Poem for Thanksgiving break from guest poet Victor/Homer

The days get short 

Nights stay longer 

The hot sun leaves 

Cold winds start 

Smell of pine needles

Cold air fill your lungs

Yaste of eggnog touching your lips

Jingle bells ringing  

Guest poet: Nanci

Thoughts of Happiness

As thought sets in and fear is apparent

And yet reality is left opaque

With clarity gone, nothing left to take

All this “happiness”, no one to show it

A word of color, a world of such joy

Why then a sight so unfamiliar?

Anxiety, despair, familiar.

Emotion and reality a toy

Fear and darkness, unknown to all the rest

The image shown, peace and together

The constant gnawing of anguish, a pest

However still, a hope for the better

Feelings of Impossible Love

A love so distant, out of reach

Sad to many, curse to each.

Confusion packed and solution sought,

Voo-doo done, guard un-caught.

Witchcraft, sorcery, lies, deceit,

Sad to many, curse to each.

A love so terrible, mind overload,

As much alike, dark magic, dark road.

Say yes to the...college?

On October 30th, all the senior students that applied to HSU attended HSU Early Acceptance day. The students attended workshops, ate lunch in the many different restaurants, and attended an interview with an answer. Some were awarded acceptance certificates and others a "we will see."

Melissa, a senior at Fortuna High School, was accepted to HSU and plans to possibly attend this next fall. At the HSU Admittance Day, Melissa said that she  “...learned a lot about different options for housing. I got to go into several students rooms and see the different room arrangement.” The housing tours were given by HSU students and to show all the dorms HSU has to offer.

HSU is a great school to attend even with it being so local. If you're considering applying, Melissa said, “Go for it, HSU is a great school.” Also applying locally can keep your wallet from breaking!

So seniors, say yes to the...college?

Molly, a senior, writes for Modes of Writing and also attended HSU Early Acceptance Day.

Fortuna High FFA shines in Opening and Closing Contest

On November 10th the Fortuna FFA chapter headed to Del Norte for the Opening and Closing, Best Informed Greenhand (BIG) and Co-Op Test. The BIG test was offered to freshmen only, coming in 3rd place was Venice D’ Amico, coming in 2nd place was Taylor Chamberlain, our BIG team got 1st place overall!

The Co-Op test was put on by the Eureka Co-Op; it was cooperative marketing test for all ages. In the opening and closing portion of the contest, Theron Dale won Outstanding Sentinel, Haley Benbow won Outstanding Reporter, and MaryBeth Dale won Outstanding Vice President. Great job to our FFA stars!

Natalie Nunez is a junior at Fortuna High who enjoys her Modes of Writing class and she also loves spending her extra time at the gym and with her friends.

Odell teaches rocket-y goodness

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are all apart of Fortuna Union High’s new educational course S.T.E.M physics, with all of these brilliant ideas jammed into one great course, a course being taught by science and DATA teacher Mr. Errin Odell.

Odell has been teaching here at Fortuna High for 16 years, developing new courses and ideas for students who want to try something new and interesting. Having already taught physical science in the years before gives Odell the upperhand on this subject.

The projects involved in this class range from stomp rocket calculations, to creating trebuchets and learning the flight and velocity of launched objects. Since day one, Odell has taught his students with hands-on activities. Every project in this class has a goal, with a mathematical formula behind it.

Jackson, a senior, enjoys science, technology, and writing.

Why you shouldn't fear Friday the 13th

This coming friday is going to be the last Friday the 13th of this 2015 year. Friday the 13th is a day surrounded by a lot of superstition. Lots of myths and legends have come about depicting things that might happen on this date. Some of the most common are: If you cut your hair on Friday the 13th someone in your family will die, if a funeral procession passes you on Friday the 13th you will be the next to die, do not start a trip on Friday the 13th because you will encounter difficulty, if you break a mirror on friday the 13th you will have seven years of bad luck, a child born on Friday the 13th will be unlucky for life, ships setting sail on Friday the 13th will have bad luck on their voyage, and if you walk under a ladder or a black cat crosses in front of you on Friday the 13th you will have bad luck.

Some superstitions of the Friday the 13th date back to 1700 B.C. The earliest account was that the 13th law of Babylon’s Code of Hammurabi, the 13th law is omitted. Another popular superstition is that if 13 people dine together, one person will die within that year. This comes from The Last Supper  where Jesus dined with 12 apostles only to die soon after.

Studies have been done on the accident rating of Friday the 13th compared to other fridays, and it showed that there were fewer accidents and reports of theft or fire on the 13th. Due to the research this is just a myth to scare people and the day of friday the 13th, holds no precedence in what events may occur on that particular date. These facts are coming from the International Business Times article Friday the 13th.

Tristen, a senior, works on improving his grade and becoming a better writer.

Deltuna Band

The Deltuna band is back! On Friday, November 6, The Fortuna High marching band teamed up with the opposing team’s marching band from Del Norte. Audrey McCombs, a student teacher at Del Norte High and also a substitute teacher at Fortuna High, came down with the band as well; You may know her as Master Tuba!

Audrey was a long-term sub for the Fortuna High marching band last year while Dr. McClimon was on maternity leave. She has currently taken a position as a student teacher at Del Norte High for their outstanding Marching Band.

The two bands came together at around 4:00 in the afternoon on Friday where they socialized, ate a fantastic dinner together, and played music! Del Norte even marched out with the Fortuna High Marching band as well, and they followed them, to the Husky side of the field and played the National Anthem; the performance was stunning.

Also, congratulations to the Fortuna High marching band on their field show performance, conducted by Kokko F. and put together by Tara S.. The band opened up with the classic song, "What is love" by Haddaway; the second song was from the Disney classic, Frozen. They closed with an all time favorite, the Rocky Mountain theme song, "Gonna fly now."         

Layla Dias is a member of the Fortuna High marching band and she plays quads (multi-tenor drums).           

Another end is coming

All you should all know Thanksgiving is coming up, and that mean a week off of school. This also mean another grade period ends soon. So get those grades up, especially if you want to be part of any winter sport, because this grade period will affect your chances to get in a sport. So you athletes better be watching your grades, because if not, it will hurt you in the long run.

This also goes to everyone else, not just the athletes, keep those grades up. Trust me it will help.  

Donovan G. is an honest senior, who like to spend time with friends.  

The school garden grows science

You've probably seen the school garden if you've ever ventured around the back of F Building. It's a garden that the science teachers, Sara Dixon and Pam Halstead are in charge of. All of the students in the AP Biology course get their own plot in the garden to work on.

What had been previously been planted in the garden before this year's AP Bio class started working were tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, onions, and assorted herbs such as rosemary. Claire S., a junior in the AP Bio class reported that the class has already planted an apple tree, and are in the process of planting celery, artichoke, red and yellow beets, and herbs like basil, thyme, oregano, and parsley. The class is also planning to plant winter vegetables like green beans.

When asked what her hopes for the garden were, Claire replied with, "I hope we can provide fresh herbs and veggies for the culinary arts classes and school cafeteria, and help make the student body healthier."

In response to the question of what her favorite parts of the class and garden were, Claire said that, "Gardening is one of my favorite things, so it's really cool to be able to do it as a part of a class, especially an AP class." Senior Kieran S. said, "I love our little baby sprouts and planting them, and I can't wait for them to get big!"

Codi O. is a senior in the Fortuna High Marching Band.

A Week for Thanksgiving Break

Starting November 21^st Fortuna High School is on Thanksgiving Break for a week. Thanksgiving Day falls on November 26^th as usual.

Drake, a student at Fortuna High had a few thoughts about the week off of school. Drake says his favorite part about Thanksgiving Break is eating a lot of green beans. His opinion on having a whole week off is that it is very exciting, and he is going to get a lot of stuff done. Drake is going to be spending that week just relaxing and hanging out with his pets, and maybe other animals too. He also spends a little amount of that week with his family.

Kendall, a senior, enjoys researching and interviewing for large stories.

Basketball tryouts begin

Boys-

Frosh and Sophomores will have tryouts after school on Monday, November 9 at 3:35 in the Damon Gym. Juniors and seniors will have Varsity tryouts at 5:30 on that same Monday. If you have not played a fall sport, you MUST have an Athletic Physical and Athletic Contract in order to try out. The Varsity coach will be Mr. Rump of Fortuna High School. The Junior Varsity coach will be Mr. Miles, and the Freshman coach will be Mr. Den Ouden.

Girls-

Frosh and Sophomores will have tryouts at 6:30 on Monday, November 9 in the Logan Gym. Juniors and Seniors will have their Varsity tryouts at 6:30 am on the same morning of November 9. You will also need your Athletic Physicals and Athletic Contracts signed in order to participate in the tryouts. The Varsity coach will be Mr. Benbow of Fortuna High School. The Junior Varsity coach is Patrick Gray, and the Freshman coach is Janet Harwood.

Cheer-

Basketball Cheer tryouts will be held on Nov. 11-13. Any questions should be taken to the office. As in the other sports you will also need your Athletic Physical done. The coach will be Gina Richardson.

Veterans Day!

Just a reminder the we have no school on Wednesday, November eleventh, due to Veterans Day.

Many people mix up Veterans Day and Memorial Day, but, in fact, Memorial Day is to honor our fallen soldiers, and Veterans Day is dedicated to ALL those who served honorably in both times of war and peace, living and otherwise. So don’t forget to thank a veteran!

Orin, a junior, plans to thank a veteran Wednesday.

Trick or raise money for children in developing countries

The Act Global class and Dumbledore’s Army club are participating in Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF.

UNICEF was created in 1946 as the “United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund” to help children after World War II. UNICEF was expanded to children in need in the developing world and is now known as the United Nations Children’s Fund.

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF is an effort to try to raise money to help kids in need. According to their website, “Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF funds help save children’s lives in over 190 countries and territories through immunization, education, health care, nutrition, clean water and sanitation.”

Mrs. Kajtaniak, the leader of the Act Global class, said that students wanted to help raise money for UNICEF, and they are encouraging other people to help raise money.

Trick-or-Treaters took a small, orange, cardboard box with a slit in the top, giving the box the capabilities of receiving and storing money. Participators took the box and asked the candy-givers if they also wanted to donate money, along with the candy for themselves.

Other people can donate either by mail, by phone, or at a coinstar machine.

Drake, a senior, enjoys animals, music, and drinking water.

Poetry from guest writer Shalynn calms your blustery day

 Listen 

The winds blow softly

The earth is silent

The tears of pain disappear

The quiet is intimate

The cares vanish

The trees are still

The birds quickly hush

The quiet is intimate

The silent whispers begin

The confusion is shown

The relief appears

The quiet is intimate

The horrors of yesterday are gone

The comfort is valid

The invisible arms are felt

The quiet in intimate

Lost and Found

You stare out the window on the long drive.

Your discouraged, frustrated, in need.

You see some dirt, leafs, and a log.

You see a lake, brown in color.

You see profanity on signs along the way.

You see trash floating in the wind.

You see a man in rags, thumbs up, lost.

You see cars zooming by you, too fast, too loud.

You wonder where the beauty is.

How far do you have to drive to see Love?

How many miles until you see a mountain?

Dark trees without leafs surround it.

Leaning sideways in the middle of the growth.

You see an old wooden cross, about to fall down.

You see the sun create a spotlight on that cross.

You feel yourself smile, you feel peace.

You turn around and go home.

Whale

Imagine a wave, not too big, not too small

Imagine a rock, sturdy, so you wont fall

Now sit on that rock, and look at that wave

Look out on the ocean, your eyes spot a cave

Next to the cave is a whale, large and still

It doesn't swim away, looks as though it would never kill

The whale silently stays, as if it is watching you

It looks wise and kind, telling you what to do

It stays near you, the entire time

As silent and confident as a mime

The whale stays as long as you do

And in your heart you already knew

The whale was saying one thing, in its mind

You can make it through all days, of any kind