One Day for Change

 Over the past several years, Crossroads has been participating in what we call "One Day for Change." This day is an intense bonding experience where students and staff open up, set judgement aside, and learn that we are in this fight together. So, can one day make a difference? That is the question that was up for debate at the beginning of the school year. Typically this day for change is done the first week of school, but staff thought that it should be pushed off until mid-year. This was quickly seen as a mistake as students began demanding that we need it.

The need became evident when over 30 students showed up to participate in Voices of Youth, a club started by Principal Bridgette McVay, when normally there are only around ten students in this club. These students felt that the school was becoming divided, bullying was increasing, and the family-feel was lagging. They knew the importance of this day and they begged for the school to participate in it before it was too late. As students met in the gym for the event, Bridgette voiced her gratuity for students speaking up, "Sometimes staff think we know what is best, but I was reminded today that I need to listen to our students."

The day started out with students lining the gym with chairs and playing games. There was laughter as they ran across the gym floor and squeezed into chairs. Some students even tumbling to the floor with a competitive but playful energy. A beach ball was bounced around and students squeezed into a circle next to others they didn't know were going to be their friends by the end of the day.

After a little bonding and playing, students then joined into "family" groups. These groups were led by either a student or teacher. Each group had around 6-7 people. As we got to know each other a little more, we took a break to eat lunch. The tough part was coming next.

When lunch was over, we returned to a corner of the gym where guest speaker Ms. Julie Stark and former student Chelsea shared their personal stories. Everyone listened respectfully as they shared powerful life stories of overcoming pain, heartache, and challenges unimaginable. These powerful women spoke to our group of students and showed us what pure strength looks like. Showed us that it is OK to be vulnerable. That all of us are flawed. We have our doubts. But we must press forward and strive to love those around us with the talents and skills we were given. Stark is now a teacher at Crossroads who leaves an impact on students and pushes them to do their best. Chelsea owns a yoga studio where she offers free classes to current Crossroads students and shares her story of how mindfulness and healthy choices changed her life around.

After hearing their stories, we were ready as students and staff to get back in our families and talk. Students opened up to those they had only seen walk past them in the hall. Students shared stories of depression, being bullied, homelessness, and lack of parental love. As each student finished their part of the story, they were met with kind hugs and words.

Now was for the part that truly brings us together as students. This is called "Crossing the Line." In this activity, a statement is read, and if it applies to you, you cross the line.

Statements like:

                         I feel lonely

          I have been bullied

                        I have been discriminated against for my religion

                                        I have lost a loved one to suicide

               I have spent the night not knowing where to sleep
                                            
                                                      I am been in an abusive relationship

                        I have experienced domestic violence

          I got to be a child

As many students crossed the line, they saw others cross with them; people who have experienced similar pain. Tears streamed down faces and arms were wrapped around each other. There was a stillness. Quietness in the air. One that brought us all together. It was more than peace and comfort though.  There was something about hearing your own foot steps walk across the gym floor to the sound of others walking with you. The sound that echoes, "You are not alone."

As we completed the day, students did shout outs to each other. Students thanked and apologized. Students voiced how grateful they were to be here. New student Cesar stood at the front of everyone and said what we were all thinking, "I was told to come to Crossroads because it is like a family, but it wasn't until today that I really knew what that felt like."

-Journalism Team

Teens Dealing with Stress

  One main issue I’ve experienced massively as a teen is stress. I am a junior,

I have a job, school, Sno-isle, and packet class on top of it all. I struggle with finding
time to go out and have fun with friends and keep balance of things I need todo and things I want to do. It’s hard when you set goals for yourself and yourmotivated to do accomplish that goal because at this age there is always somethingin the way, that sets you back, whether it’s financial reasons, family, or evenjust not knowing what the next step you need to take is. I know that I’d liketo go to college, but my family doesn’t have the extra funds, and there’s noway that I could afford college and all other necessities on a minimum wagesalary. Knowing that, the step I had to take was to get a job, and I startedsaving. It’s not easy, but I know college is something I really want.
move forward when there’s nobody there to help and support you along the way. I
think that may be one reason teens often get depressed; they lose the support
and motivation from family so they no longer want it for themselves. Then they
begin failing knowing that’s only gonna make it worse. Soon enough they result
to drugs and alcohol to ignore the depression and stress.

            Another major issue I have noticed in our community is that a lot of teens
have lack of support and structure at home. That makes it hard for them to want
to do well in school because they have no one telling them that they need to. It’s hard to
-kenna Watts

A Day I will Remember

A day I will always remember was the day my grandpa broke my heart into a million pieces and didn’t respect my grief in any way, shape, or form. My grandma Denise passed away a few weeks before thanksgiving of 2015. She died from a bad mix of pills. Her older brother gave her some pills to help her with some medical issues that she was having knowing that it wouldn’t mix well with her everyday medicine for depression and anxiety. Denise only asked for the pills because she was too scared to actually just go in to the doctor’s office. Her brother later on found out that she passed, and he admitted to giving her the pills knowing that it would most likely kill her. I am so angry!  I hope that he has the worst karma for the rest of his life. She was the most sweet, loving, caring, respectful, understanding, and amazing women. She always listened to me when I needed to talk, and she was always there for me. It broke my heart when she passed away.

 I remember when my dad told me that she died. Right after he said it my legs turned to jell-o. I fell to the floor crying and yelling. A couple weeks later my grandpa called and told me that he was going to come up for Thanksgiving so we could all grieve about grandma as a family. Thanksgiving Day came along and he knocked on the door around 11 in the morning. I opened the door and I instantly was angry. He introduced me to this old wrinkly women that was standing next to him. His exact words were, “I’d like you to meet Patricia, my current girlfriend.” I immediately went and told everyone that he brought his new girlfriend before he got to them. They were all astonished. I couldn’t believe that my grandpa could be so cruel and mean. I was expecting just my grandpa so we could grieve but instead he brought a new girlfriend. I ended up staying in my bedroom the entire time he was there. Later on, when dinner was done, he asked me why I wasn’t downstairs with the family and I just said that it was because I wasn’t in a good mood. I didn’t talk to my grandpa for about a year after that happened and it really sucks. I never really told him about how I felt about her but it doesn’t matter because a few months after that thanksgiving he married her.

-Bryanna Daves

Sexual Harrassment

What's your take on sexual Harassment? Have you been harassed? Or maybe someone you love has been. Either way, this form of aggression affects the lives of many. So many people, the vast majority being women, have been hurt by someone who couldn't take no, nor a hint, and overstepped bounds.

    How many women may you ask? Well, 1 of 6 women will experience either an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime, whereas for men, the odds are 1 of 33. Each year 18,900 men and women in the military, 80,600 inmates, and 321,500 children and adults over the age of 12 have experienced a form of rape or sexual harassment.

    The fact that this is an issue so prevalent in an intelligent society speaks volumes for how their is a system stacked against those who are seen as “weaker” by another individual. This is often due to sexism and misogyny, which is still unfortunately an issue.

The occupations with the highest concentration of sexual harassment are the following

1-Business (banking, trade, etc.)

2-Sales and Marketing

3-Hospitality

4-Civil Service

5-Education

    These are occupations that are dominated by men in areas of power, and power sure is corrupting.

    Men experience plenty of sexual harassment as well of course, the issue however is how society then perceives a man who openly admits to being hurt that way. These men are then dealing with others who think that, for whatever reason, these men should have been happy about the contact, or should have had the power to stop it. So, many cases of sexual aggression towards men are left unreported, and so the numbers stay low.

    The overall percentage of cases has however, dipped by 60% since the early 1900s. As a people and society, we are becoming more educated, but some of that focus should be put towards emotional intelligence. Those who better understand and empathize with others are less likely to commit atrocities.

-Val Bates

The Story That was Never Told

The Story That was Never Told

Have you ever been put in a situation that was dangerous and completely out of your control? Well I have, and I hope to shed some light on this topic. I don’t believe people really are understanding of the severity of sexual abuse. Sexual assault affects people of all ages, but it disproportionately affects young people, especially those who are of high school and college age. Sexual assault affects people under the age of 18 of all genders and racial backgrounds. Rape does not wait for you in a dark alley, it does not wait for you to be alone, and it does not wait for you to consume alcohol or any other substance. You are more likely to be sexually assaulted by your friend or acquaintance than by a random stranger. Statistics say 1 in 9 girls and 1 in 53 boys under the age of 18 experience sexual abuse or assault at the hands of an adult.

We are told by many that these assault victims/survivors are attacked because they did not do enough to prevent their assaults, but why are we shaming the people that are feeling the most pain? They say that they must have been wearing something, they must have said something, or they must have been doing something that led to them being raped, harassed, groped, molested, and/or verbally threatened. This is just what society wants people to believe because it is easier and not as terrifying as recognizing that these acts of violence could happen to anyone including you or someone you know. We would rather blame and silence those who try to speak up than listen and be forced to admit that this is a real problem.

Sometimes it is experiencing the affects of assault to truly understand it completely. Almost a year ago my life was flipped upside down... Over winter break, December 2016 is when the worst day of my life took place. At this time I was 15 years old, just a sophomore girl moving into a new high school. I had been downward spiraling after fighting with the guy I was seeing. I wasn’t making smart decisions, and I chose to go out to a small kickback with a few people that night. I kind of knew these people but only one person I was with was someone I thought I could trust. I still remember crying in the backseat of the car on the way there, listening to sad music that made my head go numb. One of the girls I was with offered me a bottle telling me that it’s going to make all the pain go away and sure enough, I started chugging it. By the time we had arrived, I had chain smoked 7 cigarettes and drank over half that bottle; I definitely felt numb. We show up and the ground is all icy, it’s pitch black outside and snowing. My friend, ”already hammered”, was leaning all over me and slipping around as we walked into this garage that led us to a room filled with faces I didn’t recognize. For awhile my head was clear, but right as I would start enjoying myself, another flashback of him would appear and that heartbreak would replay over and over in my head. The night became a foggy mess as I continued drinking until I couldn’t see or move. I was completely numb and still in heart shattering pain. The girl that offered me a bottle decided to invite her nineteen-year-old friend over while I was blackout drunk on the couch. At some point in time in my sleep this stranger crawled behind me and tried to hold me. I was resistant. My friends, all hammered, just sat there and watched not knowing what his true intentions were. I hoped if I fell back asleep it would all be over, and he’d leave me alone. That wasn’t the case. After everyone fell asleep, I was awoken to being molested and held down while I was half-asleep. I started  to cry unable to move or speak. My body was paralyzed as he stripped me of my clothes.

He kept repeating, “are you dtf?”
Little did anyone know I was a virgin. I tried to shake my head “no” and started crying a bit harder. He didn’t listen. He continued to hurt me until I started crying too loud. Since I wouldn’t respond or do what he wanted, he got angry and threw me to the ground. I was forced to sleep there bare naked on the freezing cold, cigarette-bud covered floor. I prayed he wouldn’t wake up and try to do anything again. I silently cried myself to sleep.

I woke up still shaking around 6 a.m and everyone was still asleep. I grabbed my friend Alexis’s extra jacket and threw it on, and I tried to get any of my stuff together. Alexis was driving, therefore I needed to wake her up quietly and try to get out of there before the nineteen-year-old boy woke up. I ran out of there when she woke up, barefoot through the snow. As I reached her car,  I start to feel the tears stream down my face again remembering all the awful things I was put through that I now have to explain to my friend. I didn’t want to tell a soul, but we needed to leave. She hands me a cigarette and tells me to tell her exactly everything that was going on. As the words of what happened slowly creep out, I’m unbearably crying now. I  can’t even bring myself to take a drag. I soon realize the man that tried to rape me was best friends, “brothers,” with the guy I happened to be seeing at the time.

My boyfriend, at the time, tried to find his old friend to beat the crap out of him, but the guy that tried to rape me was hiding out, because he is over 18 and I’m a minor. I tried to get the police involved. I asked for help within my school, but no one truly ever helped me in the ways I needed. I needed to know I was safe and protected. I needed to know that he wasn’t going to go around and hurt more innocent girls. All I ever felt was fear and pain for months. I just am completely traumatized from this experience. That was by far the worst night of my life. Our principal took me to a few sexual assault counselors, but that didn’t help much; I still was in a constant state of fear. Today I live a much happier life and my PTSD hasn’t got in the way of my life in a while. I’m in a new safe and happy relationship. Today just happens to be our 10 months, and I couldn’t be happier. Yes I wish the guy that tried to rape me was locked away, but I haven’t given up. Sometimes to this day I will see him hanging out around outside of my school with people I called my friends. Trust me, it hurts. The second I see him my heart races. I can feel that fear and pain rage inside of me again. Every time I have to drive past him, I’m forced to look back at the awful things he put me through. I wrote this to hopefully spread some awareness on this sensitive topic. You aren’t as alone as you feel. Don’t be afraid to speak up and tell someone if you are ever put through a situation as awful as this. I know it hurts and you don’t want to tell anyone, but I promise keeping everything bottled up inside is not the way to go. If anyone ever needs someone to talk to personally, i’m always here. I can offer you help in whatever way you need. I’m always an understanding listener and willing to speak up for those who are too afraid.

-Aleah Rosenberg

Tattoos

Have you ever thought about getting a tattoo? Well if you have I wanna tell you something, make sure it has a meaning to it so you won’t regret it later. My first tattoo is a horse with daisies coming out of it. The meaning for this tattoo is my very first horse, Daisy. It's a memorial for her, so I won't forget all the memories her and I have. She was my pride and joy and she just happened to bless me with her baby, Jazzmine.

Tattoos should tell a story. They should tell where you’ve been and where you plan to be as you continue to grow into who you are supposed to be. You should be able to look at it and feel happy because you have a flashback of why you got it. A tattoo to me is more than just a scar with ink; when I think of a tattoo I think of a chapter in someone's life. I think about what it might mean to someone.

I’m getting ready to get my second tattoo! My inner geek is coming out, and I’m getting a Batman tattoo with my favorite quote around it, “It's not who I am underneath but my actions that define me.”

A tattoo is something that’s a commitment, so make sure you get something that you’ll never regret because tattoos are kinda permanent.

-Rhiannen Conrad

How do you tell your parents that you’re pregnant?

Telling your parents that you’re pregnant is going to be rough, no matter how you do it. You should make sure you have gathered your thoughts. First, you should tell them that you need to talk to them and then wait for them to sit down. I would also suggest you bring a trusted adult if you think that things will get out of hand with your parents. When you’re ready, tell them very bluntly. For example, say “ I’m pregnant” and wait for them to ask questions. They could either be calm or angry. You won’t know what will happen until you tell them, but the longer you wait, the more likely that they’ll be more upset.

The way that my parents found out is nothing like how you should tell them. How my parents found out is down below.

Well it will definitely be different for everyone; I personally didn't tell my dad. I was babysitting with my best friend Brianna and her dad came and picked us up to take me home. That's when I told him and Brianna that I needed to stay with them because I couldn't be at home anymore. My dad had messaged me while I was babysitting saying that he knew I was pregnant. He then sent me a screenshot of something that I had liked on Pinterest. I guess my uncle saw it and took a picture and then sent it to my dad. I told him, “yes, I am pregnant” and that I was on my way to get my stuff and leave. He had never really wanted me there to begin with. With me being pregnant and not getting an abortion I jus

t knew I had to leave. There was no way I was going to raise my baby in that kind of environment. So we got there, put all of my stuff into bags as fast as possible, and then left.

I was pretty overwhelmed and scared of what my dad might do, but he didn't do anything. He just didn't care. He said that I was ruining my life, and I would never finish school;  I determined to prove him wrong. My grades have already gotten a lot better since I transferred from the high school to Crossroads, and I'm doing a packet class to catch up on credits. Now if you're pregnant and need some support, I am always here to talk to you. Whatever you decide to do, I will support you! My daughter is now 3 months old and there is nothing or anyone that can replace her. She is my happiness. Teen parenting is hard, but it is very doable. Do what you want to do whether it's going to college or work, you can do it. It may take a little bit longer than most, but it is possible.

-Bryanna Daves

Crossroads Daycare

Granite Falls Boys & Girls Club Early Learning Center is a daycare located at Crossroads high school. Around five years ago Bridgette saw a need to help out our school teen moms. Moms were struggling to find ways to get their babies to daycare and themselves to school. That is when

childcare was brought to our students. They accept children from one month to two-and-half years old. The daycare has two rooms designed for the difference in age groups; one for infants and one for toddlers. The toddler room was just opened in September 2017.

The infant room has toys to help them walk and crawl and singing toys to help them understand the concept of making sounds.The toddler room is more open and has sections for different types of learning. The toddlers love to get their little hands messy and paint, draw, do arts and crafts. While still learning to use their tiny fingers, they need a little help with their projects.

The infant room is licensed for up to 9 children and the toddler room is licensed for up to 14 children. The daycare accepts private pay and DSHS. Childcare can be pricey, and for our teen moms, it can be the determining factor in choosing a daycare. That is why our daycare accepts DSHS to help students and community members financially pay for childcare. They accept children from the Crossroads students and are also open to the community. The hours are Monday through Friday 6am to 6pm.
         If you would like to come and play with the children stop by and pick up an application; they are always looking for volunteers. It is a great way to get your volunteer hours required for graduation! You can also take daycare as an elective; it’s a fun way to spend one period of the day just playing and loving on babies. The daycare would love it if you came to do an art project or read to the children. The little kids love playing with the big kids.
      They are always accepting donations of clothes, baby food, toys, high chairs and bouncers.

-Lexi Short