VOLUME 5, ISSUE 2, 2.26.10
page 5 Discover the truth behind the department store’s scandal
feature Russo reveals his ink and injury
THE ROAR | 2.26.10 ROBERT PARKER, page editor
New biology teacher Nic Russo has tattoos and earrings that compliment his carpe diem lifestyle
R
ROBERT PARKER editor-in-chief
azor-sharp teeth clench onto flesh. Warm, red blood seeps from the wound and diffuses into the icy blue water. Yet somehow, amidst the closed chaos, Mr. Nic Russo manages to shake it off and continue his job at St. Thomas
important, especially in science. You have to know what the heck you’re talking about,” fellow biology teacher Mr. Erich Means said. Russo has a degree in marine biology from UC Santa Cruz and has researched and worked with sharks at aquariums around the world, including his time at Coral World Ocean Park in the Virgin Islands, which is where he received his shark bite. He was working in a Nurse shark feeding-ground replica when the incident happened. After he fed the sharks, Russo picked up one of the baby sharks and brought her around for the spectators to feel her skin. The shark wriggled out of his grip and her head fell into the water while Russo still held onto the tail. She bit down on his leg, leaving a decent wound, but released her
aquarium. He lets the two-foot long, 50 pound Nurse shark go, and picks up another one to show to the crowd. But that was the past. Now, after a semester of student-teaching, Russo has taken over for Mrs. Rachel Kanowsky. Kanowsky had wanted to work at Natomas Charter School in Sacramento, and when the opportunity came up at semester’s end, she seized it and Russo stepped in. However, since Russo only has a degree in biology and not chemistry, he traded Kanowsky’s chemistry classes for Ms. Amanda Hargrove’s Photo by Diana Churchill biology Russo kisses the shark that would eventually bite him in the leg while working classes. at Coral World Ocean Park in the Virgin Islands. “I’m very excited about hold immediately after. it. I was a student teacher here last year, “Nurse sharks are called the ‘pit bulls’ of so I kind of already knew the department, the ocean, because when they grab onto and I know a lot of the students already,” something, they don’t always let go. So I Russo said. was lucky that she did let me go. Nobody His fellow department teachers really noticed that it happened; I kind of feel that he will do a fine job taking played it off like, ‘Oh, I just dropped the Kanowsky’s place because of the shark,’ and I went over and picked up a experience he’s had. different shark,” Russo said. “I think he’s really good. He’s got a good However, despite the bite, he still loves head on his shoulders, he knows the sharks and loves working with them. He material really well, which is extremely
even has a tattoo of one on his right arm, plans to coach girls’ basketball and soccer as well as seven others all over his body. when he can get the chance. “I have two tattoos on my hands that But for now, he wants to keep teaching say ‘here’ and ‘now,’ and I always take biology and hopefully some marine about five minutes on the first day (of biology alongside Means. class) to explain their meaning. Basically “In his dreams... No, the more sections it just means to focus on the we have, the more likely it is we could present moment, [split the classes],” Means said. it doesn’t matter Russo what happened five minutes ago or five days ago. You can’t change the past, and you don’t know has had what’s some experience going to teaching, leading some happen in the of Means’ classes as well as future,” Russo some from Roseville. said. “We’re doing our best to get the orange In addition to the tattoos, and black out of him,” Means said. Russo also has earrings in both ears, which don’t seem to have been a problem. “It’s never been an issue with employment, and kids think it’s pretty cool,” Russo said. Actually, the issue has never even come up. “I don’t even know about his tattoos, to be perfectly honest. He has an earring, but we’ve got lots of folks who have earrings on this campus. How many earrings does he have, one? Oh, two, well, that’s how much attention I paid to that,” Principal Mrs. Debra Hawkins said. Russo said he is excited to be doing what he loves most about the topic he loves most. “I always found that the most fun I had, the most rewarding part of any of my jobs, was when I was teaching people stuff. I love working with kids, I love sports, and I wanted to be a coach, too,” Russo said. Russo had played soccer and basketball Russo teaches in his new habitat: the classroom. He has two rats for most of his named Watson and Crick, as well as a snake named Jeremiah. life before he was sidelined indefinitely with a knee impairment. However, he
news
THE ROAR | 2.26.10 CHAD TUCKER, page editor
Despite difficult economy, hope remains
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CHAD TUCKER staff writer
ith the economy the way it is, going to college has becoming increasingly more difficult. Not only has it become more difficult from a standards perspective but also from a financial perspective. This year, the CSU’s tuition has increased substantially. Effective in fall 2009, full-time fees will increase by $672 for undergraduate students, $780 for teacher credential students and $828 for graduate students. For WHS students, a much more financially-safe option is going to Sierra College, where the enrollment is much cheaper. However, even Sierra College has not been able to escape without being somewhat affected by the economy. For the 2010-2011 school year, Sierra’s tuition will have increased from $20 per credit unit to $26. This means that a full time student will be paying about $780 per year as compared to last year’s $600, and while the increase may not seem too drastic, the money does begin to add up and the finacial burden may increase. “The state is making it a less like-able option to go to college. Sure people who can afford to go are okay, but what about people whose families have been devastated by the economy?” senior Ryan Sandoval said. Perhaps the main issue is not the actual raise itself, but rather the amount of people that this affects. According to the counseling center, of WHS
graduates that go onto college, the number of those who go to a four-year university has dropped from 40 percent to 29 percent between the graduating class of 2008 and 2009. The number of Sierra students is increasing dramatically, which means even more people are affected by the raise. “I don’t like the fact that prices are going up. It makes it harder with finance and it’s just frustrating that education is costing so much.” senior Stephanie Purdy said. Now the good news. As crazy and confusing as things may seem in these economic times, specifically in choices related to going to college, there is a silver lining. “This was a statewide increase and applies to all community colleges. This actually only raised the fee back to the level it was in Fall 2006. Between 2006 and 2009 it had been $20 per unit. Even now it is still the lowest community college tuition fee in the nation,” Sierra College program manager Alistair Turner said. Even with the increase, Sierra is still the cheapest way to go, the cheapest in the nation in fact. For those that want to continue on past high school and receive a quality education, Sierra is still an excellent choice. “Sierra College, to me, just seems like good and financially responsible option,” senior Max Jacobs said. In these tough times, there still exists a college that is available to virtually everyone to make themselves into the contributing members of society that they desire to be.
for all the latest in news, sports and entertainment visit us online at www.whitneyupdate.com follow us on Twitter: @whitney_update join our Facebook fan page: Whitney Update
A breakdown of WHS graduating students’ destinations after high school.
Community college tuition history. Prior to 1984, community colleges charged no fee.
viewpoints Who’s hungry
for the Olympics?
SARAH TUCCI
B
staff writer
lindingly bright as it reflects the sun, snow piles into every corner of the world. And Vancouver is no exception. The 2010 Winter Olympic Games are here. The Olympics have always been a unifying connection between the world. Most wars and conflicts are unable to stop the competitive spirit of human nature, and nations are easily brought together through sports. But as time moves on, the games change with it. For example, sponsors. Huge, overwhelmingly massive corporations have stuck their foot into the door, creating ways to gather more money for themselves. Like Coca-Cola.
SURVEY SAYS
SOURCE: 160 students interviewed online using Survey Monkey between Feb. 14-21, 2010
Have you been watching the Winter Olympics?
62%
have watched at least one event
Just yesterday I saw a commercial advertising Coke and the Olympics. Isn’t it just slightly strange that one of the most unhealthy substances on the planet is sponsoring the most fit humans in the world? I bet every athlete who has trained their entire lives for the Olympics is chugging that sugar-filled preservative right now. By the gallon. Right...that’s likely. And of course where there’s soda, the fast food industry is lurking in the shadows. Yeah, you guessed it: good old McDonald’s. Once again, the propaganda styled commercials brain wash us into thinking that the Olympians scarf cholesterol and salt like there’s no tomorrow. Don’t you just love the irony? The people with the highest standard of health and fitness don’t eat the very foods that are advertised. So now that we’ve established how the Olympic games are being funded, what sports are actually competing? There are the multiple skiing events, snowboarding, hockey and figure skating. But what about the more obscure events like bobsledding? I have absolutely no idea how you recognize a natural bobsledding talent. And how do you train for sledding? I honestly don’t know. They make it look so easy, but I guarantee that it’s very difficult. And of course there’s the luge. That one has got to be genetic. It’s all about what shape your body is, and I’m sure they aren’t eating McDonald’s with a Coke... just saying. And last, but definitely not least, curling. The most confusing sport I have ever seen. I still don’t understand that one, and I have three questions. 1. How do you get involved with curling? 2. Why are there always tons of people standing on the ice, watching the “thing” sliding around? 3. And most importantly, what on earth are the brooms for? Obviously, I’m not talented enough for the Olympic games. So I’ll cheer on those curlers from my couch. But first I’m getting myself some McDonald’s with a Coke. Hey, they always say if you can’t beat them, join them.
Which event is your favorite to watch?
19%
said they enjoy watching curling but don’t understand it
Which athlete are you cheering for?
35%
said they are Apollo Ohno fans
Staff Editorial: new proposal flexes the schedule For news coverage of the proposed schedule change, see the full story at www.whitneyupdate.com The proposal of filling next year’s school schedule with a plethora of minimum Mondays has several upsides to it from a teacher and administrator’s point of view, but there has been an outcry from the students. Some people ask to keep the normal schedule, keeping the amount of minimum days The Roar we have now. They staff look forward to the “special occasions” and want to consider them novelty, not routine. These days are often filled by hanging out with friends, getting work
done or catching up on lost sleep. Other people have some more unorthodox ideas, like eliminating Mondays and having Tuesday through Friday be longer school hours to make up for the time. But try telling that to administration without getting a laugh as a response. Contrary to popular hear our belief, the minimum roar days are not solely for student enjoyment. The teachers use them to meet and talk about how well certain lesson plans and quizzes worked and ways to tweak
staff editorial
them in order to maximize the quality of the students’ learning. With the possible shift in minimum days, teachers will have more time to collaborate with their colleagues to provide the best education available. And if slightly extending the school day is the price to pay for a quality education, we should rejoice in the change. It’s not that much of a change, and it’s for the greater good, so if push comes to shove we should be grateful. And hey, 30 minimum days doesn’t sound too bad anyway.
12-4 agree
THE ROAR | 2.26.10 VICTORIA CHAFFIN, page editor
THE ROAR STAFF Editor-in-Chief Robert Parker Copy Editor Haley Doyle Staff Writers Anjelica Carpio-Novoa Victoria Chaffin Kelly Fiedler Ashley Fine Darren Garcia Marissa Gedde Megan Miller Jasmine Patterson Jonathan Posey Sydney Rodriguera Paige Smith Sarah Tucci Chad Tucker Nikkita Walker Adviser Sarah Nichols
T
he Roar is a student publication planned and produced by the journalism classes at Whitney High School. The newspaper 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. Student not enrolled in journalism classes who wish to serve as contributing writers, photographers or graphic artists should contact the staff at theroar@rocklin.k12.ca.us and include name, grade and area of interest. The Roar staff gladly accepts letters to the editor, either by e-mail or delivered to Room C-2. All letters must be signed by the writer and may be edited for length or content. Libelous or potentially harmful material will not be printed. Multiple letters about the same topic may not be printed due to space limitations. Letters must be submitted by Feb. 1, 2010 to appear in the next print issue. For information about advertising, including rates, sizes and discounts, contact The Roar at (916) 632-6500 x6624 or e-mail a request to theroar@ rocklin.k12.ca.us.
lifestyle Slave labor FOREVER?
THE ROAR | 2.26.10 ASHLEY FINE, page editor
NIKKITA WALKER staff writer
T
hanks to the media the second “Season of Love” has hit the fashion
industry. Clothing advertising peace, love, happiness, recycling, nature and more have become high fashion, and department stores have gladly jumped on the bandwagon. Stores like JC Penney’s and Macy’s are all too willing to offer the latest “going green” clothing, but possibly the most popular gateway to fashion success is Forever 21. It’s opening at the Galleria location in November was met with much excitement by young shoppers in the area. The store is definitely a well known fashion hot spot. Over the years Forever 21 has risen to the top of every young shopper’s list. It offers the latest trends, the cutest styles and all for a fair price. Maybe we were so blinded by the latest tank design that we didn’t notice an obvious flaw. When “high fashion” shirts are being sold for under $3 in the clearance aisle, something is up. A company that plays by the legal rules means
registered, fully covered and paid workers should definitely cost more than what is advertised in the store. When you buy their clothing, you are paying for the workers’ salaries. So when you’re only asked a pittance for what was probably an hour’s work, something is up. Whether we recognize it or not, slave labor plays a heavy art in low-price clothing, it’s just that this time Forever 21 has been caught with their pants down. Since 1984 Forever 21 has offered it’s styles to over 17 different countries and makes a revenue of 1.7 billion U.S. dollars. Obviously it’s not struggling, so why can’t the store fairly pay its workers? For too long Forever 21 has been taking advantage of undocumented workers desperate for jobs in the Los Angeles and southern California area, as well as world wide. Where’s the proof? Many of the workers, mostly women, have banded together in protest against the injustices they suffered while under the “employment” of Forever 21. You can see it for yourself on Youtube in a video called “Made in LA”. I can understand the temptation of a pair of cute, low-price skinny
jeans. But maybe actually seeing the faces of the people who work 10-hour shifts for $4 a day will help you refrain. Even if the workers hadn’t come forward, Forever 21 has been summoned by the California Supreme Court for its unfair labor wages frequently, and yet they still get away with it. Why? Because mass consumers have no idea, and if they do, then they don’t know enough information to care. That’s just in America; overseas sweatshops in Asian countries like China, Cambodia, and Bangladesh cost even less than American sweatshops, and it’s even harder for them to be prosecuted for the child labor and other injustices that bring you your $15 tank top. There’s an easy solution to this that doesn’t even involve a decades-long law suit. Boycott Forever 21. If you truly believe in the peace signs that you wear, you’ll stop buying them from Forever 21. Believe it or not, there was a time when you lived without them. If this truly is the time of “going green.”
Photo Illustration by B.J. King
H&M gets caught in cutting act ANJELICA CARPIO-NOVOA staff writer
Imagine a nice button-up shirt, with purple stripes down the sides. Now imagine it with one sleeve torn off, the buttons ripped off completely, the collar with a large strip. Now imagine it three minutes earlier, when it only had a slight makeup stain on the sleeve, the size of a nickel. Cynthia Magnus, a graduate student, discovered bags of torn clothing in back
of the H&M flagship store in Manhattan according to the New York Times in early January. This caused an uproar. Why not give the slightly damaged clothing that has only a tiny rip in the front to places like Goodwill or Salvation Army? Not only do they rip up the clothing, soles are torn out of shoes, tearing apart bags, and even the hangers are thrown out. This is a waste. H&M denies that this has been happening in their own stores, and says that this is the only store that has only ripped
up the clothing so it could not be used. The company’s policy is “to donate any damaged usable garment to charity” according to Nicole Christie, spokesperson for H&M. Under the Corporate Responsibility on its Web site, H&M has “environmental objectives and sustainable policy”, which includes resource conservation, recycling, reduction of waste. The company apparently wasn’t following the rules. However, this isn’t the only store who has been outed on these type of acts. Walmart has also been accused of
tampering with its clothes and throwing them out into the trash. For a retail giant, this has come to a surprise, for Walmart is known for its low, low prices. Another company based on this was Anthropolgie, back in 2008. “Even though this [tearing and trashing clothes up] is happening, I really don’t think I will stop [shopping at H&M], only because I’m selfish and I like cute clothes for good deals... but I assure you I want this to stop. I don’t tolerate waste yo,” Cinzia Keechilot said.
feature boredom:
1
Paper Toss :
Addicting game of tossing a wadded piece of paper into a garbage can. Throwing it from distant cubicles in the work office. It gets harder when there is a fan which blows the paper in different directions. It is a strategy game and is created by Backflip Studios.
THE ROAR | 2.26.10 PAIGE SMITH, page editor
there’s an 6 app for that.
iGift4u :
Update Facebook and Twitter with over 180 symbols, YouTube videos, share quotes. This app has the ability to connect to e-mail as well. Now record videos on your iphone and you can post them straight to YouTube.
7 8
Bookworm:
For those who love words this is the perfect prize. Build bigger words to please Lex the Bookworm.
2
Bejeweled 2 :
Like a challenge? Racing to the clock? This game is for you. Play against the clock in this one-minute match up of jewels against the clock.
Awesome Note:
Always on the go and need to write down a number or time to meet someone, but don't have paper and pen? With Awesome Note you can jot down anything you need. You can put the notes in this app and even color code the the folders to fit your personal style. If you have a Google account you can even link this to the account and have it ready to use!
3
Billboard.com :
Buy and find new music from 50+ years ago to present day. You can look for artists, DJs, or a music industry professor.
4
9
AppBox Pro:
This app does many different things, such as telling what the phone is capable of doing based on the battery life. It has a Days Until (Countdown) where the carrier can place certain events (no longer getting yelled at for forgetting that special day). Price grab, if you've ever wondered how much a single piece of candy costs out of a bag, this app is for you.
5
Tap Tap Revenge 2.6:
Ever wanted Guitar Hero on an iTouch or iPhone? Now you are able to with Tap Tap Revolution. Use the songs off of the music playlist and now you are able to experience Tap Tap right in the palm of your hands.
Pandora:
$
apps by price
Paper Toss: Free Pandora: Free AppBox Pro: $0.99 iGift4u: $0.99 Tap Tap Revenge: $0.99 Bookworm: $2.99 Billboard.com: $2.99 Bejeweled 2: $2.99 Awesome Note: $3.99 Jamie Oliver: $7.99
Ever wanted a variety of music? Listening to different genres? You can connect to your Pandora Web account and it operates the same way. If you want to find an artist or a song and then you can listen to that and even the same type of music in the genre. If you like a song you can press the thumbs up and if youdislike the song press thumbs down, and the song won't come back on.
10
Jamie Oliver:
Love to cook? Love to try delicious new recipes? Check out this app by Jamie Oliver and cook up delicious meals within 20 minutes.
feature
THE ROAR | 2.26.10 SARAH TUCCI, page editor
Buasan battles SARAH TUCCI staff writer
W
hack! A boy smacks a birdie. It soars through the air. Whack! The birdie is hit again. It finally stops, sky rocketing right into the ground. The crowd erupts into... cheers? A trophy is given to the most skillful birdie hitter. There really is no sport more barbaric than badmintonAmerica's undiscovered pastime. Obviously, the racket sport does not involve animal, particularly bird, abuse. But the action of hitting a birdie is more common than most students realize. Sophomore Michael Buasan noticed this when he witnessed his family playing. "I started to get involved with badminton after seeing my dad and many other people play. I've been playing for about seven or eight years, and I play for a club in the Bay Area," Buasan said. Although he usually plays for a club, there are other ways to
compete in Badminton. "I have partners that I play with for doubles and mixed doubles (where each pair has a man and a woman)," Buasan said. With the private GGBC or Golden Gate Badminton Club and his partners, he competes in both national and international tournaments every few months. "I’ve played in many tournaments like Junior Nationals, Pan American Junior and other Jr. International tournaments. My Pan American Junior Badminton tournament was a milestone because it took a lot of hard training, and I had to go through trials to play. That tournament is one of the the most prestigious tournaments in the Americas for juniors and I had to train hard for years. I went to a trial as somewhat like a pre-qualification and I made the team after all that. I lost in quarterfinals for doubles, and I think I got to third round for singles and mixed doubles,� Buasan said. However, the ability to compete in these highly competitive tournaments that award medals, trophies and prize money does
not come without its share of hard work. "I can train between two-six hours a day. We generally train with other people and either one or two coaches. We practice a lot of footwork, some shots and a lot of conditioning. It's somewhat difficult balancing school and badminton because of how time consuming it is. But after a while, you get used to it," Buasan said. Though badminton is clearly rigorous, it is not as popular as the more traditional sports like football, soccer, or baseball. "Badminton is somewhat underrated because it is considered as a backyard sport, and people don't see how (competitive) the game truly is," Buasan said.
the birdie
facts
Photo Illustration by Sarah Tucci
The sport was originally called battledore or shuttlecock
The sport took its name from the Badminton House in Gloucestershire, England
Badminton is the fastest racket sport
Badminton first entered the Olympics in 1992 in Barcelona
The best shuttlecocks are made from the left wing feathers of a goose
The birdie can clock at speeds of 200mph or more
fashion EXPRESS
THE ROAR | 2.26.10 MEGAN MILLER, KELLY FIEDLER, page editors
SpringAwakening
photos by Megan Miller and Kelly Fiedler
Blossom Sundress at LOFT for $69.99
Ruffled top at
J. CREW $88
FOREVER21
It’s all about the FLORAL Still chilly? Add a CARDIGAN. at EXPRESS $39.50
Try this flower print from
J. CREW $59.90
Accessory101 Think LIGHT then add some BLING
lifestyle
THE ROAR | 2.26.10 SYDNEY RODRIGUERA, page editor
You are my CUPPIE-CAKE! SYDNEY RODRIGUERA page editor
Cupcakes, candies and treats! Oh my! Everybody loves them! And they’re perfect for birthdays, special occasions or parties. But the cuter they are and the more creativity you put into making them adorable, the more fun they are. There are tons of different ways to spice up your treats without spending a fortune or sacrificing a lot of time. These steps may seem complicated, but with practice, the process is incredibly easy. They’re guaranteed to be a crowd favorite, and will definitely put a smile on someone’s face.
Piping: You can simply fill a strong Ziploc bag with icing, cut a small piece of the corner off, and squeeze. Or you can purchase tips for only $1 a tip in packages of four tips and $5 for multiple disposable piping bags all at Michael’s or Wilton.com.
Color: Instead of working with liquid food coloring that only
ruins the consistency of your icing and over colors the mixture, try a gel substance. You only need a toothpick’s tip of it to color your icing nicely. A little bit of color goes a long way with the gel. And it’s only $10 at Michael’s or at Wilton.com. It will last you through tons of cakes and cupcakes.
How to make the candies:
Photo by Sydney Rodriguera
How to make the cupcakes: • • • •
Photos by Sydney Rodriguera You can get candy-making trays for $2-4 at Michael’s or Wilton.com. Just pop in a lollipop stick and pack chocolate into the top. White chocolate can be dyed with food coloring gel to give it certain effects. Chocolate can be purchased at any store. The Candy Melts are $3 a bag at Michael’s or you can melt regular Kisses candies or Hershey’s chocolate bars for this. Just melt it in the microwave, stir, and pour into lollipop tray over stick. Then let it sit in the fridge or in room temperature for a few minutes until it hardens.
• • •
The Sunflower and Girly flower cupcakes show how you can pipe with a star tip and easily turn simple cupcakes into pretty flowers. The Christmas, Birthday, and Fourth of July cupcakes show how simple it is to add holiday sprinkles to make things look festive. Holiday sprinkles can be purchased for $2 at Michael’s. The Valentine’s Day cupcake required a cookie cutter to create the heart-shape. You simply stick the cookie cutter gently into the icing, fill the inside evenly with your choice of sprinkles, and gently remove the cookie cutter. With the Ice Cream look-alike, mix the different gels with your icing until you get desired color for ice cream. I added real chocolate chips onto the cupcake and white icing on top of that to look like whipped cream. To make the pumpkin, I used orange icing for the face, and made black icing for the eyes, nose and mouth. To add some detail, I cut a small piece off of a chocolate cookie to make his stem. If you have your piping bag or Ziploc ready, you can do the Swirl cupcake. Fill your bag half-way with one desired color, then fill in the rest with the other color you want. Make sure they are both touching the tip evenly, and pipe. To make the grass for the Easter cupcake, I used the food coloring gel to dye coconut shreds green. Then added festive Easter sprinkles.
For pictures in color and an easy cupcake recipe, go to: WhitneyUpdate.com
REALITY TV: JASMINE PATTERSON
M
staff writer
TV and VH1 harvest the collection of over-dramatic reality television shows. They’re entertaining, funny and can be a over the top dramatic. Sure there’s TLC, but honestly the Duggar family kind of bores me. I already deal with my younger sibling every day, so why spend my time watching 19 other children on my TV set? The shows on VH1 are absolutely ridiculous. “The Flava of Love”, “Rock of Love”, “I Love New York”, “I Love Money.” I would say that these shows hit about a 9.5 on the fake-o-meter. The guy or girl that these shows are centered around never end up staying with the person they choose on their dating show, let alone probably actually date them. The cat fights could most likely be WWF Pro-wrestlers dressed up as women, for
NOT
so
all I know. And have you ever wondered why the cast always speaks in present tense when they are being individually interviewed after a situation happened? It kind of makes you think if these types of programs should really be called “reality TV.” On the other hand, MTV reality productions seem a bit more real. For example: “True Life”, “16 and Pregnant”, and “The Buried Life”. In these shows it doesn’t seem like the people are trying to impress the world by their looks are some sort of talent they want to be noticed with. They all seem more like ordinary people trying to tell their life’s story or find ways to show viewers how they want to better their life. “True Life” is a documentary based show that has shows the life of a particular person relating to the subject of that episode, for example: “I’m an Urban Cheerleader.” “16 and Pregnant” shows the lives of teenage girls in high school who are struggling to keep a good relationship with their parents the process of becoming a teenage mother. “The Buried Life” was created by four
real?
university students who created a list of 100 things they wanted to do before they die, and everytime the cross something off they help a stranger accomplish one of their dreams, too. But my question to you is, why is the world so fascinated with these so called “reality” shows? Do you enjoy watching people acting lunatic and exposing their little known anger management problems? Or watching them as they make complete fools of themselves? If so, are you gaining confidence in our own lives by showing how much more of a civilized person you are? Or could you be learning what we should and shouldn’t do from these other people’s mistakes? Maybe by watching these shows we can all learn to be not so desperate, rude or trashy and probably a little more conservative. We can choose to make some wiser decisions in life and be thankful for what we have around us and not take everything for granted.
sports
THE ROAR | 2.26.10 JONATHAN POSEY, page editor
Wrestlers advance to Masters
and Antelope, both coming from Division IV. This change will cause the wrestling team to rearrange their league schedule for next year’s matchups and he wrestling team’s overall record for divisional tournaments. Junior Justin Martinez knows the 09-10 season has made history with that to adjust to next year’s division realignment, the three wrestlers advancing to the Masters team will have to train even harder in the off season. Tournament in Stockton. The seniors ”It will be a tough change moving a whole division with the highest winning percentages up, but I think we are ready as a team to face the are Nazir Rasooli, Jordan Achanzar and challenge,” Martinez said. Alex Chernyy. Chernyy is the only heavyweight on the The Division IV tournament took place at East team while Julio Ceron falls close Union High School of Manteca on behind in the 215 weight class. The Feb. 20. Overall the team finished remaining players with the highest in eighth place out of 24 teams winning percentages include in that tournament. Of the six Ceron, Justin Martinez, Madison qualifiers from the varsity team, Fitzgerald, Jake Coelho, and Kenny only three advanced to the Masters Christian. Tournament in Stockton. Qualifiers The varsity team has been to six include Achanzar (119), Rasooli tournaments this season traveling (135) and Ceron (215). to Sacramento and as far away as Achanzar and Rasooli both Fairfield. Achanzar, who currently took first in their weight classes at has over 20 wins for the season the divisional tournament, while and counting, felt that the Foothill Ceron took second place losing to tournament in Sacramento was one the number four wrestler in the of the hardest tournaments for him state. This will be Rasooli’s second as a player. Division IV Championship win “During the whole tournament on the varsity team, in addition to I just kept telling myself to be the being the first wrestler to qualify for attacker and make him adjust to the state championship last year. how I wrestle,” Achanzar said. Rasooli hopes to return to state and The Pioneer Valley League claim a title for the first time in the Championship took place at team’s history. Photo by Kourtnee Hogue Whitney on Feb. 11 in which seven ”I plan on making it past the Tanner Hughes wrestles Mesa Verde at the PVL Championship on Feb. 11. teams battled for the PVL title. section finals and placing a spot in The Hillmen of Placer came out on top followed by Parker said. the state tournament. It would be a great way to end the Fighting Zebras of Lincoln and in third place, With the new division and league realignment next my wrestling career,” Rasooli said. the Wildcats of Whitney. The Wildcats had four year, Whitney will be placed in the Capital Athletic Rasooli will be entering the Masters tournament varsity league champions out of fourteen weight League located in Division III of the San Joaquin with a 28-1 record, with his only loss to Foothill High classes. Achanzar claimed his third league title, with Section. Among the other teams in the league are School of Bakersfield in a pre-season match-up both Rasooli and Ceron repeating from last year as Antelope, Cordova, El Camino, Mira Loma, and Rio earlier in the season. champions. Chernyy, in only his first year in wrestling, Americano, half of which were already in Division III The Masters Tournament will be in Stockton today captured his first league championship in the for the 09-10 season. and the state championship will be held in Bakersfield heavyweight class. The two newcomers to Division III will be Whitney on March 5. JONATHAN POSEY page editor
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Also earning medals were Fitzgerald, Coelho, and Christian who each placed fourth. For the Junior Varsity, Tyler Harris, Zach Kachmar, Parker Schaefer, and Spencer Diegert all won championships in their weight classes. Other JV medal winners were Joe Avery, Cody Johnsrud, and Thaddeus Cox. Head coach Dan Parker felt that the team made a strong statement at the PVL championship. ”We left the PVL on a very positive note, showing that Whitney is a top-notch school and program,”
Returning seniors establish tradition CHAD TUCKER
sports writer
After a season of 14-1-8 and a section title last year, the girls’ varsity soccer team returns this year with a senior heavy group. For the past four years, this program has been centered around a core group of senior girls that has essentially lain the foundation for a team that has had many wins in the past. Ashley Jones feels that these wins have came with hard work and obstacles they have overcome. “The hardest obstacle was last year when we got a new coach whose game strategy was completely different than
what we were used to. It was difficult to adapt to the new style, but we came together as a team and were successful in the end,” Ashley Jones said. Paige Transue, who recently tore her ACL, started as goalie for the section championship team last year. Transue knows that it will be hard to deal with the situation this season. “Even though I can’t contribute on the field, I’m excited to be able to be there and support my team because we have all been through so much over the last four years,” Transue said. While this presents a true problem that will need to be addressed as soon as possible, the many seniors are confident that they will survive this and
any other problems that come their “I love all the players on the team, way. The source of this confidence, and especially when they give it their all ultimately their success, comes from because everyone has so much talent the tightness and camaraderie of the which makes our team unstoppable,” team. “We have a really great mix of people and everyone contributes in some way. Most of us have been playing together Photo by Brycen Guerrero for a really long time so we know how Girls’ soccer team huddles on Feb. 10. each person plays, which gives us Rachel Walker said. really good chemistry and confidence,” Due to the work put in by the Elizabeth Grover said. seniors and underclassmen during the Not only is this team prepared offseason, the program has a chance to to overcome problems that arise, build off of a great year this season. but many players feel that the team “We have definitely established a is completely confident in their strong program that the juniors and performance on the field and in each under classmen can build on and make other. better each year,” Jones said.
THE ROAR | 2.26.10 DARREN GARCIA, page editor
sports
moving on, moving forward track and field coach Patrick Gale says that even without graduate Matt Post, who went to Masters last year, current shotput team will be fine—or better than ever
“I don’t think (graduate Matt Post) being gone will affect us. We have a lot of new people with a lot of potential.” - Coach Patrick Gale
“With the leadership of our returning throwers, the new ones will be learning a lot and will catch on to good habits.” - Coach Patrick Gale
“We have a lot of potential. I think Tamara Townsend is probably our best recruit.” - Zac Post
“I think that Zac (Post) will throw further than his brother did his senior year, in Zac’s junior year.” - Coach Patrick Gale
Photos by Darren Garcia
lifestyle
THE ROAR | 2.26.10 ANJELICA NOVOA, page editor
Feeling secure about your privacy?
DON’T BE FOOLED ANJELICA CARPIO-NOVOA
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staff writer
ast December, Facebook users logged on to see a note from Facebook pop up onto their screen. Some chose to ignore it while others looked closely to see what exactly it was all about. Mark Zuckerberg, creator of Facebook, had sent an announcement to all 400 million Facebookers, saying the reason for some changes for the security settings was because regional networks, which were networks within a region, had become so large, it was useless to have the "regional networks." So, the new settings are provided to increase privacy to only those who want their information to be revealed. Before, the privacy settings were set up so that the person's account can have the option of networks (for schools or businesses), friends, friends of friends and regional networks. It is set up now for you to select who you want to see your profile content: "your friends, friends of friends, or everyone." The options are exactly what it says. Friends can see your information, or friends of friends can also see it, or everyone can see it. Now beware. When Facebook says everyone, it literally means "everyone." If some random person goes into a search engine, such as , and types a person's name, all of that person's information from Facebook is now available to everyone, even those who don't hold an account. This is done because Facebook and search engines have agreed to let the users have their information publicly available. So unless one wants their ex-boyfriend's mother to see those pictures from last Friday night's wild party, don't click "everyone." But if someone just clicks "ignore message," their settings are defaulted to what Facebook recommends. The defaulted settings are set for: photos-friends, Information that's now available to the public include names, profile pictures, friend lists, genders and fan pages you have "become a fan" of.
Ready for a change in layout? After the December 2007 change of security settings, another update occured in January. This time, it was the layout. The change was gradual and only affected a few 80 million Faqcebook usersat first, but then grew to all million Facebookers. The top tabs are altered to Messages, Friend Requests, and Notifications, which used to be at the bottom right of the screen. On the left side, the tabs are changed to News Feed, Messages, Events, Photos, and Friends. Under the Friends tab, there are other separations for Recently Updated, Status Updates, and any other list of groups a person created. The search box now has a more prominent position, so anyone can look up anything . The Chat feature has also changed, so people can view who is online on the right hand column of the page. However, these shifts of layout are subtle to help the user become more comfortable in using Facebook.
"I had no idea that my info would be so public if I didn't say not to let everyone see it," Jacara Givhan said. The good thing is that the privacy settings are simpler this time around. Instead of multiple types of settings under profile information and scrolling for what seems to be forever, it's fitted into one web page view. Also, another thing is the ability to control privacy per post. If one posts a status or a link, he or she can customize it to control who sees the information. So if you only want a selected amount of people to see the post, uncheck the little box. Another minor change is the information that gets posted to Photo illustrations by Anjelica Carpio-Novoa profiles. People no longer have the option to remove the little updates posted to their news feed. Instead, they must remove the updates all manually. But all this updating is causing some doubt among users. Just read everything carefully.
news
THE ROAR | 2.26.10 HALEY DOYLE, page editor
Stress not just for students
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Available AP classes include: m AP statistics: Grade: 12 (10th -11th grade students may enroll with concurrent enrollment in another college-prep math course) m AP calculus AB: Grade:11-12 m AP calculus BC: Grade: 11-12 m AP language arts/com IV: Grade: 12 m AP biology: Grade: 11-12 m AP chemistry: Grade: 11-12 m AP physics: Grade: 11-12 m AP world history: Grade: 10-12 m AP U.S. History: Grade: 11-12 m AP microeconomics: Grade:11-12 m AP government: Grade: 11-12 m AP psychology: Grade: 11-12 m AP Spanish/V: Grade: 12 m AP French: Grade: 12 m AP studio art (2D design portfolio): Grade: 11-12 m AP studio art (3D design portfolio): Grade: 11-12 Photo by Haley Doyle.
HALEY DOYLE copy editor
t’s 7 p.m. on Wednesday and instead of playing with her kids, Mrs. Penny Shelton is adding on to lectures and outlining her teaching plan all to make sure that her AP biology students will be prepared for the eventual AP exam in May. AP students are accustomed to putting in extra hours outside of school to keep up with these challenging classes, but it often goes unnoticed that AP teachers are in a similar position. “The teacher is creating an entirely new curriculum at a college level and a college pace without the amount of prep time a college professor is given. My first years teaching AP biology, I would prepare for at least 2-3 hours every day—making outlines for students, reading and re-reading the text, creating lectures, creating tests, setting up labs, and so on. I spent a lot of nights working on AP biology long after my children and husband went to sleep. I still spend more time preparing for AP biology than any other class, but the time is down to about one hour per day and rarely any nights. But, the first year of teaching the AP class was certainly the most time consuming and it required the most preparation,” Shelton said. Chemistry teacher Ms. Laura Brun agrees that building the foundation for an AP class is demanding. “Starting an AP class from the beginning requires a tremendous amount of outside time. For every class period, so about an hour and twenty minutes, the teacher is probably spending 2-3 times more additional outside time to prepare for the class. At this point in my life, I don’t think I’m up for the challenge of taking on AP chemistry. I want to be able to spend time with my kids while they’re young. Maybe I’ll take that challenge later on in my life. We’ll see,” Brun said. While the AP classes have changes from that of a regular class, such as the large work load and a more determined atmosphere, the most apparent difference is the pace. “My AP biology class is easily 10 times the amount of work for my students as compared to ninth grade biology. We cover two to three chapters of material per week, whereas a ninth grade biology class covers one to two chapters in four or five weeks! More work for students is directly proportional to more work for teachers. It is the pace of the class that keeps an AP teacher working so hard,” Shelton said. AP U.S. History teacher Mr. Tony Bannister also knows what it is like to put in additional hours. “On average at least twice as much time is spent preparing for AP U.S. History and sometimes as much as three times depending on the content. The AP course covers a much greater time period in U.S. History, therefore requiring more time, work and preparation. AP teachers are always trying to find that delicate balance between going into enough detail on certain events, while at the same making sure we cover all the necessary information they are exposed to on the exam. The stressful part always seems to center around time,” Bannister said.
AP student Kaitlin Bergin said she appreciates all of the extra time AP teachers put into their classes. “Many students don’t realize that AP classes are as hard on the teachers as they are on the students. I appreciate it when teachers try to experience the class from the students’ point of view, as when (AP world history) Mr. (Jon) Bryant started doing weekly chapter outlines along with us, but it does add to the students’ perspective that they have the greater workload. However, I think that it is a sign of our teachers’ wonderful abilities that they can manage the AP classes and make their tasks seem less difficult than they truly are, and I do appreciate all the effort they put into our education,” Bergin said. Although there are many challenges to teaching AP classes, these teachers see plenty of advantages as well. “For me, the benefit is that I get to teach a subject I love at a more challenging level. I get the opportunity to learn more too by teaching an AP course. I would not teach it if I didn’t love the subject, the pace and the level of challenge it brings me and the AP biology students. For the most part, I find it extremely enjoyable. The only thing that ever brings me stress is the lack of time to thoroughly cover all topics with my students before their AP exam in May,” Shelton said. Shelton advises students to give AP classes a chance, even if they may seem like a big challenge. “If you plan on attending a four-year college after graduation, I suggest you take at least one or two AP courses during high school. The advantage of taking an AP class for a student is to learn what it’s like to learn at a college level. Students are also in small classes in a high school AP course, as compared to the large lecture halls they would encounter in college. The obvious advantage is that students can earn college credit if they pass the AP exam. But, even if a student does not pass their AP exam in May, they gain so many valuable study skills that enable them to be successful in college. For juniors taking AP biology, the have a huge advantage in taking the SAT II in biology. Most students score extremely well, which gives them a competitive advantage in applying to universities,” Shelton said. Bannister agrees that the AP courses are advantageous, but he also warns that the student needs to know what they are getting into before signing up. “I would encourage all students who have a genuine interest or passion for the subject to enroll in the class. However, it’s important to realize that it will require a large time commitment from the student outside of class. Sometimes students become overwhelmed and over-committed and don’t often recognize the amount of time they need to put in outside of the classroom. But in the end, the students gain valuable skills and insight that will help them be well-prepared for life outside of high school,” Bannister said.
lifestyle
THE ROAR | 2.26.10 ROBERT PARKER, page editor
As you wish...
Students share their deepest desires in life.
VICTORIA CHAFFIN staff writer
“ Artwork by Brittany Shine
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inreview
THE ROAR | 2.26.10 NIKKITA WALKER, page editor
Dear John: everything hoped for? NIKKITA WALKER
staff writer
Dear John, one of the most highly anticipated films is this year’s cry fest, hands down. Fans of the Notebook or Titanic, those of us who love a good sob story will be overjoyed, Sparks has done it again. Worshippers of the novel may find problems with the film however. Where Sparks uses the written word to beautifully convey emotion and heartfelt, soul-stories; the movie has nothing to rely on but what the actors and director can accomplish. This was, sadly, not much. The two main actors of the film, Channing Tatum, who plays the handsome and sensitive John Tyree, and Amanda Seyfried, who plays the beautiful Savannah Curtis, did more modeling, than actual acting. The two actors, while renowned for previous films like Tatum’s role in Step Up and Seyfried’s in Mean Girls, couldn’t seem to get it together in this movie. The two actors simply seemed incapable to channel the emotion Sparks had evoked through words in his book. There were also some major flaws in the plot. Their form of
communication, snail mail, was a little hard to accept in our day of instant messaging. Why wait the many months when all it takes is a minute of rapid thumb-on-keyboard action? Maybe had the story taken place in an older time, it would have been more plausible, or at least if a sentimental reason had been provided for their reliance on an outdated communicator. Excluding that, Dear John is possibly one of Sparks’ most depressing works. With apologies for those who haven’t had the chance to see the film yet, the worst possible situation seems to happen. At least with his other stories such as the Notebook or a “Walk to Remember” the audience or the readers walk away with something resembling a happy ending, even if it is bittersweet. The plot was so geared for tears that its surrealism eventually destroyed itself. The movie was such an obvious downer that more people were disappointed than weepy. “Ew, that movie was horrible!” Claire Phillipssaid. She was so sadly disappointed she could only ask, “What went wrong?” In Dear John there is no happy ending, no closure. Sparks lovers, prepare yourselves for righteous anger.
-“What went wrong?”
-Even worth watching?
-One of the most anticipated movies of the year, a flop?
-Sparks fans universally disappointed.
-The actors fall short of delivering the proper performances.
-This year’s sob story, make sure you bring tissues.
‘Lovely Bones’ an eye-catcher VICTORIA CHAFFIN staff writer
“I was 14 years old when I was murdered...on Dec. 6, 1973.” Not the most joyful phrase to plot a movie around. Yet it seemed to have many people somewhat intrigued. The movie started, and within five minutes I was hooked. Hooked into the characters lives, the surroundings, the plot, everything. Then, it hit me. This movie isn’t like the others, it’s... what’s the word I’m looking for; oh yes it’s... different. Not a bad different, but a unique different. This unique movie not only captured my attention instantly, but got the wheels in my head spinning at a new pace, wondering what was going to become of a story just as this. This two hour and fifteen minute PG13 movie had a few tricks up its sleeves. The music that played throughout this film was more then just playing the part, it was playing as if the music had the determination to feel the characters as they moved throughout that scene. Giving us as an audience, the sense of tension between them. When I usually go to see a movie, I tend to try and figure out one of the characters through the whole movie.
Deciphering what their next move will be, or just trying to understand the content of their role. But with this movie, I wasn’t able to do that. I was too focused and interested in what was happening all at once, that I simply didn’t have time to make such an assumption. This moving picture was one with many surprises, keeping me guessing through the whole movie, and fearing what was coming next. The suspension and enlightenment was a new combination to experience. The Lovely Bones is a movie I recommend seeing. It’s the story of how a family comes together, what secrets people can be hiding, and what becomes this is how of those secrets. This movie is also about one it is girl named Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan), who has dad (Mark Wahlberg), and sister (Rose Mclver) who love her so much, they have to make the pieces fit. I wouldn’t call it scary, but I guarantee it will give you the chills.
The iPad: a Netbook’s worst nightmare Apple introduces their new invention that has brought mixed reviews
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ith products like the iPod, MacBook, and iPhone on the market, Apple has made a name for itself in the technological world. After mocking his competitors netbooks, Steve Jobs revealed the iPad. With a projected price of $499, the iPad will hit stores in April 2010. At 1.5lb, the iPad is considerably bigger than an iPhone or iPod. With a thickness of 0.5in, the iPad is thinner than a Macbook and is close to the thickness of the iPhone. It is 9.7in, measured diagonally, and has an LED back-lit IPS display. Its appearance can be compared to a larger version of the iTouch. Apple’s iPad will be running on a 3G network— meaning you can access web and e-mail even if there is no Wi-Fi hot-spot nearby. The iPad is equipped with
an A4 chip which enhances game play and applications as well as ten hours of battery life per charge compared to the usual four on a lap top. You can also get up to 64GB of memory which gives plenty of room for movies, photos and music. Bluetooth is also an important feature because it means you can connect to wireless keyboards, headphones and your phone or iPod. “I think the iPad is super cool. You think nothing more can be invented and then something like this comes out,” said Ashley Nolivo. Although lacking in a USB port or keyboard, the iPad incorporates many accessories; a keyboard dock and a camera connection kit being a few. The dock allows your iPad to stand up like the screen of a laptop, while you type away on an attached QWERTY keyboard. The camera kit lets you import your photos straight from your camera or SD memory card.
Despite it’s sophisticated technology, the iPad has been getting mixed early reactions. “Honestly, I think the whole thing is dumb because it’s not really ‘mobile’. If you want a mobile computer, get the iPhone...and if you just want a computer then get a Mac or whatever they’re called because there’s probably a lot less issues with that than the iPad,” Said Nikki O’Farrell. How useful or successful the product will be is still up in the air, but with a host of impressive technologies, and a well-known Apple name behind it, the iPad is sure to be at the top of the watch-list for some time.
inreview
Drawing MARISSA GEDDE staff writer
ANGELINA MIKITYUK
THE ROAR | 2.26.10 MARISSA GEDDE, page editor
“I am an artist, because creating art and painting is my life and I can put all my heart and soul into painting, and get amazing pleasure from this. I cannot live or think without painting.” Nick Japaridze
Students Together
“I started drawing when I was in third grade, I have these notebooks that I used to sketch in,” Angelina Mikityuk said. Looking back in the sketch books from third and forth grade can reminds some artists of when art was free, and there was no pressure to always have things perfect. “Angelina pays great attention to detail and is naturally gifted. She does all styles very well, she is a perfectionist. I can always count on her to do great assignments,” art teacher Deborah Lane said. “She would be a great plastic surgeon, they can call her “The Doctor Without Borders!” Mikityuk is not going to major in art, but is going to go into a medical degree. Her favorite styles are realism which is defined by the accurate, unembellished, and detailed depiction of nature, and impressionism which is the style in which atrists capture the image of an object as someone would see it. “If you don’t want to take art at least try one year, but if you don’t want to go further than don’t take it,” Mikityuk said.
HANAMAE RICHARDSON “I am so impressed with Hanamae’s growth, she has a great personality. She is extremely creative, and has a distinctive approach to her work. Ms. Richardson never copies anyone and does her own ideas,” Lane said. “Her personality alone can take her anywhere, she will be successful at anything she tries.” “I wish I could say that I have been drawing for years, but I haven’t., I started my sophomore year. I love drawing. I am not going to major in art but I am going to the Art Institute. My favorite styles are serial and abstract,” Hanamae Richardson said. Serial art is the art movement in which uniform elements or objects are assembled. Abstract art uses a visual language of form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references. “I say to everyone to at least take one year of art even if you think you won’t like it,” Richardson said.
RYAN MANSFIELD
“Ryan Mansfield is amazing! I call him the ‘Quiet Genius!’ I know he doesn’t want to hear this but he is sensitive, he is a sensitive artist. He respects everything, when he works on the art he is careful and thoughtful. Ryan always pays attention to his work,” Lane said. Sketching since he was in third grade has given him the experience he needs to do artwork well. “My favorite equipment to use is a pencil. I love sketching and not worrying about having everything come out perfect. My favorite style to draw is romanticism,” Mansfield said. Romanticism, which nature—with its uncontrollable power, unpredictable, and potential for pertaining extremes.
ASHLEIGH YOSHIOKA “I started drawing/ sketching when I was in sixth grade, and I plan on majoring in art,” Ashleigh Yoshioka said. The style pop is Yoshioka’s favorite. Pop is a style of art which explores the everyday imagery that is so much a part of contemporary consumer culture. “I am so impressed with her growth and determination. She would be a great art therapist/humanitarian. She wants to use art to help other people,” Lane said. “Ashleigh draws very well, she does good with pencil and colored pencils. Everything she does is 100 percent better than the last. I think the world is better with Ashleigh in it.” “I love drawing anything that is captures within my scope. I love making birthday cards for some of my friends with some of my artwork. And I love drawing Anime,” Yoskioka said.