By: Timea Horvath Photo by: @simpsonswimming Practice off campus six times a week? The Simpson University’s swimming team knows exactly how it feels. Simpson’s one of the youngest athletic teams is the men and women’s swimming and diving team. Started in 2019, with Steve Lazaraton as head coach, the team is slowly growing with more and more people hearing about it. However, compared to the achievements they are getting, the team still seems to be rarely talked about. According to the Simpson Athletics 2021-22 recap, last season ended successfully for the Red Hawk swimmers. “In the Pacific Collegiate Championships, both teams struggled on day one with the women missing the qualifying mark for nationals and the men being disqualified in the 200 medley and 800 freestyle for taking off early. However, the Red Hawks bounced back and had over 10 top 10 finishes over the four-day tournament. The men then went on to compete at nationals where they placed 10th in the nation in just three years of being a program.” This year the Simpson swim team invited seven new athletes, thus starting the season with a lot of fresh energy and motivation. Irene Batalla, a current senior swimmer from Barcelona, Spain agreed to share her insights on the team. “I feel that the team has changed a lot this year, all of the swimmers are new but 5 of us, it’s different because it’s all new people, but we still have a really good connection between us, and it feels like a family.” Since Simpson University doesn’t have a swimming pool, the Red Hawk swimmers have to commute off campus for their practices. This can be a challenge especially for someone who doesn’t own a car and has to carpool. Jacob Greene, the Slate’s editor-in-chief, discussed the topic more deeply in his recent editorial, Carpool to the Pool. The team is currently preparing for an upcoming tournament, a Texas invite in Dallas, during the weekend of Dec. 3-5. In the future, they also have planned a tournament with Westmont College in Santa Barbara on Jan.14, and a Cal State East Bay Invite in Hayward only five days later. Between Feb. 8 and 11, the Red Hawk swimmers will take part in the PCSC Conference Championships, which may take them to the NAIA National Championships in March.

Photo from: Simpson Women’s Basketball Instagram By: Noah Bryerton Coach Edgar Mendez wants to attend all his players’ weddings. Since his arrival at Simpson in the summer of 2021, Coach Mendez has preached a culture of family and good character. “I have some young ladies who are just wonderful people,” Mendez said over phone call. The women’s basketball team this year is both young and old. The starting lineup holds 3 seniors and a graduate student. Coach Mendez also brought in 3 freshmen this year. “We’re trying to recruit people that are Simpson. We don’t want to differentiate athletes and Simpson students. I’m trying to recruit people that make a fit for the whole school, Simpson University’s DNA,” Mendez said. Coach highlighted sophomores Celina Tress and Nikki Thompson, and graduate student Livi Lindsay as a few examples of people he wants the students at Simpson to get to know. In an earlier conversation, he said “I don’t look at myself as the women’s basketball coach, but rather as the pastor of a women’s basketball team.” Coach Mendez is focused on relationships with his players even when they are not playing for him anymore. This has been put into practice with the hiring of Bree Northern as an assistant coach. Northern graduated last year and played for Mendez during his first season as head coach. Mendez wants a relationship with each of his players to where each of them wants him at their weddings. THIS SEASON The Cal Pac preseason poll had Simpson slated in the 7th spot out of 11 teams according to the conference website www.calpacathletics.com. “On paper, I agree with where they put us. We can make it into the top five, top four, that’s always your plan, everybody would love to get the bye. We’re going to work towards that goal of securing a playoff spot again,” said Coach Mendez. Coach then talked about the strengths and weaknesses of his team. “Our team is going to be really good defensively, it’s one of our staples,” he said. “I’m a big defensive-minded coach. The toughest issues we face right now is truly having a pure point guard and not being the greatest three-point shooting team.” Mendez and company currently sit at 2-2 early in the year. One of those wins came against former Simpson coach Derrick Pringle by a score of 69-54. The conference home opener is Thursday, Dec. 1 against Park University, followed by two more home games in three days against Benedictine Mesa and Embry Riddle. If you want to watch Coach Mendez and his team play the schedule is listed below. Also, follow them on their Instagram @simpsonuwbb. https://simpsonredhawks.com/sports/womens-basketball/schedule?path=wbball

Photo by: Simpson University Baseball Instagram By: Ronald Bolling At Simpson University we finally have Baseball in our own backyard. The Baseball field is getting ready to be finished. It has been a long-awaited addition to the Simpson University campus. I got a chance to speak to the Head Coach Dan Tating, to get his thoughts on the Baseball field finishing up and playing on the field. I asked Tating his thoughts on the baseball field, his expectations for how the baseball field being finished would affect the connection of the team? Tating stated, “I think it goes further than just like our team this year, this is like 20 years in the making, it’s important for our team, but also important for our community.” Redding has not had the chance to watch The Simpson Baseball team on their own turf. I asked Tating what is the biggest factor going into the seasons moving forward? Tating stated, “The fact is more than just the field, we’ll have the only field, us and La Sierra will have a field on campus. That is major, Simpson University will have a home field advantage, and not a lot of schools can say that is pretty awesome. I asked Tating Do you think this will help the community of Redding get behind Redhawk Baseball? Tating responded, “I think us having control of the field, be able to make decisions, and having to control how to field plays”. One questions during my time talking to Tating that I was waiting to ask is What kept you at Simpson for so many years even though other schools had their own baseball fields”? Tating responded “As a coach you want to be successful you want to win championships, but as long as you're progressing every year it helps you see that you don’t feel like you're going backwards and it helps you drive to be better every year also combine that with your relationships with your players, with your coaching staff you become more of a family.” A long-awaited moment that the Simpson University community has been waiting for over decade will finally happen.

By: Timea Horvath Photo by: @simpsonu_golf on Instagram Simpson University’s golf team, even though rarely talked about, has a unique story. This year, 11 out of the 12 students on the school’s golf team are international. Almost all of them come from different countries. The nations represented are Mexico, Kenya, Canada, England, Spain, Ireland, Norway, the Netherlands, and Germany. Such a vast variety of nationalities on one team has its advantages and disadvantages. “I have had trouble myself understanding their accents sometimes, but they all tell awesome stories and bring pieces of their culture here,” said Eric Norris, the team’s graduate assistant. Despite the possible cultural differences, Simpson’s golf team seems to be incredibly well integrated. Most of the guys on the team are roommates. This means that not only do they play competitive golf with each other, they also share their living space. The team is happy to share the multiple successes they have achieved this academic year. During the weekend of Oct. 9-11, the team competed in their first tournament of the season, the Oregon Tech invite at the Running Y Ranch Resort course in Klamath Falls, OR. “Jaxon Moon was five under par at some point in his round and settled with a two under par 70. Dean Knight has stepped up as a freshman as well and played great,” Norris said. According to the Simpson University Athletics website, the men finished in third place. Jaxon Moon was leading the way for the Red Hawks with a 3rd place finish. Dean Knight and Felipe Ferreira finished with 8th and 9th places, respectively, out of 27. The women also finished the tournament strong. Michelle Euan, a sophomore, took 11th place, and Brie Memeo finished in 15th place. Managing such a multinational team may sound very stressful and hard to some people. Coach Mike Phillips heard some of those concerns while he was recruiting the current team. The biggest one was that most high schools abroad do not have sports teams. Thus, Simpson University would be their first time of playing golf on a team. However, despite all the possible challenges, Phillips decided to bring this unique team into reality. And he doesn’t regret it. According to Phillips, his favorite aspect of coaching golf is that you always win as a team. This means that the players are rooting for their teammates to do as well as possible, which creates a deep bond between them. “Golf may not be the most exciting sport, but all of our players are excited to play for Simpson and represent the school well respectfully and professionally,” Norris said. The golf players are currently training for their next tournament which will take place between Nov. 6-8 in Rocklin, CA.

Photo by: Spencer Crandall (Spotify) Written by: Caitlin Chavez Country singer, Spencer Crandall continues to capture more hearts through his first tour, The Western Tour with his music and story. Crandall, 27, began his songwriting career after he had to end his college football career due to a shoulder injury. He shared that he questioned his purpose after that decision because he loved playing football, and pursuing that career was part of his plan. He saw his guitar sitting in his dorm room, “grabbed his guitar and started playing,” Crandall said. He shared that he went from singing covers, to writing his own songs and sharing his music on social media. Shortly after, his little sister introduced him to Tik Tok to check out. He responded, “I’m not a 13-year-old girl.” However, he shared that decided to investigate Tik Tok for himself and realized there was more than just trending dancing videos. As but people sharing their music as well. “I think there’s something there,” Crandall said. One of his songs he posted on Tik Tok, My Person, went viral hours later. He even made a wedding version of My Person; and people used the song to share their relationship stories and first wedding dances on Tik Tok. He shared that he had no idea one of his songs going viral would bring him to the place he is today within his career. In the beginning of October, he started his first tour, The West Tour. performing throughout most of the United States. Even though a few of his venues were not super big, a few of his shows were sold out, including one of the venues in Los Angeles. One of his fans, Teagan Haubrock, shared her experience after attending Spencer Crandall’s concert in Los Angeles. “Meeting him for the first time, I was filled with excitement. Spencer talked about some of his songs, and why he wrote them. Most of his songs really inspired me and helped me get through my day,” Haubrock said. From this point in Crandall’s journey, he shared that his hopes are to continue to create the music people love and enjoy.

Photo by: Caitlin Chavez By: Caitlin Chavez Money has been going to waste for Simpson and affecting the environment due to trash, but there is a solution. Simpson University has been facing a trash crisis due to ongoing styrofoam take-out containers being tossed after one use daily. Seeing trash continue to pile up in the cafeteria, in dorm halls, stairways, even outside around campus from the to-go boxes is not a good look for Simpson. It shows lack of hospitality and poor reflection to potential students who arrive on Simpson campus. If we look at the numbers from Simpson student, Daniel Martin’s research, there are at least 3,500 styrofoam food boxes tossed after one use weekly, that is $1,050 total spent. This total spent on to-go boxes is from students who grab one to take food from the cafeteria within the Monday through Friday time period alone. To keep up with the trash, there were 4 more dumpsters added to help with making Simpson campus look more appealing. The dumpsters must be dumped more often than before, meaning SU must pay the garbage employees for picking the trash up. Martin proposed in his essay the cafeteria stops buying 700 take-out containers a day for students completely. As a result, it can not only save them money buying $210 worth of plastic containers every day, but it will benefit the environment as well. Furthermore, it can help decrease trash production from Simpson University’s dumpsters. Is Simpson University planning to solve this issue? According to Noah Bryerton, ASBSU President, “Simpson University is actively working on reducing amounts of producing trash.” To replace the styrofoam boxes, the cafeteria was thinking about executing a reusable food container program next year that gives students their own to-go containers. Instead of grabbing a to-go box from the cafeteria, students would have to bring their own to-go box in if they want to take food on the go. Bryerton said, "A big point of conversation has been the styrofoam “to-go” containers used in the Caf. Styrofoam is awful for the environment and the containers take up lots of space”. The Sustainability Club, established and led by Kia Flack and Sophie Actis, encouraging others on campus to be more “environmentally sustainable." If you want to start helping the environment but do not know how, you can start off by following their Instagram to receive helpful tips.

Photos by Cole McMahon By: Jacob Greene Cole McMahon bleeds red and gold. He created his own podcast, immersing himself in the sports world. McMahon was born in Las Vegas, Nevada but has lived in Menifee, California for the last 16 years. His father’s family is from San Francisco but moved around a lot–living in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania at one point. McMahon’s father was a Pittsburg fan, but eventually became a San Francisco 49ers fan. McMahon talked about how he got the idea of his podcast, “One time when me and my dad were going up to the championship game, for the 49ers, we were listening to the 49ers radio–KNBR–and I thought, ‘Dang this would be a really cool job to have.’” At that time McMahon was planning on becoming a History teacher. Instead, he decided he wanted to pursue something in the sports world. He now lives in the sports world. McMahon built his very own podcast to showcase his love for the red and gold. It takes McMahon approximately two and a half hours total, per episode. McMahon said, “I’ve gotten a little quicker. It is not too bad now. I kind of have a process.” This process includes rewatching the game after it is finished, taking notes during the game, and editing the audio for the podcast. McMahon has about 50 weekly listeners to his podcast. He also has almost 3,300 followers on his Instagram page, as well as 133 subscribers on YouTube. Through all the hard work and dedication McMahon is aware that there are always improvements to be made. McMahon knows he needs to promote it a lot better but also stated, “It would be great to have a lot of listeners, but just having the experience of doing it is really what I'm in for.” McMahon draws inspiration from other 49ers fan pages such as Oursf49ers, Niners Nation, and of course the radio network that started it all, KNBR 680. McMahon talked about his inspirations, “My dad definitely helps me a lot, gives me lots of ideas and knows a lot about sports stuff.” Although football is his favorite sport, he does not know all the different plays, zones, and coverages-unlike baseball. McMahon currently plays baseball for the Simpson University Red Hawks. McMahon depends on his dad for any extra knowledge he wants to use for his podcast. McMahon’s biggest achievement was getting 22,000 views on a hype video he made for the 49ers’ 2021-2022 season. Not only that, but at one point was also tagged in a Trey Lance post by Sports Illustrated on Instagram. First and 49ers was tagged in the post along with a few other successful fan-run 49ers accounts. If you would like to follow Firstand49ers on Instagram, Spotify, and YouTube the links are listed below. Do not forget to also check out the First and 49ers website. For More Information: https://www.instagram.com/firstand49ers/ https://open.spotify.com/show/39vZUlbGNVlakqke68jwMi?si=593f620327fe45f8 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmALG6ObnnFO8fxS9ltljCA/featured https://www.firstand49ers.com/

By: Timea Horvath Photo By: Neighborhood Church in Chico, CA From a small East Texas town of Nacogdoches, through the constantly bustling Chicago to Redding, California, Thomas Middlebrook has experiences like no one else. A long journey of first being a timber framer to then becoming a graduate assistant and a pastoral fellow and elder has eventually drawn Middlebrook to Simpson University. He has been an assistant professor of Old Testament here for more than two years now. Most Simpson students already have or will have at least one class with Professor Middlebrook during their time in college. He is known for his never-ending smile and those new, bright red glasses. His passion for teaching is visible during every class and students are often inspired by his lessons. “He teaches in a way that inspires delight. He also cares about his students and creates space in the classroom for us to be there for one another in community,” said Kia Flack, a Biblical Studies major. Dr. Middlebrook, however, didn’t always plan on becoming a professor. He is what some might call a true “renaissance man.” His numerous interests include sports (especially Frisbee Golf and Ultimate Frisbee), comics, board games, poetry, archeology, and more. The passion for archeology, as Dr. Middlebrook said, began during his childhood when he started learning about Native American archeology with his father. During his graduate studies, Middlebrook went on several archeological excavations in Israel. He said that it perfectly combined his love for the Old Testament with archeology. He was part of leading multiple tours in conjunction with Jerusalem University College (Simpson also takes students there every other year). While excavating requires a lot of manual work and patience, Middlebrook said it was worth it. One day he found something very unusual. “I’m cleaning off this one find with my thumb and I’m rubbing the mud off a very normal broken piece of pottery (probably spending too long cleaning it). I thought my fingerprint was on it when I realized that it was actually an ancient fingerprint. I was staring at an Israelite woman’s fingerprint from 3,000 years ago,” said Middlebrook. “That’s a human being with a story and just connecting to that story blew me away. That’s why I love it and I would love to get back to it one day.” Despite his many talents, experiences, and deep connections with the people he met in different parts of the world, when Simpson University offered Middlebrook a job, he accepted it immediately. “To move and get hired was a dream come true and this really is my dream job. Everything I do is so fun, exciting, and valuable that I can’t imagine doing anything else,” said Middlebrook. Having such devoted, kind, and experienced professors is a rare find, like an ancient woman’s fingerprint, but many agree that Dr. Middlebrook is one of them. Simpson University is lucky to have him as part of the faculty.

Photo by: Simpson University By: Timea Horvath Simpson University is officially launching a football team. On Sept. 27, all students received an email that proved the rumors to be true. Dr. Norman Hall, Simpson University’s president, announced the launch of a football team. After months of thorough research on the resources needed and steps to be taken, the decision has been made to add football to our sports department. The exciting news quickly spread over the school community, and many students started wondering what the first season will look like. However, before we are able to enjoy those games, Simpson has to go through the long process of preparations. “The current model includes what is called a “zero” year next fall where the new team will participate in non-conference scrimmage games,” Dr. Hall said, “We have started recruiting, will play the “zero” or scrimmage year next year and expect to play NAIA sanctioned games Fall 2024.” According to Dr. Hall, the most important step right now is finding a head coach. The coach then will work together with Simpson’s admissions office in the process of recruiting players and hiring an assistant coach. When it comes to the location of the football practices and games, the plan is still being shaped. There are two main possibilities that the university is considering. The first one includes adding Astro-turf and lights to the current soccer field for practice and possibly games. The president and other Simpson employees are also in the process of talking to nearby high schools about using their fields Saturday games. This addition to the Simpson University’s athletic department will certainly change a lot when it comes to the community feeling, campus life, and student body. When done properly, this could bring a lot of good publicity and new students to school. “Universities that are successful in this endeavor are those who pull together to make it a success.  As a community we will need to move carefully, ask good questions, and launch this program bathed in prayer,” Dr. Hall said. Students are also engaged in the preparations for the football team. Noah Bryerton, the ASBSU President, shared his role in the project. “I had the privilege of joining Dr. Hall and some other faculty on a trip to Caldwell, Idaho the weekend of October 6-9,” Bryerton said. Bryerton then shared the story of the College of Idaho which (similarly to Simpson) started as a small school deciding to launch a football program. After 10 years of hard work, they have the No.1 attendance in all of NAIA football and have put together an amazing team and gameday experience. “Simpson can do the same!!!” Bryerton said. Launching a football team is surely a bold decision which requires a lot of hard work and determination, but when done correctly, can have a huge, positive impact on the university and the city of Redding in general. Let’s hope that this is what will happen with Simpson.

Photo taken by: Lana Lucin “Living Life on the EDGE” By: Jacob Greene Blame it all on her roots, she showed up in snow boots. Freshman Lana Lucin had never been an outdoorsy person, but now she is. Unprepared and unshaken Lucin stepped out of her comfort zone in snow boots. The EDGE program was an outdoor leadership experience that took place before school started in September, 2022. It was created for new students who were interested in Simpson University's Outdoor Leadership program. The program also gave students the opportunity to get a weeklong head start on creating friendships with people before school started. Dr. Scott Barnett, Associate Professor of Outdoor Leadership at Simpson University, said that, “It [the EDGE program] was designed mostly to help freshman transition into their time at Simpson. I’ve seen a lot of people come out with really good friendships, really good community, but also getting a sense confidence and strength as they have gone into the wilderness and taken on these challenges.” Lucin did just that, coming back from the EDGE program with good community, ready to start her freshman year. “We are all actually cool friends now,” Lucin said. Lucin is used to being around boys. She is the middle child, with 2 brothers close in age, and two sisters. So, for Lucin being around all boys for a week during the EDGE program was nothing new. “I’d say from 6 grade under [I was a tomboy], 7th to 8th grade, whatever, but from sophomore on, I flipped a switch and was pretty girly,” said Lucin. The previous time Lucin found herself being on an outdoor trip was in 5th grade with her outdoor education class. A week before school, she was outside of her comfort zone, enjoying a week in the great outdoors. The EDGE program entailed two days camping, three days rafting, and two days backpacking. It took place at Kidder Creek Campsite and the Russian River. Everyone that took part in the program came back the Friday of Welcome Weekend. Although Lucin came home with blisters, she still loved her experience. The blisters came from wearing snow boots, rather than traditional hiking boots. “A few days before, me and my mom went to go buy me shoes, and I ended up buying a pair of shoes. I come there, get ready for the first day of hiking, and all the boys are like, ‘Why are you wearing snow boots?’” Despite the lowlights of blisters and a flipped white-water raft, the trip was all worth it. Lucin’s highlights included when she saw her very first waterfall and that she grew closer to God. Lucin explained, “It was a really amazing experience…it was a different connection, getting to be outside and truly seeing His creation, I feel like it really helped my relationship with Him.” Lucin highly recommends doing the EDGE program for students. When asked how much she recommends doing the program Lucin said, “Oh, my–100%, like a 100%, it was just so amazing, an amazing detox before school, my relationship with God–I had a whole new aspect of it.” Lucin hopes that next year, if they do it again, instead of 5 people, 10 people will go. She also voiced her opinion about the program and how she would love to do it again. Students who participated in the EDGE program received 3 credits, but for Lucin credit is not necessarily a factor for her experience. “I would love to do it again next year…even if I was to get only one credit for it,” Lucin said. Dr. Barnett stated that the Outdoor Leadership Department is making the EDGE program available for current students toward the end of this school year. Keep your eyes peeled, Red Hawks! Not only will it be available for current students, but also, it will be cheaper than the previous $650. If you are looking to live life on the EDGE--keep your eyes peeled for announcements about the program. Simpson University offers degrees in Outdoor Leadership and has many amazing opportunities offered through their program. If you are interested in Outdoor Leadership or outdoor events, contact Dr. Scott Barnett by email or during his office hours.

Image from Google: Photo by Mark Brown NJ.com By Christian Valdez Music fans across the globe congregate to stadiums and event centers to witness Dua Lipa’s powerful presentation of her long awaited Future Nostalgia tour. The 26 year old singer is one of the hottest topics in music at the moment. Lipa’s second album, Future Nostalgia, has placed in the top ten since its debut in 2020 according to spotifycharts.com. One of her newest songs “Cold Heart” is in the top ten according to the billboard global charts. Fans cannot stop listening to the three time Grammy winner’s music. The pop star is touring right now and Lipa recently performed four hours from the school on March 27. Lipa performed at the SAP Center in San Jose that is home to the Sharks hockey team. The small complex made everyone in the arena feel within touching distance of the stage. You could see everything from the second level. Lipa proved to be a master of anticipation as it took some time for her to take the stage. Audience members exploded with excitement once the pop star took the stage. Lipa established her mesmerizing stage presence early on by strutting up and down the extended stage singing her opening song, “Physical.” The arena was rocking the whole time as fans sang along with the pop star. Lipa engaged with the audience by encouraging fans to sing along and by singing songs to specific people in the crowd. The singer was also elevated onto a moving platform that soared over the crowd. This choice was perfect considering that she was singing “Levitating” during this time. Lipa enthralled the audience during the one hour and forty minute performance. The artist delivered a speech mid concert that captured the hearts of her fans. Lipa said, “I’m feeling a bit emotional and excited,” while talking about her tour being delayed for two years by the pandemic. The artist began to tear up as the crowd roared with support for her. The artist’s voice was truly on point and her dancing along with her backup dancers created a captivating environment. The dance choreography was fun and dynamic. The light show and videos displayed on the huge screen supplemented the performance. The vibrant light colors varied based on the mood of each song, which was clever. Overall this concert was incredible. Fans were entertained and captivated the entire duration. Concerts post COVID are looking great especially the Future Nostalgia tour. This was a solid 9/10 and the only issue is that Lipa did not come out for a second encore. Lipa's voice is better in person by far. Spotify does not do her musical talent justice. The power that her voice has can only be truly experienced in person. Next time she is in northern California, make sure to see her. Image from Dua Lipa’s Instagram All images not labeled were taken by Christian Valdez

Photo by: Care Net “Running with Purpose” By: Kayla Reiss Care Net is hosting their annual 5K Run at Turtle Bay. This is a community involved event that is open for Simpson students to enjoy. Care Net is a Christian nonprofit Center that aids women facing unexpected pregnancy in California. Their website explains more about their purpose. Care Net exists to be a haven for women and men facing an unexpected pregnancy in Northern California. The event on October 22nd is open to those who would like to race for prizes, run, or even walk. The website explains that there will be three sections catering to each of these categories. The 5K is a fundraiser and an unveiling of the new mobile ultrasound unit. The current director Wendy Reasner shared some of the benefits of the new unit, “The unit is the first of its kind and will offer free ultrasounds to rural communities in Redding and the greater Redding area. The unit will provide services in a huge radius; Burney, Mount Shasta, Hayfork, and Weaverville. Although the run came to a halt from 2015 to 2020, the number of attendees reached 120 last year. This is an exciting event for the community to connect and play lawn games. This is also a great time for the Care Net Staff to meet their donors. Reasner shared more about the efforts of the donors, “We are excited because this is one of the two opportunities to see all the donors in one area. We normally only get to meet our donors twice a year. It’s a great opportunity to thank people.” The mobile ultrasound unit was funded entirely by donor contributions. It took a year to fund and create the unit. Reasner also commented on the appeal of the event for Simpson students, “Since Roe v. Wade, everyone has been looking for an opportunity to do something. People are asking “How can I help and volunteer?” Care Net is a great place to help. At the run, you can buy raffle tickets for gift cards, cheer people on, and even run or walk with the participants.” Shasta county is in a critical position to receive help. Brenden Ojala, another employee at Care Net mentioned that the teen pregnancy rate is higher in Shasta County in comparison to the rest of the state. In fact, the rate sits at 17.7 per 1,000 compared to the state average of 12.3. Ojala also explained more about how Care Net services clients in difficult circumstances. Clients can drop in or schedule an appointment. The organization is dedicated to sharing the love of Christ with anyone who comes through the doors. If you are interested in serving the community, Care Net may be the place for you to get involved. The first link is a website including statistics on information regarding state demographics. The second is a link to Carenet. Resources: https://californiayouthpartnership.org/local-data http://carenetredding.org/5k