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Volume XVIII w Issue 2 Waunakee Community High School whspurplesage.com November 20, 2019 PurpleWaunakee,Sage WI 53597 Twitter: @WHSpsage Opinion School pushback on vaping epidemic Student Sydney Jezik speaks to the new News Editor public library’s unavailability on More than 44,000 students nationally from Sunday afternoons grades 8-12 took part in the 2018 annual sur- wpage 5 vey of drug, alcohol and cigarette use.12th grade use alone jumped from 28% to 37% from 2017 to 2018. Vaping of each substance asked about in the survey increased, including flavored liquids, nicotine and marijuana. “Vaping is an issue at school and everywhere.” Features Senior Natalie Kazysnki Debate over whether or And, according to current trends, these sta- not to change tistics are predominantly bound to increase. mascots heightens These statistics have roots at Waunakee wpage 7 High School, too. The 2018 Dane County Youth Assessment showed a spike in youth vaping between 2015 and 2018. Waunakee students reported above-average vaping for Photo submitted by Cardlin Langheim/Whipurwauna Yearbook the county. Seniors Natalie Kazynsky and Noah Dorn perform in an anti-vaping skit at Further, while vape usage is rising, its ef- the homecoming pep rally. fects are becoming very clear. In October the where,” said senior Natalie Kazynski. “I don’t think that it’s very no- first double lung transplant for lungs diseased ticeable because the people creating [vape tools] have found ways to by vaping took place at a Michigan hospital. hide it, and that’s not okay… the numbers of people doing it will only In less than a year, the junior-grade student keep rising until someone does something about it.” Entertainment involved received serious “inflammation and Several large clubs, like Above the Influence (ATI) and Pay It For- scarring” to his lungs. ward, have come together on the issue. Students and teachers collab- As a result of the government-dubbed “na- orated to create a homecoming pep rally skit to raise awareness about The King holds tional emergency” of vaping, and of increas- vaping. Newtrue Netflix to directing movie ingly troubling local data, concerned staff and The skit required several meetings and the writing and acting of praise students at Waunakee are taking a stand. wpage 10 “Vaping is an issue at school and every- See VAPING w Page 3 First concert of the year: success Sydney Williams News Editor

The first few months of the school year boast opportunities that perhaps only students and teachers fresh off the summer have the en- Sports ergy for, with highly involved activities such as Drama Club’s One Act and football’s an- Waunakee nual grind towards state. The music suite, too, football off to is busy this time of year: the Kickoff Concert state after took place on October 21st. beating This year’s concert featured many popu- Waukesha West lar songs like “California Dreamin’” by the wpage 13 Mamas & The Papas, “Believer” by Imagine Dragons, “Riptide” by Vance Joy and more. Opening the concert was a preview of the spring musical, Fiddler on the Roof. Sung by all choirs, it featured junior Reed Christion on the violin, as well as senior Samantha Hi- megarner on the oboe. Originally, this concert was created to pro- vide an opportunity for student choice, and so InDepth Spread effectively starts off the year with a line-up of music that is most appealing to students. School pushes “[The Kickoff Concert] is different because back on vaping Photo submitted by Meta Jezik of the variety of music and most of the ensem- health crisis From left to right: juniors Brian Hlathein, Allison Horvatin, Elliot Petroff, wpages 8-9 Sydney Jezik and Jonah Leland perform the Pentatonix original “Run to See KICKOFF CONCERT w Page 3 You” at the Kickoff Concert. News Sydney Jezik and Sydney Williams, News Editors Co-curricular code is being reinforced wNews Briefs Emma Nelson lost some of its gravity. Reporter “I don’t think the co-curricular code is very Student places first in effective because many students don’t care… category at NATS Students may have noticed some adminis- Nobody cares to read the email sent out with trative buzz around co-curriculars this year, the code,” said junior Sydney Grimm, who Friday, Nov. 8th, Junior Elena Paul re- such as the Google form sent out in October, competes on the varsity girl’s golf team. ceived first place in the High School- Tre to be completed by all students. This Google It used to be that there would be different ble division at the National Assocation of form had students fill out all non-sport co-cur- punishments for different types of athletics, Teachers of Singing Competition at UW Vit- riculars they were a part of, so that the school and clubs or organizations. Now, the enforce- erbo. could figure out the demographics of students ment is consistent within the types of co-cur- in certain clubs and activities. riculars. Teacher recieves This activity attached to a similar, but less As said by Borowski, “we have nearly Distinguished Service Award visible, movement, taking place in sports and 1,100 students involved in co-curriculars in co-curriculars, and both are happening because some form or another.” Beginning this year, Retired Waunakee middle school teach- of a rewrite of enforcement of the Co-Curric- all 1,100 students will be held to the same er Steve Ryan has recieved an award from ular Handbook. standards regarding their participation. the Wisconsin Athletic Director’s Association “[There were] no changes to the rules. The When asked why the rule enforcements for 40 years of teaching and coaching at rules have been in place long before I was were implemented, in the first place Borows- Waunakee. here,” said Principal Brian Borowski. “The ki said, “They were implemented to eliminate -compiled by Sydney Jezik and Sydney Williams key aspect is enforcement of the rules to ensure possible inequities within the system where that all students are being treated equitably one group of students could face penalties for formance groups such as jazz band, choir or with the Co-Curricular Code. Athletes should their grades, behaviour, actions... while anoth- a capella, is held to the first three standards. not have a harsher punishment than other stu- er group was not held to the same standard. Category C, which encompasses the rest of the dents who represent the school in their club/ Any student who represents Waunakee Com- organizations that are usually considered clubs organization… it should be the same. So the munity High School in sports/clubs/orgs (de- (i.e. French Club, Art Club, National Honor important aspect is holding all students who pending on which Category they fall (A, B, or Society and many others), will be held to the are involved in Athletics/Clubs/Orgs to high C)) will be held to the same standard. Short first two standards. standards.” answer, to create accountability as well as fair- Section one, behavior, applies to all catego- ness.” ries and discusses sportsmanship, honesty and “[There were] no changes to the As stated in the co-curricular handbook, moral consideration. Section two, attendance, there are four sections for participants to fol- also applies to all categories and discusses rules... [just] enforcement.” low. Section one is behavior, two is attendance, weather cancellations and excused absences if three is grades and four is WIAA expectations required by instructors. Section three, grades, Principal Brian Borowski (Code of Conduct/external expectations/ran- applies to A and B and mandates a certain dom drug testing). grade level — less than one F for every six All of Category A is held to all four stan- classes — for co-curricular eligibility. Finally, The rules for those involved in co-curricu- dards. This includes WIAA sports, and com- section four, WIAA expectations, applies to lars have not changed for a long time. Some petitive co-curriculars such as Forensics, One A alone and mainly covers physical physical students report that, as a result, the code has Act, etc. Category B, which includes per- exams. Scholarship opportunities benefitting Waunakee students arships created by counselors in the guidance right then and there. With more knowledge be- Aly Kinzel office. This list is accessible on both the coun- hind this topic, there’s little doubt that students Reporter seling department website and the Waunakee will embrace these opportunities. homepage under the counseling drop bar la- Whether it’s freshman year or senior year, beled ‘Scholarships.’ college will continue to be a relevant up-and “It’s quick, painless and scholarships are coming-obstacle students can’t simply avoid. posted throughout the year as they become The thought of it can be scary, but with solid available,” says guidance counselor and schol- preparation and the right mindset, it doesn’t arship coordinator Megan Bunkleman, the have to be something to procrastinate. creator and manager of the website. “The old system wasn’t super accessible, so we recre- “Scholoarships are posted... as they ated it as a stream line to better help students. There’s a breakdown of every type sorted by become availiable.” due date, and it’s a good new way to find local options.” Counselor Megan Bunkleman Another great resource that the school of- fers, Fastweb, is set up in a similar manner. Many people are unaware that Waunakee After setting up a free account, the website actually offers many opportunities through a retrieves scholarships that would best benefit variety of websites to influence the usage of a student based on their strengths, interests scholarships and financial aid. These websites and skills. Bunkleman describes this source as are listed on the Counseling Department web- “a friendly and clean way to discover target- The updated scholarship webpage was site accessible via the High School homepage, ed scholarships.” It’s another resource where engineered by guidance counselor Megan none of which require any sort of fee. someone can easily apply for scholarships in Bunkleman. With these convenient websites, students minutes, and the convenience of it makes for are able to filter out scholarships so they fit an overall beneficial website. Starting around Thanksgiving, Bunkleman certain preferences. Even stated on the site, So if all of these helpful sources are right will be offering Contact Times to further- ex the counselors say the offered websites “allow at their fingertips, why don’t students take plain scholarships and to help students apply students the opportunity to find scholarships advantage of them? 10 different websites, in- for them. based on their unique circumstances/criteria.” cluding the most well-known one, Naviance, If there are any questions or concerns be- Not only are there formulated websites dis- are entirely beneficial in a way that students fore then, Bunkleman is usually located in the cussing national scholarships, but also a com- can view hundreds of offered scholarships and counseling office and says that she is always plete list of all local, state and national schol- apply for whatever one might catch their eye more than willing to talk to students. Page 2 The Purple Sage November 20, 2019 News VAPING ment, public health representatives, youth, w teachers, faith leaders and several others to do Continued from page 1 work through the [community].” several people, including co-author Kazynski, Moehn is primarily involved with educa- senior Noah Dorn and Social Studies instruc- tion and awareness. Last year, she was a part tor Corina Rogers. Dorn’s character asked out of creating the new JUUL awareness posters several girls to homecoming, but got rejected around the school. Her position and her efforts every time because he was a vaper. At the end, have been in response to the local statistics he was finally accepted by a girl who pulled from the Dane County Youth Assessment. out a stretcher for him. In addition to the efforts of students and Moehn’s work, the school board has taken ac- “We do actively encourage tion. It amended several policies around ATO- DA to include restrictions on e-cigarettes and students and teachers to report.” vaping.

Assistant Principal Steven Hernandez “I work on prevention within the “I got involved with the skit through Mrs. community and the school.” Rogers and other interested students about the vaping topic,” said Kazynski. “We... decided Social Worker Jessica Moehn we wanted to put a skit together that would get the message across about how dangerous vap- When a student is caught vaping, admin- ing is. I got involved with it because the club istration undergoes a process. According to I am a part of, ATI, focused on that topic... at Assistant Principal Deanne Lensert, the JUUL the beginning of the semester so I thought that or e-cigarette is confiscated and the police are I could try to spread the information through contacted, because the activity, of course, is the skit.” Photo from Purple Sage archives illegal. “I also got involved because I have a per- JUULs promote nicotine addictions in young Then administration gets in touch with par- sonal connection to someone who vapes, and adults and advertise to teenagers. ents and, if the student is involved in co-cur- it has hurt their life and the people around Anti-vaping advocates at the high school ricular activities, Athletic Director Aaron May them, too,” she said. have made a point of emphasizing that vaping is contacted. Further, Moehn is brought in to “I know [vaping] is going on far more than is a very serious health concern, not just a le- educate the student on the health and safety I can catch,” said Assistant Principal Eric Hut- gal one. issues with vaping. tenberg. He said that while he had not person- High school social worker Jessica Moehn However, many students obtain JUULs ally seen many vape tools in the school, his is the high school’s recently installed ATODA and other vaping tools from older people, like transition from teacher to associate principal Coordinator. friends or siblings. alone have made him much more aware of the ATODA is an acronym standing for Alco- They do so through illegal loans and pur- amount of vaping at the high school. hol, Tobacco and Other Drug Abuse Preven- chases. When kept under the radar like this, it Administration relies on the voices of par- tion Coordinator. is impossible to prevent minors from vaping, ents, teachers and students to find students “I work on prevention within the commu- at least at home. who are vaping. As such, “we do actively en- nity and the school,” said Moehn. “I do a lot While vaping has been labeled an epidem- courage students and teachers to report,” said of work with the Waunakee Community Cares ic, many students do not yet realize the health Assistant Principal Steven Hernandez. Coalition, comprised of parents, law enforce- risks it comes with.

sang solos for “Zemabia” and Concert Choir’s “Unchain My Heart” with Schmidt’s vocal KICKOFF CONCERT “Believer.” percussion accompaniment. wContinued from page 1 Molly Petroff, the choir director,- com Kee Notes is an auditioned extracurricular bles are student-led. It is a time for students to mented on the importance of student growth choir that meets twice a week before school. pick their own songs and have a fun time with through working on these small groups in them, and it really showcases the talent of the preparation for the concert. people in the music department,” said senior “It’s an opportunity for them to work to- Madison Ceder, who participated in multiple gether, collaborate, communicate, arrange, ensembles with a solo in Kee Notes’s “Zem- rehearse, refine, evaluate and reduce to come abia.” up with a vision. It’s a really neat creative pro- Apparently, students heavily favor the a cess.” capella vocal group, Pentatonix. The concert “I enjoyed singing in Concert Choir, Kee featured not one but two songs by them: “Wa- Notes and a small group [“Run to You”], be- ter” and “Run to You.” cause each ensemble had different types of Students got involved in other ways, too. music, and it was fun singing with a lot of oth- Several students played instrumental accom- er singers,” said junior Brian Hlathein. paniments during the performance, including Guiding the audience through the musi- piano, ukulele and violin. cal evening were four Masters of Ceremony — seniors Madison Ceder, Grace Johnson, “[They} come up with a vision... It’s Gretchen Johnson and Natalie Kazynski. They provided comedic commentary as well as in- a really neat creative process.” troduced each of the acts to the audience. While smaller-group performances were Photo sibmitted by Meta Sinclair Choir Director Molly Petroff up to student choice, the three choirs, fresh- Kee Notes singing “Zemabia” at the Kickoff man choir Chorale, all-female choir Sonoro Concert. and sophomore, junior and senior-grade Con- An interesting addition to a few of the songs cert Choir also performed. Their songs ranged Not only is the Kickoff Concert a student was a vocal percussionist, freshman Sawyer from oldies such as “California Dreamin’” and favorite, but it is also used as a fundraiser for Schmidt. Schmidt added lively beats to songs “Aquarius/ Let the Sunshine In” by the Fifth the music program. The music department by multiple choirs, even ones that he was not a Dimension to pop music like “Believer” by uses concert admission proceeds to offset pro- regular member of. Imagine Dragons. gramming costs and pay for travel expenses “I really liked the variety in the performing Another group that performed at the con- associated with field trips. groups and how each song sounded unique in cert was the vocal jazz group, Kee Notes. Kee The music suite will be party to a winter its own way,” said sophomore Emma Follen- Notes performed the song Zemabia by Ker- concert, a capella caroling and the solo and dorf, who participated in multiple pieces and ry Marsh, and featured a quartet performing ensemble festival in upcoming months. November 20, 2019 The Purple Sage Page 3 Opinion Sam Kaufmann, Opinion Editor Editorial Flyer policy supports safe environment Staff Claire Borgelt are defaced; we are hoping to de- fear or anxiety, or barrs them from Columnist crease that stress for students so that contributing their voice to the di- they know that their posters are safe alogue of their environment, it is Recently, a new policy regarding from individuals who do not agree more suited to remaining unex- bulletins and posters for school organi- with their message. It is really about pressed. This is true on any scale, zations has been enacted in our school. providing a safe learning environ- from the internet to the hallways In order to display messages in the ment for all students,” he said. and poster boards of a high school. hallways or on bulletin boards, students The new policy has been met with It is for this reason that the post- must submit a copy of their poster to support from staff, who recognize the er policy’s principles stand strong the office, where it will be stamped for need for a more proactive approach against any debate. Its intent is not approval. to protecting students’ messages. So to silence students or limit their Sammy Geraci When asked about what lead to the far, every poster has been approved, voices, but to ensure that the senti- Editor in Chief creation of this new procedure, Princi- and students have complied with the ments shared are productive rather pal Brian Borowski cited issues in the necessary procedures. However, the than discriminatory or threaten- Sydney Jezik past that warranted a change. “There measures taken in the school envi- ing. Sydney Williams has been an increase of incidents over ronment raise discussions of free In addition to promoting a pro- News Editors the past few years with students put- speech and the extent to which opin- tected communication system ting up materials that cause stress and ions should be shared in the public for students and organizations, Sam Kaufmann anxiety or are not school appropriate. sphere -- both in institutions such adopting a system for respectful Opinion Editor When students choose to put up items as Waunakee High School, and on a discourse in this setting will en- that are not approved by advisors or broader societal scale. courage the same behavior later Sydney Schumacher the administrative team, these posters The reality of the situation in both in life. Having been exposed to an Tessa Pauls need to be removed by custodial staff cases is that although each person is environment where opinions can Features Editors or administration,” he explained. entitled to express their beliefs free- be freely and safely expressed will He then described the need for a ly, there exists a line that cannot be condition students to feel comfort- Stella Birrenkott safe space where students could share crossed. That line is clearly drawn at able sharing their voices even af- Entertainment Editor their messages. “There have also been opinions that diminish the safety of ter graduating. They will have had several incidents of students removing an environment or make those who a young life that allowed them to Ebba Harrison posters placed throughout the school also wish to express their beliefs feel speak free of fear, and will there- Robyn Ryan or defacing them. The students respon- silenced. The inalienable rights of fore possess none as young adults. Sports Editors sible for posting inappropriate items each member of this society include This is largely beneficial; society in the school and/or defacing posters free speech, but they also include the is improved by a myriad of sen- Open Position have faced consequences, but this is a pursuit of happiness. If a statement timents. Diversity in opinion is Sage Page Editor very reactive approach. Students feel infringes on these protections for more productive than blind agree- belittled or bullied when their posters another individual by causing them ment. Callie Kesilewski Photography Editor School’s wi-fi and web blocker need improvements Anna Vanderhoef Callie Kesilewski where along the 1400 or 1300 hall- for a staff member or student to Web Page Manager Photography Editor ways. If you want to call or email leave a classroom simply for phone someone using your phone, in many service. It’s faster for a staff mem- Open Position Since the beginning of last school year, places, the easiest way to do it in- ber to call emergency services or Graphics Manager the speed of the school wi-fi has substan- volves going outdoors. In winter, administration in this case, since it tially slowed down. that is not exactly very feasible. takes time for someone to get to the Open Position The apparent cause is all of the Cell phones have become a crit- area of the school where the prob- Advertising Manager Chromebooks, which take up some of ical communication tool during lem is located. Having better wi-fi the bandwidth. However, all other devic- events such as power outages or would eliminate this safety hazard. Tammy Rademacher es are extremely slow or simply do not other emergencies. If power is cut While increasing wi-fi bandwidth Adviser work. Much of the southern part of the to the school’s phone and internet does cost more, it is worth it for school and the commons are several feet network, communication to areas safety. Interested in an underground. Cellular data cannot pene- outside of the building becomes im- Student access to personal email Open Position? trate through walls well, so phones and paired. Many staff members have is also important. Students have Contact other devices are essentially rendered radios as backup, but not all do, so many responsibilities outside of Sammy Geraci or useless in these dead zones. Other dead many are left dependent on school our school. Have an appointment Ms. Rademacher zones exist in the interior math rooms, or cell phones. Seconds count in any in 1502 many world language rooms and any- emergency. It might be dangerous See WI-FIw Page 6 Do you think the public library should be open on “I don’t really care.” “No. Should be closed “Sure.” “Yes.” “No.” on Sundays.” Sundays? Tommy Troester Scott Jezik Elena Paul Noah Jost Sandra Meinholz Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Staff Photo poll by Callie Kesilewski and Sam Kaufmann Page 4 The Purple Sage November 20, 2019 Opinion The Wednesday Society speaks Public library should be open wonderful quiet place to study and do work. nesses that might be interested in using the Sunday afternoons However, the library closes at 5:00 p.m. Community Hall or Board Room during the November is budget season for the Wauna- on Friday and Saturday. By the time students new hours. kee Village Board. Village staff have spent might get there after school, sports practices, Thanks to village trustee Erin Moran, it several months creating budgets for their re- or other activities, there isn’t much time to get is now proposed to begin Sunday hours at spective departments in preparation for the work done. There is also a lot of demand for the start of the next school year instead of 2020 budget approval process. these spaces, so having more hours to use them mid-year 2021. Village Administrator Todd This year, arguably the biggest proposed will increase their availability to students and Schmidt estimated at the November 4th vil- change is adding Sunday hours for the public other community members. Working parents lage board meeting that having 1-5 p.m library during the school year. Waunakee is with children may not have much time to visit Sunday hours during the school year would one of the few public libraries in Dane Coun- our public library during the week, so Sunday cost approximately $55,000 per school year. ty that is not open on Sunday. The libraries hours would provide them with that time. $55,000 is not a huge cost to taxpayers to in DeForest, Sun Prairie, Middleton, Verona, The new library’s Community Hall is a have our library open during a time that many and Monona all have Sunday hours from 1-5 fantastic space that, not surprisingly, has seen people will use the facility. p.m. Waunakee is large enough now with increased bookings, with much of it coming Village trustee Gary Herzberg noted at nearly 14,000 residents and sees enough from American Family Insurance, accord- a meeting that he has “a number of people” checkouts (especially with the new building) ing to Friends of the Library president Jean telling him that the library should be open on to support adding hours. Elvekrog. Being open on Sunday would re- Sunday. In addition, it provides a place for youth sult in more people having availability to re- Waunakee is a large enough community in the community to hang out and do their serve the rooms, thus increasing the number now that it is absolutely time for our new li- homework on a day when many other busi- of programs that can visit the library. Library brary to be open on Sunday afternoons from nesses are closed. The private rooms are a revenue might also see an increase from busi- 1-5 p.m. November’s Village Corner

Sam Kaufmann torney Mike Brandt on how the issue is affect- Opinion Editor ing funding for our school district. All of the taxing jurisdictions serving the area send one There has been a lot of development in representative to a Joint Review Board (JRB) Waunakee over the past 10 years. The Lone when a new TID comes up. Girl building on Main Street, Octopi Brewing, There are eight active TIDs in Waunakee and the Kilkenny Farms neighborhood are and according to Brandt, “the school district several examples. All of these developments (including the liaison to the JRB) objects to have one thing in common: all asked for and TIFs often.” Brandt is concerned that by con- received Tax Incremental Finance (TIF) funds. tinuing to create TIDs, the district is “forced to TIF is a financing option that allows- mu overtax residents and businesses (both in and nicipalities to fund infrastructure or other im- out of the village).” TIDs increase the prop- provements through property tax revenue of erty tax base, but according to Brandt, “by de- Photo by Sammy Geraci newly developed/redeveloped property within liberately excluding [the increased base] from Summer Credit Union is an example of a project a designated Tax Incremental District (TID). property tax via TIF forces other taxpayers to that received TIF funds from the village board. TIDs can last a maximum of 27 years and cover the TID’s portion of the tax levy.” must include a residential/commercial mix or Thus, the rest of the community “funds well as high quality schools and public works. industrial uses. The three projects above were what is effectively a transfer of revenue to de- All of these factors are more than enough to either located in or asked for a TID. velopers” and tax base growth is repeatedly spur development. Brandt believes that TIF The additional property taxes are split into stagnated for decades. The lost funding results should only be used to incentivize develop- two “streams.” The first stream is the base in “negative short-term impact on tax revenue ers for projects we need such as “entry-level rate, or the original tax value of the property for schools.” housing, more affordable senior living, and before development, which works like regular When asked about how the village has re- important businesses.” taxes. The second stream is the tax increment, sponded to these concerns, Brandt said that the When asked where these additional funds or added tax funds generated by the higher village is continuing to approve TIDs, despite could go if fewer TIDs were approved, Brandt property value. The additional funding is kept the fact that associated development would said only one outcome is certain: residents will away from the school district, village, county, likely occur anyway. “There is little evidence be taxed less for the same quality of schools. and MATC, reducing their funding streams. that a TID is necessary to spur investment in Brandt is under the impression that either the All of the second stream is used to pay for the Waunakee at this point”, noted Brandt. Hy- village “doesn’t understand the consequences redevelopment. Due to the lack of funding in- Vee is an example of a project that paid for for the school district [of TIF], or they don’t creases (i.e. the school district), taxes for resi- public improvements on its own without TIF. care.” Brandt directed me to the school board’s dents living outside of the TID increase. Waunakee has low crime, an excellent loca- I spoke with school board member and at- tion, an affluent and educated population, as See VILLAGE CORNER w Page 6 The Purple Sage’s mission is to provide a fo- or e-mailed. Waunakee High School rum for free and responsible expression of stu- The Purple Sage is published monthly and 301 Community Drive Waunakee, WI 53597 dent opinion and present well-balanced locally 1,000 copies are printed by Bliss Communica- (608)849-2007 researched coverage of issues of broader student tions. Free copies are distributed to students and interest. staff. Subscriptions to The Purple Sage are avail- whspurplesage.com The Purple Sage is written and produced en- able for $20 per year. Subscription requests can email: purplesage@ tirely by Waunakee Community High School be sent to our mailing address or e-mail address. waunakeecsd.org students. Opinions in The Purple Sage are the The Purple Sage accepts display advertising Volume XVIII, Issue 2 opinions of the author and do not necessarily and the base rate is $5 per column inch. See our November 20, 2019 reflect the opinions of the newspaper staff or the website for additional information. school district. The Purple Sage is a member of the Columbia Quote of the month: “Ideas are more powerful Students, staff, and members of the commu- Scholastic Press Association, the National Scho- than guns.” - Joseph Stalin nity are welcome to submit Letters to the Editor. lastic Press Association and the Kettle Moraine Letters should be 250 words or less and must be Press Association. signed. Letters may be delivered to room 1502 November 20, 2019 The Purple Sage Page 5 Opinion

Disclaimer: The BEET Waunakee’s Wokest Words editorial is strictly satire. JUULing in schuul: is it cuul, fuul or just tuu cuul for yuu?

Sammy Geraci therefore very responsible. Even if the student JUULs out of their “scuul.” The problem the Editor in Chief was not good with money before beginning to administration faces is that it fails to see the Juul, buying JUUL pods teaches him or her aforementioned benefits of vaping. In order The issue of vaping at Waunakee has been important personal finance skills. to reduce teen vaping, the school must imple- getting a lot of attention lately. Everyone Despite the clear social and educational ment a program which eliminates the health knows that vaping is not healthy, yet many in benefits of vaping, it still has its critics. Many risks of JUULing without compromising on our school do so anyways. When considering health experts take issue with its effects on the what makes it so awesome. why someone in Generation Z would start to human lung. Additionally, educators within One potential solution for all of this is for vape, one thing immediately comes to mind: Waunakee High School worry that the addic- the school to start selling its own version of how insanely cool those JUUL pod kids are. tive nicotine in vapes among other chemicals Juul pods, not containing nicotine, not con- Whenever two teenage boys exit the same toi- could result in negative health consequences taining THC, but containing lightly salinated let stall, everyone using the bathroom immedi- for their students later down the line. water. Ripping a JUUL will appear exactly the ately understands how edgy and cool they are. Even JUUL’s own website acknowledges same on the surface, but with all the medicinal JUULing is not just about appearances to- that young people should not start vaping and effects of a Neti Pot. Instead of relaxing with wards other teens though. It can demonstrate asks visitors to click a button saying that they the nicotine in their vape juice, students can a student’s maturity. While JUUL advertises are 21 years old before going onto the site. If use their new JUUL pods to experience the how much smokers can save by switching to the user fails to press that button and instead salty, humid ocean air and relax that way. their product, it is still an expensive habit for a presses the “I AM NOT 21+” button, they will The students can still share toilet stalls to highschooler, especially since high schoolers be redirected to teen.smokefree.gov. sell each other these new JUUL pods, and they cannot just buy JUULs online like adults over While the good folks at JUUL have come up can still pay an arm and a leg for them, but the age of 21 can. with a foolproof strategy to keep teens off of now the school faculty do not have to worry If a high school student is JUULing, he or their website, the administrators in the school about students dying from those pesky lung she must be in a good financial situation and are still looking for a good way to get those diseases.

in many cases are time sensitive. Can’t reach WI-FI a customer due to our wi-fi? A student might VILLAGE CORNER wContinued from page 4 have just lost a job. wContinued from page 5 The school’s new web blocker also pos- during release? Need to take an extra shift at es challenges for internet browsing. Infinite 2018 TID position statement. The TIF policy work right after school? Much of this informa- Campus (at the time this article was written) clearly states that the district loses revenue tion generally comes through email or text. If was blocked. Wikipedia Creative Commons and must make it up by taxing other residents. you can’t get the information because of cel- images are invisible. Weebly sites, which are In addition, it recommends for the JRB liaison lular dead zones, making that appointment or used in classes like IDEA, are blocked. The to only vote for TIDs which support develop- work shift becomes strained. new filter blocks many websites and resources ment that wouldn’t occur otherwise. At high school age, building strong relation- that students use on a daily basis. For many of Waunakee’s recent TIDs, the ships with adults and other community mem- Overall, the school district needs to inves- school board liaison voted no for this reason. bers/groups is critical to future success. Being tigate our wi-fi problem further. It is import- Our village has created a total of nine TIDs organized and on top of schedules is a key part ant for both students and staff to have reliable ever (eight of them are still active). Of these of that. Some students also run their own busi- cellular internet access in the event of safety eight, four were approved within the last four nesses, like shoveling snow or mowing lawns. issues or simply other responsibilities outside years. One of them in the Kilkenny neighbor- They receive emails throughout the day that of school. hood includes 58 residential homes. Another includes numerous homes on and near Main Street. express them. Many residents of the village have raised Strong Opinions? opposition to these TIDs because they do not want their taxes to increase. The Purple Sage accepts letters The Purple Sage aims to provide to the editor from students, staff, Nobody wants to pay more taxes than nec- a forum for free and responsible essary. or community members. expression of student opinion. As It’s important for the village to understand such, students of ALL opinions the school district’s perspective and concerns Letters should be 250 words or are welcome to write guest when they are approving TIDs. less, signed and delivered to columns. Anyone interested Unless the funding is provided for import- room 1502. These letters will be should contact Sam Kaufmann at ant businesses and services we need in the vil- published in the Opinion section. [email protected]. lage, we should not be deliberately increasing taxes of residents. Page 6 The Purple Sage November 20, 2019 Sydney Schumacher and Tessa Pauls, Features Editors Features Help the environment, be alert and keep leaves on the dirt

Sydney Schumacher street drain. These street drains flow directly down the street drains causes is contamination Features Editor to the lakes and other bodies of water near the to the drinking water. Phosphorus can also community. Rain, snow, and other forms of flow into groundwater, which is most of the Autumn, the weather is getting cooler and precipitation are big factors in causing phos- water supply. It is very hard and expensive to leaves are falling. It may not feel like fall with phorus from the leaves to flow into these street remove phosphorus from the water. the snow and cold weather, but it’s important drains. Putting leaves on the dirt insure that Everyone remembers a time when their to remember that the trees are still losing their the extra phosphorus isn’t running into the family trip to Lake Mendota had to get can- leaves. storm drains and the lakes. The dirt stops the celled due to blue green algae in the area. Raking the lawn can be a boundless job, direct flow of phosphorus. Making everyone unable to swim. It’s a bum- so before the rake gets put away this season, Phosphorous in the lakes is the equivalent to mer, there’s a simple solution that could not remember these simple rules to follow; Don’t fertilizing the lakes. This in turn, creates more just help Lake Mendota but also other lakes in rake leaves into the gutter, the street, or on any algae in the lakes. It hurts other lake life and the area as well. Keeping the lakes and their other type of pavement. Instead keep leaves on can sometimes be harmful to people’s health. ecosystem intact. the lawn for collection. This insures that the If people were to ingest algae, they could Make sure to keep leaves on the grass. This phosphorus in the now decomposing foliage get sick and if pets ingest algae, it can even action alone had an 80% reduction of phos- doesn’t end up in the lakes. kill them. Algae blooms eventually die, caus- phorus in the Madison area. Not to mention Leaves on the street are compared to leaves ing them to decay. This process of decaying the added bonus of getting grass fertilized with in a tea bag that steeps in water. Like these creates “dead zones,” which are spots in which the extra phosphorus emitted from the leaves. tea leaves, the leaves kept on the street allow there is not enough oxygen for fish to survive. If residents follow these guidelines they can the phosphorus in the foliage to flow into the Another issue that phosphorus flowing help out the lakes and environment. There is a problem with some Wisconsin school mascots Rachel Humphery which reversed the effect of the law in 2010 There is also the issue of school boards de- Reporter and gave schools the choice whether or not to ciding not to change the name despite com- change their mascot. plaints from students, parents or teachers. The The state of Wisconsin has many ties to Na- This law was called the Indian Mascot law, debate about changing mascots in Wisconsin tive American tribes, and as such, around 31 and the change in 2013 was put into action be- schools because of possible racism has been schools in Wisconsin have or have had some cause some people felt the 2010 law infringed ongoing for many years, and seems like it will reference to a Native American tribe in their on freedom of speech. continue. name or mascot. Throughout the past nine years, a few For the past few years, there have been de- schools have changed their mascots and names bates about the possible racism in the mascots. in response to the complaints from parents and These debates started in 2010 when Native students. As an example, in 2010 Kewaunee American students and adults confronted prin- changed their mascot from the Kewaunee In- ciples with statements that the mascots were dians to the Kewaunee Storm. offensive and racist. They said the mascots On the other hand, other schools have elect- were projecting false or offensive imagery, or ed to keep their old mascots despite com- stereotypes pertaining to Native Americans. A plaints. Most notable of the schools is Fort At- few students reported being bullied or treated kinson, who has elected to keep their mascot with racist slurs because of the Indian mascots. of ‘The Black Hawks.’ Back in 2010, a law was enacted that forced Their argument is that their Native Amer- Photo by Sydney Schumacher schools to change their names or mascots if ican based mascot is honoring the Native Fort Atkinson has this mascot on their wall and they received complaints that they were offen- Americans who lived on the land before them, flags in the pool. sive; however, this law was rewritten in 2013 and as such, they should not have to change it. Student Showcase Sydney Schumacher Features Editor

On November 6th, Dr. Kate Rotzenberg came to talk and present to the Insight into Science, Engineering, and Medical Professions club (IS- EMP) about her career in the pharmaceutical industry. She presented on how and why she became interested in the pharmacy profession, the schooling involved in pharmacy-related careers, what skills students learn in the School of Pharmacy. She also discussed the many careers associated with pharmaceutical degrees. In this club, experts in the STEM fields talk to students about their training experience and careers and why these careers may appeal to students. This allows students the chance to learn about professions they may not have initially thought of in their search for a future career in the sciences. Purple Sage: Who are the student leaders of this club? Mr. Rotzenberg: Brad Li who is a senior this year. PS:What is this club about? MR:The purpose of ISEMP is to give students access to professionals in different science professions. PS: How often and when do you meet? MR: Our goal is to meet quarterly during contact time to discuss who we are hoping to have come in to speak or go visit. Our hope is to have a speaker every month or two during the school year. Depending on your involvement in the group, this could be up to 7 or 8 times a year we get together but not all of these are required. PS: What kind of activities does this club participate in? MR: We have visited a lab at UW and have had a speaker from UW come here. PS: What are some benefits of being in this club? MR: We hope to promote science professions and inform members of what careers are out there that they may not have had much exposure to. PS: How can someone get involved if interested? MR: Interested students can get signed up with me, otherwise I will put on announcements when we have a speaker coming in and anyone can attend. PS: What kind of person would benefit from this club? MR: Anyone interested in science and engineering would benefit from this group. We hope it allows students to find out what careers interest them. November 20, 2019 The Purple Sage Page 7 ignore the health concerns related to JUULing. Glamorized vaping Why? Is it cool to brush off the threat of lung Percentage of Waunakee High School Brooke Bound damage like there’s no fear regarding death? Reporter Or is it about fitting in, being part of a group, and sharing a common activity? Students that know how to get a vape Our generation has been raised on anti-smok- Whatever the reason, putting tar and gunk ing campaigns. From a young age, we’ve known in one’s lungs has somehow become a popular that cigarettes can cause cancer, they can make activity. The reality is, doing dangerous things our lungs turn black and nasty, and they can is often seen as cool. Risks are glamorized. Re- cause so much damage that we need horror-mov- belling is edgy and gets attention. Ignoring the ie-esque voice boxes just to speak. And so far, facts and going along with whatever is popular smoking isn’t a huge problem in today’s society . happens a lot. High school is a confusing time, Unfortunately, vaping is taking its place. and we’re all just trying to fit in and establish Because of the easy usage and discreet appear- our own identities. ance of JUULs, they have become increasingly But the way to do that isn’t through putting popular. There’s no need for a lighter or for dis- crap into our lungs. Don’t fall victim to this guising the very obvious smoke smell, because glamorization of vaping. There are better ways all that comes out is a thin vapor. This simple, to impress people than choking on nicotine va- sleek device has been glamorized across the por. Learn a made-up language and shout non- country. sense in their faces. Perform a sixteenth-centu- The fact is, doing rebellious and edgy things ry courtly dance. Memorize cheesy puns and has been seen as ‘cool’ for a long time; Lying to pick-up lines to use in moments of uncom- parents, Sneaking out, Smoking, Drinking, Do- fortable silence to intensify the awkwardness. ing drugs. But now, vaping can be added to this Whatever you choose to do, it shouldn’t harm list. Clearly, the quickest way to become cool is to others, and it shouldn’t harm yourself. Vaping suck on a flashdrive and puff out fruity mist that has been proven to kill. Don’t waste your life is like a unicorn cloud of death. Students often in order to look cool. Percentage of Waunakee High School Students rooms, and basically anytime he gets the chance to. Interview with a vaper He recently got caught again by his parents. The people he is friends Tessa Pauls with has changed since vaping, “The friends that I had before I vaped start- that know someone who vapes Features Editor ed drifting away and they started ignoring me, and that was a very painful process.” The people he hangs out with were introduced to him by a person Right now our generation is struggling with the epidemic of vaping. he met in class that vaped. People that don’t vape can’t understand why someone, especially kids in high school, would start vaping and vapers don’t explain why because they “The problem was I prioritized vaping instead of school.” would get in trouble. To provide some insight into why anyone, particular- ly a young person, would ever consider vaping we interviewed one. Joe Camel Joe Camel*, started vaping in late November of 2018. A senior offered a JUUL to him, and he said yes because he wanted to impress the senior When asked why he hasn’t stopped vaping he said, “Mostly because and feel like he fit in. When asked how it affected his grades, he said, I’m addicted and if I don’t get it taken away I won’t stop. Like I need help “When I first started I didn’t know how to balance everything andmy to stop.” He is embarrassed about vaping, but he says, “I’ve gone a couple grades dropped significantly. The problem was I prioritized vaping instead days without it and I get a headache that will never go away. I can’t imag- of school.” This struggle of balancing the two lasted for the rest of that ine going longer then a day without.” He knows a few of the consequences school year. and that they are bad, but he doesn’t understand what they are or how they In late May and early June, he got caught by his parents and his friends happen. He knows people have died from it, but “I think those people parents. After that, the person who was giving him vaping stuff stopped died because they were doing an excessive amount. Like a JUUL pod a supplying it to him because they didn’t want to get caught themselves. day which isn’t good at all.” It worries him a little, but he thinks he’ll be He was basically forced to quit at that point because he had no way to get fine because his body has gotten used to it and he only does 15-20 hits a anything. However 2 months later, in early August he was offered vaping day. He doesn’t want to think that it will happen to him, but it’s hard not stuff again by someone new. He accepted it because he still wanted to fit to wonder. Another option is to talk to your doctor about in again. He definitely sees himself stopping and said, “I like to hope I can stop the trouble you are having at your yearly physical. Now he vapes multiple times a day, and almost all of his friends do too. by the end of senior year, but I hope it’s sooner because I want to get the Addiction help They may need to talk to your parents or guardians He vapes everywhere: his house, school, the bus to and from school, bath- friends I lost back. I’m also done with hiding things.” Sydney Schumacher if they think you are in need of serious help if you Features Editor are under the age of 18. *Name changed to It can be hard to stand idly by and watch your protect identity. Percentage of Waunakee High School If you are seeking addiction help, and want to friends and loved ones struggling with addiction. quit but need help to do so here are some steps that Especially if they don’t want to seek help or feel you can take. the need to seek help. If you are concerned about Students that vape If you want help but want to keep your identity your friend or family member that vapes or has anonymous call the Wisconsin Addiction Recov- addiction issues and don’t want to get involved in ery Helpline at 2-1-1 or 833-944-4673. There is their life. Instead, think about the unknown long also an option to chat online or text 898211. This term effects of vaping and how it has caused many helpline is free, available 24/7 and can help you get deaths throughout the U.S. and other countries. the help you need. If you call this hotline you will Keep these resources in mind to give to friends be connected to a team of information and referral if they need help. You are not alone, reach out to specialists. They will ask for a zip code, needed to friends and family for help. connect you to the closest center. Another resource to use is AADAIP or the Ad- olescent Alcohol/Drug Assessment Intervention Vaping facts Program, part of the University of Wisconsin Hos- • The brain keeps developing until • Ultrafine particles that can be pital and Clinic. You can contact them at the phone about the age of 25, nicotine harms inhaled deep into the lungs number (608) 262-111. They talk to teens and their the developing adolescent brain. • Flavorings such as diacetyl; a families and gives them advice, support, and help. • Vaping is banned in 7 countries. chemical linked to a serious lung An additional option is to call the Wisconsin • 10% of 11-18 year olds have disease Tobacco Quit Line at 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784- tried vaping at least once. • Volatile organic compounds 8669). Coaches are available 24/7 for people over • 13.1% of 12th graders vape. • Cancer-causing chemicals the age of eighteen. In addition to helping people • Vaping aerosol contains harmful • Heavy metals such as nickel, quit, they have specific advice to help teenagers substances such as: tin and lead with social pressure circled around vaping and • Nicotine -Compiled by William Valinotti smoking. These calls are confidential. All Infograqphics complied from Purple Sage survey of 300 Waunakee High School students. Page 8 The Purple Sage Page 9 Entertainment Stella Birrenkott, Entertainment Editor The King holds true to directing praise Stella Birrenkott Entertainment Editor

The King is the story of King Henry V of England (Timothee Chalamet), when he was crowned king at the age of 18, when he was still old enough to be in high school. King Henry “Hal” is a young drunk, and es- tranged from the royal family. His father is ill, but he refuses to see him. His younger brother, Thomas is set to be crowned the new King of England, at his fa- ther’s request. Hal is played by the brilliantly talented French-American actor Timothee Chalamet, and the French Dauphin is portrayed by the wonderfully talented English actor Robert Source: IMDb Pattinson. is set on the battle field, the soldiers fighting A french actor playing an english King and for essentially nothing. Princess Catherine, an english actor playing a french King. What offered up as a bride for Hal by the french irony! Dauphin, is portrayed by the lovely Lily Rose This David Michod film doesn’t stop there Depp. with the irony. King Henry V is crowned King Depp, however, is only seen in the last once his brother dies in a battle in Wales and twenty minutes of the movie, in a single his father dies. five-minute long scene. Depp, a talented- ac At his coronation, Hal is sent a gift of a tress, portrayed Catherine in a short yet aston- wooden ball by the French Dauphin, signi- ishing performance. fying Hal’s childish age and utter disrespect Catherine seems to be the only sesnibly ed- from the Dauphin. ucated person in Hal’s precense, and without Hal doesn’t initially take this as a sign of giving too much away, smacks sense into the disrespect, and instead reflects on his classic King. boyhood (of being a drunk), and continues on The King ended on a dissapointingly fast with the coronation. note, for a two hour film. The King’s two hour His sister Philippa, who just happens to be runtime flew by quickly, and it was an excel- the Queen of Denmark (classic royal families) lent piece of cinematography. warns her brother to be careful, as his advisors The King was directed by the phenomenal have their own kingdoms behind their eyes. David Michod, was full of fabulously talented The film speeds up a bit at this point, and actors and told an amazing story. Hal is apparently questioning an assassin sent While outstanding, The King had a bit of a to kill him from King Charles of France. hard to follow storyline and the majority of the The film ends on a point of irony, and it’s scenes were of war. It wasn’t my favorite, but Source: IMDb almost a dull stop the battle field heavy movie. it’s incredible if you want to dive into the story The King stars the brilliantly talented Timothee The majority of the two hour film on Netflix of King Henry V. Chalamet, whose performance is stellar. Top 5 Nickelodeon Shows on Netflix

Stella Birrenkott odd parents Cosmo and Wanda are set for the good as Victorious, but it’s still an old show Entertainment Editor summer of their lives. that we can reminisce about.

Netflix has added many Nickelodeon shows 4. Sam and Cat 5. Bella and the Bulldogs to its collection, and most of them are ones Sam and Cat, a Nickelodeon crossover be- This newer Nickelodeon show is about a that we watched when we were younger. tween the two iconic shows iCarly and Vic- middle school cheerleader turned football Let’s reminesce. torious, star Sam Puckett (Jennette McCurdy) player, and it’s a classic Nickelodeon binge- 1. Victorious and Cat Valentine (Ariana Grande). It’s not as watch. Tori Vega and her friends have some serious pipes, and we have been hearing them since childhood.

2. Big Time Movie Big Time Rush is a Nickelodeon classic, and seeing the band of best friends in their orig- inal movie is as close as we can get to the iconic show before it reaches Netflix.

3. A Fairly Odd Summer The Fairly Odd Parents is another Nickel- odeon classic. Timmy Turner and his fairly

Page 10 The Purple Sage November 20, 2019 Entertainment Victorious enters Netflix Repeat it Anna Alfred Columnist “Hey Jude” by The Beatles This Beatles clas- sic never gets old. Earlier this November, Netflix decided It’s legendary. to surprise all users by adding the classic Nickelodeon show Victorious. Victorious originally aired on March 27th 2010 and Source: IMDb ended February 2nd 2013. Most highschoolers were fans of Vic- torious when we were younger, and it’s refreshing to reminisce in one of our old Skip it favorite television shows. It was a show most of this decade’s teen- “Make It Shine” agers spent their time watching. Now, Net- by Victorious Cast flix has finally given the teenage audience another chance to rewatch the show and The theme song of relive some of the memories shared. the classic Nickel- Victorious, starring Victoria Justice and odeon show is a Ariana Grande, to name a few, is a show bit overplayed. about a sixteen year old highschool student with an insane singing talent. Source: IMDb After having to sing in front of a large Source: IMDb audience in replacement for her sister, Tori Many members of the cast are now also well Vega immediately wow’d the audience known for their other projects. away and was quickly invited to attend the is a bit psycho himself) or trying to one up fighting over a canadian guy that spikes all high school Hollywood Arts. girls from the opposing school, Northridge, their interests. After much hesitation on her end, Tori Tori Vega and her little posse never fail to The show even premiered special epi- bit at the opportunity, quickly making have a day that’s unusual. sodes, including a spin off version of The friends with Andre Harris, Cat Valentine, Some conflicts the group meet along the Breakfast Club. Beck Oliver, Jade West and Robbie Sha- way include having to endure crazy char- All in all, the show Victorious is a great piro. acter roles for a night at Sikowitz’s house, addition to Netflix, and is totally worth a Together the group of teenagers find going through tubs of icecream to win a binge watch on a Saturday night! Netflix themselves in wacky situations, whether private concert from KE$HA, being stuck also added Nickelodeon shows Sam and it be completing silly improv classes with in a camper in over 100 degree heat or even Cat, Big Time Movie, A Fairly Odd Sum- their favorite teacher Mr. Sikowitz, (who simple problems like the girls of the group mer, and Bella and the Bulldogs.

November 20, 2019 The Purple Sage Page 11 Entertainment Seth Meyer’s Lobby Baby is truly funny Sammy Geraci they might not resonate as well with a high Editor in Chief school student as they would for the student’s parents because of their subject matter. High school students can still appreciate the humor, but we have not lived through the situations he jokes about quite yet. Around the middle of the special, Meyers While many people might know Seth Mey- moves into his Trump jokes. Anyone who has ers as a comedian who sits behind a desk, his seen his recent work knows that Trump jokes recent standup special Lobby Baby is making are Meyers’ bread and butter these days, but a real splash on Netflix. these jokes can be divisive with audiences. Throughout the special, Meyers’ delivery To get around this, Meyers asked Netflix of the jokes is very similar to the deliveries he to add a “skip Trump jokes” button. This but- uses behind a desk, but the writing seemed a ton resembles a “skip intro” button, and was little different. a great idea because it allows his special to While normally his jokes feel more punch remain funny for those who disagree with him line oriented, Meyers moves towards having a politically. During Lobby Baby as this button stronger narrative to connect the jokes in the appears on the screen, Meyers also makes special. jokes about the button itself which are funny Meyers begins Lobby Baby with a mono- in their own right. logue about his experience getting married. After the political segment of the special He jokes about how long it took him propose ends, Meyers finishes the special with some and what happened in the leadup to the wed- jokes about various topics including jokes ding. It was a little weird to hear him talk about his wife and then some about himself about marrying a woman however since he but doing an impression of his wife. married The jokes in this bit were similar to the con- Stefon, a character played by Bill Hader, tent closer to the beginning of the special and on Saturday Night Live back in 2013. Despite did a good job tying everything together. this, the jokes about his wedding are still fun- Meyers recently has gained a reputation for ny. sitting in a chair behind a desk telling jokes After the marriage section, Seth Meyers about the president. moves on to talk about having kids and father- In this special, he manages to break out of Source: IMDb hood‒literal dad jokes. that. The new Seth Meyers of this special is It probably will not have any high school Like the previous section, these jokes work funny enough to please anyone who enjoys students rolling on the floor laughing, but it is well with the narrative Meyers conveys. The comedy, but the situational humor might be a still funny enough that they would definitely only real issue with these two sections is that little more relatable for an older demographic. enjoy it. Let it Snow weaves together love stories Rachel Humphrey both very good in this movie. Isabela had Colunmist a very emotional scene that was almost a tear-jerker and Mitchell brought a lot of awk- ward charm to his character that worked very well in contrast with his love interest Duke’s (Kiernan Shipka) more suave nature. Let it Snow is a mediocre conglomeration However, the movie had many problems as of many plot lines that discusses the overall well. The biggest problem with this movie was theme of being connected and together. that there was too much going on. Overall, it’s an enjoyable movie for the hol- There were at least five different plot lines idays, but there are far better movies of the all running concurrently and they didn’t blend same type of genre to watch. well together. Because of this, I give this movie a three The abundance of plots and characters end- out of five rating. Let it Snow is a romantic ed up taking away from other character’s de- comedy for the holidays based off the book of velopment which made almost all of them feel the same name and directed by Luke Snellin. bland and one dimensional. The movie is about a group of teenagers There were a few interesting characters, Source: IMDb who live in the town of Laurel, Illinois and like Addie, who has insecurity about herself conversations. each have a series of events where they run and her role in others’ lives, and Dorrie, who Despite the underdeveloped character they into each other on Christmas Eve. likes a girl who is pretending their relationship were given, the actors were still able to make The different romances were all very cute, doesn’t exist around her friends, which are something interesting with what they had though a few were a little rushed, and the ac- deep and interesting narratives. which makes this movie watchable and inter- tors all had chemistry with their respective Unfortunately, the movie does not have the esting at times. partners. time to delve deep into either of them and their If you would like to check out Let it Snow it Isabela Merced and Mitchell Hope were progression is rapidly resolved with a few is available on Netflix now. The Gnome What it means: What it means: What it means: What it means: What it means: It was awful! Rating It was okay. It was good. It was great! It was phenomenal! Recommendation: System Not recommended Recommendation: Recommendation: Recommendation: Recommendation: Not recommended Possibly recommended Recommended Definitely at all recommended Page 12 The Purple Sage November 20, 2019 Ebba Harrison and Robyn Ryan, Sports Editors Sports Victorious, football team prepares for state Robyn Ryan Sports Editor

For most high school athletics, a winning tradition is hard to come by. But being 58-4 over the past five seasons makes it hard to dis- agree that winning is just part of the culture for the Waunakee football team. Even a tough lost to DeForest during the regular season was not able to dampen the team’s spirit. If anything, it got them fired up. “We just didn’t like how losing felt. Adding a 1 to our record and watching our opponent hold up the conference championship trophy just didn’t sit well with us,” said senior Alec Morgan. The team used this as motivation to come back next week more motivated, focused, and physical. Continuing on a five-game win “We are just working around injuries and putting more threats

in each position while getting Photo by Nikki McCurdy Seniors Forrest Anderson (left) and Jordan Wuensch (right) prepare for another down at the game mentally prepared through film.” against Waukesha West on November 15. Alec Morgan Tenative schedule for school on Friday streak, the team is still following through on their goal of “crossing more teams off our CLOCK SCHEDULE list.” While battling through big injuries and los- ing senior safety Lawson Ludwig and junior B DAY quarterback Caden Nelson, the team contin- ued to win and has made it to the 2019 WIAA FRIDAY NOVEMBER 22, 2019 Division Two Football Championship on No- vember 22 at Camp Randall Stadium. “We are just working around injuries and STATE FB FINALS @ CAMP RANDALL putting more threats in each position while getting mentally prepared through film,” add- ed Morgan. st 1 ​ Hour: 8:15 am -8:55 am On Friday, November 15 the Warriors faced ​

Waukesha West at Kettle Moraine. After fall- nd 2 H​ our: 9:05am- 9:45 am ​ ing behind by 15 points the defense stepped up with five takeaways and the offense scored rd 3 ​ Hour: 9:55am-10:35 am ​ 34 unanswered points to secure the 34-15 win. th Junior Sam Lorenz had two interceptions 4 ​ Hour: 10:45 am- 11:25 am ​ and returned a fumble 40 yards. Senior Joe Hauser had a pick-six that he returned 85 LUNCH: 11:25 am- 11:55 am yards to the house to extend the lead and put things out of reach. ● Varsity FB players will be excused all day Senior Cole Mobley and senior Alec Mor- gan combined for 93 yards and three touch- Band, Dance team & Cheerleaders dismissed at 11:00 am downs while sophomore Andrew Keller caught five passes for 83 yards. Backup quar- ● Spectator Buses will leave at 12:00 pm terback sophomore Quentin Keene was 17 of 21 for 251 yards including a touchdown. The Warriors face Brookfield East in the Source: Aaron May and Brian Borowski state final at 1 p.m. on Friday, November 22 Above is a tenative schedule for this Friday when the football team plays the State Championship at Camp Randall. Game at Camp Randall Stadium. Cross country races to conference and beyond Olivia Napadensky 2nd behind Sauk Prairie. State Cross Country Sectionals on October 26 Reporter The cross country team has been on their A the girls placed 5th and the boys finished in game for all 9 meets, challenges, and invites. 11th place. Bertz qualified individually for the For the ninth year in a row the girls varsity Their recipe for success is simple. “We are a State Meet on November 2 for her second year cross country team has defended their Badger committed team and always put in maximum in a row. Held on Saturday, November 2nd, North conference title. effort,” said senior Emma Bertz. Bertz ran a 19:28:8, a season best, and placed At the Conference Meet on October 19 the It also doesn't hurt that the team is a close- 34th. Bertz has always had a love for running girls took first, with a total of 54 points. The knit family and always shows maximum sup- and said “running has always been apart of me boys collected 64 points; however, they placed port to whoever is racing that day. In the WIAA and a constant in my life.” November 20, 2019 The Purple Sage Page 13 Sports Badger Conference to be realigned Ebba Harrison letic Director Aaron May. “Those two years roe, Mt. Horeb, Oregon, Portage, Reedsburg, Sports Editor came up, and a committee of principals and and Sauk Prairie. ADs were put together. Their proposal was This realignment applies to golf, soc- In many sports offered at the Waunakee to go from North/South divisions to East/ cer, tennis, basketball, wrestling, baseball, Community High School, Waunakee is in the West based on your relationship to Madison. softball, and track and field. Sports, such as Badger North Conference. Each season, the It would closer align schools in terms of en- hockey, swim, and gymnastics, will be in Warriors always face fellow Badger North rollment, and it would cut down on the aver- conferences with different teams. Wauna- opponents in games or matches. Waunakee age number of miles you would have to travel kee hockey will be in the Badger East with rival, DeForest, is in the Badger North along for a game or a competition. In spring sports, Beaver Dam, DeForest, McFarland, Milton, with Baraboo, Mt. Horeb, Portage, Reeds- you wouldn’t have to leave as early, so there Monona Grove, and Stoughton. burg, and Sauk Prairie. Beaver Dam, a recent would be less missed school time.” Boys and girls swim will be in conferences addition to the conference, rounds out the with different sets of teams. Waunakee boys Badger North. “It would closer align schools in terms of swim will race against DeForest, Fort At- The Badger South Conference includes: kinson, Milton, Monona Grove, Stoughton, Fort Atkinson, Edgewood, Milton, Monona enrollment, and... cut down on the average and Watertown in the Badger East. Wauna- Grove, Monroe, Oregon, Stoughton, and Wa- kee girls swim will compete against the same tertown. number of miles you would have to travel teams, with the addition of Beaver Dam to However, the traditional Badger Confer- their conference. ences, North and South, will soon experience for a game or a competition.” Unlike other sports, the Badger Conference a change. In the 2021-22 school year, the con- is not split for gymnastics. Baraboo, Milton, ferences will be realigned. Aaron May Monona Grove, Mt. Horeb, Sauk Prairie, Wa- “When Beaver Dam and Watertown came tertown, and Waunakee make up the gymnas- in, the principals made the decision to add Waunakee will be a part of the new Badger tics Badger Conference. Beaver Dam to the North and Watertown to East along with Beaver Dam, DeForest, Fort “Really, it was about aligning schools in the South. In two years, we would reevaluate Atkinson, Milton, Monona Grove, Stoughton, terms of enrollment, and, if possible, cutting and make a decision about how we are bro- and Watertown. Its counterpart, the Badger down on the amount of travel that you would ken up in our divisions,” said Waunakee Ath- West, includes: Baraboo, Edgewood, Mon- have to do,” said May. Volleyball No. 1in conference Ebba Harrison Sports Editor

On November 2, the Waunakee volleyball team took a hit with a close loss to Sun Prairie in their Sectional Final match. With Sun Prairie’s gym packed with rowdy Cardinal and Warrior fans, the competitive, back and forth match began. Sun Prairie took the first game, winning 26-24. Down 0-1, Wauna- kee bounced back tying the Cardinals with a Game 2 win and then leading with a Game 3 win. “It was rewarding to see [Sun Prairie] struggle against us,” said ju- nior Megan Johnson. Despite having momentum, the Warriors lost in Game 4. Then, Sun Prairie went on to win Game 5, earning their ticket to State. “We played our best against Sun Prairie,” said Johnson. Following the 2018 season after losing valuable players, the War- Photo by Grace Pierner riors made it further in the postseason than expected. Seniors Caden Hough, Milla Malik and Cade Swalve sign letters of intent Overall, Waunakee had a successful season, finishing first in the to continue their academic and athletic careers at the collegiate level. Hough will play baseball at Edgewood College, Malik will play volleyball at Badger North Conference and with a final record of 38-6. University of Buffalo and Swalve will play baseball at UW-Platteville. “I thought this was a great season,” said Johnson. “I thought this season was so memorable. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Photo by Aaron May Seniors Nick Smith, Taiten Manriquez, Isabelle Barmore, Will Ross and Joe Hauser sign letters of intent. Smith will paly baseball at Michigan State Photo by Aaron May University, Manriquez will play baseball at Madison College, Barmore will The Warrior volleyball team celebrates their victory, becoming play soccer at Iowa State University, Ross will play baseball at St. Louis regional champions on October 26. University and Hauser will play baseball at Arizona State University. Page 14 The Purple Sage November 20, 2019 Sports Girls swim earns fifth consecutive Conference Championship Ebba Harrison Sports Editor

The Waunakee girls’ swim team won the Badger North Conference four years in a row, prior to their 2019 season. This year, the team once again made a splash in the Badger North and earned their fifth straight title of Confer- ence champion. “Conference was great!” said junior Han- nah Grindle. On November 2, the swimmers travelled to Baraboo to compete in the meet. “It was different this year since it was split JV and varsity,” said junior Ashlyn Jakacki. Waunakee varsity started strong, taking first in the 200 Yard Medley Relay. Junior Ella Graf, sophomore Makenzie Wallace, senior Abi Schmeiser, and freshman Grace Blitz finished almost three seconds ahead of their competition, recording a time of 1:49.89. In her final conference meet, Schmeis- er, individually, earned top spots in multiple events. Schmeiser took first in the 200 Yard IM and the 100 Yard Butterfly. Other Waunakee individuals found success as well. Graf and Wallace earned the top spot in their respective events. Graf finished the 100 Yard Backstroke with a time of 59.81, beating Beaver Dam senior Liz Grenon by one second. Wallace finished the 100 Yard Breaststroke with a time of 1:07.35, two sec- onds faster than second place. Photo by Sydney Schumacher Waunakee finished with the top score, 475 Sophomore Elainah Ware swims in the Badger Conference meet. points. DeForest took second, 100 points be- with lots of individual and team improve- new coach.” hind the Warriors. ment,” said Grindle. “We even had some con- Schmeiser, Graf, Wallace and Blitz quali- The JV girls swim team also won their ference and school records made this season, fied for State on November 16. They compet- combined Badger North/South Conference which was awesome!” ed in the 200 Yard Medley Relay and placed meet. “I thought it was a good season,” said Jak- 21st. Schmeiser also swam the 100 Yard Fly “Overall, we had a fantastic swim season acki. “We all worked hard this year with the and the 200 Yard IM in which she placed 11th. Featured Players of the Month Caitlyn Lynch Forrest Anderson

Photo by Jody Miller Photo by Nikki McCurdy Interview by Robyn Ryan Interview by Robyn Ryan

Volleyball Football

Purple Sage: What sport(s) do you play? Purple Sage: How did you get into it? Caitlyn Lynch: I play volleyball and basketball. Forrest Anderson: My dad got me into the sport and himself along PS: When did you start? with my coaches have taught me everything I know while growing up. CL: I started volleyball when I was in 5th grade and started basket- PS: Best memory of the season? ball in kindergarten. FA: Favorite memory of this season has been beating Milton in a PS: How did you get into it? blizzard in level 2 of the playoffs. CL: My parents wanted me to try every sport so they threw me into PS: Most memorable game? everything and hoped something would stick! FA: The most memorable game of my career has been beating De- PS: Best memory of the season? Forest in level 2 of playoffs in 2018. CL: My favorite volleyball memory from this year was winning con- PS: Hopes for the future of the program? ference by shutting down Mount Horeb! FA: My hope for Waunakee football is that the number of players PS: Most memorable game? continues to grow as the years go on. Also, that the upperclassmen CL: Playing Mount Horeb at Conference and beating them 25-7 ish in continue to influence and inspire the youth. Whether it be volunteer- a set. ing at the Middle School weight room, youth camps, or just being PS: Hopes for the future of the program? welcoming to all the younger fans that come to games on Friday CL: I hope the culture continues to be supportive and I know that the nights. So we can continue to be seen as role models to the future girls will continue to thrive in our conference and beyond! Waunakee Warriors! November 20, 2019 The Purple Sage Page 15 Sydney Jezik Sage Page First look at your holiday season Will you find love? Get a new haircut? Join a crime syndicate? Maybe your life will get turned upside down by a mysterious stranger. Or maybe you’ll realize you need special-grade, ultra-thick glasses. Either way, it’s the holiday season, the most exciting time of the year.

Pisces Aquarius The upcoming full moon has you feeling Aries This season isn’t very special for especially sensitive. My advice to you is to This time of year, Aries’s situation is look- you. I recommend buying candy and focus strongly on yourself. The opportunities ing bright. Not everything might be going sneaking into the movie theater for you’ve been missing will start showing up in well at this moment but it’s about to take a Hallmark films, so you can experience bold! turn for the better. Watch out for large sums some satisfaction by proxy, at least. of money, coming your way...

Capricorn Taurus The holiday season is not beneficial Taurus, I have only a few words to your love life. Prepare for heart- for you: sit down, shut up, and open break by preemptively breaking up your ears. Life’s about to with your S.O. take you on a ride... get ready and enjoy it!

Sagittarius Gemini This is the best time of Gemini, otherwise known year to take risks for you. as the “two-faced” sign, is I’d advise investing in the about to get what it deserves stock market or registering — whether that for AP Calculus BC next is a kiss or a kick. year. It’s time for your wild success to begin (or possibly your disaster, but more likely your success!)

Scorpio Cancer If your love life is going sour, I’m so sorry. it’s not your fault. Your ex was too paranoid for you. Find someone more down-to-earth and less influenced by dumb stuff like... zodiac signs... wait... Libra Leo You need some time for yourself this As the “wild animal” sign, you crave food. season, Libra. Big discoveries are coming for Thanksgiving is going to be big for you. you. Be open to changing your gender Virgo However: either avoid the pumpkin pie, or identity. Love is coming your way soon, and it’s stop your dad from telling your aunt why her going to hit you like a freight train. Be on the politics are wrong. lookout for someone who recently got on the market! The holiday season is looking rosy for you... (hint: “rosy.”)

Clipart from hiclipart.com. The Zodiac Calendar True or not, zodiac predictions are a boatload of fun — but who are we kidding, of course they’re true! For accurate predictions on your mood, luck, personality and love life, make Gnoel the sure you know “your sign.” Gnome Jan. 20-Feb. 18: Aquarius July 23-Aug. 22: Leo is hidden : : Feb. 19-March 20 Pisces Aug. 23-Sept. 22 Virgo somewhere : : March 21-April 19 Aries Sept. 23-Oct. 22 Libra in this issue. April 20-May 20: Taurus Oct. 23-Nov. 21: Scorpio Try to find May 21-June 20: Gemini Nov. 22-Dec. 21: Sagittarius June 21-July 22: Cancer Dec. 22-Jan. 19: Capricorn him.

Page 16 The Purple Sage November 20, 2019