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.

HSM3 hits close to home

By KAMI CROSS
UNLEASHED STAFF

I remember the first time I watched “High School Musical.” It was right after the Disney Channel movie had been on TV. My sister and I rented it and stayed up most of the night singing along and dancing to the songs.
I was an immediate fan.
I went from being an avid ‘HSM’ watcher to an active participant in “High School Musical On Stage!” The production was put on by Eisenhower High School’s drama department last winter.
So when I heard the third chapter of my secret obsession was going to premiere on the big screen late last month, I could hardly wait. My original plan was to see it opening night, but that fell on the night of Eisenhower’s homecoming football game.
So I went the next day, with my sister and mom. I didn’t expect it to, but the movie really hit me hard with the facts of senior year.
I’m not going to lie, I did cry.
“High School Musical 3: Senior Year” is the story of Troy and Gabriella’s last days at East High School. It tells the tale of their last basketball championship, final musical and prom, leading all the way up to graduation.
Zac Efron stars as Troy Bolton, the high school basketball star confused about college and whether to follow his high school sweetheart to California.
His love interest, Gabriella Montez, played by Vanessa Hudgens, is struggling with having to say goodbye, yet again. Sharpay and Ryan Evans, the ambitious twins and leads of the drama department at East High, are played by Ashley Tisdale and Lucas Gabreel.
The movie made me realize how quickly all of my high school experiences are coming to an end.
What really struck me was Gabriella going to college about 1,000 miles away from the boy she loves and all of her friends. I plan on heading to the East Coast for college, which will put me about 3,000 miles away from the people I love here in Yakima.
This movie made me sad, because it made me aware of the realities I will be facing in the next eight months.
But it also made me incredibly happy.
I couldn’t help but smile at the awesome songs and outrageous dance numbers. In fact, it made me want to call my drama teacher and beg her to do “High School Musical 3” as our musical this year, even though the rights are not out yet. Instead, I rushed out and bought the soundtrack, and now I play it every time I’m in my car.
I also went to see the movie two more times with friends. The friend who spent five months of her life with me on the set of “High School Musical On Stage!” The friend who has been through all the tough times at school with me. And the boy who holds my heart in the palm of his hand.
Every time, without fail, the movie brought tears to my eyes.
This movie is touching in so many different ways. I believe it is a story that can speak to anyone, young or old.
Children will enjoy the humor and Disney aspect of it. High schoolers, like myself, will appreciate the realities it presents.
And older generations will smile and remember the times they spent in high school and how far they have come since then. They will also be able to understand the depth of emotion that high schoolers nowadays face at graduation time.
Anyone who enjoys musical theater will love this cinematic adventure, which is comparable to both last year’s “Hairspray” and this year’s “Mamma Mia!”

• Kami Cross is a member of the Yakima Herald-Republic’s Unleashed team and a senior at Eisenhower High School.

Not Just a Part-Time Job

By KAMI CROSS
EISENHOWER HIGH SCHOOL

Has there ever been something in your life that you really didn’t want to do? Something that, although you knew it would benefit you in many ways, just seemed unattractive to you?

My freshmen year, that was how I felt about Unleashed.

I was a shy 14-year-old heading from a private middle school to a huge public high school. I was concerned about making friends and didn’t really want to have to be concerned about maintaining a job.

I applied for the program anyway, mainly because my older sister Katie, who was a senior that year, was on the team, and my mom insisted it would be a good experience for me and I might just find something I love.

I still remember my first Unleashed meeting. I sat as close to my big sister as humanly possible. There was a group of 30-some kids that I didn’t know, and I was terrified.

In a conference room at the Yakima Herald-Republic office, I listened to everyone introduce themselves, hoping I would find a friend besides the sister I was obviously attached to. But as the meeting continued, I became more comfortable and realized writing for the youth section in the local newspaper would be an experience I would neither regret nor forget.

When the application process rolled around the following year, it was a no-brainer; I was going to apply again.

However, my reasoning had changed. Yes, there was still that push of “It will look good on an application,” but something inside of me changed. I realized I wanted to express my opinions and what I thought was important for the youth of our Valley to the adults of Yakima. I realized someone needed to get out how our “underage” crowd felt, and I wanted to be a part of that.

Now, at the start my senior year at Eisenhower High School, I have the same feeling. I want to be the person who opens grown-ups’ eyes to issues their children are dealing with, issues they may not be aware of or understand.

I want to help the community by expressing youth problems, desires and accomplishments through something I love doing. Throughout the past four years, I have developed a love of writing — writing what I feel, writing what I see, writing what I investigate.

Unleashed has been a great experience for me because of all it has taught me and how much it has forced me to grow, not only in my writing, but as a person.

It’s amazing what keeping at something, or even simply starting something, that you were unsure about can lead to. Unleashed has helped me basically decide what I want to do with my future. How many people can say that about their high school, part-time job?

— Kami Cross, a senior at Eisenhower High School, is in her fourth year on Unleashed.

Mama Mia!

By KAMI and KACIE CROSS
EISENHOWER HIGH SCHOOL

“Mamma Mia!” did not let us down.

Although the music was a bit before our generation, we were still raised listening to it and remember dancing around the house to “Dancing Queen” and other various ABBA hits.

When we saw the preview for this flick, we were excited beyond measure. The plot, although a little scandalous, is fun and kept us guessing until the very end.

Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan and Dominic Cooper star in this summer’s film adaptation of the Broadway Musical “Mamma Mia!,” a story of finding yourself and happiness, and what that truly means.

Donna Sheridan (Streep) is a single mother to 20-year-old Sophie (Seyfried). Donna is working hard to run a business and host the wedding of her daughter’s dreams.

However, Sophie also dreams of discovering who her real father is. So she invites the three candidates to her wedding. When all three possible fathers show up, it leads to two days of mayhem and mishaps.

It seems like audiences would be on the edge of their seats through the entire movie, trying to figure out exactly who Sophie’s dad is. And to be honest, you are.

Everything about this film is exhilarating. The music made us want to jump up out of our seats and dance, but that might have embarrassed our family.

Seyfried plays an excellent Sophie, with a voice that could touch even the hardest of hearts.

There were parts that made us want to laugh, parts that made us want to cry, and parts that made us want to be in Greece. The scenery is so beautiful.

This is one of those films that will instantly go into the hearts of all who watch it. While it might also attract a different generation than ours, we enjoyed it thoroughly and think anyone who enjoys musicals will want to not only see the flick, but buy the soundtrack and listen to the songs over and over and over again.

Ike Students Perform at Benaroya Hall

By KAMI CROSS
EISENHOWER HIGH SCHOOL

SEATTLE — This year, my school’s drama department entered the 5th Avenue High School Musical Theatre Awards.

In February, a group of people from Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre traveled to Ike to judge us on our performance of “Disney High School Musical On Stage!”

Other groups traveled throughout the state to judge other schools. And the competition culminated at a ceremony June 9 at Benaroya Hall in Seattle.

A few weeks before the event, nominees for the various awards were posted online. Our school was honored with several nominations, including Outstanding Choreography, Outstanding Orchestra, Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, and two in Outstanding Performance by an Actor of Actress in a Non-Singing Role.

It was an honor for our school to be recognized on a statewide level. And while I wasn’t part of these awards, I did get to attend the ceremony for a different purpose.

The Ike Players, our drama club, annually puts on our own drama awards. Club members vote on various awards, like Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Chorus Girl, Best Chorus Boy and Biggest Faux Pas, just to name a few.

This year, after the normal awards, our director, Janey Peterson, announced she had something special to present.

Apparently, every school that gets nominated for the 5th Avenue Awards gets to send two students to perform in the ceremony’s opening number. I was sitting in the audience while Peterson was presenting this information, and I just assumed she would choose the people who had been nominated for the awards.

I was shocked when I heard her call my name.

She also called my friend Mackenzie Karn. We were drama club officers, and she said we were always there for her, so she was choosing us. We gave her a hug and celebrated together.

June 2, my friend and I headed to Seattle with my mom for a rehearsal. The entire way we blasted the show tune “Show People” from the new Broadway musical “Curtains.” This was the song we would be performing at the ceremony.

The rehearsal was two hours long and consisted of four dance steps and a tricky walking formation. While this may sound simple, it was quite complicated considering the number of people, almost 150 students from around the state.

When the big event finally arrived, I was excited. My friend and I felt very special, 17 and entering Benaroya Hall through the “Artist Entrance.”

Next thing we knew, it was 15 minutes until the show. Soon we were bolting on stage and parading around. It was exhilarating.

And almost over.

We completed the song, then headed back to our seats. The rest of the show was incredible.

Whether or not our school participates in the competition next year, it was an awesome experience for me and definitely a night I will remember for the rest of my life.

Thank You, Daddy

By KAMI CROSS
EISENHOWER HIGH SCHOOL

I was walking through the mall the other day with one of my friends. As we were leaving, we walked by one of the multiple nail salons and were overwhelmed by the scent of acrylic.

My friend’s hand instantly flew to her nose and she claimed her “nose hairs were burning.” However, that scent elicited a different response from me. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, savoring the scent.

This smell was one from my childhood. And in an instant, I became a little red-headed girl again, approaching my dad, hunched over his desk, making a retainer, listening to the rock station on the radio.

I tap his shoulder and he glances to see who it is. Then he turns down the music and gives me his full attention.

“Hey, Red Pez,” he says as he lifts me onto his lap. “Do you want a butterscotch?”

It’s amazing how one scent, a smell that burns people’s nostrils, warms my heart. All because it makes me think of my dad.

My whole life, I have thought of my grandpa as one of my main role models. While he was a great man, I think I might have overlooked the obvious. I have been raised by two of the most incredible, loving and kind people in the world. And they have become the people I look up to the most.

As a little girl, I remember watching my dad: the way he looked at my mom, the way he unconditionally loved my siblings and I, the way he provided for us all. Until I became more aware of the “real world,” I thought that was how every family functioned, but I recently realized how truly blessed I am.

My dad has always been there for me.

Through my awkward phase, when I wasn’t incredibly athletically inclined, he was still at every single soccer game I played in. Through my mildly rebellious phase, he was there to teach me how to respect my mom and other adults. Through my “grown up” phase, when I wanted to wear make up, he insisted I was prettier without it. And through my first heartbreak, he was there to tell me the guy was a jerk anyway.

My dad supports me and loves me and has become a friend.

Many children these days don’t have a father figure like this. For one reason or another he’s missing from their lives. I truly can’t imagine what it would be like for me without my dad.

Not only would I miss his dry sense of humor at dinner, but I would miss his hugs before bed, his nicknames for all of us kids, his passion for his family.

I am amazed by how much he loves all of us: my mom, my sisters, my brother and I. We are his first priority.

And without him, not only would my family not be the same, it would be missing its backbone, the strength that holds us upright.

So thank you, Daddy. For getting me through the tough times. For showing me what a real man looks like. For loving Mom. And for being the silent strength behind us all.

I love you.

Kami Cross — Eisenhower High School

6:31 a.m. Wake up 30 minutes earlier than usual.
1:15 p.m. I sit and listen to the new music on my iPod, and text message one of my friends, three seats back on the bus. I sit with my sister. I am tempted to sleep.
2 p.m. I get home and begin to watch “Dawson’s Creek.” I put pajamas on and cuddle up on the couch, waiting for my friend. When he gets there, I finish the episode and then we hang out. It is fun.
7 p.m. I’m full because my mom just made me dinner. I head downstairs to do my homework.
9:30 p.m. I am in bed, reading “A Great and Terrible Beauty,” for the second time.