Issue 2 Oct 29.pub - Selah School District

THE WORD
WHAT’S HAPPENING
WHAT TO DO ON ALL HALLOWS EVE
Volume VI, Issue II
October 29, 2007
By Audra Slobig
As high school teenagers we’re at the age where we’re not quite adults, but no longer the adorable
kids who go out in cutesy little costumes to ask strangers for candy… So, what is there for us to do besides
pass out candy to the lucky ones or take the younger siblings out to raid other people’s candy
bowls?
Despite living in a small town with seemingly little to do… there are always festivities going on
around Halloween! Keep these ideas in mind if you happen to find yourself bored on the night of the 31st:
• Trick-or-Treating is still an option… but no
stealing little kids’ candy!
• Go out with your significant other or a group of
friends to a scary movie (don't forget to dress
up)!
• Host a fright night movie marathon and watch
all the “scary” classics.
• Have a costume party!!! Look online for fun
themes and cool scary snack ideas.
• Look around town or check the newspaper to
find the best haunted houses!
• See what your school or other schools are hosting
in light of the holiday.
• Go visit the corn maze and attempt to find your
way out… (great opportunity to make new
friends with bright flashlights!)
• Get a group of people together in themed costumes
and play Rambo in a rural area.
• Bond with the family and carve pumpkins with
your siblings or cousins… Make it a contest
to motivate the younger ones.
• Go all out with decorations on
your house… and take pride in making
it so scary that little ones refuse to approach
your frightfully adorned home.
• Dress as an inanimate object, stand in busy
trick-or-treat areas and jump out and scare anyone
that walks by.
CAUTION: Be wary of scaring kids accompanied
by large fathers who are carrying sizeable
flashlights or who could potentially have a concealed
weapons permit.
• Have a bonfire or go on a hayride and relax!
• (This one’s lame but often necessary to put out
there) Stay home, study and do your homework…
nothing scarier than getting an “F” on
your math test the next day because you
wanted to stay out all night!
Page 1

Selah High School has been putting on school
productions for years. Ms. Jochen has been directing
plays here for nine years. The next production to
sweep across the stage here at Selah High School is
“Anne Frank and Me”.
“Anne Frank and Me” was written by author,
Cherie Bennett. It is a comedy/drama set in the present.
The main characters find themselves in a suburb
in America, and in the past when the Nazi’s occupied
Paris and Europe in 1942-1944. The lead role,
played by Kylie Hopkins, is Nicole Burns. She is a
teen who doubts the truth of the Holocaust. The play
presents Nicole in the present, and then transports us
to the past were we meet Anne Frank, and then are
brought back to Nicole.
This play promises to be powerful, and provide
a great lesson for us all to learn and never forget. The
production is 90 minutes long, and is not recommended
for children ten years of age or younger due
What’s Happening
ANNE FRANK AND ME
By Ahlisa Rodriguez
to issues of racism and the Holocaust.
The cast consists of fourteen people; Kylie
Hopkins, Ryan Blackledge, Alison Breaum, Karem
Escalante, Angela Frank, Katie Jesperson, Ashley
Keller, Amber Kisner, Brooklynn McLoud, Brittney
Shane, Brett Sherbahn, Joe Skelton, Kristi Tracy, and
Vincent Weller.
Show times are Friday, November 16th at 7:00
pm, Saturday, November 17th at 2:00 pm and 7:00
pm, and Sunday, November 18th at 2:00pm. Tickets
for the show will be sold at the door for 45 minuets
before each show. Adult tickets cost $7.00 and students
$5.00.
Selah High School always produces wonderful
school productions, all of which are worthy of your
time. The drama department welcomes all who wish
to come, and promises not to disappoint you. So, go
and support your fellow students, while having a fun
time doing it too.
Cast Members:
Top: Brett Sherbahn, Ryan Blackledge
Middle: Joe Skelton, Angela Frank, Amber Kiesner,
Karem Escalante, Brittany Shane, Brooklynn
McLoud
Bottom: Ms. Jochen, Kristi Tracy, Alison
Breaum, Ashley Keller, Kylie Hopkins, Katie Jesperson,
Vincent Weller
REALM OF DARKNESS II
By Josclyn Olivas
Are you looking for a scary Haunted House to go to this year that will be sure to give
you a scare and help a good cause? Well. I know just the one.
When: Now through Tuesday, October 30th
Where: 1407 Grant Street (off of 16th Avenue, past the Taco Bell)
Time: 6 p.m.-9 p.m. daily
Price: One can of food and $3.00 or $4.00 without a can of food
All proceeds will go to Northwest Harvest to feed the hungry and Barrios Undios a youth leadership
program.
Radio station 107.3 will be there, so go check it out!!!
Page 2

Viking Sports
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY WINS LEAGUE! FIRST
TIME IN 24 YEARS!
On October 4th, the Cross Country team
as a whole went into Prosser with an overall record
of 9-1 boys (5-0) girls (4-1). The girls
showed no mercy and, led by Sophomore
Karisma (Mick) Martinez, defeated Prosser,
East Valley, and Toppenish with ease. Their record
improved to 6 wins and 1 loss.
The Boys XC team on the other hand remained
perfect after the trip to Prosser, as usual
led by Junior James Currell, the Viks picked up
the easy win and their complete scoring team
(top 5) placed in the top 7 spots. They improved
to 8-0.
A week later came the final meet against
Prosser, Wapato, and Quincy. The girls won the
meet and capped off a great season with a 9-1
record, finishing second in league. The lady
Viks were led by Mick Martinez, Krista Garcia,
Jennifer Winterfeld, and Sara Garcia placing
1st, 3rd, 5th, and 6th respectively.
The boys decided that on October 11th,
EVENING
OF JAZZ
October 30th, 7:00pm
Admission includes dessert!
Jazz Band &
Vikolairs
are
presenting their
annual
Evening of Jazz.
$5.00
$3.00 w/ ASB
By Jake Fife
that they’d end the long drought of 24 years
which has eluded them a league title. With
James Currell leading the pack he won the
three mile
race in 17
minutes
and 13
seconds.
T.J. Hesselgesser
and Nate
Lynch put
up great
efforts
passing
two Wapatorunners
just
Members of the girls XC team
before the finish line to help secure the win and
assure them the league title! Don’t forget to give
these runners a pat on the back, what a great
accomplishment.
VIKING PRIDE
By Jesse Grimes
Welcome to the fabulous new
game VIKING PRIDE! The rules are
simple. All you have to do is answer
three questions and if you get them all
right you win a fabulous prize. Let’s get
this party started! If you’re name is
Molly Walmsley, Brock Huffmen, or
Paige Smeback, “Come on Down” to
Mrs. Hatfield's classroom (218) before or
after school. Thanks for playing and remember
to have your pets spade or
neutered.
Page 3

Viking Sports
FOOTBALL STILL HITTIN’ HARD!
For all of you who came out to the game
on September 28th against the Othello Huskies,
it was definitely a night to remember. As
the time wound down in the 4th quarter, our
Viks and the Huskies were tied, off to overtime.
Othello scored a touchdown and two point conversion,
which seemed unreachable, but the
squad held their heads high and answered
right back with a key touchdown
pass from Washut to
Brett Dodeward, then a two
point conversion pass to
Justin Windsor to tie it back
up! In double overtime we
got the ball first and scored
once again, then the extra
point kick by Matt Snider was
through the uprights to give
us the lead. Now Othello’s
turn, they score, then set up
for the extra point, they fake
it and throw a wild pass into
the end zone and is intercepted
by Sheldon Lommers,
game over! For those of you
who didn’t attend, this truly
was an amazing win as
many fans left the stadium with less fingernails
than they came in with, what a nail biter.
On October 5th, our Homecoming game
proved to be a very successful night for the Vikings
as well coming out on top with a 28-7 victory
over the Toppenish Wildcats, not to mention
the big defensive end Daniel Escamilla being
nominated Homecoming King at halftime.
Quarterback Kyle Washut completed 15 of 29
passes, throwing for a total of 235 yards. Matt
Snider caught two of the four TD passes for 50
yards, Tyler Weedin had a 43 yard TD pass,
while Cody Collier received a 22 yard touch-
By Jake Fife
down pass as well.
Just a week later on the 12th of October,
the squad traveled down to Prosser, the Number
1 ranked team in the state. Those of you
who either drove down there or rode on the
rooter bus saw that despite the score of 51-6,
they did just about all they could do except
capitalize on the turnovers. With just the one
lone touchdown pass to
Tyler Porter, the Viks defense
definitely showed
up to play and did a stellar
job with 5 interceptions!
Last Friday night
the Wapato Wolves came
down to take on our Vikings
at Karl Graf Field.
Kyle Washut threw for
237 yards completing
touchdown passes to four
different receivers which
included Matt Snider, Tyler
Porter, Cody Collier
and Nigee Banks, for the
35-7 victory. They now sit
tied in third place with Othello in the CWAC.
#15, Travis Luke running the ball
against Othello, and #5, Cody Collier
blocking for him
At East Valley, we came out playing
hard. Despite the score 32-14, the Vikings didn't
play bad. Kyle Washut finished with 331
passing yards and connected two touchdown
passes. Washut completed a 60 yard touchdown
pass to Matt Snider and a 20 yard pass
to Tyler Weedin. East Valley just capitalized on
our turnovers. But, there's still a shot at the
playoffs. This Thursday at home the team will
play Ellensburg at 7:30. If they win this game
they clinch a playoff birth. So, go out and support
your football team!
Page 4

The Selah girls have clinched the league title
in the CWAC North. They had another sweep which
was against the Huskies. The scores were 25-12,25-
22,and 25-14. Sasha Valdez had a great game with
26 assists, 4 digs, and 2 aces. Erin Smith had 11
kills and 4 blocks and Kierea Meloy added 10 kills, 6
digs, and 2 aces.
Then they went down to Ellensburg for some
big games and the girls stepped it up. Winning 3 out
of 4 games with the scores of 25-16, 25-16, 25-27,
and 26-24. Erin Smith had 11 kills and 7 blocks on
the game. Kierea Meloy, Kierstin Wilson, Christy
Daniels, and Miranda Gunvaldson each had 16 digs.
On Senior Night, Selah swept the Quincy Jackrabbits
with the scores of 25-8, 25-11, and 25-8. Sasha
Valdez lead the way with 31 assists with 5 aces on
19 for 19 serving. In the last game of the season,
they played Grandview losing 25*21. 25-16. 25-16.
This ended their regular season with a 12-1 record.
Viking Sports
Go cheer on the team in the upcoming playoffs! The
first game will be this Thursday at home against
Prosser. The game starts at 5:30 p.m.
Kierstin Wilson hits one HARD
against the Bulldogs.
WOMENS BOWLING SEASON BEGINS
Bowling is not only a sport, but a
love to all who plays. Coach, Will Foster
has made a fun schedule for the 2007-
2008 season. The girls practice every
day at Minda Lanes from 3:00p.m to 6:00p.m. There
are home and away games every Tuesday and
Thursday starting about three weeks into the season.
Davis, Ike, Wenatchee, Moses Lake, and
VOLLEYBALL FINISHES A
GREAT REGULAR SEASON
GSA!!!
By Brittney Shane
Quincy are just some of the many teams that they
play against. If you are a freshman, sophomore,
junior or senior who loves to hang out with great
people while playing a fun sport then join the Selah
High School women's bowling team. October 29,
2007 is the first practice of the season!
Come join and have
some fun!!!
Thursdays after school
Mrs. Federigh’s Room 315
Trevor Dallman
Page 5

Viking Sports
GIRLS SOCCER ONE STEP AWAY FROM STATE
So far, girl’s soccer has had an outstanding
season with only one loss. The Selah girls had an
away game against Grandview winning 6-0. Amber
Gooch had three goals and Monik Martinez added a
pair as the Vikings rolled past the Greyhounds.
Rochel Burke also included three assists for Selah.
On Tuesday, October 2, the girls were on our
own field against Wapato. They won 5-0, with Carly
Trickey scoring twice in the first half,
Rochel Burke and Sharayah Ott also
punched in two goals in the second half.
On Saturday, October 6, the
girls played at Toppenish and won 5-0.
Rochel Burke scored the first goal on a
penalty kick and added three assists.
Monik Martinez also scored two goals
and goalkeeper, Raye Wright-DeSanto,
earned her fourth shutout in a row.
Selah did it again, beating
Othello 8-0 on Tuesday, October 9.
Amber Gooch scored two goals and assisted
on another as the Vikings
blanked the Huskies. Rochel Burke
scored one goal and assisted on two others as Ray
Wright-DeSanto tallied her Valley-best eighth shutout.
This year as been a wonderful swim year.
Several swimmers are going to state and some even
in multiple events. The following girls have made it to
state this year:
Shelby Bodine- 50 Free, 100 Free
Rainan Viernes- Backstroke
Katie McHenry- Breaststroke
Megan Jones- Butterfly
Shelby Bodine- Freestyle & Medley Relay
The state swim meet this year will be held at
Federal Way on November 9 th and 10 th where all
these girls will be competing in their appropriate
events.
Overall there was a three-way tie for second
place (Ellensburg, Pullman, Selah). The meets that
Raye Wright-DeSanto,
#1 ranked goalie in the
CWAC
By Josclyn Olivas
On October 13, the girls played Ellensburg
with three different goals from three different players.
The team wrapped up the CWAC’s North Division
title by defeating Ellensburg 3-1 at Mountain
View Park. Jordan Isom, Amber Gooch, and Monik
Martinez scored for the Vikings who improved to 10-
1 in conference and opened a three-game lead over
the second place team.
Goalie, Raye Wright-DeSanto
made six saves for Selah. On Saturday,
October 20, Selah once again defeated
Quincy with a score of 9-0. Amber Gooch
popped in three goals along with Rochel
Burke and Alexa Dobbs scoring two goals
each.
At districts on Saturday, October
28, the girls defeated Toppenish 6-0.
Scoring for the Vikings were Rochel
Burke, Monik Martinez, Carly Tricky, Jessica
Martin, Jordan Isom, and Claudia
Gonzales. The Vikings are now 13-1
and will play Prosser tonight in the district
semifinals on our field. Game time starts
at 4:00. Come support the Vikings as they head towards
the state tournament!
SWIMMERS WILL GO TO STATE
By David Rodriguez-JenKins
we lost were only within a few points. Swim team
coach, Leslie Brown, said “I am incredibly proud of
how our team pulled together and swam their hearts
out—giving nothing less that 100%.”
Next year, a great turnout is expected, our
team will be bigger and stronger. We didn’t have any
seniors on the team so we will not lose any talent.
The upcoming freshman will only strengthen our
team. Swimmers to watch out for: Shelby Bodine,
Nicole Bannister, Katie McHenry, Rainan Viernes,
Megan Jones, and Brooke Anderson. Diver to
watch: Azalea Koestler—her season was cut short
due to an injury—however, she will come back even
stronger next year.
Page 6

It’s that time of year again.
The time where jack-o-lanterns
are made, costumes come to
life, and things that make you
shiver are around every corner.
What better way to have
these things come to your
neighborhood than to hold a
spooky Halloween party?
There are many kinds of Halloween parties.
There are ones that are held outside, inside,
half and half and then there are ones that
aren’t really a party but there are people that
are over and favorite scary stories are told.
In making an outside Halloween party,
you need to make sure that you have enough
lawn to hold your party. A word of advice, have
as many spooky decorations as you can. The
more you have, the more people will want to
come. Also, have games that can be played
outside. You know the ones like bobbing for
apples, a goo relay, or even the game of Ghost
in the Graveyard. No sense having an outdoor
party with indoor games and activities.
Inside Halloween parties are a bit of a
more struggle to put up and clean up. Even so
though it is really fun if you have the right treats
Activities
HOLDING YOUR OWN HALLOWEEN PARTY
• Halloween 5:30-10:00pm
Ghoulish Goodies @ concession
stand Plush shrieks & shrills
$4 entry, re-entry same day $1
and games. Some would be Mr. Slime, bobbing
of apples in foam peanuts, or Mafia in the Dark.
Make sure to have lots of treats and candy.
Don't hold back on the “real” food though. It is
very wise to have veggies, fruits, anything that
is solid besides candy.
You probably already know what the half
and half parties are. The ones that are both
outside and inside. I personally think that those
ones are better because you never know what
the weather has in store for you. This way if it
rains or anything you can still continue with
your party and this way you will be able to have
more activities.
The last party is probably the easiest to
do. Its simple, you invite a whole bunch of people
over and tell scary stories. Now many might
think, “Well I don't know any good stories.”
that’s no problem. There are many on the Internet
and if you want some really good ones you
should check out the Scary Stories to tell in the
Dark trilogy. They have some real spooky
ones.
theboneyard@charter.net
By Jacqelynn Walker
Page 7

Recently, FBLA attended the 2007
Southeast Regional Fall Leadership Conference
in Kennewick, Washington. Many other schools
attended this conference as everyone came together
to focus on leadership strategies and
growing both as a student, and an active member
in the community.
Different schools held various workshops
full of fun activities focused on business ethics,
public speaking, communications, and many
fundraisers. Selah High School held a great
workshop for preparing for conferences and
competitions, with a great game based loosely
around Wheel of Fortune. This was most certainly
a success and a wonderful start for all
those wishing to compete in the first conference
later in the year.
ARTIST CORNER
Activities
FBLA FALL FUN!!!
Six weeks or so into the school year, our art instructor,
Mr. Pace was asked to identify students for their
artistic talents. “It’s really too early in the year,” he concluded,
before naming a few students who have excelled
in either talent, independence, or ambition within his five
periods. In drawing, Ohnicha Chotkhoksung, Rochelle
Burke, and Kaitlin Holbrook. In Sculpture, Matt Brown,
and Rachel Flemming and in Cartooning, Paul Cannon,
Jennifer Spaulding, and Trevor McPherson. Also in Ceramics,
Johnny Martinez and Alyssa Beemer. Congratulations
to these students for their achievements and ambition.
The Art Department display
case, check it out!
By Azzi Jetton
By David Rodriguez-JenKins
SHS FBLA at Fall Conference!!!
Drawing by
Ohnicha Chotkhoksung
Sculpture by
Johnny Martinez
Page 8

HARVEST HOP
By Samantha Stickel
Ladies, it’s
your chance to
grab a special guy
friend and ask him
to dance the night
away with you at
Harvest Hop!
The dance will be held on
November 2, 2007, and will be
from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. You
can buy your tickets at lunch
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
before the dance. Tickets will
cost $15 as a couple, and $10 for
singles.
The theme is Black Light
Rave Reloaded! So, don’t forget
to be clever and wear your matching
outfits!
LADIES TEA
Invite a special lady in your
life to come join the festivities of
Ladies Tea on Monday,
November 5th at Selah High
School in the Student Center. The
theme is the 50’s, so bring out the
vintage clothes! There will be
dessert, tea, and many activities,
so come join the fun!
Pictures will start at 6:30,
but Ladies Tea will be from 7:00
to 8:30 p.m. You can purchase
tickets at the door for $5.
Activities
OCTOBER
By Azzi Jetton
In geometry class, we learn that
“Octo,” is the prefix for eight. However,
in our current calendar October is the
tenth month of our twelve month year.
This represents the actual history of
where such names come from. In the
Roman calendar, October was the
eighth month. Beginning in the sunsign
Libra, and ending with the Scorpion,
Scorpio. The majority of our
country identifies October with Halloween
falling on the 31st, however, there
are other events that infamously take
place with countries that are much older than ours. For
instance, Thanksgiving in Canada falls on the second
Monday. Independence Day in five countries such as Nigeria
falls in this month. We see on television and
throughout our community that this is National Breast
Cancer Awareness Month. It is also, National Domestic
Violence Awareness, Disability Employment Awareness,
Sexual Education Awareness, and Vegetarian Awareness
month, amongst many, many others.
By Samantha Stickel FFA WINS FAIR AWARD
For the first time in
40 years, Selah FFA won
the Fairboard Award. A lot
of time and effort paid off.
Thank you to FFA members
Aaron Riddle, Chris
Johnston, Michael Comer,
Charlie Greiner, Shane
Merrit, Stephanie Gray,
and Jeri Berube. A special
thanks to Mr. Harris and
Mr. Clifton and their families.
Also all the fruit was
donated from Matson and
Trevor Dallman
Munson Fruit. Good job
and way to represent Selah
High School!
Page 9

So, every girl in this school probably already
knows and wonders why we have tampon
dispensers in the bathrooms that don’t work or
aren’t stocked. Obviously the guys in
school have no idea about what I’m
talking about… but I’m sure that any girl
who’s had that unwelcome monthly visitor
surprisingly and unexpectedly show
up, knows that it is really inconvenient
not to have anywhere to go for those
“girly necessities.” Granted that the
nurse’s office supplies are available to
anyone who needs them (although I bet
most of you didn't even realize that we
have a school nurse) and you can sometimes
count on your friends or random girls who pity
your situation. But that doesn’t change the fact
that these utilities are not available just in case
your friends are plum out of all their supplies too
or you can’t seem to get up the courage to visit
the nurse.
Viking Voices
AUTUMN WEATHER
This month’s weather has been slightly odd compared
to the last few winters. Rain in October, the casual
showers in September. Autumn is usually brisk and dry
for the most part. However, the third week in this month
has been plagued by numerous showers in the mornings
throughout the afternoon. Although this winter is forecasted
too be harsh, Sunny days are expected through
November 6th, although breezy. Enjoy the wind!
To get updates on weather check out
www.weather.com. There you can find current weather
conditions as well as 10 day forecasts for your community.
WHAT’S THE DEAL
CONCERNS WITHIN SHS
By Azzi Jetton
By Audra Slobig
But also missing in each stall of the
women’s restrooms are toilet seat protectors
(something I’m sure EVERY girl in this school
would like to be available) and sometimes
even the bare necessities of soap, paper
towels and toilet paper. Granted that there
are over eight hundred kids in this school
and only about three janitors maintaining
the up-keep on the six student bathrooms…
but that is not all that difficult
(speaking from experience here.) Especially
when most students are confined to
their classrooms for most of the day.
When I went to ask Mr. Smith about why
the dispensers were out of commission, he was
completely surprised… which didn’t surprise me
at all. He wrote “Tampon Dispensers” on his
notepad at the bottom of his long list of things to
do and said that he would see that this issue
was remedied right away. We’ll soon see how
quickly this problem will disappear.
Page 10

Viking Voices
MEXICO MISSION TRIP
Ever wanted to
go on a trip to Mexico?
Or just take a trip to another
country? Then
listen up.
Each year,
Selah Covenant
Church does a
Mexico mission
trip over spring
break to help out a
family in need. Of
course, if you go,
you will have fun.
But in the process of
having fun you will be
helping out a family;
you will have the luxury
to build a house for
them. It isn't a house
like Bill Gates lives in, it
is a small house, just
enough for a family to
fit in. It has one bed-
THE COMEBACKS
A MOVIE REVIEW
By Jesse Grimes
If you believe dreams can come true, if you believe underdogs
can become champions, if you believe in miracles, then
you’ve seen way too many sports movies. With the washed up
coach with one last chance to win, the underdog team of misfits try
to win the Toilet Bowl. From the producers of Wedding Crashers,
comes a movie that’s brighter than Friday night lights, more special
than Radio, and has more humor than Dodgeball. If you liked
Scary Movie and Epic Movie then you’ll love the Comebacks.
By Joel McGrath
room, one bathroom,
living room/dining
room/ kitchen. If you
want to, you need to
get a passport
which is $90 and
you need to get
one ASAP. If
money is an issue
for you, talk
to Bob at the Selah
Covenant
Church. They do
a lot of fundraisers
to raise money for
the trip.
Consider going
to Mexico and helping
out a family in need.
Just think, if you were
that family, wouldn't
you want someone to
come and build you a
house?
YOUTH GROUP
By Joel McGrath
Have you ever wanted to get closer
to God? Or maybe you just want to make
new friends. Whatever your reason is, Selah
Covenant Church has a youth group
every Wednesday night from 7:30 to
around 9:00. It is a lot of fun, the youth
pastor, Bob, is a great man. He has been
around there a few times and he would
love to have new people come to youth
group.
They start off playing a game, then
move into a room and sit down, eat some
food, drink some pop or juice, and then
they talk about upcoming activities that will
take place in the future. After that they
learn about God, or about stories about
the bible.
It is a lot of fun, it does not cost any
money, all you need is a ride there and a
ride back. I strongly encourage you to go
there at least once and see if you like it, if
you like it then keep going...and if you
don't like it then you don't have to go. But if
you don't go, then you will never know
what you are missing.
To contact Bob, call him at
949-5680.
Page 11

Viking Voices
THE STORY OF THE JACK-O-LANTERN
Around the
1800s, during the Irish
Potato Famine,
700,000 immigrants
came to America
bringing with them the
traditions of Halloween
and the use of Jack-O-
Lanterns. Traditionally,
the lantern was carved
from a turnip, potato, or beet and lit with a burning
lump of coal or a candle. These lanterns represented
the souls of the departed loved ones and
were placed in windows or set on porches to welcome
the deceased. They also served as protection
against malevolent sprits or goblins freed from the
dead. Turnips and gourds were not as readily available
in the Americas so the pumpkin was used and
found to be quite an adequate replacement. The
pumpkin jack-o-lantern has been an essential part
of Halloween celebrations since the Victorian days
and today is a universal symbol of Halloween.
There are many myths and legends surrounding
the origin of the Jack-O-Lantern. The
most popular tale is that of a ne'er-do-well Irishman
name Jack. Well known for his drunken meanness,
Jack got so intoxicated on a Halloween that his soul
began to leave his body. The Devil saw an opportunity
to claim a victim and promptly came to earth.
Jack was desperate to avoid his fate so he begged
the Devil to allow him one last drink. The Devil consented
but stated that Jack would have to pay for
his drink because the Devil carried no money. Jack
claimed to only have a sixpence left and asked that
the Devil assume the shape of a sixpence to pay
for the drink. Then, tab paid, the Devil could change
back to himself.
By Jesse Grimes
The Devil considered the request reasonable
and changed himself into a sixpence. Jack immediately
grabbed the coin and put it in his wallet, which
had a cross-shaped catch. The Devil was unable to
get out and began ranting and cursing. They then
made a deal that the Devil would be released if he
agreed to let Jack alone for one year. The Devil
agreed and Jack set forth to reform is behavior over
the next year. It wasn't long before Jack slipped
back into his mean, drunken ways and the next All
Hallows Eve the Devil appeared to Jack and demanded
his soul. Once again, Jack was desperate
to save himself and did so by tricking the Devil. He
suggested to the Devil that he may want one of the
delicious apples hanging in a tree nearby. He offered
to allow the Devil to climb on his shoulders to
reach the apples. Once the Devil was in the tree,
Jack pulled out a pocket knife and carved a cross in
the tree trunk. The Devil could not get out of the
tree. Furious and desperate, the Devil offered Jack
ten years of peace in exchange for freeing him.
Jack insisted that The Devil never bother him again
and he would be freed. The Devil resentfully
agreed. Jack then returned to his old ways but before
the next Halloween, his body gave out and he
passed. He was turned away at the gates of
Heaven because of the meanness in his life. The
Devil refused him at the gates of hell, stating that
he would never bother him again and told him to
return from whence he came. To help Jack see on
his journey, the Devil threw him a burning lump of
coal from hell. Jack put the ember inside of a turnip
and it has been Jack's light on his eternal wanderings
ever since. To protect oneself from Jack on All
Hallows Eve, jack-o-lanterns were placed on
porches and in windows, in hopes that Jack would
take the light if needed instead of bothering anyone.
Page 12

Viking Voices
HOW TO SURVIVE A HORROR MOVIE
“All the skills to dodge the kills…”
When trapped in a horror movie, a character
doesn’t get killed by some machete-wielding psychopath,
or reincarnated devil of vengeance— they are killed by
the ignorance within themselves. Stupidity is the main
killer in horror movies, many of those hysterical and terrified
babysitters and teenage campers die because they
simply were not prepared and are too oblivious to notice
the clichés of the Terrorverse. What is the Terrorverse,
you ask? The Terrorverse is the world of a horror movie,
where super-human masked men roam free to seek out a
terrible vengeance upon unsuspecting teens within a
small town, and then come back in seven sequels... and
then a space edition.
Now many of you are probably wondering, “How
in the world do I tell if I’m in a horror movie?”. It’s quite
simple actually, just take a look around; here are a few
tips to let you know if you are venturing into the Terrorverse.
• Is everything slightly grainy and washed out..?
This is probably a sign your being shot in a lowbudget
film, or your developing some serious cataracts.
• Is it poorly lit..? When looking around, does everything
seem bathed in some foreboding shadow?
• What does the set decoration look like..? Are
there eerie photos suddenly on the wall, accompanied
by a thick layer of fog on the ground?
• Do you hear strange sounds..? Can you hear the
occasional “chi-chi-chi ah-ah-ah” coming from the
walls? Does the music seem to grow louder every
time you open a door? These are signs saying you’d
better get your butt out of town.
HORROR HIGH
By David Rodriguez-JenKins
What type of character are you?
Now the question arises; “What kind of character
am I?” There are some typical stereotypes we all see in
horror flicks. This is also a major sign of being in the Terrorverse.
Are a majority of your comrades wearing varsity
letter jackets? Do all your “friends” look suspiciously like the
cast of Smallvile or the Gilmore Girls? (If so then your
chances of meeting a untimely end have increased ten
fold…) Here are a few stereotypes to avoid, and try to avoid
being.
• “The Nice Guy with the Monosyllabic First Name” (i.e.
Chad, Ray, John, Alex, Bob…)
• “The over-the-top Goth Chick”
• “The Nerd”
• “The Virginal Cop’s/ Priest’s/ Richest Man in Town’s
Daughter”
• “The Congenial Fat Guy” (Or “Deputy/ Rent-a-Cop”)
• “The Jerk”
• “The Dumb Blonde” (or just plain blonde in general...
despite your level of intelligence)
• “The Know-It-All” (they usually survive, or bite it just at
the end as a self-sacrifice to save the “hot chick”)
When in a horror movie, there is nothing more dangerous then a building full of 15 to 18-year-olds. Not demons,
serial killers, weapons of mass destruction—nothing’s more dangerous than that teenage scene. Since a majority of
movies circulate around a “Horror High”, you’re most likely either a student, teacher, lunch-lady, or post-graduate. However,
there are a few things you can do to avoid a possibly grotesque death:
• Unclique yourself: This is perhaps the most important thing for you to do. Blood-hungry writers need those stereotypical
teens to kill off in horribly predictable moments. Your goal is to make yourself a human chunk of tofu— a.k.a.
something that mixes well with everything, but still remains entirely uninteresting.
• Make friends with the shop teacher: A no-brainer; make friends with the one who has an arsenal of goodies with
which to defend yourself... No, really!?!?
• Don’t use your locker: You may get the opportunity to watch the new boy/girl make his/her way down the hallway in
slow motion, setting you off on a journey to make him/her your boy/girlfriend. Which then leads you to find out he/she
is a psychopathic killer and sadly, your untimely demise.
Page 13
Special credits to Seth Grahame-Smith, Author of
How to Survive a Horror Movie.

It’s Halloween and everyone's getting ready
for the big scare. The only thing is that most of the
stores around here are more for the candy and little
kid props. People who want to scare the pants
off other people don't want those. There is a simple
solution to this dilemma. The great Halloween
Store.
This store has everything that would
make all hollows night a fright. There are
props there that will leave you amazed that
they aren’t real. From 9 feet gothic door arches
to every costume and creepy accessories that you
could think of.
There are numbers of costumes to pick
from. From a Viking, to a nurse, a witch, ghost, or
even a pirate (which is in high supply now). Jewelry
that ranges from gothic, spiked chokers to
necklaces that carry vials of “blood” in them.
Weird, but so cool!!!
Viking Voices
THE GRAND HALLOWEEN STORE
Halloween has been around since all of us
were in our mothers’ wombs, but how many of us
have actually inquired as to when and where Halloween
started instead of thinking of it as a holiday
for candy? For those of you who have looked this
question up kudos to you, for those of you who
haven’t, well here is a little history for you.
The Celtic Paleopagan Druids called Halloween
Samhain (pronounced sow-in), who were the
people from 2000 years ago that started what we
call Halloween. They celebrated it differently then
we do though, as is to be expected. November 1
was a day that marked the end of summer, and the
beginning of winter, a time that mostly brought
death to many people back then. They believed
that on their new year the line between the worlds
of the living and of the dead became considerably
blurred. On October 31, they celebrated Samhain
(Halloween), when it was believed that the dead
could return to earth in the form of ghosts.
By Jacqelynn Walker
There are also those wonderful scene setters
that are a real easy way to decorate. They
have scenes of an army of skeletons, to spiders
coming out of walls, rats out of ceilings and ghost
and ghouls breaking out of their prisons.
If there are people who have young ones
and can’t find a good costume for the little one,
then this place is the right one. There is a variety
of costumes. You can chose from Thomas the
train, Batman, Superman, witches, mummies,
and even Winnie the Pooh characters.
The props are something to definitely take a
look at. They have a mixed variety of chilling props
such as ghost and ghouls that hang from the wall
and are life size. There are also props that have
real life sound effects with sensors like a animated
beating heart, a head that floats in a crystal
ball, and weapons that “come to life” or so to
speak.
ORIGINS OF HALLOWEEN By Ahlisa Rodriguez
These ghosts were thought to
ruin crops and cause all sorts of
trouble. They were also thought to
allow the Celtic Priests to make predictions
about the future. The predictions
made were comforting and
guiding to the Celtic people. So, to celebrate Samhain
they would build large sacred bonfires to burn
crops and animals as sacrifices. During the celebrations
they would wear costumes made out of
animal heads and skins.
This is the origin of Halloween. Over time
and over more vast amounts of history that you will
have to look into yourself, Halloween developed
into the monster costume wearing and candy giving
holiday that it is today. Personally I believe that our
way of celebrating Halloween is a lot more fun and
sweet (I mean because of candy!).
Page 14

Viking Voices
You are probably wondering “What is Day
of the Dead?” Well, Day of the Dead in Mexico
represents a mixture of Christian devotion and
Pre-Hispanic traditions and beliefs. As a result of
this mixture, the celebration comes to life as an
unique Mexican tradition including an altar and
offerings dedicated to the deceased (dead).
The altar includes four main elements of
nature: earth, wind, water, and fire.
Earth is represented by crop: The Mexicans believe
the souls are fed by the aroma of food.
Wind is represented by a moving object: Tissue
paper is commonly used to represent wind. Water
is placed in a container for the soul to quench
its thirst after the long journey to the altar. Fire is
represented by a wax candle: Each lit candle
represents a soul, and an extra one is placed for
DAY OF THE DEAD!!
You’re the Seeker.
By Josclyn Olivas
the forgotten soul.
Day of the Dead is not celebrated on Halloween.
It is held on November 2nd and is considered
a holiday on the Calendar. Go ahead and
celebrate Day of the Dead this year!
SEEKER: THE DARK IS RAISING
By Jacqelynn Walker
The Dark is Rising is a movie that revolves around
a young boy named Will. Will lives a simple life in a small
town in England with his mother, father, and his five siblings.
Things began to change on the day he went to a
Christmas party. On the way there, he began to feel strange
and began to see different shapes throughout his world. He
was then confronted by The Old Ones who reveal to him
that he is the chosen one who is to become the Seeker. Will
then finds himself in a world where he only has three days
to find all six hidden signs and save the world from the
Darkness. With his new powers such as summoning fire,
incredible strength, and traveling through time, Will now has
to bear his great destiny on his shoulders and has to save
the world all on his own.
Page 15

Viking Voices
WATCH OUT FOR THE GHOSTS, GHOULS,
THE GOBLINS OF FRIGHT!
Halloween is a time of trick-ortreating
and scary stories told in the mists
of friends, and has come to be the holiday
known for its unique monsters that stir us
at night. Everyone knows about vampires,
werewolves, witches, ghosts, zombies,
mummies, Frankenstein, and demons,
but how pray tell is one to protect themselves
from these dreaded monsters that
prey on us on All Hallows Night?
Well, if you just so happen to be
roaming in the dark and find yourself
face-to-face with a vicious vampire you can have the
comfort in knowing that you were prepared, and just so
happen to have with you garlic, a cross, a stake, and
holy water. (Aren’t you the paranoid one for being so
prepared!!!) Maybe though, just maybe, you didn’t encounter
a vampire, but instead found that you were the
planned dinner for a wrathful werewolf! (Gee, I’d like to
know how you’d get out of this one.) Wait, don’t tell me
you were ready for such an occurrence too! (Man! You
should offer lessons.) Let me guess; you had with you a
pistol with silver bullets. (What, I’m wrong. Oh...you had
two pistols. Well, sorry. My mistake.)
Now, I am going to assume that no one knows
how to actually avoid a wicked witch. (No. Good, me
neither!) So, you are walking along the road, going to
the next house to trick-or-treat at, all the while with the
moons’ luminous light guiding your way, when all of a
sudden something flies across the moon blocking the
light from you. (Man, this is getting scary.) So you look
up, hoping to see a bird, a plane, or maybe even Superman.
(Gosh, your way more positive and imaginative
then I am.) Then to your utter horror you see a witch,
green skin, black robe, and terrible laugh that sounds
like your cousin Edgar. (MOMMY!) Well, I would advise
your to run like a cat that got its tail stepped on, but
seeing as a the witch is flying on a broomstick and can
probably chase you down faster then a speeding racecar.
All I can say is I promise to come to your funeral. (I
also promise to say a few special words; uh...what was
your name again?) Hey now, don’t you even think about
haunting me as a ghastly ghost. (I don’t know how to
By Ahlisa Rodriguez
get rid of them either. I never said I was an expert in
this stuff!)
Zombies, man are they dumb! Not to mention
slow. All I have to say to you is that if you can’t outrun a
short witted zombie then you deserve to have your
brains eaten. (And whoever you are, I promise to cry
my eyes out at your funeral because I’ll be laughing so
hard that I won’t be able to see straight.) Mummies
though, well they are a different case. Mummies are
already dead, and I don’t mean undead, I mean as
dead as a dead thing can get. They have to smell, and
they have to be pretty ugly for them to want to wrap
themselves in toilet paper. (What? It’s not toilet paper!
What is it then? Oh, well. I still say they’ve got to be
ugly.) I guess you will either have to charm the mummy
with your naturally good looks, or you might have to find
a rare, one of a kind, lost in 2000 B.C amulet that was
specially designed to repel mummies.. (Wonder were I
can get one of those?) At this point you are probably
thinking, She is no help, she doesn’t even know how to
kill a mummy, or a witch! Now hey, I resent that. No
one else has ever tried to help you out in this particular
area have they? I’m giving you some creative and original
ideas here bub. If you don’t want my help, then fine,
let the monsters get you.
Back to monsters, Frankenstein, he’s a creepy
fellow. I really do not know how to kill him. Maybe you
should assemble a mob with pitchforks and all. I heard
it almost worked once. (Well actually I heard it DID
work, but stories of him on Halloween wouldn’t be told if
he was dead, then no one would fear him!) I personally
would hook him up with the witch who tried to kill you
earlier; maybe they would hit it off and leave you alone.
(You do seem very popular this Halloween night.) Last,
but not least, demons. Okay, this is a category that is
too broad to cover. I say if you could survive a vampire,
werewolf, witch, zombie (not hard I say again), mummy,
and Frankenstein then you do not need advise from me.
You should be writing this. That’s it, I’m done. Go save
the world, you already know how to defeat half of the
worlds bad guys anyway.
Page 16

As the 2007-2008 school year rolls in, so
does the new faces. We welcome the class of
2010 and the eight new teachers to enjoy another
wonderful year at Selah High School. So,
as to satisfy your curiosity, here is a way for you
to get to know the new teachers.
Mr. Cochran, who has
been teaching English for two
years, says that Selah is a
very positive place for him to
work. Also, what brought him
to Selah is the great student
reputation, so keep up the good status people.
He watches a lot of TV shows, movies, and he
likes to relate those to literature so his classes
can be fun.
Mrs. Johnson has been
teaching business classes for
six years. Some of you may
know her from the Jr. High as
Mrs. Jorgensen. Her favorite
subject in high school was business,
she said that she tried taking as many
business classes as she could. Mrs. Johnson
plans on teaching in Selah for a long time.
Mrs. LeClair who has
been teaching for 10 years,
says that she lived overseas for
a couple of years. What
brought her to Selah was her
husband’s work at the Yakima
Training Center. When I asked if she wanted to
do something instead of teaching, she said no
because her family is full of teachers and it’s in
her blood to teach.
Mr. Pace, our new art
teacher has been teaching for
seven years. He says that
other than art he would also
like to teach math because
there is always a right and
wrong way to identify. When I asked him what it
Viking Voices
WELCOME NEW STAFF
By Brittney Shane
was about teaching that made him want to
teach, he said that it’s because he gets to work
in the field of art, and that being around students
helps keep him feeling young.
Mrs. McCombs was a
substitute teacher for seven
years until her children got
older. Then she taught at
Zillah High School for seven
years and Sunnyside High
School for one year. Being a Viking graduate is
what brought Mrs. McCombs back to Selah.
Being a psychologist or a long haul truck driver
were her back-up career plans if she wasn’t
teaching. She plans to be teaching in Selah for
a long time unless she wins the lottery.
This is just five of the eight wonderful
new teachers. Where are the other three you
ask? Well here they are, sorry, but I didn't get
any response from them. Instead I’ll tell you
who they are and what they do...
Mrs. Federighi
English
Mrs. Griffin
Science
Mr. Lewis
Athletic Director
Page 17

10. Necrophobia:
fear of death
9. Brontophobia:
fear of thunder & lightning
8. Cancerphobia:
fear of cancer
7. Arcophobia:
fear of heights
Viking Voices
TOP 10 PHOBIAS
6. Emetophobia:
fear of vomiting
5. Claustrophobia:
fear of confined spaces
4. Agoraphobia:
fear of open spaces
3. Aerophobia:
fear of flying
2. Sociophobia:
fear of people & social situations
1. Arachnophobia:
fear of spiders
By Audra Slobig
WHAT IS A PHOBIA?
Phobia and fear go hand in hand but are extremely different. Fear is a very ancient, universal and
important emotion in man. It can be defined as the sensation that occurs when you are in danger, that something
bad is about to happen. Fear is almost always accompanied by a host of physical symptoms which
are quite disturbing. But fear also keeps you alive, preventing you from doing things that could be mortally
fatal.
But when fear is not justified by the presence of real danger or threat, or by any rational cause, and
when it is also accompanied by a systematic avoidance of the situations which lead to it, then we have what
is called a phobia. Phobia is actually a kind of panic reaction caused by specific stimuli or situations.
Here are the Top 10 human phobias in reverse order.
APPROPRIATELY SPOOKY
By Audra Slobig
Ghosts and goblins. Pumpkins and princesses. Axe murderers and amazons. No matter how you dress up on
Halloween… it’s all in good fun. But, if you’re going to dress up during the school day, you have to make sure
that your costume accommodates school rules. Otherwise Mr. Jones, Mr. Fortner and Mr. Smith will have
something to say about what you’re wearing… and it will not be a delightful treat.
• Nothing possibly offensive to others… by this I
mean don’t dress up as a “typical-stereotype”
that mocks, or would offend someone of a
different race, gender, religion or ethnicity. (i.e.
No KKK members, Caucasians dressing up as
African Americans or Mexicans or vice-versa,
and no terrorists or transvestites running
around SHS, please.)
• You have to have straps that look to be at least
2 inches wide… no spaghetti straps, halter
tops, strapless or bare-top outfits (sorry boys.)
• Costumes have to be the appropriate length…
at least to your fingertips while your arms are
straight at your side. No scary-short lengths!
• Keep your costume from distracting teachers
and classmates… avoid outfits that flash,
make inopportune noises at unexpected times
or are just very shiny or revealing.
• No weapons; fake or otherwise. It’s school policy
people!
Show your Halloween holiday spirit and dress up on Wednesday! Take into account
the appropriateness of your outfit before you arrive to class at 7:45AM… otherwise
you may be sent home to change into a regularly dull, completely normal
outfit… and where’s the fun in that?
Page 18