Twilight fans on the road to Forks

FORKS, Wash. — My friend Alex and I had been talking about taking a trip to Forks since before school ended last spring.
“Wouldn’t it be awesome if we actually went there?” she would say all the time. And I would get excited about the idea and agree.
Alex is the biggest Twilight fan I have ever met.
When I started reading the four-book series last year, she didn’t understand what was so good about it. Then I convinced her to buy the first book. And she was hooked.
We would talk about the characters and the storyline, and argue about the boys. She was an Edward fan. And I was rooting for Jacob.
When the first movie came out on DVD, we rented it. And we agreed: we liked the books better than the movie. But we still liked the movie. And she was still an Edward fan, and I was still rooting for Jacob.
Last summer, when she texted me an invite me to go to Forks — the rainiest city in the continental United States, logging capital of the world and setting of the Twilight series — I was shocked. And I immediately began planning the trip in my head.
It was awkward asking my parents because they didn’t really know what Twilight was. They’d heard of it. They knew it was about vampires. But they didn’t know it was also about werewolves, forbidden love and immortality.
I had to explain these things. And they still let me go in the end.

Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series is a major phenomenon in today’s literature, entertainment and pop culture. The series has sold more than 70 million copies worldwide. And it has been translated into 38 different languages.
When it comes to the books, I enjoy all of them. But between the first two books, I like “New Moon” more than “Twilight.”
In “Twilight,” you know the couple, Bella and her vampire boyfriend Edward, are going to stay together and live happily ever after. But in “New Moon,” that becomes less certain, leaving readers like me wanting to know more.
Overall, I like the entire series very much. The storyline is great, and Meyer’s wording is so clever. As you read her books, all the little details start to tie together and you wonder, “How would anyone think of that?”
Each of the books is written in first-person — from Bella’s point of view — and I think that is better. It’s more interesting when you know what the main character is thinking.
“Twilight” was made into a movie that was released last November. The movie based on “New Moon” opens Friday. And I can’t wait. It sounds like it’s going to have more drama, more action and more new faces.
It’s even more interesting when you’ve visited the real place.

When we left Yakima, the sun was shining brightly — as it usually does in mid-July — and my adrenaline started to kick in as we pulled out of town.
It was me, Alex Parsley and Alex’s mom, Amy Parsley. And we brought the Twilight books with us. We talked about what to expect in Forks, the upcoming movie and, of course, the boys in the books.
Alex and I have known each other since third grade. We’ve been close friends since eighth grade. We’re both 15 and sophomores at Riverside Christian School.
She was excited to see the Twilight shops. And I was excited to see the forests of the Olympic Peninsula, the Pacific Ocean and — most of all — experience the rain.
The rain is my absolute favorite. I love rain. It rarely rains in Yakima and when it does I’m thrilled.
The drive to Forks — about 300 miles from Yakima — seemed like the longest drive ever. But after a stop in downtown Seattle for some shopping, a ferry ride across Puget Sound, then another three-hour drive, we finally made it.
We spent the night in Sequim, hitting the road again early the next morning and arriving in Forks under an enormous cover of clouds and rain.

When we reached our destination, a sign declared: “The City of Forks Welcomes You.” A billboard said: “Welcome to the Twilight Zone.”
I had never seen so much green in my life.

I had heard Forks was a small town. And it really was. In fact, Yakima is more than 10 times bigger.
We drove for about 10 minutes, past some familiar scenes in the books — like the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, where Bella’s dad works — and then we were at the end of town. That was probably the most disappointing part.
The coolest part was seeing Forks High School. It looked nothing like it did in the movie, but it was still cool to see the sign that was in the movie. We took many pictures.
We didn’t see Bella’s house or Edward’s house. But that was OK because we had some more shopping to do.
The next stop was all the Twilight shops. The town has three or four stores packed with anything and everything Twilight. There was a ton of Twilight T-shirts, Twilight stickers, Twilight books, Twilight magnets, Twilight posters, Twilight candy, Twilight lotion and lip gloss.
I bought a book, sunglasses and T-shirts. Alex bought T-shirts, magnets and Forks High School sweatpants.

I thought we would be the only people there. But we weren’t. There were a lot of tourists walking around and taking pictures. I kept asking myself: “Do Forks residents ever get tired of all these Twilight fans?”
They seemed used to it, like it was a normal part of life. Everyone was very welcoming. But I don’t know if I — a huge fan of Twilight — would be able to stand so much Twilight in my life.

After a couple of hours in Forks, we headed south for La Push, another setting in the Twilight series. It’s the place where all the werewolves live.
La Push is located on the Quileute Indian Reservation on the coast. And it’s the fictional home of Jacob, my favorite.
As we were driving there, we caught glimpses of the gray beaches hiding behind the forest. I could not believe how beautiful this place was.

We had lunch at a small café, then walked around town taking many pictures before gearing up for our drive back to Sequim, then onto Yakima the next day.
La Push was definitely a highlight of our trip. It was breathtaking. The gray beaches, gray skies and evergreen trees made the perfect picture.
And it was exactly how I had pictured it in the book.

— Hannah Kivi is a sophomore at Riverside Christian School and a member of the Herald-Republic’s Unleashed journalism program for students.

More Paramore

I’m a huge Paramore fan.
But I promise I will try not to make this review too biased.
“Ignorance,” Paramore’s first single on the new album “Brand New Eyes,” sounds like any other good Paramore song, upbeat and very catchy, just like all the songs on the band’s previous record, “Riot!”
So I thought “Brand New Eyes” was going to be just like the band’s previous work.
But I was wrong.
“Brand New Eyes” is a bit calmer, more personal. I was definitely taken by surprise, but it was refreshing. And overall I enjoyed it.
As I listened to it, I could tell the band members — who range in age from 19 to 24 — have matured.
It’s still the same band, plus new guitarist Taylor York. But the sound is more polished compared to previous CDs.
“Riot!” was a very successful album, and I was so relieved that the worldwide publicity from it didn’t affect the band’s creativity for “Brand New Eyes.” The lyrics are fantastic and so much more personal.
“We’ve been through a ton of stressful, pressure-filled situations since ‘RIOT!’ came out, and I feel like I’m a completely new person,” lead singer Hayley Williams says on fueledbyramen.com, the band’s label’s Web site. “I think making the record was part of the healing process. It was good for me both as a person and as an artist.”
There always has to be a downside, though. I didn’t find many, but I did find one. A few of the songs sounded the same to me, and sometimes I just couldn’t tell the difference between some of them. It’s always good to have a little bit of everything in an album.
I was also very impressed by a few songs. The opening songs, “Careful” and “Ignorance,” are classic, fist-pumping Paramore songs, making you want to sing right along.
“Brick by Boring Brick” is extremely catchy, and I find myself randomly singing it at times. “The Only Exception” and “Misguided Ghosts” are unlike anything I have ever heard from the band. They are more intimate acoustic songs, but I enjoyed them. The change is refreshing.
And I was absolutely blown away after I heard “All I Wanted,” the last song on the album. Williams’ powerful voice combined with Josh Farro and Taylor York’s guitars left me speechless.
The other two band members are Zac Farro, who plays drums and percussion — he’s the younger of the two Farro brothers — and Jeremy Davis who plays bass guitar.
If you don’t want to buy the entire album, I would recommend at least downloading those songs.
This album is great. It doesn’t disappoint. It’s like seeing the band in a different perspective, or through brand new eyes.

— Hannah Kivi is a sophomore at Riverside Christian School and a member of the Herald-Republic’s Unleashed journalism program for students.

Working: musician

By HANNAH KIVI
UNLEASHED STAFF
Inspiration, practice, gigs, audiences, rehearsals, listening, traveling, spotlights, recordings. Music.
Welcome to the world of the professional musician.
“By the age of 16, I was 100 percent sure I wanted to be a musician for the rest of my life,” says Jeff Leonard.
Originally from Yakima, the 28-year-old now resides on the west side of the state. But one of his inspirations, friend and fellow musician Wayman Chapman, an R&B artist, still lives here. The 50-something Chapman not only taught Leonard, he gave him his first paying gig.
“He gave me the experience that I can’t even imagine where I would be without today,” the Bremerton-based Leonard says.
These days, Leonard is a bass player for five different bands: Vicci Martinez, The Glistening Moments, Money Penny, Higher Vibes, and Robbie Walden and the Gunslingers.
He plays a wide variety of genres — rock to country, reggae to Latin, jazz to pop.
“I honestly like them all, but I guess if I had to pick one, I would put gospel at the top of the list,” he says.
Of all the places music can take you, Leonard’s favorite is the recording studio.
“I love being a part of the smallest musical idea and turning it into a finished song,” he says.
Leonard also likes being on stage and performing to a responsive audience.
His days are filled with practice and learning and writing new material — all underlined by the hunt for inspiration.
At night, Leonard spends his time performing or playing at home.
When he isn’t practicing or performing, he loves to catch up with friends, play chess, cook, read and eat.
Within the year, he hopes to finish his first solo album, filled with instrumental gospel and country music. He also hopes to write a children’s book, educating kids on music.
Meantime, Leonard plays anywhere his music takes him — from bars to churches.
“So far, the farthest music has taken me is to Chicago,” he says. “However, I do believe that if I stick with it, and keep dreaming, it will take me all over the world.”

— Hannah Kivi is a member of the Yakima Herald-Republic’s Unleashed team. She attends Riverside Christian School.

Fresh Faces: Gage Neiffer

Name: Gage Neiffer
School/year in school/age: Riverside Christian, freshman, 15.
Activities/hobbies/clubs: Piano, video games, basketball, football, science, boy stuff.
Favorite food: Any bread with sauce on it.
Favorite movies: “Tommy Boy,” “Forrest Gump,” “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,” “Pulp Fiction.”
Favorite book/writers: “I Am Legend” by Richard Matheson, and Edgar Allan Poe.
Favorite music, musician, or bands: The Ramones, Detektivbryan, The Offspring, Panic at the Disco, Shinedown, 3OH!3.
What is your most treasured possession? A ring I made.
Where is your favorite place to go in your hometown? The store.
Which person do you most admire and why? Paul Revere because he is so unrecognized for how great his accomplishments are.
What would you do with $1 million? Not tell anyone about it and put it into a savings account.
Three words to describe yourself: More to love.
What is your greatest achievement? Don’t have one, have many.
Worst fear: People finding out about something in my past.
Greatest wish: To be successful.
When and where were you the happiest? In English class or in a football huddle.
Where and how do you see yourself in 10 years? Having a successful career at Price Waterhouse in California.

— Hannah Kivi, Riverside Christian School

We’re thankful for …

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, some of the Unleashed kids — student reporters, photographers and artists from around the Yakima Valley — are sharing what they’re grateful for this year.
Some are local, like the terraces at Franklin Park. Some are personal, such as banana pancakes with toasted pecans and powdered sugar with steaming hot syrup. And some are universal: Life itself, clean water and food, shelter.
Plus, there are many more.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Jessica Serrano, La Salle High School
• Faith and justice.
• Family and loved ones.
• Diversity.
• Freedom of speech.
• Strawberrries.
• Philanthropy and philanthropists.
• Forgiveness.
• New beginnings.
• Art.
• Life itself.

Lisa Garrigues, Naches Valley High School
• My caring parents.
• My protective older sisters and brother.
• My supportive friends, teammates, teachers and coaches.

Hannah Naughton, Davis High School
• My family’s health.
• Banana pancakes with toasted pecans and powdered sugar with steaming hot syrup.
• My parents’ love.
• My friends.
• My two crazy sisters.

Samantha Knittle, Davis
• Marching band.
• My family.
• The sun and warm weather.
• School (but not homework).
• Clean water and food.
• My friends.
• Free speech.
• My teeth.
• Drum Corp International.
• God.
• Chocolate.
• Swing sets.
• My teachers.

Hannah Kivi, Riverside Christian School
• Freedom of religion.
• My parents.
• My friends.
• My Bible.
• Softball.
• My house.
• My school.
• Unleashed.
• Our country.
• Music.
• My ability to write.
• Gum.

Lety Clark-Olivero, Eisenhower High School
• My parents.
• My siblings.
• Shelter.
• Sustenance.
• My cell phone with its unlimited texting.
• Jesus.
• A healthy body.
• Laughter, life, love and a little dancing mixed in there somewhere.
• My boyfriend.
• My friends.

Kami Cross, Eisenhower
• “One Tree Hill.”
• Starbucks Christmas decorations.
• A car that runs (most of the time).
• Addicting books.
• Cuddling.
• My loving family.
• Thursdays.
• Friends.
• Football games. (And the end of football season.)
• Rainy days.
• Strawberry-pineapple iced teas.
• Musicals.
• Running through the sprinklers at night.
• My bed being right under the heating vent.
• Peacoats.
• Family videos from when I was little.

Georgia Gempler, Davis
• Freedom.
• Education.
• Family.
• Animals.
• Shelter.
• Opportunity.
• Books.
• Technology.
• Snow.
• Music.
• Artistic expression.
• Free time.
• Movies.

Loren Button, Riverside Christian
• Jesus.
• My parents.
• My home.
• My friends.
• “Guitar Hero: World Tour.”
• Being a senior in high school!

Colleen Fontana, Davis
Long books and warm blankets on cold rainy afternoons. Music and iPods and singing loudly in the shower. Friends to understand me and parents to confide in. Sisters to cry to and brothers to make me laugh. Raspberry peach iced teas from Lincoln Avenue Espresso and blue Papermate pens.
Warm winter coats and old furry boots. Moleskine planners from Inklings Bookshop and sledding down the terraces at Franklin Park. Stick shifts and curly hair and laughter and bright pink nail polish. My camera, Benji, and pony tail holders.
Summer thunder storms and the smell of the rain afterward. Games of kick the can and lap tag. Volleyballs and pianos and coffee. Thank goodness for coffee, and the roof over my head and the God over my roof and this life with which I have been blessed.

Sean Nagle-McNaughton, Davis
• Books.
• Music.
• Friends.
• Parents.
• Brothers.
• Kindness.
• Knowledge.
• Challenges.
• Grandparents.
• Conversations.
• Peace and quiet.
• Those who help others.
• Nature.
• Happiness.
• The whooshing sound of deadlines going by (just kidding).
• The world I live in.

Janessa Mains, Eisenhower
• My family.
• My friends.
• My camera.
• Knowledge.
• Books.
• My cat George.

• Animé.
• Gay pride.
• Music.

Hannah Besso, Davis
• A supportive family.
• Loyal friends.
• Laughter.
• Sports.
• Music.
• Weekends.
• Summer.
• Good food.
• Snow.
• Sleep.

Libby Young, La Salle
• God.
• My family.
• My friends.
• My school.
• Church.
• My cats.
• My teachers.
• Life.
• Dance.
• Vacations.
• Books.
• Freedom.
• My iPod.
• My cell phone.

Kacie Cross, Eisenhower
• God.
• My parents.
• My sisters and brother.
• My friends.
• Boys.
• Music.
• Dancing.
• Paper.
• Air.
• Elephant Ears.
• Food.
• Eyes.
• Hands.
• Computers.
• Telephones.
• Movies.
• “One Tree Hill.”
• Books.
• The saying, “If you don’t like something, change it; if you can’t change it, change your attitude.”
• Tennis.
• Musicals.
• Makeup.
• Showers.
• The color blue.
• Rain.
• Relationships.
• Life.
• Love.
• Laughter.

James Hibbs, Davis
• Books.
• The Davis High School library and its librarians. They keep it open from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday to help kids study.
• Doug Johnson and Avid.
• Food.
• My siblings.
• My parents.
• Kenneth Capp and epistemology as manifested in “Theory of Knowledge.”

Alex Braman, Davis
• Davis High School.
• My friends (We make Davis fun).
• My iPod (I take it everywhere).
• My camera (I want to take it everywhere).
• My family (They raised me how I am today).

Jasmine Okbinoglu, Eisenhower
• My family and friends.
• Music.
• Books.
• Food.
• Tennis.
• Laughter.
• Summer.
• Swimming.
• Movies.
• Art.
• Nature.
• Candy.

Jessica Cummings, Bickleton High School
• God.
• My loving family.
• My church.
• My fellow believers.
• My friends.
• My gifts and talents.
• My country.

Alyssa Patrick, Eisenhower
• John Mayer’s lyrics and musical talents.
• Sunday nights, squished on the couch between my mom and sister, watching “Grey’s Anatomy.”
• My brother.
• Authors who lace so much into each sentence that my mind never has to stop unraveling new clues.
• Jim and Pam. Always. If the writers on “The Office” break them up, I will have a nervous breakdown.
• Rachel’s Challenge, Leadership Camp and Invisible Children.
• Mango ice cream.
• “Benny and Joon.”
• My family.
• Teachers who never stop teaching the way they believe they should teach, even when some of their students don’t give them that effort in return.
• Broadway.
• Ike’s Little Theater.
• My car, its CD player, and 20-minute drives at the end of long days.
• My bed.
• My physical health, so I can dance.
• My opportunity to go to college.

— Want to see more artwork by artist Samantha Knittle? The Davis High School senior has an online portfolio. To check it out, visit http://samanthaknittle1.tripod.com.

St. Paul inspires teenage poet: homeschooler Kennedy Rainford publishes “Goodbye Darkness”

Kennedy Rainford, 13, holds a copy of her book of poetry, “Goodbye Darkness,” in her room. She wallpapered her room herself with pages from the Bible. She published her book through an online publisher, Blurb Publishing. She writes poetry because it “helps express [her] emotions.”

By HANNAH KIVI
UNLEASHED STAFF

Kennedy Rainford gets her inspiration from St. Paul.
“He is an amazing writer, and I feel I can relate to him,” the 13-year-old Yakima homeschooler says.
She’s an aspiring writer herself. In fact, she’s already published a book of poetry.
“Goodbye Darkness” is a 20-page book containing 16 poems written by Rainford. It was published on Blurb.com, where it’s also sold. And, it’s available at Inklings Bookshop.
The book took Rainford about six months to write. She spent from one to three hours at night working on her poems.
The cover reads: “Defeat the Darkness with the light. Be willing to change.”
“It is mainly about lives being restored by God,” Rainford says, adding, “Writing helps get my feelings out.”
In addition to writing, Rainford — the daughter of Scott and Lori Rainford — enjoys reading her Bible, running, playing volleyball and worshiping God.
Her favorite books include “I Kissed Dating Goodbye” by Joshua Harris and “unChristian” by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons.
Her goal in life is to be not only a writer, but also a youth pastor.
“I hope people find God,” she says. “Everyone goes through hard situations, and they are not alone.”
Her Blurb.com bio says she’s a student, book writer and barista, “expressing my feelings through poetry and accomplishing my dream.”
And she’s already thinking about writing another book. She envisions this one with even more poems as well as biblical teachings and vignettes from life experiences.
She says her family has been a huge support.
And her parents say her gift of writing makes them even more thankful to God. They also say they are both very proud of her.
Her mom says she finds her daughter’s interest in writing surprising. She also says her poems are amazing.
“It’s funny because she writes about things she has never experienced, and when I read them, it sounds like she has experienced them,” Lori Rainford says.
In fact, “When I first read the poem ‘Goodbye Darkness’, I asked her, Did you copy this?”

Goodbye Darkness

Gazing into the harvest colored moon.
Hearing everyone crying at the cemetery.
Women mourning over their dead husbands,
I just want to shout, “get a grip!”
But they wouldn’t understand a word.
My lungs would shrivel and break,
Just to let go of the silence.
Don’t people realize there is more to life?
I want to defeat the darkness with light.
I glance at the women in the corner,
Dressed in black,
With black mascara streaming down her face.
How did things become so miserable?
It seems as if a stone wall is holding me back,
From spreading the wonderful news of God.
I crash to my knees praying,
Asking God what to do.
Suddenly, the wall crashes,
Everyone is smiling.
No more mourning,
It has all disappeared.
My ever living God! You are so amazing!
For only through You my walls will crash,
And my life will be complete!

— For more information about Kennedy Rainford and her poetry, visit www.blurb.com/user/K_Rainford.

— Hannah Kivi is a member of the Yakima Herald-Republic’s Unleashed team. She attends Riverside Christian School. Comment on this story online at unleashed.yakimablogs.com.

See You at the Pole: Students Pray for School, Election, Change, Community

By HANNAH KIVI
RIVERSIDE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

Many students. Several prayers. One flagpole.

“See You at the Pole”is an event in which students take time out before school to gather around the flagpole and pray for their school, their leaders and the nation.

It happens on the fourth Wednesday of September, usually at 7 a.m. Students across the country in both private and public schools participate.

“I think it’s a great rallying point,” says Jim Herring, a Bible teacher at Yakima’s Riverside Christian School. “It sets the stage for the year.”

The tradition started in 1990 with a group of teenagers in Texas, and has continued on ever since. In fact, the movement has spread to other countries, including Canada and Australia.

Last year, more than 2 million teenagers met for “See You at the Pole” events in all 50 states, according to the official “See You at the Pole” Web site at www.syatp.com.

This year’s event took place Sept. 24. And this year’s theme came from the Bible verse 1 Samuel 3:10: “CONNECT: Speak, for your servant is listening.”

At Riverside Christian, a group of students — including 13-year-old Megan Bos of Yakima — arrived at school an hour early to make it to “See You at the Pole.”

“I came to pray with friends,” says Bos, an eighth-grader. “I think it can bring the student body closer together.”

Students’ prayers ranged from reaching out to the community to raising money for a new school building, and even for the soccer game taking place later that day.

“The more we pray for the school, the more it will change,” says 16-year-old Riverside junior Holly Allen. “And I want to see a change in the city.”Students also expressed their gratitude for the United States and the First Amendment, which grants freedom of religion.

“Freedom of religion means I can worship God however I want to,” says 13-year-old Jordan DeSanto, an eighth-grader at Riverside.

Public safety in the Yakima Valley and the upcoming presidential election were also on students’ minds during the event.

“I think the topic most prayed about across the nation is the election,” Allen says. “It is a really big deal.”

• Unleashed reporter Hannah Kivi is a freshman at Riverside Christian School.

Up, Up and Away: Teens Feel Pinch of High Gas Prices

By HANNAH KIVI
RIVERSIDE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
High gas prices don’t only affect adults, they affect teens, too.
“It’s ridiculous,” 19-year-old Ashley Groff says of today’s fuel costs. “My whole check goes to bills and gas.”
The Eisenhower High School graduate works part-time at Baskin-Robbins and often carpools with friends to save money and gas. She says it irritates her when she sees one person driving alone in a car.
“If you are going to the same place, might as well go together,” she says.
Some teenagers are opting to use other types of transportation, such as carpooling, riding bikes or taking the bus, to save money and gas.
Sixteen-year-old Onasis Gatica, a junior at West Valley High School, says she’s been riding her bike or carpooling to the car wash where she works.
Twenty-year-old Jeffrey Cadousteau, an Eisenhower graduate who works at Streamline Shaved Ice, uses his longboard. He also rides it around Central Washington University in Ellensburg, where he goes to school, and often carpools with his friends.
“I save a lot of money,” he says.
Sixteen-year-old Teddy Jones, a West Valley sophomore, says his parents pay for his gas now, but he might soon have to start paying for it himself.
“I’m not really looking forward to it,” he says. “I will probably have to work more hours.”
“We have to conserve as much as we can,” he says.
Gas prices have fallen since the beginning of July. But the state average is still about a dollar more than it was last year. The average in the state for 2007 was about $3.09, according to www.washingtongasprices.com. For July 30 of this year, it was $4.16.
With the rise of gas prices, teen cruising has decreased in parts of the country, according to www.treehugger.com.
According to the Web site, “America’s youth are being forced to seek out other forms of entertainment, such as hanging out in parking lots, malls or movie theaters, and parking their cars and walking around.”
But around here, Capt. Jeff Schneider of the Yakima Police Department says he hasn’t noticed a change in the Yakima Valley’s teen cruising.
“We don’t see cruising like it was 20 years ago,” he says. “But with the gas prices, there hasn’t really been a change.”

Creation Festival Northwest

By HANNAH KIVI
RIVERSIDE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

THE GORGE AMPHITHEATRE, George, Wash. — The line had been forming for four hours before the gate finally opened.

When we walked through it, I was so excited.

Creation Festival Northwest is a four-day Christian music festival featuring not only the hottest bands in Christian music, but moving speakers and hilarious comedians.

The four-day event, held at The Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Wash., ran July 23 to 26. I went with the youth group from Connections, a church that meets at the Vineyard Christian Fellowship Church in Yakima.

Above the main stage, a banner proclaimed: “A Tribute To Our Creator.” Below us, a beautiful view of the Columbia River stretched beyond the stage.

Flyleaf kicked off Creation 2008. The Texas band has a hit single, “All Around Me,” which plays not only on Christian radio but mainstream radio as well. The genre is hard rock with some metal mixed in, and I liked their originality. Lead singer Lacey Mosley definitely seemed passionate about her music.

Leeland, a more laidback band, followed Flyleaf. I feel like I saw God working through the hearts of the audience that first night of the festival. As we sang Leeland’s version of “How Great Thou Art,” the music and scenery around us was captivating and showed me that God’s plan for us is something we can’t fathom.

Justin Lookadoo was the first speaker of Creation. He was enthusiastic and humorous. I really enjoyed listening to him talk. He held my attention and kept everyone entertained while sharing a great message.

After his talk, loyal Hawk Nelson fans started to gather in front of the main stage, wearing “Hawk-Mart” hats and anxiously waiting. Hawk Nelson’s music is lively and fast-paced. When the band performed, high energy pervaded the air. On the floor in front of stage, everyone danced, jumped, and yelled out the lyrics.

The last group to perform that first night was Kutless. I knew very little about the band, but as I watched I liked them more and more. They had a good mixture of worship and entertaining songs. The crowd loved them and they were called back for an encore after the show.

And that was only the first night.

There were many more great performances throughout the next three days, including Switchfoot, Jeremy Camp, Tenth Avenue North, Skillet and the David Crowder Band. And all of their music was positive and uplifting — just like the atmosphere of the entire festival.

The mood was very loving. Random people would ask for a high-five, even a hug. Everyone was very energetic and fun to be around.

I didn’t know too much about Connections when I went to — and camped at — Creation with members of the congregation. But by the end of the festival, I felt like part of the church. I look forward to spending more time with that youth group.

Creation was definitely worth going to and I would recommend the festival to anyone that is interested. It’s a great way to come closer to God and join in fellowship with other people.

Plus, it was a lot of fun.

I would go back in a heartbeat.

— For more information, visit www.creationfest.com.

New Relient K release: Like Two Albums in One

By HANNAH KIVI
RIVERSIDE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

Following the hit albums “Mmhmm” and “Five Score and Seven Years Ago,” Relient K fans have been wanting more.

And July 1, they got it.

“The Birds and the Bee Sides/The Nashville Tennis EP,” released at the beginning of the month, features 26 songs. And it’s like two albums in one.

Both portions of the new release contain 13 songs. “The Birds and the Bee Sides” features three acoustic songs, three demos, and songs from previous EPs, or extended play albums. Most are old songs.

“The Nashville Tennis EP” features new songs and a rock ‘n’ roll sound with an unexpected twist of country.

The demos reveal a Relient K that’s just beginning, and you can tell the difference from the old and new songs.

It’s the first CD with the band’s new drummer, Ethan Luck. Band members Matthew Hoopes, Jonathan Schneck, John Warne and Luck have all written and recorded a song on a the new release, and lead singer Matthew Thiessen wrote and recorded the rest of them.

Relient K keeps its creativity and quirky sense of humor throughout its new album. Though songs have some humorous moments, they also have some very meaningful lyrics with important messages.

The band presents uplifting and relatable music. Some songs are upbeat and some are more relaxed. But all in all, Relient K’s music is quite catchy, and its lyrics are clean and positive.

The lyrics for “Up and Up,” an acoustic song on “The Birds and the Bee Sides,” say, “Yesterday is not quite what it could have been/as were most of all the days before/but I swear today/with every breath I’m breathing in/I’ll be trying to make it so much more.”

I was pretty pleased with this EP, and I am anxious to see what Relient K does in the future.

— For more information, visit www.relientk.com.