Letters waiting to be mailed to the reciepients of the S.T.E.P Program letters. Photo Courtesy of Monique Becker.

Many teenagers received letters about two weeks after applying at the teen job fair that took place at the Island Grove Park in downtown Greeley.

No tolerance policies were made to reduce firearms and weapons, as well as alcohol, drugs and other substances to school. Under these policies when they are enforced, students are punished even for minor infringement of rules and codes.

Zero tolerence

Under the new bill the only cause for mandatory expulsion would be a student bringing a real firearm to school. More of the decisions made over discipline will be left up to the school administrators, instead of getting law enforcement involved.

Wednesday a House committee approved the bill unanimously. The bill will make drastic changes to the way schools can punish students. The bill has already been passed by the senate, according to republican B.J. Nikkel, there are enough supportive votes for this bill to land on the governor’s desk.

If the bill is put into effect schools all over Colorado will be seeing a change in the way discipline is handled.

Three members of the varsity tennis team as they hold hands knowing they have got a competitive road ahead of them. Photo courtesy of Alannah Roth.

Many of the players have high expectations as to what is going to happen. “I hope to go to state. It has been my goal for the last three years,” stated junior Sofia Sofias-Nall. She is ranked one for three singles going into regionals. The top two go to state so she will need to show up on top of her game.

After regionals there will be state and then tennis will be over. “I am sad tennis is going to be over. It has been fun this year,” commented Sofia. Although the season is almost over, everyone is pumped to finish out strong. The team plans to cheer each other on as they all try their hardest and hope for the best.

The chapters rotate by narrator, each one having their own interesting voice and perspective. Rachel, 15 when they first arrive, is extremely self-centered and vain. While at times annoying, it’s easy to understand why she is frustrated with the living conditions. She provides a perspective that is not particularly observant or insightful, but she is a comic relief and, although the reader will hate to admit it, fairly easy to relate to.
Leah, 14 when they arrive, is a very intelligent girl who strives to be the son her father never had. In the beginning of the novel, she looks up to him more than anyone, but by the end she forms her own opinions and realizes that he is crazy. Her twin sister, Adah, injured and “crooked” from birth, is personally my favorite character. She refuses to speak and instead writes in her notebook to express herself. She makes observations that the rest of the family could not perceive. While her siblings are faced with a Georgia-based biased towards the natives, Adah is the only character who, in the beginning, sees them as humans. She notices patterns in her reading, and is fascinated by palindromes (she can read a book forwards and then backwards and make sense of it in her own way). Ruth May, the very youngest 5-year-old, illustrates the story through the naïve eyes of a young child. Her hilarious perceptions of things join Rachel with comic relief.

The book is very beautifully written. The descriptions of the jungle itself are a good enough reason to pick up the book; however the story itself is a perfect image of the realities of a post-colonial world. Each character, except arguably Rachel, grows to realize that their father’s interpretation of salvation cannot be forced upon a different culture.

Nathan thinks that he must educate, as well as save, the people living there. His unending sense of self-importance and overwhelming ego make him unlikeable from the beginning. He expects obedience from his wife, and refuses to even consider allowing his daughters to attend college. However, he is an important aspect of the book, as he portrays the ignorant colonizer who refuses to acknowledge other beliefs and cultures.

The political turmoil in the Congo is also revealed. From the colonial rule of the Belgians and the election of President Lumumba who was assassinated (with the secret assistance of the Eisenhower administration), to the installation of dictator, President Mobutu, the novel shows the historical significance of the events of that time and a complete disregard for democracy that America supported.

The Poisonwood Bible is an excellent mixture of historical literature, beautiful descriptions, dark humor, a clash of cultures, and excellent character development.

Photo Courtesy goodreads.com

Esther Greenwood is an aspiring writer from Boston, Massachusetts, who gets her big break when she is accepted for an internship with a prominent New York magazine. The story takes place in 1950’s America. One would think Esther would be excited to finally have her chance of being recognized as a great writer, but her attitude is more frightened and glum. As she leaves New Yorkher mental state worsens to the point where she tries to commit suicide. Her mother finds her three days later and her life gets saved, much to Esther’s dismay. Esther is sent to a mental hospital and is treated with electroshock therapy. She says she feels as if she is in a “bell jar” being suffocated. Dr. Nolan is the women who is treating her so she can return to normal life, and the story ends with her entering a room filled with people who will decide if she gets to leave the hospital or not.

The Bell Jar has one questioning one’s own sanity by the middle of the book. The story is beautifully written and has some poetic qualities imbedded in it that reflects Plath’s poetry. The story talks about sensitive topics like depression, suicide, electroshock therapy, and even lobotomies.  The story can make one reflect about one’s own lives, since Esther is questioning all of the work she put into making her life what it is, and she has to ask herself if it was worth it. The book can be depressing at times, but it shows how one can be at the lowest point in their life and then have a chance at returning to normal life. Although there is a dark theme in the book, Plath’s narrative supplies a great amount of humor.

The Bell Jar is Plath’s only novel and is a great read for anyone that can take these dark subjects. When reading The Bell Jar, and if one is aware of Plath’s death, can change how one thinks of those suffering with depression. It shows how one can be at the brink of insanity, then rise back up again, only to fall in despair once again. It shows that depression is not a small glitch is someone’s life, but is a huge obstacle that can destroy people. Usually there is a stigma surrounding those with a mental illness, and the book is not sugar coating anything when looking inside the mind of a girl who is suffering greatly.

Photo Courtesy of Denver Center

Wicked takes place in a society of conformity, so when Elphaba, a smart and green skinned girl appears with magical powers, she doesn’t feel so welcome. When she discovers that the Wonderful Wizard of Oz is just a fake she decides to step out behind the crowd and expose his façade. Soon she ends up in a series of twists and turns where she becomes the target of a campaign where all of her actions are portrayed with evil intention.

The storyline is a spinoff of The Wizard of Oz. It tells the story of the witches. Galinda the Good Witch, Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West and Nessa the Wicked Witch of the East. It goes back before Dorthy was even heard of to a time when the Witches are at school. During the show there is a realization of truth that honesty that put within authority, a love triangle, and emotional problems from the past.

The set was wonderful. The space was spacious yet simple and gave the characters room to set the scene for the stage. The wardrobe was very thought out and went well with whatever scene they were doing. It was filled with eye popping color and bewitching detail. One of the best scenes of the night was “popular” where Galinda is giving Elphaba a makeover. The acting was spot on and the chemistry between all of the actors made the show worth watching.

The end of the play certainly takes a turn and leaves the audience with a surprising twist. It is a play that everyone in the family can truly enjoy.

Whatever it may be that will be the career that builds and sculpts the life that will be established. Once young teens, then young adults, now to be known as a matured well developed adult. Good Luck to all the graduating seniors , make this world a better place.

University Schools

“I can remember our first day of freshman year. I even remember what I was wearing. Now it’s almost over and we’ll be starting another first day of school… in college,” says Jack Pryzgoda, a graduating senior come this may. University is a school that will be missed by many, so why does it have such a bad reputation?

“I go to University Schools.” Is usually followed by an awkward silence or an, “I’m sorry.” Why is this? Why do peers from other high schools find the need to “feel bad” for the kids at UH, or to not have a response at all.

All of these people who had this response could never come up with a valid argument to back up their reasoning. What’s wrong with going to University Schools? People get good grades… Imagine that? Students excelling in school, so basically people are making fun of the fact that students at UH are smart.

There is a huge misconception of University being a private school. That’s incorrect. University is a charter school. There’s no tuition to go to UH. So people at University aren’t just “rich kids.” University classes are way harder is another misconception. That’s not true. West offers both International Baccalaureate Program and the Advance Placement classes. University offers advance placement and honors classes.

University is a school that allows one to make decisions and teaches students to think for themselves. The trust and relationships developed by teachers and their students are rare. It will make it hard for seniors to leave. “I am going to miss high school here, it feels like home,” says Ally Garza, senior.

As cliché as it sounds, I really had trouble putting the book down. Larsson’s writing style is very straight forward and literal. The simplicity allows the reader to truly focus on the story. With short sentences and simple language, one would think the story would be choppy, but it flows very well.

I’ve heard critics say that parts of the book are extremely boring. While there are long intervals where it discusses the corporations, or the Vanger family history, with a little concentration they aren’t that difficult to get through. There are times when the novel drags a little bit, but for the most part it keeps the reader excited to learn about the mystery. The “action” scenes are compelling and, although slightly unrealistic, very entertaining. The novel can go between what could be described as dull moments, and thrilling moments all in one chapter. The versatility makes the reader anxious, because there can always be something new coming.

This book is not for the faint of heart. Salander, in one particularly graphic scene, is raped by her “guardian” (who is supposed to ensure that she is doing alright). Sexual violence is a major theme, especially violence against women. While the scene is despicable and heartbreaking, it’s sickly satisfying later when she gets her revenge.

I found Blomkvist to be one-dimensional and underdeveloped, but Salander’s personality makes up for it. Her character is wonderfully written and easy to sympathize with. While she has been the victim of numerous injustices, she certainly does not act helpless in any way.

Overall, the book was very well done. Even for those who don’t particularly like mystery and crime genres (like myself) this book should be tried. It’s an acquired taste, so if the dull parts or graphic scenes leave a reader uninterested, they probably won’t enjoy the rest of the novel. The different aspects and themes weave the story together, keeping the interested reader guessing.

Photo courtesy campaigns.dailykos.com

CISPA is suppose to prevent private attacks on websites and will be used by homeland security. The bill is entirely different from SOPA. SOPA was to protect against copyright infringement, while CISPA is about cyber security. CISPA, if passed, can make private internet companies hand over customer information to intelligence and law enforcement agencies. The bill will begin to be debated on Thursday by the House of Representatives, and the final decision is to be made of Friday.

Facebook, Microsoft, and Intel support this bill, unlike the times when Congress was pushing for SOPA and PIPA. This has caused worry among people who think this may be a way that Facebook will be able to share private information with the government, but the company has insured people that are not their intention.

Some believe it is a way for the government to monitor private communication. The bill is to vague, and leaves to much room for people to speculate on what the bill allows the government to control. It has been nicknamed the “Big Brother” cyber security bill. There are petitions going on to stop the bill, and it is expected to get to one million signatures before Thursday. Savannah Whitfield, freshman, commented, I don’t believe that the government should be able to gain access to private information, but there should be a way for them to prevent attacks online.”

The outcome of this bill is debatable. Although a large amount of the population disagrees with the bill, a large amount of Congress supports it. The bill if passed will upset many people.