page 5

Anthony Buchananstaff writer

Mr. Irish contestants get the fi nal determinations

the Talismana student newspaper

page 3

Sheldon High School 2455 willakenzie Rd., Eugene, Or 97401 vol. 46 Issue 5 March 11, 2011

Heritage of Ireland has a strong infl uence on Sheldon as a whole

Irish Cultural Festival celebrates the Celtic heritage

Chasity Barnesfeatures editor

Spencer Haugenstaff writer

Vandalism bothers everyone who is affected by the inconvenience

page 4

The majority of the students here at Sheldon use the school parking lot on a daily basis. Whether they drive, walk, or take the bus, it is a familiar location that almost everyone must travel through to get to the school. Although the parking lot is a convenience for most, many students have reported vandalism and other mischievous activities taking place. Some of these acts

Something that senior guys, and sometimes in fact senior girls, look forward to every year is who the next Mr. Irish contestants will be. This year the contestants were named and were hard at work from day one: raising money and getting ready for the pageant that took place on March 5. Senior Corinne Cornwell commented that she likes Mr. Irish because it’s for such a good cause. The students who choose to participate do so for different reasons. By pageant night, however, they are all in it for one reason — saving lives. No longer focused on competing for the winning spot, these young adults have learned to look beyond their own teenage wants, needs, activities and social status and contribute to a vital community resource in helping to save premature babies’ lives. It’s been noticed that different people have different feelings on Mr. Irish. Joe Mancuso, a resource room teacher, said, “I love it! I think it’s huge and important to and for the student body.” Most people agree with Mancuso, and like our Mr. Irish tradition. Senior Nick van Eekeren somewhat agrees, yet also disagrees. van Eekeren said, “It’s a great cause, but the girls who vote turn this into a popularity contest instead of a charity event.” He also believes that during the pageant they should focus more on the Make-a-Wish part and not the senior girl popularity. The boys were working hard the past few months doing fundraisers, like the Mr. Irish vs. Mr. Axeman basketball game.

The Irish Cultural Festival is something that has brought together Irish families in this community for the last eight years. Even people who aren’t of Irish heritage who participate in the festivities feel welcome. This year’s eighth annual Irish Cultural Festival takes place on March 11 and 12. The daytime festival that takes place at Sheldon is on the 12th from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The evening concert takes place on the eleventh at Beall Hall at the U of O. The concert starts at 8 pm and tickets are $13 for adults, and $9 for students/seniors. Tickets for the daytime festival run $10 for adults, and $7 for students/seniors (kids get in free). Freshman Drew Dymock said, “Last year when I came with my family it was a wonderful time. From the music to the food it was very authentic and it was a great time.”

Justin Bieber:Never Say Never

Ms. Lake refl ects

The ten Mr. Irish contestants gave it their all and one came out on top

The featured music group for the festival this year will be Kevin Burke, an extremely talented fi ddler, and Cal Scott who plays guitar with Burke. In years past people like Gerry Carthy, a very well-known artist in Irish music have come to play. Other instruments that you will see there are things like fi ddle, guitar, fl ute and tin whistle. Freshman Bryson Baker said, “I was taught to play a little piece of an Irish folk song and the man who was teaching me was very good. It didn’t take me long at all to learn.” At the Festival people can fi nd authentic Irish cooking with dishes like coddle, colcannon, and Sheppard’s pie. If you choose to go you will have the opportunity of learning a little Goidelic (main Irish language). People and their families can take part in activities such as basket

include: littering, car vandalism and reckless driving. Many students have expressed concern about the growing confl ict and want answers as well as change. Senior Logan Burger said, “My car was vandalized last year. The window was broken and my backpack got stolen. This was a very unfortunate event that took place, but I still worry about it happening again.” There are many students like Burger who have similar stories and express these fears every day. Junior Kolte Rotherham said, “I am very worried about the wellbeing of my car’s safety in the parking lot. My car has never been vandalized, but I do see an amazing amount of littering going on in the parking lot. This seems to be an ongoing crime at our school that teachers and students need to take note of and take care of it.” Rotherham said, “The ditch

Vehicular vandalism is a growing problem in the parking lots for both students and staff at school

This pageant brings boys from all different cliques together, from the band boy to the football boy, they all come together and become really close. Mr. Irish contestant, senior Terry Cobain said, “Danny Herr is one of the boys I never thought I’d be friends with. We’re kind of opposites, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be homies.” While another Mr. Irish contestant, senior Ross Lindly said, “I never had a class with Justin [Carpenter] before the pageant, and I didn’t know who he was.” But by pageant night you could see how close each boy had gotten with the others and the brand new friendships that have formed over this great and wonderful cause. With the auditorium looking like it was sold out, the lights dimmed and everyone in the audience shushed each other to get ready for the entertainment, the boys started running through the aisles and kick started the night with a killer dance routine. Throughout the whole night there were cheers and tears, laughs and cries. Mr. Irish contestant, senior Colton Surcamp said, “The pageant was the best night of my senior year.” The boys raised close to $30,000! It can easily be said that the pageant was a success. Cobain commented, “I wish we had a bigger venue….More people need to see this thing.” With the success of the money raised and being close to sold out, the winner of Mr. Irish and Mr. Congeniality had to be crowned. As the boys sat impatiently, Nick Stringfi eld, Mr. Congeniality 2010, sashed Ross Lindly as Mr. Congeniality 2011 and then fi nally crowned and sashed Clark Fancher as Mr. Irish 2011.

shstalisman@gmail.com

Jack and Connor tribute

in the front of the school is a prime example of how people think they can just litter and get away with it.” Rotherham later went on to argue, “What’s the difference was between throwing trash in a ditch and throwing it in a trash can?” Junior Curran Mendez said, “My car has collected many door dings and unsolved scratches throughout this school year.” Many other students are complaining about these unsolved door dings and scratches on their car and they can do nothing about it. “People need to help other people and interfere if they see someone harming another person’s car. We all need to treat each other’s things as if they were our own and this could drastically decrease vandalism in the parking lot,” Mendez later said. Mendez had many solutions to fi x this problem, but he believed that this one would work the best.

weaving, leather working, and a hurling match out on the turf. At each

of the work stations people will have a chance to fi ll out a section on a worksheet, and when you fi nish you get presented with an authentic Irish coin to take

home. Freshman Cody Koch said, “If I go I’d like to complete the worksheet to get a coin because

I’ve never seen Irish money before and I have a lot from other places so it’d be nice to have one.” The festival is a non-profi t organization that’s proceeds go to running next

year’s festival so let people and their families know to go so it can

keep it going for a ninth year. It is a great time with a lot of good people. If

people choose to attend, they will not regret it.

Anthony Rhoads photo

Chasity Barnes photo

The winner of Mr. Irish, Clark Fancher, and his coordinator Katy Cheung perform at a Mr. Irish pageant rehearsal.

2 the TalismanNews

Different ways to change the economy

The economy has been in a rough place the past few years. Gas prices and taxes have been increasing immensely. Many people have their own opinions on the state of the economy though. Some people do not seem to be in such a bad place right now, or are ignorant in terms of the economy’s rough state. Going green is one way businesses can help the economy

grow and help offset rising costs like the price of gas. Junior Joe Clem said, “Some of the economic changes in the world are gas prices changing and sales taxes going up.” Gas prices have been increasing for years now in the state of Oregon, along with states all around the country. Right now Medford has the highest gas price in the state of Oregon. Gas prices are increasing because oil prices have been increasing, and people need oil to make the gas. Clem said, “The change in gas prices should be cheaper, like the good old days.” Senior Chris Broggi said, “Lowering prices of products, and paper bags would help the economy for stores.” The loss of jobs is affecting the economy increasingly because people don’t make enough money, so they don’t spend enough money. Lowering product prices would give people

Reducing gas costs and lowering product prices could help put the economy back in a better place

On Monday, January 31, U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson ruled health care reform unconstitutional. Vinson sided with 26 states in pursuit to blocking this new law and the states’ arguments were that it violates people’s rights by forcing them to buy health insurance. Under the same logic that the government could mandate health care, Vinson said the government could mandate the purchase of food or clothing. He questioned if the government is beyond its own power on this topic. To counteract Vinson’s views on the health care law being unconstitutional, Administrative Law Judge Claudette

McWilliams said, “I don’t think it’s unconstitutional because the government mandates that children get shots for their health and that’s not unconstitutional.” Most likely the ruling of health care being unconstitutional will be taken to the Supreme Court and decided there. We’ll be informed the end result in future news reports. Nearly two dozen suits have been fi led in federal courts, but the Monday, January 31 ruling is the biggest judicial ruling to come down since Congress members passed the bill last March intended to cover 30 million uninsured Americans whether they want insurance or not. Freshman Ian Adair commented, “I don’t think it should be mandated, I think that people should have an option on whether they pay for health care or not. If this law is taken to the Supreme Court they may think that it is broad enough to justify this law. Vinson stated it’s not constitutional for someone to be required to purchase a commercial product. Sheldon’s campus supervisor Darin Henry had a different view on the subject. He said, “Although I like and prefer the

idea of a public option for purchasing health care I think every individual having health care is better than not doing anything at all about it.” At this point the ultimate decision is left up to the Supreme Court.

Common schedules may be in 4j schoolsClass times might be unifi ed soon

March 11, 2011

more money to spend, and help stabilize the economy. Other changes in the economy are stores and companies going green and cutting back on using plastic bags. Stores going green make the world better and the economy better. It makes the economy better because less money is spent on packaging products. Going green right now is the way to go and everyone should be recycling because it would pollute the earth less, which is an added bonus. Many people have different opinions on the economy right now. Lately, the economy has been growing because of good business strategies. Freshman Sam Mooney said, “I don’t think that the economy is bad; I like the way it is right now.” It seems that people without jobs are suffering the most in this damaged economy and they would like to see the economy get even better than it is now.

Mari Chesterstaff writer

Desiree Phillipsstaff writer Kathryn Bothman

backpage editor

Old issues in Egypt begin to cause riots

Public health options have created controversy in the United States

Ben Greenopinions editor

Health Care bill is ruled unconstitutional

High schools in the 4j district are running on different schedules. Sheldon High School runs on a four period time schedule, while Churchill and South Eugene have eight periods per day. This causes major confl icts when schools are trying to schedule events together. This is more of a problem for the IHS program than comprehensive and Honors, but it still affects them too. There are pros and cons for all schools having the same time schedules. Freshmen Morgan McCain said, “One event, like track meets, would be easier to plan if the school board knew when the best time for schools was.” A negative aspect is that students and their families would have to plan for more homework time and they would have to rearrange their schedule for sports and work accordingly. McCain said, “It would be hard for families to rearrange schedules.” Also the teachers at Sheldon would be affected because they would have shorter class periods and would have to rearrange their curriculum to fi t. The question is who would be affected by this more, students or staff? Freshmen Kristina Jensen said, “Students’ parents would be affected because they might also have to change their schedules for dropping off and picking up their kids.” Others said it’s a 50/50 split for students and staff; they have to teach as long as we have to learn. We can’t really say who this would affect more; everyone has a different opinion on this popular topic. Jensen also mentioned, “Students might learn more if the classes were shorter.” There are many ways everyone can benefi t if the time schedules were the same, and everyone may be affected differently. At this point it’s up to the district if the schedules are changed or not. Freshmen Diamond Huntley said,”The district should decide the time, because they already do. But I still think we should have a say in it.” Because this change in schedule would affect students and teachers most they should have a say. As of right now, when a new schedule will come into effect is undecided. Huntley thinks, “2012 should be the new year for timed schedules.” Even if the numbers of periods don’t change, Sheldon may start school earlier in the day. No matter what, some sort of new schedule will probably happen in the near future.

After 40 years of oppression, chaos breaks loose in Egypt

Blood pressure equipment like this from the Sheldon Health Center is commonly used.

The Arab world was sent into turmoil on January 18, 2011, when Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali brought an end to the winter protests and went into exile. In his absence, Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi assumed the position of acting President of the fl oundering North African state. Since then, government protests have been spreading like wild fi re across the Middle East. Countries such as Egypt, Yemen, and Lebanon have been subject to protests of varying degree with Egypt being the most prominent and revolutionary of all. Egyptian protests began one week later, on January 25. Protesters rallied in Tahrir Square, Cairo along with sites in Alexandria, Suez, and Ismailia. The numbers of protesters has only increased since the riots began; the numbers in Cairo jumped from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands. On January 28, in an attempt to control the increasing chaos, the Egyptian government ordered the four major internet providers to shut down their services and that some phone companies deny service to specifi c areas of Egypt. Sophomore Aubrey Brown commented, “It’s completely understandable that the government shut off the internet. Not necessarily right, by anyone’s standards, but understandable.” In addition to shutting off the internet, foreign reporters were detained, arrested, and in some cases, brutally attacked by the police. The protesters had several demands of the Egyptian government, ranging from distribution of accurate news rather than ‘peaceful’ propaganda to President Hosni Mubarak’s immediate resignation from offi ce. On February 10, it was rumored that Mubarak would formally resign that day. The protestors gathered in Tahir Square, eagerly awaiting the dictator’s speech but instead of his expected resignation, he stated his powers would transfer to Vice President Suleiman, and he would remain in Egypt as its head of state. Anger and disappointment spread through crowds in Cairo, and demonstrations

began to escalate in number and intensity throughout Egypt. It wasn’t until the following day that Mubarak would offi cially leave offi ce. Vice President Suleiman announced that the Supreme Council of Egyptian Armed Forces would assume leadership of the country. The rest of the Arab world still has a long way to go in achieving freedom. Sophomore Nathan Wells said, “Most of the Middle East seems like a ‘tall house of cards,’ if one card comes off, it will affect the rest.” Countries such as Libya and Iran are the most resent additions to the ever-growing list of revolting countries. Only time will tell how this issue will be resolved.

Ben Green photo

March 11, 2011 3the Talisman Entertainment

Lauren Daviesstaff writer

Never Say Never is the cure for Bieber fever

Jarred Rogersstaff writer

What happened to all the childhood stars we grew up with?

Close race for the top award, but Network doesn’t take win

Paige Heatonstaff writer

Sam Greenentertainment editor

For 82 years ABC has televised the Oscars, also known as the Academy Awards for millions to watch. This year made it the 83rd year for the award show. The red car-pet was packed with famous actors and actresses being interviewed by E! News. These events started an hour before the actors went and waited to see the results. For the first time, James Franco hosted the awards along with actress Anne Hathaway on February 27, 2011, at 5:00 p.m. Junior Megan Haith said, “I love watching the red carpet with my mom before the awards start and see-

Stephan King’s Doctor Sleep is his sequal to The Shining

Anyone who has ever read the book The Shining can re-member the tragic ending: the destruction of the Overlook Hotel and the death of Jack Torrance. How Jack’s surviving family, his son Danny, and wife Wendy live out the rest of their lives is unknown. Stephen King ends the story there, with the future of the Torrance family left uncertain. But in 2009, Stephen King announced the working title for a pos-sible new book: Doctor Sleep, the sequel to The Shining. “I loved The Shining,” English teacher Jeremy Hutchins said, “I always thought it was Stephen King’s scariest book.” Perhaps it is Stephen King’s scariest, but it’s definitely one of his most popular. Stephen King held a poll between Doc-tor Sleep and Wind through the Keyhole, a possible new

Fans eagerly awaiting King’s book

Will they ever rekindle their fame?

Bieber is just an ordinary teenager at heart

Who won the close races for the most pretigious awards of the night?

ing what dresses the actresses will wear.” People from all over watched this show, and anxiously waited to see who would win each award. No matter the category, it was a close call to determine who won in each cate-gory. In 2011 Toy Story 3 was the first animated movie to be nominated in the list for best picture. And mov-ies like Inception, The Social Network and The King’s Speech being in the category for best picture also. Sheldon parent Shelli Schaufler said, “I’m really hoping that Toy Story 3 will win best picture. It was a really good for being the third one!” Toy Story 3 didn’t end up win-ning. It was a close call who would take the title in each of these categories. There were so many different award categories. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, though not in the line-up for best picture, was in the cat-egory for Art Direction. Competing along with Alice in

Wonderland and Inception, which are both exceptionally good movies. It was a tough guess to determine who took the title of each category this year. Colin Firth won best actor in a leading role for The King’s Speech, and Natalie Portman won best actress in a leading role for Black Swan. Junior Mercy Barnes said, “I usually don’t watch the Os-car Awards, but I think I will this year. When I saw the list of movies for best picture, I knew it would end up being a close win.” Last year the winner for best movie of the year was an obvious competition between the two movies: Ava-tar and The Hurt Locker, but this year no one really knew which movie would win. On February 27 America tuned in to ABC to watch and see who won the prestigious award. The King’s Speech took it home along with other awards. The Oscars are without a doubt one of the highest awards you could possibly get nominated for and hopefully win.

Dark Tower books, to see which book fans would rather have him write. Despite the popularity of the Dark Tower series, Doctor Sleep won by a huge margin. “I can person-ally say I wasn’t a huge fan of the Dark Tower series,” said Hutchins, “I always liked King’s horror novels better.” Maybe the plans for Doctor Sleep were released too soon. Author Stephen King was quoted as saying, “Well, if I keep talking about it, maybe I won’t have to write it.” The idea of the sequel raises some questions: King was also quoted before to “hate” sequels. So why write one, and more than thirty years later? Freshman Micah Tama-saka said, “maybe he just changed his mind. It has been thirty years since then, and he’s probably learned a lot by now.” Over the course of thirty years, that is very pos-sible. Some fans are outraged, however, a look on the Ste-phen King website reveals comments from fans such as, “wow King, way to sell out,” or, “he’s probably in it for the money.” Not all of the comments are negative though,

and more people seem to be for the idea than against it. Other sources proclaim another interesting fact: two King films, Pet Sematary and IT, are going to be remade. A Dark Tower movie Trilogy is also in development, the first movie of which is slated to be released in Decem-ber 2013. Could the sudden movie remakes and sequel be related in any way? Freshman Daniel Kemp said, “I don’t think so, at least not in a material way.” Again, some fans jump to the assumption King is in it for the money. Whether this is true or not, it’s impossible to tell. Doctor Sleep has no doubt raised some questions. King has however gone as far as to release a brief summary of what the book will be about: “The book will follow an older Dan-ny Torrance, who works in a hospice for the terminally ill. His job is to attend to the dying, but his real job is to use his shining ability to help them pass on,” Despite all of the ac-cusations by fans, it seems King has a story to tell, and many fans will no doubt be awaiting the release of Doctor Sleep.

America has watched childhood stars like Jesse McCartney and Hillary Duff become the adults they are today. From pop music artists to television stars, they have become somewhat successful over the years. Unfortunately, like most famous childhood stars, their fame began to drift away as they became adults. This has left many of us wondering where they are now. Not many people know what happened to these stars. Sophomore Brandon Hawks said, “They aren’t famous anymore because they became bad actors.” It has been a long time since they have appeared at any public event. Junior Nic Rea said, “It has been about ten years since I

have seen them on TV.” Freshman Ian Adair added, “I think the media isn’t attracted to them anymore because they grew up.” Will these stars ever be in the spotlight again? Some people have been wondering if Jesse McCartney has what it takes to be famous again. Although we don’t hear about him that much he still writes songs. He is well known for the recently-famous song Beautiful Soul. He is slowly stepping back into the spotlight as he writes new songs and appears in more Disney movies and video games. As he becomes more famous, will he gain an older audience? Freshman Savanna Jones said, “I think he will still have an audience of teen girls because he still writes girly songs, but if he does become famous again he will still be respected by his audience because he has remained a good role model over the years.” There is controversy on whether he will be seen as a mature adult after being a childhood star. So he will either be seen as the little Jesse McCartney who sang Pop songs for girls and starred in

Disney movies, or he will start writing songs for an older audience and be seen as an adult. There is one thing for sure, the image McCartney shows to America is up to him. Many people have also been wondering what happened to Hilary Duff. After the show Lizzy McGuire ended she stayed famous by writing and singing songs. There were many rumors that she was anorexic or bulimic because of her weight loss. Many people also said that Duff uses drugs. It hasn’t be proven that she does or doesn’t, but she has been seen by the press as “clean.” If she does become famous again, will she be able to regain her audience? Jones said, “I don’t think Hilary will ever fully regain her fame because she hasn’t exactly been a good role model over the years.” Hilary continued to write songs but her fame still began to drift away. She now has a perfume called ‘With Love.’ Although she doesn’t perform as much anymore she may have found a new way to remain famous with perfume and fashion.

Need a cure for Bieber fever? On February 11, Justin Bieber’s new movie came out and attracted many of his fans. The movie, called Never Say Never, is based on his life and involves all of the steps through his career that led him to be the famous singer he is today. Millions of teenage fans swarmed the theaters to see this phenomenon. Sophomore Raeanna Scott said, “I can’t wait to see his movie. It will be interesting to watch how his career developed.” The movie is said to be inspiring, heartwarming, and happy. Justin Bieber himself recommends every guy out there to ‘take his girl to see it.’ Freshman Brie Dunne said, “I went to the midnight premiere and loved it. It made me happy to watch him live his dream. He truly is amazing; I enjoyed the movie so much.” As of February 14, Never Say Never has already made 30 million dollars. “If I could say anything [to guys who think the

movie is only for girls], I would say, like, just give it a chance,” said Bieber, to MTV news. Recent rumors have been spread that Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez are dating. It is unclear whether this rumor is true, but due to pictures that have been revealed in magazines, it seems it is. Soon after these rumors came out, death threats from Bieber fans were sent to Gomez warning her to stay away from Bieber. Freshman Benjamin Planck said, “I don’t think they should be together. Selena Gomez should move to Eugene and be with me.” Planck went on to say that he agrees with Bieber’s fans; they shouldn’t be together. Selena Gomez talked with Ryan Seacrest at the Grammy Awards about the movie and said, “The movie is so good. It was very inspirational. I’m so glad it’s doing well. It deserves it.” Although Justin Bieber may be every girl’s crush, he is just an ordinary teenager. His movie truly confirms that his popularity isn’t everything to him. “Although I always dreamed of being a successful artist, I occasionally wish I could simply return home and relax,” said Bieber to reporter Collin Daniels, “but I’m happy to be living my dream.” Never Say Never is said to be a very inspiring movie, that even if you don’t care about Justin Bieber, you should still go see; it could change your life.Paige Heaton photo

March 11, 20114 the TalismanFeatures

The Oregon Asian Celebration is the largest Asian /Asian American cultural festival in the Pacifi c Northwest. The celebration is produced by an all-volunteer committee of dedicated and fun-loving people whose mission it is to create opportunities that foster friendship and harmonious relations among all people. The celebration also helps to enhance appreciation and understanding of Asian cultural heritage. This year marked the 26th annual Oregon Asian Celebration on February 19 and 20 at the Lane Events Center. The event featured tons of Asian cultural entertainment, performances, cooking, crafts, and martial arts demonstrations. The celebration also featured Asian food booths, more than 75 market vendors, an Asian art exhibit, and more. Senior Lauren Murphy said, “I love going to the Asian Celebration! Getting bubble tea is my favorite! I love watching the community come together to celebrate the Asian culture!” The theme this year was “Nurturing Traditions,” conveying the importance of passing traditions on to the next generation. This year’s festival was full of energy and color, according to event chairman David Tam. The doors opened both days at 10:00 a.m. with the traditional

Asian Celebration celebrates 26th year

Sheldon has under-gone many changes over the years

What was Sheldon like when your parents went to school? For sure, things like the classes, the sports, and the community around the school were different. Arlyn Schaufl er, a 1977 graduate from Sheldon, said, “The classes at Sheldon were differently oriented. For instance, you could take shop classes like auto shop and wood shop instead of technology classes like radio and television.” Emphasis has changed towards technology instead of hands-on work to help with jobs right out of high school. Radio and television are important classes to teach those special skills, but there should be more classes like auto shop to help kids learn about cars and wood shop to help people interested in carpentry. Junior Joe Spears said,” If these classes were at Sheldon they would probably be some of the classes that I would take.” The payoff of having these classes could impact the Sheldon community in a more hands-on way, and it could also give the student body more opportunities after high school for people who don’t want to go to college. A major thing about the sports and activities here at Sheldon that has changed is that lacrosse was added after Mr. Schaufl er and other alumni of his era had graduated. Activities of that era are still around but more have come up in the last ten years. Clubs like cup cake club and the random acts of kindness club have sprung up. A lot of things have changed since Sheldon was built in the 60’s. The community and the culture of the student body evolved as time went on. There was a lot of development done in the Sheldon area over the years. Market of Choice or Price Choppers, its previous name, gains a lot of business from being in this area. The Dairy Queen down the street from Sheldon sells the most products in the Northwest because it’s in the prime area right next to Sheldon. The prices at this Dairy Queen are cheaper than at a lot of others in the northwest. Another restaurant that does well is Ron’s Island Grill, next to Subway. Sheldon and the community have changed drastically since the school was built. Things have changed not just at school, but also in the area around it. Sheldon has changed along with the times and will continue to change in the future.

Annual Asian Celebration honors a fun culture in a variety of ways for the community to enjoy

Chinese Lion Dance to scare away the evil spirits and usher in a day of good fortune. Admission was $4 for adults and free for children ages twelve and under. The event closed at 7:00 p.m. on February 19 and at 6:00 p.m. on February 20. An estimated 20,000 people attended the event. Freshmen counselor Aura Soloman said, “The Asian celebration is really fun and there is tons of great food to choose from!” Each area of the festival had something to offer visitors that encouraged them to explore Asian culture, from learning about cultural dances to learning how to prepare healthy low-cost tantalizing Asian dishes for the family. Librarian Patricia Kessinger said, “The diversity of food at the Asian celebration is wonderful! The music is a different kind of sound than what we are used to, and the dancing is gorgeous!”

Tiwanna Hamiltonstaff writer

Local program working to make schools eco-friendly

Sarah Seversonstaff writer

A group has formed to make schools more Earth-friendly

Ms. Lake - people see her in the halls, sometimes in the offi ce, but Leslie Lake is usually hiding behind her computer, guiding a lesson on how to make tables and charts. She has been teaching for a long time now and has become very familiar with her work. Not only is Lake a technology teacher, but she has become fl uent in business. Lake has been a big help to sophomores and all classes as she leads them through their job shadow project, which is a requirement to graduate. Everyone knows what she does, but who is the lady that hides behind her computer? Technology teacher Leslie Lake fi rst started her teaching career at Junction City High School. Shortly after, Lake began substitute teaching for the 4j and Bethel school districts, and did so for about six years. In 1992 Lake began a full time teaching job, and was hired at Sheldon High School. Lake had originally taught accounting classes, until they were cut and transformed into the now Intro to Business class. Lake also teaches ninth and

Sheldon technology teacher Ms. Lake talks about her years - what she has enjoyed and some of her memories

Simone Balazscopy editor Alumnus Arlyn Schaufl er is one who re-

fl ects on the similarities and differences at and around Sheldon since graduating

Brennan Schaufl erstaff writer

A program like People for Sustainable Green Schools would be a good source for keeping pollution out of the air. Green schools are a great way to help our planet and stop global warming. Having organic foods and plants could also help in keeping the earth green. Freshman Trisha Taylor said, “Schools should go green and should start to recycle.” It would be very benefi cial if everyone started to recycle, instead of just throwing things away, which pollutes the air more. When asked why everyone should go green, Taylor

answered, “So the air doesn’t get polluted.” That’s a good point because there are a lot of people out there who don’t care about our planet and wanting to change it. Now days there are a lot of people who want to go green because they realize our planet’s environment needs to be better. Sophomore Juan Gonzalez is one of the many people who have come to that conclusion. A downfall for having a green school is if there are some students and adults who will not want to go green. Many people have realized that having an all-green school is benefi cial to a point, but regardless not everyone is willing to follow what the schools ask. One example could be that students will not always recycle, even when told to. However, having polluted air is unsafe and global warming is not healthy for the planet. That’s why we need to have a green school and go green.

tenth grade technology classes. Lake stated, “It’s been quite the challenge learning new software programs almost yearly.” Ms. Lake has been teaching for a number of years and students have become familiar with her sensitive touch to teaching, always greeting students and staff members with a smile, sure to brighten their day. Sophomore Nadali Hanes said, “Ms. Lake was always there to help me through class, and made sure I got all my work done. If it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t have been motivated enough to fi nish my job shadow project.” Lake stated, “Of course my favorite things about teaching at Sheldon are my friends, both staff and students. I work with a very sharp, fantastic team: Les Phillipo, Sue Zink, and Michelle Merfeld.” Ms. Lake has made great contributions to Sheldon over the years and everyone will always remember her.

Kelsey Sherman photoMs. Lake has been working at Sheldon High School since she was hired in 1992.

Sheldon holds many memories for all of its Alumni.

Brennan Schaufl er photo

More than just a well-known tech teacher

March 11, 2011 5the Talisman Features

Dublinaires: Do you know who they are?The history of this jazz choir from the beginning to the present day

Madison Bakerfeatures editor

When you walk down the hall you can ask almost anyone who our sports teams are, and what sports our school has to offer and they’ll give you an answer. However, if you ask someone what Dublinaires is they probably wouldn’t know. Surprisingly enough, the Dublinaires aren’t a new group to the school, they’ve been around for many years

and most students still have no idea who they are. So what is Dublinaires, when did they start and who are they? Dublinaires (commonly referred to as Dubs) is a 16-20 person vocal jazz ensemble here at Sheldon and was started in 1964 with Wayte Kirchner as the director. The current director is Nancy Anderson, who has directed the group for 18 years. Over the years Anderson has taken the Dubs on many trips to places such as California, Ireland, and New York City. Anderson said, “[The] trips are always the most memorable. Last year we went on a trip to a choir festival in California, we had to take a Hummer limo because it was cheaper than a bus. When we arrived everyone thought we were so full of ourselves; however, when we won fi rst place everyone thought ‘Oh that’s the Limo Group!’ It was super fun.” Although the choir department has changed a lot throughout the years the Dubs themselves have remained the same. The Dubs today, as they always have been, are a huge family. Senior Alisa Stewart has been in the group

Local businesses helping students with jobsStores and restaurants benefi t from hiring high school students

Blake Schaufl erstaff writer

The local businesses around Sheldon have been hiring Sheldon students for years. This has benefi tted both the Sheldon students and the local businesses. Sheldon students access these businesses easily during free periods, lunch, and after school. This helps the local businesses around Sheldon economically. A lot of job applications. Some Sheldon students that work for some of the local businesses around Sheldon. Senior Colton Surcamp said, “I like working at Dairy Queen, because the people are nice.” The

New place to fi nd lacrosse gear: Big Foot storePopular sport now has a brand new store in the Oakway Center.

Tim Lawrencestaff writer

Lacrosse is a sport that has increased in popularity over the years. A new store has opened that will satisfy those lacrosse junkies. Bigfoot is a store that is dedicated to the theme of lacrosse, selling equipment suited for the sport. Bigfoot is

-Senior leader in Integrated Outdoor Program (IOP) class at South-Worked at the Saturday Market at family’s Thai food booth “Bangkok Grill”-Traveled widely with his family, enjoyed art & origa-mi, avid outdoorsman-Mr. Axeman candidate

-Played Varsity Basket-ball (senior starter)-Played Ultimate Frisbee-French Immersion Stu-dent -Mr. Axeman candidate

since her junior year. Stewart said, “[My favorite part of Dubs is] the close-knit relationship [and] all [the] amazing inside jokes and nicknames.” Anderson commented, “Dubs remain life-long friends. In fact there is a choir reunion this summer of choir members for the 70’s with their director Glenn Patton.” So how would a student get into a group like this? Anderson said, “[Students have to] learn audition music and sing well. Auditions happen in late May. Students don’t have to be in one of Sheldon’s choirs previously, and it’s not a pre-requisite but it does help. Dubs do have to be outstanding musicians, but must also have the personality to be good performers. Dubs are well-known and very highly respected in the community.” Senior Kelsey Blancher has been in Dubs since her junior year. Blancher said, “The auditions were really nerve-wracking, but it was really satisfying when I got in.” Dubs continue to entertain and catch the attention and hearts of its audience, as well as the community.

convenience of having Dairy Queen nearby also benefi ts their business. This causes a little more economic growth in Eugene. Surcamp has only been working for Dairy Queen for about a year. He already is enjoying his job in the kitchen. Freshman Papa’s Pizza lover freshman Megan Melendrez said, “I love Papa’s Pizza because the environment in this place is great!” Papa’s Pizza has a great location, just down the street from Sheldon. They have student buffets for lunch which is very cheap and affordable. The economic growth in Eugene is really improving a lot according to statistics. Sheldon area has grown and as Sheldon has grown so did the business around it. The Global Geography Teacher Herb Hahn said “It’s great to see the Eugene economy stabilize a little bit.” Papas and Dairy Queen are still getting through these tough economic times.

located behind Albertson’s supermarket by Oakway Mall. Lacrosse is becoming a popular sport all over the nation; many people are catching on to the sport. Here at Sheldon, there are a good number of experienced lax players. Bigfoot has had a good number of customers since the day it opened on January 28. Junior Sam Kibbey said, “I’ve been playing for a little over a year. I went to Bigfoot the fi rst day it opened having many intentions on what to buy. At the moment, I would like to buy new gloves.” Most lacrosse players are ecstatic for the store Bigfoot. Freshman Anthony Love said, “I love that store and everything in it.” When asked about his favorite brand

he said, “My favorite brand is STX.” There is a solid selection of equipment to buy there, from various brands such as DeBeer, Adidas, Reebok, Nike, and many others. Bigfoot sells equipment for both genders, and any position. When asked about how people felt about the Bigfoot store, sophomore Bryce Shaneyfelt said, “It’s a pretty good store.” But some will be surprised with what they fi nd there. It is considered a great store by many people. Even casual lacrosse fans will appreciate Bigfoot. Eugene is full of many lacrosse players and/or fans. It seems like a strange town for a store like Bigfoot to be, but considering the talk about it around Sheldon, it seems quite popular already.

Alisa Stewart illustration

Forever in our hearts.

Jack Harnsongkram

On Febuary 6, 2011, Connor Ausland and Jack Harnsongkram were walking along a natu-ral land-bridge on the Oregon Coast near Yachats when a giant sneaker wave crashed into them, sweeping them into the Pacific. Friends did their best to save the two South Eugene se-niors, but it was too late and they drowned. They were on an annual Mr. Axeman retreat.

Connor Ausland

Jeff Skrzypek KEZI 9 News

photos courtesy South Eugene High School1993-2011 1992-2011

On January 25, 2011, President Obama gave his State of The Union Address. For the first time in 100 years, Democrats and Republicans crossed the aisle and sat amongst each other. The reason for this unusual behavior, Democratic senator Gabby Giffords was shot in Tucson Arizona. The fact that it took a critically wounded senator to get Congress to sit together as a whole disappoints me. Social studies teacher Mr. Washburn said, “[The split] makes it hard to get anything done. And I think that some republicans feel that Obama has to lose the 2012 election at any political cost.” I think that Congress should work together as a whole, and not two separate parties. The

March 11, 2011 6the Talisman

Talisman StaffAnthony RhoadsMadison BakerChasity BarnesDrew HaugenKathryn BothmanSam GreenBen GreenAnthony RhoadsKelsey ShermanAnthony RhoadsMadison BakerChasity BarnesSimone Balazs

Annesha MilosevichDarin PhillipsDesiree PhillipsEric RobinsonJarred RogersBlake SchauflerBrennan SchauflerJordan SchmidtSarah SeversonAndrew SmithKristina Tamburrini

Greg Cantwell

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

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

Staff Advisor

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

to edit all stories we print.

Opinions

What is the difference between the feelings of love versus lust?

Jordan Schmidtstaff writer

Anthony Rhoadseditor-in-chief

In lieu of recent efforts in California to regulate, control, and tax cannabis, it would be pertinent to report some facts about Proposition 19 and other efforts to legalize marijuana, as well as find out the opinions of some Eugene residents. Proposition 19 was initiated on November 2, 2010, as a California state-wide ballot. The ballot was defeated 54% to 46%, but had it been passed, it would have allowed local governments to regulate the use of cannabis as well as collect taxes related to the sale and use of marijuana. Although California may not have succeeded in legalizing marijuana, its efforts have raised some questions like, “Do people have the right to use marijuana?”

Sheldon student tells opinions on the legalization of marijuana in the U.S.

Anger management class would be beneficial to students and teachers. In fact, if given the opportunity many students would attend an anger management class. Anybody would be able to sign up for the course, especially troubled students. Regular credits would be giving for taking this class and confidentiality would be appreciated, unless of course someone was signaling one wanted to hurt oneself. The course would be curriculum based and include role plays, simulations, and class discussions. If possible multicultural, teacher Jose Alonso would be a great person to teach the class and there would be an A-F grading scale. There have been arguments about if the class would be at each student’s own pace or curriculum based. Honestly, in order for a course like it to pass the school board it would have to have a lot of content and be really straight forward. The course would not be required or a core class, but instead most likely an elective. But there would be some regular requirements such as good attendance, participation, and homework turned in on time. Students who are late or absent on a regular basis would be suggested to drop the class because a lot of information

Legal marijuana would have advantages When asked about the advantages and disadvantages of legalizing marijuana Sheldon senior Martin Ambros said, “It would be a huge tax revenue, it would clear space in prison, but it might spur growth of other drug use and high [impared] people driving are dangerous.” The government’s ability to tax the sale of cannabis would be a large source of income for the economy as well as clear space in prisons, which is a large government expenditure, but there are as many, if not more, cons than pros. Do the advantages outweigh the risks? Senior Sam Asay said he would legalize marijuana if he had the choice. When asked why, he responded, “People smoke anyway, so why fight it?” Even with laws against the use of cannabis, there is no denying that the use of marijuana is prevalent in today’s society, so maybe governments and police forces should focus on more serious issues that are more enforceable. Billions of government dollars are devoted to enforcement of illegal drug laws, which some argue is hardly enforceable. Aside from societal issues, the health effects of marijuana are an issue of concern. There is a matter of individual freedom at hand: whether or not the

government should be able to try to regulate the substances that citizens put into their bodies. Asay said, “I think they should to some degree,” in reference to governments control over drug use. There are many substances accessible to the general public that are dangerous to people’s health, including alcohol and tobacco. But there are strong arguments that alcohol is more dangerous and more addictive than marijuana. There are hundreds of reported deaths from alcohol poisoning or overdose every year; however, there has never been a reported fatality from an overdose of cannabis and the effects of abuse of cannabis are far less deadly than those of the abuse of alcohol. In small doses alcohol can induce a sense of euphoria and relaxation, but large doses of alcohol can result in poisoning of the liver, comas, or death. Prolonged use of cannabis can cause slowed reaction time, inattentiveness, problems of the lungs – sometimes cancer, or psychological dependency on the drug. Obviously, copious amounts of any intoxicant creates problems, but it’s fair to argue that marijuana can be a healthy part of people’s lifestyles, just as alcohol is part of millions of American’s lives.

Congress needs to work together as one unit. President Obama stated this at his address,… It’s no secret that those of us here have had our differences over the last two years. The debates have been contentious; we have fought fiercely for our beliefs. And that’s a good thing. That’s what a robust democracy demands. That’s what helps set us apart as a nation. But there’s a reason the tragedy in Tucson gave us pause. Amid all the noise and passion and rancor of our public debate, Tucson reminded us that no matter who we are or where we come from, each of us is a part of something greater – something more consequential than party or political preference. We are part of the American family…Now, by itself, this simple recognition won’t usher in a new era of cooperation. What comes of this moment is up to us. What comes of this moment will be determined not by whether we can sit together today, but whether we can work together tomorrow. I full heartedly agree with this, we can work together;

we just have to be willing to. Junior Kyle Purdy said, “I think that the stated policy of the Republican Party is to take a strict approach. I don’t think there will be any change.” I see this attempt at unity as an honorable attempt, but it is still just an attempt. I think that if the two parties worked together there would be a lot progress. Purdy also said, “I think that in many ways they need to agree to respect each others ideas and end petty propaganda and actually sit down and talk openly.” If Congress sees things the way I do and many others do, there can be change. We just need to realize that America can be saved and that we just need to work as a family to do that. Social studies teacher Mr. Hahn said, “They need leadership, there are a bunch of people who just want to be reelected.” Whatever happens with Congress, I hope that they can get past their differences and compromise on things for the good of the United States and the people who they represent.

Democrates and Republicans mingle at State of The UnionRepresenatives from both parties sit together in honor of Gabby Giffords

Darin Phillipsstaff writer

Eric Robinsonstaff writer

would be covered on a daily basis. Topics that would be covered consist of the “anger cycle” and the “awareness cycle” which shows students how there is always a first feeling before anger such as embarrassment, confusion, or powerlessness. Different skills will be taught to convert a person to an alternative mind state if already angry. “Unhooks” is a skill to get perspective after you have already let yourself become angry. You tell yourself something like “this too shall pass” or “let it go.” Doing this reminds you that whatever situation you may be in, if you just stay cool it will all be over soon and you almost guaranteed, depending on the circumstances, you won’t even be thinking about that in an hour or two. This course would better persons in the educational part of life and also in the community by giving them tools to manage their anger and help with any altercations they may have.

Anger management classes would be helpful to many Sheldon students

Affection and arousal easily confused

Anger management classes should be in SHS

What is the difference between lust and love? This is a question that is vital for the foundation of a strong relationship. Dictionary.com describes love as, “a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.” Dictionary.com describes lust as, “intense sexual desire or appetite.” Obviously, there is a massive difference between the two, but people in high school seem to have a problem discerning the distinction. It is time to illuminate this difference. Sheldon senior Eric Levine could not tell the difference between lust or love; when asked to explain the difference between lust and love he exclaimed, “They

are both L-words; is there a difference? They both mean having affection for another.” After a fierce argument, Eric Levine agreed that love has a polar difference to lust. When I asked senior John White to illuminate an action of lust in high school, he replied, “The couples makin’ out in the halls.” Yes, John, that is an action of lust. I finally asked a kid that is well known around the school as “The Love Doctor.” I asked junior Christian Nilsen to tell me everything about the differences between lust and love. He told me, “Love is the purest action out there. There are many types of love: love for a friend, a family member, and true love.” Nilsen further said, “Love is not kissing and sex, love is truly caring for who a person is, caring for a person’s needs, wanting the best for someone. Lust is when you are with a person just to satisfy your own personal/sexual desires. Lust is when

all you really want from someone is their body.” What we can learn from all of this is that sometimes, what we may call love is sometimes very skewed. People at our age really have hard times discerning whether what they feel for their significant other is love or just sexual desire. Next time one is choosing their significant other, they should analyze what feelings they have for the other, whether they like the person for just the physical appearance, or for what is inside. In high school we need to think about whether it truly is love we’re feeling, or is it just lust? What type of person are we and what do we want -lust or love?

March 11, 20117 the TalismanSports

Boys lacrosse ready for 2011The Sheldon Irish return prepared for a new season and 2011 state title run

A.J. Smithstaff writer

Changes ahead for track and football teams

Kelsey Shermanstaff writer

Recent coaching adjustments affect both Irish track and football programs

Ducks sign top football recruits in 2011 classOregon’s new recruiting class ranks among the nation’s best

Drew Haugensports editor

Cheer team sits out State competition, wins nationalsInconsistent State judging problematic for SHS’s championship-winning team

Gwyn LeCavalierstaff writer

The Sheldon Varsity Cheer squad qualifi ed for the state competition this year but chose not to attend because they wanted to prove a point. The team believed that the judging for the state competition had been inconsistent in previous years. Last year, the team had placed no lower than second at every competition leading up to State, and then at State, they placed fi fth. Sheldon Varsity Cheer captain, senior KaLeah Parmenter said, “The inconsistency in judging is not good and in many ways, unfair for teams.” On February 5, the team had a double competition, meaning they had two competitions in one day in two different places. During the fi rst competition in Salem at 8 a.m., the team just barely missed fi rst place by one point, and received a 70 out of 85 points. Then on the same day in Tualatin at 3 p.m., they got fi rst place out of eight teams but with 20 less points than at the earlier competition in spite of the judges being required to use the same scoring system. That is exactly the point that the Sheldon

Varsity Cheer team is trying to make. In one day they did the same exact routine at two competitions, but scored substantially lower in one due to inconsistent judging. Senior Shannon Sellers, a four-year Varsity veteran, said, “The team feels that every year we build up and work really hard for state, and every year we feel messed over. Then for the rest of the season, we kind of stay in this “funk,” and I feel that we aren’t at our best when we hit nationals because of being judged so poorly at state.” On February 12, the team attended state, but not to compete. They sat, watched and cheered on other teams and prepared themselves for nationals, which took place two weeks later. Junior Jennifer Ontiveros, three year competitive varsity member said, “Sitting and watching State was just a long day. I feel it helped our team some in ways such as: we got to see what our competition could do and we learned what skills we needed to do to improve on to beat the other teams at Nationals.” The team felt that their point was made and understood. There were many teams and spectators that asked and agreed with why they weren’t competing. The team felt accomplished and was ready to go and kick some butt at Nationals. The team competed at Nationals on March 5 and 6. At the end of the fi rst day Sheldon was in second by .667 of a point. The team felt that the fi rst day of the competition wasn’t their best performance, so on the second day they

really brought it. The results of the competition were that the Sheldon Varsity cheer team got fi rst! On top of getting fi rst the team also got Grand Champions of the competition. They scored thirty points higher than any other team.Senior, KaLeah Parmenter said, “It was all worth it! What a perfect way to end my senior year.” Congrats and great job to the Sheldon Varsity cheer team! Go Irish!

In the upcoming football and cross country seasons some changes are going to be made regarding the head coaches. Both programs are now in need of a new head coach. Football coach Marty Johnson is resigning to be able to see his son play for the University of Montana, while cross country coach Chris Yorges has recently been let go for personnel reasons. Searching for a new, suitable head coach should not be much of a challenge, since both programs are highly appealing and attractive to the community. Athletic Director Matt Binkerd will be initially in charge of the committee’s decision on who the new coaches should be; however, student voices will be present in the decision. On the interview committee for hiring new coaches, there will be a senior student athlete, a representative from the Booster Club, a teacher, a parent representative, the Sheldon trainer, a classifi ed representative—or someone in the offi ce—and an administrator. In the interviews, Binkerd will be looking for a few specifi c qualifi cations. Binkerd said, “I am looking for candidates who have at least three to fi ve years of coaching, if not head coaching, experience.” Because of union benefi ts, any employee who is already working with the 4j district and meets all qualifi cations will have the right to be interviewed fi rst.

Right now, in the hiring process for the football program, the position is only open to 4j employees, but if no one is chosen, this will soon be open to the public as well. Once the head coach is hired it is up to the coach to hire his/her own staff, or assistant coaches. Binkerd will point them in the direction of the old assistant coaches, but it is essentially up to the new coach if he/she is willing to keep the old staff or not. Student athletes believe that the interviewing committee will do an exceptional job in choosing the new coaches. “We had something good going for us, and to make it worse would be pointless,” sophomore cross country athlete Sam Seno stated. Hopefully all athletes are able to understand that moving forward, and becoming better, is what’s on everyone’s minds right now—including the coaches, no matter who they turn out to be. Seno said, “It’s disappointing to lose a coach, but there’s always an opportunity to grow.” Athletes from both the cross country and football programs are feeling hopeful about the new head coaches, although they will miss the old ones. Varsity football player junior Sean Bellotti said, “Coach Johnson was a great coach, but I trust that Mr. Binkerd and the rest of the staff will choose a new coach that will continue to help us be successful.” Athletes are trusting that the committee will make the right choices in choosing the new coaches, since athletes are essentially the ones who will be affected the most by the new coach. Many are hesitant about competing for someone new, but they must be able to trust that everything will work out, and that the coaches only want what is best for the athletes and the program.

The Sheldon boy’s lacrosse team is a team of will, desire, and heart. The sport is sweeping the nation and is gaining popularity as well. Lacrosse is not only the nation’s fastest-growing sport, but it is also one of the oldest. Originally founded in the Native American culture, a Frenchman named George Beers created one of t h e fi rst offi cial rule books for the sport. From where the sport was then to where it is today is not all that different. The boy’s lacrosse team did exceptionally well last year as well as the previous years. The boy’s varsity fi nished strong last year with 14 wins and 4 loses (with each loss being by one point). They lost to Jesuit in the playoffs in a tight 12 to 1 3 l o s s . Junior Trisha

Stevenson s a i d , “It was really close and [the team] had fun but unfortunately Jesuit beat us in the long run. It was a great and competitive game.” They plan to build on the momentum of last year’s successful season. Sheldon will play their fi rst game on March 15 at home against Sisters. The home games are going to be April 15 against Thurston, April 26 against Roseburg, April 29 against Sprague, May 6 against Churchill, May 10 against Marist, and the regular season fi nally on May 13 against South Eugene. Not many people attend lacrosse games, but they can be some of the most exciting games to watch. Sophomore Taylor Lamb said, “Lacrosse is a fun, up-and-coming sport that has a lot of cool things.” The constant action and usually-plentiful scoring can make for a very entertaining sport to go and see. Sophomore Kayla Smith said, “I’m excited to watch this year because it is a cool and exciting sport.” The season starts up on March 15 and will hopefully end with a championship.

Typically known for his lack of emotion, Oregon head football coach Chip Kelly had reason to smile on Febuary 2, as the Ducks landed their most coveted recruiting class in school history. This highly-touted group of players consisted of twenty prep-athlete standouts and two junior college transfers. Headlining Oregon’s 2011 haul was DeAnthony Thomas, the nation’s top ranked athlete. Coming out of Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles, many believed Thomas would honor his verbal commitment to the University of Southern California. However, after a visit to Eugene in late January, the running back decided to make the Ducks his team for the next four years. Said sophomore Cooper Stiles, “If I were a

top recruit, I could see many benefi ts for choosing the University of Oregon. Our coaching staff and facilities are some of the best in the country.” Although Thomas was Oregon’s only fi ve-star signee, the Ducks assembled a solid group of gifted players including home-town talent Colt Lyerla from Hillsboro High School and Lake Oswego’s Tyson Coleman. Said junior Sean Bellotti, “The Ducks have grown into a successful program by recruiting three star athletes and building them into college football stars. In recent years, their ability to recruit all over the country has increased their talent and their depth as well.” Four of the nation’s most established scouting sites including ESPN and 247Sports ranked Oregon’s 2011 class in the nation’s top fi fteen, while Rivals and Scout.com even pegged them at numbers nine and ten respectively. Said sophomore Ryan Fisher, “I’m looking forward to seeing this new group in action. The players fi t into the Ducks fast-paced system perfectly.” Many fans are looking towards the future. With such a highly-touted recruiting class, the expectations will be high for a young Duck team. The annual Oregon spring game will be played on April 13 at Autzen Stadium.

Drew Haugen photo

p.m., comes tea, not dinner. Tea looks like breakfast, with bread, but without cereal, and many times eggs, as well as pie or tart. In general, people don’t go to sleep until, on average, 2:00 a.m., some going to bed earlier, and some staying up hours later. I, personally, am an early riser in the United Sates, but here, my day has shifted about three hours forward, which has been a big change. Nightlife in Chile is a whole other topic to write about, and like everything, it’s very different and new to me. This experience studying abroad is opening my eyes to so much more of what is possible in the world, and I am so excited to enter into the new chapter of my stay as I begin school at San Mateo.

And the mystery person is: Danny Herr

backpage

I have been in Osorno, Chile, for a month with the Oregon Adventure exchange program experiencing a new world as I become immersed in an unfamiliar culture. In my fi rst few moments in Osorno, exiting the airport, I was immediately introduced to the sensual Chilean custom as I was hugged and kissed on the cheek by all of the women waiting just outside, and received a shake of the hand from the men. Since then, I have become accustomed to much more. I feel it most fi tting to fi rst address food; food is Chilean love language. The more food one eats at a meal, the happier the hosting family is. For the fi rst time in my

life, I think I may be eating more than I can work off with exercise. The amount of food offered at frequent parrilladas (traditional Chilean barbecues) and Sunday lunches is incredible, rivaling a United States Thanksgiving meal. At the last Sunday gathering, we fi rst had a spectacular array of

appetizers, with cheese, various nuts, chips, crackers, and then hot empanadas fi lled with beef, onions, and cheese (that in and of itself is suffi cient to fi ll a mortal belly). Next we moved to the dining table, and I looked out over an expanse of plates and bowls fi lled with strange seafoods and various salads. I tried most of the chewy creatures served in shells and the lemony seviche (raw fi sh), also serving myself a plateful of lettuce with vinaigrette, tomatoes, and corn soon afterwards. Both the huge cut of beef and huge cut of lamb that had been roasting over coals on a spit in the backyard were brought out next, sliced into oversized portions. About at my limit, my eyes were wide as still more was served: pastel de choclo (a thick corn paste with beef and cheese mixed in) and potatoes. I about needed a crane to lift me out of my chair after dessert and coffee! Along with amount of food, another major difference is timing of food throughout the day, as meals tend to help structure all the other activities in a day as well. I haven’t acknowledged yet that it is summer here at this time, and that is important because the schedule will change once school starts--actually in two days. Breakfast is eaten around 10:00 or 11:00 a.m. It is the smallest meal, consisting of bread with various toppings such as cheese, jam, and avocado, or cereal with milk or yogurt, and coffee. Shortly after, at 2:00 p.m., comes lunch, which is by far the largest meal, equating to dinner in the United States. Very late, at 8:30

Dogs are seen in different ways to many individuals: dogs can be seen as a family member as well as a friendly com-panion to someone. Throughout the world there are many different types of dog. Some are big and some are small, others have a good personality, and some can be mean. The real question is what makes a dog cute? Is it the face, body or the personality? Everyone has his or her own opinion on which dog is cute, but can a dog really be classifi ed as cute depending on its looks, or is it everything about the dog? Junior Casey Joyner said, “I prefer Great Danes as my favorite dog breed because they are big and nice.” When asked, many people agreed with Casey that Great Danes are their favorite dog be-cause they are sweet and in their own opinion “cute.”

Senior Brooke Bardwell said, “A dog’s attitude is what makes it cute, whether or not they smile and snuggle. As well as their appearance, which is a prefer-ence of the owners. I have a Boxer, a Golden Retriever, a Newfy and a Chihuahua and I think they are all ador-able and unique with their breeds.” I can agree with Brooke myself because if a dog is cute but has no atti-tude or even a personality then I see it as rude and ugly. Companionship is a big key to making a dog cute as well. Senior Amy Froehlich stated, “My dog is a great compan-ion to me because he is always there and won’t ever judge me, no matter what I do.” Most dogs are good to have because they bring a special personality to the family or individual owners; they have a special way of making people feel better when they are not in a very good mood. No matter what people say, dogs are cute in different ways. People can argue over which one is cuter but there is really no comparison of one person’s opinion to an-other. There are many ideas and thoughts on what people think about a dog’s cuteness but there really is no offi cial way to distinguish what makes some cuter than others.

Once upon a time there was a guy. This guy goes to Sheldon High School and walks around the halls just like you. He plays varsity football and baseball and he has been playing these sports for six years and still does. His favorite sport would have to be football. Senior, Lacey Phillips said,”I think he is very athletically inclined, just like me!” Something a lot of people know about him is that he is one of the Mr. Irish contestants of 2011. This mystery person said “I do not care about winning, its all for the babies.” This Mr. Irish contestant thinks he has made about 1.800 dollars! Senior Christian Massey said, “He is a stud muffi n!” While sophomore Evan Lytle said, “He is a beast, great guy, enough said.” Here are some more facts about him to help you fi gure out who this mystery person is. When he is not playing sports he is doing homework, playing video games, or hanging out with his friends. Light hazel green is his favorite color. His favorite food is homemade chicken pot pie. He has applied to four colleges and he is thinking of attending Oregon State. He has not yet received any scholarships, but he should soon. Have you fi gured out who this mystery person is yet?

and visit outstanding landmarks.” The debate always goes around the school about what weather would be better and many people said warm, while others said cold. Ontiveros’ choice is warm weather to where she can stay out of the cold. Ontiveros said, “I make the best of it when I go, even though I only go for a couple days. It’s easy to have fun.” Freshman Kyle Hanks said, “For me, Cancun is the best place to go for spring break. It is fun and you get to meet people and party. I would bring my friends and Jessica Alba if I could.” Hanks seems to prefer warm weather. Hanks said, “I haven’t been there a lot but I will get there when I am twenty-one and party it up, and maybe stay there a little bit longer than a week.” Senior Lizzy Bloomfeldt said, “California is the best place to go for spring break; you get to surf and see hot guys. I would bring all my best friends and just go have fun.” Bloomfeldt prefers to be in warm weather. There are many places to go during spring break, hot and cold. Many people prefer warm over cold, but it’s always fun to go somewhere different. There are many places to go like: Florida, California, even Mexico. They are all very different and exciting places to go.

Jackson Darlandcontributing writer

Kristina Tamburrinistaff writer

Annesha Milosevichstaff writer

W

ho am I?

T

he T

ale of a Mystery Person

Dogs: man’s best friend

A Sheldon sophomore shares his adventures as a current exchange student in Orsono, Chile

Spring Break’s just around the corner

One dog, two dogs, red dog, blue dog. Which is the cutest?

Escaping the rain to warmer climates is a hit this season

Courtney Farrellstaff writer

The top ten places to go for spring break are hard to narrow down; people have different opinions of the best places to go. Many people prefer a different state but others prefer to go to places people have never heard of. There are either places with hot weather or places with cold weather. The part of spring break is to get away and go to a place to relax and have fun for about a week but some people have other plans: some go for two to three days or maybe longer than one week. Spring break is not just for a getaway to party, it can be for winter sports or to relax on the beach with the family. Depending on what people like, there will always be a place to go during spring break. Junior Jennifer Ontiveros said, “To me, Arizona is the best place to go for spring break. It is fun and there is more to do there than in Oregon. I would bring my best friends

A semester abroad in Chile brings exciting new experiences

eT rsrsr

Myster

y Pe

rson