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The debate over
Facebook continues—
should it be used for
education or only for
social networking?
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Rachel Pricer,
senior, has her
accomplishments
recognized by selling her
art to an art collector.
Boys' and Girls'
Basketball teams
advance to the second
round of State playoffs.
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Guitar All Star showcase
exceeds expectations;
Mark Hanson, Grammy
winner, headlines.
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Outdoor School .
counselors mentor sixth,
seventh and eighth
graders from Three
Rivers Charter School.
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Official Student Publication of West Linn High School
Published Since 1921
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April 2009 - Volume 97, Issue 6
Junior Mock Trial team advances to Nationals
u A dam H olmes _______________
preparation," Kellogg
said.
This
year's case
for the
Editor-in-Chief
Earlier thisjmonth, the
junior Mock Trial team, also
known as the "Green" team,
won first place at the State
competition at the Portland
Federal Courthouse. As a
result, the junior team will
attend the 26th Annual
National High School Mock
Trial Championship in
Atlanta, Ga. from May 6-10.
This is the second time a
West Linn Mock Trial team
has attended a National
competition, the first being
the 2007 senior team.
"I'm really happy for
them. They worked really,
really hard. I'm proud of
them," Madeline Benoit,
senior, and a member of the
team said.
JK "Mr. (Matt) Kellogg was
" so confident that we were
going to make it to Nationals
that he preemptively
produced a card that said,
"CONGRATULATIONS,"
and contained our first
practice date inside," Neelou
Etesami, junior, said.
The junior team composed
of Hannah Bradford,
Kelsey Bradshaw, Colleen
Douglas, Nathaniel
Earp, Etesami, Rachel
Heisterkamp, Alexandra
Mink, Zack Mueller,
Lucy Walker and Valorie
Wallace, juniors, managed
to defeat its counterparts
from Hermiston, St. Mary's
Academy, Riverdale and
West Salem. This continued
the streak of victories that
started during the Clackamas
Regionals Competition on
Feb. 28.
"One of the judges said
that the reason they won
is because they don't have
one person that just stands
out. Everyone stands out,"
Kellogg said.
"It's really exciting that we
won, but at the same time it's
a bit more work," Douglas
said.
Students are chosen to
join Mock Trial by first
taking the Honors Law A
course which is taught by
Kellogg, Mock Trial adviser
and social studies teacher.
After the students finish the
class, Kellogg asks certain
^4(P(iplary students to join
; \e team.
has a specific role in the case,
which varies from giving the
opening or closing statement,
delivering a direct or cross
examination, or acting as a
witness. Each trial lasts about
90 minutes. Opening and
closing statements are five
minutes, direct examinations
take 20 minutes, and cross
examinations last 10 minutes,
with time added in for
objections or speculation if a
piece of evidence should be
entered.
"The preparation process
is boot camp-esque. After
breaking down the case and
establishing some basis to
work on, we write our drafts.
There is no such thing as
a fin a l d ra ft. T w o h o u rs of
The junior Mock Trial Team of Neelou Etesami, Colleen Douglas, Valorie Wallace, Alexandra Mink,
Kelsey Bradshaw, Nathaniel Earp, Lucy Walker, Hannah Bradford, Zack Mueller, and Rachel Heisterkamp
gather before the Championship round of the State competition. The team won the competition and will
Photo submitted by Faryar Etesami
vie at Nationals in Atlanta, Ga. from May 6-10.
The students are then
given a case to study, either
criminal or civil, and are
given about three months
to prepare for the case.
Practices are held after
school four days a week,
with some practices lasting
until 10 p.m.
"We have about half the
time we normally have
to prepare, so we'll be
practicing four nights a
week plus weekends for
juniors at State involved a
high school track runner who
died from steroid use. His
mother sued the school, but
the boy's coach persists that
his parents encouraged him
to use steroids. Each student
every night are devoted to
doing run-throughs, having
our drafts ripped apart by
local attorneys and judges,
and crying. I don't sleep,"
Etesami said.
The senior team,
composed of Benoit,
Jonathan Binswanger,
Brianne Cochran, Veronika
Jonsson, Katherine Millage,
Alex Otey, Ryan Nesbit,
Henry Prentice, and Kristy
Wilkinson, seniors, also
performed at the State
competition, placing 11th.
Symphonic Band heads to State; Orchestra wins League
u B rittany P eterson __________
Staff Reporter
For years West Linn High
School has been the band
to beat, and this year is no
different. Under the direction
of new teacher Kevin Egan,
worries ran high. Would
this year's band program be
everything it had been?
The Symphonic Band has
dashed these concerns as it
qualified for State, crushing
the 27 other bands that were
competing. They received
the second highest score with
89 out of 100. The qualifying
score is 75.
"1 wasn't concerned at all,
there is an incredible amount
of talent in this group," Egan
said.
The band then went to
George Fox University to
compete in another qualifier,
just for the practice on March
10. Once again their scores
were just as high as then-
expectations, especially those
of Egan.
is comprised of musicians up
to 22 years of age.
In April, the band will
Association which then sends
those tapes anonymously
to music professors around
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The Symphonic Band performs at the Winter Band Concert on Jan. 7. They qualified for State, and if
chosen, will compete for the State title in May.
Photo courtesy of Phil Brooks
"He motivates you to
work harder," Emma Davis,
sophomore said. Davis
is the principal flutist in
Symphonic Band and also
the principal in the Portland
Youth Philharmonic, an
audition only symphony that
play for yet another panel
of judges, but this time
more is on the line. The
band with the highest score
automatically goes to State.
The other top scoring bands
then send in tapes to the
Oregon School Activities
the country who score them.
The top 20 bands chosen will
compete in May for the State
title.
Symphonic Band_____________ j
continued on page 2