In Newspaper I have written 114 stories in three years. When you figure in my freelance work, magazine and yearbook work, I have written countless stories. I have taken thousands of photos, designed dozens of pages, posters, and t-shirts. But what it all comes down to, the reason I joined Newspaper, was for the writing. These are some of my samples:
ABOUT: Kate's feature was one my favorites. It's not always an easy interview but having good questions help. I think i asked Kate some pretty good questions. Feature appears in the September issue of The BroncWriter. (Vol 8 Issue 1)
Blackfoot's own Amelia Earheart A Feature by Erick Wood
"Never do things others can do and will do, if there are things others cannot do or will not do," Amelia Earhart said in the mid 1930's. Now, over 80 years later Student Body President, Kate Wheeler says that Earhart is one of her biggest inspirations and she admires the ethics of the former pilot. Looking into her run as president this year one might see the subtle similarities between the two ladies.
Wheeler has set an exceptional example to the students who look up to her as a leader. Over the summer she spent a majority of her time in Ecuador on a service mission helping the people of the Galapagos Islands.
“It was a once in a lifetime opportunity that I will never forget and the people of Ecuador have my heart,” she said about the experience. “Going to another country will give a person a different kind of perspective,” Wheeler said. One of her biggest achievements is a religion based service award that required her to set goals and perform service projects in her community.
But aside from being a philanthropist, Wheeler also is the 2014 Distinguished Young Women winner and will be working throughout the year with the Junior Miss Program and will be competing at state in the spring.
As for student council, Wheeler has big plans for the year hoping to spread tolerance of others and eliminate bullying at the school.
“I wish people at our school were more open-minded about making friends,” she says. She also hopes to represent every program that she’s involved in to the best of her abilities saying that she wants to feel like she gave her all to every activity this year. “My favorite thing about BHS is the different clubs and activities that are available. I love the school!”
Like Earhart, Kate aspires to do things that are hard. She paves the way for the people who come after her and refuses to recognize boundaries and sets goals that helps her achieve more in her senior year. Much more will definitely come from her as the year goes on and she continues to achieve the most out of her high school experience.
Wheeler has set an exceptional example to the students who look up to her as a leader. Over the summer she spent a majority of her time in Ecuador on a service mission helping the people of the Galapagos Islands.
“It was a once in a lifetime opportunity that I will never forget and the people of Ecuador have my heart,” she said about the experience. “Going to another country will give a person a different kind of perspective,” Wheeler said. One of her biggest achievements is a religion based service award that required her to set goals and perform service projects in her community.
But aside from being a philanthropist, Wheeler also is the 2014 Distinguished Young Women winner and will be working throughout the year with the Junior Miss Program and will be competing at state in the spring.
As for student council, Wheeler has big plans for the year hoping to spread tolerance of others and eliminate bullying at the school.
“I wish people at our school were more open-minded about making friends,” she says. She also hopes to represent every program that she’s involved in to the best of her abilities saying that she wants to feel like she gave her all to every activity this year. “My favorite thing about BHS is the different clubs and activities that are available. I love the school!”
Like Earhart, Kate aspires to do things that are hard. She paves the way for the people who come after her and refuses to recognize boundaries and sets goals that helps her achieve more in her senior year. Much more will definitely come from her as the year goes on and she continues to achieve the most out of her high school experience.
ABOUT: Morgen's feature was another great article. It was interesting and easy to read. Feature appears in the January issue of The BroncWriter. (Vol 8 Issue 3)
Putting the 'hip' in hippotherapy A feature by Erick Wood
One of senior, Morgen Jaques’ favorite memories happened when she was only 13 years old and she received a wish from the Make-A-Wish Foundation so that she could spend a week and a half in the Caribbean Islands riding horses on the beach.
The wish that was granted was in response to Jaques being born with Cystic Fibrosis, a genetic disorder that prevents the lungs from synthesizing the protein that lines an individual’s lungs and pancreas. As a result, mucous builds up and makes the individual very susceptible to infections. It also restricts the pancreas from releasing enzymes which allow for proper digestion. People with this disorder often have to deal with infertility, lung transplants, and have a difficult time managing the chronic disease. At our school, Jaques deals with this disorder on a daily bases while maintaining good grades and acting as a positive influence to everyone she meets.
“To remain functional I use a Hill-Rom vest system for 35 minutes every morning and night which shakes my torso and breaks up the mucous while I do inhaled medications to help thin and get it out of my system. For digestion I take five pills that are man-made enzymes every time that I eat to help digest my food for me. I take approximately 40 medications a day along with the respiration therapy,” Jaques said.
Jaques lives with her sister, four dogs, two cats and her parents and tries to maintain a normal life despite her condition. She loves to ride horses and hike in the mountains.
“I definitely got my love for animals from my mom and loved them for as long as I can remember. I've been training my dog, Hank, as a therapy dog and we just got our certification. I’ve really developed a passion for it. I take him to therapy clinics and to State Hospital South and its lots of fun!”
Besides her love for animals, Jaques also excels scholastically.
“School is definitely important to me, so to do everything I want to do and manage my cystic fibrosis, I sacrifice a lot of sleep and social activities. I plan on getting my master of occupational therapy and becoming a licensed occupational therapist and do pediatrics. I'm currently the Equine Program director at Camp Hippo, so I run their entire hippotherapy program, which is physical, occupational and speech therapy using horses as a modem to achieve goals.”
She says that her biggest influence is Anja Beran who is training the Budweiser horses for their upcoming Super Bowl commercial.
She says her condition has shaped her character in a good way.
“It has taught me a lot of lessons that I value, and it's a big part of why I want to go into pediatrics. Although someone’s trials may not be similar to mine I definitely empathize with them and help if I can. Most often I get asked how I manage and how [the disorder] affects me. It can definitely be a struggle to keep that sense of normality at times, but I think I do okay. My parents are huge influences on my life. My mom inspired my love for reading and my dad and I have very similar senses of humor. I have a relatively stable home life, or as stable as it can be with four labs and two cats tearing around inside it.”
The wish that was granted was in response to Jaques being born with Cystic Fibrosis, a genetic disorder that prevents the lungs from synthesizing the protein that lines an individual’s lungs and pancreas. As a result, mucous builds up and makes the individual very susceptible to infections. It also restricts the pancreas from releasing enzymes which allow for proper digestion. People with this disorder often have to deal with infertility, lung transplants, and have a difficult time managing the chronic disease. At our school, Jaques deals with this disorder on a daily bases while maintaining good grades and acting as a positive influence to everyone she meets.
“To remain functional I use a Hill-Rom vest system for 35 minutes every morning and night which shakes my torso and breaks up the mucous while I do inhaled medications to help thin and get it out of my system. For digestion I take five pills that are man-made enzymes every time that I eat to help digest my food for me. I take approximately 40 medications a day along with the respiration therapy,” Jaques said.
Jaques lives with her sister, four dogs, two cats and her parents and tries to maintain a normal life despite her condition. She loves to ride horses and hike in the mountains.
“I definitely got my love for animals from my mom and loved them for as long as I can remember. I've been training my dog, Hank, as a therapy dog and we just got our certification. I’ve really developed a passion for it. I take him to therapy clinics and to State Hospital South and its lots of fun!”
Besides her love for animals, Jaques also excels scholastically.
“School is definitely important to me, so to do everything I want to do and manage my cystic fibrosis, I sacrifice a lot of sleep and social activities. I plan on getting my master of occupational therapy and becoming a licensed occupational therapist and do pediatrics. I'm currently the Equine Program director at Camp Hippo, so I run their entire hippotherapy program, which is physical, occupational and speech therapy using horses as a modem to achieve goals.”
She says that her biggest influence is Anja Beran who is training the Budweiser horses for their upcoming Super Bowl commercial.
She says her condition has shaped her character in a good way.
“It has taught me a lot of lessons that I value, and it's a big part of why I want to go into pediatrics. Although someone’s trials may not be similar to mine I definitely empathize with them and help if I can. Most often I get asked how I manage and how [the disorder] affects me. It can definitely be a struggle to keep that sense of normality at times, but I think I do okay. My parents are huge influences on my life. My mom inspired my love for reading and my dad and I have very similar senses of humor. I have a relatively stable home life, or as stable as it can be with four labs and two cats tearing around inside it.”
ABOUT: This story pushed the envelope on a subject that the school district did not want reported. It was heartbreaking to see the custodial staff fear for their jobs in a school that already uses the bare minimum. Story appears in the April issue of The BroncWriter. (Vol 7 Issue 5)
Budget cuts threaten loss of custodial service A special report by Erick Wood
“It’s a big mistake, in the long
run they won’t get somebody who does all the things that we do
already,” Rebecca Baker, a janitor at the high school, said about a
proposed budget cut that will contract custodial work outside of the
school district and could possibly result in the custodians losing
their jobs. “They won’t know the teachers, they won’t put their
desks back the way they like, or help set up for dances and sporting
events,” she adds.
The district school board met early in March to propose the new set of budget cuts that would save the district $350,000, most of that number coming from the proposed contract with different custodial service which would hire out the work rather than custodians being a district employee.
“The district is hurting too, we understand that,” Baker said. “We are already at the bare minimum. When I first started working here eight years ago we had tons of chemicals to use around the school, but now we constantly run out of toilet paper and hardly have anything to clean with.”
Maintenance director, Hal Silzly, says that the cuts will be more efficient for the school district. “The company might be able to keep things cleaner,” he said. “We will save 10 percent of what we are spending right now and every part of the contract will be highly scrutinized and looked over.”
Part of that contract will be for the company to supply its own machines and cleaning supplies rather than the district, and for custodians to be available to set up at games and sporting events.
“We currently have 25 custodians and it’ll be written into the contract that the new company hire them back and hire five or six more. Although, we won’t be able to do anything if those companies decide to fire the custodians afterwards,” Silzly said.
The current expenditure reports for the past two fiscal years are available to the public on the district website which includes everything from administration business trips to teacher salaries, however, detailed maintenance reports are not available.
“I’m worried about my pay and job security,” says custodian Burkam Toone. “It’s going to hurt them in the long run. I’ve worked as a custodian for three years and before that was maintenance before being laid off by budget cuts before, it’s hard to find a job for anyone, so I don’t know what I’ll do,” Toone added. “Why don’t we cut the administrations pay? We’re at the bottom of the totem pole, that’s why. Talk to Mr. Denning or Mr. Silzly, there are no records for the maintenance department and I’d like to see what those cuts are actually saving.”
In addition to the custodial cuts, $46,000 will be cut from the maintenance services. In return, $100,000 will be given to compensate teachers’ salaries. Further district meetings will be held through the month of April and can be found on the district website. The contracted company is slated to take over custodial work the first week of July.
The district school board met early in March to propose the new set of budget cuts that would save the district $350,000, most of that number coming from the proposed contract with different custodial service which would hire out the work rather than custodians being a district employee.
“The district is hurting too, we understand that,” Baker said. “We are already at the bare minimum. When I first started working here eight years ago we had tons of chemicals to use around the school, but now we constantly run out of toilet paper and hardly have anything to clean with.”
Maintenance director, Hal Silzly, says that the cuts will be more efficient for the school district. “The company might be able to keep things cleaner,” he said. “We will save 10 percent of what we are spending right now and every part of the contract will be highly scrutinized and looked over.”
Part of that contract will be for the company to supply its own machines and cleaning supplies rather than the district, and for custodians to be available to set up at games and sporting events.
“We currently have 25 custodians and it’ll be written into the contract that the new company hire them back and hire five or six more. Although, we won’t be able to do anything if those companies decide to fire the custodians afterwards,” Silzly said.
The current expenditure reports for the past two fiscal years are available to the public on the district website which includes everything from administration business trips to teacher salaries, however, detailed maintenance reports are not available.
“I’m worried about my pay and job security,” says custodian Burkam Toone. “It’s going to hurt them in the long run. I’ve worked as a custodian for three years and before that was maintenance before being laid off by budget cuts before, it’s hard to find a job for anyone, so I don’t know what I’ll do,” Toone added. “Why don’t we cut the administrations pay? We’re at the bottom of the totem pole, that’s why. Talk to Mr. Denning or Mr. Silzly, there are no records for the maintenance department and I’d like to see what those cuts are actually saving.”
In addition to the custodial cuts, $46,000 will be cut from the maintenance services. In return, $100,000 will be given to compensate teachers’ salaries. Further district meetings will be held through the month of April and can be found on the district website. The contracted company is slated to take over custodial work the first week of July.
ABOUT: As campaign season was in full swing Idaho republicans for the senate and house of representatives visited Blackfoot. I was proud to attend. Feature appears in the November issue of The BroncWriter. (Vol 8 Issue 2)
Students take interest in campaign season A news story by Erick Wood
“Even though I won't be able to vote in this election, I have a responsibility to know all of the candidates,” Emily Jensen, a senior in Holly Kartchner's We the People class, said.
On Thursday October 23, multiple candidates running on the republican ticket this year stopped by Stinger's Bar and Grill to meet and greet the voters in Bingham County. Perhaps most notably in attendance were Governor Butch Otter and U.S Congressman Mike Simpson, an alumni of BHS in 1968.
In Kartchner's government classes, students have been learning about the framers and founders of the country and have been discussing attack ads between Republican candidate Butch Otter and Democratic candidate AJ Balukoff. Students were encouraged to go to the event and meet the republican candidates.
“I'm going to be old enough to vote, so I wanted to meet all of the candidates, also I wanted a picture with Mike Simpson,” Tess Boyd (12) said.
Seniors Anthony Stott and Jake Pendlebury explained that they wanted to learn more about the candidates, admitting that they didn't know who any of them were, but wanted to meet the people who were in charge. Stott will able to vote this year while Pendlebury will not.
After a breakfast buffet each of the candidates spoke a bit about their party and mentioned topics such as the wolf population, unemployment, school reforms, the government debt, and social security reformation.
“We need to make sure [the government] has only one thing on their mind. Idaho,” Simpson said. As for Kartchner's students, the election is all that is on their minds. Earlier this month Richard Stallings, who is running opposite Simpson on the Democrat ticket, also visited the We the People class. The class discussed multiple issues with the candidate and enjoyed meeting with him. Election Day is on November 4 and many students themselves will be voting.
On Thursday October 23, multiple candidates running on the republican ticket this year stopped by Stinger's Bar and Grill to meet and greet the voters in Bingham County. Perhaps most notably in attendance were Governor Butch Otter and U.S Congressman Mike Simpson, an alumni of BHS in 1968.
In Kartchner's government classes, students have been learning about the framers and founders of the country and have been discussing attack ads between Republican candidate Butch Otter and Democratic candidate AJ Balukoff. Students were encouraged to go to the event and meet the republican candidates.
“I'm going to be old enough to vote, so I wanted to meet all of the candidates, also I wanted a picture with Mike Simpson,” Tess Boyd (12) said.
Seniors Anthony Stott and Jake Pendlebury explained that they wanted to learn more about the candidates, admitting that they didn't know who any of them were, but wanted to meet the people who were in charge. Stott will able to vote this year while Pendlebury will not.
After a breakfast buffet each of the candidates spoke a bit about their party and mentioned topics such as the wolf population, unemployment, school reforms, the government debt, and social security reformation.
“We need to make sure [the government] has only one thing on their mind. Idaho,” Simpson said. As for Kartchner's students, the election is all that is on their minds. Earlier this month Richard Stallings, who is running opposite Simpson on the Democrat ticket, also visited the We the People class. The class discussed multiple issues with the candidate and enjoyed meeting with him. Election Day is on November 4 and many students themselves will be voting.
ABOUT: After the shootings at Charlie Hebdo's office, I felt compelled to do an editorial about free speech and student journalists. This editorial appears in the January issue of The BroncWriter. (Vol 8 Issue 3)
Je Suis charlie: In Memorial An editorial by Erick Wood
In light of this month’s attack on the weekly Paris satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, our editorial staff would like to honor the 12 journalists killed by the three gunmen on January 7 and journalists all over the world who stand up to suppression of their right to free speech. Je Suis Charlie.
Those three words have splattered the streets of Paris in the past week with the latest issue of Charlie Hebdo selling out within hours of its first print. “I am Charlie,” read each person who purchased a copy of the famous satirical magazine.
More copies are being printed to meet the demands for the latest issue in France which, like the U.S., has a right to free speech and freedom of the press. After printing many controversial cartoons of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, religious radicals, later determined to be Al Qaeda, open fired on the magazines office and it quickly sparked national attention.
At Blackfoot High School, even though we are thousands of miles away from the site of the shootings, we are Charlie. Our right to free speech, protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution, is the most debated and fought over right that sometimes we take for granted.
When given the opportunity to express ourselves, many times we don’t bother speaking up because we don’t believe that we can make a difference. We censor ourselves out of fear even though we live in a country where we don’t need to fear our government, the administration, our parents, or people who disagree with what we have to say.
What we have to say matters. It is our ideas that remain the most important thing at the high school. We are the one who define the mold, but if we are not willing to let our voices be heard, the process fails. We end up letting everyone who died for our freedom, die in vain.
John F. Kennedy said, “A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on. Ideas have endurance without death.” There is nothing greater than our freedom of expression.
As student journalists we strive to hear those voices that might not normally be heard. We ask the tough questions and set checks on the authority figures at the high school and in the community. We use satire in the same ways that the staffers of Charlie Hebdo used it. We are not afraid to be outspoken, and we have no need to be. Like each and every student, we believe in having our voices heard and believe in the school, the students, and the country. Guns should not be used to silence speech. Governments should not censor art. Art must serve no masters. The attack on Charlie Hebdo is ultimately about control. Masked terrorists who want to decide what we should and shouldn’t see. They want to decide what we can believe in and what to be right or wrong.
Writers and artists have always been the first people to stand up for their freedom of expression. They call out those people who try and suppress it and in this case, the staff members of Charlie Hebdo paid the price. That doesn’t mean we turn a blind eye and say “oh that isn’t our problem.”
It is our problem. It is everyone’s problem. Everyone can stand up and make their voices heard. We will not be frightened by these attacks, not us, not Paris. Je Suis Charlie.
This editorial was written by the Editor-in-Chief, Erick Wood, and reflects the views of the entire Broncwriter staff.
Those three words have splattered the streets of Paris in the past week with the latest issue of Charlie Hebdo selling out within hours of its first print. “I am Charlie,” read each person who purchased a copy of the famous satirical magazine.
More copies are being printed to meet the demands for the latest issue in France which, like the U.S., has a right to free speech and freedom of the press. After printing many controversial cartoons of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, religious radicals, later determined to be Al Qaeda, open fired on the magazines office and it quickly sparked national attention.
At Blackfoot High School, even though we are thousands of miles away from the site of the shootings, we are Charlie. Our right to free speech, protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution, is the most debated and fought over right that sometimes we take for granted.
When given the opportunity to express ourselves, many times we don’t bother speaking up because we don’t believe that we can make a difference. We censor ourselves out of fear even though we live in a country where we don’t need to fear our government, the administration, our parents, or people who disagree with what we have to say.
What we have to say matters. It is our ideas that remain the most important thing at the high school. We are the one who define the mold, but if we are not willing to let our voices be heard, the process fails. We end up letting everyone who died for our freedom, die in vain.
John F. Kennedy said, “A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on. Ideas have endurance without death.” There is nothing greater than our freedom of expression.
As student journalists we strive to hear those voices that might not normally be heard. We ask the tough questions and set checks on the authority figures at the high school and in the community. We use satire in the same ways that the staffers of Charlie Hebdo used it. We are not afraid to be outspoken, and we have no need to be. Like each and every student, we believe in having our voices heard and believe in the school, the students, and the country. Guns should not be used to silence speech. Governments should not censor art. Art must serve no masters. The attack on Charlie Hebdo is ultimately about control. Masked terrorists who want to decide what we should and shouldn’t see. They want to decide what we can believe in and what to be right or wrong.
Writers and artists have always been the first people to stand up for their freedom of expression. They call out those people who try and suppress it and in this case, the staff members of Charlie Hebdo paid the price. That doesn’t mean we turn a blind eye and say “oh that isn’t our problem.”
It is our problem. It is everyone’s problem. Everyone can stand up and make their voices heard. We will not be frightened by these attacks, not us, not Paris. Je Suis Charlie.
This editorial was written by the Editor-in-Chief, Erick Wood, and reflects the views of the entire Broncwriter staff.
ABOUT: I plan on getting a degree in film and when Sundance film festival came to Salt Lake City this year, I was all over it. I wrote this column after watching one of the entries. Column appears in the February issue of The BroncWriter. (Vol 8 Issue 4)
Don't Change your skin A column by Erick Wood
Maria Hummer is the author of a short story called He Took His Skin Off For Me which over the past two years has been adapted into a 12 minute short film by young London director Ben Aston and premiered last month at the London Film Festival as part of their series [Messed] Up Love: Gentle Disasters.
The story is a twisted modern-day fairy tale in which a man removes his own skin for the woman he loves, believing it is what she wants him to do. And she does- at first, but before long it becomes clear their relationship will never be the same again.
In the past month since the film landed online it has become one of my favorite modern fables about giving your all to the person you love but at the risk of losing yourself in the process. The main character comes to realize how massive his change was when he no longer knows who he is. He stops talking even though he loves words, and he's angry although love has always been his main characteristic.
Much like this character, teenagers try hard to change themselves to fit into relationships and are too eager even though they are not mentally ready for such relationships. They believe that being in a relationship is the most important thing in life but it really isn't.
According to the New York Times, teenagers who have been in and out of a relationship are more likely to be depressed than those who have not. Because teenagers are still growing up and figuring out who they are, it is not healthy for them to try and help someone else discover their identities at such a young age.
From my own experiences dating I've learned it's not worth the trouble right now. Although in film, and especially on TV, teenagers are shown with a predominant belief that only by having a boyfriend or a girlfriend can they actually be happy, that's not true. Teenagers should focus first on discovering themselves in every aspect of their lives before trying to match themselves up with someone else.
If an individual does not take the time to figure out who he or she is and what he or she wants in life and see who they are under their skin, they will be disappointed when someone else doesn’t like them either. Like the French writer La Rochefoucald once said, “A man who finds no satisfaction in himself will seek for it in vain elsewhere.”
The story is a twisted modern-day fairy tale in which a man removes his own skin for the woman he loves, believing it is what she wants him to do. And she does- at first, but before long it becomes clear their relationship will never be the same again.
In the past month since the film landed online it has become one of my favorite modern fables about giving your all to the person you love but at the risk of losing yourself in the process. The main character comes to realize how massive his change was when he no longer knows who he is. He stops talking even though he loves words, and he's angry although love has always been his main characteristic.
Much like this character, teenagers try hard to change themselves to fit into relationships and are too eager even though they are not mentally ready for such relationships. They believe that being in a relationship is the most important thing in life but it really isn't.
According to the New York Times, teenagers who have been in and out of a relationship are more likely to be depressed than those who have not. Because teenagers are still growing up and figuring out who they are, it is not healthy for them to try and help someone else discover their identities at such a young age.
From my own experiences dating I've learned it's not worth the trouble right now. Although in film, and especially on TV, teenagers are shown with a predominant belief that only by having a boyfriend or a girlfriend can they actually be happy, that's not true. Teenagers should focus first on discovering themselves in every aspect of their lives before trying to match themselves up with someone else.
If an individual does not take the time to figure out who he or she is and what he or she wants in life and see who they are under their skin, they will be disappointed when someone else doesn’t like them either. Like the French writer La Rochefoucald once said, “A man who finds no satisfaction in himself will seek for it in vain elsewhere.”
ABOUT: A big moment in my life was when i turned 18 and i wrote a column about it in our newspaper. The column appeared in the January issue of The BroncWriter. (Vol 8 Issue 3)
Growing up is hard to do A column by Erick Wood
Kailash Satyarthi was born on January 11, 61 years ago. He gave up his career as a teacher and devoted his life to upholding children's rights in India and became an active voice against child labor. Satyarthi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.
Malala Yousafzai is not your average 17 year old girl. She was educated by her father and was urged to become a politician. She spoke out against the Taliban, who refused women the right to education and bombed girls’ schools in the area. In 2012 she was shot in the head and neck in an assassination attempt and the event became known worldwide. Yousafzai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with Satyarthi in 2014.
Age is just a number. This is something I recently came to understand after turning 18 two weeks ago, the same day that Satyarthi turned 61. I had expected that there would be a parade and maybe some fireworks accompanied with the big day, however, the most excitement I had was instead changing my driver’s license and buying spray paint for the first time. (Then standing in line to return the spray paint because I have no need for it.) The biggest surprise was that there was no big change. I didn't suddenly grow a beard, start listening to NPR, and take Vitamins for my gout; I was as youthful as ever.
Truthfully, I did get the whole speech from my parents saying that I was now responsible and shouldn't get into any more trouble, ironic considering that only a few months ago I had been in court and honestly I will probably get a speeding ticket or something today, which is my luck; but when looking at these two remarkable individuals, it's hard to argue that there is ever an age when an individual is at their prime.
I have always thought that the older I got the smarter I would be. The things that I couldn't do when I was ten I would have mastered by now, but I still can't do a handstand and I would argue I was a whole lot smarter when I was five.
Examples like Satyarthi and Yousafzai shows that there isn't much of a difference between what a younger person and an individual well past their prime can do. It proves that no matter what, if there is enough motivation to do something, anyone can do it. Age is not a factor.
Being 18 just means that I have another chance to learn, grow, and make mistakes. I will get to learn new lessons, work harder, and make a difference. One day I hope to make a difference, maybe not as big as Malala or Kailash, but in my own way I hope that I can do something that make people ask, “what was I doing at that age?” or “wow, where am I going from here?”
Malala Yousafzai is not your average 17 year old girl. She was educated by her father and was urged to become a politician. She spoke out against the Taliban, who refused women the right to education and bombed girls’ schools in the area. In 2012 she was shot in the head and neck in an assassination attempt and the event became known worldwide. Yousafzai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with Satyarthi in 2014.
Age is just a number. This is something I recently came to understand after turning 18 two weeks ago, the same day that Satyarthi turned 61. I had expected that there would be a parade and maybe some fireworks accompanied with the big day, however, the most excitement I had was instead changing my driver’s license and buying spray paint for the first time. (Then standing in line to return the spray paint because I have no need for it.) The biggest surprise was that there was no big change. I didn't suddenly grow a beard, start listening to NPR, and take Vitamins for my gout; I was as youthful as ever.
Truthfully, I did get the whole speech from my parents saying that I was now responsible and shouldn't get into any more trouble, ironic considering that only a few months ago I had been in court and honestly I will probably get a speeding ticket or something today, which is my luck; but when looking at these two remarkable individuals, it's hard to argue that there is ever an age when an individual is at their prime.
I have always thought that the older I got the smarter I would be. The things that I couldn't do when I was ten I would have mastered by now, but I still can't do a handstand and I would argue I was a whole lot smarter when I was five.
Examples like Satyarthi and Yousafzai shows that there isn't much of a difference between what a younger person and an individual well past their prime can do. It proves that no matter what, if there is enough motivation to do something, anyone can do it. Age is not a factor.
Being 18 just means that I have another chance to learn, grow, and make mistakes. I will get to learn new lessons, work harder, and make a difference. One day I hope to make a difference, maybe not as big as Malala or Kailash, but in my own way I hope that I can do something that make people ask, “what was I doing at that age?” or “wow, where am I going from here?”
ABOUT: The last two reviews tell a lot about me and my writing. I would love to work for Entertainment Weekly of Rolling Stones one day and be able to write reviews about movies and music because that is what i love. These reviews appeared in the January and October Issues of The BroncWriter. (Vol 8 issue 3 and Vol 8 Issue 2)
Into the woods is a classic fairytale A review by Erick Wood
This winter's film adaption of Stephen Sodheim's original Broadway musical Into the Woods is a cinematic beauty that as expected will be the frontrunner of the awards season. Directed by the legendary Rob Marshall and produced by the chief fairytale producer, The Walt Disney Company, the onscreen adaption places Academy Award winner Meryl Streep in the limelight as The Witch who guides many of the other characters portrayed by an all-star cast including Anna Kendrick, Emily Blunt, James Corden, Chris Pine and Johnny Depp.
Like many musicals, the plot can be a bit jumbled in presentation with the focus set on catchy songs and flashy effects, but Woods is aware of its goofiness and ornate scale and plays upon that with a whopping 15 minute opening number entitled Prologue which sets up the story and uses the words “Into the Woods” just short of two dozen times as if the viewer was not quite sure what movie they were watching beforehand. In this number all of the exposition is laid out and the viewer’s meet Jack, Cinderella, Red, Rapunzel, The Baker and his wife, and The Witch who plays a pivotal role in each of the characters live’s, including the bakers of which she has cursed his loins to be barren.
The story shoots off from there in one of the grandest displays of fairytale lore to be seen on the big screen since The Princess Bride. Such as with Bride satire is the most used device to narrate the story. It is evident in each song and line the actors deliver. Within the second song, the narrator explains that Cinderella had visited her mother’s grave so much and shed enough tears for a grand willow tree to grow around the grave. This is only one of the many times that satire is used throughout the movie.
After the story is fully underway the color scheme changes from the golden hues that delights the first few songs. Soon as the characters venture into the woods, a symbol for going out into the world or into life, the color pallet switches to dark greens and grays; a striking contrast of the transition from youth to adulthood. This theme is also evident in the way that the character’s stories change after they go into the woods from the typical stories the viewer recognizes from their childhoods.
Many themes can be recognized by teenagers watching the movie, whether it be Red singing about her seduction by the Wolf, this can be related to falling in love with a stranger off the beaten path and how exciting and scary it is, or Jack singing about how it feels returning home after leaving and the only thing that has changed is himself.
There is no doubt that multiple themes can be taken away from Into the Woods, and most are hidden in plain view. The last song titled, Children will Listen, is an anthem for parents to raise their children with care.
Although every character is obnoxious and unaware of his/her own use as devices to carry along a predictable plot, the score and visual effects are groundbreaking in musical adaptations in the past few years. The cast is pleasantly groomed into their roles and most can carry a tune. Into the Woods is another Disney classic that will be beloved by children and adults alike.
Like many musicals, the plot can be a bit jumbled in presentation with the focus set on catchy songs and flashy effects, but Woods is aware of its goofiness and ornate scale and plays upon that with a whopping 15 minute opening number entitled Prologue which sets up the story and uses the words “Into the Woods” just short of two dozen times as if the viewer was not quite sure what movie they were watching beforehand. In this number all of the exposition is laid out and the viewer’s meet Jack, Cinderella, Red, Rapunzel, The Baker and his wife, and The Witch who plays a pivotal role in each of the characters live’s, including the bakers of which she has cursed his loins to be barren.
The story shoots off from there in one of the grandest displays of fairytale lore to be seen on the big screen since The Princess Bride. Such as with Bride satire is the most used device to narrate the story. It is evident in each song and line the actors deliver. Within the second song, the narrator explains that Cinderella had visited her mother’s grave so much and shed enough tears for a grand willow tree to grow around the grave. This is only one of the many times that satire is used throughout the movie.
After the story is fully underway the color scheme changes from the golden hues that delights the first few songs. Soon as the characters venture into the woods, a symbol for going out into the world or into life, the color pallet switches to dark greens and grays; a striking contrast of the transition from youth to adulthood. This theme is also evident in the way that the character’s stories change after they go into the woods from the typical stories the viewer recognizes from their childhoods.
Many themes can be recognized by teenagers watching the movie, whether it be Red singing about her seduction by the Wolf, this can be related to falling in love with a stranger off the beaten path and how exciting and scary it is, or Jack singing about how it feels returning home after leaving and the only thing that has changed is himself.
There is no doubt that multiple themes can be taken away from Into the Woods, and most are hidden in plain view. The last song titled, Children will Listen, is an anthem for parents to raise their children with care.
Although every character is obnoxious and unaware of his/her own use as devices to carry along a predictable plot, the score and visual effects are groundbreaking in musical adaptations in the past few years. The cast is pleasantly groomed into their roles and most can carry a tune. Into the Woods is another Disney classic that will be beloved by children and adults alike.
American Horror Story is 'the best-selling show' A review by Erick Wood
When co-creator Ryan Murphy approached the FX Network over five years ago about making an anthology series set in America with an all-star cast of actors based on modern and period horror stories, he couldn't have, in any way, known the impact the series would have on its viewers in the years to come. Yet millions of viewers tune in each weak to see his push-the-envelope gags, terrifying and gruesome murders, and bizarre story lines in what has become the biggest television series in the networks past 20 years. And who can blame them? Ten million viewers tuned in to watch the first episode beating out last season’s record of just over seven million.
What can only be described as the freakiest show on earth, American Horror Story: Freak Show is a horror drama set in the 1950s and the fourth season of the highly rated series on Fox's sister network FX. The anthology series changes setting and plot with every season only keeping a few of the actors and introducing new ones as the show goes on always changing characters for every reincarnation. Actors such as fan favorites, Jessica Lange and Evan Peters have been at the show since its first season, telling the tale of “The Murder House,” and throughout the other incarnations, AHS: Asylum and AHS: Coven.
Freak Show is the story of a band of misfits organized by Elsa [Lange] in one of the last surviving roadside carnivals in America. Elsa struggles to keep her “monsters” in line as the carnival is threatened to be shut down and can barely keep its lights on. Amidst the freaks there is a second narrative of one of the show’s most terrifying characters, Twisty the Clown, a John Wayne Gacy inspired murderer who is kidnapping children throughout Jupiter, Florida, where the show takes place.
Joining the Emmy award-winning cast from last season, are some actors with oddities of their own who embrace their differences and are receiving the chance of a lifetime to appear in a critically acclaimed show such as AHS. Newcomers include Jyoti Amge, the world’s smallest woman, Erika Ervin, the world’s tallest woman, and Mat Fraser, an artist with phocomelia of both arms.
The new series promotes acceptance and a sense family, an odd thing for a series within the horror category but that doesn't mean there isn't plenty of gore, sex, and violence. Even though only three episodes in to the new season, a fifth season has been ordered on the network and will premiere in fall of 2015.
What can only be described as the freakiest show on earth, American Horror Story: Freak Show is a horror drama set in the 1950s and the fourth season of the highly rated series on Fox's sister network FX. The anthology series changes setting and plot with every season only keeping a few of the actors and introducing new ones as the show goes on always changing characters for every reincarnation. Actors such as fan favorites, Jessica Lange and Evan Peters have been at the show since its first season, telling the tale of “The Murder House,” and throughout the other incarnations, AHS: Asylum and AHS: Coven.
Freak Show is the story of a band of misfits organized by Elsa [Lange] in one of the last surviving roadside carnivals in America. Elsa struggles to keep her “monsters” in line as the carnival is threatened to be shut down and can barely keep its lights on. Amidst the freaks there is a second narrative of one of the show’s most terrifying characters, Twisty the Clown, a John Wayne Gacy inspired murderer who is kidnapping children throughout Jupiter, Florida, where the show takes place.
Joining the Emmy award-winning cast from last season, are some actors with oddities of their own who embrace their differences and are receiving the chance of a lifetime to appear in a critically acclaimed show such as AHS. Newcomers include Jyoti Amge, the world’s smallest woman, Erika Ervin, the world’s tallest woman, and Mat Fraser, an artist with phocomelia of both arms.
The new series promotes acceptance and a sense family, an odd thing for a series within the horror category but that doesn't mean there isn't plenty of gore, sex, and violence. Even though only three episodes in to the new season, a fifth season has been ordered on the network and will premiere in fall of 2015.