THE STUDENT VOICE OF WHITNEY HIGH
Is COLLEGE for everyone? PAGE 9
VOL. 9, ISSUE 1 SEPTEMBER 2013
IN THIS
ISSUE
FEATURES
8Teachers marry during summer break 9 Seniors weigh college options 16 API score improves school ranking
OPINION
4 Adjusting to changes like Schoology 10 Is college for everyone?
HEALTH
6 Local business helps with food, fitness
ENTERTAINMENT
12 Review: Avenged Sevenfold 13 Fall play rehearsals underway 14 Music taste-test
SPORTS
18 Featured athletes from fall teams
THE ROAR
WHITNEY HIGH SCHOOL
701 WILDCAT BLVD.
adviser
editors
SARAH NICHOLS, MJE
THERESA KIM KAVLEEN SINGH
Cover illustration by ABI BROOKS
staff ARIELLA APPLEBY, ABI BROOKS, SELENA CERVANTES, OLIVIA GRAHL, SAVANNAH HOUDEK, KOLETTE KING, HARMONY REILLY, KALEEN SINGH, DESIREE STONE, CARSEN VAN DER LINDEN
We’ll keep you posted.
ROCKLIN, CALIF. 95765
916-632-6500
The Roar is a student publication planned and produced by the journalism class at Whitney High School. The news magazine is an open 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 to achieve accuracy by checking sources, spelling and quotes as well as obtaining a variety of credible sources. The staff regrets any errors or omissions. For information about advertising, contact The Roar at theroar@rocklin.k12.ca.us. Visit www.whitneyupdate.com for news, sports, opinion, entertainment and more.
WHITNEY HIGH STUDENT MEDIA Visit www.whitneyupdate.com for the latest in news, sports, entertainment, opinion and more
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www.facebook.com/whitneyupdate 2
)) .
)
the
EDITORIAL
WINDSof CHANGE
T
he new school year represents a new beginning for some. For others, it represents what is just another part of an unavoidable cycle. But no matter which way you look at this new chapter of your education, it is certain that things have changed in all areas here. Students can now access Wifi from most portions of the school, giving students the power to use the vast resources of the internet with just a tap of their smartphone, and changing the way teachers view the use of such devices as an aid to everyday learning instead of purely distractions. Schoology is quickly showing itself as a worthy replacement for Edline as a place for teachers to share material, teach more about their subjects outside of the classroom, and give us a more convenient to connect and create a better learning community for everyone. While it does come with many problems and frustrations, such as not being able to access the accounts they were given by the school or being directed to the wrong website altogether, we can still realize the possibilities and how we can make the most use out of something new. But there is still work to be done, and improvements can be made on both sides. With the new online platform Schoology, which has large amounts of potential for the school, we still need to learn how to utilize the tools properly. Be it through dedicating more class time to go over its numerous beneficial features, promoting it’s consistent use throughout the school to expose more students to it, or by giving teachers themselves more training on how to best utilize what they’ve been given. After all, it can’t benefit us if we have no clue how to use it. But along that, the administration still needs to define how much personal tech
usage they can allow without it becoming the distraction that they fear. And with these large scale changes to how the school will be operating, students must learn to be patient with these changes. Yes, there is frustration. Adapting to what is new is often slow, and sometimes tedious. There are still many questions as to how we learn all of this at once; balancing normal schedules with learning how to navigate the new school website and use other online tools and devices properly. But we have to remember that no matter how slow the process may be in getting to where we want to go, we are still much closer to achieving that goal than we have ever been before. Even in the few short months from when the Roar first addressed the need for changes in April to now, the school has made tremendous progress, and it’s exciting to see how far the changes will continue to go in the future. But above all else, everyone needs to keep looking ahead to build on the progress that we’ve made together. We can work to introduce new ideas that will continue to make the entire high school experience completely revolutionary, bringing education into the modern, global, interconnected age. With those ideas, we can begin to understand how exciting it can be to reach the individual goals we all have by using tools that will benefit us not just in our high school careers, but throughout our entire lives. And that is what real change is all about: improving on what we have. Seeing the blank area and filling it with what you have to offer. It can hit, but it will often miss. It can float, but it often drowns. But for those who aren’t discouraged by their failures and have the drive to surmount them, those are the people who can truly make a difference. For you, and for everyone.
going with the
flow
“Students can now access Wifi from most portions of the school, giving students the power to use the vast resources of the internet with just a tap of their smartphone.” photo illustration by KAVLEEN SINGH THE ROAR
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TECHNOLOGY
Aman Singh checks her Schoology account. photo by KAVLEEN SINGH
the ‘net’ worth of Schoology
TECHNOLOGY
Students, teachers adjust to new online platform for organizing classwork
S
choology, an online educational tool, has been implemented this year as a way for teachers and students to organize and collaborate on assignments. “We were looking for a school management system. The question was, with technology, what products are out there that could make life easier for teachers, for students, and for parents, and how could we use technology to support what was going on in the classroom?” Principal Mrs. Debra Hawkins said. Teachers in previous years utilized various online outlets to organize and enhance what happens in the classroom. For instance, former history teacher Mr. Jon Bryant used Edmodo last year with his AP World History classes. However, Mr. Tim Farnan test ran Schoology in his AP Government classes last year. “We can save [tests and quizzes] in a file, upload it to Schoology, and Schoology does all of the work with dividing up the sections and stuff like that whereas Mr. Bryant last year was having to retype questions into Edmodo and scan them and PDF them and he would just spend hours to create a test whereas I could take an existing test and upload it in 10 seconds,” Farnan said. Staff considered the variety of the online tools too overwhelming for students and parents to keep up with. “Teachers were trying to find tools that allowed them to put their notes online, do their experiments online, put video clips online, put all their teacher handouts online. They were using some web pages, they were using some Edmodo stuff, but we were beginning to get all over the map,” Hawkins said. With Schoology, all of the fuss with Edline, Aeries, and teacher websites would be eliminated due to its ability to manage every item a teacher uploads, whether it’s a video, test, or grades. “That’s the goal here — to bring everything into a central location,” Hawkins said. Its efficiency in those tasks is what drove the desire to use it this year. “I thought Schoology was efficient in giving students direct feedback when it comes to their scores. I didn’t use it as extensively [last year] as I plan on using it this year because it was new and we were just trying it out but I thought it was a great
tech talk
“We’ve been using [Schoology] in AP Physics for homework assignments to check our answers, for surveys on the class and how hard we think assignments are. It doesn’t work; it won’t let me log in all the time. It freezes.” — AMBER FAHNESTOCK
review tool and it has a great calendar that can keep students up to date. The difference between Edline and Schoology and Edmodo I found, is that Schoology is very user-friendly and efficient for both the students and the teacher,” Farnan said. Schoology’s interface resembles the all-too-familiar Facebook home page. The thick, black toolbar skimming the top of the page is where the options for sending messages, viewing notifications, and checking classes are. There is also a search bar that students can use to quickly find anything they are looking for. “I think it’s great that the school is moving towards Internetbased platforms for the distribution of homework, notes, lessons and the like. Whether or not the platforms they are choosing are user-friendly is up for debate,” Justin Conti said. Another advantage to Schoology is the capability to upload and play videos. “One of the things I am trying to do with my classroom, starting with marine biology, is to do what they call ‘flip the classroom,’ where I videotape the lecture and then the students actually get the lecture at home. And then they’re doing their questions and work that they normally get for homework in class so they can ask me for help,” biology teacher Mr. Erich Means said. With the familiarity students already have with Edline, however, the adjustment is more of a hassle than an improvement for some students. Junel Mapanao has mixed feelings about Schoology, especially since his teachers have not heavily incorporated Schoology into their curriculum yet. “Schoology is a good alternative to Edline due to its versatility, but seeing how it is not being utilized as much as it should be, it’s kind of unnecessary,” Mapanao said. The future with Schoology includes the possibility of extinguishing Edline completely. Farnan said, “We don’t use [this feature] yet, but Schoology has a pretty awesome gradebook. So, maybe, if a lot of teachers like the gradebook, maybe if they play around with it, maybe Edline goes away and so students will be able to look all in one place for everything.” KAVLEEN SINGH
“The online quizzes Schoology supports is useful. On the other hand, the social media style platform is not very functional for our classroom uses. “ — ADITYA NIRGUN “It’s not a good use of our money and we should put it towards expanding our facilities. I want to learn from teachers, not the Internet.” — STEPHEN SHELNUTT
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“I don’t understand why we are using Schoology. I think it is useful for clubs since Edline is lacking in that aspect. I believe that we should just stick to one or the other. Some of my teachers tell us to go check Schoology for homework whereas others solely use Edline. It’s confusing. “ — BRITA ROMANS
SEPTEMBER 2013
feel
HEALTH
THE ROAR
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alive at Rocklin health center helps people lose and keep off extra pounds
F
ifty million Americans go on a diet or weight loss programs a year but only 5 percent are actually successful at not only losing weight, but keeping it off as well. Whether it’s Weight Watchers, going to the gym, or just diets that you hear about from friends and family there are so many unanswered questions. How much does it cost? How long will it take? How am I going to keep the weight off? And most importantly, how will this affect my body on the inside? There are so many ways people go about losing weight and getting fit that it can be hard to know what actually works and what doesn’t. A new route people are trying is the Thrive Nutrition and FITClub. Thrive opened last August in Rocklin on Sunset Boulevard. It’s located in Suite 395 and is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thrive doesn’t just tell customers what to eat or give you pre-made food that is planned out everyday; they are about healthy living. They not only have healthy foods and drinks but they also have boot camps, classes with special instructors and celebration parties. To keep people interested, dedicated and pumped up they have all free classes, so anyone who wants to do the program have the option available to them. Thrive tries to be very supportive of making sure the customers feel accepted and active and have themes such as Crazy Sock Wednesday for the boot camps and parties afterwards to celebrate their victories. “Everyone is just really really really super enthusiastic and super encouraging we have some of the best people,” senior Regina Frank said.
HEALTH
THRIVE
When attending Thrive, full body composition analysis are available. Instructors do a body fat analysis, the amount of body fat you have, your muscle mass, bone mass, etc. And they personalize meal plans for you. One of the most unique aspects is that Thrive is a completely free program. Its employees consist of volunteers hoping to make people healthy and happy. However, volunteers do get paid based off how much of the Herbalife supplements they sell. “I went to a wellness coach orientation and became really interested. I really liked what I was doing, seeing, and hearing so I signed up to volunteer. I just want to help people get healthy. Once you start getting healthy you feel better, and that’s what I was looking for,” Frank said. Thrive allows coaches to be available, make appointments, and eat and drink foods offered as part of their program. They offer several smoothies, their most popular being the Butter Pecan smoothie. Healthy desserts like Chocolate Fudge Banana Swirl Protein Bars or Toffee Cookie Dough Truffles are offered. There are also foods like Healthified Crustless Veggie Quiche Snack Bites made with their Personal Protein Powder and flax seed milk. They also provide aloe shots and herbal tea that boost metabolism and the things each body needs, like vitamins. These smoothies, teas or foods are all supported by Herbalife, a supplement based company. These can be purchased individually from workers at Thrive. “I wouldn’t promote or sell these products if I didn’t believe in it because honestly this stuff is crazy, like the difference in my overall being is so different, it’s ridiculous,” Frank said.
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Herbalife started in the 1970s from a man just selling out of a plastic bag down in LA. His products soon caught on and he communicated with doctors to help him refine his products to make them better than they were before. Users have seen noticeable results from the Herbalife supplements. “One client has diabetes and was on 28 medications. He soon was going to have to amputate his legs. However after nine months, his medications reduced down to only two and he still has both of his legs,” Frank said. Herbalife and Thrive also improve mental and emotional difficulties as well. “I actually went through a really deep depression for almost two years. It was really bad, I couldn’t talk to people and I had become super shy because of my anxiety and couldn’t talk to people. But once I started taking the supplements it was like a day and night difference. I used to be a zombie, and now I’m back to who I’m supposed to be, which is energetic and happy,” Frank said. The classes Thrive offer range from Family Fit Club to Boot Camps to Dance Fitness classes. Thrive has an active Facebook page that keeps people involved and updated on activities and programs, progress of others and food. They also interact with their followers. Thrive’s Facebook page allows the public to see how other people rate Thrive and the comments about the programs. Frank said, “It’s for all ages and all fitness levels so everyone can keep up. You can go at your own pace.” SELENA CERVANTES & SAVANNAH HOUDEK
SEPTEMBER 2013
ENTERTAINMENT
school bells,WEDDING BELLS A new year means a new name for four teachers
A
s new students got their official gold schedules on the first day of school in their assigned homerooms, some noticed a change. They were curious as to why there are so many unrecognizable names listed. These weren’t new teachers, exactly — just new names. Four female teachers got married over the summer and came back to school with a new last name. Dance teacher and coach Ms. Halley Cutts returned as Mrs. Crandell, Spanish teacher Mrs. Jennifer Reasner came back as Mrs. Aguilar and two science teachers, Ms. Kaitlin Lapachet and Ms. Erin Crivelli, entered the school year as Mrs. Torok and Mrs. Johnson, respectively. Not only do these newlyweds need to adjust to a name change, but so do their students. After a year or more of calling their teacher by a certain name, some students are struggling to remember the change. “I had [Mrs. Crandell] for Dance I last year so I always call her Ms. Cutts. I feel so bad but she tells us not to worry about it, so I know she understands it’s a hard transition for returning students,” Jazmyne Harris said. Crandell got married June 15 in a small ceremony held at her in-laws’ house in Auburn. “It was so beautiful and just everything I wanted. It was really exciting. After our wedding we vacationed in Kauai and it was very tropical,” Crandell said. As for her dance team, she hasn’t seen much difficulty from them acknowledging her name change. “It’s actually been an easy process. The dance team embraced it over the summer, and I think that helped a lot. Some of my students from last year call me Ms. Cutts, but it doesn’t bother me at all. I like my maiden name,” Crandell said. It was a bit of a different situation for Spanish teacher Mrs. Aguilar; she actually married last March and decided to not go by Mrs. Aguilar until this school year, just to keep things from getting complicated. “This is my first year having Mrs. Aguilar so she’s a new teacher to me,” Yvette Ochoa said. Like Mrs. Crandell, Mrs. Aguilar also had a small, private wedding in Auburn. “Since this is my second marriage, it was not important for me to have a full-blown wedding. I had already experienced the formalities and expenses of a traditional wedding: the gown, the ceremony, the guests, the reception, the cake, the gifts and the
THE ROAR
honeymoon before. It was more important to focus on meeting the financial goals that my husband and I had set for ourselves — a marriage ‘gift’ to ourselves, if you will. Fortunately, both of our families and friends understood and supported us in our decision to start our lives together in this way,” Aguilar said. Aguilar is not particular about what name students choose to call her by. “The students that I have had before call me by ‘Reasner’ and the students that have never had me as a teacher call me ‘Aguilar.’ Despite which last name the students call me by, I will answer them.” Torok, formerly known as Ms. Lapachet, got married July 5. The ceremony was held at a first house lodge in Forest Hill, which is close to Auburn 150 attended this event, including the whole Whitney science department. She spent her honeymoon in Thailand for 17 days. As for her kids remembering her name, it’ll take some time. “A lot of my past students refuse to call me Mrs. Torok, because they think that Lapachet is easier. I don’t see it since my new last name is phonetically spelled. Sometimes I don’t answer to Torok, so that is something I am working on,” Torok said. Johnson got married July 13 at the Old Sugar Mill in Clarksburg with 140 guests. “I had so much fun! I would do it all over again, to the same person of course.” Following her wedding, Johnson was able to honeymoon in the Barbados with her husband. Since last year was her first year teaching here, the transition of getting her students to call her Mrs. Johnson was not too difficult. “I wouldn’t say [my name change] has affected my students, however, it does help to start with the new name with the new school year rather than change it mid-year. Since I have some students that I had at the beginning of the year, some students still call me by my old last name. I like the uniqueness of my maiden name, so I still enjoy hearing it. There is definitely an adjustment to being called Mrs. Johnson — it’s sort of surreal and strange hearing it. I was a Crivelli for so long that having a new last name takes some time to wrap your head around. It’s a fun change though,” Johnson said. KOLETTE KING & DESIREE STONE
8
the
ROAD
not taken
Angie Rodriquez tries to prioritize her schedule, from homework to future plans. photo by THERESA KIM
FEATURE
While juggling classes and hobbies, students weigh options to decide whether college is the right path
S
acramento State to the University of Florida: from sea to shining sea, there are thousands of colleges across the United States, each with their own charm. As senior year rolls in, students must undergo one of the biggest decisions in their high school career: choosing colleges. But how do they know which one to choose when there are so many to choose from? With community colleges like Sierra College just minutes away from home to schools like Boston University on the other side of the country, there are an overwhelming number of choices. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 66.2 percent of 2012 high school graduates enrolled in college. College and Career Counselor Mrs. Sally Randazzo feels college isn’t for everyone right out of high school. “For students who feel that school isn’t their thing then there are other options like certificated programs in junior colleges,” Randazzo said. With local community colleges cost a couple thousand dollars, prestigious Ivy League schools cost a fortune. According to the College Board, average tuition cost for a public two-year college for an in-state student before financial aid, scholarships, and grants is $3,131 and the cost for a private four year college before financial aid, scholarships, and grants is $29,056. “College education is expensive, and so many people now graduate college. Now, it is not guaranteed that you will get a job when you get out of college. But that doesn’t mean the brand name schools are necessarily better. If you go to a brand name school that means that there is more competition and you may not graduate in the top 5-10 percent of your class. But on the other hand, sometimes if you don’t graduate from a brand name school you might not get recruited, sometimes bigger [schools] open more doors,” Randazzo said. According to counselor Mrs. Roisin LeRoy, most graduates from the Class of 2013 decided to go to college, with only about 10-15 students choosing not to take the college route. From the current senior class, Alexander Castueras is looking into a military junior college, instead of going to straight into the military. “I’m choosing to take the college route first because it will open a lot more doors for me in the long run, especially with what I want to do in the future. And I have always wanted to go to college,” Castueras said. STORY CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
THE ROAR
9
FEATURE
Angie Rodriquez looks over her notes. photo by THERESA KIM
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
Varsity golfer Kelsey Ulep plans to attend the University of Oregon on a golf scholarship before playing professionally. “I believe that education comes first. I’m still not entirely sure what I want to do, but if going pro doesn’t go according to plan, at least I’ll have an education to fall back on,” Ulep said. Emma Towslee is interested in majoring in biology at Sonoma State University. “[Sonoma] is cheaper than a brand name school and it’s far enough away from home but close enough so I can drive back home for a weekend visit,” Towslee said. “In order to know which college is right for you, go to the campus; unless you go you don’t know. You must consider the size, the location, the surroundings, and the majors it offers. When you’re on the campus think about how you feel on campus. Do you like a small classroom or a huge classroom? You must know yourself and what you want. For some students a large school is not their fit. So first, step on campus and explore without your parents. Try and visualize yourself in the school,” Randazzo said. However some careers, such as ones in the military don’t necessarily need a college degree. There are two ranks in the military: officer, those with college degrees, and enlisted, those without college degrees. Enlisting straight out of high school without a college degree will only land someone as basic airman, working his or her way up the ranks. On the other hand going to a military academy, a college or university with a Reserve Officer Training Corps, ROTC, for four years or participating in
THE ROAR
officer training school, OTS, after college can commission one to 2nd Lieutenant. Colonel Michael Fernandez, who runs the AFJROTC program, feels that college isn’t for everyone but highly recommends it. “I would highly encourage those interested to go to college. I feel that getting a college education would financially make them better off for their future. You can get jobs that require using your mind instead of your hands or your legs. For an officer it’s a twenty year career from going to lieutenant to colonel. By the time folks compete for higher ranks most already have a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree so they encourage basic airman to get some education,” Fernandez said. A variety of career choices are available out of high school whether a college degree is needed or not. But it is not a guarantee that a high school diploma will guarantee the career choice one chooses. Only 27 percent of college graduates ended up in a career closely related to their major and 62 percent of college graduates ended up with a job needing a college degree. Randazzo said, “No degree could mean no opportunity to get a job. Without a college degree think about the starting position. It’s pretty cut and dry and I can’t say you will or won’t do it. It depends on your personality and your drive. But work hard, don’t close doors and make good choices. Stay positive and work hard. A four year college education isn’t for everyone and there are many other options. A lot of things can be explored, explore all the options and don’t just make college your only option.”
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THERESA KIM
$29,056
AVERAGE IN-STATE PUBLIC FOUR YEAR COLLEGE TUITION
$8,655
$21,706
AVERAGE OUT-OF-STATE FOUR YEAR COLLEGE TUITION
of 2012 graduates in college
personal column by THERESA KIM Harvard, Yale, UC Berkeley, Stanford, college, college, college. “Theresa, you have to go to college unless you want to flip burgers over at Burger King.” I have heard this over a thousand times for over a decade. But I have always wondered if college is the right path for me. My parents and their friends always told me that I have to get a 2150 on the SAT in order to go to a decent UC and that a 3.0 GPA isn’t going to get me anywhere. To them the road to success is if I go to Harvard or Yale and become a famous lawyer, but what if that’s not what I want? Ever since I was young, I never thought about college; the thought of college never pleased me. I took AP, advanced and honors classes in order to please my parents and blend in with their friends’ UC Berkeley children. Until junior year I was in denial. I just thought of it as a phase, that I wasn’t interested in college because I was stressed or because I wanted to rebel against my parents. But when I really thought about it the idea of college never amazed me, the college lifestyle was of no interest to me. I could care less about crazy parties or taking interesting classes. For me, it could just be the simple fact that I’ve always known what I wanted to be. I’ve always been interested in the entertainment industry for as long as I can remember. But I never told anyone about my dreams and aspirations; I wanted to be the perfect daughter for my parents. Once my parents found out about my dream my parents always told me to go to USC and double major if I really wanted to work in the entertainment industry, and I have thought about it until I had a one-on-one talk with my cousin Ilram Choi. He attended Savannah College of Art and Design majoring in Computer Art and Video Art, but is currently working as a stunt man in Hollywood. He told me that he always wondered if he had started earlier would he be paid a lot more than what he earns now. He had always known this is what he wanted to do. He told me that he always asks himself why did he waste years in college spending thousands of dollars on two majors that he isn’t even going to work in. What he said then really got me thinking: is college really necessary for me? Do I also want to spend thousands of dollars attending school just because everyone is telling me to? I’m still unsure on what I should do. My parents want me to apply to a couple colleges just in case I change my mind. But I feel bad — I mean, college applications aren’t cheap either, it’s $60 to 75 just to send in an application. But I am still contemplating whether college is beneficial for me or not and I want people to think about whether a specific major, career choice, or college is their own choice or is the choice that society and their parents made for them.
MAJOR WITH HIGHEST MEDIAN PAY:
PETROLEUM ENGINEERING ($120,000)
AVERAGE IN-STATE PUBLIC TWO YEAR COLLEGE TUITION SOURCES: The Washington Post, Business Insider, Princeton Review, The College Board
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have a career related to their major
CSU & UC APPLICATION DEADLINE:
NOVEMBER 30 MEDIAN EARNING FOR 25 YEAR OLD WITH HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA
$33,801
UC APPLICATIONS OPEN
66.2%
27% of graduates
$3,131
OCTOBER 1, 2013
THE UNDECIDED ROAD
CSU APPLICATIONS OPEN
1. BUSINESS MANAGEMENT 2. PSYCHOLOGY 3. NURSING 4. BIOLOGY 5. EDUCATION
AVERAGE PRIVATE FOUR YEAR COLLEGE TUITION
NOVEMBER 1, 2013
TOP 5 POPULAR MAJORS:
SEPTEMBER 2013
REVIEW
Hail to the Not-King of Albums
Album proves to be decent, but fails to be legendary
D
ear Avenged Sevenfold,
10 Tracks 1. Shepherd of Fire 2. Hail to the King 3. Doing Time 4. This Means War 5. Requiem 6. Crimson Day 7. Heretic 8. Coming Home 9. Planets 10. Acid Rain
THE ROAR
Why does a lot of content in your new album sound like a throwback Metallica play-list? It’s understandable to have a different sound in “Hail to the King” for it is the first album released with the band’s new drummer, but I didn’t know vocals and guitar riffs could sound so similar to Metallica. Not that the leader singer’s voice sounds like Metallica’s, but the way the beat goes is far too similar, it even raises an eyebrow. There isn’t anything wrong with Metallica, but this new album just doesn’t live up to Avenged Sevenfold’s unique reputation. In fact, the music is decent but there should be more expected out of Avenged Sevenfold since their previous albums were almost legendary while this one was not so memorable. However, many tracks have spot-on intros, especially for the guitar. One good thing is that each intro has its own unique sound, but then the songs descend into something that’s been close to being heard before. Although there is a familiar Metallica sound, I also feel the new drummer deserves more credit. He may be nothing like former legendary drummer Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan, but he’s not so bad. A personal favorite picked out of the album was “This Means War” for it kept it always had no dead or weak parts, and the vocalist still had strong control over his voices, even when hitting hard notes. A song that stood out was “Requiem” for again a unique intro, but instead of some guitar riff, it had a Latin chant that gave a chill tone and the chorus was repeated throughout the song, which had helped keep its grave theme. The guitar solo with the background music was incredible, and there was also a monotone voice played quietly that added to the gothic feel of the song. When the lead singer actually started to sing his verses, it was kind of bittersweet because the lyrics are always amazing from this band, but his pace going through the verses seemed a bit dull for the song. However, it was a great song overall. The album song “Hail to the King” definitely wasn’t the best song, but it did have a nice beat. The chorus is catchy and as mentioned before, the lyrics are always well-written. The guitarist definitely jumped into gear on this song in particular, but the drummer failed to execute it into the uniqueness the band tried to go for. The drums weren’t terrible, but they felt a little slow for the song, and didn’t compliment the guitar as well as imagined during solos. Now, the album wouldn’t be a waste of money if you’re considering to buy it, after all it is decent. I mean, if you like Metallica or ACDC this album is a great inspiration off of them. But, for an Avenged Sevenfold fan, this album was somewhat of a disappointment compared to their previous work. It’s nothing compared to their “Nightmare” album. Still, the album has some great work put into it so if you have some spare dollars, “Hail to the King” is available on Amazon for $9.49 with a total of 10 songs and a running length of 53 minutes and 15 seconds. KALEEN SINGH
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almost, maine is almost here
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ENTERTAINMENT
umerous voices tried to enunciate their words with the right emotions. Nervous jitters made bodies bounce up and down in the theater. Auditions for this year’s fall play, “Almost, Maine” had students excited for the new script. “Almost, Maine is a really well written play. It looks like it will be really sweet. There is a lot of compassion and comedy,” gold-cast actor Angie Reed said. “Almost, Maine” is a romantic comedy about the residents of the unorganized town Almost. It covers nine short scenes about falling in and out of love. The play was written by John Caraini and first ran in 2004. The off-Broadway play is now one of the most produced plays of the past decade according to the show’s official website. “I chose this play because it is one of the sweetest romantic comedies I’ve ever read. I’ve seen it performed several times and it’s always put me on the edge of tears and that’s pretty hard for me because I’m a pretty tough guy. It takes a lot for me to be moved by a play and this one just gets me. It’s really ideal for high school students in that way because everyone can sort of identify with love; being in love, having your heartbroken, things like that. And this play explores all of that,” director Mr. Rick Eldredge said. Many different characters make
CAST LIST
PETE..... Storm McTague GINETTE..... Justine Freschi/Sarah Goulette EAST..... Zachary Roberts GLORY..... Nicole Beaudry/Rachel Marquardt JIMMY..... Tyler Martinez SANDRENE..... Brittney Berns/Marina Guitierrez VILLAN..... Bailey Adkins MARVELYN..... Casey Borghesi/Sam Raey STEVE..... Nicholas Manlowe GAYLE..... Vivian Miszti/Josie Douthat
13
up the nine scenes of this play. This prevents a real leading role; most of the characters have an equal time on the stage. They all have their own story, different from the last. They range from an abused girlfriend in love with her abuser, to a man not willing to give up his relationship. “I actually got two roles in the show. I play Chad and I also play a role by the name of Daniel. Daniel used to be in a relationship with a woman whose name was Hope. I asked her to marry me before she left to go around the world. Well, she is gone for a long time. So, when she comes home I have already gotten together with another woman. And in the Chad scene, I play a homosexual who is not in a relationship but is actually straight. Throughout the scene I actually realize that I am in love with my best friend. His name is Randy, played by Eric Fawcett,” Jonah Petty said. The show opens on Nov. 1 and runs Nov. 2, 7-9 and 13-15. All showings are at 7 p.m. in the theater. Petty said, “It’s a romantic comedy. We’re in high school — people can relate. Everyone is in or was in a relationship and can relate to this. And I also guarantee that some people will cry because there are some heart-jerking moments in the production,” OLIVIA GRAHL
Josie Douthat rehearses her role as Gayle photo by OLIVIA GRAHL
LENDALL..... Eric Fawcett RANDY..... Eric Fawcett CHAD..... Jonah Petty PHIL..... Ben Cahill MARCI..... Angie Reed/Kaitie Beckman HOPE..... Cheyenne Chavira/Brenna Gittins DANIEL..... Jonah Petty RHONDA..... Harmony Reilly/Rachel Mackenzie DAVE..... Ryan Moffit
SEPTEMBER 2013
MUSIC
LET THE MUSIC
SPEAK
Students give their opinions on music without knowing the artist or song title Sometimes, music is is judged based on who sings it, versus what the song actually sounds like. Instead of letting the music speak for itself, a choice is made about the song before the song is actually listened to. Is it possible to listen to music without knowing who sings it? To let the music be what it is and let the song speak for itself? A blind music test is when a group of people listen to a variety of songs without being told anything about the artist or the song. They give their reactions to the songs, and any preconceived notions, positive or negative, about a particular artist are put to the side and ignored. ABI BROOKS & HARMONY REILLY
Anklebiters
PARAMORE
“I like the beat - it sounds kind of edgy and rock, but still fun. I like this style of song because it’s loud and I can actually hear the instruments being played, instead of just technology.” – Alex Espinosa “It wasn’t too bad. It’s not really my type of genre, but I like it! It sounds like something I would listen to while getting ready to go out somewhere.” – Angelina Bozhko
“The song is almost depressing in the beginning, with the slow, dark beat, but then it explodes into a more upbeat song.” – Aaron Miller “I’m not really into this song, because I don’t like the way it sounds. The lyrics don’t really speak to me, they shout at me.” – Sarah Henschel
B.E.A.T.
SELENA GOMEZ
“She isn’t really singing, she’s too teched out. Her voice is really annoying and the song sounds like dub music. I don’t like it, at all.” – Sam Raey-Gonzales
“It’s cool, but it’s a slow song and just a wee bit boring. I’m sure it’s great to some people, but I’d probably never take the time to take another gander.” – Rhonda Doran
Blue Jeans
THE ROAR
IMAGINE DRAGONS
“This song brings me back to the Ke$ha days, which makes me feel young, and I like the beat, but the lyrics are a bit strange.” – Jordan Blackwell
“This is a soothing song with nice, steady instrumentals. It’s very relaxing, and has a nice, serene sound to it.” – Henschel
LANA DEL REY
Ready Aim Fire
Slow Dancing In A Burning Room
JOHN MAYER
“There’s lots of change in the beginning. It’s very emotional, and the singer sounds very loyal. I give her props!” – Aaron Miller “I love the violin music in the beginning. I have to refrain from singing along with the song. However, I don’t really like it because it’s a bit too slow for me.” – Angelina Bozhko
14
MUSIC
“This is really embarrassing, but I have this song on my iPod. I would never admit it, I mean I like the song, it has a good beat and all, but I would never brag or tell my friends about this song.” – Alex Espinosa
Replay
ZENDAYA
“It sounds like a typical white-girl song. Something that white girls would sing loudly in their car.” – Angelina Bozhko
“This song is alright. One Direction aren’t my favorite, but I like some of their songs sometimes.” – Kaylee Harlan
Rock Me
ONE DIRECTION
“The beat is immediately recognizable, which makes me like it right away, and to add on to that, I love the lyrics. One of my favorites so far.” – Jordan Blackwell
When I Look At You
MILEY CYRUS
“I will admit that I enjoy this song for its emotion and power, and I will also admit to singing my heart out to this when no one’s home.” – Allison Hassler “The lyrics are beautiful, but the singer’s voice sounds very congested and strained. I don’t really like it.” – Sam Raey-Gonzales
“I don’t think I like this song, because it sounds like the exact same thing throughout the song, and it has a bit of rap.” – Jenelle Daniel
You Want Me
“It’s interesting, but these types of beats remind me of like a pedophile or something creepy, so I’m not a fan.” – Alex Espinosa
6%
JUSTIN BIEBER
11 20
Photos from corresponding official websites, used with permission under fair use.
of students purchase music in a physical format whereas
out of
36% 64% 84% $16
students prefer YouTube over other music streaming sites
purchase music in a digital format
of students spend less than
of students currently have an account with a music streaming website
on music
15
SEPTEMBER 2013
by the
number FEATURE
T
he school jumped from fourth in ranking in Placer County to second this year in terms of API, beating Del Oro and Granite Bay. “We’ve made steady little gains in terms of five points here and and 10 points there. This year it was six points,” principal Mrs. Debra Hawkins said. Whitney staff celebrated the four point API score jump to 872 this year at a meeting on Sept. 4. School board president Todd Lowell sent an email congratulating the staff for continuingly raising the achievement. API, the acronym for Academic Performance Index, is a number ranging from 200—1000 that measures academic achievement and growth of a school. The score is based on the statewide testing administered to California students in April. The API is concocted through a certain “formula”; the California Department of Education basically takes the CAHSEE scores from 10th graders and then they factor in the kids that had to take it again in their senior year. They also factor in individual test scores from subjects such as math, science, and English, and students’ graduation rates. “So it’s not like we can say ‘Oh look, let’s build X, Y, or Z exactly because that’s gonna give us the biggest bang for our buck’. It’s all about Proficient or higher in the various groups,” Hawkins said. English Language Development populations are also accounted into API, but this school has a very small population of 18 ELD students. However, the California Department of Education wants to make sure that this particular population is showing growth consistent with that of the general population. Such subgroups are not held accountable if there are, say,10 or fewer students in a particular group. However, subgroups as large as 100 or more students are important when considering the overall growth factor of a school. “An API score is a number about achievement, but it’s broken down by school achievement, group achievement, special needs achievement and CAHSEE passing rate,” Hawkins said. The question that API essentially boils down to is whether it measures a student’s abilities or intelligence. “We talk about API scores just as a number at a point in time. Does it measure how much our kids know on campus? I don’t think it actually measures that because [students] don’t like to take tests a lot,” Hawkins said. “The junior year scores tend to be a little lower — I don’t think for a minute that all of a sudden the kids just got dumber in their junior year. They’ve been taking these tests since third grade and by the time a kid gets to be a junior they think, ‘What’s in it for me?’” The answer to that question is simple: high API scores give the school bragging rights. It used to be that an upward increase in API from the previous year granted the school some funding from
THE ROAR
Understanding API: How a single score affects the school and beyond
the state. However, state funding nowadays has been plummeting. According to an April 10, 2012 report by the California Budget Project, lawmakers reduced the annual funding level for K-12 education by 13.8%. That accounts for a $7 billion loss, from $50.3 billion in 2007-08 to $43.4 billion in 2010-11. Yet, an issue with the California State Test where API is derived from is that it is a snapshot of one point in time of the memorization skills of students. There are several factors of a high school that give it prestige, but none of those factor into API. “It’s hard to express how much you guys accomplish academically, personally, sports-wise, clubs-wise and as to what Whitney High school is. I guess that’s one reason why a lot of us feel a little sad in a way that it all boils down to one number based upon one day in an entire school year. That’s why we want you to do so well at that because we want to prove to yourself and to the teachers that all the hard work pays off. It’s a snapshot, a quick one, of what goes on all year long,” Hawkins said. “Your grades don’t factor into this, how many kids we have college ready don’t factor into this, how high our attendance rate is doesn’t factor into this — there’s so much more that makes this Whitney High school than an API score.” Pranab Wagle lost motivation to excel on these standardized tests because he feels they are of no benefit to students. “I stopped caring because colleges don’t really look at (these scores). I focus more on the SAT and the ACT instead of the CST which is just for the district and not college related,” Wagle said. “It’s a waste of time and energy because we learned this material throughout the whole year so why do we need to get tested on it? We already have essential skills, and they prove that we know what we’re doing when we pass them.” Sophie Butler concurs with Wagle’s sentiments on this matter. “[Testing] is annoying because [API] is just a number and they are putting unnecessary pressure on students,” Butler said. The current testing model, however, is going to be discarded by 2014. California is in governance with the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, which provide computerized tests delivering results within weeks instead of months. The tests are aligned to Common Core State Standards, intending to accurately measure a student’s college and career readiness. Hawkins said, “Supposedly, these tests will be things that you might have done in class. You may have a political cartoon on your screen and then they’re gonna ask you to draw conclusions about a political cartoon, which are things you do in class, which is where we taught you to think like that.”
16
KAVLEEN SINGH
just the facts
18
FEATURE
ELD
STUDENTS on campus
868 872
Source: Registrar Mrs. Leslie Simpson
API score of
API score of
in 2012 in 2013 API Scores in relation to Student Demographics
Source: California Department of Education
SCORES
950 900 850
All data and captions from California Department of Education
910
906
906 853
800
2012 2013
854
874 875
836
750 700 705
792
650 600 black
asian
hispanic
filipino
DEMOGRAPHICS 17
white SEPTEMBER 2013
SPORTS
EYES PRIZE on the
As the fall season continues, athletes work to achieve their goals and strive to improve ARIELLA APPLEBY
LAWRENCE HUON
PAIGE HAMMOND
height: 5’10” weight: 160 lbs “I like having friends and playing football. We are all like brothers. I just go as far as I can everyday. I do everything and anything for the nine [the late Christian Daniels]. My goals for this season is to do well and win. [I have] no workout plan outside of practice. I got a lot better, I improved a lot. No, I’m not going to continue playing in college. I plan on going to Sacramento State to become an army ranger. I’m looking forward to playing against Mira Loma, Cordova, Rocklin in the Quarry Bowl and Antelope at the section championships. We have team dinners every Thursday at a player’s house.”
height: 5’7” weight:110 lbs “I love the Friday night lights, halftime and getting the crowd involved. We had summer practices and cheer camp. My goal is to be leaders for this school and to make memories with the team. I do cardio at the gym for about four hours a week and I take varsity weights. I’ve become a better backspot, and I learned how to balance my time better for schoolwork after practice. I don’t plan on cheering in college. Cheer doesn’t have scholarships and even if you do cheer you still have to pay. I’m looking forward to Homecoming and the Quarry Bowl. [The team] have team dinners and we had some team bonding activities over the summer.”
JACOB SCOTT
KAYLEE HARLAN
senior, varsity football
senior, varsity cheerleading
junior, boys’ varsity soccer
junior, girls’ varsity water polo
height: 5’10” weight:165 lbs “I love playing the game. I love the feeling when we win and play well and when I score. I’ve been playing competitive club soccer outside of this so I play soccer year round but for this particular season I’ve been preparing for about three months. I’m very excited for this year’s season; we have a strong team and a good coach. We all really loved our old coach, and it’s unfortunate he left. We were worried about getting a new coach, but he has done an amazing job coming in and building our soccer program up. [The team has] been bonding well. We have all known each other since freshman year, and we all hang out outside of school and soccer and have pasta feeds. My personal goals are to act as a leader and also score 10 goals this year in our 20 games! I have scored two goals in two games [we’ve played so far]. I am really looking forward to playing Rocklin because we didn’t play them last year.”
height: 5’11” weight: 190 lbs “I love being a part of the team because we’re just a big family. I’ve been working on getting stronger by conditioning on land, by running and doing small workouts. [Whole set is] the hardest and most important position in the game. I’ve gotten better on turning someone in the pool, which is where you have to wrap your arm around someone and put them behind you. [I want] to become stronger and score at least one goal per game. The point of it is to get them in front of you so you can either get the ball or score a goal. After practice or a game [the team] goes out to dinner together or hang out at school together. I might play in college but I’m not sure yet. San Diego State has a nice water polo program and it’s beautiful there so [that is my dream college]. I’m looking forward to the Sierra shootout tournament because we’re going to be playing Clovis North and one of my friends plays for them so it’ll be fun to play against her team.”
VARSITY COACHES CORNER
FOOTBALL: Mike Gimenez CHEERLEADING: Nicole Ferguson GIRLS’ GOLF: Laura Faber CROSS COUNTRY: Mark Snow DANCE: Halley Crandell THE ROAR
BOYS’ SOCCER: Joel Williams GIRLS’ TENNIS: Frank Maceira GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL: James Todd GIRLS’ WATER POLO: Kari Ustaszewski BOYS’ WATER POLO: Shawn Robin
18
SPORTS
MALIA BOGGESS
freshman, dance team
height: 5’3” weight: 135lbs “I keep a planner with me 24/7. It has my whole dance team, dance and school schedule. It helps me get my homework done so I can go to rehearsals and go to bed on time. I have conditioning at my studio weekly and practices until 9 at night, it’s usually all I do. I have improved a lot on my leg flexibility and strength. I have also grown as a person, being on dance team has shown me that there are more styles to dance than just hip hop and jazz. But, being on the team has taught me how to manage my time and be more responsible. My personal goal for this dance season is to push myself to be even better; I want to be able to do more commercials and music videos again and the only way that’ll happen is if I work as hard as I can. I definitely want to be a dancer in college and study all of the performing arts. After I graduate college I want to try to have a dance career. It would have to be between UCLA and University of Oregon. They have amazing programs. I love the whole dance team{including Coach Crandell and Coach Emma].”
HEATHER KIM
sophomore, girls’ varsity volleyball height: 5’8” weight:135 lbs “I love the intensity of each game and practice, how everyone works hard to make that next pass or set or hitting a kill. We’ve had team bonding right when the team was made and we definitely try support each other no matter what, even when someone gets down. So far we’ve had really intense practices and usually end with a scrimmage drill which stimulates actual games. I definitely want to get better at hitting and covering other hitters. I think I’ve improved on my blocking. At practice we do some blocking drills which help me with timing and closing the block with my middle. I normally don’t workout outside of practice but sometimes I go for a run or go to a volleyball clinic. [I’m looking forward to playing] either El Camino or Rio Americano because they are [an] advanced teams in our league.”
TAYLOR MORGAN junior, girls’ varsity golf
height: 5’3.5” weight: 120 lbs “I play 9 and 18 hole rounds. In golf the lowest score is the best. Par is 36, typically, so my goal is to be below 40. I try to get to the gym but the weights training at school is awesome because I don’t have much time after school. We spend a ton of time together and we try to go out to team dinners. I love our nine hole matches at Catta Verdera and our team is trying to go to state this year. The fact that I’m always playing is to better myself and my score. Golf is a lot more than it seems. It’s about endurance and strength.”
TAYLOR LARD
junior, boys’ varsity water polo height:5’8” weight:130lbs “I really like playing [at] the games because they feel way more intense than a scrimmage or practice. I like seeing friends from other schools when we play away games. I enjoy team bonding, like when we all hang out during a tournament or go out for food. I did workout at Cal Fit over the summer and I started practicing here before school start[ed]. Also we’ve been going to morning practice even Tuesday and Thursday, [but the pools are always cold.] I feel like I’ve gotten faster since last year and that I’m better at defense than I used to be. I play everything but goalie because the coaches choose the tallest players freshman year and train them specifically for goalie. My goals for the season are to win 3 out of 4 league games and to have a respectable water polo team by the end of the season. [I’m looking forward to] the scrimmage with Rocklin since we beat them twice last year and I want to see if we can still hold the title as the better team. [The team] go out to our typical restaurant Mongolian BBQ all the time, and we also have a lot of fun waiting in between games at tournaments.”
HALEY ELLIS
junior, varsity cross country
height: 5’5” weight: 115 lbs “I love being able to race. I also love the feeling of getting a new personal record. Seeing my hard work pay off is amazing. Also I adore my team, we are a huge family. The girls team gets along so well. We can always make one another laugh and it’s just an overall great team to be apart of. Over the summer my coach held practices at 6:30 am and some at 7 at night. I trained every day over summer. Right now I am keeping the training by doing some hill running grass intervals, tempo runs and of course a long run. [my goals are] to go sub 19:20 in the 5K and to make it to state as a team like we did last year. [the meets I’m looking forward to is] the one in the Bay Area called Crystal Springs, Willow Hills and Stanford because there will be tons of college coaches at the Stanford meet. I would love to run in college my goal is to try to [get]a scholarship.”
SARAH MARTINEZ sophomore, girls’ varsity tennis
height: 5’0” weight:102 lbs “I love when I’m having a good rally with my opponent and I get a winning shot. I started eating healthier and conditioned by jump roping everyday. I have practice for two hours Monday through Friday and on the weekends I’ve started doing 9-minute workouts as well as jump roping. I’ve improved a lot since the season started. The coaches have helped me improve on my serves and backhands. Everyone on the team gets along really well.”
19
SEPTEMBER 2013
SENIORS DON’T MISS THE DEADLINE
PRICE GOES UP OCT. 1
Whitney High School Yearbook celebrating the senior class ADS FOR GRADS To all parents, relatives and friends: Soon it will be time for graduation. The WHS Yearbook is your chance to show that special student how much you care. Yearbook ads come in many forms and are one of the most popular areas of the yearbook. It’s time for you to order yours and guarantee the size/space you want. Don’t miss your chance to tell your senior how proud you are! View samples at www.detailsyearbook.com.
Pricing and Deadlines (SAVE BY ORDERING NOW!) 1/8 page
received before received before
received before received before
Sept. 1, 2013 Oct. 1, 2013
Nov. 1, 2013 Dec. 1, 2013
$60
$80
W: 4" H: 2.5"
early bird price photos due 9/1
1/4 page
$70
$90
$90
early bird price photos due 9/1
$100
$110
$125
W: 4" H: 4.75"
1/2 page
$170
$185
$200
$220
W: 8" H: 4.75"
early bird price photos due 9/1
full page
$325
W: 8" H: 9.5"
early bird price photos due 9/1
$345
$375
$395
THIS DATE IS THE LAST CHANCE TO GET YOUR AD IN THE 2014 BOOK! DON’T MISS IT!
2014 Suggested Ad Formats
1/8 page: 1 photo, approx. 30 words* 1/4 page: 1-3 photos, 50 words* 1/2 page: 1-7 photos, 70 words* 1 page: 1-10 photos, 100 words*
*These are just estimates and we can help you plan the best possible design to meet your needs. View samples at detailsyearbook.com.
Contact Info Yearbook Staff detailsyearbook@yahoo.com
You can design your ad or our designers will create one specially for you. Look at other yearbooks for ideas, or submit a few special photos and your special words, and let us do the work. We will return your photos if you include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. We prefer Specifications digital photos. You can send these to us on CD if they are too large to email. Please note that If you want to create our deadlines are firm. When all of our pages are full, we won’t be able to add or make changes. your own ad on the Send this form with your payment to WHS. You can pay a 50% deposit now and the other half computer, the file you by Feb. 1, 2014 if a payment plan helps meet your needs. send us must be: JPEG, TIFF or PDF.
order forms inPurchaser/Parent C-2 and online PRINT Name of ________________________________________ 20
Name of Senior_____________________________ Is this ad a surprise?___________ Address__________________________City_____________________Zip__________
The ad you create must be actual size. Must have resolution of 300 ppi or higher.