Willow Marching Band Travels to Texas for Winter

by: Patricia Guebara and Sierra Jimenez

Willow Canyon marching band ended this season with numerous awards. Last year they took fourth in state. This year the band received first place in Music Performance Caption, Percussion and Auxiliary Caption at the Mesquite Band Festival. They also finished second at the Goldwater Band Festival and third in Auxiliary Caption at the ASU Band Day.

The Willow Canyon Band Council leads their ensemble
as the band prepares to go to Texas.

Their final performance was at the Arizona State Marching Band Competition where they received a rating of Superior with Distinction in Music Performance Caption, Visual Performance Caption, Percussion and Auxiliary Caption, finishing seventh overall at the state competition. This year, they will be traveling to San Antonio, Texas, over winter break.

There the band will be playing in a con­cert band festival, a jazz band festival and a field show competition as part of the Alamo Bowl festivities on December 27. These competitions will be held in Alamo Stadium and at the Alamo Heights.

“This trip to Texas will benefit the stu­dents in many ways, the students will get to play halftime shows in the Alamo Dome, they will get to join a band with 1,000 other students and learn from college band direc­tors. There will be other festivals that are taking place, and they will be judged by other music directors,” said band directors Ms. Julie Trent.

To earn money to travel to Texas, Ms. Trent said, “We sold cookie dough, had three car washes, restaurant nights and we sold Diamondback tickets. It’s going to be an exciting year; we’re playing music that comes from movies that people have seen. We also have very exciting pieces of music to go with a very fun show.”

Band Council president senior Amber Schubert said, “Marching band is a great ex­perience, and I have learned a lot of leader­ship skills and knowledge to help younger and new members. Plus, band gets the com­munity involved by going to the local ele­mentary schools. We try to get the older and the younger community involved too. We have parades and always invite family and friends to come to these events.”

Drum major Michael Hurt said, “The band this year is going well; we’ve made a lot of progress by adding extra stuff to our show. Originally my involvement in band was because of my friends, but along the way, I learned something new and different, and I had the urge to succeed. I’m working pretty hard, but I underestimated the work it takes to be a drum major.”

‘Tis the Season to be Holly for Holiday Traditions

By:Zohrak Arzumanyan and Jessica Green

The holiday seasons are near. Whether it is lighting the kina­ra or menorah, hanging ornaments on the Christmas tree, enjoying the festival of lights or just spending time with the family.

According to http://www.holi­days.net/kwanzaa/principles.htm­Maulana Karenga first came up with the idea of Kwanzaa to give Africans and African Americans an alternative to the existing holi­day and to give them an opportu­nity to celebrate themselves and their history, rather than simply imitating the practice of the domi­nant society.

Kwanzaa celebrates seven principles. These include Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility) Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity) and Imani (Faith).

Whether you celebrate Kwanzaa or Christmas, the holiday
season is all about cherishing your family and friends.

“I love Kwanzaa because it’s a a time we get together as a family and love each other,” said junior Duval Wilson.

Hanukkah is a special tradition celebrated by lighting a candle ev­ery night on the menorah for eight days. Each night a candle is lit and a present is given to someone else. Hanukkah starts at the beginning of December, and a big ceremony is held on the first night.

“I guess I like Hanukkah be­cause it’s different to me. I’m not Jewish, but I celebrate it. My favorite thing about it is the first night of the candle lighting. I also like the presents a lot,” said junior Logan Carpenter.

Dawali is a five day festival of food, games and lights. During the holiday of Diwali participants light small oil-filled lamps to announce the triumph of good over evil.

“Diwali is the coming together of family; we try to have as muh lights as possible because Diwali is the festival of lights. The food and celebration is our favorite part,” said senior Anshul Garg.

Christmas is a holiday celebrat­ed on December 25 to traditionally pay a tribute to the birth of Jesus. However, Christmas is celebrated many different ways. Some people bake fresh cookies and leave them for Santa, hang their stockings up and leave presents under a fresh- cut pine tree for others to open.

Others celebrate this holiday with singing songs, playing games and getting together for a big, homemade family dinner.

“My favorite thing about Christmas is seeing my dad since I don’t get to see him much. I also enjoy staying up until midnight with my family and opening my presents. It’s a very exciting ex­perience that only gets to happen once a year. I’m a really big fan of food, and the food on Christmas is outstanding,” said sophomore Luis Reynoso.

Holidays Bring Stress to Students

by: Patricia Guebara

The holiday season can be a time of cheer, joy, happiness and of family gatherings. But for many people, it is a time of self-eval­uation, loneliness, reflection on past failures and anxiety about an uncertain future, thus leading to holiday depression.

The year is coming to an end, and peo­ple’s good moods turn sour. Statistics say that suicide rates go up during the holidays; 15-20% of teens go though depression.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that tends to occur and re­occur as the days grow shorter in the fall and winter. It is believed that people affected re­act to the decreasing amounts of sunlight and the colder temperatures as the fall and win­ter progresses. Seasonal affective disorder is also sometimes called winter depression, winter blues or the hibernation reaction.

Overwhelming financial burdens on fam­ilies can become especially painful during the holidays. When teens witness parents and others struggling with money, they become stressed. Some teens become burdened with finances and don’t deal well when they don’t have enough money during the holidays. Job loss and debt can lay a strong weight during the holidays which can all come crashing in together at the same time.

The demands of shopping, parties, family reunions and house guests also contribute to feelings of tension. People may develop oth­er stress responses such as headaches, eating and difficulty sleeping.

Although the holidays are widely known to be a time of cheer, that may not always be the case. It is important to monitor how the holidays affect others to ensure it does not happen to you. If you are feeling any of these symptoms visit http://www.webmd.com/depression/holidays07/default.htm for more information.

Winter is in the Air

by: Taylin Nelson

Dance recitals, choir shows, band con­certs and theatre performances have filled the past month.

Several of Ms. Trent’s performing arts classes came together to create a winter wonder clash last Tuesday, December 7. The percussion and newly-formed jazz band were featured at the concert as well as the concert band, playing three of the songs that will be showcased in Texas.

To close the show, the Wildcat Marching Band played a myriad of holiday songs rang­ing from “Feliz Navidad” to “Sleigh Ride”.

On December 10 and 11 theatre troupe 6901 performed the plays A Doll’s House and Leaving Arianna.

The first performance of the night was A Doll’s House, a timeless piece all about peo­ple and their decisions. Senior director Tory Tennyson has always loved the story. “I love the story so much, and I wanted the audience to experience the non-traditional feminist viewpoint of the play. I had been studying the play, and it just caught my interest.

Tennyson also felt that her play would interest anyone. “A Doll’s House does ap­peal to a more mature audience; however, I really do think that it has something for ev­erybody simply because the characters are relatable.”

Afterwards was a brief intermission and then the night continued with the perfor­mance of Leaving Arianna. Both plays had a high performance level and ultimately two shows for the price of one.

There was also a choir show last week that showcased the students’ talents as they sang a collection of Christmas songs. The most popular song seemed to be “Christmas Shoes”, a tear-jerker that embodied the self­less and giving nature that Christmas brings to people.

There were many holiday favor­ites performed, such as a variety mix of “It’s Beginning to Look Alot Like Chirstmas”from the Evolution Show Choir. There was also an all-boy performance where they sang an Elvis medley and, like every year, there was an all girl performance of “Carol of the Bells”.

Willow Canyon’s ‘Dear John’ Heartfelt Love Story

by: Marcus Dudas

Senior Serenity Lorentz plans to study animal physiology at the University of Arizona, an estimated 1,800 miles from Chicago, Illinois.

That distance is important to her, because while she fills her head with images of splintered horse femurs and X-rays of happy meal toys being digested by the most indiscrimi­nate of canines, she has to worry about the man she loves be­ing shot at during military training: former Willow Canyon student Patrick Josiah Marks.

The United States military plans on shipping Marks to Chicago, Illinois, on February 22, 2011, to begin his re­cruit training command. After eight weeks he could end up in California, Virginia or Florida where he will start his A-school.

There they will teach him how to be an aviation machinist mate, a crucial engineering occupation that ensures the safe flight of carrier jets and other aeronautic vehicles.

“I knew I wanted to be a part of this country’s military since I was thirteen,” Marks said. “I knew I wanted to be in the sky in the jets that fly over us all the time. My ultimate goal is to be a naval aviator. I had seen my friends join and become the defenders of this country, and I wanted that.”

Letters come once a week where Marks will be staying in recruit training command, but no other form of communica­tion is permitted for the duration of his training. “It’s hard on relationships, the long distance, and it’s silly, but I’m afraid of training accidents,” said Lorentz.

“He asked me once if we were going to stay together, and we said we’d work around it. I think I could go on the ship with him, but I’ll be dealing with college then.”

Neither Marks nor Lorentz can guess what toll their rela­tionship will take while separated, but both feel certain their bond can weather his departure and withstand the months he will be away when he is finally assigned to a carrier that he hopes will be the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan.

For now, at least, they can enjoy each other’s company. As a former student of Willow Canyon, Marks thanked all of his teachers and friends, Mrs. Wenz (for showing him the beauty of ink, the marvel of paper) and the Paw Print for sharing his story. He also urged students to respect the moment of silence that is held each day after the Pledge of Allegiance. “For God’s sake, keep it silent. Men and women around the world gave their lives for that moment of peace you have,” said Marks.

Dance Loves the ‘80s

by: Zeanna Hawk
The “I love the 80’s” winter dance con­cert opened Wednesday, December 1 and went through Friday, December 3.The concert was held in the Willow Canyon au­ditorium at 7 p.m. each night. The first night of the concert was sold out, and over 200 people were turned down at the door. The second night, Thursday, was not sold out; however, on the third and last night, all the seats were filled.

“I love 80’s music, so I was excited for the winter dance concert,” said freshman Tara Crockom, who is also a member of Canyon Fusion Dance Company.

All of the Willow Canyon Dance class students (beginner, intermediate, and ad­vanced); Twisted Legacy and Canyon Fusion Dance Company performed in the concert. The dancers practiced for over two months as the concert was evaluated as part of the dancers’ final grade for the semester.



Starting from the left, seniors Tiffany Roverts, Lindsay Moore
and Jillian Morris perform "Sunglasses at Night" at the "I Love
the 80's" Winter Dance Concert performed on Dec. 1,2,3



The concert involved a variety of dance styles: ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary and hip- hop. The concert gave all of the dancers an opportunity to showcase their talents to their families and friends.

Canyon Fusion Dance Company per­formed the songs “Fame”, “Welcome to the Jungle”, and “Footlose”.

Twisted Legacy danced to “Beat It” and “80’s Mix.”

The dance classes showcased the songs “Call Me”, “Rhythmn Nation”, “Love is a Battlefield”, “Tainted Love” and “Oh Mickey”.

Dance teacher Ms. Jolena Wilson said, “I hope that everyone had a good time and feels accomplished. It’s a lot of hard work, but it’s so rewarding to see everyone come together and share what they love to do.”

The finale of this year’s winter dance concert involved a significant number of the dance class students and Canyon Fusion performing to Michael Jackson’s song “Thriller.” The dancers who performed “Thriller” were dressed in red, black and white zombie costumes that they made themselves. Senior Andrew McKnight por­trayed Michael Jackson.

“I loved the winter dance concert; it was fantastic! I plan on having dance class every year so I can be in the concert,” said fresh­man Maria SanAndres.

For Ms. Wilson and all of the dancers, the winter dance concert is important for their dancing futures as well as to have a good time in general. “It’s like my Super Bowl,” said Ms. Wilson.

Actors Portray Inspiring True Story

by: Natalie Pinkowski

Leaving Ariana is written and directed by Seniors Safa Doost and Lauren Campos. Leaving Ariana will be performed at the Thespian Festival in Phoenix on November 19 and 20. Doost’s in­spiration for the play was inspired by her mother’s true, life story.

“In the hills of Southwest Asia, the small country of Arianna lay hidden from the rest of the world. Under this isolation, the people of this great nation prospered and were ensured freedom and secu­rity. Sadly, these freedoms could not last, as other nations took them under siege,” said the narroator of Leaving Arianna, junior Aaron Curry.

Doost’s mother, Farzana, was forced to leave Afghanistan and unwillingly leave her fiance to take on the role as mother of her family at the young age of 18. The play shows the charisma and the integrity Farzana obtained to overcome each struggle on her journey to happiness thirty-one years ago.

Doost said, “I was talking to Lauren about my mother’s life story, and Mrs. Swinney happened to overhear, and she came up with the idea of turning her story into a play.”

Directors Doost and Campos are excited about their hard work to pay off along with the leads senior Jackie Hines and senior Jesse Strommen.

Strommen said, “We get to perform at the conference, which is cool because it’s an opportunity for our work to be judged.”

Hines said, “Everyone is excited about the premiere of the play because it is a true story, and the characters have more sentimental value. Which is all the more honor of being cast as the lead because I am portraying a real person. I am grateful that the directors had enough confidence in my acting capabilities. I can’t wait to see how everything turns out.”

Leaving Arianna will also be performing for the public on December 10 and 11, with ticket prices at $5 for children and stu­dents with and I.D. and $10 for adults.

Thanksgiving Brings Happiness to All

by: Kendell Shanklin

On November 25, Americans fill their tables with food in cel­ebration of the cooperation between the Native Americans and English colonists on a special holiday called Thanksgiving.

In 1621, Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians held the first feast of Thanksgiving and have continued to do so for about four centuries. However, the feast was really a common tradition for a different reason.

Previously, “Thanksgiving” was a feast in celebration of the autumn harvest and thanks for successful bushels of crops. Even before the European colonists had arrived in America, the Native Americans organized harvest festivals, ceremonial dances and other various events in thankfulness.

Thanksgiving was also celebrated in 1619, in Berkley Plantation, where people knelt in prayer and pledged “thanksgiving” to their God for their healthy arrival after a long voyage across the Atlantic. Nevertheless, whoever began the tradition of Thanksgiving, it still continues today.

In present day, a Thanksgiving meal revolves around the turkey, but that was not the case back in the 1600s. Pilgrims ate many dif­ferent kinds of meats and a select few dishes of vegetables, as the variety people are now provided with was not as grand then.

There were also no sweets such as: cakes, breads and pie due to the sugar (that had been brought over on the Mayflower) had, in time, ceased in supply.

Two common Thanksgiving symbols, apart from the Pilgrims with large hats, belt buckles and turkey, are the cornucopia and pumpkins. The cornucopia represents the many harvests of vegetables and fruit that were available and eaten by the Pilgrims during the first sea­sonal feast. Pumpkins were just a widely-cooked dish.

Though it was celebrated, Thanksgiving was not a national holi­day until the Civil War in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln announced it to be a national holiday celebrated each November.

Other countries celebrate this holiday in their own forms, tra­ditions, dates and sometimes upon a different title. Apart from the olden traditions of the European colonists and Native Americans, people today create artwork, teach the history, have parades, wish on the turkey’s wishbone and sometimes

Physics Class Brings New Challenges to Students

A group of students work in Mrs. Kremer's new,
challenging physics class this year.

by: Nicole Sloggett

Willow Canyon is offering a new physics class this year. Students have been waiting for this course to be of­fered, as it returns to campus for the first time in almost three years. This class will be a first for juniors and seniors on campus.

Science teacher Mrs. Kremer says the twenty-four ju­niors and seniors in her seventh period class are ready to take this exciting course. Kremer said the students are “super pumped” for this class to have been offered this year.

The class is a calculus-based physics course that is not required for graduation. Physics is described as the natural science of matter, energy, force, motion and the interactions of it. Students in this class have a specific interest in engi­neering and physics, and students can take what is learned in this class and apply it to this area of studies when they go off to college.

“I’ve always been good at science, so I was interested in taking this class,” said junior Morgan Anspach.

Even though this class is not required, it is an incentive for students who are particularly interested in science-relat­ed careers. Most, if not all, students taking this course plan to pursue a career in the science field.

Taking this class now can definitely give them an advan­tage when choosing college courses and even starting a ca­reer afterward. Careers that these students are interested in range from mad scientists to quantum physicists and even to being a physics teacher.

“I’d like to be a pilot someday,” said junior Craig Zubchevich.

The students will participate in many experiments Mrs. Kremer has planned throughout the school year. Senior Christian Cooper is interested in all of the experiments that will take place.

“We will be doing an egg drop, building a hover craft (that actually has to work), making a mobile and making a race car out of cardboard,” Mrs. Kremer said.

Zubchevich said, “I’m going to like any acceleration ex­periments we do.”

With help from Mrs. Kremer, the students will focus in on their interests and learn new things that can lead to a possible career. The year will be filled with assignments, labs and experiments that will keep the students busy.

Thespian Festival Fun

by: Alyssa Poci

Willow Canyon High School Theatre Troupe 6901 attends the annu­al Thespian Conference at the Phoenix Convention Center on Friday and Saturday November 19-20.

The Thespian Conference is "a two day thespian festival at which you can unite and compete in individual events (I.E), go to workshops, attend main stage performances, and have a dance at the end, " said senior Christian Hall.

Anyone from grades ninth through twelfth is eligible to go, and the total cost for the trip is $100, which includes food, a t-shirt and the trip all together.

Every year there is a theme for the Thespian Conference; last year the theme was “Don’t Mean a Thing If You Ain’t Got That Swing”, and this year’s theme is “Welcome Home”, celebrating 30 years of Thespian Conference.

Senior Christian Hall and Sophomore Levi Eckland

practice their sword fighting in theatre class

The Thespian Conference consists of main stage productions, IEs, competitions, and workshops from improvisation to stage combat. Thespian Conference has over 118 workshop sessions, including: musical the­ater, voice lessons, juggling, sword fighting, improvising, dance lessons, the basics of magic tricks, practice for auditions, direct­ing tips.

At the woorkshops, thespians can learn more about specific traits and expand their skills, which can help with being an actor, a director or a techie.

The Tech Olympics will also be part of the workshops. Tech Olympics are where teams of about five or six people compete for the fastest times in events. A few events are knot tying, quick changes, plugging in sound systems and light adjustments.

The conference also comes with many opportunities: talent agencies come to conferences, looking for talented students that are looking for a movie opportunity. Colleges also come to observe, with over 60 auditions and a scholarship of $3,300 given away. Teen Magazine comes as well to take pictures for a story in their magazine.

Sophomore Peyton Sikorski is excited to go. "Just getting together with your troupe and meeting new people is the best. And all the workshops; it's great." Willow Canyon’s theater troupe will be competing in several events. Hall also said, “I am excited for in­dividual events and performing our group musical on the main stage.”

STEM: Setting the Standard in Science

The Willow Canyon STEM Club has been chosen by Science Foundation Arizona to be a “model” for all future high school STEM clubs in Arizona, and possibly America and worldwide. Willow Canyon’s STEM Club (Science Technology Engineering Math) has been requesting grants that are worth mil­lions of dollars working with the Science Foundation of Arizona so that STEM is worldwide in every school from elemen­tary up until high school.

This will also allow Willow Canyon’s STEM club to be able to afford to ex­plore what’s beyond the basic STEM foundations. STEM Club helps students develop leadership and people skills, and it also helps them decide what profession they want, where they can receive train­ing, and if there are any scholarships out there for them.

“I enjoy the members and activities we do in STEM,” said freshman Sydni Quincey.

Willow Canyon’s STEM Club con­sists of two parts: STEM Club itself and RoboMasters; RoboMasters is where the students build and learn about robots. The robots they build are made out of the LEGOS pack called, LEGO Mindstorm NXT Robots. These robots have sound sensors, motion sensors, ultra sonic, and touch sensors.

“It’s just a fun, forgiving system,” said Mr. Tennyson, adviser for STEM Club.

STEM Club also gets to dissect Zhu Zhu pets (to learn about reverse engi­neering), go to Arizona Sate University, dissect cats, make robots, have ASU stu­dents come to WCHS and participate in Pi day.

“Pi day is a day where we stay at school after school hours and do activi­ties dealing with Pi, and we eat pie of all flavors too,” said Mr. Tennyson. The club is planning a trip to visit BioSpere.

SADD: Working to Make a Difference for Teens

By: Zeanna Hawk

SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) is a club that helps teenag­ers explore solutions to existing problems in America that they might encounter such as drugs and alcohol. “SADD club affects all students lives,” said advisor of SADD, Mr. Frazer.

SADD Club’s mission is to provide stu­dents with the best prevention tools pos­sible to deal with teenage issues: underage drinking, impaired driving, traffic safety, tobacco use, drug use, violence, mental health, eating disorders, sexual activity, teen pregnancy, teen suicide, STD’s, HIV/AIDS. Every year, over 72 million teenag­ers die in the United States because of these issues. There are state events and school events such as Red Ribbon Week that help bring awareness to the public but also to help find solutions to this rapidly growing problem. During September the state events were SADD sign up (Membership Drive), Suicide Prevention Week and National Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week. “It is probably the most important club on campus,” said Mr. Frazer.

The SADD Club’s president is Alissa Compian. “SADD Club is important be­cause without the knowledge SADD has given teens we wouldn’t know why it is im­portant not to drink or do drugs,” said fresh­man Matt Burns.

Willow Welcomes Mr. Greenway to its Staff

By: Sierra Withrow
Mr. Greenway is the newest addition to the administration team at Willow Canyon as the athletic director. He has many goals for Willow Canyon. "I want to make sure students know our school is a safe and fun place to be," said Mr. Greenway.

Mr. Greenway is the new vice principal.

Mr. Greenway had many reasons for becoming an assistant principal. He said, "I wanted to make a positive impact on the students’ lives and curriculum." Being new to a place, even as an assistant principal, can be a hard adjustment, but Mr. Greenway is embracing it all head on. "I enjoy being here, and I like working with the staff and the students."

While there are many positive things Mr. Greenway sees happening at Willow Canyon, he would also like to help implement some changes. "I would love to see students get more recognition for what they do, and increase student involvement. I want students to have all the information they need to succeed for college, starting with ninth grade."

Mr. Greenway wants not only for students to get involved more but parents as well. He wants all parents and guardians to know what their children are doing, how they are doing and ways to get them on the right path to college.

"I want to start parents’ night throughout the year so they know the best ways for their child to get to college." He wants all the students who attend Willow Canyon to have a bright and happy future after leaving high school. Mr. Greenway is excited to get students more involved and making a positive change for Willow.

 

Scholarship Tips for Class of 2011

By:Eboni Mcfadden

Now is the time for seniors to start ap­plying for scholarships, and lack of money should not be an excuse for not going to school. Scholarships are relatively easy to fill out. Usually an essay accompanies applying for a scholarship. Counselor Mrs. Seese said, “You [seniors] all should have a good number of college applications submit­ted by October 15th and almost all of them by November 1.”

There are so many little things someone could get a scholarship for, but there is a catch: looking for them. Mrs. Seese said, “You should research scholarships several ways. Access the WCHS counseling web­site and speak with your counselor. Also, talk with your parents and relatives to see if their place of employment or clubs and orga­nizations offer scholarships. It is ultimately your responsibility to search out and apply for scholarships.”

Mrs. Seese also encouraged students to attend the Financial Aid Night tenta­tively scheduled for December 8 with their parents.

There are many other grants out as well, but students should be careful to only fill out scholarships with the “.org” on the end. Look for money to go to school and don’t waste time. Apply for everything possible because it is possible to get money for school.

1. Look for scholarships.

2. Pay attention to deadlines for scholarships.

3. Ask parents if their businesses have scholarships.

4. Plan out what to do on a calendar.

5. Ask for scholarship recommendations weeks ahead of time.

6. Plan to attend December 8 financial aid night.

7. Make a “Fast web” account.

8. Start to fill out the FAFSA as soon as possible (see eligibility for loans, grants, scholarships).

9. Check the school website for scholarships.

10. Send the paper application at least 5 days before it is due so it can make it in time.

11. Apply for college now.

12. Follow all directions and sign everything in ink or typed

Tricks, Treats and Ghoulish Freaks

By: Taylin Nelson and Kendall Shanklin

Halloween has always been a time for candy, pranks, costumes and things that go bump in the night. “Trick or Treat” is a phrase used countless times on the night of October 31. Children and teenagers roam throughout the neighborhood streets, ringing doors and asking for candy. There seems to be no reason behind the request today, be­sides the joy of gluttony; however, this com­mon phrase does retain a history.

Back in the early 1900’s, neighboring children would vandalize shops or stores on Halloween night and would often “dress-up” so as not to be recognized. In hopes of gain­ing protection, shopkeepers would give out a loaf of bread or sweets to children to protect their shop from the vandals.

The term “trick or treat” came from these events, and although it died down heavily during the Depression and World War 2, it came back permanently afterwards when the baby boom occurred across the nation.

The 1950’s brought about the first sale of bite-sized candy to hand out on Halloween night, effectively concreting this tradition into America’s roots.

Along with the tasty part of Halloween, there is always the ominous side that makes this holiday exhilarating to so many. Growing up, every child hears about vam­pires that will suck blood, ghosts that will haunt dreams and witches that will cackle in the night sky.

Being older, these monsters seem infan­tile compared to brain-sucking zombies, black-haired grudges and psychopaths who turn human flesh into coats.

The international concept of a vampire stemmed from Bram Stoker’s classic novel Dracula, which includes all of the regular vampire lore people hold in their minds to­day. However, Stoker’s novel was not all fiction; it was based off of a real-life figure called Vlad Tepes, more morbidly known as Vlad the Impaler.

Vlad was most known for his extremely violent nature and grisly fascination with beheading people. It is rumored that he be­headed up to 100,000 men, women and chil­dren of Wallachia.

He once insisted on having dinner out­side as his guards cut off body parts and impaled people while he ate. It is obvi­ous why vampires now seem so scary. Ghosts were the first-ever “monsters” to be mentioned with the holiday of Halloween or “Samhain”. It was believed that on “All Hallows Eve” the lines between the world of the living and the dead became blurred.

On October 31, the spirits were said to come back from the dead and haunt the sur­rounding inhabitants. To precaution this, many people would “dress-up” to look as though they were one of the undead in hopes of being overlooked by the ghoulish specters.

Along with ghosts, there was always talk of witchcraft. Witches have been around for ages, always showing up in myths, stories and religion.

Witches are commonly viewed as ugly, warty old women who are often seen mix­ing a brew of hair-raising ingredients, cack­ling through the night sky on a knobby broomstick or casting spells on those who displease them.

The fear of witches mainly stemmed from the people’s fear of being turned into a toad or seeing evil spirits called up from their pasts. The witches themselves seemed scarier once they became taboo and were al­ways on the minds of the people.

Senior Charles Cooper said, “We scare little kids and trick-or-treat [as part of our Halloween tradition].”

Today, Halloween is less traditional and more commercialized. In America, trick-or-treating is merely a fun pastime and celebra­tion for the day of frights. People no longer dress in only scary costumes but anything that doesn’t represent their typical selves.

“I am going to be a ninja for my brother, because he used to always say ‘sss, sss, sss- ninja’,” said sophomore Erica Shurtleff.

Trick-or-treating has typically lessened in ages and is now seen as a child’s tradition. “It’s dumb because people think it’s not cool if you dress up for Halloween. Forget them,“ said junior Anthony Caban.

People today throw costume parties and often decorate their houses for the season with pumpkin, ghosts, skeletons, black cats. “We party the night away,” said junior Cody Jackson.

Halloween is one of the most looked- for­ward to holidays just because it offers ev­erything: family fun, traditions, costumes, monsters, haunted houses, the all important candy, and the feeling of sheer excitement brought on by the macabre foreboding that meanders in the air.

Mulan Honors Tradition

By: Alyssa Toci

Mulan Jr. opened on September 23 at 7:00 p.m. in the Willow Canyon High School auditorium. It also played on September 24 at 7:00 p.m., and Septmber 25 at both 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Tickets were $15 for adults and $10 for students and chil­dren at the door.

Mulan Jr. is about a girl who is expected to bring her family great honor by marry­ing and bearing sons, the traditional way of bringing honor to one’s family. But when Mulan fails her matchmaking test, everyone questions how Mulan is going to bring honor to her family.

When Chi Fu, the Chinese army’s scriber, announces China’s fiercest enemy, the Huns, have invaded China, Mulan’s father is called off to war. However, her father is inflicted by old battle wounds and is unable to go.

Mulan decides to take his place by pre­tending to be a man. During her journey with the Chinese army, Mulan makes new friends, meeets Captain Shang, starts to un­derstand the ways set down by her ancestors and learns the importance of writing her own destiny in stone

Director and senior Abigail Herbert said, “I am directing Mulan Jr. I chose this show because it is one of my childhood favorites, and I think we have the right people to per­form it exquisitely.”

The cast features junior Melissa Kamel as Mulan, senior Christian Hall as Mushu, junior Dakota Nunez as Shan Yu and Theo Berger as the combat director.

“I am taking the play version and com­bining it with the traditional Chinese theatre aspects and throwing it into the mix. And by doing so, this play will be extremely unique, but you will still be able to recognize your favorite childhood scenes, songs and charac­ters,” said Herbert.

Songs included in the play are: “I’ll Make a Man out of You,” “Honor to Us All,” “A Girl Worth Fighting For,” and “Reflection”.

One of the busiest days for Mulan Jr. was opening night. On Thursday, the audito­rium was packed with people. Students also spent all of Friday at school performing for their peers. On Friday, September 24, the cast of Mulan Jr played four shows in a row and a fifth show at 7:00 p.m. that same day. Saturday was also packed with people, both the 2:00 p.m. showing and the 7:00 p.m. showing.

For more information about Willow Canyon’s Theatre Troupe, go to http://www.inthespotlight6901.com.

Mr. Cotton

By: Kendell Shanklin
Mr. Rick Cotton is a new math teacher at Willow Canyon High School. He teaches geometry and geometry honors.
“I have not always wanted to be a teacher and look forward to the challenge of being at a new school,” Cotton said.
Mr. Cotton likes that Willow Canyon has a committment to excellence in education and student achievement.

Ms. Hartjen

By: Jessica Wood
Ms. Ashley Hartjen is an Algebra 1-2 and Algebra 3-4 Honors teacher. Ms. Hartjen has been teaching for two years.
“What I like about teaching is you get to know a ton of people and make a difference in people’s lives,” said Ms. Hartjen.
Ms. Hartjen likes that Willow Canyon has a great community: staff, administration, students and parents.

Ms. Edahl

By: Alyssa Toci
Mrs. Edahl is a government, economics, human rights, and U.S Justice System’s teacher.
Edahl said, “I like everything here. I like the staff, the teachers, the students. I don’t think there’s anything I don’t like about Willow.” Many teachers have one reason that inspires them to teach. Edahl said, “I am passionate about teens, history and government, so I try to inspire students to be as passionate as well.”

Mr. Mitchell

By: Jessica Wood
Mr. Josh Mitchell is a new CTE, A+ (Credit Recovery) teacher. Mr. Mitchell has taught for eleven years.Before Mr. Mitchell became a teacher, he graduated at Western Oregon University with a business degree and then decided to teach business. Currently, he is finishing his Masters degree in education at ASU.
Mr. Mitchell said, “I like that Willow Canyon has respectful students.” Besides teaching, Mr. Mitchell likes to play sports, reading, collecting comic books, and is busy with three boys.

Ms. Locker

By: Natalie Pinkowski
Spanish teacher Ms. Laura Locker teaches Spanish 3-4 and IB. Ms. Locker has had sixteen years of educator experience in foreign language, social studies and English.
Ms. Locker has always wanted to be a teacher. She teaches Spanish because she has a passion for languages. “I love that I can go to many different places and be able to understand and communicate,” said Ms. Locker. She asspires one day to translate a popular novel. One book she would be interested in translating is the Harry Potter series, translating it from English to Spanish.

Ms. Prassas

By: Jessica Wood
Ms. Danielle Prassas is a second year teacher who is from Colorado City, Colorado. Ms. Prassas is new to the Willow Canyon staff this year. She teaches English 1-2 and 3-4. Ms. Prassas said, “I teach English because I always had a passion for literature.”
Besides being an English teacher at Willow Canyon, Ms. Prassas is also the Varisty Cheer Coach. Ms. Prassas has many years of experience with cheer because in high school she was a cheerleader. She enjoys being an educator because she likes to affect others in a positive way.

Ms. Conter

By: Lauren Chartier
Ms. Jessica Lauren Conter used to teach at Desert View High School. Ms. Conter now teaches Spanish 1-2 and 3-4. Ms. Conter is mostly looking forward to the spirit, sports and the performances at Willow Canyon this year. She said, “I always wanted to be a teacher, and in high school I had an amazing Spanish teacher and he was my inspiration throughout college.”
Ms. Conter said, “I like working with kids and helping them realize their potential.” Besides teaching, she is interested in movies, books, traveling, cheer, softball and llamas.

Ms. Brown

Ms. Christina Brown teaches medical foundations. This will be Ms. Brown’s second year teaching. She likes teaching in Arizona because this is where her family and friends are. Ms. Brown is very excited about teaching medical foundations. She said, “I love learning about the human body and how to fix it.” She enjoys Willow Canyon’s school spirit. “I am just happy to be a Wildcat.”
Other interests that Ms. Brown has are photography, and in high school she enjoyed being in several clubs and was on the high school golf and tennis team.

Ms. Kargol

by: Jessica Green
Ms. Amanda Kargol came to WIllow Canyon from Dysart High School. She teaches integrated science and biology.
“What inspired me to become a teacher are two things: I enjoy learning new things and I like to help others, and I believe becoming a teacher I can combine both of these objectives by teaching,” said Ms. Kargol.
“I chose to teach science because I have a passion for life and learning. In science I get to teach students facts and theories about life.” Ms. Kargol loves how welcoming everyone at Willow Canyon has been.

Ms. Paine

 by: Jessica Green
Ms. Katelyn Paine is a new social studies teacher who came to Willow Canyon from Moon Valley High School. This is her second year teaching.
“I love how friendly everyone has been so far. All the staff and students have been very welcoming. I have a love for history and have a lot of fun teaching it. I only hope that I can help to make it fun for students to learn, too.”
“I have always wanted to be a teacher. But I had a teacher in high school that inspired me and helped me to pursue teaching as a career,” said Ms. Paine.

Mr. Moga

by: Sierra Jimenez

Mr. Victor (Daniel) Moga is new to Willow Canyon this year as an English teacher. He teaches freshmen and AP Literature and Composition. Mr. Moga said, “I enjoy teaching English because I enjoy the world of ideas as well as art.”
Mr. Moga said, “I am looking forward to increasing student’s knowledge of the subject.” Although this is Mr. Moga’s first year teaching, he is excited about having the chance to interact with students. “I wanted to teach at Willow Canyon because the energy, the vision, and the commitment to education,” said Mr. Moga.