The Mariner Compass

By Michael de Moura

By Cayenna Anderson

Lady Mariners combine circuit training and softball mechanics in order to succeed.

The team constantly supports each other, all with a common goal in mind.

Lady Mariners reconvene during a conference game.

Hannah LaRue, pitcher, contributes her skill to their potential advancement to state.

Lady Mariners aspire to win state, as they have been so close to doing in previous years.

By Lauren Cashman

The band started the program with selections from Disney’s The Lion King.

The dance group waits in the back hallway, prepping for their performance.

The Marimba band stole the show with their intense rhythms.

Kirsten Swanson watches off stage.

Rachel Hannan, Sydney Paulino, and Mariah Stuart

Students wait off stage for their performance.

The dance crew, mid performance.

By Jacob Mayforth

By Tabitha Drover

by Theo Noomah

Yesterday, May 17th, McNeil Canyon Elementary’s fifth grade went across the bay to hike the Saddle Trail and learn about  how glaciers can carve a mountain, drop rocks in fields and form lateral moraines. I hope during finals week High School students can remember that school isn’t about testing, it’s about learning. This is the story of kids who learn.

Several scattered warriors surrounded Kyle Wentz of The Weeping Angels. Armed only with one arrow in defense, Kyle faced numerous attackers from every side wielding shields, spears, and swords. He fought valiantly, but in the end was charged upon and killed at 8:27pm

“Apparently it’s true. One man can’t beat twenty Spartans,” Kyle declared loudly after his death, while marching to the graveyard. “If there was 2 of me, I would have won!”

Kyle Wentz on the far right, collaborating strategies with the others of 'The Weeping Angles.'

As many in Homer may already know, Dyllan Day and others scheduled Live Action Role Play (L.A.R.P.) for May 15th, Mother’s Day. People of all ages were invited to‘The Point,’ West Hill Road, to battle in teams of 1-8 people with padded weaponry. Each team had their own names, often uniforms, and an assortment of healers or warriors. However, just a couple hours before the event, it was discovered that ‘The Point’ was actually private property, and anyone who trespassed would be fined by the police. This was hardly a deterrent for L.A.R.P. however, and everyone gathered at Karen Hornaday Park instead.  

At 7pm, Dyllan Day, organizer of L.A.R.P. and member of the team The Brimhaven Titans, stood on top of a vehicle in the parking lot to address everyone who showed to play. The rules were clear- No headshots. ‘Warriors’ could have any type of weapon, but were not allowed to revive fallen teammates. ‘Healers’ were allowed to heal dead or wounded teammates in the graveyard (the park’s barbeque pit), but were limited to knives or daggers for defense. If an enemy taps one of your limbs, that limb is rendered useless, and can only be restored in the graveyard.

Dyllan Day of 'The Brimhaven Titans' utop a vehicle, addressing the crowd.

“You’re all here on your own! If you get a bruise or a scrape, go cry to your mommy, not to me!” Dyllan declared firmly, to much hooting and applause from the assembly. “And wish your mom a happy Mother’s Day while you’re at it!”

While the event hosted around a hundred players, many people cancelled last minute to attend Mother’s Day celebrations. The Weeping Angels lost four of their eight teammates on account of mother’s day celebrations. Their new plan for their small team was to stick together, take the high ground, and not to actively engage other teams.

“I’m not excited to fight the football team,” said Jacob Mayforth of The Weeping Angels.

Another team of four, The Wolfpack, had their own strategies just across the parking lot. “Dynamite comes in small packages,” said Cameron Corbell, much to the agreement of his team.

'The Wolfpack,' prepared for battle.

Meanwhile, there were several teams who had reached the eight-person limit, and had their own strategies.

“Guerilla tactics! I’m like Katniss, but less of a chick,” said Justice Sky, of The Snow Leopards.

A few of 'The Snow Leopards,' gathering their weapons.

“I live! I love! I slay! And I am content!” said Joseph Resetarits, of The Blood Angels.

“Our game is military tactics,” Anthony Resetarits, Joseph’s older brother said. They planned to employ “what the Greeks and Spartans did, and evolve from there.”

'The Blood Angels' in formation, ready for anything.

Not all players at L.A.R.P. were youth, however. The Warriors of Old, a group consisting of men who had long since graduated high school, said that their tactic was to “have as much fun as possible,” (John Brant). “Also, kill or be killed.”

After Dyllan Day’s opening address, there was a brief countdown, and then a sudden scattering of teams. Some ran to take the high ground in the trees, while others hid behind cars in the parking lot or hovered in the field.

Three people were abandoned by their team in the graveyard, waiting to heal, within the first twenty minutes of gameplay. Travis Smith of Dragons With Gucci Purses was killed by an arrow, and Tayler Downs, from the same team, had all of his limbs cut off. Dyllan Day had already lost a leg by 7:50pm, and was forced to hop on one leg in battle.

Scatter!

The Blood Angels, easily the loudest and most excitable clan, hollered from the field and lowest trail of the park for teams to challenge. After watching several different teams peek at them from the trees or trails with higher ground and retreat, The Blood Angels decided to take the fight to everyone else. They boldly settled into an organized formation and marched uphill, following the main road to Hornaday’s campsites. With shields lined up to fend off strikes, they pursued the rag-tag remains of The Weeping Angels, and several others.

'The Blood Angels,' in pursuit.

In an incredible show of organization and quick thinking, the majority of the other teams in the area called a temporary truce, and worked together to completely surround The Blood Angels. One by one, archers with padded arrows picked off the Angels at the back of the formation, using higher ground to get around the shield defense. Once their numbers were cut in half, warriors on even ground charged from all sides with swords and spears raised.

'The Snow Leopards,' blocking "The Blood Angels'' rear retreat.

'The Blood Angels,' completely surrounded. Jacob Mayforth of 'The Weeping Angels' approaches from downhill.

Colin Latimer of 'The Weeping Angels,' picking off 'The Blood Angels' from higher ground.

“We killed a lot, but there were too many. If we had our backs against a wall, we could have taken them,” said Joseph Resetarits of The Blood Angels, after his team had been completely demolished. “That was like the 300 Spartans.”

The aftermath of the battlefield.

At 8:02pm, everyone migrated to the main field of the park inside the fence for a traditional ‘Spartans versus Persians’ clash. On one side of the field several teams gathered, including The Weeping Angels, They Have a Cave Troll, and The Wolfpack. On the other side was a smaller group, including the now revived Blood Angels. Soon each side was hollering for battle, and teams ran toward each other in a sprint with weapons ready. Forced into the far corner of the fence, the smaller group was quickly killed in a crowded, brutal fight. 
 

Several teams, forced into the fence corner.

“I got sat on,” said Sam Nielson of They Have a Cave Troll, after the attack. “Some tall dude killed me, and I went down and got sat on.”

By 8:11, everyone was lined up at either side of the field again, ready for a second clash. This time, each side of the field was equally as numbered and aggressive, and charged to the center of the field until the majority of players were killed or wounded. Sam Nielson, in a show of fun, stole The Blood Angel’s emblem flag and ran away with it, inciting chase. The field was reoccupied for yet more attacks after most teams visited the graveyard to heal.

Sam Neilson of 'They Have a Cave Troll,' running away with 'The Blood Angels'' emblem.

However, at 8:15pm, the air filled with a mild sprinkling of rain and snow. By 8:20pm, the wind had picked up significantly. Observers of the battle huddled on the sidelines against the cold, and one mother was seen distributing warm sweatshirts on the field for players dressed only in short sleeved t-shirts. Despite the sudden change in weather, the players seemed completely undeterred.
           
“My morale is as high as it ever could be,” said Tayler Gonzales of The Nords, in response to the snow.

Tayler Gonzales of 'The Nords.'

“This was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen,” said Tiyana Hill, an observer. She, Molly Bowen, and Kristie Mastre all stood together outside the field to watch the event while eating fries and drinks they’d brought with them.  “I’m surprised at how into it everyone got. It’s snowing and they’re still here.”

Several teams, battling it out on the field.

“We think it’s great! It’s great that they’re out here doing something fun and imaginative,” said one mother from the sidelines of the battlefield. Another agreed, and admitted to having helped her daughter make shirts for their clan.

L.A.R.P. wound down to an overall success around 9:30pm as people wrapped up their weapons and migrated to the parking lot.

Because the event had inadvertently been scheduled on Mother’s Day- resulting to so many cancelled attendees- as well as the bad weather, a second half of L.A.R.P. will continue on Sunday, May 20th. The location is still under debate, due to the ‘Build Week’ at Karen Hornaday Park, but will be announced on the Facebook page for the event soon.

“I’m coming back next week to play,” said Samual Luchao, an eleven year old observer. He’d attended with siblings, but hadn’t prepared to participate on account of the age limit of thirteen years old. However, after seeing that several youth under the age limit had attended anyway and not been scolded, he plans to return.

Youth who attended the game.

“I hope this becomes a Homer tradition,” said Homer Olson, of Irone Head.

Homer Olson (left) of 'Irone Head.'

'The Weeping Angels' and 'They Have a Cave Troll' in a truce, sneaking up on another team.

By Akane Fujimura

The last week of school: It’s time for seniors to graduate, but it’s also the time for foreign exchange students to go home. According to all the foreign exchange students in Homer High School, they’re glad to go home and see their family and friends again, but at the same time, it’s sad that they have to leave their host families, friends, and school.

“I feel kind of sad because I’m not going to be here next year,” Lertkiat Kuanmongkonlert (Neung), a foreign exchange student from Thailand, said. Lennart Schlichting, another foreign exchange student from Germany, agreed, “I’m excited to get out of school and have vacation, but it’s sad that I won’t see anyone again.” Senior Katie Schmidt, who is a host, stated, “I will miss them so much for sure.”

Ms. Hampson, school counselor, said, “Every exchange student says the same thing: they don’t want to go back to their home country. But I’m sure once they get there, they’ll be very glad to be home.”

Vegard Unhjem, a foreign exchange student from Norway, described, “My best memory in Homer High is soccer. We beat Colony and Palmer for the first time and it was really fun. There are a lot of things here that I’ll miss. ”

For the foreign exchange students, their going home can be summed up in two words: Sweet and Bitter.

By Lauren Cashman

Two different rooms at Homer High School have had a mild, chemical scent seeping out of them periodically throughout the last few weeks. Its origin? Mrs. Thompson and Mrs. Lowe’s classrooms, where biology students have dissected and subsequently learned about the anatomical structures of fetal pigs, preserved and filled with latex.

This multi week process has allowed these biology classes to, with their lab partners, gain in depth knowledge on the physical structures of their pigs. Each of the units focus on a specific system of the animal; within these units students take apart and examine the pigs.

This process gives HHS students a unique opportunity to move away from the typical textbook oriented learning found within a Biology class and have an in depth learning experience. Senior Mallory Drover, who is currently in one of these Biology classes, said that the dissection process provided “a more vivid experience. All the work before was book work.” She also mentioned that it allowed the class to connect the 3D organs to the diagrams that they were looking at.

In addition to the pigs, HHS gave the students another dissection opportunity through Mrs. Lowe’s AP Biology class, who dissected a donated fetal moose last month. The students spent three days taking apart the animal while examining the various systems.

Sophomore Megan Gee, a member of the AP Biology class, didn’t mind the experience at all, despite the gore that was present during the moose dissection. She said “I got to look at the lungs, the alveoli and the bronchial tube.” When asked, Megan said that the opportunity enriched her anatomy experience.

Although dissections at HHS came to a close this week, the knowledge that the students gained through this interactive learning, and the hands on experience provided a unique highlight to the end of the year.