Helix Publications
Karyn Johnson
Deidra Nitz
Alexis Keene
Blythe Gabriel
Brittany Iles
Rylea Olsen
Morgan Warner
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My name is Deidra Nitz. I am 18 years old, have attended Helix since kindergarten, and this is my fourth year working on the yearbook. I love to be active and I have tons of energy to spare. I have player Basketball for three years, tennis since freshmen year, and this year i did cross country as the schools lone runner. What I'll miss the most when i graduate is being around the people that make me laugh, plus I will miss the sports.
The name is Rylea Nicole Olsen. I’m a 16 year-old sophomore and this is my fifth year at Helix and I'm still kinda liking it. This is my second year in Publications and I absolutely love it! I’m involved in Key Club and I love that because it helps me have a different perspective on life and help people out that really need it. I love and enjoy playing basketball. I also love hanging with my friends and family, going to concerts and football games, camping, fishing, riding four-wheelers, and just being really silly with my best friend Alexis Keene.
Hey! My name is Blythe Gabriel and I am a 16 year old junior. I have attended Helix Schools since 8th grade. This is my first year on the Publications team and so far I love it. I enjoy the photography part of Publications the most. I love playing Volleyball and basketball, spending time with my family and friends, riding horses, and outdoor activities. I am also an active member in Key Club, FBLA, and I am the ASB Secretary.
Hey I’m Brittany Iles! I’m 15 and a Freshman. I'’ve attended Helix since Kindergarten. I have 3 major sports that I take part, in which are, volleyball, basketball, and softball. If you know me at all you probably realize that I smile and laugh a lot. My favorite color is either baby blue or black but it really just depends on the day. Sports, youth group, reading, or hanging out is usually what you find me doing in my free time unless homework has me tied up. Publications was not what I expected the class to be like and it's definitely a learning experince, but I enjoy it. But any who, that's me! :)
My name is Alexis Keene! I am a freshman at Helix High School, I have been going here since 5th grade. I chose publications because one of my favorite shows has to do with newspaper writing. I really enjoy publications, and hope I will do it the rest of my 3 years in high school. I like to play basketball, hang with my dog, and go to youth group in my free time.
Hey! My names Morgan Warner, and Im a freshman this year and also a new student. I really like it here. My favorite sport is volleyball. I really love this class and plan to take it for the next three years. When Im not in school I like to participate in hunting and golfing and hanging out with friends. Im a pretty laid back person and Im looking forward to whats next in Publications.
Hey I’m Karyn Johnson! I’m a 16 year old Sophomore at Griswold high school. I been in the Helix school District since 8th grade. This is my first year in publications and so far it has been a fun and challenging class. I’m involved in 2 sports, Basketball, and Volleyball, the sports keep me going especially during the winter when I’m not able to be as active as when the weather is decent. I love spending time with family, friends, and riding my horses in the wheat fields. Horses are a huge protion of my life, to me nothing feels more accomplishing than taking a horse that is seen as worthless, and making it into something beautiful.
Reporters
Quest for the perfect pretzel with cheese
By Deidra Nitz
In this exciting world there are many different types and kinds of people. I guess that this also applies to foods. Pretzels, just like us humans, come in many different types.
Some may be sweet while others are on the dry side. Yet somewhere out there in this vast world is the perfect pretzel.
With this thought in mind, I decided to find out where this perfect pretzel may be hiding. Since I am only a high school student, I decided to limit my search to local high school snack shacks.
During basketball games, the players load the bus. Many go to play a basketball game and since I too am a player, I was able to pull double duty and search for the perfect pretzel.
I attended several games before I was able to locate a school that sold pretzels. This first location was at a Sherman County basketball game on December 2nd, 2011.
The pretzel was on the dry side with way too much salt. I recall having to scrape off more than half of the salt before I was even able to eat it. The size was that of a common store bought pretzel. Not small and not big, but just in the middle.
To make matters worse, the cheese was what I would call nacho cheese. The kind people buy to schlop on their nachos. Because of this very spicy cheese, I had to take several gulps of water after each bite from my pretzel.
Because of the cheese that came with the pretzel and the huge amount of salt, I am only able to give this pretzel a low score of 4.5 out of 10.
The next game was at Touchet, WA. Although I find the Touchet basketball players to be an … aggressive… team, I do find their pretzels to be enjoyable.
Their pretzels are $1.00 for only the pretzel and $1.25 with cheese. Here, I happily bought two pretzels with cheese.
The pretzel isn’t anything special. It is a common pretzel and tastes just like a normal pretzel, too. There is just the right amount of salt, and I don’t find myself panting for water after each bite.
The cheese is not good…yet not bad. It has a very different taste that cheese doesn’t normally have. It is not spicy which I very much enjoy. But the cheese has a sweet cinnamon-like flavor.
Because of Touchet’s cheese flavor, I am only going to rate their pretzel a 5.99 out of 10.
On December 10th, our basketball team set out for Long Creek. After the game I made my way to the snack shack. I was greeted by a sad sight.
Long Creek’s pretzels were bite-sized. They were the tiny version of a pretzel. On top of that, the pretzel had no salt, which I find essential for a good tasting pretzel. Plus they had the gall to charge a whole dollar for it.
On top of that, they poured the cheese right next to the pretzel without a container. By the time I was to the last bite of my pretzel, the cheese had made the pretzel soggy.
There is a bright side to this pretzel though. The cheese was perfect. It was real pretzel cheese. Not too spicy and it had a creamy taste to it.
Because of the lack of good pretzel quality, I only am able to give this pretzel a measly 3 out of 10.
Finally on December 17th our team went to Imbler. Although the pretzel was two dollars, it was a big pretzel so I could understand the price.
But again, I found myself disappointed by the cheese. The cheese was downright nasty. I only dabbed my pretzel in the cheese and threw the rest of it away.
I give this pretzel only 4.5 out of 10.
Sadly, I have not found the perfect pretzel anywhere while on my basketball adventures. Yet there is one pretzel that I can say is perfect.
At the Helix Community Pool, I worked the summer in the pool office. I made many pretzels there and I believe that they tasted by far the best.
The pretzels were placed in the microwave after having water squirted on them with a sprinkle of salt. They stayed in the microwave for a minimum of 45 seconds.
The pretzel was soft and not hard or mushy. Also the pretzel was one of those giant ones. The cheese was pretzel cheese which went well with the pretzel.
This pretzel which was so far my favorite, was only a dollar twenty-five. I believe that a 9.3 out of 10 is in order.
So I guess the saying that If something can’t be done right then do it yourself, is true, especially when it comes to the wild world of pretzels.
On the run, thriller, some comedy, what else could one hope for?
Almost everyone loves a good movie. Some may like a romance, while others like a horror film. Abduction isn’t really either of these, but it sure does give an amazing performance. Abduction is classified as a thriller-on the run, action, drama, and mystery all in one.
The film starts off with Nathan, played by Taylor Lautner, finding his picture as a child on a missing person’s website. He starts to question whether his parents are who they really say they are.
But there is a twist. Nathan isn’t really a missing child. The story goes on to explain who Nathan really is.
Nathan finds out that his dad is a really important black ops man. His dad stole something valuable from the enemy. The enemy is now going after Nathan who still needs answers to his questions about who he really is.
They believe that if they catch Nathan, that he will be a very important bargaining chip in getting back the stolen information.
Nathan goes on the run; bad guys are killing anyone who tries to help him. Karen, played by lily Collins, tags along with Nathan.
She tells him that her parents are on a trip and her uncle is the one taking care of her. Nathan realizes that if she goes back to her house she will be killed.
Throughout the movie, the setting is in many different areas. It is set in the present time, but the characters can be seen swimming though a lake, sleeping in the woods, running through abandoned houses, hiding in unseen areas, and at a baseball game.
Critics do what they do best: criticize. Many professional reviews on Abduction aren’t positive. They blame Taylor Lautner’s bad acting and cheesy lines for this movie’s bad rating.
Although there are a few cheesy lines in the movie such as: “There’s a bomb in the oven,” doesn’t mean that the movie is bad.
On the topic of Taylor’s bad acting, I believe that belief is bogus. Taylor did an amazing job acting when he saw his fake parents killed. He played the part amazingly, showing many emotions.
Lautner along with co-star Lily Collins, presented themselves well throughout the movie. Lily Collins, who played Karen, did show great talent.
Collins showed unbelievable acting while she and Nathan narrowly escape a run in with one of the bad guys while on a train. During this scene, she had to be able to portray a teenage girl who is crying with fright.
Abduction is rated PG-13 mostly for one scene on the train where Nathan and Karen share a very intense kissing moment. Some other sensitive areas in Abduction are when men are being shot and killed, and when Nathan throws a dead bad guy out of a train window which had been broken by him.
Abduction runs 1 hour and 46 minutes which is sort of long. But the minutes run by quickly and almost seem too fast because of how much the viewer is involved emotionally with the movie.
Overall I would recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys a good action show. Don’t read the reviews and say to yourself that you won’t watch it. Before you judge Abduction, based on what other people say, watch it for yourself. I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed.
Stepping up to a challenge is what Morgan Warner is best at
It doesn’t just happen for high school athletes to play on varsity. It takes a lot of practice, mental training, hard work, and dedication to achieve this, and Morgan Warner a freshman at Griswold High School has done just that.
Before moving to Helix this past summer, Morgan lived in Pendleton, and she only considered Helix after hearing about how nice the people were.
Although even before moving to Pendleton, Morgan lived in Arizona for nine years. She really loves her family and enjoys doing stuff with them.
Playing golf is one of them. Morgan tags along with her dad and grandpa when they play and when her dad goes hunting Morgan also goes, although she feels bad when the animal gets shot.
In mid-August, two weeks before school even started, Morgan began Daily Doubles also known as Hell Week by the volleyball girls.
Daily Doubles is where volleyball players come to the high school’s gym and begin practice starting at six to eight am and then again from six to eight pm.
Because Morgan participated in Daily Doubles, she had the opportunity to meet students before the school year started. Morgan was able to make friends with these girls, making it a little less frightening to move up to high school.
“"It was easier than it would be in Pendleton because it’s smaller and volleyball also made it easier to make new friends,"” Warner stated.
For some of the season Morgan played on junior varsity, but after Sydney Cave was forced to stop playing due to a knee injury, Morgan and a few other JV players had to step up to help out the team.
The first time Morgan got to play on varsity was only for a few minutes, but during that time, she tried her best to play up to pace with the other varsity players.
Morgan didn’t just get called into the game to replace Sydney; she worked very hard to be able to play in varsity.
“"I practice at home in the backyard with my mom a lot,"” said Morgan.
Morgan works really hard during practice; she can be seen hurrying back into the hitting line after she retrieves her ball before everyone else.
"“She’s optimistic, she sees the glass half full, not half empty,"” stated teammate Blythe Gabriel.
Morgan tries real hard not to get down during the game if things aren’t going the team’s way. She knows that if the game isn’t going too well that instead of pouting, she needs to try harder and if she does get upset, she doesn’t let it get to her.
During the team’s game against Elgin, Morgan didn’t expect to play on varsity. It was a nice surprise when varsity coach Tammie Parker called Morgan over and had her sub in for freshman Erin Cooper.
“"I was really really happy, and I had been working really hard improving and I was glad that the coaches had noticed,"” said Warner.
Morgan had been very nervous when she went in. Later though, she realized that she had played a lot better than she had thought she was going to play.
Watching Morgan play isn’t boring in the least. Many agree that Morgan takes her job on the court very seriously.
"“She doesn’t give up, she’s always cheering on her teammates, even if she’s on the bench,"” said spectator Rylea Olsen.
Along with Morgan, three other newbies have been gaining varsity experience: freshmen Jaelynne McCallum and Erin Cooper, and sophomore Karen Johnson.
Morgan plans on staying at Helix till her senior year and also plans on playing volleyball too. She has chosen to do so because she loves team sports where teammates support one another, encourage each other, cheer on one another, and congratulate each other when one does something good.
Under the sea experience
By Rylea Olsen
In 1968 founder Bill Darden opened the first Red Lobster in Lakeland Florida. In the early 1970s, the company spread through the whole Southeast, making it the national leader in seafood and dining restaurants. In 1995 Red Lobster along with the Olive Garden and later the Bahama Breeze all became a part of the Darden Restaurant Empire, as stated on their website.
Red Lobster is probably the best restaurant ever created. I would give this wonderful restaurant five stars out five simply because the food is delicious, the atmosphere really makes you feel like you’re at the coast, and the service is top of the line.
If you ever have a craving for seafood and you’re in the Tri-Cities area don’t ever think to go any other place than the Red Lobster. The restaurant is located directly across Columbia Drive from the Columbia Center Mall in Kennewick.
When you first walk in the door, your amazing experience begins. There is a tank full of live lobsters and it’s there so you can pick the lobster your want to eat. The atmosphere is exactly what you would think, ocean-themed with lots of friendly people.
The waiters and waitresses are always making sure you’re never bored. There are plenty of appetizers to go around and whatever drink you ordered, it just keeps coming.
The food was the best part of the whole experience. We started out with an appetizer called the New England Seafood Sampler. It featured lobster, crab, and seafood-stuffed mushrooms, lightly breaded clam strips and a skewer of wood-grilled, bacon-wrapped sea scallops. It was the best thing I have ever appetized with!
The next food item we had was Cheddar Bay Biscuits and Clam Chowder. The biscuits, with cheese and melted butter were probably the best bread item I have ever put in my mouth. The chowder was amazing, not too spicy and wasn’t too thick with ingredients.
And then it was time for our main dish which was called the Sailor’s Platter, it had hand-breaded fried shrimp, garlic shrimp scampi and oven-broiled fish fillet and broccoli. I’m not really a fan of shrimp, but how the chefs at Red Lobster prepared it made me a fan.
By this time you’re so full you don’t think you can stand up and your bladder is about to burst because you’ve had about five drinks. It’s really a wonderful feeling.
I was extremely pleased with the service. Our waitress was super nice and always made sure everything was running smoothly.
The prices are kind of expensive but it pays off in the end. The price for the Sailor’s Platter was $10.75, the New England Seafood Sampler was priced at $11.50, and the Clam Chowder was $4.50 per cup. The prices were pretty legit for seafood.
I was even pleased with the bathroom. The bathroom was very well designed and clean and if you didn’t have toilet paper, they got for you it as soon as possible.
All in all, this restaurant is beyond amazing. It’s probably one of my favorite restaurants and I recommend it to anyone. You will never be disappointed from the minute you walk through the door until the minute you leave.
Transformers Dark of the Moon Review
“Years from now they’re going to ask us “where were you when they took over the planet?” We’re going to say “We just stood by and watched.”
Shia LaBeouf is back again playing Sam Whitwicky in Transformers Dark of the Moon. The movie takes place in present day Washington, D.C. Not only is Sam, the main character back, but so are the Autobots and the Decepticons and this time they’re back to fight over Earth starting with tearing Washington, D.C. apart and they don’t care who or what gets in their way. As usual, the Autobots are helping Sam and his girlfriend Carly Spencer, played by new actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Lennox, played by Josh Duhamel defend our planet against the Decepticons, but this time the Decepticons are trying to bring Cybertron to Earth.
I would give this movie five stars out of five stars. There’s a ton of action and excellent acting. The Director, Micheal Bay did an amazing job making sure the lighting and contrast was perfect and it was. I couldn’t believe how real the graphics were. The action sequences featured eye popping computer generated scenes that made you believe it was all real I thought that actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley did an excellent job replacing actress Megan Fox, who starred in the first two installments. She took on a huge roll and succeeded very well. I even thought she did a better job playing the girlfriend then Megan ever did by fully immersing herself in the roll.
The music in this movie is also spectacular. It has its own original soundtrack just like the first two. One of the main bands on all of the soundtracks is Lincoln Park. They do an excellent job fitting the music to the movie.
This movie is amazing because you never really could have pictured that robots from a different plant could come down to Earth, hide themselves as automobiles and then transform in to these really cool crime fighting robots that defend us and the world from Armageddon.
I really enjoyed Transformers Dark of the Moon because it’s filled with nothing but action. You are literally on the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen next. There are even a few funny scenes here and there. I do advise you to watch the first and second movie just so you don’t get confused and wonder why all this stuff is happening. It will make more sense if you watch the first and second one.
I really do advise you to watch this movie if you are in love with anything action-scene related. It will blow you away with how real it looks. Even if you don’t normally like action films, I still advise you to watch it because you might get surprised and really like it.
Director Micheal Bay has also directed Armageddon and Pearl Harbor. Notice all have to do with the end of the world or an attack on the world.
This film is rated PG-13 for intense prolonged sequence of SCI-FI action, violence, mayhem and destruction, and for language, some sexuality and innuendo.
Blythe Gabriel guaranteed best poser at Griswold High
Helix Junior Blythe Gabriel has been told she’s an amazing poser. The sixteen-year-old junior not only participates in numerous activities such as volleyball, basketball, Key Club, NHD, FBLA, and ASB, but she’s also a model/ambassador.
Blythe started modeling in April of 2011, but not for what you would expect. She doesn’t model like the big New York models that strut down runways and jet set the world; she simply models for the fun of it in a very relaxed environment. Blythe models for local businesswoman Sunny Waggoner at a company called Kowgirl Kool which is a western boutique located in Pendleton.
Blythe got her start when Helix alumni Krystal Sundin brought it up to her when she worked for Kowgirl Kool. The suggestion piqued Blythe’s attention and struck her as being interesting. Once Blythe agreed to model for the store, she proceeded to model during all the rodeo and western events for the next six months. She modeled at local parades, rodeos, and PBRs and the job culminated in a rigorous week of modeling at the 2011 Round Up.
The hardest thing about modeling for Blythe is “"Looking good at every instant, either your hair or make-up is messed up or your shirts not right or even your face looks funny,"” commented Blythe.
The easiest thing for Blythe to do while modeling was doing what she was told to do. She was told by her boss that she’s a natural poser and is very good at it. “She’s never asked to do anything twice. She’s just really natural with the entire picture taking and posing the correct way, her inner beauty just comes out and you can see it in the pictures. "She’s easy to model and never shows up late,"” said Waggoner.
Modeling doesn’t come easy a lot of the time because you get frustrated and have to sit through an extremely long photo shoot, but Blythe put up with all of it. Waggoner said “"Each girl gets their picture taken fifty to a hundred times during each photo shoot.”"
All the pictures Waggoner’s husband takes are used in flyers, brochures, and are put on Waggoner’s Facebook business page. http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Bags-Buckles-Bling/330653134377
Blythe is always prepared to take a lot of pictures and it’s not easy because a lot of the time it gets frustrating. During a typical photo shoot, Blythe started flashing her beautiful smile at nine in the morning and didn’t stop until three in the afternoon. Blythe went through about three different outfits for each photo shoot and had to go to several different locations just to get the best landscape backgrounds.
She is very consistent at being on top of everything and possessed a great work ethic. "“You can always count on her to be good at doing what is asked of her and that already makes her a fantastic model,"” said Waggoner. Gabriel loves modeling because it gives her a chance to get out in the small towns of Oregon and meet new people.
“"When I get to meet all the new people, starting new friendships I feel is the most important thing to me and knowing I’m helping the company, bringing more business and getting the free clothes of course!”" said Blythe, reflecting on the most rewarding things about modeling.
Blythe also made a lot of memories while modeling but her favorite was when she got to model in the parade at Heppner. "“There were a lot of people there and the parade was literally one street long,"” she said.
Blythe was never paid for her modeling, but she did get to keep the clothes and the jewelry and she even gets a 50% discount at the store. I guess one could say that’s better than getting paid. Blythe is definitely the best poser Griswold High has ever seen.
Colorful Eatery
Restaurant Review By Alexis M. Keene
Mazatlan is a Mexican restaurant located directly across Court Street from the Round-up grounds in Pendleton, Oregon. Outside of Mazatlan stands the parking lot with a short walk to the door, which is always nice depending on the weather or how capable you are of walking. Inside the restaurant, there are bright reds, oranges, and yellows everywhere. The walls are painted with what looks like hand paintings. When you first walk in, there is a tiled floor with many different warm-colored tiles, and you will quickly be greeted with a worker who will show you a place to sit with no delay. There are party tables for large groups and booths for a smaller party. I have heard there is a bar, but I have not found out for myself because I am only fifteen.
Service is normally not bad, but on my last trip, throughout that whole experience, our waiter was a little disconnected and lacked smiles. Once you are seated you are given your menu, and they come right back within one minute to give you chips and salsa. The workers are sure to ask if you would like a mild salsa, and when you run out of chips they will bring you back more. While they are there they will ask what you would like to drink like most restaurants would do. Within what seems like two minutes, they will be back with your drinks and ready to take your order. In maybe fifteen to twenty minutes they are back with your food depending on how large your group is. The experience was great because the workers were on top of it and you didn’t have to wait very long for your food.
The food is really flavorful and there is so much of it, you want to keep eating, but you soon get full and can’t finish. On the bright side you can ask for a box to enjoy your food later that night. The prices are awesome cause you get so much food for not all that much money. The prices are around $10 to $20 for a dinner. They offer many different types of Mexican food, from taco salads to fajitas. And something really cool is that the menu shows you pictures of what some of the food looks like, along with a description of the meal. The food is not extremely spicy, but to the point where it fits your satisfaction. If you’re like me and don’t like tomatoes they will leave them on the very top so you can pick them off. You are able to ask for anything and they will give it to you if it’s available, and they constantly check on you to make sure everything is alright. The workers will let you choose what type of meat you would like: beef, chicken, or pork, and sour cream, salsa, and guacamole are usually included with your meal. Drinks consist of beer and margaritas, Shirley Temples and Roy Rodgers, fountain drinks, coffee, and water or milk. Refills are also available depending on the drink. If you don’t care too much for Mexican cuisine, they also offer hamburgers and chicken strips with fries. If you would rather have American food, then you are probably better off going to McDonalds or any other fast food place.
I really enjoyed Mazatlan, because of their wide selection of food that satisfied my taste at that moment, but what really bothered me was after I ordered, I saw food that I wished I got (darn)! The atmosphere was wonderful, and like I mentioned, the servers were attentive. I am not a big fan of Mexican food, I prefer Italian, but Mazatlan hit the spot. It was a fun experience and my favoritest (only if that was a word) place in all of Pendleton to get Mexican food.
New Year'’s Eve Movie Review
By Alexis Maree Keene
Genre: Comedy, Romance Cast: Hilary Swank as Claire Morgan; Robert De Niro as Stan Harris; Halle Berry as Nurse Aimee; Cary Elwes as Stan's Doctor; Michelle Pfeiffer as Ingrid; Zac Efron as Paul; Ashton Kutcher as Randy; Katherine Heigl as Laura; Jon Bon Jovi as Daniel; Sofía Vergara as Ava; Lea Michele as Elise; Josh Duhamel as Sam; Sarah Jessica Parker as Kim; Abigail Breslin as Hailey; Jake T. Austin as Seth; Jessica Biel as Tess; Seth Meyers as Griffin; Carla Gugino as Spiritual Dr. Morriset; Til Schweiger as James; Sarah Paulson as Grace; Sean O'Bryan as Pastor Edwin; Yeardley Smith as Maude; Jack McGee as Grandpa Jed; Ludacris as Brendan; Hector Elizondo as Kominsky; Ryan Seacrest as Himself
“Let the countdown begin,” which was the New Year’'s Eve (the movie) motto, brought much excitement and understanding to the connections of both the movie and the holiday. New Year’'s Eve follows the many adventures of different people, whether they were racing to win money, trying to win a girls heart, or running away just to share a first kiss. The story would begin with an introduction of about the different characters, and throughout the movie you would get closer and closer to finding out who is related to whom. Finally, at the end, you are not so confused because now you know the part each person played in the movie. At the same time, you are really excited because the movie was well put together.
New Year’'s Eve was directed by Gary Marshal, who is also known for Valentine’s Day, Princess Diaries, and Runaway Bride. New Year'’s Eve is the sequel to Valentine’s Day; makes sense right? New Year'’s Eve is rated PG-13 for sexual reference and naughty language. The movie takes place in present day New York City, in the month of December. New Year’'s Eve is a 2011 movie, and opened in theaters December, 9th, 2011.
In my opinion, the movie was really good! I heard that the movie was not very appropriate, but when I saw it, I was surprised, because the only real problems were the language and sexual references. Overall, it was well made. This would not be the best family movie, but it is a great adult movie. The cast played each character in a very believable way, the setting was realistic, and the messages were inspirational.
Each character learns a life lesson which was great for them to experience, and through that they try to make some changes before the year ends. For example, one main character gives up her job to be with her dying dad. A few characters get a girl, one completes her resolution list, and some have babies.
One quote that fits well with the movie is, “"The one night anything is possible."” For every person, even if their story starts out bad, it would seem to turn out good. In my opinion if I cry more than once, it is an awesome, emotional movie. I cried like five times, so it was amazing!
My Rating: 5 stars out of 5 ✰✰✰✰✰
Helix student brings back lost sport
By Alexis Keene
In most high school sports, athletics are made up of teams. Football, basketball, softball, and volleyball are all examples of team sports. Even runners in cross country belong to a team...but not here. Helix has only one student running cross country who represents our school. That student is Senior Deidra Nitz.
Our school participates in many team sports but no one has participated in Helix Cross Country since 2007. "I just started running this summer for fun, and I didn't know if it was possible to do cross country this year," said Deidra.
Deidra wanted to join cross country and was talking with her dad (Helix Band Teacher Jon Nitz) when Mr. Miller soon found out. Miller, the school's Athletic Director, asked Deidra if she really wanted to join, and so she signed up and got help from Coach and Teacher Rory Simpson. "I help sign Deidra up and give her some training advice," said Simpson.
One of the things that attract people to the sport is the famous “runners high” that they experience when they run, and it is different for everyone. Deidra says that her “runners high” is a calm feeling and she gets it after struggling to keep herself going. She said that she felt proud that she was able to accomplish her event. "I had to tell myself “stride!” to keep myself going," said Deidra.
An amazing moment for her was actually to get through the first competition at Connell, Washington. But there was also a funny part when a girl hugged her, thinking Deidra was crying because she looked really nervous. It kind of confused and startled her because you usually don't see or even have that happen to you.
Cross country is a 3.1 mile run on all kinds of different surfaces like hills and through mud. While track has many running events, it also consists of field activities like long jump, high jump, and shot put. You may need more knowledge and skill for track, but you need strength and endurance for cross country.
Deidra has competed in three cross country meets this season. Her runs were at Connell, La Grande and Pendleton. She has one more meet on October 28th also in Pendleton. She only missed one meet because she was ill, but other than that she has done really well this season. Her best time was 25:27 at the Wildhorse Golf Course, because as the season progresses she been getting better. They were great experiences and full of adventure for her, and it was “…awesome to be able to see how much strength I really had,” she said.
Because of Deidra's part in bringing back cross country to enjoy herself and her skills, hopefully many students will join the sport for the fun of it. Perhaps many people will look back to Deidra and will remember how she joined sports even though she was by herself, and did a good job! "It is good to see the sport back, and I hope it opens a door like Christopher Columbus," said Miller.
Memorable frozen yogurt
By Blythe Gabriel
The Blue Palm, a local frozen yogurt shop, offers a family friendly atmosphere and scrumptious frozen yogurt. The shop offers both indoor and outdoor dining.
There is an ample sized parking lot that is shared with Great Clips, but it is usually a challenge to find a parking spot, and for a good reason.
The Blue Palm is a self-serve frozen yogurt shop and if you don’t know how the system works, there is always a pleasant employee to explain the system.
I visited The Blue Palm earlier this week and was delighted by the variety of vivid colors and pizzazz that burst with zing from the charming shop.
Once you grab one of two cup sizes, you decide between the 10 flavors that are currently offered. The flavors rotate weekly from a product line featuring over 75 flavors. They do a fantastic job of mixing up the flavors so there's something for every taste palate, I chose the Fancy French Vanilla, and if you’re not sure which flavor/s to choose, they have sample cups.
After you have chosen your flavor/s you head over to the toppings bar where you can choose from a variety of over 30 toppings, I opted for some gummy bears and strawberry slices. The fruit was crisp and juicy and the tasty toppings were fresh.
Then after you have created your yummy masterpiece, you step up to the counter where your frozen yogurt is weighed.
The pricing is great; at only $0.40 per ounce you can get a delicious and healthy treat for under $5.00, a very reasonable price. The staff is always very kind, cheerful, friendly, and helpful.
The yogurt was absolutely delectable, rich, and smooth. The Blue Palm features yogurt from YoCream.
YoCream is a world leader in the frozen yogurt industry. Since 1977, YoCream has revolutionized the production and marketing of frozen yogurt, frozen desserts and frozen beverages. YoCream operates out of a state-of-the-art production facility in Portland, Oregon.
The shop was very sanitary, tidy, and well organized. If you choose to enjoy your treat inside they offer couch seating and chair and table seating. If you opt to eat outside there is decent beach like seating, accompanied by a legitimate fake blue palm tree.
I give The Blue Palm two thumbs up, I had a wonderful experience there and the service was splendid. Next time I have a frozen yogurt craving I know exactly where I will be going.
The Blue Palm is open; Sunday-Thursday 10a-10p, Friday 10a-9p, and Saturday 8p-11p. The Blue Palm is located at 1417 Plaza Way, Suite B, Walla Walla, WA.
Roman Holiday an enchanting classic
Roman Holiday, a captivating romantic comedy, was released in 1953, directed by distinguished Hollywood film director William Wyler (Funny Girl, Ben-Hur, The Best Years of Our Lives) and written by Dalton Trumbo and John Dighton. The classic fillm is set and filmed in Rome. Many historical landmarks in Rome are featured in Roman Holiday including; The Colosseum, Mouth of Truth, The Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps. The film features Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck, and Eddie Albert. The immense amount of talent possessed by the actors in the film is undeniably going to make for an unforgettable film.
The films bittersweet story is a charming romantic-comedy, a kind of fairy-tale. A runaway princess (Hepburn) rebels against her royal duties and escapes the confines of her royal chambers to experience a commoners night. Princess Ann falls asleep next to the Trevi Fountain and is found by an American reporter, Joe Bradley (Peck) who is covering the royal tour in Rome. A determined reporter, he is out to get the best scoop he can. One of the scenes especially memorable is when Bradley and Ann visit the Mouth of Truth where Bradley pulls a prank and pretends something has a hold of his hand in the lions mouth. Throughout the rest of the film, we see an unlikely couple slowly falling in love.
Roman Holiday was Hepburns American movie debut, the first of many films showing her brilliance and animated essence. Hepburn is known for her elegance, grace, beauty, and poise. The film was nominated for several Academy Awards and won many, including Writing and Costume Design. Hepburn was nominated and won the Academy, Golden Globe, and New York Circle Award for Best Actress. Gregory Peck won the BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actor. Peck and Hepburns performance dazzles and their chemistry shines through in their brilliant acting throughout the film.
Hepburns naïve sense of fun and flawlessly charming delivery is matched equally by Pecks charismatic performance, creating an everlasting and exuberant classic that is not hard to be enchanted by.
I can without a doubt give this classic film two thumbs up. This film can be found at local stores such as Wal-Mart.
Freshman Iles plays with experience
When students talk about high school varsity athletes, they often think juniors and seniors, but every now and then there is a freshman or sophomore that exceeds expectations and moves up to varsity. Brittany Iles would be one of those freshman.
Brittany is one of the few freshman starting varsity volleyball this year. The pressure of varsity could be what most people would call overwhelming, but Iles is calm in her demeanor. “"At first I felt pressured, but I don’t feel like a freshman anymore,"” Iles coolly stated.
Iles has been playing organized volleyball since 6th grade. Teammate and classmate Kristin Williams knows what makes Iles a valuable player. “"She does what needs to be done and doesn’t slack,"” said Williams. Iles enjoys the natural competitiveness of the sport.
Brittany is one of the two setters on the varsity team this year. Iles feels she is doing a pretty good job and hopes she’s helping out. Teammates and observers agree; they feel she is doing very well for the team this year. “"She does pretty good, she does really well for a freshman, and she has really nice sets. She goes after every ball even if it’s hard to get,”" observer Deidra Nitz confirmed.
Iles goes after the ball no matter what, which has lead to two injuries this year, midway through the season she rolled her ankle severely and has recently dislocated her left shoulder and suffered a labral tear from it. Brittany is expected to heal quickly and be back to playing volleyball before districts.
Along with facing her first year competing on varsity, she also has the challenge of being a freshman in high school. Iles described high school as overwhelming and harder than she thought it would be. Playing any sport in high school also means keeping your grades up, especially at Helix where one failing grade will cost you a spot on the team.
Every player on a volleyball team is important. The setter is the playmaker, point guard or the quarterback of the volleyball team. A setter’s responsibility is to run the team’s offense and create scoring opportunities for the team. The setter plays both front row and back row, therefore she needs to posses the skills to pass, hit, block, serve, and set. When asked what the biggest difficulty about being a setter is, Iles states "“It’s hard all together, there is not one thing harder than another, and just getting the set exactly where a person needs it can be difficult.”"
In jr. high, volleyball was a bit more relaxed. High school volleyball is not just a step up, it’s a hurdle and leap up. Iles says “"Jr. high was kind of like you had the basic skills, but pretty much you were just trying to get the ball over the net; high school is more technical than that, you really have to work hard.”"
Iles feels the team can do well this year, but she notes that the team is young and is still seeking its first victory of the season. Many students have said it is a building year for the volleyball team, but are impressed with how well Iles and other freshman have stepped up their level of play and how they'’ve been handling the pressure.
Brittany Iles exceeds the expectations normally associated with an incoming freshman. When students talk about Helix high school varsity athletes, now, they think juniors, seniors, and Brittany Iles.
MAZATLAN REVIEW
By: Brittany
