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DECEMBER 2021

SHOULD DIETS BE ON THE TABLE THIS CHRISTMAS? PG. 14

Westminster Christian Academy

STAFF

MANAGING EDITOR IN CHIEF MAGGIE LINDSTROM, SENIOR

Students

EDITOR: 800 SPORTING BROOKE HIGHMARK, SENIOR

CONTENT EDITOR EMMA HARRIS, SENIOR

Serving

BROADCAST LEADER IZZY TROST, SENIOR

BROADCAST LEADER ABBY JOHLERT, SENIOR

Students

BROADCAST LEADER TRISTON SCALES, SENIOR

BROADCAST LEADER ANNA FREGENE, SENIOR

2 STAFF

FEATURE EDITOR

PAWPRINT LIAISON

ELLIE JONES, SENIOR

HOPE LINAM, SENIOR

Staff Writers STAFF WRITER

STAFF WRITER

EVAN KOHN, SENIOR

SAYVA PHILIPS , SENIOR

STAFF WRITER

RILEY HEIRONIMUS, SENIOR

ALEX WITTENAUER, SENIOR

NOLAN JONES, SENIOR

JACOB BROWN, SENIOR

STAFF WRITER

JACKSON LOEHR, SENIOR

STAFF WRITER

JACOB HANSON, SENIOR

STAFF WRITER

ANNA GRACE LIKES, JUNIOR

STAFF WRITER

LUCY KNERR, SOPHOMORE

STAFF WRITER

ALLI BISHOP, JUNIOR

STAFF WRITER

WILL DANA, SOPHOMORE

STAFF WRITER

POPPY MCCAULEY, SOPHOMORE

STAFF WRITER

MEGAN MOREY, SENIOR

MIA SCHEULEN, JUNIOR

STAFF WRITER

AMILA PIERIS, SOPHOMORE

MADDOX ROSENBERG, SOPHOMORE

STAFF WRITER

SYDNEY BRADLEY, JUNIOR

WILLIAM JINKINS, SOPHOMORE

STAFF WRITER

ELIJAH SCHMIDT, FRESHMAN

COLE STEPHENS, JUNIOR

LUKE RYAN, JUNIOR

STAFF WRITER

CHRISTINA ENGLISH, JUNIOR

STAFF WRITER

DREW CAHILL, SOPHOMORE

CONTENTS FEATURE BARISTAS: CHRISTMAS HEROES PG. 6 THERE’S A CAKE IN MY BIGMAC PG. 7 THE 300 THINGS I LIKE PG. 8 SHOULD DIETS BE ON THE TABLE THIS CHRISTMAS? PG. 14 THE UNIQUE 8TH GRADE CHOIR CLASS PG. 16 CHRISTMAS WORDSEARCH PG. 17

OPINION WHAT SPEECH IS ALLOWED? PG. 9 CUT THE CRAP WCA PG. 10 IT’S OKAY TO BE ANGRY AT GOD PG. 11-12 IN THE NAME OF LOVE: A DEFENSE OF BONO PG. 13 MEMORIES ARE FOREVER UNTIL FOREVER ENDS PG. 15

SPORTS WELLNESS VS. ATHLETICS PG. 19 WRESTLING PROGRAM DWINDLING PG. 20 WESTMINSTER ATHLETE TO THE BIG TEN PG. 21

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STAFF ED

ARE YOU REALLY READY TO LEAVE? *Stop saying you want to leave, you have no idea what that means* “I can’t wait to be in college”, “I hate Westminster”, “I can’t wait to leave”, “Imagine how much better life will be when we’re no longer here”. These are phrases, sadly, as a high school student, we hear at least once a day. This is the super power of a high schooler: they want to be anywhere else but where they are. Because complaining and dreaming is a whole lot easier than standing still and facing the present. Everyone has this idea that leaving is going to fix everything, but sadly no. Leaving is only going to create more problems! Westminster is a small, very well equipped school that is here to give you all the tools to do things yourself. It is okay to ask for help, to process information or get through something. But in college the ask for help mentality changes, so seniors, are prepared for that? Are prepared to walk into a classroom of 300 students where you are just a statistic? When you walk across that stage some schools won’t even call your name, so are you ready for that? As a senior myself, I hear these phrases above all the time from people in my classes and underclassmen. This makes me sad, because at some point you will have to answer this question: are you really ready to leave? Sophomores, freshmen, and juniors, that question is for you. Do you all really know what leaving means? Some of you just got here, some of you are finally finding friends, so don’t start looking for the future yet. Stay in the moment, enjoy the time you have left here and don’t complain that you’re here.

From 800 news

Embrace the community and enjoy your time here. Westminster has so many fun opportunities and it is just a shame to not see them being taken advantage of. So now to the seniors, are you ready? Going into the second semester no matter if you are or not, you will have to leave. So how can you begin to prepare? Take some time to talk to some old teachers, take some time to write a reﬂection about your time here. Pray even. You’ll probably never truly know that you’re ready to leave, but you might as well think about what it is going to mean to not see any of these people you have been with for these last 6 years. Also, what is it going to mean for you to be away from your families when that independence you are asking for is here? So what happens next?

So seniors, freshmen, sophomores, and juniors, we here at 800 news challenge you to enjoy and love this time before it is taken away.

STAFF ED STAFF EDITORIAL 5

BARISTAS: CHRISTMAS HEROES

SAYVA PHILLLIPS Staff Writer

Not all heroes wear capes, some wear aprons! There are so many things that make the holiday season cozy and cheerful here in the school. But most would believe the most important aspect is Christmas drinks! It is finally that time of the year where our Pawprint baristas began to brainstorm sugary Christmas drinks for all of us to enjoy. There is nothing like having a warm or cold Christmas themed drink in the dark and cold morning of the school day. So, what exactly makes these drinks so special? Why should we consider our Pawprint Baristas modern day heroes?

Whenever the feeling of lassitude falls over, remember to grab a festive drink from pawprint at 7am-7:50am before school or after school at 3pm-4pm for delicious Christmas cheer!

It all starts with the student body. Being able to order a drink in a customized way spices things up a bit. Oat milk, extra pumps of white mocha, two extra shots, light ice? Say the words and pawprint got it! Even if someone isn’t choosing from the festive menu, their personalized drink is what really matters. The reason why pawprint creates these drinks is to try something new and bring more Christmas spirit in the school. Our pawprint baristas take the time out of their day to brainstorm different things to do around the holiday season. Not just the festive drinks, or Mr. Maloy dressed in his buddy costume, but things like the turkey scavenger hunt, snack cart, Carpool coffee for the parents, or giving out coupons for money off your drink! Heroes do a certain job to benefit a certain situation. In our case with finals coming up and the days are getting shorter and the sun sets quickly it will get hard to keep pushing through. We have Christmas break to look forward to but what will get us through these tough studying days? Well there’s your answer. Our baristas heroes suit up to get us through these brutal 3 weeks of non-stop studying. They open up every morning and every day after school to make sure you are able to come in and order as you please. They even send out surveys to the school body for suggestions and concerns you might have about their service and how it can be better for the community. And they love your feedback so do not be shy to give them more ideas. If you haven’t been able to try any of the new Christmas drinks here are some of baristas favorites that you might want to try: 12th grader Aseanti Boone prefers the caramel apple cider because of the “warm fruity taste that reminds me of the cool crisp air.” 12th grafter Belle St. John says her favorite is the White Christmas Mocha because it, “embodies the season.” Lj Minner, 12 grader says his go to Christmas drink is the Cinnamon Roll latte because he “loves the taste of the sweet Christmas drink.” Noah Leingang, 12 grader, says his favorite to drink and make is the four berry smoothie because “the fruity taste reminds me of the Christmas spirit.”

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Pawprint brings on Christmas cheer after school with drinks music and Buddy as a special guest Images by: Sayva Phillips

THERE’S A CAKE IN MY BIGMAC CHRISTINA ENGLISH Staff Writer With 9 grams of sugar in a BigMac and 11 grams of sugar in a cake doughnut, it is quite alarming that the amounts of sugar in these foods are so close to one another. This means that in a BigMac, there are a little over 2 sugar packets added to your burger. Something even more shocking is that a half cup of pasta sauce can contain 12 grams of sugar. Comparing that to BBQ sauce, there is even more: with a whopping 17 grams.

and other baked goods. “Eating too many foods with added sugars sets the stage for potential health problems, such as: poor nutrition, weight gain, increased triglycerides (fat in the bloodstream), and tooth decay,” Mayo Clinic explains. While the desire to add flavor to certain food and drinks is not wrong; it can eventually become a problem if people eat too much sugar-fueled foods. Another important factor to be aware of is the fact that most of the healthy foods that have sugar added already contain natural sugar.

For as long as people can remember, it has been explained to them to be extremely wary about the amounts of sugar they should intake. However, most individuals do not question why they are told this. They are not even aware of how much The people at HealthCorps provide another reason as to why sugar is added to their food and drinks. Why is so much sugar people add processed sugar to food. They explain that caramelizing the sugar (heating it up) after adding it to the food added when it is clearly not a necessity? helps with promoting aspects such as: correct consistency, According to the staff at Mayo Clinic, people add sugar mostly taste, and texture to different types of candies, breads, jams, sauces, and dessert wine. to mass produced food items. This is done in order to make it seem more appetizing and to persuade people to buy and In order to prevent overconsumption of added sugar, both the consume it. Mayo Clinic and HealthCorps provide different ways to cut down on doing so. However, they still keep the aspects that The people at Mayo Clinic also say that sugar helps to prepeople love about sugar. serve food that could potentially spoil. Jams and jellies, for example, contain sugar which help them to last longer. It also assists with providing color, texture, and flavor to items made Mayo Clinic and HealthCorps both said that people should read in a bakery. Fermentation, (which is the process of the bread the labels on the back of food items to see how much added sugar the food contains. HealthCorps also recommended for rising while baking), is promoted by the amount of sugar parents to let their children “taste test some new fruits and contained in the dough. The sweetness balances the taste of tomatoes and vinegar in such foods that contain both. Finally, vegetables.” sugar acts as a bulking agent, meaning it adds weight to the food without reducing the flavor in items such as ice cream Mayo Clinic gave a list for people to look at that consisted of eating food and drinking beverages with reduced sugar and choosing fruits, vegetables, and low-fat items over sugary sweets. By knowing why people eat so much added sugar and why it is mass produced the way it is, we can start to develop a well-balanced diet that does not consist of a lot of added sugar.

Why is this “added sugar crisis” happening, and how can we prevent it from continuing? Image by: Christina English

FEATURE 7

THE 300 THINGS I LOVE

ELLIE JONES Features Editor

allowed a brief amount of time to have their feelings, but eventually, it is time to surround yourself with the pros of life instead of the cons.

I was prompted with the task of taking a moment, sitting down, and genuinely contemplating 300 aspects of my life No matter how hard it can be to think about it, everyone that I love the most; here’s what happened. has something that they love. More than likely it will be Some of the items were spontaneous, such as FBI/criminal multiple aspects, but no matter the quantity, thinking justice T.V. shows, gold hoop earrings, Italian restaurants, about it can cause your life to turn around. getting my nails done, hot coffee on a cold morning, warm socks, organizing my planner, spearmint gum etc. The list could go on. However, I took a moment to ponder the genuine characteristics of my life that I love the most. Some of these listed include my family relationships, the feeling of accomplishment, living close to my family, feeling loved by all of my supporters around me, making my parents proud, and my family’s unconditional love and support. Around Thanksgiving, I took a moment, and forgot about all of the negatives that were surrounding my life. I sat on my computer, and challenged myself to establish 300 (either random or not) parts of my life that I love. The holidays can be difficult for any family in a variety of circumstances and ways. Problems such as estranged family relationships, losing a family member, or just family tension around the dinner table in general. Now, I will say, I was not looking forward to taking time away from my busy schedule where I could have been doing other things in order to think about 300 things I love. However, once I began, they just kept flowing out. I would say it was relatively easy, but those last 20 can get pretty difficult. I did not think this task was going to have as big of an effect as it did on me. At first, I thought of it as checking a box, but then as I got halfway through, it really got me thinking about how many positives that live within my life. The negatives and sadness slowly started to go away. I eventually told myself that I have absolutely no reason to complain anymore, in any way, shape, or form. I have family who surround me every single day, but when things in life go bad, our initial response is to immediately think of all the sad parts. I will not lie, sadness can leave someone spiraling, when someone in your family which you were once close with decides to leave, it is never easy. Therefore, everyone is

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Ellie’s family takes a picture together at dinner. Photo courtesy of Ellie Jones

Another aspect of my life which made me realize how much I have to be thankful for is my friends. These people constantly support me and are always there for me. Although there have been tough times, I am a firm believer that the good outweighs the bad most of the time. Life is what you will make it. If you make it depressing and sulk 27/7, then it will be bad. If you make it lighthearted and fun, that is exactly what it will be For anyone who dreads the holidays, I would absolutely recommend taking time to think about not only the things you are thankful for, but just the parts of your life that bring you the most happiness.

SOCIAL MEDIA BLINDS US FROM THE TRUTH ELIJAH SCHMIDT Staff Writer “It’s my right to Free Speech!” Too often has every American heard those words spoken. Personally I have heard these words come from my own tongue many times over. So I decided to research what our rights are, and more specifically our right to Free Speech.

this journalist is laying before is that respect for others is paramount. And that perhaps certain speech should not be allowed and some should be compelled. Simply for the sake of respecting others in the context of this issue. Overall the Trans debate is one of the most complex conversations of our time, and one will need to meditate on this issue in depth to figure out their own opinion.

Whether or not you agree with Newman or Peterson one can observe the predicament. How do we know when free speech crosses a line? And is there even a line to be First off, what is free speech? It is defined by Merriam Webcrossed? After the January 6 Capitol Riots many thought ster Dictionary as “the legal right to express one’s opinions that President Donald J. Trump had crossed a line with a freely.” As for myself, this does not help me define this term provocative speech. In which he said, “March patriotically any further. Not only that but due to this loose definition has on the capitol…” Many of his supporters seemed to have caused contentious debate for years. misunderstood the assignment and instead forced their way inside the hallowed halls of the legislature. Whether or not More specifically in the debate on Trans Rights, the argument you believe the President’s motives were pure or malicious over whether or not a person’s preferred pronouns should the consequences of his actions certainly stirred the debate be compulsory for others to use, the Canadian Government on free speech. When his Twitter account was banned. The went as far as to make such speech compulsory. For example social media giant put out a statement saying, “After close Jordan Peterson, a clinical psychologist from Canada believes review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump acthat such laws infringe upon free speech. In an interview with count and the context around them — specifically how they Sunrise Peterson said, “It’s the first time in English common are being received and interpreted on and off Twitter — we law in Canada that the government has introduced compelled have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of speech.” He has been a loud proponent of these laws for years further incitement of violence.” said Twitter Inc. This proand remains a leading voice among conservatives. voked outrage from conservative voices, who were irked at how blatantly Twitter censored a sitting President. Although On the flip side there are many who believe these laws are this certainly seemed like a win for liberal warriors. for the betterment of society. That society would be better off if we respected others, and used the speech others So whatever you choose to believe about this issue, one preferred. For example, left leaning journalist Kathy Newman can see that we need to define our terms. I will leave you has debated Jordan Peterson in an interview on this issue. with this, what is free speech and are you really able to say Newman said, “Why should your right to free speech trump a whatever you want? trans-person’s right not to be offended?” The main idea that

Let us figure out what speech is actually permitted. Image by: Elijah Schmidt

OPINION 9

BONO AND HIS PRIDE: IN THE NAME OF LOVE EMMA HARRIS Content Editor

A clatter of drums, the vibration of the bass through the veins, chilling sounds of the guitar riff, and the booming voice of the lead singer, Bono; it all seems surreal and truthfully inefable, and the pure genius of the music is enough to send cracks of electricity down anyone’s spine. This magic the band U2 has been fabricating and weaving through society for 43 years can certainly be attributed to all of its members, but all of U2’s fans know that the band would not be the same without their sunglasses-clad Bono, a proficient lyricist who pours passion into his music. However, Bono has not captured the love of everybody; he often receives a fairly large sum of hate every time he breathes in public. All of this hate is ‘justified’ by people in fits of rage, and the most predominant reason seems to be rooted in the detestment of his ‘big ego’ and ‘pretentious nature.’ I have a major problem with this. In 2017, U2 was forced to cancel their show in St. Louis, MO, much to the disappointment of hundreds. However, a certain Daniel Hill did not quite share his peers’ feelings, jumping on an opportunity to write a news story for the Riverfront Times about U2 and their lead singer. “At least we didn’t have to deal with Bono, the most pretentious of all mononymous artists (no small feat),” he wrote. Many people seem to think the same way as Daniel Hill, as Michael Hann tried to capture what he has noticed other people have to say in his own article: “Above all, he [Bono] could stop being so pious all the time. He could stop making his own good deeds seem like something to aspire to,” he writes.

fair amount of rock stars do, he donates millions of dollars, works with multiple charities, and genuinely cares about people. The reality remains that Bono can actually be credited for stepping one above his fellow rockstars. The extent of Bono’s good nature and deeds goes beyond just the framework of being a rock n’ roll singer, breaching into becoming such a large benefactor to the world that he has been quite literally knighted. Yes, Bono has been knighted by Queen Elizabeth herself, which is, to say, no small feat. In fact, this leather-loving lead singer has been both knighted and nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize twice. And to those who hate Bono for being stuck up and too self-praising, they might want to reconsider their negative emotions after learning exactly everything Bono has selflessly committed to supporting, including over a million people in Africa that can attribute their very lives to him. “He has campaigned for Aids awareness. […] He’s supported, variously, Chernobyl Children International, the Clinton Global Initiative, […] He’s helped establish three different campaigning organisations: Red, ONE, and DATA (Debt, Aids, Trade, Africa). This is not an insignificant list,” journalist Michael Hann writes, knowing that this is not even the extent of his generosity.

Before you start to bash Bono for being pretentious, you might remember society’s ingraven tendency to expect perfection from well-known figures, and especially from people who have been labeled as a humanitarian. Bono happens to fit under both of these categories and he pays the price for that. Michael Hann, however, appears to be one of the few that recognize this: “The problem with Bono is that once you align yourself so publicly with the side of social justice, people- unrealistically, perhaps- demand perfection.” Noel Gallagher seems to think this is the reason people hate Bono too; “Nobody likes a do-gooder,” the lead singer of Oasis stated.

The list he created alone ticks off twenty different organizations and charities, meaning Bono is genuinely and wholly committed to helping people. Dave Fanning touches this in a highly perceptive way: “You know, he could just stay in bed all day […] but he doesn’t do that. He gets up and he does stuff, and I really do admire him,” he conveys, pointing out that Bono has the means and money to do absolutely nothing- he could retire now and live his life twice over just with his current net worth (Inside Philanthropy). Bono has the choice to just lounge about all day and never make one single contribution to society, but he doesn’t do that, approaching everything with compassion and empathy. No one, no one at all, can say that they hate a man who saved and helped millions because of the big ego he might hold. Bono should not be hated for such perceptions as being too cocky when he has been such a positive influence on so many in this world.

The biggest problem resides not with Bono, but the people who judge and scorn him from behind their glowing screens. Society cannot expect perfection all the time, and honestly, Bono could be much worse- he’s not promoting drugs like a

Bono commits himself and his time to helping people with an admirable, seemingly indomitable determination, which clearly demonstrates that he does everything for the benefit of others. Bono cares, genuinely cares, about improving

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lives, and knowingly puts his own heart out on the line so he can do that. He will sleep restless nights, tolerate unfair hate, and risk losing everything he gained so that the world will be a better place. He will not stop helping people because he is tired, he will not back down at the sight of a clap back, and he will not refrain from spreading his arms and shouting his beliefs, even if it means losing fans or gaining haters. Most people thrown into the spotlight that Bono has will immediately jump back in an effort to preserve themselves, but Bono does not. He loves the world and the people in it too much, demonstrating a selflessness that is hard to find in people these days-- what he does is done in the name of love. To hate him because of a small flaw is unfair and unjust.

ting that Bono is a human being, and a human being that has heard his name shouted amongst crowds of people, a human person that has literally saved lives. It’s understandable how he could grow a bit arrogant and his ego could be a bit inflated, even if it isn’t right. To me, this is more than about defending my favorite lead singer. This is more than about U2, a band that genuinely means more to me than I can properly convey. This issue speaks to the impossible standards we place on people, the unattainable perfection we expect from them. To hate a person who has done so much good for one flaw is baffling to me and an indication that we as a society need to be better.

For someone to say that they dislike him just because he’s a little self-righteous is completely unfair— they are forget-

Bono is admittedly a little prideful and can verge on pretentious. However, this is no reason to hate him. Illustration by: Emma Harris

FEATURE 11

COMPULSORY VS. VOLUNTARY

MADDOX ROSENBERG Staff Writer

There is a give and take everywhere through life. When one becomes a part of the WCA community, there are many expectations and requirements that will become very apparent. Homework, tests, and going to class, are few of the many compulsory actions here at Westminster. There are also many voluntary actions here, one being coming to Westminster in the first place. A compulsory action is defined as an action that is required by law or a rule; obligatory. A voluntary action is an action that is done, given, or acting of one’s own free will. One problem is that WCA disguises compulsory actions/requirements as voluntary. For example, senior service is a requirement for every senior. One can “volunteer” at schools, hospitals, non-profit organisations, and at Westminster. The truth is because it is compulsory, it loses most of its impact. Another example is chapel. It is conveyed as the WCA community coming together in worship. The community is dropping what they were doing, and coming together to worship. Chapel is non-negotiable, you cannot choose to be there or not. It is compulsory. This does not mean that chapel is unnecessary or pointless, but that it is required. WCA needs to call it what it is. If they began to be more honest, maybe the student body would respect and understand why we do things here. For example, if instead of saying there is a dress code because we need modesty and learning in classrooms, and just say here at WCA we want to portray a level of professionalism, many students would understand and respect it more.

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Finally STUCO is both compulsory and voluntary. One is not required to join STUCO, but is in a sense. Nowadays to be noticed by a college you have to be an athlete, a scholar, and a leader. Having a student council on a resume shows that a person has good time management skills.

“WHY ARE YOU REALLY ON STUCO/ TEAM CAPTAIN/PC?” “BECAUSE IT’S NICE TO LIKE... LEAD… AND TO LIKE” “STOP. WHY ARE YOU REALLY DOING IT?” “IT LOOKS GOOD ON MY RESUME.” When this is the conversation, it’s time to just stop and be honest. Just call it like it is.

WCA it is time to take a look at ourselves. Image by: Maddox Rosenberg

IT’S OKAY TO BE ANGRY AT GOD.

EMMA HARRIS Content Editor

I would never have considered myself to be an angry person about seven months ago. In fact, it was an emotion I experienced quite infrequently. But when my mental health declined and my mind became an overwhelmingly dark place to live in, when a chronic, physical illness took the life I had before away and filled every day with pain and an inability to function normally, I found inside of myself not only anger, but a growing rage. Some of that anger, I must admit, is directed at God. Anger is the feeling of being out of control. It’s the sensation that you must peel off your skin, that everything is about to implode and you are helpless to it. It’s an uncomfortable feeling. It’s even more uncomfortable when it’s directed at God-- in fact, it can feel quite sacrilegious and incite shame. But I’m going to tell you something you’ve possibly never heard here at Westminster: it’s okay. It’s okay to be angry at God. Many biblical figures have found anger at God before, Habakkuk, David, and Noami being some of them. The Prophet Habakkuk cried out to God, “How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, ‘Violence!‘ but you do not save?” (Habakkuk 1:2). David calls out in Psalm 89:46 “How long, Lord? Will You hide Yourself forever?” Naomi is perhaps the angriest of the three. When called by her name, she told them to call her Mara (a name that means bitterness) “because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me,” she says in Ruth 1:20-21. Ruth even blames God for her problems, confused that He would allow such suffering to occur, made bitter from the suffering. All three figures feel abandoned, frustrated, and angry. Why is God not doing more? How is He allowing this suffering? Does He not care? Where has Habakkuk’s God gone? Where has David’s God gone? Where has Naomi’s God gone? When we feel abandoned by God, when we feel He is not doing everything in His power to make things okay, it’s so easy to be angry. It’s so easy to look at this all powerful being and accuse him of not using that power for good. It’s so easy to look at this merciful being and feel His mercy is running short. The truth is that God was right there with Habakkuk, David, and Naomi, as good and merciful as ever. But sometimes, as finite and fallen as we are, as steeped in sorrow and grief as we are, as surrounded by brokenness as we can be, it’s hard to feel this way. I’m going to throw out a controversial lyric by Adam Duritz here: “Some chick yells out ‘Jesus loves me more than I will ever know, but less than I need’.” Sometimes, while you know Jesus loves you more than you can even comprehend, it just doesn’t feel like it. It just doesn’t feel like God is there, and you feel as though you need more, even if He is ultimately all that you need. It’s understandable to be angry when you are told over and over again that God is always with you, that He will solve all of your problems, and you feel

Finding yourself angry at God is understandable, even if it’s not justifiable. It’s okay to be angry. Image by: Emma Harris

utterly and completely alone, drowning in your sorrow. In moments like these, it’s important to forget how you feel and focus on what you know. You may feel abandoned. You may feel God’s mercy has run out and He isn’t fighting as hard as He could be. But He is here, and He is good, and He has already won against the sorrow- you know that, even if you don’t feel it, even if you’re not sure you really believe it either. Ultimately, God is not the reason for your suffering, and this is to be recognized. That being said, it’s important to recognize your anger too. It’s important to realize you are angry, and not at the devil like you maybe should be instead, but at God, and it’s okay that your anger is misdirected. It’s understandable, even though it is not justifiable. God is our father. When our father feels absent, when the one who is supposed to be protecting you seemingly lets hardship after hardship crash into your world, anger is an understandable emotion. It’s not a sin to be angry at God. It’s important to remember that David and Habakkuk’s laments, their angry cries, are written in the Bible not as mere historical records, but as God’s word for us-- the Bible is not just a history book, but a recording of God’s voice. The words David and Habakkuk wrote are God telling us that we are going to be angry at Him and He understands this, that He will even provide the words of anger and abandonment to speak. God can handle your anger and your questions-- He wants you to come to Him with this anger, He wants you to talk it out with him. He also knows just what to do with this anger; He knows how to heal. Anger only becomes a sin when it leads to hatred. It’s okay to be angry, it’s normal to wrestle with your faith, and just because you are struggling with or questioning it, just because you’re frustrated with it, that doesn’t mean you’ve abandoned it completely and that doesn’t make you a bad Christian. Don’t feel shame for being angry at God, because what you do with this anger is what matters. Will you let it drive a wedge in your relationship or will you work to overcome the anger? That is what you should focus on. This is what God cares about.

OPINION 13

SHOULD DIETS BE ON THE TABLE THIS CHRISTMAS?

The holidays are a time of food and family, but when diet culture seeps in, it can ruin the Holiday season.

ANNA GRACE LIKES Staff Writer

harmful emotionally as well as physically. This emotional toll causes completely undue stress for During the stretch of fun family holidays from one’s body and mind, and nobody should have to Thanksgiving to Christmas, food is shared just as feel guilt for ‘cheating’ a diet that is already commuch as family stories. From turkey and stuffing to pletely unsustainable. homemade Christmas cookies, the food consumed in November and December is always delicious. But With Christmas coming up and Thanksgiving instead of being able to enjoy these holiday foods already past, it can be easy for someone to restrict as just food, magazines and articles everywhere try their eating now or in the coming season of New to push ideas similar to “20 Tips to Avoid Weight Years. But comfort foods can be as important to Gain During the Holidays” from Healthline. Diet cul- the holiday season as time with family, and there ture has infused itself fully into holidays, making it is no reason to stop eating those delicious rolls hard to relax and take time with family and friends. this season for a diet that will probably fall off in a The mindset where a person will only let themself eat if a new fad diet is in their near future is harmful to both the mind and body. “It’s no wonder the holidays feel like a food free for all - if you’re thinking ‘I’ll just start over on January 1st’, your body senses that restriction and deprivation are around the corner. This influences how you feel and behave around food,” said Alissa Ramsey, nutrition therapist, in an interview with Food Network. Binging on comfort foods for a time in order to force the body to cut back for a diet in the future is not a healthy mindset, and it is this thought process which precedes disordered eating.

month anyway. Moderation is key in true healthy eating, and enjoying the Christmas and Thanksgiving season is more important than any fad diet. The most important part of the season is spending time with the friends and family one loves, and if restricted eating and inconsistent dieting gets in the way of that, then those factors take away from the true meaning of the season.

When surrounded by the foods and people one enjoys most during the holidays, most real dieticians and nutritionists would agree on the fact that it is completely alright to eat the foods you want to during the holidays in moderation instead of either not eating anything or binging then cutting back later. Diets such as the keto diet or other weight loss programs are not sustainable, and if it is not sustainable, it truly is not healthy in the long run. “The restriction mentality that is key to virtually all fad diets causes feelings of anxiety, guilt, and failure for women who fall off the diet or eat the ‘wrong’ thing,” said Laine Lum, dietician at the OHSU Center for Women’s Health. Fad diets are

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Most fad diets are simply unsustainable trends which hurt a person more than helping them in the long run. Image by: Anna Grace Likes

MEMORIES ARE FOREVER UNTIL FOREVER ENDS Why negative memories affect the brain more than the positive

LUCY KNERR Staff Writer Life is full of experiences, both great and terrible. Both have incomprehensible effects on the human mind. However, for whatever reason, bad experiences seem to have a greater impact than those that could build the person up. Philosophically, the answer is unquestionably more complicated than the inquisition. However, psychologically, this question could have a somewhat clearer answer.

For example, eyewitnesses to a shooting often report seeing the gun vividly, but they may not remember precise details of their surroundings” (Warner, WebMD). Within these tense memories, aspects may become overexaggerated or added in relation to the strong feelings of fear within the memory, which can then harm the producer of these memories in the long term. The higher the intensity of apparent parts of a memory, the more they will affect the brain and how it functions.

In an article published by WebMD which was Each negative memory, written by Jennifer depending on the severity Warner and reviewed of the event that occurred by Louise Chang, MD, within the memory, can Warner dives into the produce “negative [] acmind to find out why tivity in emotion-processit may hold onto more ing regions of the brain, disturbed memories in such as the orbitofrontal lieu of more cheerful cortex and the amygdaones: “Researchers la”(Warner, WebMD). say negative emotions The mind and memory Image by: Lucy Knerr These regions of the brain like fear and sadness trigger are the most heavily increased activity in a part of the brain linked to memories..”(Warner, Webaffected by mental illnesses like PTSD and other MD). memory related illnesses. These illnesses are, unlike many would believe, definitely treatable whether Because anxiety-related feelings are extremely that be with psychotherapy or medicine directly powerful and seemingly have the most impact, targeting the illness. memories connected to these feelings seem to have the most staying power within the mind as a Memories can be extremely dangerous if the negaresult. tive overcomes the positive. If any of these negative Along with this “staying power”, these memories memories are heavily affecting you, don’t be afraid to reach out for help from the people around you. are also the most subjected to dissonance and distortion: “These emotionally charged memories Whether that be friends, family or a trusted adult, are preserved in greater detail than happy or more no matter who it is, there will always be somebody neutral memories, but they may also be subject to ready and willing to listen and help. distortion.

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THE UNIQUE 8TH GRADE

MAGGIE LINDSTROM Managing Editor In Chief

The unique community of the 8th grade choir class that performs through singing to small musical numbers has grown together over the course of the year. However, this small class of ten has been able to bond the most over pieces of candy. The eighth grade choir taught by Mrs. Eichelberger has further grown together in community through a game they call the choir game. The idea of the game is to see who is the last person standing without having the designated piece of candy. This game can last anywhere from 10 to 14 days, depending on how busy the students are. The game was created because Mrs. Eichelberger told her students about a time when she was once performing in a show and they created a similar game. She was reflecting on her love for the community and almost family like aspect of choir and the overall performing arts community. So the students of her choir class created a game due to their desire to create a family-like environment within the class, even though the game can get pretty intense at times - especially when it comes down to the last three people. “When it gets down to the last three people, you can’t team up against just one person,” Quentin Farquharson, 8th grade said about the game.

the 8th grade choir class listening to Mrs. Eichelberger speak. Image by: Maggie Lindstrom

The class wants to make sure the game continues to be played fairly, so they hold each other accountable to the rules. primarily play the game can now use people in their grade to get the candy to a different player. One rule that is specific to the game when it comes down to the top three, is that the members of the choir class who Another note about the game explained by Lily Poliski, 8th grader, is “you can not pass the candy during a class hour, only during a pass period or connect time or advisory. But if you have the candy at three o’clock you’re out” The fun competition part for the game and the anticipation of getting rid of the candy is one of the main driving forces of the choir game. Even though the choir class is really only ten people, they have the unique opportunity to truly feel like a family. All the 8th graders in the class are very thankful to have this family unit and this fun game to play during their school day. So if you see candy flying around in the lunchroom, you can now readily assume it is a part of the infamous 8th grade choir game.

Mrs. Eichelberger explains the plans for the Christmas plan for the class. Image by: Maggie Lindstrom

16 FEATURE

Christmas Crossword Puzzle

Christmas Word Bank

Westminster Christian Academy

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WELLNESS VS. ATHLETICS MIA SCHEULEN Staff Writer Should wellness programs get more funding than athletic programs? Well let’s dive deeper into what these programs do for the school. There are around eleven colleges that put the health of their students first. The University of Maryland is a research university where their students’ health is more important than anything. They have healthy meal plans at their dining halls and wellness huts throughout the campus for their students. In warmer places like California at Loyola Marymount University, they proclaim to have as many yoga studios as they do Starbucks, offering a masters degree in yoga with the opportunity to travel to India for it.

Conversely, in NCAA Division I, the rate of participation in sports is 11.5 percent. NCAA II has a rate of 15.7 percent, and Division III is 21.5 percent. For many people, being a college athlete is a dream; it’s what they strive for their entire lives, so why defund these programs in order to promote optional “wellness programs?” The school cannot require students to make use of the program; it must be used on their own time. So, it may end up being a waste of money and not be of any use towards the school. This will take a toll on colleges, as a lot of money for the school comes through their athletics.

57.3% of the Westminster students think money should go torwards wellness progrmas, while 46% think money should go towards athletics. Graphic By Mia Scheulen

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WEIGHT-CUTTING HAS BECOME THE BIGFOOT OF HIGHSCHOOL SPORTS NOLAN JONES Staff Writer

People convince others to believe things to be what they are not. Some people believe bigfoot is out there somewhere, and he might be, but most of the time what people think is bigfoot is not. From an outside perspective, weight-cutting can be a difficult concept to grasp. Weight-cutting has become something that is seen as something it’s not. The most common misconception when it comes to wrestling is weight-cutting. Simply put, wrestlers have to weigh-in before every time they wrestle, and they have to be under the weight that they wish to compete at. For Instance, if somebody weighs in at 145.1 or above for their 145 pound weight class, they don’t get to compete.

Unhealthy cutting still happens, but again, those kids are doing it to themselves, not being forced by their coaches. There are lots of instances where wrestlers pick quicker ways of cutting rather than longer methods of being smarter about when to do workouts and eating right. However, the quicker methods always end up biting kids in the butt in the long run because it requires sacrificing your energy and all around health to make the cut shorter. Pro MMA fighters like local wrestler Michael Chandler cutsweight up to 40 pounds for main event fights. In a podcast explaining his fight preparation, he says that he sticks to a strict diet plan for ten weeks and trains every day. He fought at 155 pounds and was hitting peak performance on fight night. A week later, after his fight, he weighed close to 190 pounds. Chandler’s weight-cut story is a testament to the fact that athletes can cut significant amounts of weight yet remain healthy and in the best physical shape possible.

Speaking from experience, many people have the idea in their head of kids being forced to starve themselves in order to make a weight class. However, this is not the case. For one, kids can wrestle in whatever weight class they want, and two, there are healthy ways to cut weight and still be in the Losing weight is never going to be fun, but with discipline, best shape of your life. This does not mean that some kids it can be used in the right way to get wrestlers in the best don’t cut weight in stupid ways, but it means they’re doing it physical shape and at the weight they want to compete at. to themselves. The reasons that kids cut weight when they don’t have to is either to break into a starting lineup position or to drop to a weight class where they think they can do better at. The first reason is similar to the second string shortstop moving to be the first string second baseman in baseball, then add that he might have to lose a few pounds in order to do so. The second reason is a little more difficult to understand. The goal for wrestlers is to be at the weight class where they have as much muscle and the least amount of body fat possible at the same time. Some wrestlers claim that cutting to a lower weight class allows them to feel stronger and better than if they were at a higher one. The weight cutting part of the sport has also come a long way. There used to be little to no rules about it, which made it very easy for kids to misuse weight cutting tactics to put their bodies through living hell in order to make weight. Now, MSHSAA has rules put in place to limit weight cutting and implement plans for kids to cut weight at a healthy rate. Sophmore Maddox Rosenberg is a good example of someone who could cut weight but chooses not to, weighing 230 lbs and wrestling at 285 lbs. Image by: Deborah Kim

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WESTMINSTER ATHLETE TO THE BIG TEN New student commits to the University of Minnesota for track and ﬁeld.

BROOKE HIGHMARK SPORTING EDITOR tions to choose from when it came to her recruiting process, including Kansas University and the University of Arizona. “I chose Minnesota because they didn’t just care about the events I did or what I contributed to the team, but they cared about my family as well,” said Moore.

High School Personal Records Outdoor Long Jump: 5.72m Triple Jump: 12.48m Moore announced on Instagram that she would be a future Gopher. Courtesy of: Brooke Moore

Many Westminster students were surprised when they heard that one of their classmates recently committed to a Big Ten university. On November 13th, 2021, Brooke Moore, senior, verbally committed to the University of Minnesota for track and field. Moore was previously enrolled at Trinity Catholic High School, but due to the recent shut down, she decided that the best decision for her would be to finish her high school education at Westminster Christian Academy. Moore will be a promising athlete for the Wildcat track and field team, as she has been active in the sport since she was nine years old and has won state twice in her high school career. While her main event is the triple jump, she additionally participates in the 100m, 200m, hurdles, and long jump. In the Class 4 state tournament last year, Moore placed first in the triple jump with a personal record (PR) of 39.10, third in both the hurdles and 4x2, and fifth in the 4x1 to contribute to Trinity’s overall first place finish, with an impressive 59 total points.

100 Meter Dash: 12.43 100 Meter Hurdles: 14.39 200 Meter Dash: 26.11 Indoor Long Jump: 5.25m Triple Jump: 12.01m 60 Meter Dash: 8.06 60 Meter Hurdles: 8.88 200 Meter Dash: 26.90

While Minnesota was her top pick, Moore had numerous op-

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