30 JUNE 2020 By Jennifer Marshall Xavier alumna Lauren D’Souza appeared on Jeopardy on April 27, where she placed second and won $2,000. Lauren grew up watching the show, and her family continues to be loyal fans. When Jeopardy aired at an earlier hour, D’Souza would rush home from school so she wouldn’t miss an episode. A regular viewer and self-described “trivia nerd,” she never thought she would be a contestant. A few years ago, her boyfriend took the Jeopardy -themed online test and encouraged her to do so as well. Her initiative paid off when she was chosen as an alternate contestant for the 2017 Jeopardy College Tournament. “They selected 15 college students and a 16th alternate, which was me,” D’Souza said. “They flew me out to the studio where I met the other contestants, and I participated in rehearsals. While it was a bummer that I didn’t get to play, the whole process was so much fun.” After her collegiate Jeopardy experience, D’Souza began taking the online test for adults. Her persistence paid off once again when she was called to audition last spring. There, prospective contestants took an in- person test to ensure the accuracy of their online test. After acing her audition, she was chosen as a contestant in January 2020 and taped the show in February. “Being on Jeopardy was a dream come true,” D’Souza said. “The producers remembered me from the college tournament, and while I was nervous, they’re great at easing their contestants’ nerves. Rehearsals were held in the morning before the show was taped. My parents, brother, boyfriend and boss were all there to support me.” According to D’Souza, the show does not provide any preparation materials. She says one of the best ways to prepare and be successful is to watch as many episodes as possible. “They embed little tricks and clues into the questions,” D’Souza said, “which you will only recognize by understanding all the nuances of the show. Also, future contestants should check out the website j-archive.com, which contains every Jeopardy episode.” D’Souza encourages everyone who likes trivia to take the online test. She says budding contestants have eight seconds to type an answer to a question, and the test includes 50 questions in various categories. Contrary to what some may think, these hopeful contestants don’t have to earn a perfect score; a threshold exists, and they only have to answer correctly about 35 of the questions. Based on her personal experience, D’Souza says, “about 80,000 people take the online test a year, but they can only invite about 2,000 to audition, which is held once a year in several cities around the U.S., and only 400 contestants make it on the show for the season.” A graduate of Claremont McKenna College, D’Souza resides in Los Angeles, where she works in environmental sustainability. She maintains her passion for Jeopardy through her membership in a couple of Facebook groups that are devoted to former contestants. Xavier graduate fulfills dream to appear on Jeopardy 70% The passing score on the Jeopardy test. Lauren D’Souza with Jeopardy host Alex Trebek. PHOTO COURTESY OF JEOPARDY Local newspapers have the print and digital advertising solutions to help businesses bring customers back and quickly regain lost revenue. Local newspapers’ reach across products has never been higher. And with special packages tailored to local businesses, there are options for any size business with any budget. FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES NEWSPAPERS HAVE YOUR BACK. When it comes to delivering results for local businesses, NEWSPAPERS HAVE YOUR BACK Reach, Results, Solutions America’s Newspapers is a national association supporting journalism and healthy newspapers in our local communities. Find out more at www.newspapers.org or follow us on Twitter @newspapersorg or on Facebook @americasnewspapers. Reach, Results, Solutions Local newspapers have the print and digital advertising solutions to help businesses bring customers back and quickly regain lost revenue. Local newspapers’ reach across products has never been higher. And with special packages tailored to local businesses, there are options for any size business with any budget. FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES NEWSPAPERS HAVE YOUR BACK. When it comes to delivering results for local businesses, NEWSPAPERS HAVE YOUR BACK Reach, Results, Solutions America’s Newspapers is a national association supporting journalism and healthy newspapers in our local communities. Find out more at www.newspapers.org or follow us on Twitter @newspapersorg or on Facebook @americasnewspapers. AWA R D W I N N I N G N E I G H B O R H O O D N E W S S I N C E 1 9 9 3 AWA R D W I N N I N G N E I G H B O R H O O D N E W S S I N C E 1 9 9 3 Local newspapers have the print and digital advertising solutions to help businesses bring customers back and quickly regain lost revenue. Local newspapers’ reach across products has never been higher. And with special packages tailored to local businesses, there are options for any size business with any budget. FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES NEWSPAPERS HAVE YOUR BACK. When it comes to delivering results for local businesses, NEWSPAPERS HAVE YOUR BACK Reach, Results, Solutions America’s Newspapers is a national association supporting journalism and healthy newspapers in our local communities. Find out more at www.newspapers.org or follow us on Twitter @newspapersorg or on Facebook @americasnewspapers. Local newspapers have the print and digital advertising solutions to help businesses bring customers back and quickly regain lost revenue. Local newspapers’ reach across products has never been higher. And with special packages tailored to local businesses, there are options for any size business with any budget. FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES NEWSPAPERS HAVE YOUR BACK. When it comes to delivering results for local businesses, NEWSPAPERS HAVE YOUR BACK Reach, Results, Solutions America’s Newspapers is a national association supporting journalism and healthy newspapers in our local communities. Find out more at www.newspapers.org or follow us on Twitter @newspapersorg or on Facebook @americasnewspapers. 602.840.6379 | 3850 E. Indian School Road | arcadianews.com

31 JUNE 2020 By Jeff Pearson It isn’t uncommon to see the everyday items of our past make it back into the mainstream again. Generation Xers and Millennials are picking up a once forgotten music format: vinyl records. Almost at the point of extinction about 15 years ago, full- length LPs that helped define the golden era of rock in the 1960s and 70s have been gaining popularity. If you ask record collectors “why vinyl?”, the response is always “because of the sound quality.” Then, of course, there is the element of collectability. Collectors buy vinyl as an investment, with the hope that the records will appreciate over time. Some fans are baby boomers nostalgic for their youth. To the surprise and delight of those music lovers, increasing numbers of “the iPod generation” (Gen Xers/ Millennials) are purchasing old and new turntables, buying long-playing vinyl records and giving them a spin. They’re also drawn to physically owning a product and enjoying the ritual that is involved in removing the record from its sleeve, dusting it off and listening to it. Album cover artwork and the sound quality of records have all lured the younger generations in the hobby of collecting vinyl records. However, both the cover and the album must be in prime condition. Collecting and selling vinyl albums is a big business. It isn’t just the garage sales, estate sales, antique stores and record and music conventions that carry collectible vinyl. There are many underground record collectors, auction sites and vinyl record- related websites that sell vinyl at premium prices. The online community has responded as well. In fact, at any given moment, there may be more than 6,000 collectible Beatles’ albums for sale on eBay. Some have sold for thousands of dollars, and it is reported that the album bought and sold the most in vinyl format is “The Beatles,” also known as the “White Album.” I can assure you it is not only the Beatles’ albums that sell. A few years ago, I went through a client’s collection of 6,000 records, and I would never have guessed Miles Davis could have a value of $425. The price was determined by the condition of the album cover, the age of the pressing and the title. Cole Porter, Ella Fitzgerald, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, and even more modern artists such as Nirvana, Radiohead and Daft Punk are highly sought after. For a vinyl newbie, consider what your collecting goals are before you start buying. Start with a specific genre. Show your eclectic taste and variety. Or, purchase just for aesthetic purposes and use the covers as art or shelf décor. Make it about fun and enjoyment. You may never know where that could lead. — Contact Jeff Pearson damshill@yahoo.com or A-Z Appraisal & Estate Consultants, 5525 N. 12th St., Phoenix, AZ 85014. For the record! youth. To the surprise and delight related websites that sell vinyl ASK THE APPRAISERS We appreciate all of the support you have given JT ’s along with the other restaurants in our neighborhood. We are very fortunate to be located in an area where everyone is loyal to the local hangouts. Looking forward to welcoming you back inside and hearing our jukebox play again! JT’s Entire Team