THE ROAR A WHITNEY HIGH STUDENT MEDIA PUBLICATION
WEBSITE whitneyupdate.com INSTAGRAM @detailsyearbook
SNAPCHAT @whitneyupdate TWITTER @whitneyupdate
VOLUME 13 / ISSUE 2
THE ROAR / DECEMBER 2017
CONTENTS
THE ROAR
SPORTS Ky’ Juan Anderson plays varsity men’s basketball as a freshman.
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.
2 THE ROAR / DECEMBER 2017
CLUBS Student Doctors Club, discusses volunteer opportunities.
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Britney Flint Lizzie Salvato Madilyn Sindelar Danica Tran ADVISER Sarah Nichols, MJE
B. FLINT
IN-DEPTH Students open up on their experiences with sexual harassment and the #METOO movement.
A. BLISS
L. SALVATO
C. NEWMAN
1 2 HEALTH 3 What’s your 4 5 diet? 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
N. WELCH
a Whitney High Student Media publication
ON-CAMPUS Maximo Esguerra performs at Coffeehouse.
STAFF Emma Accacian Zoey Cummings Kellen O’Brien Sienna Eagle Coleton Matics Alianna Aviles McKenna Ellis Emily Pontes Izzie Bartholomew Maximo Esguerra Adam Purvis Karina Bedi Ella Ho Ching Marley Sky Ashley Bliss Brenden Jacoby Isabella Soto Shannon Bone Emma Kachmar Jadea Tisdale Camryn Buchholz Anjani Kedia Ethan Vandell AJ Cabrera Renese Lopez Blake Wong Cassie Copeland Cameryn Oakes EmC Cowles WEBSITE SNAPCHAT whitneyupdate.com @whitneyupdate INSTAGRAM TWITTER @detailsyearbook @@whitneyupdate neyupdate BY MADILYN SINDELAR
EDITORIAL get the knowledge, because it’s
TIME TO SPEAK
Illustration by Britney Flint
GIRLS ARE CONSTANTLY encouraged to act, dress and speak a certain way, all in order to stay safe. When girls are sexually harassed, the media portrays it as the female’s fault. Today, a prevalent masculine culture exists surrounding sexual assault of “She shouldn’t have been wearing a skirt,” or “That wouldn’t have happened if she wasn’t such a slut; it’s her fault.” That outlook must be changed. But another aspect of sexual assault is the inability of females to report the harassment afterwards. Fear of retaliation and peer pressure are also reasons girls refuse to confront their abusers. The most significant reason girls don’t ask for help is their lack of knowledge -- they don’t know how to, especially in a school situation. With the recent rise of allegations made public in the media, it’s time to prevent sexual harassment, specifically on campus, by taking the initiative and educating staff and students how to prevent it, detect it and report it. We recognize that being either the harasser or the victim is not gender-exclusive, as seen in the accusations against Kevin Spacey; therefore everyone needs to understand all aspects of sexual harassment including how to report it. However, since male-on-female charges are more frequent, We decided to address that aspect specifically in our in-depth story on page 11. It is almost impossible to find information regarding the school’s sexual harassment policy. All Whitney planners include the policy inside the student handbook, but with only freshmen receiving school-authorized planners, the majority of the student body does not have access to the information. The student handbook states, “The Board of Trustees is committed to maintaining a school environment that is free from harassment. The Board prohibits sexual harassment of any student by another student, an employee or other person, at school or at a school-sponsored activity.” After a thorough internet search, one can find a 2015 memorandum from BY DANICA TRAN
AGREE 9-0
Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Colleen Slattery which informs that posters will be placed at all sites and a flyer will be included in a new employee packet for recently hired staff. Our teachers are required to watch an approximately 15-minute sexual harassment in the workforce video on their own and complete a comprehension quiz afterwards. The video includes no advice or instruction as to how teachers should respond if they are approached by students with sexual harassment claims. In comparison, the dress code information is easily accessible to all students. The topic has its own section of the handbook, website and app. It’s sent home in flyers, addressed in disciplinary talks at the beginning of the year and even included in the videos students are forced to watch during intervention the first week of school. The sexual harassment policy should be emphasized in the same way, if not more, especially considering how common the issue is in society. There are a few simple steps we must take to prevent large scale sexual harassment on campus. It must be directly addressed by administration in their annual disciplinary talks and should again be emphasized the freshman year in senior mentor lessons. Next, the idea of meeting with the principal can be too daunting or frightening to report harassment, so a smaller step has to be available, for example an easily accessible Google Form through which students can file incident reports. An entire Whitney United Movement lesson devoted to the topic to educate the student body would greatly increase the general understanding. By completing all these additions, our school can be one step closer to the ideal learning environment.
THE ROAR / DECEMBER 2017 3
OPINION
M. ZAJEC
THE CHOICE TO PLEDGE
Z. LOGAN
SIT OR STAND?
During second block, theater students stand for the Pledge of Allegiance as part of the morning announcements while others remain seated.
FROM AN EARLY AGE, students learn a school day routine that involves respecting the American flag and rising from their seats during the Pledge of Allegiance. With the current controversy surrounding athletes who choose to “take a knee” and the widespread growth of this as a political or social statement, it’s worth taking a look on campus. During the added time built into each day’s second block class, WCTV19 airs “Unleashed,” and the day’s show begins with the phrase “Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.” Who actually stands? Who doesn’t? And what does that say about us as a student body, if anything? The pledge represents freedom and, therefore, students stand to respect that freedom. Not only is our society in political disarray, but also our generation is unaware of the pledge’s importance. Some students feel the need to sit, believing that the pledge has no meaning anymore. People stand for the pledge not to please society, but to honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice of our freedom. People stand for the reality that we have elected a president and not a lifetime leader. The pledge is there to represent the nation and loyalty to the country; students are not pledging their allegiance to the government. Their action instead exemplifies support for freedom and the rights and fairness this country guarantees.
4 THE ROAR / DECEMBER 2017
“[I don’t stand because] there’s a lot of oppression and injustice for people of color in America right now, especially with our Presidency.¨ ALARA HAZAR “[I didn’t stand because] it didn’t really matter. I don’t care anymore; whatever happens happens.” LANDON WALLACE “I sit during the Pledge of Allegiance because Shay (Johnson) sits, and I don’t want her to feel alone, and I think the pledge is high-key BS and low-key too nationalistic for my taste.” KERI CHEN
Do you usually stand for the Pledge of Allegiance during the morning announcements?
89% yes
“I feel honored to stand because so many Americans have given their lives so we are free and able to live in this country with all of our personal rights. I will stand even if I’m the only one.” CELINE ANDERSON
11%
“[By standing) we recognize the fact that the flag is symbolic. We need to respect the country we share. Students should face [the flag] and reflect on what they’re doing. They assume every country does this.” MR. TOD FURTADO
Does your second block teacher usually stand?
“The Pledge of Allegiance to me means standing for those who have fallen for the greater good of our country.” KADE CHURCH “There’s discrimination against the flag, but I think the flag still has the same amount of respect and value for U.S. citizens.” AMBER ZAJEC
no
95% yes
5% no
SOURCE: 230 responses via Google Form Dec. 8-11
BY ZOE LOGAN, SARAH SCOTT & MAKENA ZAJEC
CLUBS
different clubs, different people future careers, or help gain community service hours. While some clubs, are for common interests and meeting new people.
During the week there are countless clubs that meet, and take part of meetings discussing their clubs activities. Some clubs prepare students for
SMASH CLUB
J. JACOBS
President: David Brosnan Where they meet: C-5 Club Sponsor: Mr. Bret Hunter What they stand for: At Smash Club, players can fight in a one on one battle. Players can pick from various characters from Nintendo franchises, such as Mario, Link, or Pikachu. The game is fun both at a competitive and a casual level. Smash Club has some of the school’s smashers duke it out and is seen as a fun club for anyone.
N. WELCH
N. WELCH
PROGRESSIVES AT WHITNEY “There had been a club for conservatives, so i wanted to have representation for both sides.” CARLY KEELY
“The club stands for promoting political activeness in younger people who might not be interested in learning the importance of being informed.” GABRIELLA BOCCHICCHIO
Presidents: Gabriella Bocchicchio and Carly Keeley When they meet: when notified Where they meet: E-4 Club Sponsor: Mr. Tony Bannister What they stand for: Equality, political activeness in younger generations, voter education, future volunteer opportunities and using guest speakers to educate club members.
N. WELCH
STUDENT DOCTORS CLUB
5 THE ROAR / DECEMBER 2017
President: Hazel Jeyaprakash When they meet: Every other Tuesday Where they meet: E-7 or E-12 Club Sponsor: Mrs. Penny Shelton What they stand for: Educating students who are interested in going into the medical field by providing volunteer opportunities and bringing in guest speakers to talk about their career and paths to get there. BY LINDSEY KENNEDY, MELANY MEDINA & KARIS WELCH
ON CAMPUS CHRISTMAS CONFECTIONS. In Mrs. Carissa McCrory’s fifth period Culinary I class Dec. 8, Sophia Railsback decorates Christmas cookies. Each class decorated cookies and had guest judges pick winners in the competition. “I love Christmas, and I love showing Christmas spirit. My favorite part was getting to eat the extra supplies we brought,” Railsback said.
6 THE ROAR / DECEMBER 2017
PHOTO BY ASHLEY BLISS
FEATURE MR. J
MRS.
OEL W
ILLIAM
S
Mr. Williams was a really fun teacher, and he always put a smile on my face during math class, which is a pretty big feat, considering it was math class. Now that I’m not in his class anymore, I’ll walk past him in the hallway and he’ll still say hi to me, and it just brightens my day a little bit. He would sing us funny songs in class, which were always a nice break from our work. Teaching is one of my possible career choices, and one of the things he taught me is that there is more than one way of teaching, other than a straight-forward step-by-step way; you can also enjoy it and make it fun.
MELANIE WALSH
RIKI M
ITZELL
Mrs. Mitzel has influenced me the most in school because she pushes me to do the best that I can, so I can keep improving. She makes me feel happy because I am able to learn math in a fun way. When you have a question for her, she doesn’t give you the answer. She helps you and walks you through the steps. She has made me a better individual because I am now a math tutor, and I am able to help others by walking them through the steps.
ETHAN PELLEGRINI
which teacher has influenced you most? MRS.
JENN
MR. D AVID G IFER D AVIS
Mrs. Davis influenced me the most because she always finds a way to make me smile and feel included and welcome in her class. She calls on me in language arts class and has a special nickname for me. She acts like she’s my friend. She helps me feel more positive and more happy at school even when I don’t want to be here. Mrs. Davis helps me look forward to my day.
ABBY REDDING 7 THE ROAR / DECEMBER 2017
ERSTE
R
Mr. Gerster influenced me the most because he’s the most helpful out of all my teachers, and he makes school more fun. He makes me feel inspired because before I had him as a teacher, I didn’t care about school as much and he changed that for me. He first started changing my opinion of school when he was really nice to me even when I did something I wasn’t supposed to in his class, which made me realize he actually cared. He made me a better individual by caring and showing me school is better than it looks.
JAKOB SWAGERTY BY OLLIE OYLER, BREE PACHECO, LIZBETH VIZCARRA, NATHAN WALSH
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
A. KEDIA
A. KEDIA
Showing his surprise at being named Mr. WHS 2017, Jacob Jaugan stands center stage Jan. 24 in last year’s competition. He will return to award the 2018 winner Jan. 25 to continue the tradition.
M. HAWKINS
From intensely eating a bowl of cereal to scootering around the stage, the Mr. WHS competition makes its way back to the theater on Jan. 24 at 7:00 p.m.. Tickets for the show can be purchased in C-2. “My favorite part was the talent show because it was fun showing off to people what I could do. People should come to Mr. WHS this year , because there is going to be a lot more talent,” contestant from last year Carl Porras said.
goes on ...
M. HAWKINS
The show
BY ELLA HO CHING
THE ROAR / DECEMBER 2017 8
ON CAMPUS
“Seniors get out the experience of being the teacher figure, the freshmen get the knowledge of how to be successful in high school for their entire career. When the senior mentor program started, the no credits and no marks first semester were extraordinarily high. As the senior mentor program continued, we noticed the no marks and no credits dropped drastically by the third year of the program. We continue to do it to help the freshmen acclimate to high school and to also help them academically. The group of senior mentors this year was much smaller so it was easier to manage. But it was more eclectic, from ASB president to student media editors to athletes. But we also have people who are mainstream, like perfectly in the middle who are perfect for the kids who need that kind of idol to help them.”
MS. SUZIE MAIN
O. BALAKRISHNAN
Freshman Firsts
To complete the Freshmen Kodak Moments scavenger hunt activity, Eindra Khine poses with her group of freshmen Sept. 11.
“My freshmen enjoyed the program; we shared a lot of laughs over the games and activities. It was like experiencing freshmen year all over again, remembering how intimidated I was of high school and how curious on what my next four years would be like.“
EINDRA KHINE
“It was a big change from middle school, and you definitely have more responsibilities since the teacher isn’t constantly on you about your grades.” PAYTON HILL
“I enjoyed hanging out with my friends and my classes. One of my favorites was probably broadcasting or geography.” PERRY PAYNE
“I think that it was a good and bad experience…but it’s cool because you have friends from all different places that you didn’t have before.” AUSTIN HAUPTMAN
“I thought it was gonna be like High School Musical; it wasn’t. I really liked my teachers, but the tests were horrible. Actually, the homework.” SOPHIE SKOKAN
9 THE ROAR / DECEMBER 2017
BY GAVIN GLASPIE, ABIGAIL HERMANSKY, KARINA MARTIN & TRAVIS SUTTLE
HEALTH
C. NOONAN
“I have been vegetarian for two years, and the reason I chose to was more of a moral thing because of how animals are treated, and the cows that are transported on highways are kept in small overcrowded farms. I kept wondering what’s next and where they’re heading. Without having meat it restricts me from having protein, so I eat lots of soy to replenish.”
RYAN ALLEN
what’s on your plate? students share dietary decisions
“I have been vegetarian for 17 years, eight months, and 12 days. The reason I eat this way is because of all the cute little animals. A usual meal for me is a breakfast burrito in the morning with a vegetarian sausage patty, and for lunch and dinner, a salad.” C. NOONAN
ZANE GROAT
C. NOONAN
“I am gluten-free and dairy-free. The reason I eat this way is because when I eat gluten I get headaches, and when I eat dairy, my skin breaks out, and my stomach hurts. I’ve been eating this way for about five years. I normally eat salad with a side of pineapple, strawberries and almonds.”
10 THE ROAR
ABIE COTTER
BY JORDAN COTTER, ALLIE DORRIS, GAVIN FORENBERRY, CALEB NOONAN, MCKENNA WILLIAMS
IN-DEPTH
#METOO EVERY DAY, news coverage has been filled with stories of sexual harassment; the list of the accused has excluded no one: directors, Congressmen, news anchors and the president are all accounted for. Since Bill Cosby’s scandal in 2014, sexual harassment has been prevalent, but after the allegations of Harvey Weinstein in October, news has exploded with a new subject of accusations almost every week. Although the stories about the powerful men of broadcasting, Hollywood and government seem disconnected from the life of a high schooler in Rocklin, students have experienced the same acts as the victims of the accused. Sexual harassment is a possible threat to any teenager at any time — whether at school, at work or with friends. STORY AND PHOTOS BY LIZZIE SALVATO & DANICA TRAN
THE ROAR / DECEMBER 2017 11
T
he U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commision states “Sexual harassment, or unwelcome sexual advances, includes requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature. Harassment does not have to be of a sexual nature, however, and can include offensive remarks about a person’s sex. For example, it is illegal to harass a woman by making offensive comments about women in general. Both victim and the harasser can be either a woman or a man, and the victim and harasser can be the same sex.” A commonality between the publicized harassment cases is the men in question are all wealthy and powerful. The theme continues in cases within the smaller community, and especially in a work environment; the ideal situation for a superior to take advantage of a young employee. “Before I quit, I worked at Dick Sporting Goods, which is a heavily male-run cooperation. But I believe that one of my managers had a crush on me. He was so overly nice and would call me beautiful any chance he got. He would always say really weird things to me, and it just made me feel super uncomfortable and awkward. Another one of my former co-workers said that he was almost the exact same way towards her, and there were obviously similarities between the two stories. The fact that he is 40 years old makes it extra weird. One of the first times I had received a text from him, he said, ‘You are my favorite employee.’ Another time I saw
10
him outside of work and I got a text from him right after that said, ‘It made me smile to see you today,” with a heart-eyes emoji,”’ Carina Pasquale said. Harassment also occurs within the workplace. “I work as a party host, and one night a party came in and had a famous basketball player as the party dad. I was hoping to get a good tip since we all knew he was pretty wealthy. Later during the party, my boss and some other male co-workers told me that if I️ want to get a tip, I️ would have to do certain sexual things to him to show my worth. I️ knew they were joking, but I️ still felt really uncomfortable about that comment; it made me feel bad that they thought the only way I could get a tip is to do sexual things to him. It’s definitely made me more uncomfortable around them and to know that they are thinking of me in those sexual ways rather than just seeing me as a professional and having respect for me. Since they were so up front about it to my face, it makes me worry about what they say about me behind my back,” Julie West said. But work isn’t the only location a teenager can be victimized. Even a gathering with friends could be potentially destructive. “On prom night, me and my friends were sleeping together on the couch. I woke up in the middle of the night and one of my friends next to me was touching me, which was kinda weird. I was so confused since I had just woken up in the middle of the night.
Women’s March
SITUATIONS FROM 2017
12 THE ROAR / DECEMBER 2017
I didn’t know what to do, so I just rolled over and kinda pushed him to the side a little bit. I never told him to stop — but I never told him to touch me. I never brought it up to him because I was confused and scared," said a female student who asked to have her name withheld for this story. “He still hangs out with my friends. I don’t think he knows, since I never brought it up to him, and I don’t think he thinks he did anything wrong, which is messed up. But I just don’t know how to approach him about it, and it’s been so long. I don’t know how to be friendly with him anymore. He’s done the same thing to others of my friends too, so we’re all kinda together; we’ve confided in each other now, and we don’t like him anymore. We don’t talk to him, but he doesn’t know why. I don’t know why we’ve never confronted him about it, because most of the girls are really confident. I think we are just uncomfortable with him and just don’t know how he’d react,” she said. The Comprehensive Sex Education Recommended Course Guidelines states the goal is “The student will be taught that sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature and can be directed towards male or female.” They claim “The student will be able to: understand and discuss what constitutes sexual assault/abuse, recognize assault/abuse situations, understand how to avoid or deal with them and understand the legal ramifications regarding sexual behavior and minors.” Even at school, where such
Bill O'Reilly is forced out of Fox News
FEBRUARY 19 JANUARY 21
Harvey Weinstein scandal
AUGUST 8 APRIL 19
Uber Scandal, Susan Fowler was harassed at Uber
OCTOBER 5
Taylor Swift's groping trial
measures are in place to prevent this kind of treatment, incidents still occur. “Sexual harassment I’ve dealt with is at school because of my chest size. In my presence, I know they’re looking at my boobs, but later I always hear about things they say. What was super hard was the swim unit freshman year. Someone told me a boy said, “She has f***ing big tits.” And I know guys would take pictures of me during class. I think guys just think it’s okay ‘cause they see it in movies or in social media. Also during freshman year, I heard from a friend on the basketball team that they were talking about girls they’d smash, and a boy had said they’d smash me. But I’m not going to be with someone who would something like that about me or anyone. But that’s how guys are; they just think it’s okay to bring up stuff like that so nonchalantly,” a different student said.
WHAT GUYS THINK
Have you experienced sexual harassment?
33%
of students said YES.
According to a 2015 Cosmopolitan poll, 71 percent of women do not report sexual harassment. Prior to this year’s burst of allegations, hundreds of victims were part of that statistic. But those women decided to use their voices; even though the incidents they reported occurred 10, 20 or 30 years ago, they spoke up as role models for others.
“At school a lot of guys talk about girls’ private parts and I feel that it’s not okay. I personally treat my girlfriend with more respect than other girls because I care a lot about her and would do anything for her. I would hate to see her hurt. I think crossing the line is touching a girl inappropriately, even though it happens at school a lot. I know that’s not the same with everyone, considering that people go for a lot of single girls at our school. I believe guys should treat girls with respect and not talk bad about them no matter what the circumstance.” MICHAEL HAMP
WHAT GUYS SHOULD KNOW Girls offer advice to their male counterparts: “Obviously no matter what kind of pictures a guy is asking for, it’s a problem and not okay.” “I want people to know I am not defined by where my fat gathers.” “Don’t catcall; it’s super gross and uncomfortable, especially at school.” “Sexual harassment is humiliating not only to the recipient but also to the doer. It gives insight to the depth of character in a person, and in a harasser’s case, the lack of it. So a person should not only respect other people, but also themselves by not saying or doing anything.”
"I feel like [girls] don’t get treated how they should, as simple and plain as that is. It's very much evident that relationships are more for pleasure rather than to actually know the person and have a connection with them. When it comes down to it, in my opinion, relationships are for marriage. If it’s not for marriage, then what's the point of dating? In that case, it’s more for pleasure, which definitely isn’t good nor is it healthy. Don’t get me wrong, there are some healthy relationships that I know — plenty of high school sweethearts." JONAH WILLIAMS
“If I didn’t ask for it, I don’t want it to be said to me or done to me.” “If they wouldn’t want someone commenting on if their body is good enough or touching their butt, then why would they think it’s okay to do to someone else.” "No one is in any way obligated to show interest in you or say yes to something you might want to do with them. Respect that."
New York Times publishes Salma Hayek’s story about Weinstein
Donald Trump’s harassment case reopens
OCTOBER 22
NOVEMBER 29
OCTOBER 16
DECEMBER 18 DECEMBER 13
James Toback is accused of sexual harassment
Matt Lauer is fired from the “Today” show
Federal Judge Alex Kozinski retires after sexual harassment allegations
BY LIZZIE SALVATO & DANICA TRAN
13
SPORTS
BALLER from BOSTON with a BUSINESS
Moving over 2,500 miles across the country, Ky’ Juan Anderson made himself known on the men’s varsity basketball team as a freshman. Although he has only been playing for two years, his talent, love for the sport and uncommon hobby have gained him attention. Q: When did you start playing basketball? A: I started playing basketball in 7th grade and have been playing ever since. Q: Why do you play basketball? A: I’m from a city where basketball is the culture of the city. We play all day and all night, no matter what. We do not go a day without playing. A lot of people are trying to make it out of the city playing basketball. Q: How has the sport impacted you? A: The sport has impacted me in a good way because I know a lot of people that went down bad roads doing things they weren’t supposed to, but playing basketball consumes a lot of time leaving me only a good path to go down. Q: How would you describe the team dynamics? A: I definitely think we work well together. I know who to give the ball to, trusting my teammates and allowing them to trust me.
L. SALVATO
from a “I’m city where basketball is the culture ...
Ky’ Juan Anderson dribbles at men’s varsity basketball practice.
“
Q: How do you specifically contribute to the team? A: I contribute trying to be the best teammate I can be. In the game, I try to play the best deference I can, get others shots, get myself shots, and be a good point guard. Q: Where do you see basketball in your future? A: I see basketball as a passion, something I will always love no matter what happens. If I get a scholarship or not, I will always play basketball and always enjoy it. Q: Why did you develop a business based on sneakers? A: I like sneakers, and I wanted to make money involving something I enjoy.
14 THE ROAR / DECEMBER 2017
BY CHRISTIAN KOLASKEY, JADEN MCGOWAN, GIANNA RUCCIONE, BEN SHTILKIND
SPORTS “Being the only freshman on the varsity golf team makes me feel so important knowing I am accepted.” NICOLE CLARK
“I think the varsity golf team needs to do more team bonding exercises so we can dig deeper into our personalities.” EVA LOPES
as as er tu
es Lo p
la rk C
ow
Ev a
C
Sn
le
ca
a
Ni co
an Bi
n en Br
“My tennis team is so outgoing and not afraid to be themselves. They are like a second family to me.” BRENNA SNOW
“I think the varsity tennis team is somewhat recognized for our acomplishments, but there is not much support during our matches compared to other sports.” BIANCA CASTUERAS
athletes in the spotlight survey says ... Which sports receives the most recognition?
91.3% football said
Do you think smaller sports at WHS deserve more attention?
89.6% yes said
Have you ever attended a tennis match?
SOURCE: 208 responses via Google Form Dec. 8-11
15 THE ROAR / DECEMBER 2017
B. WONG
43% yes 57% no Oct. 19, Rachel Zufelt reaches to high five Coach Matt Holm before their game against Antelope.
BY MARISSA DWILLIS, RALEY GILLMORE, KYLEE STEPHENS & KYLA WENZEL
Athletes explain how their sport allows them to be well-rounded in life. “...I do not know what I will do without [my teammates].” KIRSTEN RANSFORD WOMEN’S VARSITY CROSS COUNTRY “[Sports] affected my life by always pushing my strive for more and to do better.” SALVATORE MARTINEZ FRESHMAN FOOTBALL “With volleyball, I learned it is more than just playing a sport, it helps you find friends you probably would not find elsewhere and it is a fun way passing time.” ALYSON IKEDA WOMEN’S FRESHMAN VOLLEYBALL
16 THE ROAR / DECEMBER 2017
Before their game against Granite Bay Dec. 5, the women’s varsity basketball team meets in a team huddle.
“They [team] always helps you and when you do not understand something and keep moving you forward so really it is the team that helps you stay motivated.” MADISON MCADAM WOMEN’S JV WATER POLO “Being part of a team means working together and trying to accomplish a goal, while being united as a family.” PAIGE ALCALA WOMEN’S JV SOCCER
E. HO CHING
NOT JUST A SPORT
D. KHUNKHUN
SPORTS
The women’s JV soccer team celebrates after scoring a goal during the Quarry Cup Dec. 9.
BY ISABEL BARRAGAN, ALICIA CHO, MADELYN CUNNINGHAM, DAYA KHUNKHUN
SPORTS
Joel of All Trades
Williams through the years
During the men’s varsity soccer practice Dec. 8, head coach, Joel Williams explains a drill to his team.
Graduated from McNeary High School as a three sport athlete
A. CABRERA
1997
ON THE SIDELINE of the men’s varsity soccer Quarry Cup game, head Coach Joel Williams inspected the field as he prepared a game plan that would beat Rocklin 3-2. While the victory was a team effort, much success can be granted to Williams, who has experienced close matches throughout his whole life. Growing up, Williams’ father Terry Williams was a women’s basketball coach at Corban University, exposing him to sports at a young age. During high school, Williams played soccer, basketball and baseball. He furthered his baseball and soccer career in college, following his father’s footsteps at Corban. His father’s influence prepared him to become a basketball coach even though he stopped the sport after high school. “Where other kids are watching cartoons on Saturday mornings, I’m breaking game formations with my dad,” Williams said. In 1998, Williams accepted a coaching position at Woodcreek BY ALISSANDRE CABRERA
for the men’s freshman basketball team and eventually JV. As the assistant varsity coach, Williams led his team to a state championship game against Mater Dei but lost by 16 points. “When Lebron James was in high school... there was a game they played Mater Dei on TV, and that was the Mater Dei team we played for the state championship,” Williams said. “They had seven Division I athletes on their team and we had about three kids play for a junior college.” Once the campus was built, Williams wanted to form something new. He joined the staff here as a teacher and as the first women’s basketball coach in the school’s history. “We were actually the first varsity team to make playoffs here at Whitney,” Williams said. After 12 years of coaching basketball, Williams took the opportunity to rescue a suffering men’s soccer program by becoming the new head coach.
“I noticed that Whitney continued to have a different varsity coach three years in a row,” Williams said. “I thought, ‘there’s too much talent for that.” With previous coaching and playing experience, Williams was the best choice for the position. “Coach Williams had a soccer background, his son was getting ready to enter high school and was planning on trying out for the soccer team, and he was a teacher on campus; these qualifications made him an ideal candidate for the job,” athletic director Mr. Jason Feuerbach said. “He brought to the program stability at the head coaching position.” Although Williams previously coached basketball, he finds no difference between the two. Williams said “It’s just being able to share a game and a love of athletics with the kids. No matter what it is, coaching is just an extension of teaching, it’s just a different type.”
Began coaching basketball at Woodcreek
2005
Became head men’s varsity soccer coach on campus
1995 Played baseball and soccer at Corban
1998
Moved to Whitney as a teacher and women’s basketball coach
2013
THE ROAR / DECEMBER 2017 17
SPORTS
CATCH THESE HANDS. During the women’s JV soccer game against Rocklin Dec. 9, goalkeeper Zoe Logan blocks a shot. The Wildcats came up short to the Thunder 3-1. “Even though we lost, I still enjoyed the game and playing against some of my friends on the Rocklin team,” Logan said.
18 THE ROAR / DECEMBER 2017
PHOTO BY ELLA HO CHING PAGE BY ASHLEY BLISS
FEATURE THREE SEMESTERS DONE
BLAKE WONG
ONE SEMESTER LEFT
Avery Eggers As high school comes to an end, Avery Eggers never thought she would be attending a University in fall of 2018. Striving for perfection, failing was not an option. She was once afraid that applying to a university would be setting herself up for failure. Instead of allowing her fear of failing to hold her back, she persevered and applied to 6 Universities.
WHAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK?
With only one semester left until his third year Blake Wong makes a plan of attack. Just this first semester Wong has taken the PSAT and plans taking them again in the spring. Wong realizes that he needs to prepare for the SAT and get a good GPA in order to succeed for his junior year. For the upcoming summer of 2018 Wong plans to visit Arizona State University, Berkley University and San Diego State University.
The fear has a tendency to hold high schoolers back from their full potential. These issues are why students are afraid to fail whether it is not getting accepted to college, in senior Avery Egger’s case, or ,not living up to the expectations of preparing for tests and colleges in Blake Wong’s case. In both cases fear was holding them back but they persued their dreams and over came thier fear through the deretmination and self-motivation that was presented to them by their peers.
“Knowing that I’m going into the most imporant year I really have to go all out. I have a goal of getting a 4.0 unweighted GPA and still playing football and baseball.”
19 THE ROAR / DECEMBER 2017
“I am no longer allowing the fear of failing hold me back from my true potential. I plan on majoring in phsyiology at University of Reno, Nevada.”
BY MIA CARDER, MACKENZIE CHHAY, BRIAN DILLON & ERIC LAMKIN
ISSUES
BORROWED, STOLEN OR UNAWARE? Do you know what cultural appropriation is?
72.1%
of students said YES.
cultural appropriation
20 THE ROAR / DECEMBER 2017
H. BEDRIN
H. BEDRIN
H. BEDRIN
minor controversy vs. major issue
“It’s more of just celebrating the other race’s culture -- they’re not really making fun of it. If they are trying to make fun of it, then [the appropriation] shouldn’t be allowed, but if they’re just trying to impersonate it to the best of their abilities, it should be okay.”
KEVIN CHEN “[Cultural appropriators] don’t want to deal with the struggles that blacks or Native Americans actually have to go through ... They don’t want to take the time to learn about the culture in a really significant way -- they just want to pinpoint things that interest them.”
CARLY KEELEY “If a black person has box braids or dreads, it’s considered ratchet or sometimes ghetto, but then if a person of lighter skin color [wears] box braids, it’s considered high fashion or trendy. It just doesn’t make sense.”
BIANCA GILL
47.6%
of students said YES.
51.4% of students think it is a minor controversy.
48.6% of students think it is a major issue. SOURCE: 208 responses via Google Form Dec. 8-11
“I was born and raised in India. I grew up knowing the meaning behind bindis and henna. When I came to America, it was made fun of. And then, all of a sudden, these girls want to wear bindis to Coachella and do henna for no apparent reason.” H. BEDRIN
MISUSE OF AN ASPECT of culture by another culture is especially present in media and entertainment, as many celebrities have been called perpetrators of this offense. The first major example of cultural appropriation was in the 19th century, called “blackface.” Light-skinned actors painted their skin black, acting out dark-skinned characters as overexaggerated stereotypes. Even though it only surfaced within the past 200 years, cultural appropriation has become more recognized recently, gaining attention and appearing in the national spotlight. The rise of social media, the ability to spread information and photos quickly, and the onset of a world obsessed with political-correctness all have contributed. Although some students shake it off as mere controversy created by oversensitive minds, others believe it to be a major issue, noticing tweets and photos on social media, changing trends among students and presenting a new subcategory of racism, which further divides students based on their culture and background.
Have you seen cultural appropriation on campus?
YEMIMAH WILLIAM
BY HALEY BEDRIN, GRACE CHANG, DYLAN DE VALK & ALAINA ROBERTS
ISSUES
D. BALIUK
FROM THEN TO NOW
“Oh my God, he’s so annoying.” “Do you even see how ugly he is?” “She’s so nasty.” “Jeez, chill, it’s just a joke!”
These are just some of the expressions that travel the campus in whispers. Simple insults like these cause a chain reaction — they can lead to smaller attacks and to major bullying that could even result in suicide. Victims of bullying are two to nine times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims, according to studies at Yale University. But groups on campus bring various stereotypes and a social stigma attached that lead can to long-term negative perceptions and potential bullying. “I remember my freshman year, all the freshman football players who I was close with were sitting [at the top of] the amphitheater and this kid came up to me. I had been friends with him for a long time, and he was an upperclassman. He said ‘[the] whole football team is sitting in Narnia.’ I was like ‘What does that mean?’ [He explained] that [people] called the amphitheater Narnia because the ‘nerdy kids’ sit there, people who were considered outcasts,” Blythe Hardy said. Labeling students in this way singles them out negatively and can make students selfconscious about how they are viewed by their
peers, all without reason. Last month’s “Breaking Down the Walls” assembly and workshops gave students a chance to confront some of these issues, but years of being labeled or bullied can take a long time to undo or overcome. And repeated bullying often pushes students to “pay it forward” by making the same bad decision themselves. In other words, the victims become the bullies. One student who asked to remain unnamed said her first experience with bullying started in fourth grade for “wearing tight clothes despite being chubby.” She said another factor was her Asian heritage. As a result, she started bullying others to avoid “[feeling] like [she] did [when bullied]” and to uphold a “reputation for being someone to be careful of.” It led to years of conflict. “Having people be afraid of me comforted me because of things that went on both at school and [at] home,” she said. She experienced these attacks through the beginning of high school, when she decided to make a change. She said, “I realized that other people didn’t need to [be] hurt [because of] my own insecurities. Obviously I haven’t fully brought down my walls, but I have learned from my past mistakes.”
BY DIANA BALIUK, JANAE GAMBOA, GRACE POSTON & THENUSHAA KANDIAH
Cyberbullying is something Lindsey Kennedy struggled with in her first year at this school. To some, bullying others online is easier because it allows them to hide behind a screen. The hateful messages can come from anyone, even those students consider to be their friends. Kennedy’s bully “started rumors about her and insulted her personally, calling her demeaning names such as b**** and saying she was “a terrible friend to everybody.” Admitting that it’s happening and opening up about the experience can be just as bad. Kennedy said it got so bad that her friends had to tell her mom, and she blocked the offenders on all social media. She said, “Seeing them around campus is really hard, knowing what they used to say to me.” THE ROAR / DECEMBER 2017 21
FEATURE BECAUSE EVERY
TALENT
TELLS A STORY
L. BALIEY
L. BALIEY
L. BALIEY
HANNAH VAN DER KAMP is a singer and a performer. She started singing when she was only five years old and started performing arts in fourth grade. She was always very interested in music and listening to other people’s singing. Singing and preforming is important to Hannah because it brings her closer to other people. Hannah practices for about four to five hours every day. In the future, Hannah hopes to make a career out of singing and performing.
JACOB RASKIN plays four different instruments. He plays the base clarnet, piano, carnet, and the trumpet. He has been playing these instramnets for about four years. His inspiration for playing these instruments is his dad because he told Jacob that it would help him get more friends. Curently he plays the base clarnet and clarnet for 20 minutes and he plays the trumpet in the marching band. But her mainly plays the base clarnet in a symphonic band. Also jacob hopes that he can keep playing these instruments and make a successful carrer out of playing them.
L. BALIEY
KAYLEE GARCIA is a artist with a big imagination. She started drawing when she was just two or three years old. Her inspiration for drawing was the amazing works of Walt Disney and her parents encouraging Kaylee to pursue drawing. Art is her way of expressing her emotions and go into her own world. Kaylee says art makes her feel happy. She hopes to own a art studio and go to the California arts institution.
22 THE ROAR / DECEMBER 2017
BY LONDON BALIEY, BLAKELEY BEDWELL, CHLOE PRUDHOE, PAULINA SOLORZANO
ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT
THE BAND PLAYS ON. While performing in the fourth annual Coffeehouse show Dec. 7, Maximo Esguerra IV serenades Hannah Rafferty with “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran. After calling his girlfriend up to the stage, Esguerra surprised her with a promise ring. “Once I got the ring, I planned out what I was going to say, but during my performance, I forgot every single word to my speech because I was so scared of messing up,” Esguerra said.
PHOTO BY ASHLEY BLISS
THE ROAR / DECEMBER 2017 23
FEATURE
CHANGE BEGINS WITH YOU
A. ALMANTE
In the 12 years of WHS, many changes have occurred. These have taken place because somebody decided to speak up and suggest improvements. We asked five students: What changes would you make? How big of a change would it be?
LUCAS SCALZO BRYCE EPPLER
MADYLIN STEWART
BLAEC DETTNER
GABRIEL ZUMPANO
“Get more guys “I would rename into leadership the classrooms class. There’s so they are like 40 girls and organized only a couple of by numbers, guys. It would because it make the dance would be themes better.” easier for us to remember, and incoming freshmen would catch on quickly. I don’t think it would be that big of a change.”
“I would change the dress code because it’s too strict; like I’m not allowed to wear slippers to school and boys can’t wear tank tops. It would allow people to be more open and to express themselves.”
“I actually like how the school is arranged, so I wouldn’t really change anything at all. I don’t really see any big problems. I haven’t really thought about it that much.”
“I would like to change the time schedule. I would rather start school at 8:40 and end at 3:40 instead of 7:40 to 2:40. I don’t think it would be that big of a change, just because it’s only one hour. I would like having an extra hour of sleep.”
24 THE ROAR / DECEMBER 2017
BY SAM AGGREY-FYNN, DREW BEAUCHAMP, DANIEL PARKER & LOGAN SAEYANG