This party drug, commonly known as Ecstacy, recently has invited itself on to the tongues of more and more teenagers in the USA. Kids who are just trying to have a good time see the drug as an easy solution. But what’s really in it? Blinded by peer pressure and the allure of such a happy drug, some fail to ask themselves questions about MDMA.

MDMA has a variety of nicknames. It is widely called “yop” or “yoppers” and “molly,” but it is a pure form of Ecstacy, so it is also sometimes referred to as E, X, or XTC. Don’t get caught up by the true name, Methylenedioxymethamphetamine; it’s impossible to pronounce, and is rarely the term used.

The original intentions of MDMA were positive and beneficial to society; it was invented in 1912 by the Merck Company to stop abnormal bleeding. MDMA was a compound that resulted from a few synthesis experiments. At first, the potential of the drug was undiscovered. In fact it lay relatively under the radar for about 60 years.

Such profound effects, however, could not be ignored for long. and in the ’70s, with the rage around drugs, the hippie generation quickly developed an infatuation with Ecstacy
Jeanine Fuertes, a researcher at Bryn Mawr college, insists that, though the drug is far less harmful than many other popularized drugs, things can go bad quickly with too much use. “When one continues to take Ecstasy in order to relive the best moments of his or her life, suddenly the ‘real’ world starts to look depressing and unappealing. Just like all of the other illegal drugs out there, Ecstasy can distort the reality to which users must undoubtedly return,” says Fuertes.

The reasons people use MDMA are clear. One doesn’t have to look far to get an idea of how it makes users feel, in fact the name Ecstacy describes it all. “It just makes you the happiest you’ll ever be in your life. You feel this intense emotion and it’s just so focused that you feel great,” says Gregory*, an occasional user. Other feelings include improved confidence, diminished aggression, feelings of intimacy, increased energy and alertness, and a greater appreciation for music. “Music just sounds really good. I recommend ‘Elements of Life,’” he jokes.

Yopping, like nearly all drugs, has harmful effects as well as the good ones. Users can generally look forward to a bad hangover in the hours after it wears off. “I just woke up feeling like s***. It went from the greatest feeling ever to a terrible morning after.” says Bobby* a one-time MDMA user. In addition, it’s very possible for the effects to go awry during the trip.

“Since it’s such an intense emotion, and your whole body is in that zone, if something bad happens then your whole trip could go bad,” says Gregory. A bad trip is nothing to be scoffed at, either. Feelings of fright and panic can occur, along with severe anxiety.

Temporary effects during consumption are not the only issues many people have with MDMA. After taking the drug, users may experience depression, dizziness, irritability, and aggression, among others.

Generally the biggest scare, however, is the possibility of brain damage. Some don’t believe in any connection between the drug and brain cells, but George Ricaurte, a scientist at Johns Hopkins, disagrees. After 15 years of research, he is not only convinced that it can damage serotonin synapses and nerve fibres, but it can also replace the longer, thicker strands of serotonin with shorter, spidery ones. For those who don’t know, Serotonin is the neurotransmitter in the brain that produces the “feel good” chemical. Without it, these feelings have the potential to go haywire, resulting in such disorders as schizophrenia and types of addiction. Simply put, continued consumption can lead to brain damage.

Opinions about MDMA certainly range the spectrum. Some condemn the drug, while others applaud its simple effects. Humans will continue to ask questions and try new things, and the appeal of the drug will not be lost on everybody. But at some point, everyone must make their own decision.

Four hours had passed. Josie’s mind, formerly a torrent of vibrant emotions, had cooled down. One of her friends lay passed out on her couch, while another sat glumly next to her. The euphoria she felt now seemed a distant emotion. It was time for the next day.

The majority of posts on its wall either share the names of bars, where happy hour prices are steals, or the names of restaurants, said to have “fantastic” and “astounding” food. Some users inform others of venues offering free admission, or up-and-coming local indie artists, such as Sad Face, Dudley Taft, or Lushy.

Secret Seattle offers “the best places” to smoke a joint, to see breathtaking views of the city, and to go to get drunk during the day (the downtown library), but what seems to be missing amongst all these posts are the locations of strange nooks and crannies: places which make people think “why would I ever go there?”

I started my quest for such places after school on a Monday. Most of the restaurants I came across on the group page seemed ordinary and were only mentioned because they were favorites of the group members. However, as I walked past Julia’s on Broadway, it reminded me of the wide variety of affordable restaurants when Garfield was in Wallingford, when I could get a full cup of soup and a piece of bread for only two dollars, or a container of teriyaki and rice for three dollars.

The first location on my list was 14th and John, said to be an amazing viewpoint. After pondering about where this cross street was in relation to where I stood on Broadway, I started walking east along John Street. I had doubted there would be much of a view of anything because I had never noticed one the many times I’d driven by on 15th, until I realized John Street was a hill parallel to the Olympics and the Puget Sound. I turned around, and saw one of the most amazing views of blue, snow peaked mountains and glistening water. The Space Needle, visible from top to bottom, was artistically placed off-center to the right; it almost seemed like it was built there to be visible from this view. What made this viewpoint distinct was that it was a place definitely easy to overlook while driving by.

I walked back down the hill towards my next location: “the most attractive and dangerous” fire climb on an apartment building on Thomas behind QFC. I walked along Thomas and immediately I spotted the fire climb that the group member must have had in mind.  It was attached to the side of an early 20th century beige-bricked three or four story building: a simple, straight ladder traveling all the way to the roof of the building, encircled by two decks with curly heart-shaped designed railings; a tempting climb, but definitely not in broad daylight.

My quest that day anticlimactically ended there, but the following day I decided to visit Liem’s Pet Shop, a (very) small, privately owned fish store tucked away in Maynard Alley in Chinatown which the Secret Seattle group member explained smelled “like dead pigeons and peanut butter.”

When I passed through the door, a waft of pungent air hit my face. The walls of the aisles, which were barely wide enough to walk through, were made up of dozens of fish tanks stacked on top of one another, each filled with hundreds of different types of colorful fish. Fish bags and tank pumps hung from makeshift beams a few inches above my head. The ceiling, which was the only visible part of the actual building I stood in, must have been 30 feet high.

I walked out the door, intrigued. Liem’s Pet Shop was located next to what used to be the Wah Mee Club, before it was closed down after 13 people were killed in what’s considered to be Seattle’s worst massacre. I stood there looking at the black doors, bolted and chained shut, covered in graffiti, and wished I had enough guts to break into the place. I wondered what it would be like inside, after no one had been in there for 27 years now, and considered how many places we never really see as we unknowingly walk past them; secrets, hidden behind closed doors.

I know, at first, I wasn’t this excited either when I heard he was coming to visit. I also didn’t know who he was. Consider, though, that his grandfather, Jacques Cousteau helped invent the Aqualung, pioneered marine discovery and conservation, inspired the comedy movie “The Life Aquatic” (which, says esteemed editor Max David, “is like the best movie ever,”), and has (here’s the true mark of fame) a Wikipedia page for his boat.

Philippe himself refuses to be outdone: he works for Discovery, was good friends with Steve Irwin, and is at the head of (literally) a dozen oceanic education and environmental organizations. If that’s not enough, he has a blog and a Twitter page (twitter.com/pcousteau, ladies). He insists he has never been a model, but the fact that somebody had to ask says a lot already. We tell it like we see it, Philippe.

He talked to Garfield about habitat destruction, his grandfather, his work with teens in Washington DC, and other things as well: seeing big, glowing Humbolt squids tear each other apart in the open ocean at midnight, and how more people die each year in goldfish-related accidents than shark-related accidents.

He said that even though he’s been to some crazy places, “you don’t have to go to the Arctic, or the Red Sea, to explore new things. We have a scientist at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum that I worked with, and he discovered three new species of insects in his backyard.”

For a natural-minded adult, Cousteau takes a surprising view on technology: “[Technology] can help augment you going outside, because nowadays, if you got a question about something you see in your backyard. You can go on the internet at home, look it up, and find out what’s going on. … But I think it’s important for us also to get outside.”

And what advice does the mighty Cousteau offer for kids looking to become oceanographers in general? “You don’t have to grow up and just be a scientist,” he said (citing the fact that grand-dad Jacques wanted to be a pilot, and Phillipe is a history major).

But he also recommends: “It’s a competitive world out there. Get engaged in programs after school, during the summer. And then, you know, go to university. Gotta go to University.”
Take it from the master, kids.

“We’re really excited that we’re able to give Garfield a retreat this year” says senior and CORE member Elena Kazanjian. “All year everyone’s been asking us about when we’re going to have a retreat, and it feels good to tell people when it’s going to be because we weren’t even sure if we could do one.”

Reasons as to why the group hasn’t been able to organize off campus events have been widely speculated. It’s been no mystery that the group has been struggling financially, largely due to the fact that last years CORE left with a $9,000 deficit.

“We’ve been dealing with a lot of financial issues for the past couple months” says senior and CORE member Michael Haruta. “The debt and lack of communication with administration is what has been stalling us.”

Although the group has held a number of forums, the retreats remained the main attraction for the student body.

“I’ve liked the forums, but what I really want is a retreat” says junior Katie Trettenero. “I’ve never been on one, but I’ve heard that that’s where all the bonding happens and I want to experience that.”

The retreats a are relatively new component to the Cultural Relations program which has been in effect at Garfield since the 1990s. The program used to be mainly centered around school events. There was a Cultural Relations day at Garfield where the whole school would participate in forums and other activities, similar to those facilitated on retreats.

“The reason why we host retreats is to give students more of an intimate environment because some of the subjects we discuss are very personal” explains Kazangian. “But our goal this year is to make the program more than just the retreats because we’re trying to get more of the Garfield community involved.”

(Full disclosure: the author is a member of CORE.)

Born under the Nickels Administration as the Mayor’s Youth Council, the group was established in order to advise the mayor on a variety of topics related to youth concerns, including juvenile delinquency, law enforcement and the effectiveness of programs aimed at Seattle youth. Under the new mayor of Seattle Mike McGinn, the program has been renamed the Seattle Youth Commission, although its role as a youth advocacy group in city government is still fundamentally the same. It’s comprised of 25 members from around the city, five each from Ballard, Central, Southwest, Northeast and Southeast Seattle.

The commission gathers the material for their mayoral sessions from community meetings, held once a year in each of the five areas its members are drawn from. The annual Central District meeting was held just before winter break, and it was run in part by Abby Chin-Martin, a senior at Holy Names Academy in Capitol Hill. Chin-Martin joined the Commission a year ago.

“I remember being in class and hearing a guy ask, ‘How can the government represent us if we don’t vote?’” she says. Inspired, she decided to apply to the Council. Roughly 50 students apply each year, a process which involves answering a 10 question application, getting two adult recommendations and undergoing multiple interviews.

The meeting began with introductions, promises of pizza and a few ice breakers. After about 15 minutes of pleasantries, two-year Commission veteran Zabia Colovos finished up and got to the point, saying “Now, you guys tell us what you’re worried about, and we’ll talk to the mayor.”

Note cards were distributed, and attendees were instructed to list their top youth concern in the City of Seattle. The three most popular concerns, gang violence, police brutality and racism, were put up on a piece of posterboard, and the crowd of about 40 split up depending on which topic interested them most.

After 20 minutes of discussion, everyone came back together and each group presented possible solutions to their group’s problem. The police group’s findings, focusing on more community oversight, elicited a positive audience response. The gang violence group advocated for better education on gangs in schools, while the racism group didn’t have a solution, concluding that race relations were tense but deeply rooted. After a thank you by the Commission members, the meeting adjourned.

After these community meetings, the Commission will meet, and eventually “They’ll get to present policy recommendations to both the mayor and the city council,” according to Jenny Frankl, a program coordinator. This will be the first year that the Commission gets to present to both the council and the mayor, lending them legislative and executive influence in the city’s policy making process.

As she stacked chairs, Colovos said that it had been “a pretty typical meeting.” The 40 or so attendees represented a solid cross-section of both public and private schools in central Seattle. Three boys had come from Washington Middle School because of a flyer they had seen advertising free pizza, along with girls from Holy Names, a few boys from Lakeside, several from Garfield, a couple kids from Nova, and a handful of individuals who had graduated or who had dropped out.

The Seattle Youth Commission meets at least once a month to hold their committee meetings and draft policy proposals, and they hold their community meetings annually.

Frankl said that “the council meetings are a lot different from these [community meeting].” The mood is more business like, with the commission focused on writing policy proposals that have a legitimate shot at affecting city policy. When pressed for past commission successes, the members running the meeting explained that because most only spend a year or two on the commission, it’s difficult to chart how successful the commission had been in the past. It’s a sizeable time commitment, but Chin-Martin says,

“By being a part of this commission, it’s helped me believe that I can make a direct difference in the community.”

A list of current Commission members, information about applications and agendas for past meetings can all be found at seattle.gov/neighborhoods/syc/.

“I’ve been sensing a lot of dissatisfaction in the past couple years,” says Junior Statesman of America (JSA) member Caleb Raible-Clark. “Students are upset about schools closing, the WASL, district dance policies, and standardization of classes, among other things.”

The idea was first vocalized in a meeting of the Garfield JSA club, and has since gathered a strong following on Facebook through the group “Lower Voting Age for School Board Elections Across Washington State.” Advised by political organizations such as the Washington Bus and the National Youth Rights Association, Facebook group is made up of over 1,500 online supporters. Its goal is to amend the bill RCW 29A.08 in order to provide students entering high school the right to vote for their district school board. According to Raible-Clark, once the group reaches 15,000 supporters, they will start talking to state legislators in order to craft a bill that a representative would bring to the House floor. If the bill passed, it would allow students to influence policies that directly affect them and, supporters hope, inspire Washington’s youth to become more interested in politics.

“Politics is not a spectator sport,” says Raible-Clark. “This initiative could help to foster a political mindset earlier on.”

In the spirit of this goal, the group also hopes to use the interest and support they have generated to get a student representative on every school board in the state, in a non-voting, advisory role. Each representative would be in charge of counseling the board as to what students  in their area really want.  Students hope that having the attention of board members will lead to policies more in keeping with student needs, even without student board votes.

“When a group of people is removed from the electorate, it’s easy to pass something that sounds good, but … will upset students,” says Raible-Clark.

As with any revolutionary idea, the proposal to lower the voting age also has its detractors. Many students have argued on the group’s discussion board that their own age group is not yet politically aware enough to make such decisions, citing problems from student indifference to organized resistence.

“Students might be impatient and not be willing accept the difficult decisions school board members must make,” writes one critic. Another says that “students (in general) want stuff like less hours, more breaks, more dances, and other nonessential and non/anti academic things.” It certainly is a valid concern that high school students will be less than enthusiastic about voting – after all, America’s youth consistently have one of the lowest voter turnouts in national elections. However, the National Youth Rights Association believes that in general, granting youth the vote at an earlier age will form good habits and have “a direct effect on their character, intelligence and sense of responsibility.», and that such generalizations are not representative of the overall student population. Meanwhile, the students behind the movement believe that the fact that voters will be participating in elections that affect them more directly will have a positive impact on turnout.

“The reason why we are bringing up the idea of lowering the voting age for the school board is because we want our voices to be heard,” says JSA member Annie Schlossman. “You can claim that there are irresponsible students, but as a group we are not irresponsible. We care about where the money for our schools is going, we care about who represents us, we care about what decisions they make and we believe that we should have a vote for the people that will be making the decisions.”

There is also the thought that simply giving students the right to vote would increase interest and activity in politics in schools.

“The voting could be offered in schools,” says Raible-Clark, “which would increase turnout and give teachers incentive to discuss politics more in the classroom.”

Those involved in the movement are encouraging students to make their opinions on lowering the voting age heard by writing letters,  to and otherwise contacting members of the Seattle School Board and representatives in the state House and Senate. There will also be an after school event at Garfield High School in the near future to raise awareness of the issue.

On January fifth, the original advocates of the case, led by Muhammad Shabazz Farrakhan, convinced the 9th District Court to overturn a precedent and rule in their favor, agreeing with the plaintiffs’ original claims. For those unfamiliar with legal jargon, such as myself, this court is one level below the U.S. Supreme Court.

The inmates claimed that revoking every felon’s right to vote violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which guaranteed equal voting opportunity to racial minorities. Central to the case was their claim that the state’s criminal justice system discriminated against racial minorities, to the point that a quarter of African-Ameican males in Washington are unable to vote.

Farrakahan brought to the Court the statistics that, compared to whites, African-Americans are four times as likely to be arrested for violent crimes in the state of Washington, but are nine times more likely to be in prison. The plaintiffs asserted that taking away felons’ right to vote, while not inherently racist, is unequal treatment given our justice system.

No one has argued that the newly-highlighted institutional racism in our justice system doesn’t exist. Some Washington voters however, including Garfield senior Neil Hinnant, believe that giving felons the vote isn’t a valid solution to the problem.

“This is a societal problem that, at its roots, will not be solved by allowing felons to vote,” says Hinnant. “Society and history have created a socioeconomic trend that causes minorities to be more likely to commit felony offenses.”

Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna announced soon after the decision that he plans to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court, or at least to a larger panel of judges. The district court responded by suspending their ruling until the appeal is considered.

Whether the case serves to spark an investigation into the discrimination in our justice system or to actually reverse felon disenfranchisement laws, Washington will be setting a precedent.

Magic: The Gathering has more than a gathering of followers. Played by two or more people, this card game combines creatures, spells, sorcery and quick thinking to establish a victor. Equipped with a deck, one can challenge any takers in an attempt to reduce the opponent’s life points from 20 to zero. But don’t be fooled by the seemingly simple set up. There is complexity deeply rooted within the game; the thousands of cards and abilities available amount to an extremely diverse and unique game.

Magic is often subjected to disdain and categorized with the likes of Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh, the same all-too-familiar childhood games that everybody thought died out in the 1990s.

However, this one did not. In fact, Magic has recently encountered a rise in popularity. Garfield itself contains a number of Magic players, and is host to a weekly Magic Club. Those who can swallow their pride and play the game find that, well, it’s fun.

“It started out with the pictures on the cards,” says senior Wilson Platt. “They originally drew me into the game. As I got older, the intricacies of the game kept me playing. No two games are alike.”

The decks range in color, with each color representing the theme of the deck. For example, Red represents fire while  blue represents water. Each of these themes carries with it unique abilities, such as rejuvenation of health or brute strength.

The colors, although separate in the abilities they contain, are also capable of being mixed and matched, with two or three colors per deck. In this way, limitless combinations can be drawn and each game is different

Some players take it to the next level and enter tournaments. Travis Woo, a 2008 Garfield graduate, has entered tournaments to win cash prizes and competed on the Magic Pro Tour. Others compete to earn booster packs, which generally include 15 cards.

“I play in tournaments and bet my booster packs, and when I win I can go home and make my deck even stronger!” says junior Julien Kos.

Typically players will bet three booster packs and play multiple games. Booster packs come cheap, but many find themselves buying huge amounts as they add up. Comparable to gambling, these “high stakes” tournaments are not for everybody.

“Most of the time, at least when I’ve competed, it’s mostly just to advance on to bigger tournaments. The more you win, the better of people you play,” says Platt. Magic players can thus gain money, valuable cards, and experience.

People unfamiliar with the game, however, question the integrity of it as a whole.

“Magic … what the f*** is Magic?” says senior Joseph Lucia.

It is true that, while it seems to go hand-to-hand with the widespread Pokemon, many people still do not know about Magic or all it has to offer. They may have never heard of it growing up, or just chalked it off as a waste of time. The origins of most avid players infatuation with the game stem back to childhood days. Kids that grew up buying playing cards generally familiarized themselves with the various games. By the time Magic became popular again, these same kids were already good and able to jump right back into it.

“I used to be one of those people, thinking Magic was strictly for basement-dwellers, until somebody taught me how to play,” says junior Eli Zavatsky. “Me and Eli (Higham) played in his basement one day, and the next day we brought it to school and a bunch of people wanted to play. That’s when we decided to start Magic Club.”

Magic Club, or Magic: The Gathering: Gathering (yes, twice), holds weekly meetings in Spang’s room. The atmosphere is intense. Battles line the tables and conversation is sparse, other than the clash of verbal spell casting.

All ranges of experience are welcome, and each deck has its own advantages and disadvantages. This makes nobody undefeatable, and gives opportunities to all newcomers.

If you haven’t gotten with the program yet, Magic is cool. You can win money, gain good experience and have fun with your friends.

Many a spare hour can be spent in the clutches of a zombie deck, or fighting off a flying bird or Minotaur Warrior. Magic brings a variety of people together and forms bonds between friends. And it is only growing, so skeptics, beware.

In the great words of Tala Vertan, Makindi shieldmate, “Quit pontificating, mage. Only on the battlefield can we repay all the Order has given us.”

Across the GHS club scene, presidents and members alike have been peddling everything from baked goods to llama-blazoned sweatshirts in an attempt to escape the general lack of funds seen by many clubs at Garfield.

One club, the mentoring program, has been extremely limited by a lack of funding, to the point of being unable to expand.

“We want to give all mentors something to give to their freshman,” says Garfield Senior and Lead Mentor Zoe Kaiser. “We have a goal to make mentoring t-shirts, but there’s no money from ASB at all.”

Clubs at Garfield have a history of being mostly self-funded, but in order to be officially allowed to do any fundraising, the clubs are supposed to apply to the student government for approval. According to Garfield Senior and ASG vice president Michael Cunetta however, there is money readily available to clubs who pursue it.

“If they need funding, they’re always able to ask for money from the general ASB account,” says Cunetta.

The Garfield Messenger, a longtime fundraising giant and arguably the flyest club at Garfield, is especially poor. Due to loss of support from a range of sources, writers and photographers alike have taken to selling dozens of glazed Krispy Creme donuts and begging on the street for donations. If you notice a decline in the quality of life around school, there’s a good chance that the problem lies in the decreased number of issues the paper is able to produce this year.

Garfield’s Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), the team behind the uniquely influential cultural relations retreats, has also recently entered onto the fundraising scene. Normally a financially stable club, trouble with payments from the retreat last spring left CORE in debt and unsure of how to get out.

“There’s ambiguity as to whether we can or can’t host retreats if we’re in debt and they’re our main source of income,” says CORE member Paloma Contreras. “We’ve heard different things from different people.”

Also fighting the restrictions of clubbin’ in the recession is Future Billionare Investors, or FBI.

“The whole point of FBI club is to invest money as a team,” says Garfield Junior and FBI president Gali Russel. “We need the money to invest; without that we don’t really have anything to do in the club.”

Russel voices the problems that a lot of GHS clubs bump up against when trying to expand.

“We’re just starting out and can’t come up with any creative ways of raising cash,” says Russel.

Heifer Club, on the other hand, exists mostly as an entity that raises money, which it uses to purchase farm animals for families that don’t otherwise have the means. In the past year, they’ve hit on one of the most successful fundraising ideas visible at Garfield.

The livestock club has recently finished selling their second batch of plain, pullover sweatshirts featuring the outline of an animal on the front. The current line features a llama on the front, and at 15 dollars a piece, the club plans to reign in a couple hundred dollars.

The newly reinstated club Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) has come up with a source of funding less reliant on the generosity of the Garfield community.

“Fortunately SAVE has a good sum of money from the Mayor’s millions that he sent out in youth violence prevention,” says Garfield junior and SAVE co-president Emerson North.

SAVE’s goals encompass strengthening programs that reach out to disadvantaged youth, and reducing violence citywide. All of this requires at least some money to be feasible, but the Garfield Mentoring program needs to expand to improve their reputation.

“It would probably smooth over teacher-mentor relations,” says Kaiser. “They can’t really see the effort we put in just by reading an email.”

Garfield puts itself out there as a school where there’s a club for every kid. We advertise the diversity of student groups and the opportunities they hold for those who put in the time. This still holds true, though the club of your choice may be struggling to expand over financial fallout.

Originally, both pieces of equipment were supposed to be part of a new pre-engineering class at Garfield: Project Lead the Way (PLTW). Theoretically, the class would offer Garfield students a uniquely engaging, hands-on introduction to engineering.

“The district picks and chooses what programs it wants to invest in,” says Principal Ted Howard II. “When the building was renovated, it was decided that Garfield would implement Project Lead the Way, so [the district] went out and bought all the materials.”

In addition to purchasing the 3D printer and the laser engraver, the district also invested in a robotic arm, nearly 30 robots, and other costly technology.

“We have a whole bunch of equipment that’s ostensibly to teach students about beginning engineering concepts,” says Helene Martin, who teaches the new creative computing and computer science classes at Garfield.

According to Martin’s estimates, the total value of the equipment may exceed $200,000.

Unfortunately, PLTW never became fully operational at Garfield. The curriculum demands a teacher with a strong engineering background.

“We couldn’t find anyone that would actually teach PLTW,” says Howard. “We ended up going through five or six teachers.”

According to Howard, these teachers lacked the background necessary to teach or were unwilling to teach the PLTW curriculum. Ultimately, the district decided to offer computer science as a substitute.

“There’s a lot in computer science that you would get from a pre-engineering program,” says Martin. “You have critical thinking, you have hands-on applied knowledge, and you have a lot of tie-in from math and science.”

Moreover, the new computer science classes are economically viable.

“There’s no equipment need,” says Martin. “My operation is free; my software is free; basically everything I’m doing is free.”

Garfield’s replacement computer programming class also avoids some of the other drawbacks of PLTW curricula.

“PLTW programs try to cater to people that are more vocational as well as to people that are more academic,” says Martin. “But trying to be somewhere in the middle generally means it ends up catering to nobody.”

Another concern that Martin has with PLTW curricula is that it suffers from the amount of prep time required for student use of the machinery.

“Realistically, it’ll take three weeks to complete safety training for a class of at least 26 students,” says Martin. “How much time is anyone going to have on the laser engraver?”

Howard also seems to lean in favor of Garfield’s new computer programming classes.

“The Career and Technical Education department did a survey,” says Howard. “Turns out, what the students are really interested in is programming and computer science.”

Still, Howard hopes that PLTW’s pre-engineering class will soon be offered at Garfield.

“The district really wants us to do [PLTW],” says Howard. “We’ll just have to see what happens with the budget.”

But for Garfield to offer PLTW’s pre-engineering class, it will need to find a teacher.

“The only person in the building that has that background is Mr. [Alan] Carpenter,” says Howard. “I hope that next year we will be able to get PLTW off the ground, but it will take someone that is very invested in the building.”

One day, students may be able to use the 3D printer or the laser engraver, but until that day, PLTW isn’t going to be very “hands-on” after all.