Talisman

The Student News Site of Ballard High School
ASB, school administration prepare for graduation
ASB, school administration prepare for graduation
Jack Rees (top left), Hanzo Watanabe (top right), and Thijs Buning (middle) will become next years sophmore ambassadors.
The future of ASB: upcoming sophomores elect ambassadors
Scholar of the Quarter program returns, assisted by Plant Club
Scholar of the Quarter program returns, assisted by Plant Club
Old tile covered by a layer of plaster outside of the Ceramics classroom.
BEACH Club Works to Remodel School Decorations
Engineering classes receive school cuts
Students from all across Seattle Public Schools (SPS) congregated in front of The John Stanford Center building protesting SPS's decision to split lunches across the district. They came in droves with posters and defiant attitudes.
District wide policy splits school lunches
Senior Lola Stoffels-Sack has grown up sewing and designing; it’s hard to imagine her pursuing anything other than fashion design because of her love for the art.
Graduating with style
After being introduced to firefighting by her mentor Todd Wollum from the Shoreline Fire Department, King enrolled in the Skills Center FITE (First in Training and Education) class, taught by on-duty firefighters.
Fighting fire without fear
With many students becoming legal adults, applying for jobs and stressing about their fiscal future, a clear connection can be drawn between students and gambling.
Rolling the dice on teen gambling
Sarah Decoy, the new home economics teacher, pictured instructing her class during a project.
Creating comfort and connection
Senior and lacrosse captain Thomas Volosin became more confident as he stayed on the team and became captain. As a freshman, he was less close with his teammates, but as a senior their team chemistry grew and they played even better. (Courtesy of Thomas Volosin)
How do high school sports shape senior athletes’ lives?
Captain and senior Maddie Singer aims a pass towards her teammates, the energy that she brings to the sport keeping them driven. (Courtesy of Anthony Spinelli)
From overlooked to ranked, girls lacrosse is heading to Regionals
Senior and captain Owen Cutting sprints across the field, keeping the ball away from an opposing Roosevelt player. Midfield players adapt well when situations arise, helping the team’s success. (Courtesy of Steve Muench)
What makes a successful boys varsity soccer team?
“All In” is a phrase we often say to each other. It’s on the back of one of our practice shirts, and it is something we leave practice saying every single time. Those two words have made a huge impact on my life and my approach to nearly everything. (Courtesy of Varsity Spirit)
‘All In’ for Cheer winning Nationals
“Being able to provide a place where top female soccer players can play in front of big crowds and their community, and just the level of players all coming together on one team is really, really exciting,” Arrant said. (Courtesy of Marissa Lordahl)
Highlighting the future of women’s soccer
One of JFK's most famous speeches from American University, June 10, 1963, calling for the end of nuclear weapons and peace with the then, Soviet Union, which was delivered five months before his assassination.
Newly declassified files surrounding the JFK assassination do little to quell conspiracy theories
As our time on the Talisman comes to a close, we would like to express our immense gratitude for the community’s support for student journalism.
A letter from our graduating seniors
Our education system must come to view AI as a tool rather than a necessity because this technology can be helpful to an extent, but at the cost of our own creativity.
The value of imperfection: why human creativity matters more than AI efficiency
True stars like Marilyn Monroe are nonexistent in this social media age.
Missing super stars: the new pop culture
Prom should be about making memories, not trash, therefore vintage prom dresses are the perfect choice.
Vintage over Viral

Talisman

Talisman
Xander Howarth

Xander Howarth, Editor in Chief

I’ve been on the Talisman for two years, with the last year as the 2023-2024 opinions’ editor. I’m a junior, and I’m so excited to read and edit this new classes’ articles because I know they’re going to be incredible. When I’m not writing or editing or designing pages, I can be found working at the Majestic Bay Theater or reading a book at Golden Gardens. 

All content by Xander Howarth
As our time on the Talisman comes to a close, we would like to express our immense gratitude for the community’s support for student journalism.

[Photo] A letter from our graduating seniors

Editorial Board
June 9, 2025
But to adapt coherently and respectfully is a skill not many have mastered.

How not to adapt

Xander Howarth, Opinions Editor
June 6, 2025
With many students becoming legal adults, applying for jobs and stressing about their fiscal future, a clear connection can be drawn between students and gambling.

Rolling the dice on teen gambling

Abigail Bekele and Xander Howarth
May 28, 2025
“Go on a vacation,” they must say. “New location, new you.” I have always been fascinated by such marketing of vacation.

‘The White Lotus’ is in half bloom

Xander Howarth, Opinions Editor
May 16, 2025
Maddie Marushka 10, Sabi Yoon 11, Aliana Kirkos 12, Gavin Mcgregor 10, Max Bykowski 12, Frances Diver 10, Robin Dowdy teacher supervisor, Josie Good 11 (Xander Howarth) Dowdy said that she saw the bond that team members have formed as a little family, in a way.

[Photo] Mock Trials’ challenges and rewards

Lucia Kelley, Staff Reporter
May 27, 2025
In actuality, the anchor and guiding force of this movie is Mikey Madison.

Mikey Madison legitimizes sex work as ‘Anora’

Xander Howarth, Opinions Editor
April 2, 2025
Already trying to make sense of our place in school, in society, in adulthood, how are we possibly supposed to make sense of our place on Earth, in the Milky Way, in the universe? The problem is that we aren’t; the existential ennui of being a highschooler is normalized to the point of disinterest.

Fearing the unknown

Xander Howarth, Opinions Editor
April 2, 2025
It is morally reprehensible for people to use fire and ash to fuel their own religious agendas: a tragedy does not justify propaganda, and propaganda does not justify tragedy.

Religion has clouded a smoke-filled sky, yet again

Xander Howarth, Opinions Editor
February 14, 2025
As a woman previously cast aside as nothing more than a sex symbol, Anderson’s nuanced history gives needed context to Shelly and the audience’s interest in Shelly

‘The Last Showgirl’ dazzles spectacularly

Xander Howarth, Opinions Editor
February 14, 2025
Data and quotes sourced from a Talisman survey of 85 anonymous students.

The election issue: gen Z, social media and politics

Madeleine Clark and Xander Howarth
November 14, 2024
"Fleabag's" second season orbits the titular Fleabag's relationship with a Catholic priest, and, ultimately, his inability to put her above his God.

A love affair with religion

Xander Howarth, Opinions Editor
November 7, 2024
His Three Daughters” ultimately spends enough time focusing upon itself that it fails to cater to the insatiable appetite of modern media.

‘His Three Daughters’ allows itself to be human

Xander Howarth, Opinions Editor
November 1, 2024
Almost every conversation in the film is about sex or tennis, and these conversations feel like rallies of the senses. While this could make the move passably brilliant, it really only makes it entertaining. "Challengers" is a joyous trainwreck of the senses, each one of them thrown around against the audiences will.

Broken hearts and broken rackets

Xander Howarth, Opinions editor
June 10, 2024
Junior Sam Razumma plays Uncle Fester, the musicals narrator who guides us through the devious Addams Family history. (Tansy Velush)

When you’re an Addams

Xander Howarth, Opinions editor
May 5, 2024
It seems at the center of the story is Bella's evolution, her growing love and appreciation of life. (Pixstory)

Sometimes fiction can just be fiction

Xander Howarth, Opinions editor
March 19, 2024

“Peace comes when stories are celebrated.”

Xander Howarth, Opinions editor
February 2, 2024
"The Holdovers" Promotional image (IMDB)

Holding Over the holiday Spirit

Xander Howarth, Opinions Editor
December 12, 2023
Each year, we celebrate the holidays earlier and earlier.

It seems like none of us can enjoy November

Xander Howarth, Opinions editor
December 12, 2023
interscope.com

That took some Guts

Xander Howarth, Opinions Editor
November 7, 2023
Rebecca Howsmon joins staff this year, equipped to teach genetics, biology and systems medicine.

A teacher’s first year experience

Xander Howarth, Staff Reporter
June 22, 2023
Cinco de Mayo isn’t Mexican Independence Day, nor is it particularly celebrated in Mexico.

Changing the narrative of May Fifth

Xander Howarth, Staff Reporter
May 23, 2023
For months before the test, students devote themselves to their studies.

How to Study for your AP test:

Xander Howarth and Olivia Schaer
April 24, 2023

A Librarian’s Love

Xander Howarth, Staff Reporter
April 21, 2023
Alana Gaulin, the new librarian assistant, is almost finished with her master’s program at the University of Washington and fell in love with working at libraries.

New assistant librarian brings her love of Winnie the Pooh

Xander Howarth, Staff Reporter
April 21, 2023
‘Daisy Jones and The Six’ times I sobbed over this book

‘Daisy Jones and The Six’ times I sobbed over this book

Xander Howarth, Staff Reporter
March 21, 2023
We were born and raised to work and be faithful consumers, to be a cog in a machine until we’ve rusted. So it makes sense that a day for love is in reality a day of goods to trade and barter for affection.

You Are Worth a Box of Chocolates

Xander Howarth, Staff Reporter
March 20, 2023
After students gathered at City Hall, organizers led the group in a march through the surrounding streets. Thousands gathered around the focal point of the march: the large banner that read, “Ingraham Strong.”

Seattle students walk out for gun control and mental health resources

Hazel Engstrom, Xander Howarth, and Marley Helfer
December 15, 2022
Pasta Van co-founder Dexter Czark (left) passes out pasta to junior Marley Williams (right).

From sketchy to delicious

Xander Howarth, Staff Reporter
November 7, 2022
Freshman Sabi Yoon givers her speech about why freshmen students should vote to help improve school diversity.

Newest Freshman Ambassadors

Xander Howarth, Staff Reporter
November 7, 2022
(Amazon)

We’re glad her mom died

Xander Howarth, Staff Reporter
November 7, 2022
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