How do you prepare for finals?

Alex Malouf: Each class is different. I cram in study time for my math final as close to the test as possible. If I do it more than a few days in advance, I will forget everything. English based classes and finals requiring essay writing are more manageable for me. I prepare everything and lay it out. Essentially I have the essay written in my mind before I even get to the class. Finals are only as bad as you make them.

Olivia Kinunen: I haven’t ever dedicated much time to studying for finals. I listen and take notes in class, so doing the final reviews that teachers pass out is usually enough for me to go into the tests and do well. In math and science based classes I’m normally able to have a notecard which I usually do the night before the test. I try not to put too much content on these notecards either, just things that I always seem to forget or mess up on. English has never really been an issue for me so I spend little to no time studying for my English finals.

Cody Kemble: I don’t start studying until a couple days before, because if I study too far in advance I’ll just forget everything. The review that teachers give are the best tool for finals, I almost never look at anything but that. For math I have found that the review is almost always identical to the actual test, so if you know how to do the review, you’re good. I’m not one that will sit there and stress about finals and spend a bunch of time studying. I’ve never failed a final either, the lowest if gotten is a 67 and the highests was a 98, both on math finals. I’m pretty streaky and that because I don’t really have a plan for studying for math at least. For finals with essays, I have already written the essay before hand.

Connor Wodehouse: To tell the truth, I don’t do much studying. I’ve always done well grade-wise when I don’t study, so I’ve never really had much trouble getting ready for finals. Listening in class and knowing that YOU know what’s up is what’ll get you there, and on the day of the final itself? Be chill, yo. You know it, you got this. And if you don’t, then you probably should’ve studied.

What’s your favorite part about basketball season?

Cody Kemble: The best part is the CCCC tournament. It’s great because it’s during Christmas break, so I don’t have to worry about school or anything. We usually have a shootaround in the morning and then a bunch of us will go down to the Landing and have breakfast after. It’s pretty fun to spend a bunch of time with your teammates and then go play in front of the home crowd. Our games during the Clarke are usually at 9:15 p.m. and the stands are always packed.

Kyle Smith: My favorite part about basketball season has to be beating JD on their own court. Their pep club is always crazy and loud. Their fans are all super annoying, and most of their players are too. It always feels good to beat them on their own court and send them and their families home silent, or complaining about the game. I’m not really friends with anyone who plays for JD so it makes it that much better.

Marcus Lee: My favorite part about basketball season is the Clarke Tournament. Most of our home games is during the Clarke and I love playing in front of the community. Our attendance for the games skyrocket, especially with kids coming home from college, and the visiting teams along with their families who have never been to Alaska. Last year our first round game against Metlakatla-the gym was packed and loud. Reason because Met likes to haul their whole village to Ketchikan for the tournament. Christmas is my favorite holiday so it’s only right that my favorite part about the season falls in the mist of Christmas break. Playing basketball everyday along with the absence of school is nothing but happiness for me.

Ashley Huffine: My favorite part of basketball season is the Clarke Tournament. There is nothing better than playing in front of our home crowd, the gym is always packed and there never seems to be a time when the crowd isn’t roaring. With so many teams coming to play from all over, it brings more competition and gives you an opportunity to meet people. It’s my senior year so there is going to be a lot a bitter sweet moments like senior night where we play on our home court for the last time and get to take a moment to thank all of those who have helped us through it all and list our favorite memories together.

Madison Rose: The best part about basketball season is playing hard and expressing my passion for the game on the court. The satisfaction comes from the intensity and hustle, along with the feeling of doing a good play. Aside from game time, building relationships and connecting with players, teammates and coaches make it all worth while. Most all my favorite memories are behind the scenes, when we go shopping, mess around and get hyped before a game. For instance; as we won our 5th region title, the team dumped sprinkles all over Lund’s classroom, a memory I will never forget.

What do you do with your Thanksgiving leftovers?

Alex Malouf: With my Thanksgiving leftovers I make sandwiches piled high with a variety of ingredients. Usually I stick to the basics: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and cranberries all stuffed onto toasted bread. It’s the classic leftovers sandwich. You seriously can’t beat it. Read my article on proper sandwich etiquette. However, as the days pass by after turkey day and the leftovers swindle away, your options become limited. At that point I take bread and any scraps leftover and smother it all with gravy.

Cody Kemble: Thanksgiving leftovers are the most clutch leftovers of all time. I like to make sandwiches with the rolls, turkey, stuffing, and everything else. My favorite food item is definitely mashed potatoes and gravy, even in the days following it. You can never go wrong with throwing gravy on all the leftovers. The past couple years, my family has had prime rib for Thanksgiving dinner. It isn’t really the same as typical Thanksgiving leftovers and I miss the traditional leftover scene.

Brandon Wieber: If my family has a big get together for Thanksgiving we usually hand out left overs or at least a majority of it. Our family keeps the meats but we’ll give away the rolls, most deserts (besides apple pies), and other little finger foods. The night after, my parents usually make grilled sandwiches with turkey or the ham. After a few days and the leftovers aren’t gone then we’ll usually throw away the very last bit. Although, the next couple days after Thanksgiving we don’t make food, we just eat what’s left.

Abbigail Gaugler: We usually have the styrofoam carry-out plates filled with as much food as possible and hand them out to people as they leave the house. The food that doesn’t make it out the door is fixed for the week afterward. Our fridge is usually on the verge of breaking from the impact on the inside. For at least four days, breakfast, lunch, and dinner consist of turkey, mashed potatoes, rolls, and some kind of pie. Leftovers of the leftovers are thrown away.

Sullivan Schulz: At my family’s Thanksgiving dinner, we often have multiple meats like ham, turkey, and sometimes prime rib. Though I enjoy it the most after Thanksgiving when you get to make a sandwich that includes all 3 of the meats. Occasionally I’ll throw a little bit of stuffing in there for little extra something. Altogether though, the post Thanksgiving sandwich is the way to go.

Midterm elections were held Nov. 6. Alaskans had the opportunity to choose a new governor and Lt. governor and United States representative. 

Voting…

Alex Malouf: Voting is important. It is your duty and right as a citizen of the United States. Get out and vote for what you believe in and stay true to your opinions. Don’t stand for slogans. It will be interesting to see the outcome of the midterms, but specifically the Alaska elections. With multiple strong candidates throughout all levels of elections, this election should be a good one to follow.

Olivia Kinunen: Voting is a very valuable privilege that us Americans have. We are blessed to be able to participate in a direct democracy, and to be able to choose who our representatives are. It is disappointing to me that the voter turnout is not very high, especially in young voters and minorities, but that means my own vote would count even more. Since voting is very important to me, when I turn 18 registering to vote will be one of the first things that I will do.

Crist Carlson: Now that I’m 18 and paying attention to the news and finding my political identity I’m realizing the importance of voting. Voting is very important to me and our country. Voting gives the people a voice and the opportunity for the people to speak and stand up for who and what they want. Knowing that the voter turnout is very low in my community and country really motivates me to get out and make sure I cast my vote and try to make a change. This election is really important for our state because it decides who our governor is going to be for the next 4 years and the direction of the state.

Cody Kemble: Is important to our country. We have to opportunity to participate in direct democracy, which means that we get to choose who represents us and runs our government. Americans must educate themselves and vote on candidates they believe will best serve their community, state and country. America is of the people, by the people, and for the people, so we should participate in voting.

Brandon Wieber: is important and shapes how America and our states are prepared in a way. Even though a lot of high schoolers cannot vote it still is important the ones that can do. I will vote once I’m able to because every vote counts. It is kinda ironic though that a lot of adults say it is important to vote even though this years midterms elections only had a 54% turnout of voters. So where exactly is the other 46%? Do they not care or do they not understand politics?

If you could be (not wear a costume) any fictional character for a day, who would it be and why?

Madison Rose: I would 100% be Elastigirl. Not only does she have the advantage of reaching the remote without having to move from her position,  but with her power, my short body would no longer be belittled by short jokes. Instead everyone can face the wrath of my tallness and cower at the sight of my prolonged legs as I step over, crushing them like ants. Plus, dont get me wrong but she’s curvy like a Mcflurry. Aside from that I could also win MVP on the basketball court.  I would just dunk and swat everyone. Last but not least my little legs would no longer be a problem when it came to reaching something on the top shelf, and I can live happily ever after with the giraffes.

Jenna Miller: Stitch is the way to go. Not only is he cute, fluffy, and blue, but he has a personality like no other. Cute, but could decide to tear your head off at any given moment. He’s not only fireproof and bulletproof, but he can also lift anything three thousand times his size. So my understanding is that if I were him I would be indestructible and super strong so what else more could you want? Not to mention that I would have a human waiting on me giving me anything and everything I could possibly want or need. Being Stitch for a day would be a dream come true.

Tarrant Sasser: I would definitely go with Han Solo. Wanted space gangster with a wookie best friend. Cannot beat that. Especially flying around the galaxy on the Millennium Falcon shooting lasers at anything to stand in my way, fighting against the empire with my friends, while ripping people off and smuggling with the fastest ship in the galaxy.

Sullivan Schulz: Batman is hands down the best superhero of all time, that’s who I would be if I were a fictional character. Batman is the ultimate superhero due to his incredible intellect and his wealth. Crime fighting would be the coolest thing, beating up bad guys while also teaming up with some other super cool superheroes. During the day I would be a billionaire and at night I would be the cape crusader who drives around in a tank and fights bad guys. Hands down batman would be the coolest fictional character to be.