Samantha Aguilar Staff Writer It’s no secret that our school’s student body officers are arguably the most “popular” kids in school. However, students often forget about the hard work and dedication it takes to be an SBO. First off, let’s talk a little bit about what it takes to become one. In May, Sophomores and Juniors can submit an application with a transcript to the office or SBO advisor. If their grades are up to standard, they are admitted into a primary election. The top few candidates for each of the eight positions continue onto the final round where each is required to do an interview on the Logan High news and make several posters, an outside display, and a short video. They must also execute a 2-minute speech in front of the student body on election day. Sounds easy, right? Wrong. These candidates spend countless hours making posters (they take way longer than you’d think—I’m talking from personal experience!) as well as thinking up and filming their creative videos. “I joke with people that this is my permanent residence… It’s a lot of time here, but luckily I enjoy it. I like LHS more than is healthy for me.”
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Aedan Anbesse • Staff Writer
efforts. With her brother as the president of USU’s environment club, she wanted to do something similar at Logan High. Previous to 2015, Logan High’s leaf club was withering away, that was until Piper gathered a group of friends to revitalize the club. Beginning her Sophomore year, she was the president and was re-elected this year.
During construction this summer, the school moved hundreds of boxes of furniture into the school. Once the items were removed from their boxes, the school had plans to simply throw away the cardboard boxes. Once Piper heard about this, she immediately went into action and started organizing a plan to recycle the boxes. Over the span of two days the club recycled over 3,000 pounds of cardboard from Logan High that would have previously take up space in the Logan landfill. By far the most impactful proposition that the club had was in the spring of last school year. LEAF Club decided to take their concerns on the air quality to the city council. Each member wrote a testimonial about how the air quality affects their life in the valley and some resolutions on how to improve the air quality and shared their resolutions with the council. Christian didn’t think that the resolutions would be passed, but the council voted it in unanimously, “I was glad that our efforts had paid off,” she said when she found out the news. Stacey Estrada Staff Writer Logan High School is full of beautiful and talented students. It is no surprise to hear our students being offered rare opportunities sought out fiercely across the country. Modeling agencies have scouted one beloved freshman, Drew Broadhurst. At 5’10”, her tall frame has allowed her to be a strong competitor in Logan High’s athletics department. As a girl’s soccer and basketball team member, she never gave modeling a thought until she was scouted by her mom’s friend’s friend. Before it all became official, her parents did extensive research on these modeling industries, skeptical at first. After 3 months, Drew’s unique facial features got her signed with Echo Modeling, New York Management, and LA Models all at once. “I was surprised! I couldn’t believe it. I was like, ‘You want me to be a model? No way, I never thought I was pretty (for modeling)." Although, modeling can become a superficial career path, Drew has always been that she is currently having fun and working on test shoots with photographers. She doesn’t plan on modeling becoming her career focus but as something to do on the side of whatever she decides to do in the near future. However, she is taking modeling seriously and mentions new routines she has to do. For example, her eating has to be much healthier to help her maintain clear skin. Modeling also requires that she maintain a certain body type, straying away from defined muscles. As an athlete, she mentions it’s harder trying to find a balance between her maintaining that body type and still being the best athlete she can be. “I never thought I was pretty [for modeling].” Cameron Anderson Staff Writer In 2008, the Logan City School District applied for a USTAR (Utah Science Technology and Research) grant and was fortunate enough to receive it. LHS made a deal as part of the grant that they would recognize the top students in mathematics and science. Joyce Smart, a math teacher at Logan, then convinced some of the faculty in other expertises to join in and recognize students in their subject groups as well. Now, students are recognized through a medallion that they can wear around their neck at the graduation ceremony. As of this year, there are eight different medallions available in English, Math, Music, Science, Social Studies, Theatre Arts, Visual Arts, and World Language. Applications are available online at the school website, and requirements for each medallion vary, although two things common to all applications are a 3.0 GPA minimum and a requirement for the applicant to have taken the ACT. According to Smart, this year there are 33 recipients of this award, with a total of 111 medallions. The most common medallion awarded in 2016 is English, with Visual Arts and Science close behind (15, 13, 13, respectively). As far as who has earned the most, Trenton Chang, Brandon Wada, and Alexis Dysktra all have five this year. This is a great program for students to be recognized just a little bit more for their hard studies, and be able to show it off at graduation. Kayla Hugie Staff Writer Student Body Officer elections are nothing less than a week of competitive campaigning and stress. Not only are the elected students excited for the opportunities that come along with being an officer, but the entire student body will be affected by those elected through SBO-led activities such as Beach Week and Homecoming Week. This year’s election, in almost every category, was nail-biting close due to the strong participants. Logan High’s president for the centennial year will be returning SBO Alex Lambert. He has exciting plans for the future and is very appreciative that people decided to “join the flock.” “We have an incredible opportunity to participate in the 100-year celebration of Logan High School, and I expect next year’s activities to be memorably themed to that milestone. I want to ensure that the activities will be something special to be a part of, ” said Lambert. The newly elected Vice President is Hunter Goring, also a returning SBO. With experience and excitement, he is ready to take on the new year as VP. He may be gluten free, but he is definitely not free of humor and inclusiveness. “I’m really excited that we all come from different parts of the school,” Goring said of the new group he gets to work with. “I think with all of our lovely backgrounds we will be able to make the 100th year of Logan High the best one yet!” Trenton Chang Editor-in-Chief American democracy at work. The quadrennial cycle of electing the highest office in the land--and perhaps the most powerful person in the world--ought to be no lighthearted task. Yet the chaotic enthusiasm of these elections we have so ingrained into cultural phenomenology suggest that facetious narrative nevertheless. Nowhere is this trend more evident than in the caucus system. More messy than the primary voting system, in which a simple party vote is taken to determine a nominee, the caucus system is a rather convoluted iteration of a town-hall style meeting possible. And in our great state of Utah, on March 22nd, the Democrats and the Republicans held their party caucuses in various locations across the state. In the last few days, our mailboxes, phone lines, emails, television sets--every possible line of communication--have been flooded with political paraphernalia and small-talk stamped with the names and faces of various political candidates. Even our seemingly irrelevant homeland has weathered invasions from Trump, Sanders, Cruz, and Kasich alike. The message that they sent was clear: Utah matters. I had the privilege of attending what became a historic Utah Democratic caucus. Held in the Little Theater at Logan High School, close to 3000 voters shuffled through the cramped room, casting their ballots for the Democratic presidential nominee. And at 5:45, fifteen minutes before polls opened, a snake of a line had formed within the halls of the English building. Volunteers passed out Clinton stickers and Sanders stickers as they traversed the line as ballots were passed back. Officials pointed and attempted to direct the hectic scene that was unfolding. “Next!” they yelled as voter after voter stormed the entrance of the room, casting their ballots. Soon after the opening, the line became a massive arc stretching from the football field to the edge of the baseball field. Even more impressive was the fact that these caucus-goers represented only one of three Cache County caucus locations. Could citizens, newly motivated by this year’s political spectacle, be gathering en masse across the valley as well? Cameron Anderson Staff Writer Eric Strand, Logan High’s head track coach, began his athletic journey at Campbell County High School in the oiling town of Gillette, Wyoming. He played football his freshman and sophomore years, with track in the spring, running mostly shorter distance sprint events. When his junior year came around, he decided to join the cross-country team, and found his place among distance running, although track was where his real talent was, in the 800 meter run specifically. He won a 400 meter individual state championship while with the Camels, as well as three team championships, and recorded a personal 800 meter high school best of 1:52. He was also able to compete in two national-class meets. His first coaching experience came when he was still at Campbell County. His coach founded a track camp for youth in elementary and middle school. Coach Strand recalls, “I enjoyed teaching people something that I understood well and had a lot of experience doing.” Immediately after high school, Strand attended Idaho State University in Pocatello for five years on a running scholarship. Strand took part in cross-country in the fall to stay in shape for the spring season. He didn’t run any faster than he did in high school until his sophomore year when he ran an 800 meter time of 1:50.19 at the 2010 SUU Invitational. Eric ended his collegiate career with an individual Big Sky Conference Championship in the 800 meter run and nine All-Conference awards. Kira Cooley Staff Writer Maia Garren has been throwing on the Logan High track and field team for four years. Recently she signed a contract to throw for Utah State University throughout her college career. Garren is a determined student athlete who holds school records and takes challenging academic courses. The most difficult part of being a student athlete for Garren is time management. Not only is she determined in the ring but in class as well. She constantly practices and exercises until she perfects her skill, and then when she gets home, she stays up extremely late doing homework. “Student comes before athlete. That’s why it’s called ‘student athlete’ not ‘athlete student,’” Garren said. “It’s like having two full time jobs.” Kayla Hugie Staff Writer “She just understands,” said Logan High Girls Basketball Coach Kevin Anderson of his super star Kira Peterson. This season has proven that she definitely does understand this game. Peterson, a junior, leads the Logan Grizzlies in scoring and threes on this season. Peterson also leads the 3A division in three-pointers per game and is seventh in the state. She has played an enormous role in helping the Grizzlies with some huge wins this season. Peterson is a part of a family of seven. She is the youngest of five with four older brothers. This is where the life of basketball was implanted in her. “I always had a basketball in my hands,” said Peterson. “I just naturally followed them and did the things they did.” She participated in super league teams throughout her younger years. Due to a lack of participants the same age, she joined the group just above her. There she was pushed to compete and succeed with others older than herself. Towards the end of middle school she joined a club team, Cache Valley Elite. There she found a bigger love for the game and made it a priority in her life. The training and determination helped her find a spot on the Grizzlies’ starting five as a freshman. In her very first game she achieved one of her favorite individual successes in her career: She hit a three pointer to send Logan into overtime and later sent them home that night with a win. That year was not the dream she had always dreamed of, though. It was one of the most trying of all her basketball years. “It was scary coming in as a freshman, learning a new system and playing with older teammates who believed they deserved it more. They didn’t know me; I didn’t know them,” Kira said of this difficult time. The next year did not prove to be much better for the star. A neck injury led to sitting out of practices and drills. Peterson said, “I couldn’t get into the feel of things. I just stopped caring, and I was slowly feeling like giving up. I lost my love for the game.” She felt frustrated, because the hard work was not paying off. Victoria Stafford Features Editor Yet Another Disappointing Sequel: #OscarsStillSoWhite It’s no secret that Hollywood has an obsession with sequels, but will the industry ever learn that sequels never quite compare to the originals? Cue the buttered popcorn and put on your 3D glasses, because much to the dismay of avid movie enthusiasts, #OscarsSoWhite is being followed up with #OscarsStillSoWhite as the issue of diversity represented at the Oscars resurfaces. For the second consecutive year, people of color have been noticeably excluded from receiving Oscar nominations from the Academy. In categories for “Best Actor” and “Best Actress,” all forty nominees in the past two years have been white. Many believe that the cast of Straight Outta Compton, Idris Elba in Beasts of No Nation, Michael B. Jordan in Selma and Will Smith in Concussion, all well-deserving actors worthy of recognition from the Academy, were snubbed. Other categories didn’t fare so well either in terms of representation, with the stories of people of color only being recognized for the work of the white people involved in its productions, such as Creed for “Best Supporting Actor” and Straight Outta Compton for “Best Screenplay.” Kira Cooley Staff Writer Originally published on Vype.com. Ranyger Keckler is a 16-year-old junior at Logan High who started wrestling in middle school and now is a region and state champion. Logan’s Raynger Keckler is a state championship wrestler. When he was in the eighth grade, Keckler was a two-time All-American, a three-time west regional champ, and a four-time state champ. He has always had a love for wrestling and the challenge that goes with it. Last year Keckler lost, 9-7, against Corbin Smith of Wasatch in the second-to-last match of the divisional tournament. Since then, he has put in a lot of hard work, and now he is, “…experiencing a great deal of success this this year…” according to his head coach, Bo Roundy. Keckler even beat Smith by the same score he lost by a year ago. He also has earned all-state honors and took first place in region in the 132-pound weight class. He is currently ranked first in state and won the 3A state title last week. Keckler said that the best part of his wrestling career was when he was able to earn a spot on the state team at Mount Logan Middle School. As part of that experience he traveled to Virginia to compete and went undefeated. Through his years of wrestling he has had many accomplishments, but the one he is most proud of is winning region as a junior this year. Keckler shows that he is a leader on and off the mats. He puts in a lot of hard work throughout the whole year, not just during the high school wrestling season. He also has an amazing relationship with his team. He laughs and jokes around with them. When he gets frustrated and in a rut, Keckler likes to throw a couple jokes out to make himself and his teammates feel better. Also, he likes to work hard and get out of that rut. As any athlete knows, a mental block and fear are harder to overcome than anything physical. But, as noted, Keckler uses laughter and even more, hard work, to get over the fears. The Logan junior said he has had a lot of support throughout his life, especially from his friends, family, coaches and teammates. The interaction he has with Coach Roundy has been particularly rewarding. The coach is definitely proud of Keckler. His success is a product of his determination to practice and to improve his skills as a wrestler. Even with all the success, Keckler has stayed humble and is a great individual to be around. Written by Victoria Stafford, Features Editor In 1926, historian Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History dubbed the second week of February to be “Negro History Week,” chosen to purposely encompass the birthdays of the slave liberator President Abraham Lincoln (February 12) and passionate slavery abolitionist Frederick Douglass (February 14). Initially, the conception of this week was far from generally accepted. However, Woodson deemed this to be “one of the most fortunate steps ever taken by the Association,” believing that dedicating time for the remembrance of Black history was absolutely crucial for preservation of Black traditions and culture. Later, in 1969, the Black United Students of Kent State University first proposed the expansion of “Negro History Week” to “Black History Month,” celebrating the new extension just a year later at the university. This celebration was officially recognized by the United States federal government in 1976 under the administration of President Gerald Ford, who concluded that the observance of Black History Month would provide the nation a pristine opportunity to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” There has been substantial debate about Black History Month and its celebration. Those in favor of Black History Month often believe that the commemoration of black history provides the chance for the general public to contemplate and become aware of African-American history and how those events remain significant today. Others argue that the existence of a Black History Month only otherizes Black history, ensuring that the bulk of mainstream history education remains white-washed. Thoughtfully candid writer Trudy Bourgeois argues for Black history to become fully integrated into standardized education and reflected upon every day, “not just during one month of the year, and not just as a sidebar feature in a textbook.” Regardless of where one stands in these debates, Black History Month has brought much-needed attention to the concepts of race and identity, prompting serious discussions in public forums, including Logan High. This month, Logan High junior Shayla Tyler has expressed her gratitude for Black History Month, regarding it to be a time for her to continuously discover more about her background and share her heritage with others. Victoria Stafford Features Editor With November arrives Native American Heritage month, a time to remember, appreciate and celebrate the rich diversity of Native American culture and traditions. However, as President (or as some prefer to say, “Chief”) of Logan High’s Native Club and a regular performer at powwows, Moneek Denny makes a daily effort to preserve and share her culture as a Native American. Part-Navajo and part-Cherokee, Denny has the unique experience of having lineage tracing back from two tribes with distinct backgrounds, including unique rituals and languages. “I usually introduce myself in Navajo first,” Denny said. “If anybody asks, then I will introduce myself in Cherokee.” “All our ceremonies that are major are put in four days. The four days signify all four directions: north, east, west and south,” she explained. “We also have four colors: white, black, red, and yellow. Those are the tribe’s. If you are to go anywhere in the United States with the tribes, they have all those four colors.” As the leader of Logan High’s Native Club, Denny aims to focus the club on educating natives and non-natives alike to be more well-rounded and informed about Native American customs and way of life. She hopes this club is beneficial to its members and helps combat the inaccurate stereotype that Natives lead antiquated lives. The club fosters a healthy environment for individuals to gain a better understanding of Native Americans’ roles in today’s society. Victoria Stafford Features Editor The vibrant stadium lights, the buzzing excitement from the stands, the sensational adrenaline rush on the field… all of this is just a regular Friday night for Logan High superstar Hunter Horsley. The latest in the Grizzly quarterback legacy, Horsley has been instrumental in maintaining his team’s impeccable undefeated region record through his sheer dedication and perseverance. Recently, he was selected as the Player of the Game versus Park City, achieving 2 rushing touchdowns with 171 yards and 5 passing touchdowns with 179 yards. The senior has been deemed a formidable threat on the offensive front, with an impressive total of 2,009 rushing yards, only 6 interceptions, and 23 touchdowns throughout his high school football career. “I love it,” said Horsley of football. “During the game, it’s all fun. It normally takes a series or two to get settled down and figure out what’s going to work, but then it’s just complete fun. [I’ve] played ever since I was a little kid, and I’ve loved the sport from the very first game to this day. I’m so honored to be a part of this tradition, to be able to wear the same jersey as the great ones.” Britt Shunn-Mitchell Staff writer Every four years, Jewish athletes get to show off what they have been working and training for: The Maccabi Games, known as the Jewish Olympics to many. The Maccabi Games were created to help build Jewish pride world wide and bring more awareness to their Israeli and Jewish culture. Athletes are chosen from all around the world to represent their countries and strengthen bonds with other parts of the world. To Logan High’s Tori Geller, a junior, the Maccabi Games are a chance to represent the United States at an international swim meet. Geller humbly explained that she doesn’t think qualifying for the games was that hard. “All I had to do was be Jewish and breathe.” Geller is the fastest girl on the Logan High swim team, has made it to state in individual events since freshman year and swam across Bear Lake when she was just 15 years old. It's obvious she's been doing a lot more than just breathing to get to the games. When explaining what she is looking forward to most, “the free clothes” was the first thing that came to her mind. Don’t be fooled by her nonchalant attitude, though, Geller is planning on swimming in Tel Aviv, Israel, next year as she attends their university. To stay updated with this young athlete, follow her Twitter @torigeller or tune in to the Maccabi Games December 26-January 6. |
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