The AviATorDecember 2009 FREE

Hutchison High School3750 Geist Road

Fairbanks, AK 99709

In Brief:

Luke Hopkins sat relaxed in his black conference chair and unbuttoned suit jacket, adjusting to his role as the new Fairbanks North Star Borough Mayor. Even before the election on November 3, Hopkins had been involved in the Fairbanks community for over forty years. During the Borough

Mayor election, the Fairbanks Education Association, the local teacher’s union,

publicly endorsed Hopkins and his bid for mayor. Fred Landru, the president of the

Education Support Staff Association, a part of the National Education Association, said that after the Political Action Committee interviewed all 18 of the candidates for the Borough Assembly and Mayoral election, Hopkins was a clear choice. “He always had the interest of education at

heart, and had a lot of education experience during his role at UAF,” said Landru.Hopkins was the University of Alaska

Fairbanks Superintendent of Maintenance from 1974 to 2004, and in the mid-90’s,

during the re-configuration of Hutchison Career Center, he was asked to join the Vocational Education Task Force. Hopkins and his other members discussed for roughly a year how Hutchison would evolve, and whether it should be a standalone high school, as well as a career-focused learning center. The Task Force constructed curriculum for

the trade classes, and also discussed what kinds of core classes would be essential for students when working in their trades. Hopkins described their discussions as “low key” but productive.

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Bundle up, Hutchison High

Photo by VERONICA SWAIM

The bitter cold creates a hostile environment for cars at 30-below. Students like Zach Cuchna warm up their cars well in advance before driving away after school.

See Page 8 WINTER

By SKYLER EVANS

New mayor contributed to HutchisonBy AVA GOEPFERT

Winter is a dangerous time in Alaska, with ice covering all of the roads and snow covering everything else. The freezing temperatures create a hostile environment that claims lives every year. Preparation is key during this difficult time, and students need to keep safe habits during the winter.One of the most important

tips is also one of the simplest; students need to dress warmly. Exposed skin can become frostbitten within a matter of minutes when it becomes cold outside, especially if it’s also windy. Gloves, coats, and hats are all necessary when going outside.Dressing warmly doesn’t just

mean wrapping yourself in enough layers to look like the Michelin Man, though. The materials used to make clothing will affect the ability for it to absorb and conduct heat, making certain clothes warmer than others. Thin pants or shirts won’t keep heat in very well, but

HOPKINS

a polar fleece jacket will hold warmth much better.These items are important

when outside at cold temperatures, but when the air

gets into the extreme cold range (under 30 below zero) they become a necessity. Students shouldn’t remove their gloves or hats in this weather, or the air

will quickly take heat away from the body through the exposed skin.Another precaution to take

See Page 8 MAYOR

• Sandy Cummings is spotlighted, retiring this year• Feeling Depressed? May be the winter season• Some students who enjoy snowmachining love that snow is here

• Wrestling season wrapped up• Basketball season start-ing up, state repeat?• Curling Club in Fairbanks adds to winter sports list• Hockey team update,state expectations

• “Christmas Carol” isn’t suited for children’s holiday movie list• Emily Ahern shares favorite holiday recipes

• Ava Goepfert talks tradition• Students’ Letters to the editor

School house rock

“West High Valley School” gives new meaning to “higher education.”

By NATTIE DIXON

BAck pAge• Chelsea’s Chuckles by Chelsea Roehl• New Year’s Resolutions from around the school

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NewsCummings: ‘You know I’m retiring this year’By EMILY AHERN

Photo by BROOKLYN PHILLIPS

As many of the students and faculty know, Sandy Cummings will retire at the end of this year. Cummings often utters the phrase, “You know I’m retiring this year.” In fact, her goal is to repeat this five times a day. Jeanette Hayden, principal of Hutchison who has worked with Cummings for over 25 years in three different schools, said, “I think we will miss her for a long time. We’re both living history. When she leaves, it will be like losing a sister”. Cummings is known for her love of and passion for teaching that she pours out on her students. As many of her students who have had her as a teacher may know, she never forgets to say “hello” and “goodbye” every day at school. Cummings is always seen watching the halls and greeting her students warmly. Mikayla Eager, a student of Cummings’ Computer Literacy class said, “She will help you out beyond what her job expects her to do. She will help you out with your other classes”. Another important aspect to some students that they will miss from Cummings is the treats she brings. Eager always remembers Cummings for her food. No matter what the occasion is, Cummings is seen bringing her students food, from her big breakfast spread that she provides during the

yearly testing to her occasional weekday treat of doughnuts. Cummings’ teaching career all started when her boss from the Alaska Native Education suggested that it would be a good idea to look into a teaching degree. “I didn’t really want to teach, because I liked what I did”, said Cummings. Her ultimate deciding factor was finances. “It all comes down to the money”, said Cummings, who now makes $20,000 more yearly than she did at her previous job. Continuing her pursuit of more education, Cummings graduated from the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 1990 with her major in Business Education. She then continued and got her masters degree in 1999 in Information Technology. Cummings started teaching in 1990 when she got her teaching degree, but she also was a home school liaison from 1982 to 1990. She started working for the school district in 1982. Cummings has taught all over the Fairbanks area including: Ryan Middle School, the “old Hutch”, West Valley, and now, Hutchison High School. Even after all these years of teaching, Cummings still has a passion for teaching and the students involved. Cummings has been a lifelong Alaskan for many years now, and in fact has only lived out of Alaska for one year in San Francisco. She

Sandy Cummings happily assisting student Savanna Yale in her accounting class

was born and raised in Alaska, but she still loves the state and teaching. “What I love about teaching is not so much about the subject but it’s the students and really seeing them get it. It’s incredible to see the light going on,” said Cummings. Cummings has been known for her attentiveness toward her students. At the previous school she worked at, she stated that she didn’t get to know the students as well as she would have liked, because, 1400 students compared to 400 at Hutch is a big difference. Cummings loves to get to know the students and share information with them. “She’s a very giving human being”, said Hayden. Teaching has not been the only job Cummings has had; in 1979 she was a preschool bus driver with the Fairbanks Native Association. Her very first job was at age 15 working at the Summit Lake Lodge taking

care of kids and cleaning for one month. Cummings said that $500 for working one month was hard work and not quite worthwhile to do again. She has also worked as the secretary for the city engineers and accounting area for the city of Fairbanks. Besides Cummings’ teaching career, family is also important. Cummings has been married to the same man for 36 years, and her marriage is still going strong. She has two children, one daughter and one son who are now grown up and out of the house, but she does have four grandchildren from them that she adores. “I love my grandkids, they are my precious gift”, said Cummings. After leaving Hutch, retirement plans for Cummings include cruising the Inside Passage for two weeks in May, and purchasing a camper to visit family and travel around the United States. Traveling is one

of Cummings’ favorite hobbies; she has been all over the world including Germany, France, and Australia. She also is looking forward to fishing in her village, Rampart, where she has a cabin. Cummings will be greatly missed to many, since she is retiring at the end of the school year. She has been a huge benefit to Hutch according to Hayden, giving her time and energy to the students. “She’s just one of those people that you don’t replace. I don’t think you can ever replace Mrs. Cummings; she’s one of a kind. She does all those extra things”, said Hayden. “I’ll miss her. I think anyone who’s had Mrs. Cummings will miss her. We’ll have to get a really good teacher to replace her”, said Eager. “It’s a bittersweet: sweetness in my next chapter of my life, but bitter because I’m leaving Hutch. I finally learned how to teach and now I’m quitting”, said Cummings.

Want to nominate a teacher for the teacher spotlight?

You can talk to an Aviator staff memberor Mr. Coughlin in room 122

or drop off a nomination in the box in Mr. Coughlin’s room

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Students find escape on snowmachines By BROOKLYN PHILLIPS

Gloves, snow pants, boots, coat, goggles; snowmachiners make sure they have them all. You load your sled into the back of your truck and head out to your favorite riding spot. Snowmachining, the favorite pastime of so many Alaskans. Students all over Hutchison High School have a certain obsession with the sport. Waking up to look out their window and see fresh powder is enough to send some of them through the roof. Walk down the hallways and students can be seen holding their arms out to imaginary handlebars, laughing and yelling, “BRAAAP!” “It’s fun when you’re going fast in deep powder, there’s no other feeling like it,” said Cody Kinsey, one of Hutch’s many sled enthusiasts. Many Hutch students, like Kinsey, take small engines classes. Being able to take sleds to school and park them in the shop is convenient for most of the riders. If they break down, students can bring them in and working on them teaches them how to take care them.

Some Fairbanksans suffer blues in blackness of winter By RACHELLE PIKE

Photo by BROOKLYN PHILLIPSA student’s snowmachine awating repairs in Tom Boyarsky’s shop

“It’s cheaper than having someone work on it, and if you mess up you can learn from your mistakes,” said Kinsey. A lot of people use riding simply as a fun way to hang out. In Fairbanks, it can be hard to find places to hang out with your friends. This is why most

students sit and pray for more snow so they can get out of the house. Of course, weather has to be taken into account before anyone goes riding. “Nobody wants to go riding in 20-below. I went riding in 57-below…it was stupid,” Kinsey said.

Hearing the roar of a snowmachine and smelling the gasoline in the air is enough to get any enthusiast pumped. However, there are some downsides to riding. “Running out of gas, breaking a trailing arm, driving all the way out to Summit to have

your sled break,” Kinsey said while running his pencil over his knee pretending it was a snowmachine. As he started talking about riding, Kinsey mentioned his two favorite places to ride: Eagle Summit and Turnagain Arm. According to him, the areas have deep snow, high mountains, and not many people. The combination makes them great places for tricks, like boon docking, where you flip your sled on one side and carve with one ski, and doing drops, where you drop off a steep hill and land on your skis. It seems like you can see and hear about snowmachining all over Alaska. Kids, adults, even the Palin family can be caught talking about it. Todd Palin, husband of ex-governor of Alaska Sarah Palin, is a professional racer. He has completed the Tesoro Iron Dog race every year since 1993, and is a four-time champion. Snowmachining can be a beloved pastime, or an intense sport. Students all over Hutch enjoy it, and you won’t stop hearing about it in the school.

A cold, dark winter has arrived for the residents of Fairbanks. Pretty soon the days will become shorter and shorter and many people will fall into a deep, dark depression. This is called Seasonal Affective Disorder or S.A.D for short. Many Americans especially, the ones who live way up north in Alaska, don’t know why they become more tired and less interested in the things they like. The reason for this is a depression that many

United States citizens fall into, mostly around winter, but it can happen in other seasons as well. This kind of depression happens because of melatonin in your brain. Melatonin is the bodies sleep and wake rhythm. When winter arrives that sleep schedule goes into a frenzy and the person gets more tired and they do not go out as much. This is a major sign that one may have S.A.D. “You aren’t able to take the joy in things anymore,” said Brandy Reeves the SPED teacher at Hutchison High School.

Reeves, who has dealt with S.A.D before, gives helpful tips on how to deal with this specific kind of depression. The first ways are daily activities people do during the summer. Obviously they cannot do those types of activities during the winter, but they can do other things. People should get out of the house for at least 40 minutes a day. This is because the body needs Vitamin D from the sun and food. The body is like a plant. It needs water and sun to survive, so make sure to go outside even if

it is cold. Another way to overcome depression is through the right diet. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables to also get that vitamin D. Also consider not eating too much or too little. Eat at least four times a day: breakfast, lunch, snack, and then dinner. This will help one keep their energy up and not feel so fatigued all the time. Yet another way is to add bright things in and around one’s home. Pant the walls yellow or spring time colors and add lights all over the house. The

best kinds of lights to use are light boxes. This is because light boxes give off light that has the same effect on our bodies as the sun. This is called light therapy and most people should sit near them for about 30 to 60 minutes a day and feel fine. These are some of the steps that can help with S.A.D. If any of these are not helping check out http://www.howtodothings.com/health-fitness/how-to-deal-with- seasonal-affective-disorder for more steps on how to deal with S.A.D.

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The Hutchison High School wrestling team’s hard work has been paying off according to coach Gregory Evershed, the team will be ready for Regionals. “The players’ drive to push themselves hard, even when they are tired, has got them where they are today” said Evershed. According to Evershed, the team’s strengths are their willingness to push themselves and helping each other become better wrestlers. If anything hurt the team this year, according to Evershed, it was the wrestlers not believing in themselves and their

abilities. He said you need to have a “you can beat anyone” attitude. According to Evershed, the Hutchison Meltdown was where the team performed its best. “Though these were important matches,” he said, “Regionals would be the most important.” “The team had a great showing and started to put things together that will pay big later down the road,” said Evershed. Evershed’s favorite match to watch was at the Meltdown when Kyle Milke wrestled his Lathrop opponent Conner Matthew, which ended in Milke’s first pin and win of the season.

“There have been many great matches, but that one comes to mind,” said Evershed. One thing over the past season Evershed wanted to change was a 125 lbs match between Hutch’s David Scerbak and Matthew Maloske at the Houston Invite. “I should have told David to take neutral and not put him in the down position and he probably would have won that match,” said Evershed. Evershed considers Dustin Elsberry, David Scerbak, Rudy Martinez, Corey Upton, Vinci Fricilone, Billy Kozevnikof and Austin Sayer to be the stand-outs this year.

“The whole team has come a long way since the beginning of the season,” said Evershed who looks forward to what the team will do with the rest of the season. Evershed is currently the interim coach and it is hard for him to state what he wants to work on next year, but if he does he is going to work on strength and cardio. Since Jeff Sagers is no longer head coach of the wrestling team at Hutch, Evershed, formerly the assistant coach has filled in as interim coach. With the season getting ready to wrap up, Evershed said he would like the wrestlers to “learn from their mistakes, not make the same mistakes, and have fun wrestling.”

Wrestlers’ drive carries through seasonBy ELI MAYNE

Hockey’s success encourages teamBy ELI MAYNE

Photo by TALON HOBBS

Captain Drew Baggen takes faceoff against Lathrop’s Torgen Soderlund in a November game

The Hutchison Hockey team has got off to a great start this year with a record of 10-1-1, with a loss to 4A Lathrop and a tie with 4A Eagle River. Though the Hawks have a loss and a tie in the 4A division, they also have won three games against bigger schools: North Pole, Homer and Juneau. The Hawks’ win over North Pole in their opener this season marked the first time Hutch has beat a 4A school in hockey. Along with beating North Pole, the Hawks won the End of the Road Shootout in Homer playing against: Homer, Juneau and Eagle River. The Hawks beat Homer 7-1, Juneau 2-1 and tied Eagle River 5-0 to take the tournament. “We have a better chance this year to take state,” said Wyatt Stutzke, the physical presence on the Hutch hockey team. This year Hutch has fewer teams to worry about: Healy and Delta being the only teams pressing the Hawks this year.

After a tough last-second loss last year, the hockey team is looking forward to state in Wasilla this season. “Our goal is to make state,” said Stutzke. The Hawks have used puck movement to win a lot of their games along with help from player’s individual abilities. Though the team has won all of their 4A games, one of the things this year that has hurt the hockey team is missed opportunities. “We need to put the puck in way more,” said Stutzke. “We’ve done well this year, but we still aren’t where we need to be,” said Stutzke, quoting coach John Teets. With state on the mind of every player, expectations are high for the team from coaches and the athletes. Staying focused during the season will be key for the team to take state this year, especially with important games still left before the postseason. “We need to continue to

outwork,” said Stutzke. The Hawks hard work has lead to late-game rallies, one of which caused a come-from-behind win against North Pole. The Tri-Valley game is going to be an important event for the Hawks, after they swept the Hawks last year in the two

games series in the regular season. The Hawks turned it around in the postseason last year, dominating them to make it to state. “It’s going to be a barn burner,” said Stutzke. “Last year the games were close and it’s going to be good this year.”

With a record of 10-1-1, there have been a lot of good moments for the hockey team this year, but one that comes to Stutzke’s mind is the North Pole game. “It was Hutch’s first time beating a 4A school and it was very special,” said Stutzke.

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With six seniors from last year’s 23-5 state championship team graduated, different players will be stepping up and leading the Hutchison High School varsity basketball team this season. The players from last year who were shadowed will now have their turn at defending the Hawks’ title. According to Andrews winning the title is a tangible goal for every team, it is just difficult and he realizes especially difficult attempting to repeat. “Every team’s goal is to make state,” said head coach Jonathan Andrews. “It’s going to be difficult coming into this season as reigning state champs,” said Andrews, “we’re going to have a bulls-eye on our backs.” A lot of the teams targeting the Hawks will have an advantage, as Hutch only has four home games this year. The Hawks will be going to Barrow, Galena, Sitka, Valdez and Glenallen for their road games. Most of the home games for Hutch this season will be against teams in the Hawks’ conference. The focus of this conference

for Hutch is beating their two in-town rivals: Eielson and Monroe. Along with their 3A games, the Hawks will also play some 4A schools: Lathrop, West Valley and North Pole, all of which are road games. “One of the strengths we had last year was height,” said Andrews. “That will be something the team will have again this year.”Although the environment has changed slightly for the Hawks this year, they have six varsity players from last year returning this season. “Kevin Rima and Keenan Mays are going to step up and lead the team this year,” said Andrews. Both Rima and Mays were All-Conference players in the Aurora Conference last year. Rima and Mays will be the only seniors on the team this year and are both co-captains, leading a much younger basketball team than last year’s. “They will both probably be heading off to college for basketball,” said Andrews about Rima and Mays. “They will be leading the program this year and will be very visible players.” The Hawks this year will be

a lot younger than last year’s team. Both Rima and Mays are excited for this upcoming season and having their chance to shine as co-captains and starters. “It’s going to be a lot better. We weren’t the go-to guys last year,” said Rima, who this year will have no older players taking the limelight, as last year’s six seniors did. “When the seniors couldn’t produce last year, we stepped up,” said Mays. “We really kicked in at regionals and state.” With former head coach Dave Thompson and six seniors leaving, the team’s play will be going in a slightly different direction, using more speed and breakout ability than last year. “Our play will rely a lot more on faster running,” said Mays. “That speed, our size and our defense will be our strengths this year.” The Hawks will be looking more to pass and run in their breakout strategy, with less offensive set up then last year. This more up-tempo style is referred to as “Run and Gun” by Mays and Rima. Along with being leaders

on the court, the Hawks’ co-captains take their roles as student-athletes seriously. “We want to have the highest

cumulative GPA of all the

teams,” said both Rima and

Mays.

Curling was first played in Scotland during the late Middle Ages. The name “curling” comes from the sound the rock makes when it goes across the ice after the team (called a rink) that throws it. Most rinks play together for years. It is now played in enough countries that it is now in the Winter Olympics. Hutchison High School has curler Quinn Evenson. Evenson started curling four years ago. He started when a friend told him it was fun so he went to an open house at the Fairbanks curling Club.

The season starts the first week of October and goes to the middle of April. Evenson practices nearly every day There are different events every day at the curling club. He is on an Alaska Junior team. There are out-of-city, state, and national bonspiels. A bonspiel is a curling tournament. The national bonspiels are held in the Lower 48 states. If anyone is interested in curling, the Curling Club is located on First Avenue near the Carlson Center. It has been around for over 100 years. There is a spectator gallery if people want to watch

the rinks play. Curling is a sport with two teams of four people. There are eight ends in a game. In an end each player on each team throws two stones. When one person throws a stone there are two people with brooms and one person at the end trying to show the person where to aim. The people with brooms sweep to make the stone go farther and curl less. The most experienced player goes last. The second most experienced player goes second to last. The object of the game is to get as many of your teams stones as close to

the house, which is a giant bull’s eye at the other end of the ice. The other team is trying to knock your stones out and get as many of their rocks as close as close to the center of the house.The rock is a round stone with a flat bottom that weighs between 38 and 44 pounds. There is a handle attached to the top with a bolt. The other main piece of equipment in curling is the broom, called a brush. The brush can have different types of bristles. The brush is used to momentarily melt the ice and help make the rock go farther.

By BRIAN HUME

Hutch shoots for repeat of state title

Student brings attention to obscure sport

By ELI MAYNE

Photo by YEARBOOK STAFFSeniors Kevin Rima, front, and Keenan Mays hope to co-captain the basketball team to a second state title.

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By RACHELLE PIKE“A Christmas Carol” directed by Robert

Zemeckis, is a movie based on the novel by Charles Dickens. The film follows Dickens storyline really closely but adds a dash of Jim Carrey’s humor. This is a twist because anyone who has read the Dickens novel might notice that the story itself is not meant to amuse its readers. Though funny, most of the jokes are hard to understand in this movie because not only does it follow the novel closely, unfortunately, it also follows the dialect as well. The speaking part of the movie was difficult to understand. The movie is about an old man,

Scrooge, voiced by Carrey, who is visited by three ghosts: past, present and future, also all voiced by Carrey. Scrooge goes through many trials and he

sees things that he wishes he has not. In the end he learns a lesson about how not to be a “scrooge.” Carrey is recognized for his work with

movies, such as “Bruce Almighty” and “Ace Ventura Pet Detective.” One may notice that he is a comedian and does not do well in horror films such as “The Number 23”. In “A Christmas Carol”, however, he did a magnificent job and should be congratulated on a job well done. This movie was entertaining to

watch. However, the dialect was hard to understand for it was a different vernacular than what is spoken today. This was a little off putting but not by much for the movie itself was hilarious. Carrey, as mentioned before, was a

delight in this film for he played not

one, not two, not even three characters; Carrey played eight characters throughout the film. This was clearly a well put together

movie but is not for the viewing eyes of children. This movie is based off of a Dickens novel and it was not meant for little ones. “A Christmas Carol” is a Walt Disney film and Disney has a history of fluffing their movies up just a bit. However, when it comes to this movie, that is not the case. Many kids went to see this movie and left feeling scared.One point of the movie shows a ghost

with a broken jaw hanging limply as he tries to talk. Though adults would find this funny the same cannot be said for kids who haven’t been around long enough to be exposed to something like that.

Another point is when the ghost of Christmas past chases Scrooge. There are evil black horses and what looks like the grim reaper as the Ghost of Christmas Past. It is like a metaphor for racing death because that is what he is doing. But, most young kids will not realize this and may get confused. Though this film may not be for

everyone, it is a great movie to watch especially with the holiday season rapidly approaching.This movie is not the first time that

Hollywood remade “A Christmas Carol” and will not be the last. This movie is timeless and it will continue to please the viewers no matter how many times they re-create it. Carrey does a great job in sustaining viewers until the next version of “A Christmas Carol.”

Carrey’s ‘Carol’ not kid friendly

By EMILY AHERNWith the holidays coming

up, are you dreaming of those delicious homemade cookies your mom makes that you can’t quite make yourself? As many know it can get rather stressful attending school while trying to prepare for the holidays like getting gifts for your sweetheart or loved ones. Why not make them those

yummy cookies they have been dreaming of as a gift instead of going out buying things they may not appreciate? If you are looking for some fun ways to enjoy the holidays, here are some guaranteed recipes that will not fail and are very easy to make.

PEANUT BRITTLE2 cups sugar1 cup water½ cup light corn syrup1 cup raw Spanish peanuts1 teaspoon vanilla½ teaspoon baking soda1 tablespoon butter½ teaspoon salt

Peanut brittle is one of my brother’s holiday favorites. Begin by combining the sugar, water, corn syrup, butter, and salt in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook mixture, stirring constantly until candy thermometer reaches a temperature of 290 degrees Fahrenheit, this will be a soft crack stage. Stir in raw Spanish peanuts; cook, stirring constantly, until candy thermometer reaches temperature of 300 degrees Fahrenheit, this will be a hard crack stage. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and baking soda. Quickly spread the mixture

onto a large greased baking

sheet. Cool the mixture until it can be broken into hard brittle pieces. If you happen to have any peanut brittle left, store in an airtight container or the brittle will get soft. This recipe makes about 1 ½ pounds.

WHITE CHOCOLATE COVERED PRETZELS½ to one pound white almond bark2 to 3 pounds small pretzelsColored sugar or sprinkles (optional)White chocolate covered

pretzels is another family favorite of mine, and it is easy to make. Start by checking your pantry to see if you have a ½ to

1 pound of white almond bark. If you don’t, this can be easily purchased during the holidays in the baking aisle of a grocery store. Also check to see if you have small pretzels, if you are going to use a whole pound of almond bark then you will need 2 to 3 pounds of pretzels, if not then 1 to 2 pounds of pretzels for ½ pound of almond bark is a good mix. Start by melting the white

almond bark in the microwave or slowly over a stove. Make sure no moisture or water gets in the bark. Add the desired amount of pretzels, and stir gently until completely coated, pour pretzels immediately onto waxed paper. Use a fork or knife and separate the pretzels into a single layer. Sprinkle colored sugar or sprinkles on top while coating is still wet. Let cool and harden on waxed paper, and enjoy.

SPICED WALNUTSOne egg white1 tablespoon water

½ cup sugar1 tablespoon cinnamon½ teaspoon allspice2 cups walnuts or pecansSpiced walnuts is a holiday

classic that will sure to please everyone. Begin by preheating the oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a shallow baking pan with foil. Combine the egg white and water and beat until foamy. Add nuts and toss to coat. Pour the mixture into a strainer and let drain 2-3 minutes. Combine sugar and spices in

a bag, and add walnuts. Shake vigorously to coat the nuts. Spread the nuts in one layer on the baking pan. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Let cool and enjoy. This recipe is also good with pecans.These quick easy recipes make

gift giving easy. Place your homemade goodies in a medal tin or arrange nicely on a paper plate. Everyone appreciates the extra time and attention given to homemade goodies, and the taste will be sure to delight.

Holiday recipes fit even for Santa’s cookie tray

Photo by EMILY AHERNWhite chocolate covered pretzels

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As many of you noticed, a few of our articles concern the holidays this issue. Some of you may find them fun, timely, and entertaining, but I know there are a few Scrooges out there who dislike the holidays and tradition in general. When the holiday music starts playing on the radio on Thanksgiving, you cringe and look at the radio in frustration. But I believe that we need to embrace tradition, and sing along with the holiday songs we all know so well.Tradition is defined as “the handing down of

statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice” by Dictionary.com. Simply put, tradition is our past. It is the history of our people, and the link that binds humans from hundreds of years ago, to humans today. Without the history, and the traditions that come with it, we would not be as we are.Those opposed to the various traditions of their

families or cultures argue that traditions can define who you are, and take away individuality. They say that when people let traditions guide them, it makes them less of an individual person, and more like the masses. These people define being an individual as someone who is unique and abhors traditions. But, individuality doesn’t have to be about going against traditions and denying your past, it can be about embracing your past and making it matter to you in your own way. Traditions can be adapted into your style and your life however you want. That is the beauty of being an individual. During this next holiday season, I encourage you

to embrace the holiday world around you, and find one tradition that you can adapt, make your own, and fully enjoy. Don’t let a Scrooge-like person affect something that can be wonderful in its own special way. Traditional holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s aren’t about being zombies and following what everyone else is doing. They are about using and making traditions that you can look forward to, and the generations after you can appreciate.

By AVA GOEPFERT

If you don’t like holiday tradition, tough tinsel

Letters to the editor: Thoughts on teachers To the Editor:I am writing in response to “Brilliant Minds of

Hutchison High.” Ava Goepfert is correct in say-ing that Hutchison teachers do not fit the “good” or “bad” mold. In middle school, I had the “good” teachers, like Ken Mach, who used games and a blog to help his students better learn math. I also had to “bad” teachers, who gave tons of notes, straight from the book and gave quizzes on thins she had not yet taught. Here at Hutch, I have no-ticed that teachers are not good or bad, they are just themselves and help kids learn at their own pace, yet making sure no one falls behind. I find it a quite refreshing change.I have also seen the kids, who don’t try to earn

good grades, hate their teachers more, simply because they were given the grade they earned. Teachers don’t play favorites. Students get the grade they earn. So if you have a test on Thurs-day, and cram for it Wednesday, and don’t do a very good job, yeah, not the teacher’s fault you waited until the last minute to study.The word” teacher” literally means “a person

who teaches or instructs, especially as a profes-sion’ instructor” (definition from Dictionary.com). But personally I think a teacher is someone who guides you on the path to success. The teachers at Hutch do just that, each with their own style.It’s really cool how all the teachers here at

Hutch are more than just teachers. I never knew Mr. Domke was a pilot. People who do more than just one profession seem smarter to me. The more experience in the different job fields a person has, the more they can share, or give back to our generation.In conclusion, I think Ava is right saying that

we need to take more time to listen to what our teachers are trying to teach us. You never know when you will get a tiny little jewel of knowledge that will last you the rest of your life. I know that I will be listening to my teachers better from now

on.-Eden Purple

Movies for childrenTo the Editor: Children movies today aren’t appropriate for

children. They contain adult movie action while stay a child’s rating. They include actions such as cussing. Then there is a lot more violence than there used to be. The world is changing and it definitely isn’t for the better, but can’t we watch decent movies?Cussing is very popular in the world today.

People have freedom of speech to say what they please. However a lot of people don’t like to hear it. It is unattractive. Imagine if you had a little girl innocent as can be, going around cussing every-one out. All because she watched a movie with a good rating that wasn’t all it said.We all have has nightmares right? You know

when you’re running away from someone or something. Where do those come from? Yeah, movies, mainly violent movies are where those come from. People love violent movies, but kids shouldn’t watch that. They can imitate it and abuse other kids. It’s really sad.The world is changing. Technology is getting

better so the movies also have better special af-fects which makes it more realistic. Now if you don’t let your kids watch movies you won’t have a problem. But everyone loves movies. Parent shouldn’t have to watch PG and G movies before their kids do, that is what the rating is for.Sorry to go all out on you but this is important.

“Where the Wild Thing Are” seems like a good movie like you said. But you said it is more of an adult movie too. Cussing, violence, and other in-appropriate actions are in moves more and more. These things aren’t right but everyone thinks it is ok just because it is being seen more and more Thanks for reading.-Laurin Fisher

Ava Goepfert Managing Editor, Reporter, Page Layout

Brooklyn PhillipsLayout Editor, Reporter, Page Layout

Chelsea VillalvaBusiness Manager, Copy Editor, Page Layout

Emily AhernBusiness Editor, Reporter, Page Layout

Skyler Evans Reporter, Copy Editor, Page Layout

Rachelle PikeReporter, Reviews, Page Layout

Eli MayneSports Reporter

Brian HumeReporter

AviATor sTAff

The AviatorPage Eight December 2009

is skin contact. At very cold temperatures, metal can freeze, and will instantly freeze any water or moisture that comes into contact with it. Students should never touch cold metal objects with bare skin, since it can inflict frostbite much quicker than the cold air around it. Frozen metal should never be licked, either.If students are going to be

outside for long periods of time, a helpful piece of equipment is a set of chemical hand warmers. These small packages take a bit of rubbing to get started, but provide important amounts of heat to the body, and can keep precious heat where it’s needed.“It’s always a good idea to

have emergency gear in the extreme cold,” said Martin Becker, the school nurse at Hutchison High School. “You can get frostbite in a matter of minutes.”Winter is especially dangerous

to high school students, as many students are starting to drive, and this is their first winter on

Boyarsky offers cold car tipsTom Boyarsky, auto-body teacher at Hutchison, knows a thing or two about

cars. He also knows a thing or two about students, so in order to make sure that student drivers avoid car damage and possible injury, he has put together a list of seven important pieces of advice. Any students who drive their own cars should make sure that they pay attention to these tips.

1) Oil: Make sure you have the correct oil for your car. If in doubt, 5W30 is a good choice.

2) Belts: Check that the rubber belts in the engine aren’t cracked or torn. Cold belts get brittle and easier to break.

3) Tires: Use winter tires, and make sure they’re inflated properly.4) Heaters: Plug your car in, and check that the oil pan and battery

heaters work. Check after few minutes to make sure heat is produced.

5) Cardboard: A good trick to keep engine heat up is to stick a piece of cardboard in front of the grille. This will stop cold air from flowing into the engine compartment as quickly.

6) Gear: The extreme colds can be very hostile. In case of a breakdown, make sure you have boots, gloves, a coat, tools, and a flashlight in your car.

7) Slow Down!: Most wrecks can be avoided just by watching your speed and not hurrying, especially on icy roads. You aren’t going to get there any faster if your car is in a ditch.

WINTER:Continued from Page 1

Now that Hutchison is a high school with core curriculum classes, Hopkins advises students to be involved in their government classes. He believes that people should know their laws, be aware of them, and learn how they relate to them.“The documents that guide

us every day—the constitution and the laws that are being made—those are the things that are going to always be affecting us,” said Hopkins. He also encourages students

to get involved with the community and volunteer. He

the roads. For those who are driving, an entirely new set of rules has to be taken into account for their cars. Most importantly, students need to winterize their cars.With a winterized car, students

need to make sure that they plug their cars in when it gets below zero degrees. They should have it plugged in for at least an hour or two before driving if it has

been sitting for a prolonged time period.Winter is a difficult time for

Alaskans, and students need to be careful during these long months. By being careful and preparing correctly, injuries can be avoided until spring comes back again. Until then, just remember not to eat yellow snow, and not to lick frozen poles, even if you’re dared to.

Continued from Page 1MAYOR: Hopkins

said being involved with the community brings people in the Fairbanks area closer together. As a former Fairbanks North

Star Borough Assembly Board member, Hopkins is intimate with Fairbanks issues, and the budget that the Assembly hands out to the various parts of the Fairbanks North Star Borough, including the School Board. Now, as mayor, he will only recommend a contributions for the School Board to the Assembly, who will later decide how much local contribution the School Board actually gets.

Food, Food and More

Food!

Do you want lunch out of school but are too worried about coming back late? Your solution is to order from Bistros by 9:20 each morning in the library. This system is all ready in affect and has been since November 17. Your orders will be taken as well as your payments in the time it would take them to get it all ready by 10:43. You can pay in cash or check or buy a $50.00 punch card from Bistros.

If you have any questions ask Mr. Short or Mr. Rohn.

New Year’s Resolutions“To spend more time with my family.” – Brooklyn Phillips, sophomore“I’m going to dominate the world.” – Austin Steinke, freshman“Hopefully eat more healthy, less soda, and more vegetables.” – Eric Keeper-Olsen, substitute“I’m going to be less stressed out and go with the flow.” – Karissa Pelham, freshman“To learn two new forms of Martial Arts and a new language.” – Skyler Evans, senior“To finish my master’s thesis.” – Brandy Reeves, SPED teacher