THE ROAR A WHITNEY HIGH STUDENT MEDIA PUBLICATION
A lot of people think that... Five students participate in an open forum discussing racism on and off campus PAGE 8 WEBSITE whitneyupdate.com INSTAGRAM @detailsyearbook VOLUME 12 / ISSUE 1
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THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017
WHAT’S INSIDE
THE ROAR
WEBSITE whitneyupdate.com INSTAGRAM @detailsyearbook
a Whitney High Student Media publication
SNAPCHAT @whitneyupdate TWITTER @whitneyupdate
CONTENTS OPINION Where’s my Protection? It’s my Right. page 4 TECHNOLOGY “X” Marks the Spot for Apple’s Latest Release page 5 At The Top of the Leaderboard page 11 HEALTH You Are What You Drink page 6 IN-DEPTH A Lot of People Think That... page 7 ON-CAMPUS Class Collaboration page 12 ENTERTAINMENT “IT” ... is back page 15 5 TV Shows You Aren’t Watching But Should Be page 16 SPORTS The Number Counts page 18 4 Athletes to Watch page 20 CIF Rules page 21 Kneeling on the Sidelines page 23 FEATURE Young but Strong page 22 A Change in Location page 24 EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Britney Flint Lizzie Salvato Madilyn Sindelar Danica Tran ADVISER Sarah Nichols, MJE
STAFF Emma Accacion Alianna Alives Izzie Bartholomew Karina Bedi Ashley Bliss Shannon Bone Camryn Buchholz Ella Ho Ching Brenden Jacoby Emma Kachmar Anjani Kedia
Renese Lopez Cameryn Oakes Kellen O’Brien Coleton Matics Adam Purvis Marley Sky Isabella Soto Jadea Tisdale Ethan Vandell Blake Wong
The Roar is a student publication produced by Whitney High Student Media. The newsmagazine is a public forum for student expression. Student editors make all content decisions. Columns represent the viewpoints of individual writers and are not representative of the opinions of the student body, faculty or administration of Whitney High School or Rocklin Unified School District. Staff members of The Roar practice ethical student journalism by providing fair and balanced coverage as determined by community standards. Students working to publish each issue strive for accuracy by checking sources, spelling and quotes as well as obtaining a variety of credible sources. The staff regrets any errors or omissions. Visit whitneyupdate.com for news, sports, opinion, entertainment and more.
EDITORIAL
A TWEET’S ANTI-POWER DUE TO THE “Rocklin bubble” effect, students tend to ignore
important social topics while on campus. Since many have not be exposed to racism themselves while in Rocklin, they are desensitized to the true magnitude of the issue. Occasionally, this ignorance can have harmful consequences when students casually make racial slurs or resort to stereotypes in attempts to joke with their friends. This desensitization to detrimental issues in the world today must be addressed and fixed, not simply emphasized by retweeting another’s opinions on the internet. Some students learned the consequences of racism in a somber way. A group of recent high school graduates sent insensitive and racist jokes to each other in a Facebook group; however once they were discovered by Harvard administrators, 10 students had their acceptances to Harvard revoked. More recently, a similar incident occurred at Pomona College, located half an hour from Los Angeles. This private Facebook group included about 300 members, 18 percent of their student body, who posted memes about genocide and immigration. The overwhelming percentage proves the “normalcy” of racism within our society. Some would claim these examples are merely cautionary tales about the college application process, and students should have been more careful with what they posted on private or public profiles on the internet. But if they never had the photos and text in the first place, the entire situation would have been avoided. All students should learn to be more careful with their online presence, but more importantly, should not associate themselves with rude or potentially hurtful jokes by liking, sharing, sending or saving. Yes, these students have the right to free speech, but perhaps it is better if not used in a ignorant and hurtful manner. Simply because one person insensitively acknowledges something as humorous does not mean others have to agree. In fact, this would be a perfect circumstance for positive peer pressure by convincing that person the joke is cruel and not funny. Aug. 12 marked a tragic day in United States history. Thousands of white supremacists, including neo-Nazis and members of the Ku Klux Klan, gathered in Charlottesville, Virginia, for for the “Unite the Right” rally. Initially, the purpose was to protest the removal of a Robert E. Lee statue from a park; however, violence and hostility increased throughout the day, as the white supremacists were met by counter protesters. Later in the day, a Nazi sympathizer ran his car into a crowd of counter protesters, injuring many and killing one woman. This incident left people wondering-- when does the protection
of the First Amendment end? Although the rally-goers did have the right to free speech, they did not gather peacefully and infringed on the liberties of others, especially that of life. Additionally, the spectacle and existence of white privilege raises the question of what the white supremacists are protesting for. Numerous students expressed their opinions and prayers through the outlet of social media, but the action of pressing “retweet” doesn’t actually change or help the situation. On the other side of the spectrum lies the NFL kneeling controversy, began in August 2016 when Colin Kaepernick failed to stand during the singing of the national anthem at games. Kaepernick explained this was his form of protest to the oppression of African-Americans and unfair treatment of blacks by police officers. Many, including President Donald Trump, view kneeling by football players a sign of disrespect to the country, flag, police forces and military. He called out the players, using expletives to prove his point. Ironically, Trump was more-or-less indifferent towards the “Unite the Right” protesters, those who incited violence and anger. The juxtaposition of the unconscious reactions to the violent and silent protests simply illustrates the deep-rooted racism within the American society. Ignoring these problems will simply cause them to further polarize the opinions. Expressing personal opinions or the agreement to others’ on social media platforms is a great; but in terms of being persuasive or goal-oriented, it is not very effective. If students want to conquer the issue of racism, they must understand how to change it. Pay attention in government, watch the news, get involved in local politics, contact the representatives. All changes being with a small start, but without a start at all, there is never a possibility for change. This is why in this issue, we chose racism as our cover story to help students understand the effects of this negativity. We conducted a forum with five students to get their opinions, their direct quotes can be read on pages eight and nine. Learning the perspectives of others who have been victims of racial comments is necessary to understanding the issue. Students must think before they speak, in person or virtually, to avoid accidentally voicing hurtful comments. Though society has emphasized the importance of quick communication through social media, the internet has made it easier to spread false information and uneducated opinions. It’s easy to simply agree with the popular opinion on social media even if the argument doesn’t make sense simply because everyone else thinks the popular opinion in right. But everyone must recognize and understand the possible consequences of their words before stating them.
AGREE 8-0
DANICA TRAN
THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017 3
OPINION WHERE’S MY
PROTECTION
AFTER EVERY mass shooting, conversations and arguments regarding the control of guns increase, and for good reason. Approximately 33,000 Americans are killed by guns every year according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This tremendous number translates to about 36 people killed per day. The most recent mass shooting, and one of the worst, occurred Oct. 1. From his hotel room overlooking a concert, Stephen Paddock unleashed round after round of bullets into a crowd filled with innocent children and adults. The death toll has risen to 58 people confirmed, and many others injured. The Las Vegas shooting shortly follows the previous worst mass shootings in the U.S. including the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida where 49 people were killed in 2016 and the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting in 2012 with 27 victims. Nowadays, anyone can obtain a gun almost effortlessly, and there are very little laws and regulations in place to prevent mass murders of innocent people. The only restrictions to gun ownership are shotguns, machine guns and silencers. However, the House of Representatives has been waiting to vote on the Sportsmen Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act which would make silencers legal to own, as well as force states to recognize other states’ permits to carry concealed firearms. The actions of the government prove their lack of initiative, as they should be doing the opposite of what they are. While being able to protect yourself from home invasion and robberies is a reasonable argument to own a gun, or even recreational use such as hunting or shooting sports, this does nothing to stop a terrorist or someone with mental illness from murdering innocent people. Yes, the Second Amendment states “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” But the framers of the Constitution lived in a time when their gun could only be fired two or three times per minute. In Las Vegas, Paddock’s weapons could fire as many as nine rounds per second, according to CBS. And the guns were legal. More regulations and laws made to decrease the amount of guns in America, would result in a safer environment for not only children, but adults as well. The government has to act and has to act now, before any other tragedies occur. To show representatives the necessity of increased gun laws, people must boycott the purchase of guns and protest in front of gun stores and capital buildings.
IT’S MY
RIGHT
THE U.S. CONSTITUTION is more than just a piece
of paper. It is the guiding principles that our country was founded on and gave all Americans inalienable rights. One of those rights is the right to bear arms as outlined in the Second Amendment. Many people interpret the Second Amendment to mean different things. Some believe it was written with the intent that only militia members should have guns, while others interpret it to mean all citizens have the right to bear arms. I’m a firm believer in the U.S.Constitution as it is written. Our founding fathers saw the biggest threat to our country was not from abroad but from within. That is why the Second Amendment is so important. When citizens are armed, they are able to resist tyranny, which is what the founding fathers were ensuring with the right to bear arms. Whether it’s 2017 or 1700, the value of the Second Amendment is still great; we need weapons for the basic reason of resistance to government tyranny, otherwise we risk losing our rights as a democracy. On Oct. 1, America witnessed the deadliest single day mass shooting. Although this is a day no one will forget, it’s important we don’t let our emotions drive us in our decision-making on laws. Evil people like Steven Paddock are going to find a way to kill people. Earlier this year we saw a truck used as a mass murder weapon in Nice, France. And what was used to stop the driver of that truck from killing more people? A gun. Good people with guns prevent bad people from causing more harm regardless of their choice of weapon. Standing on the 32nd floor of a hotel and raining automatic gun fire on innocent people is not the act of a sane person. Even if more gun laws are enacted, criminals would still be able to acquire guns and commit murders. No gun laws were going to prevent this atrocity. Rather than wasting time and energy passing laws that will not make any difference, we should focus on how and why this happened and address the causes such as mental health care and better safety measures for the unprotected in public places. In the end, this was the actions of a mad man or had no compassion for his fellow man.
COLETON MATICS EMMA KACHMAR
4 THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017
EMMA KACHMAR & COLETON MATICS
X TECHNOLOGY
“X” Marks the Spot for Apple’s Latest Release
APPLE CEO Tim Cook
STUDENTS SHARE THEIR OPINIONS ON THE NEW IPHONE X AND ITS FEATURES.
“[Facial recognition] is a cool new way to open up your phone and [the iPhone X] has cool new ways to communicate.” ALONDRA LOPEZ “I think that the iPhone’s home button is iconic and now that it’s going to be gone it’ll be weird.” DOMINIC SPENCE “I don’t feel like I would get the iPhone X because it’s way overpriced. My parents wouldn’t pay for it.” ISABELLA DEMSKY
information. People may also be made headlines Sept. 12 with the official announcement of the concerned by the ability to get newest additions to the iPhone into the phone using a picture of family by releasing details on the the owner’s face using Face ID. iPhone 8, 8 Plus and iPhone X. Also, police could compromise In addition, Cook announced the unwarranted information during third installment to their Apple an arrest which violates the Fourth Amendment. Watch. Over the years, Apple’s Both the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus competition with the Samsung have been available for preorder as of Sept. 15 and are set to be Galaxy has grown closer and shipped on Sept. 22. The iPhone closer. Nowadays, many people 8 starts at $699 and the 8 Plus criticize Apple for “copying” all of is $799. The 8 features a 4.7- Samsung’s ideas. One of these inch display and the 8 Plus has ideas is having the screen go a 5.5 - inch display. Both phones over the edge of the phone for more room. Also, the iPhone’s contain Retina HD Displays, Touch ID and wireless charging. shape has grown closer and closer to the Galaxy’s overtime; The iPhone X release is in honor of the 10th anniversary of now the shapes are nearly the iPhone. With Apple moving identical. Lastly the iPhone X will no longer have a home button, in a more futuristic direction, similar to the likes of the Galaxy the new iPhone X will feature S8. Face ID instead of the Touch The cost of these new Apple ID used in the other phones. In gadgets has been a concern for addition the X will have a Super longtime fans. The $1000+ price Retina HD Display instead of the regular Retina HD Display tag of the iPhone X is nearly shown in both 8s. This phone double the cost of the iPhone is priced at $1000 and will be 6s Plus, and nearly three times the cost of the iPhone SE. This available for preorder Oct. 27 may be due to Apple’s costly and will be shipped Nov. 3. deal with Samsung- 3.5 billion As expected, there have dollars towards the setup of an been many with concerns on OLED screen production plant. these new features. One of Overall, the newest iPhones these concerns encompasses have created a buzz within the the Face ID on the X. Many are worried that security will be an technological community. issue and will expose private
IZZIE BARTHOLOMEW, ISABELLA SOTO & BLAKE WONG
THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017 5
HEALTH Your choice in beverages has many effects on the body, even after your body flushes it out. These effects last a lifetime in either a good or bad way. Be the best you, and think before you drink.
Dutch Bro Rebels and Energy Drinks
To people who go to Dutch Bros, “The Rebel” is not an unusual drink to buy and post on Snapchat stories. People enjoy The Rebel because people can order almost any flavor. But being a popular drink is not everything. “My friend stopped drinking it and he began to have headaches,” AJ Cabrera said. Having headaches is a symptom of caffeine withdrawal that usually occurs as a cause of breaking a caffeine addiction. For other students The Rebel is a way of life. “On average, I usually drink seven to eight Dutch Bro Rebels a week. It’s a Red Bull with extra flavoring added to them, and they give me a boost of energy, and they’re just so good. I don’t really notice a big difference in my attitude or anything like that, I just drink it because they’re just so good,” Marin Bauer said. These types of drinks can be useful when hours of quick energy are needed. Side effects of energy drinks can cause a caffeine addiction and type two diabetes. The ingredients of energy drinks in small amounts are usually alright, but in high amounts they can be extremely detrimental to your body by causing the body to gain diseases and addiction. One stick of guarana, a main ingredient in energy drinks, contains about 40 grams of caffeine, which can quickly leads to a caffeine overdose.
Water
When caffeine reaches the brain, the most noticeable effect is alertness. Once caffeine enters the body, it feels more awake and less fatigued, so it’s a common ingredient in medications that treat or manage drowsiness, headaches and migraines. “Our brain gets flooded with dopamine when we eat or drink anything we like,” Knowles said. This chemical reaction in the brain often causes overindulgences which possibly leads to overdosing. Nausea, increased heartbeating and insomnia are common symptoms of caffeine overdoses. Becoming addicted to caffeine is common. According to Villanova University, roughly 90 percent of adult Americans drink a caffeinated drink every day and more than half of adults ingest around 300 milligrams of coffee, each day. AQuitting caffeine is also a struggle, although not impossible. Caffeine Informer advises two methods to quit your addiction: the Cold Turkey Method and the Weaning Method. The Cold Turkey Method is a harsher way of ending your consumption by having the user completely stop coffee altogether. On the other hand, the Weaning Method allows the user a more slow a progressive way to end their addiction.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU DRINK
Bodies uses water quicker than it can produce, so they implement the feeling of being thirsty anytime you use roughly one percent of your body’s reserves. Water has benefiting factors such as aiding in weight loss and physical aptitude, flushing toxins out of your body and is a natural remedy to most bodily pains and problems.. “It doesn’t give you a jolt that some people want or need especially, early in the morning,” Mr. Jason Knowles said. Although, this isn’t completely bad. Being too alert can cause feelings of being over sensitive and paranoid. Water also supplies our body with nutrients to keep it functioning properly, especially for student athletes for whom water is increasingly important. “Water keeps us energized longer and helps us endure those long games in the heat,” softball player Nia Trinidad said. Nutrients in water are the reason we can do most of the actions we do.
6 THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017
Coffee
Soda
Soda is a drink people enjoy drinking because of the sweet taste the sugar gives them and the caffeine in it that quickly energizes. Even though the sugar may taste good, it has serious drawbacks on your health. For one, sugar is metabolized so quickly your body cannot digest it properly, and it turns into fat. The Nurses’ Health Study discovered women who consumed two or more servings of a sugary drink increased their risk of death by heart disease by 40 percent. Not only does sugar increase risk of heart disease, but also type two diabetes. “[Soda] adds basically empty calories. There’s practically no nutrients. You’re drinking a lot of calories, and they’re not doing anything beneficial for you,” Knowles said. Without the necessary nutrients your body can experience dehydration, oral degeneration and repercussions on the body that prevent it from performing simple and necessary tasks. MCKENNA ELLIS & MARLEY SKY
IN-DEPTH
BRITNEY FLINT & DANICA TRAN
THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017 7
IN-DEPTH Five students were invited to an open forum to discuss their opinons on racism on and off campus. The forum took place on Sept. 21. The following transcript contains exact quotes that are presented in the order in which they were said.
NL: NOAH LEWIS
RZ: RANEEN ZUBEIDEH
AM: ATIR MIRZA
EQ: ELLISIA QUINTANA
AS: AUSTIN SHIELDS
8 THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017
Do you feel like racism is still an issue today? EQ: I feel like it depends on how you look at it. Basically my whole entire family is military, so they have to do things that seem very unethical to people who are not in the military. So currently we’re having issues in the Middle East, but like in WWII, when the Japanese bombed us, we didn’t like anyone that looked Japanese even if they weren’t from Japan and were born in America: we didn’t like them. So with the Middle East, we don’t necessarily consider everyone a terrorist, but we do have to be on the alert. RZ: I believe that profiling anyone in any means is incorrect. I mean you look at me and you’re like “Oh! You’re a white girl,” but surprise I’m Muslim. But if I were in an instance where someone was trying to pick out brown people from white people, trying to figure out what religion that person was, you would not automatically say “Oh, she is a Muslim.” I have a friend who is Indian and people look at her and say, “You terrorist! You terrorist!” and then they look at me and say, “You’re just a white girl.” So yeah, I think racism is still an issue today. AM: I completely agree with her. White supremacists, for example, are one of the big things coming out because of Donald Trump in my opinion, and because of that people have been put down and white people feel superior to other races. And in terms of other fragmentations. And in everyday language we talk about like, “Oh, he’s probably really good at this because he’s black,” and, “Oh, he can’t do this because he’s white.” That lives on today and will live on for a really long time, we’re going to hear it regardless of how many changes we try to implement. So, I truly think racism will live on today, tomorrow, the next day, and so on. NL: I agree, and I think the worst of it is in the past and we’ve come a long way. We’ve made this based on how they look without knowing who they really are, what they really are, and what they are about, and i think that’s really hard to take out of someone. So even though we have made a lot of progress we make still value judgements based on appearance, and I think that’s kind of how been human’s role. I think it has shifted from a survival instinct, like “Oh, I’m just going to do as bad as we once were, it’s the little things, and those are going to take much, much longer to actually disappear. AS: Yes, it’s obvious that racism is a thing and it is a problem. It’s worse in different places. I don’t think I’ve ever seen here a colored person get beat up, or anything crazy here in Rocklin, but it happens all the time in other states and countries. And definitely it’s a problem but I feel like also people a lot of times overdo it and say things to where I’m just like, “Okay, look at what we do have.” Some of my best friends are different colors and I don’t even see color. It doesn’t affect me, but it affects some people and that’s why racism exists. Racism to another person is negative, so to counteract that you just gotta be positive and I know I’ve told people and heard people say “Nah, dude, shut up you’re white, you can’t talk about things that don’t affect you,” but it does affect me! Some of my best friends are [of other races] and affects me because it affects them. Do you feel like white/Caucasians experience racism? RZ: White people do experience racism, but it is nowhere near what brown or black people have to deal with. Sometimes they are told they can’t do something because they are white but that’s about as bad as it gets. The racism toward white people is a lot less major than it is on colored people and it’s kind of a defense mechanism for some of the colored people. No matter what racism is wrong. Saying someone is something is based on a color is wrong, but white people do not experience it to any degree near as bad as brown people experience it. I have personal stories and things that are insane that have happened to family members of mine, I mean looking at me, I don’t get it as bad, but when someone is aware that I am from a certain country, they are going to make a remark if they have racist intentions. But overall saying that white people don’t receive any kind of hate is wrong. AS: To go off of that, I agree and disagree. Like you said white people do receive hate. White people do go through things, and it’s completely different than what other people go through. However, I wouldn’t consider it level, I mean in a different country or different state, a [person of a different race] will go through different things than they go through here. But I know it’s a lot worse than me being made of for not being able to whip or dab. It sucks but I know colored people go through a whole lot worse than that. But what I can speak for is that I go through the same racism that my good friends here in Rocklin. Obviously there is more prejudice toward colored people, but I also feel like it is more situational. Like I know if I do certain things, I’ll get made fun of, or if they do certain things, they’ll get made fun of. I can only speak for what I see everyday, and I know each and everyone one of you guys here goes through something completely different than I do. ASHLEY BLISS, BRITNEY FLINT & ELLA HO CHING
IN-DEPTH Do you feel like people discriminate more against others on social media? AS: It’s easier that way. I mean yeah a bunch of people are feeling insecure about themselves or don't have, I don't wanna say courage because that sounds good but the ability to actually say something in person. You know it happens all the time on social media because with social media, everyone feels like oh I'm just joking its just on Instagram or Twitter it's just a joke. It's easier that way so a lot of people use that to do it and it happens a lot. All you gotta do is scroll down and I guarantee you'll find something in less than a minute NL: It's a lot less personal, it's infinitely easier to stare at your screen, at someone’s profile picture and type out a mean remark than actually say it to them in person. So having that kind of distance between someone that wants to make a hurtful remark and their victim, it doesn't compare at all to saying it to them in person. So that kind of enables them which is unfortunate because it just promotes it more, and a lot of social media platforms have the ability to delete whatever comment you said if you're worried about repercussions. But you know that doesn't change the fact that you said it and it just lets people cover it up and that makes things worse. What is your opinion on the “Black Lives Matter” movement and it’s countermovement, “All Lives Matter?” RZ: So I personally saw a Black Lives Matter protest, I actually attended it, and across the street an All Lives Matter protest. So all lives do matter, all lives matter in general, but the focus is not that all lives matter, because you see across the country that people are getting shot for being this color. Like the other day I read something about a little boy being lynched because he was black and people were using excuses and I think the police officer on the job, “Oh we should just let him be, everyone makes mistakes.” Lynching someone because they are black is not a mistake. So, I believe the Black Lives Matter Movement goes off of that. Yes, there are people that take everything to an extreme, like white supremacists and more Black Panther type people. Everything has an extreme to it so saying Black Lives Matter is so extreme is not-- I believe the All Lives Matter movement is just honestly awful because we are looking at Black Lives Matter and we’re like, “Oh no all lives matter, my life matters,” but it’s not personal because like I am not black, but I believe the Black Lives Matter movement does so much and we should just stop having such a negative connotation about it because these issues that no one has wanted to talk about since what, like the sixties, are being brought to light again. So, overall the All Lives Matter movement is not something we need to focus on, but the Black Lives Matter is something that’s necessary. AM: The All Lives Matter movement really is irrelevant. What we’re focusing on right now is that black people are getting segregated and they’re the ones being punished for the color of their skin. I just read the other day an article about this black man, and a cop went up to him and was screaming at him, but this man was deaf and couldn’t understand what he was saying but he was trying to tell him he can’t hear him because ASHLEY BLISS, BRITNEY FLINT & ELLA HO CHING
he’s deaf. And the cop that was shouting at him and then shot him. So something like that take into account, an innocent man dying because of something so small, something so fixable, just because of the color of his skin. It just doesn’t make sense at all. So if we are saying that “All Lives Matter” like white lives matter, brown lives matter, you can’t say that because Black Lives Matter is the focus right now. Black people are the ones getting shot down right now, getting arrested for no reason. I read so many stories about how little boys are getting shot down or arrested for no reason. People getting aggressively beat down by cops and arrested for no reason with no say and it’s literally going against their rights as a human being. That is treating them inhumanely. EQ: Personally, I think both movements are a joke. Yes, there are some people in the Black Lives Matter movement that want to make a difference, because where they live is horrible. And I think the All Lives Matter movement does kind of go to the extreme just like the Black Lives Matter movement. Every single organization has an extreme to it, and I think organizations need to stop focusing on just themselves and focus on the bigger picture because we all have equal opportunity. Yes, there are some people that surpass other people, but we all start on the playing field but it depends on how hard you work to get where you want to go. The thing I’ve noticed is that a lot of people in the black movement don’t work very hard. A white person, yes in a way, has an advantage on them is up here and then one person is down here and they complain about it. So I think if we focus more on how hard we work to earn what we want that will help as a society in general. NL: Regardless of race, color, creed: discrimination is discrimination. I think that Black Lives Matter started out as a good idea, started out to highlight like “Hey, this is an issue.” Where it went wrong was it started highlighting and pointing out what was going wrong time and time again and it came from “this needs to stop,” to people taking it up as a war crime and justifying their actions and performing violent acts through the name of the Black Lives Matter banner. So, no it’s not the fault of the movement, the people are taking it up, interpreting it, and carrying it up way too far, and now it’s kind of shifting towards a race war than anything else. And that’s where I think All Lives Matter kind of does it better, because people can see it as them trying to take the focus away from black people being targeted this is the issue. I mean, sure, ya know you get to the end point and you solve that, and black people are equal and now you have to respect black people but what about respecting everyone. Discrimination should not be a color thing, it should be a matter of principal. It shouldn’t be discriminating against them because their black, it should be we should stop discriminating at all. Just treat them all equal. Level playing field, everyone should be able to do what they want, how they want, when they want to. People shouldn’t have to think, “I have to respect them because they are this color and that is what I was told to do,” it should just be an inherent thing. You should give them a preferential thing or negative treatment just based on how they look. THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017 9
IN-DEPTH
MY STORY
Asking whether racism is present in today’s society, or even in school, is like asking if humans still breathe air. Whether we like it or not, racism still exists everywhere, and will most likely never go away. Not to say this is all a bad thing, as humans use schemas, or patterns that help us recognize and categorize new information without completely relearning it, to understand the world around them. However, the problem with these schemas is when they are misused, or directed as an insult to other people. For example, it is not harmful to understand that an individual of caucasian descent is more likely to keep their shoes on in the house, and it is thus culturally appropriate for me to do the same, and it is more likely for someone of asian descent to not keep their shoes on inside the house. While this could be viewed as racist, it is simply a cultural understanding that helps people behave and know what to expect in a given situation. In that context, I wouldn’t really consider it racist. However, this tends to become dangerous when it extends into deeper territory, such as drawing conclusions from these cultural differences such as, “White people are disrespectful,” or something of the sort. Furthermore, although it stands to reason that asians are better at math and science because of their more focused important on the subject and school work in general as opposed
to individuality of thought, it’s really not socially appropriate to say so, or output one’s thoughts on the subject. Multiple times, my achievements and some of my other friends achievements have been lowered to expected and nothing, as we are expected to do better on tests or be in a higher math class simply because “We’re asian.” I’ve been straight up told that “[I’m] asian so [my] test scores don’t really count.” These kinds of generalizing statements are what causes me to lose my self confidence, sense of self, and feeling that anything matters. These stereotypes are everywhere. It’s why there are only 7 guys in my AP Lit class, and a row of 20 asians in the middle of my AP Calculus class. It may stand to reason that there is a bit of truth to these stereotypes as they’re very visible in certain situations, however this is not the case. In fact, they almost force us into these stereotypes, as it’s hard to forget something that’s drilled over and over into your head and simply expected of you. rst part is, it’s not as if this is only a high school problem. People have been saying racist things to me since I was in third grade. Seems a bit too early, but the plain fact of the matter is that children pick up stereotypes and opinions of the wo=rld very quickly, and tend to be overly honest without censoring the words coming out of their mouth.
My name is one you don’t normally see on the roll call in school. My name is a name that is pronounced one way at school and another way at home. My name has a meaning in my culture and it hurts me when my culture is used as the basis for racist jokes. When you compare our campus to others, it is extremely apparent that Whitney High School lacks that diversity that other schools have. I find that the students here at Whitney are quite accepting when it comes to the inclusion of others. It is extremely unusual to see someone excluded from a friend group on our campus because of the color of their skin. However, when it comes to the topic of racist jokes, there is a line that needs to be drawn and made more visible. People do not seem to understand that a racist joke is nothing more than being pure racist. I cannot express the amount of times I have had to bite my tongue when I have heard someone say something I found offensive. It is not okay to let someone say a racist joke and brush it off AMBREEN SINGH because it was just a
10 THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017
That’s only talking about school. It would be pointless going into all the names I’ve been called, or called other people, as everyone knows them all. Whether it be apperance, what I listen to, or what my parents are like, I’ve heard and seen it all. At this point in my life, I’m honestly just sick of the entire ordeal, and choose to ignore it when it shows up. Although it actually happens less and less as I grow older, the isolated incidents only serve to make me angrier. The worst part of it is, the people who still think it’s okay to do it at this age, honestly think I don’t take it seriously and continue to say things no matter what I do. Part of me feels as if racists just enjoy the feeling they get being racist towards others because they feel bad at themselves and need a reason to feel better, but if you have to question whether or not a statement is racist in your head, just don’t say it at all because it’s not worth the damage it’ll cause to others.
BEN KIM
“joke”. By not telling that person they are wrong, it justifies their actions and odds are they will say something offensive again without thinking twice. This then creates a chain reaction that needs to be stopped. Our school pushes a lot for people to be kind to one another and to treat others with respect, and I feel that is important and must continue to be implemented. It needs to be made clear to the students that any joke that is the slightest bit racist is in no way okay and should not be tolerated. I strongly believe that the main factor fueling racism is uneducation. I am a Sikh American. Sikhism is a religion from the Punjab region of India. But I bet half of you reading this have never heard of this religion before in your life. The 5th major religion in the world is unknown to so many. In today’s day and time, I have watched the news in utter shock as I see that hate crimes being committed against people of my religion. It hurts to watch this because had people been educated about my religion, they would understand that Sikhs believe in giving back and volunteering. At any Sikh temple in the world, there is an open kitchen filled with volunteers ready to serve any person, no matter their race, religion, etc.. What scares me even more is that these hate crimes could be committed against any member of my family. My father could be walking down the street and be subject to a hate crime just as what occurred in Texas a few months ago. That seriously frightens me. I hope that one day, our education system can teach children about more than just the 3 major religions. Perhaps then we would not be in such a scenario where racism is so prevalent. ASHLEY BLISS, BRITNEY FLINT & ELLA HO CHING
TECHNOLOGY
AT THE TOP OF
THE BRAND NEW Whitney Athletics X-Factor app was released in the App Store Sept. 18. This app allows students and staff to compete for points by going to on-campus sporting events. This app has a leaderboard feature that allows students and staff members to see where they rank on the leaderboard and track how many events they have gone to. X Factor will then give spontaneous prizes to people at the top of the leaderboard. The X Factor app helps encourage students to check out events for the chance to earn rewardsfor being spirited and involved. “The app is a way for students to earn points for going to events that they can spend on prizes such as food, gear, tickets etc. It went live two weeks ago. The purpose is to reward students who go to events by giving them free stuff. Students should use it because it is a way for the most spirited and involved kids to be rewarded and to make students “I think all students should want to go to events get the app because it’s in order to get prizes,” a good reminder to go X Factor to events. I like that it’s leader Adam keeping up with the times Nivinski said. through technology and The app you can get prizes so I look also has features forward to seeing what that include those are” staying up JENNY ARMAS to date with upcoming games and times, unlocking rewards and exclusive offers through the point system and the ability to share with Twitter and Facebook when you check into an event. In the App Store the X-Factor app is available for downloading.
Currently ranking number one on the leaderboard by six points, Mrs. Jenny Armas answers questions about her experience with the app. Q: When did you download the app? A: “When I was at a tennis game, Sept. 19, I walked by Mr. [Jason] Feuerbach who said the app’s up so I downloaded it for an extra point.” Q: How many events have you been to using the app? MADILYN SINDELAR
A: “I’ve been to tennis, water polo, volleyball, water polo again and football. So a total of five.” Q: What do you like most about the app? A: “Competing with students and staff and winning as of now.” Q: How many places does the leaderboard feature show? A: “Top 50.” Q: Why do you think students should download the app?
M. SINDELAR
THE LEADERBOARD
A: ”I think all students should get the app because it’s a good reminder to go to events. I like that it’s keeping up with the times through technology and you can get prizes so I look forward to seeing what those are.” Q: What teachers are in the top spots? A: “I like to be beating Mr. Alex Anderson, Mr. Eric Means, and Ms. Whitney Lum is going to demolish more score so now I think it’s funny that I’m leading.” THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017 11
ON-CAMPUS
B. FLINT
CLASS COLLABORATION
B. FLINT
2
1
AS A FRESHMAN in high school, part of the experience
is the confusion and preparation when thinking about what path one will follow for the next three years and possibly more after that. In replacement of driver’s ed, C-STEM, or Computer Science Technology Engineering and Math, is implemented through a district decision that included principal Mr. Justin Cutts. Instead of freshmen taking health for a semester and driver’s ed for the other, they will take a semester of health and a semester of C-STEM. The class introduces all of the CTE classes and incorporates them into one final project at the end of the semester. “Replacing [driver’s ed] was a smart decision because it was a cost issue, along with the fact that we were probably one of the last districts to even offer driver’s ed at our school,” Cutts said. Although administrators believes replacing driver’s ed is a smart decision, some freshmen enrolled into C-STEM, such as Karis Welch, believe that the new class provides them little to no new information so far. “I would much rather be in driver’s ed because C-STEM is no fun for me. I don’t like the computer and technology aspect and certainly the presentation aspect [of the class],” Welch said. The curriculum emphasises the One-to-One program set by Mr. Cutts and Mr. Scott Collins by using the tools from Schoology and Google Suite to better fit how students will be taught.
12 THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017
1. During third period C-STEM, Mr. Alex Anderson shows Charlie Purcell the correct way to use the program. 2. Karish Welch works on a project using Google Docs on her Chromebook.
“Through the Rocklin Education Excellence Foundation (REEF)’s Chromebook Crusade, I was able to get a really good deal for Chromebooks that would, in turn, provide every freshman with a device they would be able to use for the rest of their high school experience,” Cutts said. C-STEM teachers Mr. Alex Anderson, Mr. Ben Barnholdt and Ms. Kirsten Parker are required to have a CTE credential available through two options: taking a standardized test called the CSET or applying at ctc.ca.gov. Focusing on Schoology and Google Suite, students learn how to build their online appearance and knowledge as well as how to get comfortable with both programs. Anderson highlights the importance of online presence and how much more successful students will be. “[On Schoology], instead of using dancing banana pictures as their profile pictures, I teach them what is appropriate to use. This not only teaches them how to have a proper online appearance, but also sets the tone for the rest of their high school career,” Anderson said. As part of the bigger picture Cutts hopes to end male and female dominance in CTE classes. Cutts said, “There are certain fields, like computer science, that I am hoping will attract more females through the C-STEM program as well as other gender dominated CTE classes.”
SHANNON BONE & MAXIMO ESGUERRA
ON-CAMPUS
During halftime of the varsity Homecoming football game, Emily Harris and Adam Nivinski cheer while fireworks are set off from the grass field. Whitney won the game 35-8.
PHOTO BY BRITNEY FLINT
THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017 13
LIFESTYLE
At the annual powder puff game Oct. 2, freshman cheerleaders basket toss Oscar Drahos. The freshman powder puff team defeated the sophomores 24-14.
14 THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017
PHOTO BY ASHLEY BLISS
ENTERTAINMENT
“IT”... is Back HORROR FANS REACT TO REMAKE OF CULT CLASSIC
FROM HARDBACK to television to the big screen, IT
has been creeping into the minds of its audience since 1986. Starting as a critically acclaimed novel by Stephen King, IT was then produced as a two-part miniseries that aired on television in 1990. Now, 27 years later, IT is back to terrorize a new generation. After seeing the newly-produced version in theaters, I was absolutely blown away by the casting. Pennywise, played by Bill Skarsgard, really enveloped the true character and meaning that was originally portrayed in the novel IT. He took the character into a new direction from the original
Pennywise portrayed by Tim Curry, impressing me with the depth of the character and its role. Honestly, I wasn’t anticipating such an amazing persona put on by this actor. In regards to the rest of the cast, the group of young kids were made very relatable and it was evident they really enveloped themselves into their roles. The production value of the remake also exceeded my expectations. Director Andres Muschietti used unique camera angles to develop the suspense of the plot and essentially keep the movie interesting even in its lull moments. In tandem with the camera angles, the soundtrack and sound effects contained immense climaxes that gave me major anxiousness and nearly heart attacks. For some a soundtrack is an element that can take a film to a whole new level. The film’s soundtrack really added another level of horror, as well as adding more emotion to certain scenes. If you are a metalhead like me, you will be intrigued to hear that the song “Antisocial” by thrash metal monsters Anthrax is included in the soundtrack as well. Now, what everyone is really wondering: is the movie scary? Considering I lost sleep due to this movie, I would have to say yes. For those that are more accustomed to this genre, maybe not. There weren’t that many jump scares, yet the creepiness nonetheless left me on edge and unsettled throughout the entire movie. Considering its earnings of $123.4 million in just the first weekend, I’d say many are still intrigued regardless of its scare factor or any other variable.
Rating Out of Five:
Illustration by CAMERYN OAKES
CAMERYN OAKES
THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017 15
ENTERTAINMENT
5
TV SHOWS
YOU AREN’T WATCHING, BUT SHOULD BE
In search of new shows to binge watch overnight, research done from credible sources such as Teen Vogue and Business Insider, reveal the top five TV shows that are trending now:
Synopsis: An explosion from a particle accelerator creates life threatening metahumans. When Barry Allen, is hit by the dark matter, it gives him extraordinary speed. He uses his powers to take down the metahumans.
Synopsis: The geeky lives of a group of physicists is drastically changed when Penny moves into the apartment across them. Leonard, Sheldon, Raj, and Howard all start to face various encounters with women and learn how to deal with them.
Genre: Sci-Fi
Genre: Sitcom
Featuring: Grant Gustin as “Barry Allen” Candice Patton as “Iris West” Carlos Valdes as “Cisco Ramon”
Featuring: Jim Parsons as “Sheldon Cooper” Johnny Galecki as “Leonard Hofstadter”
THE SINNER
RIVERDALE Synopsis: Based on the characters of Archie Comics, a group of teens in the small town of Riverdale try and solve the murder of Jason Blossom. Throughout the mystery they face complications in their personal and romantic life. Genre: Drama and Mystery Featuring: Lili Reinhart as “Betty Cooper” Cole Sprouse as “Jughead” Camilla Mendes as “Veronica Lodge”
“I like crime and science fictional [TV shows] and my favorites are Stranger Things and CSI” Stefan Smith
Synopsis: A group of surgical interns go through real life experiences at Seattle Grace Hospital. From drama to romance, this show is definitely not one to miss.
Synopsis: A mysterious murder case of Frankie Belmont, becomes a new behind the story to the unknown months of Cora Tanneti’s past.
Genre: Drama and Romance
Genre: Mystery
Feautring: Ellen Pompeo as “Merideth Grey” Sandra Oh as “Cristina Yang” Katherine Heigl as “Izzie Stevens” Justin Chambers as “Alex Karev”
Featuring: Jessica Biel as “Cora Tanetti” Christopher Abott as “Mason Tenetti Jacob Pitts as “J.D”
“[I like to watch] crime and comedy [TV shows]. [My favorite are] Modern Family, Hawaii Five O, Blackish, and Blue Bloods.” Eindra Khine
16 THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017
“I probably like comedy TV shows [and in that] my favorite is It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” Austin Hauptman
“[My two favorite genres] are probably comedy and drama. . . [and from that] I like The Big Bang Theory and The Royals” Taylor Williams
ALINNA AVILES, EMC COWLES, ANJANI KEDIA
SPORTS After the home game against Bella Vista Sept. 5, Natalie Ham high-fives Coach Matt Holm. It was Whitney’s first match in league, and they won the match 5-4. “We were missing our number one player, so we were definitely a little worried. But we knew we were better than them, and we just needed to stay confident and focused in order to win the match,” Ham said.
PHOTO BY ELLA HO CHING
THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017 17
ON-CAMPUS
THE NUMBER COUNTS
C. MATICS
Students react to the difference in athletic budgets by sports team
The varsity football team prepares to run onto the field at the 8th Annual Quarry Bowl.
SPORTS TEAMS across campus rely
on money derived from an athletic budget that dictates how much money is given to certain sports. As equipment and jerseys are reused year after year, the athletic department has a system to ensure each team has the equipment needed in order to be successful. “Through the booster club, we put [teams] into a rotation for uniform every third year. We based it on the average number of athletes in the varsity program and then the average cost of the uniform and that’s how much money we set aside for the different sports,” Athletic Director Mr. Jason Feuerbach said. The athletics booster club is made up of parents of athletes, who attend monthly meetings with Feuerbach and discuss sports-related issues. The booster parents are in charge of setting up fundraisers for their sports as well as hosting tournaments. With money from the booster club or money teams raise themselves, programs are able to purchase new equipment and jerseys and pay for tournaments. As the varsity teams receive new uniforms, they pass their old ones to the lower levels. However, different sports require different equipment than others, so the amount of money given varies. “A lot of it is what is required by the
18 THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017
NFHS, or National Federation of State High School Associations, which writes the rules for high school sports competitions, in order to compete so that’s our national governing body. If they say for football you need to wear certain pieces of equipment and for water polo, you need certain pieces of equipment, [there is a] big difference in price there,” Feuerbach said. For example, the equipment needed for football would be the padding in the jerseys needed for tackling. In the pool, for water polo players are required to wear caps, that have a plastic covering the ears to protect the head from injury. With each team given enough money to pay for what is required, the variation in how much money a team receives does
“If they say for football you need to wear certain pieces of equipment and for water polo, you need certain pieces of equipment, [there is a] big difference in price there.” MR. JASON FEUERBACH Athletic Director not significantly impact each team. To purchase equipment not required by the NFHS, teams need to fundraise or pay for it themselves.
“I don’t think our [cross country] team is in need of a lot [of money], like I don’t think we really ask for much… I feel like everybody buys their own stuff,” Ethan Dodge said. While most sports on campus follow the procedure, there are exceptions. “Men’s water polo buys their own speedos. And so instead of buying them uniforms every third year, what we did is we took what that amount would be and divided it by three. They get a certain amount every year for tournaments, so we help pay [to host] their tournaments,” Feuerbach said. With a method in place to regulate when a sports team needs new jerseys, a new approach is being introduced which determines when a facility needs to be updated. The athletic department has been working on their own Title IX assessment. Title IX became a federal law in 1972 that states that there shall not be an exclusion from a sport on the basis of a person’s sex. Title IX has increased and promoted equality in most women’s sports teams. “Part of that [Title IX assessment] is an analysis by each head coach of their facilities and their equipment. What we’ll do then is send out student surveys... and then we’ll look at all the data and from there we’re gonna use that to decide what facilities need improving, what equipment need replacing,” Feuerbach said. AJ CABRERA & MADILYN SINDELAR
Similarly to the cross country team, the womens swim team is required to purchase thir own swimsuits, caps and goggles. “Last year was my first time swimming on a team and when my parents and I saw how much the swimsuit cost, which is about 80 dollars, as well as a cap and goggles which together is about 40 dollars, we were shocked because we had to pay for all of the equipment out of pocket,” women’s JV swimmer Sydney Lund said. While most sports on campus follow the procedure, there are exceptions. “Men’s water polo buys their own speedos. And so instead of buying them uniforms every third year, what we did is we took what that amount would be and divided it by three. They get a certain amount every year for tournaments, so we help pay [to host] their tournaments,” Feuerbach said. With a method in place to regulate when a sports team The varisty cheer team performs at halftime during the Quarry Bowl Sept. 8 needs new jerseys, a new approach is being introduced which determines when a facility needs to be updated. The athletic department has been working on their own Title IX assessment. Title IX became a federal law in 1972 and states that there shall not be an exclusion from a Basketball sport on the basis of a person’s sex. Title IX has increased and promoted equality in most women’s sports teams. Facilities on campus have been updated to support gender equality, such Goggles as the new track which helps both the mens and womens track and cross country team, as well as the new gym floors which help mens and womens volleyball and basketball teams as well as everyone in PE classes. Feuerbach said, “Part of that [Title IX assessment] is an analysis by each head coach of their facilities and their equipment. What we’ll do then is send out student surveys... and Soccer cleats then we’ll look at all the data and from there we’re gonna use that to decide what facilities need improving, what equipment need replacing.” With this system, students are also able to input their opinion on facilities on campus.
$20
$25
$50
AJ CABRERA & MADILYN SINDELAR
A. BLISS
ON-CAMPUS
$10racket - $250 Tennis
$340 Football helmet
$20 - glove $100 Baseball
THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017 19
SPORTS
4 Athletes to Watch Senior athletes consider scholarship offers for college sports
20 THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017
KARINA BEDI & LIZZIE SALVATO
SPORTS
watching from the
sidelines
THE C.I.F., OR California Interscholastic
“It depends on what the rules are, what rule you break, how many times you’ve had infractions in Federation, is the official governing body of that sport or whether they are school wide. So for California high school sports, hoping to promote instance if you have one sport that continues to break equity, quality, character and academic rules, those sanctions will get higher and higher development within student athletes. depending on what the rule is. If it’s an infraction on The CIF rules put into place at Whitney were an athletic department, for example, if we let ineligible brought up by the Sac-Joaquin section. “So they’re the ones who can put a proposal on kids to play a bunch of different sports, it could be sanctions against your whole athletic department. the table, debate that proposal and then vote to accept it or change it. There are certain rules that So it depends on what rule it is and how many times you’ve been in trouble with it,” Feuerbach said. are set by C.I.F. that you can’t work around. So if Most players in high school sports don’t realize C.I.F. says you can only play 10 football games, their lack of C.I.F. knowledge, which occasionally you can’t play 12 during a regular season. In regards to who enforces them, it’s basically on the results in accidental infractions that hurt the team and their record. Due to infractions against school. It’s your job to either self report or report the rules. The section office is the department that the football team this year, players want more hands down these sanctions,” athletic director Mr. information on rules to make sure they’re followed. Maddie Papenfuss said, “At the beginning of the Jason Feuerbach said. season, Mr. Feuerbach presents a slideshow about Three times a year the board has meetings the C.I.F. rules, but they’re never stressed, so we rely about changing rules if needed. There’s one in on the coaches to tell us. I think knowing the rules January, April and October. should be emphasized more as a player because of “The ways our rules change is as a league. So a league president goes to a meeting called “The what happened with the football team. We should get a form with all the rules to review and look back on.” Board of Managers.” There are three meetings a year, and there they can get up and make a proposal to change a rule. From there it has to go through a first reading, second reading and then it gets voted on,” Feuerbach said. While the rules are updated frequently, players are hardly informed and unable to keep up with the changes. “Certain rules apply directly to the players, and it’s all public info, and some of the rules are apart of the experience. For instance, football started a week earlier than the other sports. It’s the coach’s job to inform the team. It depends on each coach, each situation, each sport and kind of what the rule change is,” Feuerbach said. Due to misinformation, players often make C.I.F. violations without even knowing it, which can lead to unanticipated punishments that not only affect the singular player but also other members of their team.
5
facts 19 sports about CIF 3 awards founded in 1914
800,364 student participants in 2016
KELLEN O’BRIEN & ADAM PURVIS
10 sections
THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017 21
FEATURE
YOUNG BUT STRONG Oakmont Invitational 6th freshman girl Earlybird Invitational 14th freshman girl
During the first CVC League Meet at Folsom High School Sept. 20, Kirsten Ransford finishes her 5k race.
S. EAGLE
CVC League Meet 6th varsity girl
HER MUSCLES are aching. Fatigue and sweat spread across
including senior Avery Lambrite and Coach Dodge. “[Lambrite] is the fastest girl on our team, and I would like to her whole body. She feels as though she cannot run another step be able to catch up to her. Also, Coach Jerry Dodge is always without falling to the ground. Then, she hears her team cheering for her, and finally makes it to the finish line, leading the freshmen helping us to improve more with our times,” Ransford said. Although she already is holding times that are faster than most and sohpomore girls team to a dominating first place finish at other girls on her team this season, making her varsity level, with the Nevada Union Invitational. For Kirsten Ransford, a freshman running on the varsity cross country team, this is just an average a time of 16:18 for a 4k, or 2.48 miles, she still has goals she would like to reach and plans to achieve them. race day. “I just really want to keep improving my times, and be faster Ransford began running when she was in fifth grade. She than before. I’ll do that by working out more, ran throughout middle school, continuing to “You have to be more training harder and just giving 100 percent practice every day and slowly intensified her consistent, and there’s during races,” Ransford said. workouts. At Spring View Middle School, she Ransford’s favorite part about running, ran under Coach Cassie Hartley, and plans to more pressure, but especially cross country, is the team aspect continue during all four of her years at Whitney I like to challenge and the team’s overall spirit. with Coach Jerry Dodge. myself.” “I like being apart of a team. This team Since she has switched over from being an Eagle to a Wildcat, there are a few differences KIRSTEN RANSFORD is always very positive and we are always supporting each other,” Ransford said. in her coaches’ training and attitudes. Lastly, Ransford enjoys the challenge of being on varsity. “I think Coach Hartley [from Springview] was more laid-back, “It’s hard because I can’t run with most of my friends that while Coach Dodge trains us a lot harder and focuses more on are also freshmen, because we usually don’t end up sticking what we can do to become better runners,” Ransford said. together pace-wise during our workouts,” Ransford said. Every day at practice, Ransford and her teammates follow a She also has concerns about being the only freshman when specific warm-up, followed by a different workout consisting of a long run. This usually takes about an hour and a half to complete. compared to all the older athletes who are more experienced. Ransford said, “I’m worried about not getting my ideal time, or “First we do a warm up, about a mile long. Then, we do ROM, coming in last place. To make sure I do well, I always make sure or range-of-motion, which is high knees and other similar warmI am well rested the night before, and I eat a healthy meal right up exercises. After, we do a four to seven mile run, at a regular before the race to stay energized. But, I am confident that this pace for our workout. Sometimes we even do progression runs, season will be exciting no matter what difficulties I might face.” which is an increased speed every mile,” Ransford said. Ransford also has many inspirations on the varsity team,
22 THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017
SIENNA EAGLE & BRENDEN JACOBY
SPORTS
kneeling
on the
sidelines
Photo illustration by DANICA TRAN
Sept. 24 IN NUMBERS
3 4 13 1
teams didn’t come out of their locker rooms members of 4 teams sat on benches members of 13 teams knelt on the field
Pittsburg Steelers player, Alejandro Villanueva , stood outside the locker room
BRITNEY FLINT & DANICA TRAN
At a rally Sept. 22, President Donald Trump criticized NFL players who kneel during the national anthem, calling them sons of bitches, and sparking national controversy. Indirectly, Trump attacked former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, the first player to not stand during “The StarSpangled Banner” Aug. 2016. Trump followed up on his remarks, continuously tweeting for several days afterwards. In reaction to Trump’s comments, over 100 NFL players, coaches and staff protested Sept. 24 by kneeling and locking arms. Teams like the Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans even remained in the locker room. People around the country weighed in on their opinions through social media, while media networks covered reactions to the dilemma nonstop. Those who support Trump’s claims say kneeling during the national anthem is disrespectful to the flag, country, military and police force. The opposition states the players are effectively using their First Amendment right to peacefully protest. Two varsity football players explain their opinions below.
“In my opinion, protesting by kneeling for the National Anthem in the NFL is disrespectful to veterans and current soldiers around the world, because even though you’re not doing it to disrespect them, it still does has a side affect of it and I just think it isn’t right and it doesn’t really accomplish much. I mean it gets it known, but it doesn’t really do anything, it doesn’t take any action because actions speak louder than words, so you’re not really doing anything for it. And I just think that it’s disrespectful to the country and especially people who have lost their lives just so you have our rights. It’s just disrespecting them.” MICHAEL HIRSCH
“My opinions on taking a knee during the National Anthem in the NFL: I agree with that. I think that it’s everyone’s right and especially with the players being able to do that. With our president, he’s kind of almost discriminating against the people, especially the ones that are kneeling, and I think it’s a good way to silently protest what you believe in and what you stand up for. And I don’t think it’s anything bad, like I don’t think the people kneeling are talking bad about the soldiers or our country, I just think that what’s happening right now and what they’re doing is a good way to open everyone’s eyes so everyone can understand that everything going on is pretty messed up.” BEN SOPINSKI THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017 23
FEATURE
A CHANGE IN LOCATION
ONE 11-HOUR FLIGHT, a car ride from San Francisco
and 5,294 miles later Karina Bedi finds herself in a new country, starting a new life. With the relocation of her mom’s job, Bedi’s family moved their life from London, England. When her mom’s work offered her a new position in the U.S. Department of Oracle, Bedi and her family faced the big decision of uprooting their entire lives and moving from the U.K. Before committing to a new life here, however, her family visited California in April to look at schools for Bedi and her two younger siblings as well as to find housing and make sure they found a place that would fit their family and lifestyle. The final decision to move sent waves of emotions through Bedi’s mind thinking about what the future would hold. “When I first found out I was going to move, I was literally crying because I was going to miss my friends. I would miss my family because I grew up in London, and I’ve never moved from there so it was a really big change in my life,” Bedi said. But along with the fear came thoughts of excitement of the unknown, of experiencing new things she had only heard about but never seen in her normal life in London. Living in America was an abstract concept she had only seen portrayed through movies. “Everyone in London thinks that America is so cool and they think it’s going to be just like the movies. My first idea was like ‘Oh my God, there is cheerleading and you have football matches,’” Bedi said. Once in America, Bedi faced the challenge of not only adjusting to a new school, but coming into an entirely different schooling system. She was overloaded by all of the different courses that are offered here such as journalism, broadcast and the integrated math system, along with having a pool at school and not having to wear uniforms. Another notable difference that took her by surprise was the fact that students have to pass all of classes to move up a grade, whereas she is used to being able to move up regardless and only having to pass a few tests at the end of the year. While
24 THE ROAR / OCTOBER 2017
these changes were difficult, she embraced the American high school culture of school spirit and football games. “My best experience here has been probably the first day when I realized there was a rally and we never had that back home, so I think those are really cool. The football matches are also so cool and those are just like the movies, literally,” Bedi said. While her mom has a high position at her job as payroll manager, she still is getting used to the new atmosphere and obstacles that come with starting a new job. Because of the move, Bedi’s father had to sacrifice his old job in London and is still struggling to find a permanent job here. Bedi and her siblings have had to learn to make friends at their new schools and balance the school work assigned to them. The biggest thing Bedi struggles with is the loss of her old friends in London. She still keeps in constant daily contact with them through text and Facetiming everyday, but the time zones have proven to be a challenge, and she still misses spending every moment with them. “On my last day in London my friends and I, there was about 30 of us, we all went to a big trampoline park, and then we went to Nando’s. After school every single day we would go and sit in McDonald’s for a long time, and I miss how we would spend time together pretty much all of the time,” Bedi said. Moving to a new country has truly tested Bedi and she faces times when she wishes she could just go back home to where everything is comfortable and normal, but she has learned to cope with and get use to her new life in the states. While she isn’t sure where the future will take her, she has endless possibilities both back in London and here in the United States. Bedi said, “In the future of my life I’m not sure if I want to go back to London for university or stay here, but I do really want to get into a really good law school because I’m looking into areas of law and psychology so I’m not sure quite yet.” EMMA ACCACIAN, ZOEY CUMMINGS & RENESE LOPEZ