OPINION
NOVEMBER, 2022
What Thanksgiving foods should stay on the dinner menu, and what foods shouldn’t
By Haven Walls, Reporter Turkey is usually the main course for the classic Thanksgiving dinner, and I have to say that I think this is a...Read More
How to say “No” to diet culture
By Sutton Archambault, Reporter Whether you realize it or not, diet culture is everywhere in our society, and the normalization of it causes tremendous amounts of damage...Read More
How drug education is failing our kids
By Max Rulff, Content Editor In talking with previous generations, it is my understanding that teenage drug culture has grown exponentially in the past...Read More
OCTOBER, 2022
Tuition inflation and its effects
By Jayce Speer-McMullen, Reporter In previous generations, it was very feasible for many to pay their own way through college by simply working; however...Read More
Top twelve Trader Joe's fall favorites you should look out for this fall
By Sophia Litton, Reporter These fall favorites will have you running to buy them. ...Read More
BeReal or BeFake, just delete the app for heavensake!
Mackenzie Guadagno, Managing Editor I can no longer silently watch people ignorantly fall for BeReal’s advertising campaign which can only be described as manipulative, lazy, and—unfortunately—brilliant....Read More
JUNE, 2022
The Class of 2022 to be sent off to college amid uncertainty surrounding the stability of Roe. Wade
By Savannah Butcher, Managing Editor
The past few months have been a swirl of uncertainty surrounding the recent leak of the alleged Roe v. Wade...Read More
MAY, 2022
Not knowing is more than ok
By Lucy Wing, Content Editor It’s a little ironic that I feel pressured to get this opinion on the pressure done. I knew I wanted to write an opinion this issue, something a little...Read More
MARCH, 2022
Put the dogs away
By Mackenzie Guadagno, Reporter Students throughout Vashon Island High School (VHS) have individual and unique styles that fluctuate and change with...Read More
Fast Fashion isn’t a good look
By Keziah Rutschow, Reporter You need to stop making excuses for fast fashion, and here is why. Many are familiar with the term “fast fashion” nowadays, and many...Read More
FEBRUARY, 2022
Valentines Day: A holiday built on capitalism
Mackenzie Guadagno, Reporter Valentine's day has changed dramatically from the historical death of Saint Valentine, who the holiday was originally named...Read More
JANUARY, 2022
Why do young girls feel the need to over-sexualize themselves?
By Keziah Rutschow, Reporter We often shame and accuse women of over-sexualizing themselves without considering why. As women...Read More
American politics vs. student politics: an informative retrospective piece By Colby Merrill, Reporter As Associated Student Body (ASB) President there is much weight and pressure on me to do what is “best” for the...Read more
JUNE 9, 2021
Vashon’s housing market is hurting our community
By Isaac Escovedo, Editor-in-Chief Vashon Island is a wonderful, albeit costly, place to live. A cursory glance at the back...Read More
VHS literature curriculum reinforces trauma
By Katherine Kirschner, Contributing Reporter Almost every year since sixth grade, I have been forced to read text explicitly about the abuse and assault women....Read More
OCTOBER 12, 2020
What it’s like to move houses during a pandemic
By Ivy Merkl, Reporter Moving houses is stressful in general, especially if it is to a completely new place full of strangers, and a pandemic can be rather trying for most people...Read More
Islanders are hungry for more food diversity
By Milo Carr, Co-Content & Social Media Editor Pretty much anywhere you go in the world, you will find a delicious variety of food. Except Vashon, where you will find many lovely restaurants selling...Read More
OCTOBER 5, 2020
J.K Rowling tweets controversial opinions
By Hank McSheehy, Reporter J.K. Rowling’s book series, “Harry Potter,” is a huge staple in the young adult community, introducing fans to a world of wizardry and witchcraft for nearly two decades. Rowling has recently announced a new book and the public's reaction has been mostly negative...Read More
SEPTEMBER 25, 2020
Getting tested for COVID-19 is safer than notBy Catherine Brown, Photo & Business Editor
With COVID-19 and all the craziness that 2020 has given us, getting tested for coronavirus might seem a little scary. However, I think it is extremely important. Many islanders are acting as if there isn’t a global pandemic...Read More
Which streaming platforms are the most valuable during lockdownBy Aidan Janssen, Reporter & Designer
Streaming has taken over the visual media market. Millions of people have been using streaming platforms to gain access to thousands of hours of entertainment right at their fingertips, and uncertainty during the COVID-19 lockdown has meant that many...Read More
JUNE 12, 2020
Podcasts to Listen to in Lockdown
By Elias Canterbury, Reporter
All the extra downtime being socially distanced and stuck at home can get kind of mind-numbing. Podcasts are a wonderful way to not only pass the time, but also give yourself something productive to do. Here’s a list of podcasts for...Read More
MARCH 11, 2020
Life 360 puts a divide parents and teensBy Catherine Brown, Photo & Business EditorIn a modern age, parents are finding new ways to track their kids. This leads to distrust between parents and their kids. Life 360, along with related apps like Glympse, provide a location monitoring service, which allows families to track...Read More
U.S. and Iranian tensions reach a pinnacleBy Chancellor Mentink, ReporterThe assissination of Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian top official and head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, will have many repercussions for the U.S.’s future in the Middle East. Soleimani became a military war hero in both Iraq and Iran after stopping ISIS’s advance into Baghdad, almost...Read More
FEBRUARY 7, 2020
Grading deadline should be required of teachersBy Catherine Brown, Photo Editor and Business EditorIn a modern age, parents are finding new ways to track their kids. This leads to distrust between parents and their kids. Life 360, along with related apps like Glympse, provide a location monitoring service, which allows families to track...Read More
National age to purchase tobacco should not be raised to 21By Alexander Wolf, reporterOn Jan. 1, the national age to purchase tobacco products was raised from 18 to 21. This change may initially seem logical and productive. However, this law takes away choice from consenting adults, has a historical precedent for failure, and will prove to be ultimately...Read More
DECEMBER 20, 2019
Humiliation of students at the hands of staff is detrimental now and in the long runBy Milo Carr, reporterThey say absolute power corrupts absolutely, so while teachers don’t have complete authority in their classrooms, it seems there's enough power to corrupt them anyways. Some teachers at this school seem to...Read More
Every Day is Leg Day With Tara VanselowBy Isaac Escovedo, ColumnistI heard Tara Vanselow was a hardcore runner, so before we worked out, I bought a coffin and finalized my will. This was...Read More
NOVEMBER 15, 2019
Pilates and paragliding: A look inside the life of Kristen DallumBy Isaac Escovedo, ColumnistThe way Kristen Dallum exercises is not exactly conventional, so we went for a walk instead. Dallum walks fast — she likes to get the blood flowing. She walks for at least...Read More
Concussive consequences: Football poses unnecessary health risksBy Chancellor Mentink, ReporterFootball is one of the most notable American sports, acting as the center for many family traditions. However, it is also one of the most dangerous sports in the world. With higher...Read More
OCTOBER 18, 2019
Getting Schooled in the Gym: ACalBy Isaac Escovedo, ReporterI thought Andrew Callender was kidding when he told me to bring a muscle shirt to school, but when I arrived in the high school weight room, he reclined stretching in sleeveless glory. Callender moved to the bench, and as he started pumping iron, I started pumping him for information...Read More
The Expectations and Reality of Holiday in ParisBy Halle Wyatt, Co-Content EditorWhether you call it the City of Love or the City of Light, we can all agree that Paris, France has a sizeable reputation. You hear the name and your head is filled with images of heart-shaped padlocks over the Seine, a glittering Eiffel Tower soaring high into the French skyline, and an artful shot of the...Read More
JUNE 7, 2019
Some things are just not translatableBy Klara Plenk, ReporterBefore I came to the U.S., I expected there to be a drastic division between American and German culture. However, living in this country during the school year has shown me that comparing two cultures is more complex than just making a list of pros and cons...Read More
Riptide adviser leaves for Virginia By Isabelle Spence, Associate EditorThe Riptide serves an important role in the school community and for the students who choose to participate in it. The class provides new opportunities, an important education in journalistic methods, and most of all, a strong support system in the staff...Read More
APRIL. 26, 2019
Teens react to legislation raising tobacco-purchasing age to 21By Joseph LaVigueur, ReporterFor the past several years, an epidemic of underage use of tobacco products and vapes has swept the nation. In 2018, a Monitoring the Future survey found that 37.3 percent of 12th graders reported “vaping” in the past 12 months.In response, as of Wednesday, March 27, Washington joined eight other states in raising the age to purchase tobacco and vapor products to 21 through House Bill 1074...Read More
Schools should require bilingual certification for childrenKatherine Poston, ReporterLearning a foreign language is an invaluable part of a child’s education. The new connections that result from learning a language can make students smarter and promote improved mental health. However, these benefits often fail to reach American audiences, due to a lack of prioritization of teaching languages in America...Read More
MAR. 8, 2019
Parsing the Green New Deal Lewis Kanagy, Online EditorIn early February, the increasingly popular Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez released her plan for what is called the Green New Deal (GND). This plan lays out a number of lofty goals centered around cutting U.S. carbon emissions.The GND was presented as a plan to move toward green energy usage. However, it also includes a number of items that have little to do with clean...Read More
Proposed gun control fails to stop mass shootingsBy Joseph LaVigueur, ReporterIn November of last year, a sweeping gun control initiative called Washington Initiative Measure No. 1639 was passed. This has since led Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson and his office to push for more gun control legislation. Their proposals include a ban on magazines over a...Read More
FEB. 1, 2019
An outsider’s take on AmericaSYLVIE KOEFOED-NIELSEN, REPORTERIn November of 2012, I moved to the Seattle area from Marlborough, a small town in southern England. Marlborough isn’t known for much besides its two obscure claims to fame: it has Britain’s second-widest high street, and it hosts the college that Kate Middleton attended...Read More
College tuition should not be fully subsidizedBY LEWIS KANAGY, ONLINE EDITORTuition prices seem to be rising uncontrollably, and pointing fingers at the government — calling for fully subsidized “free” tuition — has become a common response. The current student loan debt total in the United States sits at around $1.5 trillion, and has continued to climb over the past few decades. Paying for college tuition has become a growing concern, and it is developing into a...Read More
DEC. 22, 2018
Thriftway offers surprising glimpse into island cultureBY ELIZABETH LANDE, CO-COPY EDITORWhoever said “All roads lead to Rome” has clearly never been to Vashon Thriftway. While the eternal city certainly brings its own people together, this grocery store does a better job than Rome could ever hope to perform in uniting a community. In fact, I’m prepared to swear on all the pasta sauces in aisle three that, during one of my regular eight-hour shifts as a courtesy clerk, I see half the island’s population enter and leave the store...Read More
Jumping the hurdle of student debtBY GARRETT MUELLER, BUSINESS EDITORIn addition to constant academic stressors, college students must deal with the added difficulty of paying for college tuition and expenses.Most college students can expect to take out a student loan at some point during their collegiate career in order to make ends meet...Read More
NOV. 21, 2018
Intersectional feminism unites womenBY SYLVIE KOEFOED-NIELSEN, REPORTERYou probably hear people frequently throwing around the word “feminism,” but many misinterpret what it means to be a feminist in the modern world. In order to be a feminist, one cannot expect women to conform to their own expectations of them, and they must be aware of the various experiences of sexism for different women in different cultures...Read More
Student body must learn to be LGBTQ+ allies BY KATHERINE POSTON, REPORTER & DESIGNERWith the current politicians and policies present in the American government, it is clear that LGBTQ+ rights are being reduced, questioned, and ignored. As a member of an age group that will shape the future of our country...Read More
OCT. 19, 2018
National conversation over Kavanaugh sets poor example for teensBY BELLA CRAYTON, CO-COPY EDITOR & ISABELLE SPENCE, CO-CONTENT EDITOR | OCT. 19, 2018On Sept. 14, an anonymous allegation was covered in The New Yorker, accusing then Supreme Court Justice-elect Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting a female classmate in high school. A few weeks later, the woman identified herself as Dr. Christine Blasey Ford...Read More
Vashon needs a voice in county governmentELEANOR YARKIN, REPORTER | OCT. 19, 2018Ever since the dissolving of the Vashon Maury Island Community Council (VMICC) in 2012, Vashon has struggled to provide a definite voice in King County government. With a multitude of issues facing the island, the community needs a place to discuss their ideas and to win influence in the county. The community council should be reinstated to provide a forum where community members...Read More
JUNE 8, 2018
Unweighted GPAs are good: we’re not complainingBY SASHA ELENKO AND SAMUEL CHOWNING, CO-CONTENT EDITORS | JUNE 8, 2018VHS does not calculate weighted grade point averages (GPAs). In fact, to our knowledge, the idea of factoring course difficulty into the calculation of GPAs has never been seriously promulgated to or considered by the administration...Read More
Dress code sports bad policyBY CLARA ATWELL, ASSOCIATE AND BUSINESS EDITOR | JUNE 8, 2018Every year, as the days begin to heat up, tensions seem to rise regarding the student dress code. This year I have become particularly frustrated with how the dress code translates to sports practices. I have run cross country in the fall for the past five years and played tennis in the spring for the past three...Read More
Embedded honors lacks many of the benefits that regular honors and AP classes offerBY CLARA ATWELL, BUSINESS AND ASSOCIATE EDITOR | JUNE 8, 2018Every member of this editorial board has taken advantage of the Advanced Placement (AP) courses offered at the high school, in particular the social studies classes, from freshman to senior year. We fear that the planned substitution of the AP World History course with standard world history, with the option of embedded honors, will put future students at a disadvantage when entering college. In theory, embedded honors provides rigor in classes where students otherwise would not find it; however, taking away AP courses in the name of embedded honors does not seem justified...Read More
MAY 14, 2018
Opinion: Racism in the South is subtle, not goneBY ELIZABETH LANDE, REPORTER | MAY 14, 2018The American South is very, very old. It seems to breathe history, with every square harboring its own secrets of the Antebellum era and beyond.Live oaks draped with Spanish moss pose beside stately town houses that have sat on their foundations since long before the Civil War. It’s an effortlessly elegant place, straight out of “Gone With the Wind,” and I’ve been spoiled enough to experience it nearly every year of my life...Read More