Fresh Faces: Katy Jach

Name: Katy Jach
School/year in school/age: Davis High School, freshman, 14
Activities/Hobbies/Clubs: Outdoors Club, Interact, soccer, tennis, Yakima Youth Symphony Orchestra (violin).
Favorite food: Spaghetti.
Favorite movies: “Wayne’s World.”
Favorite books/writers: Sarah Dessen.
Favorite music, musicians, or bands: Jack Johnson, Alicia Keys, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, Jason Mraz.
What is your most treasured possession? My violin.
What’s your favorite place to go in your hometown? Antojitos Mexican Restaurant.
Which person do you most admire and why? My violin teacher, Mrs. Peterson. She’s very inspirational and I can tell her anything; I trust her.
What would you do with $1 million? I guess I would buy someone a new house. I don’t really need a million dollars!
Three words to describe yourself: Daring, nerdy, smooth.
What is your greatest achievement? Winning the 8th-grade girls cross-country all-city meet!
Worst fear: Being lonely.
Greatest wish: That everyone would smile and be happy!
When and where were you the happiest? In Hawaii last year.
Where and how do you see yourself in 10 years: Attending some kind of school — music school or something.

— Hannah Besso, Davis High School

Fresh Faces: Chase Crouch

Name: Chase Crouch
School: West Valley High School
School/year in school/age: West Valley High School, junior, 17.
Activities/Hobbies/Clubs: Leadership Plus Club.
Favorite food: Cheese pizza.
Favorite movies: “The Hills Have Eyes,” “The Descent,” and “Cry Wolf.”
Favorite books/writers: Scott Westerfield and his books, the “Uglies,” “Pretties,” “Specials,” and “Extras.”
Favorite music, musicians, or bands: Mika, Hellogoodbye, Brand New.
What is your most treasured possession? My iPhone, because it is one of the first things I worked for when I started my job at Living Care Retirement.
What’s your favorite place to go in your hometown? The Yakima Valley Mall.
Which person do you most admire and why? I admire my older sister, Catie, because I learn from her, whether it’s from the good or the bad.
What would you do with $1 million? I would buy an emu.
Three words that describe you: Funny, smart, happy.
What is your greatest achievement? Getting into Leadership Plus my junior year.
Greatest wish: I wish I had my car back!
When and where were you the happiest? Seeing my sister, Grace, for the first time.
Where and how do you see yourself in 10 years? I see myself in a successful job with a wife and maybe a child.

— Evalyn Suarez attends West Valley High School.

Seven deadly sins: gluttony

By JORDIE RICIGLIANO
For UNLEASHED

For the first time in nearly 200 years, life expectancy for American teenagers might be declining. Scientists at the National Institute of Aging warn obesity could cut American lives short — by as much as five years — within the next few generations.
Though the study also suggests the problem can be easily remedied with trimmer waistlines, most Americans show little willingness to give up their lifestyles to achieve them. This seems especially true for teens who have grown up in an era in which consumption is considered a virtue.
Generally, modern teens are cheap, busy and hungry — a lethal combination when it comes to developing healthy habits in diet and exercise.
The Washington State Children’s Alliance blames cultural trends for our degrading approach to health. Its Web site says, “Unfortunately, children are growing up in an environment that encourages and promotes the over consumption of foods and beverages that are high in fat, calories and sugar, and discourages physical activity. As a result, childhood obesity has become an epidemic.”
In the past, our parents and grandparents walked to school and held more laborious jobs. Now, it seems teens are less active. Most drive or bus to school. And, thanks to the advancements in technology, their summer jobs have gotten easier. It’s simply easier today to be lazy.
And what teens lack in physical motivation, they make up for in consumption. In an online survey sponsored by the Habbo Community, teens continuously rank McDonalds at the top of their favorite places to eat, with Burger King coming in a close second.
Who could blame them for being Micky-Dee fans? When you order at McDonalds, you’re guaranteed the first, deliciously-greasy bite is less than three minutes away, you can manage the bill with the change scrounged out of your seat, and you can fill that growing belly with enough ketchup, dollar-fries and snack-wraps to last you until the end of school, when you can hit the nearest Taco Bell for a quickie before heading home or to practice.
Unfortunately, this lifestyle is also the perfect recipe for weight gain and its subsequent health problems.
One in four Washington teens, in grades eight, 10 or 12, is already overweight or obese, according to the report, The State of Washington’s Children. This puts them at higher risk for cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes later in life, which account for roughly half of American deaths.
Obesity has become such an issue the Washington State Public Health Association has even declared it a “serious threat to our health and well-being.” In response, the state recently passed legislation requiring public schools to meet specific nutrition and activity standards by 2010.
The new bill aims to create an environment that deters obesity and encourages students to develop healthier approaches to diet and exercise. It has caused schools to ban soda and candy in vending machines and ensured school offer healthy eating options for lunch.
But the education system is only a part of the puzzle. A lot of teens refuse to eat school lunches which, even before they became healthy, held the stigma of tasting like cardboard. When the law came into effect in 2005, young entrepreneurs quickly started under-the-table trades in candy, soda and other “outlawed” snacks as a way to satisfy their sugar cravings and make a few bucks along the way.
Physical education has nifty new loopholes as well. Many schools award P.E. credit to kids involved in sports; others offer alternative classes, like bowling or badminton, for those who are more P.E.-challenged.
Even with legislation action, it’s still too easy to be bad, at least when it comes to our health. For this reason, The State of Washington’s Children report suggests the best bet is a three-pronged attack: community support, school regulations and family encouragement. Together, these primary environments can give kids the resources and motivation to become stewards of their own health.
School health policies have worked best when paired with communities that have parks, pools and other resources. Teens in these communities tend to have lower rates of obesity and are less likely to have parents who are overweight.
So all hope is not lost. Most research today suggests people who become fit and eat better can actually reverse damage they did to their health while they were overweight. It’s motivation to start driving past McDonalds’ golden arches instead of driving through them.
But most proposed fitness models ignore an important aspect of teenage health: the responsibility of the teenagers themselves. In the end, we are all individuals who make our own daily decisions about what we eat and how active we are.
Becoming aware of our choices, why we make them and the consequences of those decisions, is key to taking charge of our health.
And perhaps saving our lives.

— Jordie Ricigliano is a 2008 graduate of Zillah High School and a former member of the Unleashed team.

Fresh Faces: Katie McHenry

Name: Katie McHenry
School/year in school/age: Selah High School, senior, 17.
Activities/hobbies/clubs: Swimming, skiing, boating, volunteering at Children’s Village and Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital, Memorial Hospital Youth Council, Honor Society, FCCLA, Senior Council.
Favorite foods: Fettuccini Alfredo.
Favorite movies: “Two Weeks Notice,” “Just Married,” “High School Musical 3.”
Favorite books: The “Shopaholic” series, and the “Harry Potter” series.
Favorite music, musician, or band: I like everything.
Most treasured possession: My pig pillow.
Favorite place to go in your hometown: Cactus Hill.
Which person do you admire most/why? Dr. House (from the TV show “House”) because he can diagnose anyone.
What would you do with $1 million? Pay for college and med school, donate some to Children’s Village, buy an Endless Pool
Three words to describe yourself: Random, dedicated, enthusiastic.
What is your greatest achievement? Winning the Hope Internship.
Worst fear: Getting attacked while staying home alone at night by a creepy guy dressed in black.
Greatest wish: To become a pediatrician for Doctors Without Borders.
When and where were you the happiest? When I got accepted into the University of Montana.
Where and how do you see yourself in 10 years? A resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

— Lisa Garrigues, Naches Valley High School

Fresh Faces: Kelsey Clifton

Name: Kelsey Clifton
School/year in school/age: Selah High School, freshman, 14
Activities/hobbies/clubs: Swimming, dance, FFA.
Favorite foods: Crunchwrap Supreme from Taco Bell.
Favorite movies: “Hot Rod.”
Favorite books: “PS, I Love You” by Cecilia Ahern.
Favorite music, musician, or band: Metro Station.
Most treasured possession: My cell phone.
Favorite place to go in your hometown: High school football games.
Which person do you admire most/why? My parents, because they support me.
What would you do with $1 million? Go shopping, travel, donate to charity.
Three words to describe yourself: Shy, blonde, outgoing.
What is your greatest achievement? Becoming a good swimmer.
Worst fear: Being attacked by clowns.
Greatest wish: To meet Michael Phelps.
Where and how do you see yourself in 10 years? Married, in a good relationship.

— Lisa Garrigues, Naches Valley High School

Fresh Faces: Brooke Anderson

Name: Brooke Anderson
School/year in school/age: Selah High School, senior, 17.
Activities/hobbies/clubs: Swimming, senior council, dance team.
Favorite foods: Crab, powdered sugar.
Favorite movies: “The Benchwarmers.”
Favorite books: “The Shack” by William P. Young.
Favorite band: Jonas Brothers.
Most treasured possession: My phone.
Favorite place to go in your hometown: 7-Eleven.
Which person do you admire most and why? The Jonas Brothers, because they look good and sing well.
What would you do with $1 million? Pay for college, go shopping, and donate money to Amor Ministries.
Three words to describe yourself: Crazy, loud, salubrious.
What is your greatest achievement? Fighting Reflex Neurovascular Dystrophy.
Worst fear: Whistling.
Greatest wish: Meeting the Jonas Brothers.
When and where were you the happiest? Coming within 10 feet of the Jonas Brothers.
Where and how do you see yourself in ten years? Married with kids, having a good life and job.

— Lisa Garrigues, Naches Valley High School

Fresh Faces: Andrea Espinosa

Name: Andrea Espinosa
Year in school/age: Freshman, 14
Activities/Hobbies/Clubs: Volleyball, singing, texting, boxing, cooking, and playing and watching football.
Favorite food: Lemon chicken.
Favorite movies: “Juno,” “Wayne’s World,” “10 Things I Hate About You.”
Favorite books/writers: Sarah Dessen and Sara Shepard, especially the “Pretty Little Liars” series by Shepard and “Someone Like You” by Dessen.
Favorite music: All types of music, but Gwen Stefani and Ludacris are my favorite musicians.
What is your most treasured possession? My iPhone and stuffed cat named Kilucatt.
What’s your favorite place to go in your hometown? The Nob Hill Bowling Alley.
Which person do you most admire and why? Mother Theresa, because she helped out a lot of people who were in great poverty. People called her the “Angel of Darkness.”
What would you do with $1 million? Help my family and donate to charity.
Three words to describe yourself: Crazy, silly, overzealous.
What is your greatest achievement? It hasn’t happened yet, but it would be to end world hunger and poverty
Worst fear: Heights. I can’t stand really tall buildings; they creep me out.
Greatest wish: To be happy.
When and where were you the happiest? About the end of October 2007. It wasn’t a place, it was a state of mind. That was when my mom tested negative for cancer.
Where and how do you see yourself in 10 years? In medical school at the University of Washington and a rock star!!

— Hannah Besso, Davis High School

Fresh Faces: Michael Riggin

Name: Michael Riggin
School/year in school/age: West Valley, junior, 16.
Activities/hobbies/clubs: Snowboarding, skateboarding, golfing.
Favorite food: General Tso chicken.
Favorite movies: “Fight Club,” “American Beauty,” “Into the Wild.”
Favorite writers: Hunter S. Thompson, J.R.R. Tolkien
Favorite music: I like too much music to have a favorite.
What is your most treasured possession? Don’t have one, sadly.
What’s your favorite place to go in your hometown? White Pass.
Which person do you most admire and why? Thomas Edison, because that guy’s a genius
What would you do with $1 million? I would bathe in it.
Three words to describe yourself: Friendly, observant, determined.
What is your greatest achievement? Still being alive.
Worst fear: Death.
Greatest wish: To make a lot of money.
When and where were you the happiest? Anywhere during the beginning of summer break.
Where and how do you see yourself in 10 years? In an apartment somewhere in Seattle, eating Chinese takeout, with a decent career.

— Ashley George, West Valley High School

Fresh Faces: Kellie Roy

Name: Kellie Roy

School/year in school/age: La Salle, sophomore, 15

Activities/hobbies/clubs: Soccer and tennis.

Favorite food: Anything with pasta.

Favorite movies: “Gone with the Wind”

Favorite books/writers: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee and “Thanks to My Mother” by Schoschana Rabinovici.

Favorite music, musicians, or bands: Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Van Morrison.

What is your most treasured possession? My family and friends.

What’s your favorite place to go in your hometown? Home after a school day.

Which person do you most admire and why? Bob Dylan, because every true music fan knows that The Clash might be the only band that matters, but Dylan is the only songwriter.

What would you do with $1 million? Help La Salle build its gym, and then, well, spend it. (What else do you do with money?)

Three words to describe yourself: Independent, nice, brave.

What is your greatest achievement? Passing vocab and spelling tests in ninth-grade English.

Worst fear: Being stuck in an elevator while simultaneous reliving the last two months of eighth grade.

Greatest wish: That people would just get along.

When and where were you the happiest? Last summer, sitting around a campfire in Priest Lake, Idaho, with my brother, sister, and cousins.

Where and how do you see yourself in 10 years? Alive and on Earth, or maybe Mars. Who knows? A lot can happen in 10 years.

— Libby Young, La Salle High School

Fresh Faces: Julia Kennedy

Name: Julia Kennedy

School/year in school/age: La Salle/junior/17

Activities/hobbies/clubs: Basketball, ASB, soccer.

Favorite food: Pasta, candy, edamame, cheese, fruit, and pomegranate anything!

Favorite movies: “10 Things I Hate About You,” “Mean Girls,” “Rush Hour,” “Enchanted,” “Step Up,” “Wedding Crashers,” and “The Lion King.”

Favorite books/writers: Authors Sarah Dessen, J.K. Rowling, Sharon Creech, and “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini.

Favorite music, musicians, or bands: Chris Brown, Rihanna, Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers.

What is your most treasured possession? My car.

What’s your favorite place to go in your hometown? Anywhere with my friends in my car.

Which person do you most admire and why? My family.

What would you do with $1 million? Go mad!

Worst fear: Needles and Freddy Crougar.

Greatest wish: To have curly hair.

Where and how do you see yourself in 10 years? In California, studying media relations or communications.

— Jessica Serrano, La Salle High School

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