March 2011 by Rocklin High School Student Media

Rocklin HS, Rocklin, CA my.hsj.com/ca/rocklin/rhs

2011 Volume 17 Issue 3

The

Flash For the health of it

Flash Contents

March Table of Contents

3: Letter from the Editor 4: Happiness and Health: To us as teens? 6: Sleep: Why donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t we get enough? 8: Body Image: Are you what you see? 10: Food and Fitness: What are you eating? 12: Quiz: Do you know what you need to? 14: Inked: Tattoos and your skin 16: Smoking: A matter of life and breath 18: 16 and Pregnant: Raising a kid is hard 20: ADHD: What exactly is it? 22: Cancer: 24: Mrs. Katz: 26: Acupuncture: natural healing 27: Post-It Secrets

02 / The Flash/rhsflash@gmail.com

March 2011

Editor’s letter: Devour this issue

For the health of it

e are the first generation in modern history that may not outlive our parents. Maybe it’s because we don’t realize that our health is the greatest investment. What we do to our body, good or bad, can have a lasting impact for the rest of our lives. We can’t just tell our health “later.” True, good habits start at a young age, but it is never too late to turn around and adjust your lifestyle for the better. The body is a temple. The human body surpasses any machine man could make. Respecting your body and mind for the future begins with respecting it today. From the Obama administration requiring restaurants to reveal caloric values to the transformation of Sesame’s Street Cookie Monster into the “Vegetable Monster”, we’ve seen changes in society today to advocate change for Americans as a whole. The number of overweight teens has tripled in the past twenty years and fewer individuals are working in the health care field. We should be hungry for change because the health of the nation will affect and cost us all in one way or another unless we make changes. These changes can be as simple as switching from white bread to whole wheat, or walking to school instead of driving. Even something as simple as drinking a glass of water before a meal is significant. Better health means being a better student, athlete, and person. Good health means deriving the most satisfaction from life. You don’t have to be a doctor, or even an aspiring health care professional to care or to make a difference. Donate blood. Run or walk in a charity event. Be an organ donor on your drivers license. Besides the obvious increased physical activity and healthier eating habits, better health begins with improved health literacy. We want to unwrap the truth behind the fast food industry, understand what conceives the national problem of teenage pregnancy, and realize that good health means adequate sleep, so we can live our dreams. So devour this issue of the Flash, for the health of it.

821

OBESITY EPIDEMIC The number of deaths attributed to obesity and obesityrelated illnesses per day in the United States. Currently one -third of the American youth is overweight or obese.

100

HOOKAH The number of cigarettes needed to produce the same volume of smoke generated from a one hour hookah session. Hookah contains thirtysix times the tar of tobacco cigarettes and fifteen times the carbon monoxide.

DONATE BLOOD The number in thousands of blood donations needed each day. As many as four lives saved by one pint of donated blood. Every two seconds, a blood donation is needed in the United States.

25 1.4

STD’s The percent of sexually-active teenagers who contract a STD each year.

DARK CHOCOLATE The reccomended daily intake of dark chocolate in ounces to alleviate stress and improve mood. Dark chocolate also improves performance on cognitive tests.

- Written by Amanda Calzada, Editor-in-Chief

March 2011

rhsflash@gmail.com / The Flash / 03

Health and Happiness

.):

n ( t

i u s r u

Happ ines

s (n.)

We’ve all heard of it: the “Pursuit of Happiness.” It’s ingrained into American culture, from the Constitution to movies. It’s the basic goal of everyone in the world; to be happy. You would think that such a publicized thing would be easy to achieve. But why, then, are 15.2 percent of our peers unhappy? Just seeing that statistic makes me depressed. It’s sad to think that so many of my peers are unhappy. I like to think I’m a happy person. I have a good life; my family life is alright, I’m relatively healthy, I’ve got friends. But isn’t this the status quo for most students here at Rocklin High? I don’t know, but that percentage makes me wonder if I’m wrong. Now, this edition of The Flash is about health. I get that. But health and happiness walk hand in hand. Iceland, which is the happiest place to live in the world (94 percent of their citizens are happy! Take that, Disneyland!) is also one of the healthiest places to live. They have an 80-year average lifespan, two years more than America’s. I once heard that happiness is being able to be content. Content? You may be thinking “I don’t just want to be content! I want to be happy!” That’s what I was thinking at least. But reconsidering my words, what then, is happy? Society places so much faith in that someday they will be happy, and that when they are, everything will be perfect. And then, people get crushed when they don’t get their “happily ever-after”, which may include a prince and fairytale wedding, or a top-class job with a mansion. I think happiness is not worrying. It’s enjoying the little things in life, and being able to let things go. But maybe it’s different for every person. And if you think about it that way, then happiness is a choice. It’s about putting effort into what you do, and enjoying it. The people who think happiness is staying home and doing nothing might be looking in the wrong spot. You have to work for happiness, whether it’s learning to live life to the fullest or strengthening relationships with people you care about. And once you brighten your outlook and get happy, you can only get healthier. According to psychologists (and Mr. Eric Sturgeon) health is made up of three components: physical health, mental health, and social health. Your happiness directly influences all three of these areas. If you’re happy, you’re more likely to exercise and eat right instead of having a depressed candy binge. And of course, you’ll be mentally healthier, too, which will help your social health, because people are more likely to enjoy being around a happy person rather than a Debbie Downer (SNL, anyone?). Studies have also shown that optimistic people have a 19 percent longer life-span on average. Now, if the average life expectancy of an American is 79-years-old, being optimistic will give you 15 bonus years. Not too shabby for a mere change of outlook. Being happy even affects how your blood flows. Studies have shown that the happier you are, the lower your blood pressure will be. That in itself is a gift; high blood pressure causes blood vessels to collapse, increases heart failure, and even may even bring aneurysms. So are you happy? I think people need to consider that right now, and if you are one of the 15.2 percent who aren’t, then you need to consider why. There is so much to be happy for, whether it’s getting to see your friends, or that school will be out soon. So forget your troubles and be happy. - Written by Amanda Wong, Sports Editor

To se, a e h c iv r st r. fo 4/

The

/rhsflash@gmail.com

A s of tat jo e y. March 2011

“It can be hard for someone who is seventeen to imagine how their small choices can affect them later on”

We come to school when we are sick, don’t get enough sleep, and don’t eat proper well balanced meals, but why do we do these things when they clearly have negative effects?

Teenagers

Most teenagers would not say they neglect their health. After all, neglect can seem like such a harsh word and if asked, most teenagers would probably say they are healthy and that they do care about their health. And yet, we all practice unhealthy behavior, some more often than others. Every student must take a health class to graduate, so at this point juniors and seniors who have already passed the class, and sophomores that are currently taking the class, should know better. So why is it even though we know better we still have unhealthy habits? One of the main reasons for this is that teenagers don’t put their health as a top priority. Although some people are health conscious and make an active attempt to eat right, most do not. Many skip breakfast because they don’t like to eat so early in the morning or just don’t have the time. The opportunity to eat in a first block class exists, but often we wait until break. Even those that do eat breakfast don’t necessarily eat a healthy one. Coco Puffs, doughnuts, bacon, and hash Getting up early after only a few hours of sleep is even browns are all common breakfast items that are full of sugar or sodium. Many of them also have an unhealthy amount more difficult when teenagers are sick, yet they are in a situation where making up the work for 6-8 classes is harder of cholesterol or fat. Sleep is also something that most teenagers don’t get than coming to school and trying to learn while sick. Some people might even feel as if they don’t have a enough of. Between homework, sports, clubs, and other activities there isn’t always enough time to do everything choice. Many times teenagers may feel what they are and many times sleep is the first thing people are willing working on in school is too important to miss and will force themselves to come no matter how poorly they feel. to give up. The obvious solution would be to take easier classes or Over time losing sleep can cause depression, dizziness and headaches. However, short-term effects include lower to give up an extracurricular activity so we have the time to concentration and poor memory. These two side effects do homework and get more sleep. However, many teenagers would say that neither is a viable option. alone make skipping out on sleep counterproductive. Maybe one of the most important reasons teenagers Teenagers stay up late to get homework done, but then the next day they are tired and have to work twice as hard don’t prioritize their health is because they don’t grasp how to pay attention and learn the new information. When get- greatly poor health can affect them in the long term. Many of the lasting consequences of some of these habting around to doing homework again, it is even harder beits may not be seen for years or even decades. Sometimes, cause paying attention in class is more difficult. The result is having to stay up even longer trying to finish the home- it can be hard for someone who is seventeen to imagine how their small choices can affect them when they are in work, losing more sleep. It is a cycle that does not end until the weekend, which their twenties or thirties. - Written by Shilpa Amalkanti, many teens use to finally get to catch up on sleep. Administrative Editor This poor diet and lack of sleep can also cause some teenagers to get sick more often than they normally would. Despite being sick, most teenagers still come to school, neglecting their body and not giving it time to recover. March 2011 rhsflash@gmail.com / The Flash / 05 Designed by Shilpa Amalkanti

Neglect

Their HEALTH

Sleep Matters

Sweet Dreams... I

S L E E P I N G L A T E A N D W O R K I N G EARLY

t’s six in the morning. You are barely conscious enough Being an all-around student, taking the most AP to notice that your alarm has been buzzing for some time classes, and working the hardest in athletics are all now. The battle between falling back into a comfortable reasons teens believe will launch them to success. In sleep and waking up to finish last night’s homework begins. our world today, versatility is imperative to succeed in Your heavy eyelids are urging you to take a few more minutes life. However, statistics show that the more we do, the of rest but instead, you force your bed-ridden body to get up more we will suffer from lack of sleep, increasing our and finish the essay you had been working on until 3 a.m. last likelihood of living shorter lives. night. You get out of bed feeling worn out, lethargic, and tired. It may be all these factors combined that can What a great start to your day, isn’t it? explain the sleep problems most Everyday, 52 percent of teens wake up teens have today, but the higher feeling sluggish and lifeless because of standards within our changing the minimal amount of sleep they receive. society has forced more people to When teenagers do not meet the optimal overwork their bodies. amount of sleep needed, the body begins There is no such thing as a slowly deteriorating and the brain begins Superman in this world, so why do emitting hazardous hormones that trigger we keep on trying to be like one? the brain into a state of depression. Most Students on campus consider people have a small understanding of the sleep as a small price they must detrimental effects of lack of sleep, but pay to achieve their astronomical why does 60% of the population continue goal. Taking multiple AP classes to lose sleep each day? Is it their own while being involved in both clubs decision to stay up in the late hours of the and sports is something students night? Or could something even bigger consider worth working for. JJ Woo, be influencing them? a graduating senior who is balancing There is no right or wrong answer, but 5 AP classes as well as playing golf the modern world in which we live in has and being co-vice president of Key definitely played a major role in the lack of Club, believes that his last year at Photo Credit: Kacy Wilson sleep. Mr. Eric Sturgeon, Health and AP Rocklin is his last chance to show Psychology teacher on campus, believes that students are colleges that he is a worthy candidate. not getting enough sleep simply because of the mentality they “All my AP classes are part of the building blocks have on the idea of sleep. for the stages in my college life,” Woo says, “College “There is only one contributing factor to bad sleeping habits, will be tough but hopefully I can learn to become a and that is the ignorance centered around the idea that sleep better student.” is not important,” says Sturgeon. The competitive nature among college applicants However, Sturgeon’s belief that ignorance is the only has definitely taken a toll on their bodies, but Woo explanation for lack of sleep cannot answer the growing tries not to think about the overwhelming stress he problem among teens. Some argue that the evolution of feels on his road to college. technology has affected our sleeping habits. With the latest “I tell myself to stay composed and content, and so iPod 4G or the new Sprint Android, more and more teens are far, I am really enjoying this year,” Woo says. finding themselves staying up and texting late into the night. Even though Woo seems to keep his activities and Their secret obsession has driven them close to the breaking schoolwork balanced, he is still only able to average point. about seven hours of sleep. Yet, even technology is not the answer to the sleeping habits To most students on campus, seven hours of sleep of teens. It is what today’s society encourages. The desire is a dream. But seven hours is still not enough to to do everything and anything has had many degenerative compensate for tired and worn out bodies. consequences.

06 / The Flash/rhsflash@gmail.com

March 2011

“I try to make up for the lost sleep on the weekends...” Liza Polyudova, another senior here at Rocklin High, Sturgeon says that the recommended amount of faces some of the same problems as Woo. Polyudova is sleep among teens is about ten hours of sleep and most also taking 5 AP classes but the difference between her students, if not all, never get this much sleep in their teen and Woo, is that Polyudova is only receiving four to five years. hours of sleep per night. Sleep deprivation has traumatic side effects to both Polyudova said, “I feel pretty tired when I come to school the body and the brain. The human body needs an and it’s pretty bad, but I try to make up for the lost sleep on average of eight to ten hours of sleep in order for the body the weekends.” systems to regenerate body tissue. Without sleep, people Making up sleep is a common practice become fatigued and body systems among students but psychologists and are not strong enough to combat doctors have proven that this way of diseases or illnesses. The body making up sleep does not really work. essentially becomes too vulnerable Once a person has lost a certain number and exposed. of hours of sleep, those hours are lost The countless number of damaging forever. No one can regain the energy effects from lack of sleep include they already exhausted. memory and concentration loss. Polyudova says, “I get about 12-13 According to Sarah Ledoux from hours of sleep on the weekends which I Serendip, a Bryn Mawr College online think is good for me.” forum, “Sleep deprived subjects... Polyudova’s routine is detrimental slur their speech because of inactivity both physically and mentally. Because in the temporal lobe of the cerebral her body has adapted to this constant cortex.” routine, there is no way for her body People who receive less sleep, to fully attain maximum health and have also been tested within other wellness. parts of the brain and evidence Sleep has always been a necessity shows their creativity and logic have in life. Without it, confidence drops, made a significant drop. The reason depression settles, and our body for this significant drop is because of Photo Credit: Niki Sanchez systems begin to fail. The right amount much inactivity within the brain. of sleep is proven to improve mood, mentality, metabolism, Students seem to understand the consequences and even our appearance. and the terrible toll sleep deprivation is having on their But with the fast paced industrial world in which we bodies, but they are still willing to take that risk for higher immerse ourselves in today, society has begun to function achievements of success in life. on a 25-hour cycle instead of the regular 24-hour cycle. ight ollution We are losing too much sleep and instead working farther then our set potential. ith r turgeon It is a fact of humanity, but we have essentially become a society of insomniacs with a death sentence hanging over Q: WHAT IS LIGHT POLLUTION? - Written by Michelle Tran, us. Sports Editor A: Light Pollution, also called, “photopollution,” is just misdirected light that doesn’t go where it is needed.

L P Q&A W

M .S

Q: HOW DOES LIGHT POLLUTION AFFECT SLEEP?

Q: How does light pollution affect sleep? A:It can interfere with sleep because it directly affects how much melatonin, a hormone that helps ensure restorative sleep, our brains produce. So, this means the more light our room has, the less melatonin our brains produce, which equates to a loss of restorative sleep.

March 2011

Reported by Brit Husmann

rhsflash@gmail.com / The Flash / 07

Food for thought

BODYimage [Opinion]

“

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. -- Helen Keller

”

We are either too fat or too skinny.

Too short or too tall. Too bony, too lanky, too curvy. Too big or too small in all the wrong places. We look in the mirror and we feel ashamed. Then we start comparing ourselves to celebrities and models. We begin comparing ourselves to our friends at school, the people in the streets, and the more we begin to feel ashamed, the more we begin to hate ourselves. The consequences can be dangerous. Teenagers have it rough. As we continue to go through puberty, our body is constantly changing at different rates and in different ways. It is difficult for some of us to get used to these changes, and to add even more stress to our lives, our generation is constantly exposed to barelyclothed models and actors who show off their “perfect figures” via magazines, television, and advertisements. I will admit, I’ve become more aware of my body image. After realizing the jeans I was wearing in May didn’t fit me in July, I immediately began hating myself for letting things slide and fell into a mild state of depression. For a while, my negative thoughts of myself consumed my life. But I decided to do something about it. I began eating healthier, watching my portions, and exercising more. And did it help? Definitely yes. Ten pounds lighter, I am still the same girl. I am not underweight. I am not overweight. I’m just right. And I feel oh, so much happier that I did something good for my body. The body image cure may be more difficult for some than others, but there are a few things to keep in mind.

television isn’t a bad idea. Instead, compare yourself against YOU! You are you and not Gisele or Tom Brady because you are made up of a specific DNA pattern that programs you to be a certain way. Your height, bone structure, and metabolism are all affected by this, so focus comparing yourself to how you used to be before you made your health-related change. Whether it be taking a walk everyday or limiting the amount of sweets you consume, compare The Old You to The Healthier You.

Why it’s important:

It is said that no one can learn to truly love another if they cannot learn to love themselves first. And it’s true! Those who suffer from body image or other self esteem related issues are more likely to suffer from sever cases of depression, bulimia, and/or anorexia, and sometimes even resulting in drug and alcohol use. Without respect for your body, it is easier to make unhealthy decisions, and without a respect for yourself, it is difficult to respect other people. This respect for your body can be developed by making healthier choices, which will in turn improve how you feel physically, as well as mentally. How you feel about your body, directly relates to your overall happiness so, eventually, by having more positive thoughts about yourself, you will be an overall happier person.

Do something about it:

Make a goal and go for it. Start by researching healthy habits, workouts, and foods that are good for your body, or try talking to a doctor about developing a plan designed to fit you and your goals. Celebrities and models are paid to look good. They Surround yourself with people who can encourage you can afford personal trainers who dedicate themselves to to be the best you can be and who make you feel great encouraging their clients to shape up and continue followabout you and your body. Taking a stand against negative ing a strict diet and exercise regimen. thoughts and turning them into positive actions is someBut celebrity’s “perfect” bodies are really not as “perthing that will not only improve your peace of mind, but fect” as they appear. Don’t forget airbrushing tools and your overall health and happiness in the long run. makeup that cover up whatever flaw they wish to hide, so - Written by Natalie Pinna, maybe setting down the magazine and switching off the Managing Editor March 2011 Designed by Natalie Pinna 08 / The Flash/rhsflash@gmail.com

Stop comparing yourself:

”It’s too much of a hassle to worry about packing a lunch”

you are

WHAT YOU EAT

Making the right food choices is the difference between health and obesity.

“It’s too much of a hassle to worry about packing a or high school students, lunch is little more than the 30 minutes between plus period and last block. Not lunch or bringing money to buy lunch, so I usually just much thought goes into nutritional value or a bal- wait until I get home from school because that way I can anced diet. The Flash investigated the eating habits of eat what I want,” said sophomore Amanda Wong. “It also RHS students to get a better understanding of what high gives me more free time during school to get things done and talk to friends.” schoolers consider adequate nutrition. The motives behind teen eating habits are clear. With Students at Rocklin High are surrounded by plenty of hectic schedules and limited food choices for lunch, but money, high school students when deciding what to eat, tend to put proper nutrition teenagers will often opt for behind other priorities. something cheap and easy However it’s not just our rather than a healthy meal. teen years that are affected. “Rips are the best thing The eating habits we form sold on campus, and they’re now will largely determine the only a dollar. It’s like an icee food choices we will make as but more convenient,” said adults. In order to reverse the junior Nicole Rovai. “I buy increasing trend of obesity them every single day, even in America’s youth, and to in the winter.” avoid future generations of Rips may taste good, but obese Americans, initiative they have little nutritional has been taken to change value. Many other snacks students’ eating habits. offered in the cafeteria also In recent years, several lack the nutrients students bills have been passed that need to be able to focus in establish nutrition standards school. for school lunches and all Students that pack lunchfood sold in schools, includes from home are not free ing vending machines. It of health faux pas either. A has become state education typical turkey sandwich or code that all schools must PB&J is often supplemented switch from soda machines with unnecessary sources of to healthier alternatives, such fat and sugar like chips and as V8 juice. cookies, which should be re- Eating the recommended 2-3 servings of fruit per day will keep you “Obesity is a huge problem placed with more fruits and feeling healthy and looking good. Illustrated by: Kacy Wilson for the United States, and if offering healthier drink options vegetables. “I usually bring a few different things I can snack on helps teach better eating habits, then it’s a positive,” said throughout the day, instead of just at lunch. That way I Mr. David Bills, Assistant Principal. It’s the smallest changes to our diet that can make the can just hang out with my friends at lunch,” said freshman biggest difference. Cutting out unhealthy snacks and Josiah Walsh. To someone observing their peers, it’s hard not to no- drinks can improve your health tremendously over time. tice that lunchtime socializing seems to take priority over So the next time you’re hungry and find yourself reaching actually eating. Some teens even skip meals in order to for something to eat that’s fast, cheap, and easy, think leave more room in their school-day to socialize or get twice. You know the old saying, you are what you eat. work done. - Written by Alexandra Onea, Copy Editor March 2011 Designed by Alexandra Onea rhsflash@gmail.com / The Flash / 09

Eating Healthy

Eat This . . . Not That

Where you eat has a very big impact on your diet and your physical appearance. With a healthy diet and good excercise, the number on the scale doesn’t matter. Being healthy is the most attractive thing your body can do. Being overly skinny, or overly bulked up is not attractive. And in the end, the most beautiful thing is to be proud of yourself and confident about how you look. Strawberries Wild Original Size 370 calories 0 grams fat

Starbucks

Carmel Frappuccino Venti Size 490 calories 16 grams fat

Jamba Juice

vs.

Burrito Supreme Serving Size:248g 400 calories 1.5 grams fat

Chicken Burrito 1 Serving 477 calories 25 grams fat

Taco Bell

Turkey Sandwich 6 Inch Size 280 calories 7 grams fat

Subway

Chipotle

Little Caesar’s

vs.

Pepperoni Pizza 1 slice 240 calories 10 grams fat

Don Quixote’s

Chicken Burrito 1 Serving 830 calories 28 grams far

vs. Round Table Pizza

Pepperoni Pizza 1 Slice 280 calories 11 grams fat

vs. Nutrition Guide for Teens

Gender

Male

Female

Calories

2,700

2,200

10 / The Flash/rhsflash@gmail.com

Fat 35% of Daily Calories 25%-34% of Daily Calories

Sugar

18-37 Grams

Sodium

1500 milligrams

March 2011

“Easy ways to lose weight”

10 Steps to a slimmer body Do you want to shed some unwanted pounds? Finding trouble motivating yourself? Well here are some quick and easy ways to drop that weight, both healthily and easily. These methods are proven to help, and do not require you to change your lifestyle. Go ahead and try a few of these out…you will find the results to be surprising for such a minor change. Serve your meals from the kitchen, counter, or stove, rather than piling everything up on the table. The small difference in the placement of food resulted in people eating 35% less at meals, in a study conducted by Cornell University. When the food is just out of reach, people question whether they really need that extra serving. Are you not getting enough sleep… or sleeping too much? Kristen Hairston, M.D. has found that for individuals under the age of 40, those who slept five hours or less gained two and a half times as much as those who slept for six to seven hours. The opposite is true as well. An average night’s sleep of over eight hours resulted in two times as much belly fat as the six to seven hour group. This is because people who sleep less tend to eat more and use less energy due to being tired, and conversely people who slept more than eight hours tended to be less active. How does a Big Gulp from the local 7/11 sound? It has been found that there is a direct correlation between the amount of soda consumed on a daily basis to weight gain. Here’s the daily intake breakdown: half of a can = 26% increased risk of being overweight or obese, half of a can to one can = 30.4%, one to two cans = 32.8%, over two cans = 47.2%. Bigger is better…right? Maybe…except not in this case. The Dutch have found that it is beneficial for weight loss to eat smaller bites. Bigger bites and faster chewing leads to overeating. People chewing a large bite for three seconds ate 52% more than people chewing three smaller bites for nine seconds. This is because tasting food for a longer period of time signals to the brain that we are full. Do you push through the pain and workout continuously? Well…for weight loss purposes this is not the most efficient way. Try doing intervals. Kristin McGee has found that intervals are better than steady workouts because they raise metabolic

3 4 5

March 2011

rates higher, and continue to do so for up to an hour. Drink more caffeine! I’m sure Starbucks would agree. A study published in the journal Physiology and Behavior states that coffee drinkers have a 16% higher metabolic rate than those that don’t drink caffeinated coffee. This is because caffeine increases the heart rate and stimulates the central nervous system. Drink more water…with ice. Cold water burns calories during the warming process for your body. According to Discovery Health, drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day (if cold), helps burn 70 more calories. Res0 earch conducted by the University of Utah shows that those who drink half the recommended water per day burn two percent less calories a day… not including the extra calories burned from cold water. It seems like there are a lot of drinks which help lose weight…and here’s another! Green tea has many great health benefits…but also helps a person lose weight. A study published in Phytomedicine shows that people who drank three to five cups a day of green tea lost five percent of their body weight in a three month period. According to Rania Batayneh, MPH, this is because green tea contains ECGC, which is a natural plant compound which helps boost metabolism. Kristin McGee says that building lean muscle mass boosts metabolism naturally, aiding in any weight loss pursuit. According to her studies, give pounds of muscle mass results in 150 more calories burned in a day doing nothing differently. Muscle requires more calories than fat naturally to sustain itself…so just the little extra muscle itself will help. Also, those give pounds of muscle mass translate into 600 calories burned per hour of a cardio workout. Wayne State University has found that when working out, heavier weights help weight loss. Using heavier weights at half the speed breaks down muscles much more efficiently. When the body repairs these muscles, metabolism is increased for three days after the workout. So go ahead and try any of these methods out. They’re safe, easy, and don’t require you to change your lifestyle too drastically.

-written by Christian Young

rhsflash@gmail.com / The Flash / 11

The Flash

In case of emergency what everyone needs to know 1. What’s the best way to treat a burn? A: Put ice on it B: Let the cool air take care of it C: Run it under cold water 2. How do you treat a nosebleed? 1. Call 911 A: Sit upright and lean forward 2. Push hard and fast in the B: Apply pressure to the nose and lean back center of the chest (about C: Stand up and alternate between leaning back and forward two inches deep) at a rate of 100 compressions per 3. What is the correct way to treat a choking victim? minute until professional A: Tell them to relax and let them cough up the object themselves help arrives. B: Give them five back blows and five abdominal thrusts, standing behind the person C: Stand in front of the person, support his shoulders, and perform five abdominal thrusts CPR is that simple. The 4. The most effective way to heal an insect sting or bite is American Heart Association A: Try to remove the stinger with a credit card, then apply a cold pack or ice to infected area has removed the rescue breaths B: Apply hydrocortisone cream of 05.-1.0% to infection from the process of CPR. C: A and B Studies confirm that these two 5. CPR, if performed correctly steps are as effective as the A: can break the victim’s ribs traditional CPR. People call the B: will always save the victim’s life new CPR “easier and more C: restarts the heart instantly relable”. Victims who receive 6. If someone is having a seizure, hands-only CPR have double A: Do not let them bite their tongue under any circumstance or triple the chance of surving. B: Put your fingers in their mouth Less than one out of three C: Loosen clothing around neck and monitor time of convulsions victims receive this vital 7. The best way to treat a blister involves help,contributing to the annual A: Cleaning, draining, and dressing it 13,000 deaths related to cadiac B: Popping, cleaning, then dressing it arrest. Don’t be a passive C: Cleaning, popping, then dressing it bystander and don’t be afraid to 8. When suffering from a bone or joint injury, take action; your actions can A: Place a cold pack on infected area every 20 minutes for an hour only help. B: Walk off the injury, but if injury persists, apply heat to infected area C: Alternate between cold pack and heat depending on location of injury For more information regarding First Aid and CPR, visit american.redcross.org and americanheart.org Answers: 1C, 2B, 3B, 4C, 5A, 6C, 7A, 8A By Amanda Calzada, Editor-in-chief March 2011 12 / The Flash/rhsflash@gmail.com

NEW CPR

“Laughter alleviates pain and increases immunity”

Laughter

is the best medicine

ore contagious than the common cold and more infectious than influenza itself, laughter will boost more than your mood. Laughter, a universal language, will boost your health. Nicknamed as “the best medicine”, studies show that laughter alleviates pain and increases immunity. Laughter reduces levels of stress hormones such as coritsol, epinephrine (commonly known as adrenaline). At the same time, laughter increases the number of antibody-producing cells, strengthens T cells of the immune system, and moves lymph fluid around the body. Essentially, laughter helps eliminate dead waste products from organs and tissues. The positivity of laughter stimulates the body to produce its own natural painkillers. Theory also suggests that laughter increases a person’s level of pain resistance. Simultaneously, the small amount of research that confirms there is a direct correlation between laughter and health say that laughter lowers the blood pressure, improve memory, alertness, creativity and cognitive thinking. These benefits stay with us as we age. There are short-term benefits of laughing, too. Laughing increases levels of oxygenation, or enhances intake of air, for cells and organs. Oxygen is known for killing cancer cells, parasites, and bacteria. Naturally, the more oxygen in a person’s system, the healthier he or she is and the better he or she can concentrate. All of this happens while stimulating the lungs, muscles, and heart. Because laughter increases heart rate and blood pressure, it brings a lower risk of heart cancer and other cardiovascular conditions. Overall, this is

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Juniors Natalie Pinna and Elisabeth Hartman share a laugh together. Photo credit: Kacy Wilson

soothing to the mind and body. A good chuckle can even give the body a workout. Laughing exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abdomen, and sometimes the shoulders. This eliminates tension in the body, which is usually from stress. Laughter may also end pain-spasm cycles found in muscle disorders through its ability to enhance joint flexibility. All of this helps the heart to function at its best. According to naturalnews.com, each minute of laughter produces an abundance of biochemical molecules that approximate to ten thousand dollars worth of prescriptions at a pharmaceutical location. It doesn’t hurt for anyone to laugh. That’s probably why we learn to laugh before speak as infants. To the 84.6 percent of Rocklin High that laughs at least five times a day on average, keep it up. To those who don’t laugh as much, try laughing more. There’s nothing to lose, only to gain. - Written by Amanda Calzada, Editor-in-Chief

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Beauty is Pain

T O TAT O R N O T T O TAT “A tattoo is a form of expression, something that should be with you for the entirety of your life, forever on your skin. So, meaningful to you. If it is something significant in my life that are high school students responsible enough to make this isn’t going to change, I get it tattooed,” says Coker, who, at decision? “It depends on the maturity level of the student. And as 23, is the youngest tattoo artist at Red Dragon Tattoo. A tattoo is much more than a Chinese character or a but- long as they know not to get a very large, and crudely done terfly to be inked on your lower back, it’s a fine art. A story tattoo in a visible spot on their body,” says junior, Sophia Knight. inscribed on your skin. Besides the concern that teens will Many do not agree with this statelater regret the decision, tattoo artists ment, however. Inked individuals are also warn that inked art on still-develoften dismissed as unprofessional and oping bodies can change for the worse can have a hard time being taken seriover time as skin stretches. Also, tattoo ously. removal can be a very long, painful, “When I see someone with a tattoo, and often very expensive process. it makes me question their judgement, In addition, the tattooing itself can and their character,” says junior, Jesbe pricey. But the cost would be the sica Rodriguez. least of your worries, if anything were Although people with heavily tatto go wrong. tooed skin are still judged in the busiWhen tattoos are being performed ness world, tattoos are starting to beon your body, they leave an open come more mainstream in our culture. wound meaning that there is a chance According to the Harris Poll, more than of skin infection. Also, if the needle has 40 million Americans have at least one not been sanitized properly, tattoos tattoo. can cause vulnerability to hepatitis B, These permanent ink etchings that hepatitis C, tetanus and HIV. were once associated with motorcycleAlso, tattoos can cause allergic reriding “bad boys,” or comic strip charactions that could leave the individual acters, like Popeye, are becoming inwith numerous skin infections and creasingly prominent in the hallways of rashes. It also puts a person at risk for high schools across the country. Photo Credit: Kacy Wilson blood-borne diseases. Rocklin High School is no exception These complications can be avoided, however, if the propto this trend. Students, such as Jordan Lopez, have found that tattooing can signify a profound emotion or something er precautions are taken. First, it is very important that you find a clean, reliable tatdeeply meaningful in their life. “I have one on the back of my right arm, and it’s my name too studio. Make sure the studio uses an autoclave, which is a in Hawaiian. Part of the [reason I got it] is because I am 20 device that uses steam, pressure, and heat for sterilization. After getting the tattoo, proper care must be taken. Maypercent Hawaiian, but also because my friend Keoni passed away and he is Hawaiian so it’s kind of a dedication to him,” oclinic.com recommends avoiding sun exposure, applying a mild moisturizer, and keeping the tattoo very clean at all says Lopez. Another Rocklin High Student, Senior Kara Stone, plans on times. If proper care is not taken, the possible consequences are innumerable. getting a tattoo on her eighteenth birthday. Teenagers are already faced with hundreds of decisions “I’m getting [the word] “fearless” on my ribs in my mom’s handwriting because she was the one who pushed me to try a day, many that are sure to affect the rest of their life. Howskydiving and now we do it together, and it has really taught ever, with the many risks and complications that accompany tattooing, are high-schoolers really prepared to make such a me a lot,” says Stone. It may be trendy, but a tattoo’s permanence makes it more decision? - Written by Holly Petersen, than just a fashion statement. It is a decision that will stay

Co-Web Editor

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Reported by Elisabeth Hartman and Holly Petersen March 2011 Designed by Holly Petersen

“Money isn’t the only thing we spend on beauty.”

THE PRICEbeauty OF Is artificial beauty worth the risk?

Our culture revolves around beauty. It is instinctive for us as humans to want to feel accepted in society and being beautiful is a token to being accepted. Beauty is so prized in America that we spend billions of dollars per year on beauty products and procedures. But money isn’t the only thing we spend on beauty. Many also pay the price through hazardous side effects. A lot of the time, what is considered beautiful is also damaging and dangerous. Americans are infatuated with the idea of beauty and perfection. This obsession is portrayed through our fetish with celebrities, who we often see as the epitome of perfection. The people in the limelight have huge influence over what people do, which is a frightening thought considering what some of them put themselves through to achieve this so-called “perfection”. Reality show star Heidi Montag, infamously known for having ten plastic surgery procedures in one day, almost died during her quest for beauty. Her procedures included a mini brow lift, Botox, nose job, fat injections in her cheeks and lips, a chin reduction, liposuction to her neck, buttocks augmentation, liposuction to her waist and thighs, breast augmentation revision, and a cosmetic ear surgery. Even tanning, tattooing, and Botox, all common procedures, are potentially dangerous. Tanning exposes the skin to ultraviolet rays, known to lead to skin cancer, skin burns, premature skin aging, and both long term and short term eye damage. Tattoos and piercings, if gone wrong, can lead to ghastly infections. Plus, with age, tattoos will become wrinkly and stretched on one’s skin, which is the antithesis of beauty. March 2011

Botox is known to cause breathing complications and even death. Botox’s price, also, adds up because of constant injections. Additionally, there are indirect “costs” of our obsession with beauty. Social pressures can lead people to drastic measures, such as falling victim to depression or eating disorders. Because of how we prize skinny people, the number eating disorders has increased drastically. Some never feel good about themselves because of the misconception that beauty is so easily achieved. The pursuit of Photo Credit: Kacy Wilson beauty is like a sick, twisted game of chance. If it works, you come out “perfect” and better than anyone can naturally be, but if there are complications, risks can be as serious as death. Living in Rocklin, I feel like we are especially prone to suffering from this hazardous way of thinking. This false idea of beauty consumes the lives of everyone from girls in middle school, to their middle-aged mothers trying to feel young again. A popular look seen around our town is bright orange skin with hair that is an unnatural color of blond. Since when did looking like an oompa loompa become glamorous? For some reason, being fake is considered beautiful, yet we don’t like to admit it. So the question to ask yourself is this: Is it worth it? Why try and change yourself to look like everyone else, especially when it could be dangerous? Many of these we go through for beauty have harmful side effects, come with a big price tag and are only temporary. In the end, the risks of these procedures far out-weight the benefits of being called beautiful. - Written by Elisabeth Hartman, Co-Web Editor

rhsflash@gmail.com / The Flash / 15

Lighting Up

Smokers Anonymous

or decades now the harmful effects of smoking and drug use have been documented. Pictures of ventilators and decimated lungs abound in classrooms and public service announcements, even on the cigarette packages themselves. Similar campaigns expand on the worst effects of illegal drugs. Yet a good portion of high school students light up anyway. Why? “I started freshman year, for my dawgs” says an anonymous student, one of two who spoke to us about their use of marijuana, as well as other drugs ranging from cigarettes to swishers. One of the subjects has stopped abusing these drugs, while the other still does so, but only occasionally. These subjects are familiar to the negative effects of drug use. Law enforcement and monetary troubles are among their biggest concerns. One admits to worrying about being caught by “the five-0”. The other has had to trade urine with a friend before to pass a drug test. The monetary costs are similar. “Like $4,000” says one on how much he spent on drugs, especially marijuana, one of the most readily available drugs. “It’s pretty expensive”. But all of this pales in comparison to the damage in health smoking causes. One of the subjects expressed ignorance of the negative effects of smoking and drug use. The other, however, had some insight into how drugs affect mental health. “They affect you’re social skills... a lot of times people start to laugh at you, and you can’t comprehend stuff” he says about his experience with drugs. These mental issues are a part of what caused him to stop.

He’s lucky to have made that decision now. Marijuana can cause memory loss as well as psychosis, among other physical health problems, while cigarettes can cause death by cancer or other diseases (see sidebar). Plus, had be used them long enough to build tolerance, the subject might have felt compelled to move on to harder drugs. Many current methamphetamine and heroin addicts started with lesser drugs such as cannabis and alcohol. When an addict stops responding to their drug of choice, the only way they can continue getting high is through worse drugs, which also tend to be more addictive. That is where the worst of the health issues start. Heroin use can cause liver, kidney, and heart disease, as intravenous needles take their toll. Methamphetamine can cause hallucinations, a state resembling paranoid schizophrenia, and, possibly, brain damage. Because these drugs are among the most addictive, towards the end, the only way out is death by overdose or a long and intense rehabilitation. It’s a long way to fall, from a high school student experimenting with tobacco and marijuana, to a meth addict on the streets. But once drug abuse starts, its a slippery slope down. The students interviewed say that there are many more at this school who have started on this path. One of them estimates that over 90% of RHS students have lit up at some point. That number might sound a bit high, but there is logic behind it. “A lot of people have tried it” he says. Although, he added, many “haven’t necessarily kept doing it.” Still, the other subject admits that, except for their closest friends, almost everyone else they know smokes. In any case, both agree that what they take is available “at the snap of a finger.”

- Written by Rahul Verma

In a survey of 143 RHS students, responses to the question “Do any of your friends smoke the following” were as follows:

Cigarettes

58.7%

Hookah

60.1%

Marijuana

76.9%

Other

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32.9%

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March 2011

“you can’t comprehend stuff”

High or Healthy? Marijuana- This can cause cardiovascular issues by raising the heart rate as well as respiratory problems. In addition, marijuana is linked to loss of memory and psychosis.

Cigarettes-These can cause a host of diseases, many of which are fatal. Cardiovascular disease and lung cancer can result from a lifetime of usage, which often starts during high school.

Hookah- This is often thought to be safer then cigarettes, but it is not. It has nearly all of the same health risks, in addition to a greater risk of contracting infectious diseases by sharing mouthpieces.

March 2011

Written by Rahul Verma, Designed by Devin Moss

rhsflash@gmail.com / The Flash / 17

Teenage Pregnancy

16 and PREGNANT? High school’s hard; raising a child while still in high school is the hardest thing a teen could ever do.

he United States has the highest number of teenage pregnancies and births in the modernized Western world. More than two-thirds of teenage girls who get pregnant do not graduate from high school. Billions of dollars are spent “taking care” of pregnant teenage moms, as they have a high probability of being among the impoverished of society, according to pregnantteenhelp.org. So why is our government spending billions of dollars on a large-scale problem that seemed to shove its way into society about twenty years ago? It’s because teen moms have a lot on their plate, a lot more than even the most disciplined of high school scholars do. Students here at RHS often find themselves stretched thin between AP courses and extracurricular activities. Now imagine trying to balance school work and extracurricular activities with caring for a baby. The task at hand is nearly impossible, and that is why it is estimated that only a third of girls who become pregnant in their teenage years receive a high school diploma, according to womenshealthchannel.com. An anonymous pregnant teen of Sacramento is proof of the fallout from school that comes after the birth of the child. She was pregnant at 14 and gave birth at 15, and now she is no longer attending a regular high school. Instead, she has school once a week and is mainly homeschooled. The constant facebook updates on how stressful her life is and how tired she is from yet another sleepless night of tending to her newborn are only a tiny window to the craziness of her life. Not only is there the issue of caring for the baby itself, but also there’s the cost, the babysitter, the feeding, the clothing, the time. Not all of this is always readily available,

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especially for a young girl who has no means of making money on her own. There’s also the emotional aspect of having a child at a young age. Teen moms experience the whisper of neighbors, the fear of rejection from society, the anxiety of telling one’s parents. And there’s the biggest fear of all: the fear of wondering if one will be an adequate parent. As stated before, billions of dollars will be spent on teen moms who may eventually become impoverished. However, millions of dollars have already been spent on programs and methods that help prevent teenage pregnancy, which have proven to be quite effective. Teen pregnancies are at an all-time low in California, with rates that have dropped 18 percent since 1998. As of 2009, California is attributed with a surprising 32.1 pregnancies of every 1000 teenage girls, lower than the national average (which was last recorded at 41.5 of every 1000, according to latimes.com). Progress has been credited to programs implementing contraceptives and how to have safe sex rather than programs that promote abstinence. Bill Albert, spokesman to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancies, recognizes that pop culture of the modern day has heavily shaped how the youth views teen pregnancies. Bristol Palin, Jamie Lynn Spears, “16 and Pregnant”, and “Teen Mom” are all recognized by Albert as forms of media that advertised the deeply negative side of early pregnancies.

Reported by Franchesca Awwad

March 2011

“teem pregnancy rates are dropping”

With the results of recent studies and the examination of modern day culture, it is apparent that teen pregnancy rates are dropping. However, this is an issue that cannot altogether be stopped; it’s against the reality of the world. But it can be slowed down even more than it already has. There are programs on safe sex, contraceptives, etc. There’s the encouragement from family and friends to stay away from unsafe sex, as teens that come from intact families have only a 22 percent chance of even having sex (according to familyfirstaid.org). As for some local advice, school nurse Bonnie Magnetti says, “Avoid it! Raising a child is a huge responsibility. It affects every area of your life, your school, your

Do you know any pregnant teens? Yes.....................31.7% No......................68.3% *out of 221 Are you aware about birth control? Yes.....................95.1% No....................... 4.9% *out of 325

relationships with friends and family, your finances, your social life, your future. It takes maturity to be a good parent”. As shown by the dropping of the rates, something must be going right. What needs to remain is the push for progress. Only our generation has the power to determine what we can accomplish and what we can do for our futures. And our future starts now, in these teenage years. We all have the choice to pick what’s more important: the endless possibilities in the years to come, or a possible teen pregnancy. - Written by Erika Strickler

Do you watch 16 and Pregnant/Teen Mom? If so, does it glorify teenage pregnancy? Yes and Yes...........12.8% Yes and No.............28.9% No and No..............58.3% *out of 218

Teen TV Moms? “Teen Mom shows how difficult it can actually be to be a teen mom, which helps prevent teen pregnancy.” - Carly Capps, 10

“I think Teen Mom is the stupidest show because it’s like MTV is saying “Hey, look! if you get pregnant, you could be on this show!’ Even though they aren’t saying that and they probably started the show to prevent teen pregnancy I think its doing the opposite.” - Maddie Fellgentreff, 10

“Its their fault for getting pregnant in the first place by making bad choices. Then MTV decided to make a show about teens being parents. I think MTV may help to prevent this from happening.” - Wyatt Wermes, 10 March 2011

Child Development student learns the ways of motherhood with mechanical baby project designed by Mrs. Susan Kerby

Photo Credit: Savannah Bernstein

rhsflash@gmail.com / The Flash / 19

Photojournalism

VAPA

Assembly

[left] Melanie Petersen performs with Theater Dance III at the annual VAPA Assembly. Amelia Lowell and Brett Howe performed a “first date” skit and Christina Dizon sang solo with the choir.

[Left] Tyler Leung and the saxophone section rock out to “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix which coordinate with a slide show from Digital Art. Taylor Clark and Zach Dahla are part of the opening performace by Period 2 dance partners.

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Photos by Jaimie Nakagawa, Anna Walsh

March 2011

“they have to step up and be responsible for their own learning”

What is...

ADHD?

Having trouble focusing? Ever question your mind’s ability to stay on one topic? It’s okay, you’re not alone; 37.8% of RHS students who replied to a recent survey think they have ADD or ADHD, whereas only about 10% of students have actually been diagnosed, and an even smaller 5% are being medicated. People seem to be confused about what exactly defines ADD and ADHD. First of all, most people don’t understand the differences between ADD and ADHD. Technically, they are the same thing; ADHD is the newest name for the condition. It is broken up into three different diagnoses: Inattentive, Hyperactive, and Both. Often times, “Inattentive” ADHD is still referred to as ADD. There you go, mystery solved. Now people do not believe in ADD or ADHD, they see it as an excuse for lazy students looking for a way to slack off. However, ADHD is a legitimate medical condition, and students who have it rarely receive special treatment from their teachers. They are expected to perform at the same level as their peers, since they are assigned the same homework and projects as anyone else. Statistics show that in every classroom of about 30 students, 1-3 of them will have ADD (ADHD). We all think that we know who they are, the ones that are always distracting the class and moving around—but this isn’t always the case. Through interviews with students and teachers, we find that sometimes ADHD can take on much more subtle forms. - Written by Hannah Vahldick

Q&A

What’s it like?

Q&A with anonymous students who have ADD/ADHD

What’s it like to have ADD?

• I don’t know, I have trouble sleeping. • It’s either really awesome, or extremely bad because I get majorly distracted. • It means that I’m really hyper all the time. • No idea, I feel like any other normal person.

How does it affect your everyday life?

• Can’t focus on things. • Totally ruins everything because I’m not always paying attention, like I used to take Ritalin… Ritalin? Is that what it’s called, Ritalin? Uhm… • It usually doesn’t but sometimes I’m way more hyper than is necessary. • It doesn’t.

How does it affect your schoolwork?

• Doesn’t really when on medicine. • I don’t pay attention and I get distracted. • It doesn’t because it’s not that bad. • If I don’t take my medication.

Does it affect your communication?

• Doesn’t, just more talkative. • From the interview I’m sure you can tell that it affects my communication. • No.

How so you feel about taking medication, if you take it?

• I don’t like it, and I stopped taking it 6 months ago (my mom doesn’t know yet). • I don’t take it. But when I did I thought it was stupid because I felt tired and sleepy like… annoying. • Don’t take medication. • Alright. It doesn’t bother me

The Flash spoke to Mrs. Mitchell and Mrs. DeMaria about having students with ADD.

Is it difficult to teach kids who have ADD? Mitchell: Yes. Because, there’s two types. The kind that bounce off the walls and can’t sit for a minute so they can’t sit and be comfortable in order to be able to listen, and then there’s the kind that don’t cause any problems but their brain is elsewhere. So you don’t always recognize it, you recognize the ones that are bouncing around, but you don’t recognize the ones that are just spacing out. So yes, making sure that you capture them and get them to listen is challenging. DeMaria: No. I couldn’t tell one kid from another whether they have ADD or ADHD; I think a lot of kids, at different times, don’t have the best focus that they could have for class. Do they distract the class? Mitchell: Sometimes, and sometimes not. I think that there are appropriate times to be up and out of your seat and I try to allow for sometime during the day to just get up and move around during the day so that it’s easier for them

to get back down and for them to focus. Yes, they distract the class, they don’t have an option. They can’t even control it. DeMaria: I don’t really know which kids have ADD or ADHD. Honestly, I know I probably get a note from the nurse that says they have it and I recognize it, but unless the kid comes up to me and says, “I’m having this problem because of my ADD.” I wouldn’t look at them differently than anyone else. How do you deal with them? Mitchell: I talk to them a lot. I try to be sympathetic but at the same time they also have to step up and be responsible for their own learning as well as not distracting anyone else, so we have a lot of conversations. DeMaria: Well, if a kid came up and told me they were having trouble with this I would ask them, “How can I help you? What would make that better for you?” But other than that it’s not really something I address as a teacher.

March 2011 Reported by Hannah Vahkdick Designed by Anthony Roberts rhsflash@yahoo.com / The Flash / 21

Battling cancer

Hayley

Strikes

back

n old enemy comes to visit. Face to face with remission of a brain tumor, junior Hayley Mackanin is dealing with another round of challenges. Hayley was first diagnosed with cancer at the age of 6. At this young age, radiation therapy was not available. The radiation has a chance of creating additional health issues for children, therefore Hayley’s doctor recommended chemotherapy for her. Receiving chemotherapy at 6-years-old is “terrifying” according to Hayley. Discovering that the tumor has grown back 11 years later is even more terrifying. However, Hayley is not easily frightened. She has stayed strong. “This time, everything was not so confusing and I knew what to expect since I am older and have been through it before,” she said. The first time she was diagnosed with cancer, Hayley went through chemotherapy. However, now that she is older, she had the option of radiation treatment and took it. “I had a ton of doctor’s appointments in preparation of starting radiation, and I had to make a ‘mask’ of my face. This mask is a mold of my face that is worn during radiation to keep your head from moving.” Along with the doctor’s appointments, Hayley missed three months of school. Her mother also took six weeks off of work to help support her, take her to treatments, and comfort

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her. The entire three self months she was out portrait of school, she was going through the process, but she managed to push through it and stay positive. With some support from her family, best friend (Trenice Campbell), and boyfriend (James Morill) ,Hayley has done more than keep her head up. She has looked past the negatives of the disease - the headaches and fatigue, all the docbest friend since sixth grade and has tors appointments and treatment - and looked at a posi- supported her in the positive ways. Another good friend, Chris, tried tive side; learning the hard way to live his best to put a smile on her face. life to the fullest. “I’ve learned to appreciate the little “My friend and I bought her chocolate one day and took it to her house. things,” she said. With friends supporting her left I think that really made her happy,” and right, Hayley has made it through Chris said. He also often works as those three, hard months of treat- her partner in photojournalism. Throughout the process, Hayley ment. Her closest friends (Trenice, has stayed optimistic and it worked. Chris Hartman and Angela Rabe) have been there for her as well as Now she is cancer-free and continues to smile as she walks around her family. “It was really difficult not knowing campus. Hayley says to the people who are what was going to happen in the end. It was definitely hard seeing Hayley going through cancer or have family go through pain. I would go to her members who are suffering from the house and hang out with her to keep disease, “Never give up and always her mind off the pain,” says Trenice keep fighting.” - Written by Lily Atkinson and Campbell. She has been Hayley’s Ashley Brown Reported by Lily Atkinson and Ashley Brown March 2011

“Never give up and always keep fighting.”

Trenice Campbell, 11 “It was really difficult not knowing what was going to happen in the end. It was definitely hard seeing Hayley go through pain. I would go to her her house and hang out with her to keep her mind off the pain.”

Interview with Mrs. Laura Douglas

Q. How did you feel emotionally when you found out you had cancer? A. Scared and very angry. My mom had passed away from cancer and I didn’t feel it was fair that my family had to go through this again. My two kids at the time were very young: 5 and 2 and I was afraid of them growing up without me. Q. What was the hardest thing about it? A. Losing my hair. It was a constant reminder of what I had. Q. How did you stay so positive throughout the treatment? Chris Hartman, 11 A. I had a HUGE support group. Mr. Douglas was my rock, “One time to cheer my family was with me every step of the way, my colleagues at Hayley up, we went RHS were amazing and my students were unbelievable. I had just and got donuts and another time my transferred that year from Springview middle school so I had had friend and I went to a large number of the students when they were in 8th grade. The her house and gave class of 2001 was incredible. They would constantly come in and her chocolates.” check on me and make sure I was doing okay. I also put it in God’s hands and trusted it would work out in the end. It was hard to do and I still struggled but it did alleviate some of the anxiety. Q. How did you feel when you found out you were free of Angela Rabe, 11 cancer? “All of Hayley’s friends would go to Pinkberry A. I don’t think I’ve ever put it out of my mind. It’s been 10 years with her because we and I go in once a year for check-ups and every year the anxiety knew that she liked it. We creeps back that I might have a reoccurrence. would also take her out to Statistics Sushi and just hang out 54.7% have had a family member have cancer with her.” 33.5% have had a friend 3.3% have had it themselves *out of 212 RHS students 8.5% don’t know anyone

Chemo vs Radiation There are two different types of treatment for cancer; chemotherapy and radiation. Some people get them confused or think they work in the same ways, but the truth is that there are differences between them. Chemotherapy is used to treat 200 types of cancer. However, different cancers use different chemotherapy drugs. It all depends on where the cancer starts, where it is, and how it grows. Although chemo kills the cancerous cells, it also kills good red March 2011

and blood cells in the process. Many cancer patients going through chemotherapy get a series of shots to help their blood cells survive. Chemo is also given in a series of sessions. The goal of chemotherapy is to stop the cancerous cells from growing and dividing and in the process, the doctors hope that it will cure the cancer and prolong life. Throughout the process though, it drains the patients body. The chemotherapy is basically killing the cells and therefore leaves the patient exhausted and moody all the time. Radiation is a different story. It’s Designed by Christy Sharky

not as brutal as chemotherapy. Radiation uses x-rays to directly remove the tumor, instead of running through the blood vessels. This treatment is also more precise because its based on type, size, location, and stage of the cancer. Patients have said that radiation is less painful than chemotherapy, but there are still side effects such as tiredness, loss of appetite, headaches, change in blood, and sensitive skin. Some patients have to use both treatments. However, whether it’s chemo or radiation, it still can do the job. It may cure the cancer.

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Temporary challenge

Mrs. Beth Katz. Above, Katz in her wheelchair teaching her class. Photo Credit: Kacy Wilson

Health challenges in America Mrs. Beth Katz is one of the many Americans who has experienced a temporary physical disability in her lifetime. However, for others the disability can be more permanent. Average number of surgeries in a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lifetime

9.2

Percent of people who are disabled in America

Average number of bone fractures a person gets in their life

217

Percentage of men with a disability

Percentage of women with a disability

Number of adults unable to see

1.8 million

Number of adults unable to hear

1 million

Number of people in wheelchairs

2.8 million

Percentage of people who experience foot problems in their life

Number of injuries that result in time off work each year

7.9 million

Number of injuries that result in time off school each year

2.9 million

Number of people paralyzed to some degree

5.6 million

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March 2011

“It is eye- opening”

Perspective a shift in

aking up in the morning. Getting out of bed to sit in a chair. Being rolled around everywhere. This is the life of being in a wheelchair. At times throughout the course of life, our health fails us through no faults of our own. We try to lead a healthy lifestyle and do what’s good for our body but by chance we may run into complications. The key to getting through these difficulties is to look toward the positive aspects of one’s life and continue one’s daily routine as closely as possible. Mrs. Beth Katz, who teaches special education at Rocklin High School, experienced a fault in her health that altered her life for a short period of time. Due to calcium deposits in her feet, Katz was confined to a wheelchair for four weeks after having surgery on her right foot the week before winter break. Katz had already been through the same surgery before for both feet, which had limited her to a wheelchair for eight weeks a while back. Along with a major surgery and a health setback, come emotional ramifications of the incident. Being confined to bed rest for two weeks and not being able to exercise for six weeks means there isn’t much to do. Some go through depression when facing a hardship with something they might have taken advantage of their whole lives: their health. "I was not really upset about the wheelchair, I was more upset about the surgery and the long recovery," said Katz. When Katz was in a wheelchair, she experienced that people treated her differently than they would if she was walking. Many people deliberately tried to ignore the chair to the best of their ability and talk directly to Katz in order to not breach the subject. "People try not to look at or notice the chair," said Katz. Others can be quite condescending. Katz told of how some people in public would treat her as if she would not be able to understand what they were saying. "When you’re in a wheelchair people treat you as if you have a mental disability too," said Katz. Going out in public in general is a different and difficult task without the ability to walk. Not all places are so March 2011

Reported by Yasmine Bouzid

accessible as when you are walking. Katz found that Rocklin High has a good amount of ramps that makes the campus easy to maneuver around. Within the classroom, Katz found that teaching is a rather different experience when using a wheelchair. If a student had a question, they would have to come to her instead of her approaching them due to the difficulty of maneuvering between desks. Luckily, Katz has a coteacher that would help her with assisting the students. "The kids were really accommodating and helped me out a lot," said Katz. When it came to everyday life tasks like shopping, Katz found that ordinary things were exhausting to do. On an average trip to Target, pushing the chair and trying to figure out where she could fit while her body was still in recovery from the surgery proved to be arduous. Fortunately, Katz had her mother-in-law and other family members to help her through this tough period. Though the lack of independence and not being able to do normal things like exercising or walking her dogs was frustrating, Katz found being in a wheelchair to be an enlightening experience. "It is eye-opening. Everyone should try it at one point to see what it’s like," said Katz. When going through a disability or failure in health, it is important not to go through it alone. A hard time like this is made easier when there are others around you to help out. On occasion people feel compelled to not accept any help in order to prove their independence. This only makes things more difficult. Katz has some advice for those who are experiencing a life changing fault in health. "Make sure you have a supportive family," said Katz. Successfully continuing through a health problem is determined by attitude and outlook. Katz, with her positive mind-set, is an example to all who find themselves in a similar situation. She went on with life just as she would normally and thus did not let her surgery get her down. This is a truly admirable case of a teacher leading by example. - Written by Yasmine Bouzid

rhsflash@gmail.com / The Flash / 25

Rejuvenation

A center for PEACE I

Natural Healing with Acupuncture

n such a busy, goal-oriented culture, it can often be difficult to relax or stop for a moment of peace. However, there is one sure way that this can happen. Acupuncture. A peaceful treatment used to heal common ailments, soothe the soul, and relax the body. In use for more than 5,000 years, acupuncture is definitely trustworthy. Acupuncture has been used as an alternative treatment in the Orient for thousands of years. With so much proven success, why is it not considered more trustworthy in modern society? By cleansing the body of negative energy and reinvigorating the natural flow of the life force, Chi, acupuncture works wonders in helping many modern ailments. With the proper placement of needles the width of a strand of hair, blocked energy is released. Disorders such as headaches, back pain, stress, and irritability can be relieved with continuous treatments of acupuncture. After just a few treatments of an hour each, one will feel revived and free of pesky ailments. The important thing is to stick with treatments and to not be afraid. Acu-

puncture is a relaxing and comfortable treatment. It is useful to simply keep up with good health. Lexi Haynes, a sophomore first began having acupuncture when she was 13. “I do not go regularly, my grandma does it if I have a headache,” Haynes said. “It feels better than taking medicine,” she continued. Though it is given rave reviews, 94.2 percent of students have never tried acupuncture. It can seem scary, but it is really not. In fact, acupuncture is very gentle and calming. Many people are even hugely opposed to alternative or herbal medicines. However, 57.8 percent are in favor of using these treatments to cure ailments. It may be because they are not as heavily tested as medications, but they are still safe and powerful. Despite the negative opinions, acupuncture is very good for maintaining health. Whether it is to fix a common disorder, or simply stay healthy, acupuncture is a safe, healthy way to do so. It is truly a haven of peace in a busy society. - Written by Danielle Huddlestun, Co-Editor in Chief

94.2% have never tried acupuncture 57.8% are in favor of alternative medicine 401 RHS students surveyed

“[Acupuncture] can really work, it can be painful or feel very good, but most of the time it really does work!” - Kelsey McBeth, 9

Want an elective that will change your life? 26 / The Flash/rhsflash@yahoo.com

“I meditate and it really relaxes your minds, and herbal remedies always help me feel better in the winter months.” -Sam Martin, 9

Consider joining the Flash staff! • Improve your writing and editing skills • Learn to interview • Communicate on the web and in print • Learn to work in teams • UC approved for elective credit Come to M-5 for more information today Designed by Danielle Huddlestun

March 2011

“Please stop yelling”

Post-It Secrets

“Secrets were collected via online survey. A few were submitted directly. A variety of student artists created the post-its. March 2011

rhsflash@gmail.com / The Flash / 27

FINAL PAGE

Class of 2012 Honor Guard Erika Strickler

NHS, CSF Vice President, Newspaper Staffer, Interact Club, ASB Special Programs Commissioner, Girls Golf, Graduation Committee “The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.”

Dillon Payne

Football, S.M.O.S.S. Club, Thunder Galleria “What you do in life echoes in eternity.”

Kelsey Garvella

CSF, One Club, Volleyball, Basketball, CSF, Club Volleyball, Young Life “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”

David Leung

Key Club, NHS, CSF, MASH Tutor, Tennis, Pep Band, Pit Orchestra, Science Olympiad, Math League, Ping Pong Club “Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping them up.”

Alisha McGoldrick

Link, Orchestra, Pit Orchestra, Science Olympiad, CSF, NHS, Newspaper Staffer, Thunder Mentor “Love like you live. Live like you long to be loved.”

Steven Millet

Swim, Waterpolo, CSF, Key Club “Nothing worth fighting for comes easy.”

flash Editorial Board:

Amanda Calzada Editor-in-Chief Danielle Huddlestun Co-Editor-in-Chief, Media Natalie Pinna Managing Editor Shilpa Amalkanti Administrative Editor Elisabeth Hartman Co-Web Editor Holly Petersen Co-Web Editor Alie Onea Copy Editor Emily Brooks Design Editor Franchesca Awwad, Devin Moss, Michelle Tran, Amanda Wong Sports Editors Casey Nichols Adviser

Staff Writers: Lily Atkinson, Kiersten Austefjord, Yasmine Bouzid, Ashley Brown, Leslie Howell, Britlyn Husmann, Alisha McGoldrick, Olivia Murray, Keely O’Brien, Alicia Phillips, Anthony Roberts, Kara Stone, Hannah Vahldick, Rahul Verma, Christian Young The Flash is a public forum produced by students for students in an attempt to inform and entertain its audience. Journalism students have the final authority for any content found in this publication. The Flash Staff encourages letters regarding content to constitute a constructive avenue for student opinion. Letters should be directed to the newspaper’s email, rhsflash@gmail.com. Rocklin High School 5301 Victory Lane Rocklin, CA 95765

Brought to you by ASB student recognition team 28 / The Flash/rhsflash@gmailcom

916-632-7498 http://rhs.rocklin.k12.ca.us/

March 2011