Mac-Hi Needs More Language Classes

by CASEY HALE

Students have no choice when it comes to learning a language, they only have the option of Spanish. Many of the students at Mac-Hi are of Mexican heritage and can fluently speak Spanish.  Mexican students learning Spanish is like English students learning British; redundant.

Besides the fact that students need to be learning while at school, another reason we need more than one class is because students deserve a choice, many students want to learn German, French, Latin, Greek, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, or any of the other 1,000’s of languages in the world. If a student is not allowed the power to choose which language they learn, they may despise the language they have to learn. Because of their possible lack of passion for the language, the student might not do as well as they might had they chosen the language.

It is true that Spanish is a very important language; it is the second most commonly spoken language and it has significant historical value. However, it is illogical to limit students to only one language, no matter how important it is, because one language can not accommodate for the needs of all the students at Mac-Hi, such as the Mexican students.

The gap in education can be filled with new language classes. A good example is Mandarin Chinese, the most frequently spoken language. Chinese also opens many opportunities because it is the most spoken language in international business.

Another language we can consider might be Sign Language (called ASL by those in the know),  it helps solve the problems of miscommunication between deaf and hearing people. Personally, I long for a German class because of my future career path and simply because it is interesting and useful.

A decision needs to be made on whether or not we will have more language classes and, if so, which ones. This decision, however, is not mine to make, it is the school’s decision. I can only suggest that we should have more language classes.

T.S.A. Vanquishes The Competition

by CASEY HALE

Mac-Hi’s T.S.A team traveled to the college in Pendleton on the tenth of December to trounce their opponents. They built twenty wood toy trains, and they were judged as being better than all the other toys built by the other T.S.A teams. The proof of the victory hangs on the wall in Mr.Nelson’s classroom.

The competition in Pendleton also featured a very stressful bridge building competition, which asked students to build a model bridge in 2½ hours. They were given some very unintelligible instructions, and, because most of the teams didn’t understand some of the instructions, many were disqualified. After the bridges were built, their efficiency was tested by crushing them until they broke. Unfortunately, Mac-Hi did not win because all but one of our teams were disqualified. The competition continued with the flight endurance test, but, because some of the team members forgot to bring the plane, we did not compete in that one. Although we lost both the bridge building and the flight endurance tests, we came in first place in the manufacturing prototype (toy building).

The T.S.A. Club is where you build things, and Mr. Nelson is the boss. The club meets on Thursdays after school, and they are still accepting new club members. For the last couple of months, the T.S.A. members have been building 20 wooden toy trains to give to children. Because they were understaffed, they were behind schedule on the train construction and the dedicated members have had to spend many long Thursdays in the woodshop, sometimes staying until 7 o’clock to accommodate for the lack of manpower. Sometimes, Mr. Nelson has graciously provided Papa Murphy's pizza, but, due to the ravenous appetite of the students, Nelson didn’t get to eat many slices before it was gone. Now, every Thursday, the T.S.A. members are hard at work for their next competition in February next year.

Band & Choir Concert

by CASEY HALE

October the 29th. The band played and the choir sang. Beginning with the Mac Hi Jazz Band, they rolled on to the stage and played their tuning note. Mr. Agidius signaled for the band to begin playing and play they did. The band began with Uptown Funk which featured upbeat, fun solos, and the lively song awakened the audience from their trance of boredom. With the spectators alert and attentive, the band began their slower and calmer songs, the first of which was Sugar, followed by Angel Eyes. Finally finishing with Backatown a new song in the world of jazz by an artist called Trombone Shorty. Then, the band left, having amazed the crowd.

Choir members wandered onto the stage and sang Music In You, Night Winds, Pictures Of Fall, and Clap Your Hands And Sing. Then, the Crimson & Black choir strolled on stage and serenaded the audience with Voices of the Night. They then energized the spectators with the vibrant song Run, Mary, Run. While filled with the spirit of All Hallows’ Eve, Mrs. Cunnington began the song The Lake with words by Edgar Allan Poe. The concert ended with the song Shout Glory, a piece inspired by the Bible.

All in all, a beautiful night provided by the hardworking, music-loving students from McLoughlin.

PIONEERS SCORE ONE TOUCHDOWN

by CASEY HALE

McLoughlin High School hosted its homecoming game on Friday the 16th of October at Shockman Field against the Ontario Tigers. The band played many exhilarating songs inducing a sense of team spirit in the spectators, and the cheerleaders inspired cheer among the crowd. In the first half of the game the Pioneers were without hope of defeating the Tigers, but with nothing but grit they scored a touchdown. Riley Chester was able to elude the clutches of the Tigers long enough to reach the end-zone. Because of this, the final score was 56 to 7 instead of 56 to 0. Although this was not enough to win the Pioneers the game, it was enough to give them hope for seasons to come.

Halftime began with an armada of golf carts rolling across the sea of grass. Held within the carts were the princesses. When the golf carts came to a halt the princesses were revealed one at a time by way of puzzling poems. With the disclosure of the princess’ identities the revelation of the princes began. Among the princes there was a man who would be king, Danny Flores was tapped upon the head with the homecoming wand and became the homecoming king. While thoughts of the game crowded his head, he prepared to crown the queen. He extended the tiara above the heads of many women, but it finally landed on the head of Abi Biggs. Biggs said,”It was very exciting and shocking;”she is grateful to know that people think she’s a good person. Although this was an important moment in her life, she does not believe the way she is viewed has changed.Even though the excitement has ended Biggs will have,”a good memory for the rest of the year.”

The Mascots Are Disappearing

by CASEY HALE

The mascots of the different schools in the district have vanished! The Lions, the Wildcats, the Cougars, and the Ferndaliens have all been replaced by the Pioneers. Why would this be?

     The main reason the Milton-Freewater School District  might take this action must be that they wish for unity as a community. “When we go to games, we want to look like a whole community,” said McLoughlin High School principal, Ms. Vaughn. Another reason may be that with only one mascot, the students won’t need to buy new merchandise when they move up to a new school. According to Vaughn, “Students can keep wearing things throughout all the schools.” It might even make it easier for students to transition to new schools. 

     How do the students feel about this? Well, ”I still want the Cougars,” said Tigan O’Harrow. He also stated that “the name (the Central Pioneers) sounds kind of stupid.” After hearing this, I could tell that the Pioneers didn’t appeal to him.

     Because of statements given by Tigan’s twin sister, Tiffany, it would appear that many other students long for the return of their own school mascots. She says that “the other students like the Cougars more than the Pioneers,” although O’Harrow herself does not share this opinion. According to her, “I like the Pioneers better than the Cougars, I think the Central Pioneers are good luck, and we should be one united town.” It became apparent that there are some that don’t share the common opinion - the disliking of the Pioneers. However, with the progression of students through the schools, those very students will be studying at a college or working before long, at which point they will be replaced by new students who will know no other mascot than the Pioneers.