseat reliving the moment in which he was denied entrance to the club because he was not wearing a collared shirt. Surely, there is some irony in the fact that men are required to wear dressy shirts while females are encouraged to dress as scantily as possible. This is the second disappointing ride back from the club for Colin and we agree to revisit the following weekend. After all, it is only fair.

SOME QUESTIONS WILL BE FOREVER UNANSWERED
We hope our third attempt will be our last. It’s Saturday night and we can’t help but laugh as we unload our entire closets into the backseat in case another wardrobe discrepancy arises. We are prepared: shirts of all kinds, open and closed-toe shoes. The trip to Kent seems nauseatingly redundant. So is the fact that Hayley can nearly drive to Club Velocity blind-folded. We pull up to the lot in which Club Velocity is located.

Silence.

There is no sign of human activity. Déjà vu: we recall being left in this same empty parking lot and same state of confusion as our first trip up to Velocity. But that was a Friday. The building we last saw buried in swarms of pumped teenagers is now just a sad red structure with shabby doors. With virtually no information in hand, we are forced to call it a night for the last time.
The shabby warehouse is now only a speck in the rearview mirror and soon fades into the night. The soothing harmonies of Andrew Bird are almost enough to take our minds off of our disappointing night on the car ride home. But so many questions are left unanswered.

Why was the club closed on Saturday one weekend, but not the next? How were we supposed to know to wear a collared shirt? And most importantly, how does one become part of this underground community; how do they become in "the know"?

If there is one answer gained from our numerous failed attempts, it’s that the club scene is truly a family. People get their information by word of mouth, and the regulars that make up Club Velocity seem perfectly happy to keep it that way. It’s this secret, exclusive feel that keeps kids coming back. They’re a part of something.

"People come to dance and have a good time with their friends. We mingle with kids here. It keeps us from sitting at home being bored, and for some people this is their alternative to a Saturday night on the streets," a petite girl from Seattle said back at Club Velocity, casually leaning over a table in a dark hallway. "It’s a place to stay out of trouble. It’s their home away from home."

The Cure to Junioritis.

As the school year slowly comes to an end, one thought keeps crossing my mind. I'm stuck here another year. After chugging and chugging along all year long, trying to always be optimistic, I can't help but feel discouraged. Even though there's only about three weeks left, in the back of my head I keep replaying this thought; I'm not a senior.

I don't know why this feeling has kicked in in such a rash manner, but I can't ignore it. As each day lags on and on, I just can't keep my head up anymore. I remember that I have so much potential, but the wait is killing me. What I want most is to get out on my own and experience life, and I can't sit here and try to enjoy "the best years of my life." I know for sure the best years of my life aren't waiting around... and that's all I seem to be doing in this dead end town.

Ahhh now I'm just being dramatic. But it's true. I've accomplished so much these past three years, yet the ride isn't over. I've felt all the emotions you're supposed to feel in high school. I've learned, loved, cried, failed, succeeded, experimented and through all these experiences this feeling has just intensified.

This year I tried to ease the pain by taking running start to keep me occupied. Now I'm working two part time jobs along with high school and running start. And when I'm not doing either of those I'm babysitting. Yet the more I take on, the more antsier I get. As I try to handle everything, I tend to forget that I can't relive these days. And what I really should be doing is having fun with my friends and not forgetting to live life.

So I suppose I started this article as a way to vent about being stuck here another year. Yet I think I need to realize that although school is important there's more to life than studying and working hard. I've worked hard enough and deserve to have a carefree summer and live the life I've been missing out on.

Keys to success

If I have one regret as a high school student, it would be that I did not do running start full time and not attend high school at all. However, due to prior engagements that I would not give up for anything, I remained in the high school setting. Regardless of the frustrations that came from constantly feeling like I couldn't relate to my peers, there are people I have come in contact with that I hold the utmost respect for. As a graduating senior, this is my thanks.

As a sophomore entering a new school with new rules and new people, I was terrified. The diversity at my school is astonishing. So many backgrounds with so little conflict. It did not take long for me to realize that Spanaway Lake High School (SLHS), no matter how bad others think it may be, is a school that everyone should have the opportunity to experience. The administration and staff members of SLHS work hard to provide students with a safe environment, as well as offer guidance not only academically but also personally.

One goal that SLHS has for its students is that each student find a mentor in a staff member. With a school full of teachers eager to help their students succeed, it didn't take long for me to find my mentor in Todd Keister.

While journalism is a class, it differs from the rest in that it provides an atmosphere of unity between each student, as well as the advisor. I'm certain that other high school publications can agree with me when I say that when you're a part of a journalism class you become part of a second family. While that second family, over three years, has had its ups and downs, gained as well as lost members and developed a new product, one thing remained the same: Keister was always there advising us the best way he could.

There was never a time when he would say no in helping any student further in their pursuit of a goal, or say no to listening to a rant about personal issues or irritants that happened within that family. He tried his best to drill the importance of first amendment and ethical issues into his students’ minds so they could understand the legal aspect of a publication. He’s devoted his time to help our publication grow to where it is today.

In my senior year when I was selected to lead the On Guard as editor-in-chief, I wanted to push the envelope as much as I could. I wanted to obtain useful information for the student body and present it in a manor that would appeal to the papers’ readers. When a problem arouse after the release of our first issue I landed myself in the office of assistant principal Julie Baublits.

When I thought I was going to be scolded for a bad lack of judgment, I received the opposite. I was praised for standing strong against what I thought was right and necessary and gained her support. She understood just as much as the newspaper staff did the first amendment rights of a publication and backed us 110% in every issue we sought out to do after that. Her groans of “what now Chelsea,” were never discouraging and she always made time to meet with me when I had a question or needed her approval.

When she was unavailable, principal Michelle Ledbetter and fellow administrators Cindy Adams and Seth Humphrey were just as willing to offer their time to help me in my endeavors. I am lucky to have had the chance to attend a school where the administration is more than willing to offer their time to their students.

Aside from my time as journalism student at SLHS, my time as a regular student was just as rewarding. Every staff member I’ve had the opportunity to come across in a classroom setting, and those that I haven’t, has showed me the keys to success. I hope they rest well in knowing that they have made a difference, in some way, in not only my life, but also the lives of the students at SLHS.

Running Start: a "Stupid" Student's Chance to Shine

About a week ago I was sitting in advisory, like every year, we were reviewing the emergency procedures. However, before we actually did our routine fire drill, the two student's conversation in front of me caught my attention. During this time the teacher was calling out roll, and a student was noted for being absent because of Running Start. I don't know if it was out of rudeness or simply ignorance, but the two students started talking about Running Start bad mouthing it. Obviously "the kids who do it aren't good kids in high school," or "they just did bad in high school and now have to make up credits." Since I am a Running Start student I had to speak out defending myself. I just told them that I was in Running Start, but what they were saying wasn't very offensive to me because I was a good student.

Yet I was offended. This wasn't the first time I've noticed this behavior throughout the high school. Apparently the Running Start program (where you can earn college credits while you're still in high school for FREE) is looked upon negatively by not only high school students but the teachers as well. When I was asking my teachers about Running Start my sophomore year, they just shook their heads at me, telling me it was just a waste of gas. Apparently a free college education is a waste of gas.

I guess I've just learned to hold my tongue about the issue. Yes, it bothers me. But there's not much I can do when everyone just thinks of it as an alternative for the stupid kids. But the truth of the matter is, I'm earning a free college education that puts me way ahead in my credits. As a junior I'm only TWO credits away from graduating. That has all been because of my determination to prove the high school students and teachers wrong.