EXPRESSIONSSLO

HS

Political Participation Pages 8&9

May Issue 2019slohsexpressions.com

Clea Wendt

Janea Huber

Olivia Dong

10 & 11SportsChampions Everywhere... But Who Gets a Ring?Highlighting Non-School Sport Athletes

The Stress Of CIF

Table of Contents Kara Hoover2expressions

4 & 5Culture

Emancipation: The Extent Of FreedomSpot The Dress Code Violation

Secrets Of The Cafeteria

8 & 9Feature

Voices Within the Voting BoxThe Importance of Political Participation

Future Voters Get Pumped!The Road to the Ballot Box

3

16Back

6 & 7Opinion

The Perks Of The Cuesta PromiseComparing Woodstock 1969 To Woodstock 2019

Millenial Parents Just Don’t Get It

12 & 13Arts & EntertainmentArt School Students: The Future Of Ex-pressionThe Roper Photo GalleryThe Romanticization Of Serial Killers

14 & 15PeopleSLOHS Students React To The Competitive College Admissions ProcessSenior Cormac Jenkins Plans To Serve Our Coun-tryWhat It’s Like To Be a Conservative Teacher On a Liberal Campus

May 2019

Teacher Prom Throwback Pictures

Staff List

Illustration Courtesy of Kayley Rolph

May 2019 3

Editorial Staff Reporters

Kaya BurdenSasha CederburgKatie ColeAlexis HaasKatinka HecterIsabella HoffmannTaryn LonsbroughLiberty MassmanHannah PetersonKayley RolphMcKenna CassidyScout Corpuz-CarrRobert De La Cruz Jr.Ana EsclaraKrista GarzaKaterina GrondinTorstein KloevenBrooke LarsonZoe MaxieSonia McSwainCassidy OlsonMarina RosnauGabriella SchroeterJonaton Schmidt-DenkerAndrew Vander WeeleBraelynn Whitson

Kara HooverEditor-in-ChiefFeature Editor

Kaylee BeardsleyOpinion Editor

Jena Naficy Culture Editor

Joella HolmesArts and Entertainment Editor

Zoey Nitzel People Editor

Nina RamezaniSports EditorWeb Editor

Adviser: Scott Nairnesnairne@slcusd.org

Disclaimer: Official Student Publications“The San Luis Coastal Unified School District is committed to upholding the rights of each student to free expression, as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, Article I of the California Constitution and the California Education Code. Consistent with California Education Code section 48907, stu-dents will publish only legally protected speech, which does not include obscene, libelous or slanderous material, or unwarranted invasions of privacy. Students will also refrain from publishing material which so incites students as to create a clear and present danger of the commission of unlawful acts on school premises or the violation of lawful school regulations, or the substantial disruption of the orderly operation of the school. The views, opinions, and content expressed herein are those of the stu-dent author(s). Therefore, the content may not necessarily reflect the official policies, opinions, or positions of the San Luis Coastal Unified School District, its schools, administration, faculty, staff, or the Board of Education.”

Expressions Staff

1020 Railroad Ave, San Luis Obispo, Ca

culture Editor: Jena Naficy4By Isabella Hoffman

Emancipation: the extent of freedom

Students at San Luis Obispo High School between the ages of 14 and 18 can be legally emancipated. Emancipation is the act of a minor legally freeing themselves from the supervision of their parents or guardian, as well as the parents or guardians having no legal responsibility of their child. This option is in place to accomodate minors wants to enlist into the army, or those whose living arrange-ment with their parents is not healthy. Expressions interviewed Heather Sutton-Buckley, a local attorney and public defender, to get a better understanding of what exactly emancipation is.

Expressions: What exactly is emancipation?Attorney Heather Sutton-Buckley: Emancipation is a legal process that frees a child who is between the ages of 14 and 18 from the custody and control of their parents or guardian.

Expressions: What are factors that a minor could look for to believe emancipation might be necessary?Sutton-Buckley: You are at least 14 years old, you live separate and apart from your parents or guardian with their consent, you earn your own income and manage your own finances, your source of income is legal, and emancipation is in your best interests- it will make a positive impact on your life.

Expressions: What are some situations that are unnecessary for emancipation? Sutton-Buckley: If you do not want to live at home with your parents, you do not necessarily need to get emancipated. You could attend counseling or mediation with your parents or guardian, live with another adult (like an aunt, uncle, grandparent, or family friend), seek help from public or private agencies, or make an agreement with your parents or guardian to live somewhere else.

Expressions: How would a minor look into an emancipation court order?Sutton-Buckley: A minor should always seek the advice and counsel of a lawyer before applying for emancipation. There are 3 ways to get emancipated: Get married. You will need permission from your parents and the court. Join the armed forces. You need permission from your parents, and the armed forces must accept you. Or get a declaration of emancipation from a judge.

Disclaimer: The information shared by Attorney Heather Sutton Buckley is for general information purposes only. Ms. Buckley’s responses should not be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing of this information does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.

CULTUREMay 2019 5Spot the Violation!

By Katinka HecterSecrets of the Cafeteria

Many students at San Luis Obispo High School are aware that there is a dress code, but with violations walking past us everyday without any consequences, it is hard to remember what the rules are. Dress codes are currently a heated topic of discussion because many students find them sexist and not enforced consistently. Regardless of your opinion on the rules, Expressions decided to put together some photographs to see if you can catch dress code violations.

By Kara Hoover

Ever wondered how much food goes to waste here at San Luis Obispo High School? Expressions set out to discover what kids do with their food if they have leftovers, and to see how many buy food even though they have food from at home.

Expression: How much food goes to waste in the SLOHS cafeteria?Cafeteria Lead Allison Eaton: Of course we can’t save the new cut cucumbers and salad and use it the next day. So it’s mostly produce that goes to waste.

Expression: Do you buy food even though you have food with you from at home?Senior Grayson Perlmutter: Yes I do sadly. I only do it when I eat my food before lunch or when im just really hungry.Junior Nicole Andersen: YES! Because the lunch my mom packs me is really healthy and I don’t wanna eat spinach every day for lunch.Junior Malia (Xiao) Gin: If I bring food from home I don’t buy food because that would just be stupid.Junior Sage Cannon: Yes, because every time I bring food from at home, as soon as I reach lunch it just doesn’t sound good to me any more. Expression: If yes, what do you do with your leftovers?Perlmutter: I normally take it home or eat it on the way home. Anderson: I either just throw it out or give it to someone that wants it.Cannon: I just throw it out, I know it’s bad but I don’t want to save it.

Expression: What is the estimated waste here on SLOHS? Where does the waste go?Eaton: it is quite a bit because we require them to eat fruit and vegetables with each of their meals because of the USDA requirements.

midrift; skirt shorter than mid-thigh; bare shoulders

bare shoulders; undergarments exposed

display of bandana

Opinion Editor: Kaylee Beardsley6

Woodstock 1969 was one of the most iconic music festivals in the history of music. Janis Joplin, Grateful Dead, and Jimi Hen-drix were only some of the fantastic musicians who performed. In 2019, there will be a Woodstock 50, in honor of 50 years since the first Woodstock music festival. Students at San Luis Obispo High School have mixed opinions about this years Woodstock 50. “Even from a person who’s not the most into rock mu-sic, I like a lot of people from then. Especially Grateful Dead, even though their set was pretty interesting. It’s definitely a tragedy, because the people who are trying to go to Wood-stock, want a specific thing and what the people are creating is this weird mix of pop music and new wave rock bands. I don’t think they will ever be able to recapture it. They should just make something else,” said junior Lorenzo Cortese. Woodstock 50 will be unable to recreate the powerful music from 1969. Halsey, Miley Cyrus, Chance the Rap-per, and Earl Sweatshirt are some of the artists that are not rock ‘n’ roll. Artists such as Canned Heat, Santana, and David Crosby and Friends are also performing at Wood-stock 2019 and previously performed at Woodstock 1969.

The bathroom and sleeping arrangements of Woodstock 69 were very unsanitary and there was not enough food. In 2019, there would obviously not be unsanitary conditions. Howev-er, the conditions 50 years ago is what made the whole experi-ence of Woodstock one of the most iconic music festivals ever. This year’s Woodstock lineup is not all rock, but is very sim-ilar to Woodstock 69 by having underground artists per-form. Many of the artists from Woodstock 69 were not very well known, which is very similar to Woodstock 50’s line-up. Jimi Hendrix was not the Jimi Hendrix the world now knows when he played at Woodstock 69, with his incredible performance of “The Star Spangled Banner”. There are lots of musicians this year that are not very popular, such as, Ni-tet Tayb, John-Robert, Amigo the Devil, and many more. In the end, Woodstock 2019 will not be the same as Wood-stock 1969, because there’s hip hop and pop in this years set-list. Even though the hygiene and food conditions will be im-mensely better this time around, the music of Woodstock 69 will forever be one of the most iconic music festivals of all time, and no recreation of this festival will ever be as incredible.

By Kayley Rolph

The Perks of the Cuesta Promise Many San Luis Obispo High School students and their parents have a stigma against attending a community college instead of a four year university right after graduating from high school when in fact it may be the best decision for those who are unsure about their path in life. For students who have a clear idea of what they want to major in and what career they wish to pursue, the four year univesity of their dreams will likely be the best choice for them, but for the rest of us, it likely isn’t. As a senior at SLOHS I spent most of junior year and senior year preparing to attend a four year university, I took the SAT last May, numerous AP classes and tests, wrote essays for the Common Application, the UC Application, and the CSU Application, all while polishing my resume with summer jobs, volunteer work, and varsity sports. This is as exhausting as it sounds, and like many of my classmates, I was so focused on getting into college that I forgot to think about what I would do once I got in. I thought about becoming an engineer and the how many calculus, chemistry and physics classes I would have to endure before getting my degree and then spending my career stuck in front of a computer. I played with the idea of studying history because I enjoyed my AP European History and AP United States History classes so much, but stopped after I researched the career options with that major. I soon came to the conclusion that I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my life, with all my interests and ideas for the future swirling in tornado of confusion and anxiety in my head. The thought of going to a competitive university and paying upwards of $24,000 a year to hopefully find some sort of direction in life brought me to tears. Despite the constant pressure from parents, college counselors, siblings and fellow classmates to attend a 4 year university, it is definitely not the only or even the best option for many. With the Cuesta Promise scholarship program which is available to all San Luis Obispo County High School graduates, SLOHS students receive two years college education for free. Additionally, with university transfer programs set up for student planning on finishing their bachelor’s degree at a four year, SLOHS students can finish two years at a junior college, finish their General Education requirements, all while exploring their interests to find their true passion.

Comparing Woodstock 1969 to Woodstock 2019By Isabella Hoffmann

Illustration by: Kaylee Beardsley

OPINION 7May 2019

By Hannah Peterson

San Luis Obispo High School students are becoming more in-clusive each year. Through the GSA club on campus, students have the chance to learn about gender, sexuality, the broad spec-trums one can lie within, and how to be more accepting. Fortunately for children who are LGBTQ+, parents are learning how to be more accepting as well. Or, as seen in the recent par-enting fad, overcompensating. A handful of parents now choose to raise their children without gender. These children are “gender neutral”, use gender neutral pronouns, and allowed to play with both “boy” and “girl” toys. However, this parenting fad takes gen-der stereotypes, or the lack thereof, to an almost-extremist level that isn’t necessarily required. Throughout history, humanity has thrived off of labels and defi-nitions that allow individuals to understand themselves as well as how they fit in the world around them. This led to the devel-opment of religions, classism, nationalism, generations such as the Baby Boomers or Gen Z, and the concept of gender. Many gender stereotypes are harmful, such as “boys don’t cry” or “girls are weak”. But while these gender-neutral-raising parents want

their child to express themselves freely, the potential risks could lead to a sheltered child that doesn’t understand where they fit in this still very binary world. Obviously, this doesn’t mean shoving gender stereotypes down your kid’s throat. That’s the other extreme side of this argument. But not knowing what you’re assigned at birth, and general un-derstandings of gender can lead to a lot of confusion and anger for a kid. If you wants to be inclusive, not conform to gender stereotypes, and allow your child to express themselves… then do just that! A boy can wear dresses and have long hair, and a girl can like science and have short hair. Parents should provide their child with the knowledge regarding the vast spectrum of gender, and the tools for them to decide where they think they fit within that spectrum. The ability to accept others starts at an extremely young age, and the proper discussions and upbringing have a direct effect on SLOHS students, as well as the rest of society’s progress towards a spectrum world rather than a binary one.

Millenial Parents Just Don’t Get It

Illustration by: Kayley Rolph

With adolescent political participation being a wide topic of con-versation at San Luis Obispo High School, Vote 16 has been a cam-paign student have begun to support. Since the official Vote 16 campaign was launched in December 2015, it has enabled 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in local level elec-tions, such as city boards or commissions and additional offices at the local level. This national campaign has spread all over the Unit-ed States and has been passed in legislature throughout 11 cities. “I personally think lowering the voting age is important, especial-ly in our time. Younger people are becoming more educated and should be able to voice their thoughts and opinions. Vote16 would allow younger people to vote for things locally and things that can possibly affect them. It’s important that they have a voice and influ-ence,” said senior Zhayle Piurque. Berkeley, California is one of the 11 cities that has held rallies and youth participation to pass the bill. Measure Y1, the legislature in support passed with over 70 percent of the vote. Advocates for the campaign in Berkeley were members of the YMCA Youth and Government Program. They began their advocacy because, as ad-olescents, they believed that they were still involved in local issues and active within the town happenings while gaining the opportu-nity to become a heard active citizen. “I think that the campaign is incredibly important to the future of our country. Voting is vital to the success of a nation, and by nurturing the value of voting at a younger age, we will be a better democracy and republic because of it. Many 16 and 17-year-olds work jobs and pay taxes, and their future is on the line when it comes to elections. If we want a truly representative democracy, they should be allowed to vote in local elections along with every-

one else,” said senior Thomas Prater. Student activism has been the main source of the Vote16USA campaigns. None of the cities who have passed the measure within their city have been run by influential adults. The USA main site is run by the Advisory Board and Student Advisory Board. The Advi-sory board consists of academics, policymakers, and other profes-sionals who provide strategic advice that helps guide our work to lower the voting age on the local level. The job of these adults is to watch over the Student Advisory Board that is made up of students all over the United States who are the main leaders of their local city movement that they either launched or are leading. The Youth Advisory Boards main goal is for student voices in support of the campaign to be heard, and for the national campaign to gain con-stant momentum. Some students within San Luis Obispo County have been striving to create a larger campaign in the area. “Within the past four years or so, teenagers have been getting more and more involved in politics and have been realizing the laws and notions that go into effect, can affect themselves more than anyone else. With things from gun reform to women’s rights, teens have been more involved than ever. I personally think lower-ing the voting age to 16 for local elections would encourage people to get involved with politics even at the age of 12 or 13. Along with that, I think now that more teenagers are getting involved with pol-itics, it can sometimes be frustrating to see something affect you, but not being able to do anything about it. Vote16 would educate a wider population of the United States on things that affect them personally and gives everyone a way to show their voice,” said ju-nior Jayde Malzone. Perhaps our new generation may find a way to implicate Vote16 into our own local area. This political campaign has enabled stu-dents nationwide to acknowledge their power and strive for their own personal political participation.

Feature Editor-in-Chief: Kara Hoover8

By Alexsis Haas

Voices Within the Voting Box

Many San Luis Obispo High School students will have their first opportunity to vote in this coming Presidential election in Novem-ber of 2020; with the increased polarity in politics it is important that we are informed and politically aware when we cast our votes. The United States of America was founded as a democratic soci-ety. This means that American citizens have a government of elect-ed representatives which relies on citizens that actively participate in the decision-making of the government. Over the centuries as our country has grown in both population and the amount of land we occupy resulting in more complicated issues that our govern-ment has the difficult task of dealing with. Political awareness is one’s knowledge of public policy, how the government functions, and the agendas driving politicians. Being politically aware enables citizens to better discern quality political

leaders from corrupt politicians who will be easily bought by cor-porations. In a world where information is so abundant and the internet constantly bombards us with all sorts of “fake news” it is imperative that we find reliable sources for that information that will keep us informed on the political scene. Our generation is faced with a unique set of issues like climate change and LGBTQ+ rights that previous generations have not had to deal with. With declining voter turnout rates it is that much more important that we as a generation seize the opportunity to advocate for policies and politicians we believe will solve these is-sues. In 1964, 51 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 voted. In 2012, only 38 percent of the same demographic went to the polls. We can turn these statistics around by encouraging our classmates and peers to go out and vote!

By Kayley Rolph

The Importance of Political Participation

Illustration Courtesy of Gabby Schroeter

Feature 9

By Kayley Rolph

By Hannah Peterson

May 2019

The 2020 Presidential election is approaching, and many of San Luis Obispo High School students will be able to participate! Ex-pressions sat down with current students and future voters on our campus to see why they’re excited to vote.Expressions: Why are you excited to vote in the 2020 election?Senior Mallory Etter: Ever since I was little, I wanted to vote. I guess it’s a good feeling because you’re getting involved in politics. When you’re younger, you can say your opinions but you can’t ac-tually do anything about it. Now I actually get a chance to make a change! Senior Clare Dooley: I’m excited to have the young people’s voices heard. I think a lot of upcoming politicians speak for what I want to happen.Senior John Krill: I’m excited to take all the experiences I’ve had both inside and outside of school, along with all the information I have gathered from classes, and apply them as a contributing mem-ber of our great country’s democracy in 2020.Senior Amberly Clark: Voting is a major part of democracy, and I’m excited to have my voice heard!

Senior Malia Carinio: I’m excited to vote because I finally have the opportunity to have a say in something beneficial for my future.Senior Jordan Johl: Because I can finally have a voice that has to be heard by my government representatives. And overall, I think it’s cool to start doing “adult” stuff, I suppose.Senior Janea Huber: I see it as one of the most important rights as an American citizen and having a parent that isn’t a citizen makes me so much more grateful I have that voice. Especially in the last couple of elections, being able to see the momentum people can have is inspiring and encouraging to get involved with politics and to be informed. I’m grateful I live in a country where we have the ability to make change and I’m ready to be a part of that.Senior Ari King: I’m excited to vote to express my opinions and participate in government!Junior Yajaira Cruz: Because I’ll be able to change the country. It can help make America a better place!Junior Lauren Ramirez: I’m excited to vote in the 2020 election because I feel like it’s important that people can have their voices heard in these elections, and I’m glad I get to show my opinions on the ballot this time around. I look forward to voting on topics/people that will change our country and world for the better. I’m very happy I get to be a part of that in 2020.

Future Voters Get Pumped!

Unsure how to register to vote? Here’s a quick guide: Step 1: Register to vote. Don’t worry you can do it online! Just visit the California voter registration website (https://register-tovote.ca.gov/) and fill out the online form. All you need is...Your California driver license or California identification card number, the last four digits of your social security number, and your date of birth. If you are 16 or 17 years old, you can use this online registration application to pre-register to vote which makes the process once you turn 18 that much easier! The deadline to register for any elec-tion is 11:59:59 p.m. Pacific Time on the 15th calendar day before that election. Step 2: Learn where your polling place is. This is where you will cast your vote on election day if you chose not to vote by mail. There are many polling places in our town so it’s important that you find yours. You can find this out by putting your home address in to this website: https://clerk.slocounty.ca.gov/pollingplace/ . Step 3: Educate yourself on the candidates and the issues that will be in the ballot. A great way to do this is to get a Sample ballot or a voter handbook which will be offered online or mailed to you when you register. You can familiarize yourself with the candidates and their policies by watching debates, researching them online, and learning about their candidate platform via their website. Step 4: Vote! There are a few ways to vote the main two are voting by mail or voting on site which means you fill out the ballot at your polling place.

Voting On-Site: Go to your polling place: make sure you bring some sort of Identi-fication (Passport or Driver’s license) and check in with the volun-teers. Obtain a ballot and follow any instructions. Fill out the ballot as you wish: then turn it into the appropriate person or feed it into the machine. Review your Ballot: just go through your answers to make sure they are correct just like a test!Voting by Mail: Apply to vote by mail: In California, any registered voter may vote by mail. Apply at least seven days prior to the election. You can use the application that comes with your sample ballot, or down-load the application form. Fill out the Ballot you recieve: make sure to make clear marks and follow the instructions Place the ballot in the envelope provided: The envelope is trace-able to you, so keep it with your ballot, and do not trade envelopes with other registered voters in your household. Sign the envelope: Many ballots get rejected because they aren’t signed. Mail your ballot at least a week before election day: Remember, the ballot must be received by the end of election day. Late ballots are rejected. Use sufficient postage on your ballot. Many ballots weigh over one ounce, so they require multiple first-class stamps to mail. Walk into any post office and request help weighing the envelope if you are unsure of the weight or how much postage to affix. Or you can drop off your ballot at your polling place the day of the election before it closes.

The Road to the Ballot Box

Sports10 Editor: Nina Ramezani

By Gabby Schroeter

Champions Everywhere...But Who Gets a Ring?

What an amazing year for the San Luis Obispo High School Athletics Program! SLOHS has over one thousand student-athletes this year; 22 of which are senior student-athletes that will be participating at the collegiate level next year. Additionally, many of our sports teams were extremely successful, with teams becoming State Champions, CIF Champions, and League Champions. The specific achievements of the sports teams include State Champions in D4 varsity girls volleyball, CIF Champions in D2 girls cross country, CIF Runners-Up in D2 boys cross country, CIF Champions in D1 girls soccer, and CIF Runners-Up in D2 boys basketball. SLOHS athletics also earned League Championship titles in girls tennis, girls cross country, boys soccer, and girls soccer. And the school year is not even done yet. The sports taking place in the current spring season, including baseball, softball, swim, and track also have a very good chance of attaining high success with CIF for spring still to be determined.

State Champions and CIF Champions have the option of receiving rings in reward for their success. State Champions receive person-alized rings paid for by the school. CIF Champions also have the option of getting rings but have to personally pay for them. The reason being is that this year alone SLOHS won two CIF Championships and a State title. Expressions interviewed Athletic Director Jeff Brandow and the girls volleyball coach Marci Beddall, to get further insight on the decision making behind the purchasing of championship rings. Expressions also interviewed student-athletes senior Maddie Johnson and junior Dylan Van Rooyen, to understand what it is like to win a CIF Championship and State title.

Expressions: How does it feel to be a CIF Champion in Division 1 for girls soccer?

Senior Varsity Girls Soccer Player Maddie Johnson: It’s amazing to have finally won a CIF Championship and it’s very rewarding after all the time and effort the team put in as a whole throughout the season. I’m so proud of the team and all we accomplished together, it was an unforgettable experience.

Expressions: How does it feel to be a girls varsity volleyball State Champion at SLOHS?

Junior Varsity Girls Volleyball Player Dylan Van Rooyen: I think we’re all happy about it because the program has never won a State Championship before, but also not amazing because it was Division 4, and we didn’t really earn it -- we just got lucky.

Expressions: What is the difference between winning CIF and winning State?

Girls Varsity Volleyball Coach Marci Beddall: I played and coached in the Central Section for several years, which is the section that we now compete in, and winning a CIF Section Championship, known as a “Valley Championship ” is an incredible accomplishment- but it is something that happens often for successful teams in the Central Section as it is smaller than our previous section (Southern). I know hundreds of people who have, not just one but multiple, “Valley Rings”- in contrast to a State Championship in which I only know a few players/coaches who have accomplished that feat, making a State Championship more elusive.

Expressions: What is the main reason why the Girls Varsity Volleyball Team got their State rings paid for by the school and not the Girls Varsity Soccer Team?

Athletic Director Jeff Brandow: This year alone SLOHS won two CIF Championships, and a State title. This coupled with the fact that we have two runners up, and very good chances to win more CIF championships with our Spring sports makes it financially impossible to purchase CIF Championship rings for all the athletes, as this cost would be in the thousands of dollars. We decided to purchase the State Championship rings because winning a State Championship is much rarer. Our goal is to support all of our student-athletes.

Sports 11May 2019

The Stress of CIF

Highlighting Non-School Sport Athletes

By Zoe Maxie

By Libby Massman

Many students at San Luis Obispo High School play sports that the school doesn’t offer. Athletics play a key role in many students lives, but little attention is paid to the students who play sports that aren’t available at SLOHS. Expressions set out to highlight some of these students and learn more about their sport. “I have been dancing since I was about seven years old and I love it, but it is frustrating when I have to miss school for a show or stay up late doing homework after dance. I have three or more hours of dance almost every day after school,” said sophomore Kate McCarty. From acrobatics to hockey, students play their sports outside of school because the sport isn’t offered at SLOHS. Other sports SLOHS doesn’t offer are gymnastics, fishing, fencing, badminton, surfing, skiing, field hockey, etc.. Students have to do all these sports outside of school in their free time. “I love playing lacrosse because it’s a constant rush of adrenaline. I would absolutely play for the high school team if there was one. I am playing club in hopes for the high school to recognize it as a growing sport and possible start offering it at SLOHS,” said sophomore Chaz Johnson. Some students prefer to practice their sport outside of school to keep away from the stress of high school sports. Others enjoy the intense competition and convenience of practicing during school. Having sports the school doesn’t offer, leaves kids with the option of playing a sport they enjoy without the pressures of high school sports.

At San Luis Obispo High School, spring sports are coming to a close but CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) is approaching. For most sports continuing onto CIF, it depends on how many games you win, this is not the case for the swim team. Each individual swim-mer has to qualify for CIF, which means that only some of the team gets to experience CIF. This situation can cause a lot of stress among the team. However, the SLOHS girls swim team does not let this affect their performance. “If your goal is to go a certain time then go for that. If your goal is to get to CIF then go for that. But after all, I think we’re all equal and the same on this team which makes us one big family!” says freshman Naya Koc. The way swimmers qualify for CIF is by getting a CIF auto time, which means they have to swim the event under a certain time. Some of the auto times are 100-meter freestyle 57.24 seconds, 100-meter backstroke 1:07.91, and 100-meter breaststroke 1:13.59. All of these times are difficult to hit. Most of our girl’s varsity team has qualified in at least one event; however, this did not come without a lot of hard work and dedication to the sport. Qualifying for CIF is important because it determines which swimmer go onto the state meet. The stress and pressure that is on swim-mers to do well not only throughout the season but during the CIF and state meet can become very overwhelming for many of the swim-mers. Not qualifying for CIF can be devastating for some swimmers as well; however, this not only affects the individual but the whole team as well. The more swimmers who move onto CIF, and state the better it is for the team. In addition in one person on a team is not doing well it affects the whole team environment.

Editor: Sawyer McSorley12 Arts & Entertainment

By Andrew Vander Weele

By Andrew Vander Weele

Art School Students: The Future in Expression

Expressions: What art school will you be attending after the school year, and what will you be studying while you are there?Senior Shaan Carlson: I‘ll be attending the University of the Arts in London. I will be studying fashion and luxury brand man-agement, and I will get a bachelor’s and a master’s degree.Senior Ella Livingston: I’m attending the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) arts school in New York, and I’m going to be studying musical theatre.Expressions: Why is an art school import-ant for you to attend, as opposed to anoth-er school with a program for your study?Carlson: Well for me an arts school is cen-tered on the arts so you don’t have to do things like math or science; any of the gen-eral education courses. The course you take

is firmly rooted in what you want to do later in life. It’s more future focused than school based.Livingston: Mainly because the school I am going to is super well known for its arts program. There are many famous alum-ni from there that have gone to do great things. They’re are names that you know like Jason Derulo, or Jesse Tyler Ferguson from “Modern Family”, and they are all known for going on and doing great things; that’s one of the things I want do with my career. I want to do musical theatre and perform on stage. Expressions: Why do you love your study, and what lead you to it?Carlson: I grew up internationally, throughout Asia and Europe, and I think that fashion affects the world socially, po-

litically, and economically in ways that other industries don’t, and don’t think it is something that people realize, the intrica-cies of it. I want to bring that to people’s minds and the forefront of their minds, and have realize that fashion is not just put-ting on a garment every morning, it affects much more than that.Livingston: I love my study because I have been doing it high school for the entire four years, so I have grown to love it over the years. It lead me to AMDA because Mrs. Stephens had a poster up on her wall a while ago, and said AMDA on it and I was interested in it, she told me more about it, I signed up for a newsletter, and they called me a couple years later saying we want you to audition.

It has been a dream for many San Luis Obispo high school students to go to college at art schools like; Yale University, the School of Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), and Carnegie Mellon University. SLOHS seniors Ella Livingston and Shaan Carlson have accomplished this dream. These three worked long and hard; won awards, honed their craft, and strived to succeed every step of the way. Expressions interviewed these future entertainers about their amazing accomplishment and their future.

Roper Photo Gallery

Photographed by freshman Helena Corpuz-Carr

Photographed by junior Avery Paton

Illustrations courtesy of Joella Holmes

Here at San Luis Obispo High School, students have probably seen the trailers for the new movie “Extremely Wicked, Shock-ingly Evil and Vile”, which focuses on the life of infamous serial killer, Ted Bundy. However, the movie is not the first of it’s kind to focus on the topic of the criminal-ly insane. Before this, there was “Ameri-can Psycho”, “Bates Motel”, and “Monster”, which all portray the life and killings of an insane individual. While these works make for great entertainment, it begs the ques-tion of where it turns from entertainment to romanticizing the killers. “I think it’s perfectly normal for society to want entertainment based off of things they find interesting, and lots of people find serial killing, mass murders, and peo-ple with mental issues interesting. So I can understand why the entertainment indus-try would want to portray this. However I think it becomes an issue when you fail to show the severity of the situation that the victims experience,” said senior Janea Huber. It’s also important to

point out that the surge in popularity for this type of show is surprising, since many consider the idea of the American serial killer to be a dying breed. This is mostly because there isn’t the same stigma around them. Communities no longer lock their doors in fear of a person’s name, like when the Golden State killer, a man who mur-dered dozens of people in the 1970s, was at large. “There are certainly personality profiles that kind of go along with it...I don’t know why, but they have always seemed to kind of capture the interest of the public because they’re scary. I would say that generally the idea behind a serial killer is that they gen-

erally kill without an apparent motive and seemingly at random, multiple times...As a general pattern, there’s often times emotional and physical abuse, usually a history of being cruel to animals or even to people as children, and a lot of them have had a tough childhood for sure, which may have made them numb to the act of violence,” said chemistry and astron-omy teacher Ryan Ritchie. Serial killers are infamous, and are, in all honesty, awful human beings. “The reason it’s come up recently is be-cause lately the media has painted serial killers almost like characters out of a book, making us intrigued by their stories...Peo-ple are becoming more aware of the messed up stuff that goes on in our world. It’s an in-teresting topic; we all wonder what it’s like to lack empathy and are curious as to what goes through a murderer’s mind. Talking about these things helps us to better un-derstand ourselves and the other people around us who also seem to lack basic hu-man decency,” said senior Maya Nitzel.

May 2019 13Arts & Entertainment

By Kaylee Beardsley

Photographed by junior Sofia Rivas

Photo-graphed by junior Brayden Shannon

Photographed by freshman Savannah Brewer Photographed by junior Andrea Rojas

The Romantizication of Serial Killers

People Editor: Zoey Nitzel14

By Hannah Peterson

Photo Courtesy of Cormac Jenkins

By Torstein Bøyum Kløven

SLOHS Students React To Competi-tive College Admissions Process

The school year is winding down, and it’s an exciting time for San Luis Obispo High School seniors who are committing to colleges they’ll attend this fall. Every year, it’s expected more and more for high school seniors to further their education at universities such as Universities of California, California State Universities, or other private colleges. For most individuals, a college degree is not only required for a successful career, but often coined as the “new high school diploma.” Many full-time positions require the applicant to have a bach-elor’s degree, and most jobs that do not will only pay minimum wage. In California, the minimum wage is currently $11 per hour. Minimum wage, combined with the lack of affordable housing in this expensive state, is a recipe for extreme poverty, especially in SLO County and throughout California. However, the steady increase of college applicants each year

throughout the country, and specifically UC’s, leads to increased competitiveness. “I applied to 19 [schools], or if I throw in Yale, twenty, and got accepted by nine,” said senior Suraj Patel. While it is known that admittance to colleges such as Harvard or UCLA is difficult, other supposedly “easier” schools’ acceptance rates have dropped dramatically. For example, in the last 12 years, UC Irvine’s acceptance rate dropped by 31.2 percent, UC Santa Barbara’s dropped by 19 percent, and San Diego State University dropped by 43.7 percent. “Every year, college admissions get drastically more competitive, which results in students applying to more schools as a safety mea-sure. This launches a vicious cycle of increased difficulty of get-ting admitted, and overqualified students are barely making it into their safety schools, if at all,” said senior Clea Wendt.

Senior Cormac Jenkins Plans To Serve Our Country

Many students at San Luis Obispo High School struggle with what career to pursue in the future. Senior Cormac Jenkins is tak-ing a different approach to “life after high school” by deciding to dedicate himself to serving our country. Expressions went out to talk to him about this life path.

Expressions: When did you make the decision to go into the military?Senior Cormac Jenkins: I never pic-tured myself doing anything else. When I was young I looked up to the veter-ans in my family and enjoyed playing soldier, but as time went on it became a reality that I would join the military to fight on behalf of the ideals of the constitution and personal liberties that make our nation the best.Expressions: What part of the military are you entering and who inspired you to do so?Jenkins: I’m joining the Marine Corp. The man who inspired me to join the Marines over the other branches would be my uncle

Lance, a decorated Marine and combat veteran.Expressions: What are you most excited and least excited for during your experience in the military?Jenkins: I am most excited for the personal improvement and chance to become well educated in warfare. I’m least excited for

nothing.Expressions: Do you think going into the military is better than going to col-lege?Jenkins: I actually am going to col-lege, I’m not enlisting. I’m going to the Virginia Military Institute where I will study and train for four years. Af-ter graduation, I will commission as a second lieutenant and attend the basic school of infantry.Expressions: How long do you see yourself in the military and what is your plan?

Jenkins: I’d like to make a lifetime career out of it but if I decide otherwise I intend to move into the private military sector.

peopleMay 2019 15

By Katie Cole

San Luis Obispo High School, like most of California, is con-sidered liberal. There are a group of republicans, however, hidden within the liberal SLOHS campus. Expressions investigated one of these outsiders, social studies teacher Curt Bartlett, to understand more about him.

Expressions: As a conservative what are your core beliefs?Social studies teacher Curt Bartlett: As a conservative, my core beliefs tend toward a smaller, more local government that is more responsive to the people. The local city council or school board is more responsive (or more easily replaced if they do not respond) to the local people than is the state or federal representatives. I am pro-life, pro-second amendment, and pro-originalist reading of the Constitution. I think that the Constitution was a strictly an-ti-powerful government document and was strictly meant to tie the hands of the government and never the hands of the people.Expressions: Do you feel like an outsider in the SLOHS commu-nity?Bartlett: I do not feel like an outsider at SLOHS, as I think that even people here who disagree can do so civilly. I do often get frus-trated, however, as I do not feel that I have any representation at any level of government except for the state assembly. I believe, though, that if that is a problem for me, I am at liberty to change

where I live, rather than protest in the streets and cry about it. Fur-ther, there is a larger community of conservatives on this campus than most people realize.Expressions: Do staff/faculty treat you differently? Bartlett: As far as the student or staff treatment of me because of my politics, most either do not care or appreciate that I am up front with my beliefs. It is also an opportunity for students who have conservative views to realize that they are not alone and can find a refuge or even just a sounding board. This is a good thing as no student should feel like they are in a battle alone. I have only gotten negative feedback from one staff member, but that is a pretty good track record. I have discussed politics with other teachers and find that both sides can be reasonable even when they disagree.Expressions: What do you like about being different from every-one else? Bartlett: It is not the idea of being different that I enjoy. It is just the consistency of my beliefs and what I believe is the “rightness” of my position that I enjoy. I would much prefer to be the same as everyone else if they were just conservatives.Expressions: What is the common ground you are able to find with others on different views?Bartlett: I think the common ground with others is the desire to do what is in the best interest of this country.

What It’s Like To Be a Conservative Teacher On a Liberal Campus

“Every political good, carried to the extreme, must be productive of evil,” said United States suffrag-ette Mary Wollstonecraft.

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supporting SLOTAB & the Artsest. 1985

BackMay 2019 16Editor-In-Chief: Kara Hoover

By Brooke Larson

Teacher Prom Throwback Pictures

Expressions: Where is your date now?Math Teacher Ryan Perez: Senior prom was the first dance I ever went to because I always had soccer tournaments during our dances, but I skipped one to go to prom. Funny story about my date, she ended up marrying one of my bestfriends!

Expressions: How was being prom king at your school? Head of Art Department Digital Pho-tography and TV Video Adviser Zachary Roper: I was definitely surprised I was king because i wasn’t the most popu-lar but I knew a lot of people and a lot of people from different groups so I was really surprised and happy when I won.

Expressions: What do you remember most about your prom? Art Teacher Tawnee Houle: The thing I remember most about my senior prom is almost the entire school ending up at in-n-out for an impromptu after party which ended up being fun.

Expressions: Most memorable prom event?Newspaper Adviser and English teacher Scott Nairne: Prom at my school was 85 dollars so I sold my roller blades to afford my tickets for prom and once I won prom King I got free pictures. I think prom is a super weird cultural experience that every-one should experience good or bad.

Expressions: What was the most memora-ble part of your prom? Counselor Shelly Benson: The most mem-orable part of prom was dressing up and sharing the night with all of my friends and 30 years later most of us are still in touch and some I get to see everyday!

As prom season wraps up at San Luis Obispo High School, SLOHS teachers often rem-inisce about their own proms. Expressions went out and asked our teachers about their prom festivities.