Author: Riptide Editor

Sasha Elenko, Co-Content Editor   When I was about seven, I went with my family to the Back Bay Inn. I don’t remember much from that evening, but I do recall tasting liqueur syrup for the first time. It was drizzled atop bread pudding. The strong alcohol taste was foreign and overwhelming, and I didn’t even…

By Tor Ormseth, Online Editor   In recent years, a topic of much debate has been about what the government can legally or ethically do to its citizens, especially in the case of surveillance and monitoring. Even recent developments, such as the National Security Agency documents leaked by Edward Snowden, however, pale in comparison to what…

By Giacomo Kuzma, Hip-Hop/Rap Columnist   The difference between rap music and other genres is no head scratcher; it’s the rapping. True, the sample-based instrumentals or 808-thumping beats are just as crucial to a rap song, but it’s the vocal, the rapping, that is the defining nature of rap music.   The emcee neither brandishes the…

By Sequoia Gregorich, Co-Content Editor and Giacomo Kuzma, Columnist   “That [man] gave us ‘Billie Jean,’ you say he touched those kids? / When [expletive] hit the fan, is you still a fan?” Kendrick Lamar ponders.   In his song “Mortal Man,” Lamar raises an important question: When an artist or idol commits a heinous act, should we…

By Clara Atwell, Associate Business Editor   The United States is one of the most nationalistic countries in the world. From a young age, children are taught the unique freedoms and opportunities that they have living here. They learn to love and praise our country through understanding its complex and patriotic history. By six years old,…

By Aria Garrett, Copy Editor   You feed your money into the vending machine in front of you and hear the satisfying clunk of your water hitting the bottom of the container. You reach inside and grab the bottle containing refreshingly pure water sourced directly from the top of the picturesque mountain found on its label….

Dear Editor,   Following the recent publications of articles regarding the status of non-gendered bathrooms at Vashon Island High School, QSA would like to address some of the concerns that were discussed in the opinion section. We understand that creating open, all-gender bathrooms will require a change in thinking and school culture. We value all…

By Jules Vanselow, Reporter   In a world where someone can become famous for wearing white vans, it is important to recognize the influential women out there who are fighting for extremely important causes — women who receive little attention for their work.   Of course, we all know widely praised activists such as Malala Yousafzai…

By Madison McCann, Editor-in-Chief   In a step towards reducing student use of Chromebooks for non-school purposes, several teachers have adopted GoGuardian into their classrooms this semester to control and monitor their students’ use of the internet during class time.   GoGuardian is a computer program used by teachers around the country in order to filter…

By Sequoia Gregorich, Co-Content Editor   VHS has 157 commuters out of a total of 494 students — a whopping 31 percent of our school. Because they are substantial contributors in our small high school community, it is essential that we understand how they arrived, and the many benefits they have brought.   Determining whether or…