By Katherine Kelly, Junior Reporter for the Beachcomber The players are in the locker room before the game starts. They have played together since elementary school and the sense of camaraderie is infectious. Everyone is messing around and in good spirits, but when the coach comes in, it is time to get serious. There are…
Author: Riptide Editor
Artist Profile: senior art student transforms comic imagery into art
By Elizabeth Lande, Reporter A worn sketchbook lies open on senior Dandan Johannessen’s desk, bursting with rough pencil outlines and intricate ink figures. Drawings crafted with colored pen cover the heavy draft paper, evidence of years of work. Like many artists, Johannessen learned to draw from cartoon strips, beginning her journey at an early age….
New sculpture to be installed on school grounds
By Mari Kanagy, Reporter Students have likely noticed the construction taking place outside of the main office. The ground has been cleared and filled with gravel in preparation for a new sculpture that will be put in place by mid December. The sculpture, which will be called “The Ways of Knowing,” was designed and carved…
J-Term concept would reorganize school calendar, bring advantages, drawbacks
By Elizabeth Lande, Reporter At the beginning of the 2013 school year, the high school completed its transition from trimesters to semesters. The change resulted in a reduced number of classes for students to take each year, but a longer time span for each course to be studied. Now, in 2017, a policy in the…
How to restore herd immunity to the island
By Adriana Yarkin, Copy Editor Vaccines: A trip to the doctor’s office, a poke in the arm. Done. Diseases such as pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae and measles are not common fears in the U.S., and cases are rarely reported. However, prior to the development and widespread use of vaccines in the last half-century or so, these…
District needs to offer common-sense, financial training
By Adriana Yarkin, Copy Editor “Nothin’ like the Quotient Rule at 8:04 a.m. on a Tuesday.” I chose this quote — stated quite enthusiastically by my calculus teacher Andy Callender — to be my senior quote because not only is it humorous and oddly specific, it’s also a more-than-decent summary of my high school experience….
Although flawed, Justice League has shining moments
By Kadin Oliva, Reporter “Justice League,” the newest entry to the ever-growing industry of blockbuster comic book movies, delivers engaging characters, dazzling special effects and a plethora of world-building in the grand scheme of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Taking place after the events of “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice,” the world is mourning…
Washington State Ferries is inefficient and expensive
By Aidan Courtney, Reporter Recently, many island residents have harbored complaints with the Washington State Ferries (WSF). Some residents and commuter students have struggled to catch ferries due to an unreliable schedule and misleading alerts, with some boats leaving hours behind schedule and filled far below their maximum vehicle capacity. Residents are now…
Faculty attempts to respond to student drug use
By Clara Atwell, Business Editor The Healthy Youth survey is taken by students of all grades every other year and presents questions focusing on various factors of adolescent health in Washington state. The fall 2016 survey surveyed 393 students. According to the survey, in the 30 days prior to being surveyed, 27 percent…
Recreational prescription drug abuse arrives at the Rock
By Katy Sassara, Co-Content Editor Recreational use of prescription pills at the school is on the rise, and the trend is troubling for students, staff and the community. But why have prescription drugs become so popular, and what can peers and parents do about it? In 2016, the Healthy Youth Survey data showed…