October issue 2012

Volume 72 / 10.11.12 / Issue 2

The Student Newsmagazine of Paso Robles High School

801 Niblick Rd. Paso Robles, California

Discovering the prejudice and pride felt by four cultures on campus

Feature 8 >> Austin Brown-Silva

Food 19 >> Batch Review Health 23 >> Hantavirus Sports 26 >> Maria Petiy

October 11, 2012

Volume 72, Issue 2

Crimson

ON THE COVER: Senior Conner Jorgenson, juniors Heba Elsayed and Francisco Valdovinos, and sophomore Stella Bao stand as faces of their heritage. Read their stories on pages 16 and 17.

Photo illustration by Sierra Mosely.

Environment

21 Hike Review

Boutique Review

A Crimson review of Reservoir Canyon, a six mile San Luis Obispo hike with sprawling hills and a quaint creek surrounding it.

Take a look into the fall fashions of a local boardshop, Alliance.

fashion

Brianna Long A peek into Senior Brianna Long’s trek across the globe and the footsteps that changed her life.

feature

Blind Date Senior Lazouich Ford and Junior Alyssa Harris ventured to Avila Valley Barn to pick apples and harvest the first days of fall.

fun&games

Cultures Bearcats battle with common cultural stereotypes faced by them at school, but take pride in their backgrounds despite racial cliches.

center

02 | Crimson 10.11.12

Photo by Cooper Austin

Bailey Gaither Sophomore Varsity wide receiver ‘s season of firsts, big shoes to fill, and improvement.

sports

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Editorial

LETTERS to the Editor

Open campus would open trust

Dear Editor, I think the closed campus policy is ridiculous. Last year was my first year at this school and I was shocked by the way administration treats us upperclassmen– no trust and highly suspicious. I came from a school with an open campus and the students in that school are happy and very responsible. Of course, there will always be a few kids who will cut class, but it is their education and PRHS administration should not always think everything will come back and hurt them.

A lot of talk goes on about administration and how frustrating they are- always in our business, asking a lot of questions, and treating us like small children...

As human beings, we cannot learn responsibility if we are never given a chance to learn for ourselves.

If we are always treated as untrustworthy hooligans, we will never get the chance to learn and develop into responsible young adults, who can manage their lives without tight supervision.

The open campus policy should only be permitted to juniors and seniors, as upperclassmen are more responsible and can drive to ensure we will be back to school on time. An open campus would truly make this school a better place- students would not be so bitter towards administration for being so strict, us students would become more responsible.

C

Tutorial forms not winning the votes

Budget cuts: from the athlete perspective

Dear Editor, I think the Thursday tutorial forms students have to fill out are a complete waste of time. Don’t we have tutorial so we can get what we need to get done? But we are still being forced to fill out a paper that just takes time out of the short amount of time we have.

Along with that, the school is making it a huge hassle to simply visit another class to finish a test of get some extra help! As a student, I want to work on what I have to do, not write about it.

–Robby Standley, 12

Dear Editor, I am an athlete at paso robles high school and mine and many other athletes lives are being effected by the budget cuts that are limiting sports at PRHS. Paso High has cut multiple sports teams such as boys volleyball and JV soccer. Coaches stipends are being cut, greatly effecting the personal lives of the coaches. THis budget cut also discourages coaches, resulting in a loss and shortage of PRHS coaches. I play waterpolo for the high school and I have been affected personally by these budget cuts. Our team has had to gather a lot of support for fundraising because we can barely afford our seasons. Our amazing coaches have been volunteering many precious hours because they are not getting paid for all of their time and effort. I believe that Athletics have a positive effect on a students academic and social life. From personal experience, participating in a sport helps maintain my physical and mental health. WE need to create awareness of these cuts and come together to save PRHS athletics.

Trimester system is missed

Dear Editor, I don’t understand why the school changed the trimester system to the semester system. After being in the trimester system for three years, I find it really difficult going to the semester system.

I find it difficult because instead of five classes we now have six classes. On wednesdays and thursdays, the periods seem very long and the tutorial period seems very pointless to me. Another reason why I dislike this semester system is because we now have to get out of school at 3:12 instead of 3:05. We also have less options in choosing electives. The students should have the right to decide whether or not to have the trimester system back.

–Vanessa Herrera, 12

–Erika Smeltzer, 12 All letters to the editor are appreciated. Please give all submissions to the journalism staff in room 604, or by email prhsjournalism@pasoschools.org.

–Whitney Brownie, 12

newsmagazine Student Journalism at Paso Robles High School

Staff 2012-2013

Editor-in-Chief Nicolette Jolicoeur Web

Art Director Sydney Matteson

Managing Editors Kelly Munns Feature Sarah Wilson Center

Editors Angela Lorenzo A&E Carly Cargill Center Aidan Farrell Environment Anna Hernandez Environment Devin Corea Fashion Summer Volle Fashion Lauren Reed Feature Laura Callahan Fun and games Cooper Austin Fun and games Michaela Iunker Latino Kylie Pugh Latino Analia Cabello News Garett Hanlon News Courtney Thompson Opinion Maddie Berry Photo Essay

Advisor Jeff Mount Sports Manager Josh Orcutt Photo Manager Anna Hernandez

Danae Ontiveros Photo Essay Ryan Frank Sci-tech Andrea Lorenzo Sci-tech Josh Orcutt Sports Matt Tyra Sports Rachel Cole World Noah Levine World

Web Team Garett Hanlon Sydney Matteson Brandon Kearns Circulation Managers Carly Cargill Rachel Cole Stevie Stark

Graphics Team Sydney Matteson Jordan Nevosh Brigette Maina Sierra Mosely Buisness Team Heba Elsayed Jordan Nevosh Brigette Maina Brandon Goddard Photo Team Josh Orcutt Danae Ontiveros Aidan Farrell Brigitte Maina

Facebook www.facebook.com/ crimsonnewsmagazine Twitter @CrimsonNewsmag Website www.crimsonweb.net PRHS • 801 Niblick Rd., Paso Robles, CA 93446 www.crimsonweb.net prhsjournalism@pasoschools.org (805) 769-1500 ext. 50033

Crimson, an open forum for the exchange of student ideas, is an independently funded newsmagazine of the journalism class at Paso Robles High School. Crimson reflects the majority opinion of the staff and does not necessarily reflect the views of Paso Robles High School, its faculty, administration, or students. All stories, graphics, typesetting, and layouts are completed by Paso Robles High School students. For more information on advertisements and subscriptions, please contact our office.

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Paso Robles High School

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Staff Editorial

Searching for the truth

Car searches cause trouble

by Nicolette Jolicoeur, Editor-in-Chief

The student parking lot on Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 7:55 a.m. is a bussling hub of students, cars and trucks, and then again after school. But from 7:56 to Crimson Staff votes: 3:11, other people are cruising the parking lot: security.

Is it an invasion of Unknown to most students, PRHS administration issued a little known paper in the privacy for campus back of school document pack that was supposed to be signed by every student driver, security to search your car? giving security consent to search the cars—all cars. Campus security reports that they have not had to do it this year—yet. And how they will get into the cars is unknown.

Yes:29 We object to the blanket policy that all cars can be searched. Probable cause of MIXED FEELINGS(above): The car searches were implemented August 27 suspect cars should be the motivator, not merely all cars. Although the drug suspicions and has received mixed feelings from staff and students. Illustration by Jordan Nevosh at this school call for a higher security standards, these inappropriate searches are not It is wrong for security to believe that because it is not an invasion of the answer.

No: 4 privacy because of the signed form, the majority assumption of the students “If those papers didn’t exist, and my car was rifled through without my consent, by all means yes, that would be invasion of my privacy. Especially without probable is that this policy is close to crossing the line. cause,” senior Keoni Fisher said. He said that he feels that with the policy explained “It’s troublesome and outright disgusting that students are forced to sign ahead of time in writing papers, it’s okay.

According to findlaw.com, the U.S. Constitution annotations allow a person of authority to away their protection against unjust searches if they want a public education,” said senior Danny search with probable cause for illegalities. However, there have been noted “instances when Martinez. “We shouldn’t have to feel the need to park off of school campus due to the fear of [authority’s] suspicions will have been aroused by someone’s conduct or manner, but probable having our personal privacy violated for no reason.”

Students feel that anyway security breaks in will be inappropriate. “I definitely don’t want them to do that,” senior Chase Phillips said. “It’s our private property, and they should have a cause will be lacking.”

“This actually sounds incredibly similar to the Patriot Act except that it’s aimed toward teenagers cause—because in real life, that’s what they do.”

The use of searches may provide assurance of no drugs on campus, but they cause a sense of instead of terrorists. It sounds like they would literally be able to search anybody’s car whenever they chose to do so. I don’t think there are many people at the high school that have anything to hide, but mistrust of adults. With hard times seemingly not coming to an end soon, PRHS administration and security should be building a bond with students, not alienating them. even if they did their car is still their own private property”, senior Joey Salinas reported.

The fairest rebuttal towards this injustice from security is to take the highroad. As a student body, we should rise up and take an ‘I don’t have anything to hide’ attitude, if we really wanted a clean learning environment an moral institution.

Recycling for our future Dear Editor, I am in favor of recycling and giving our campus a green makeover.

It will take time and energy but with the help of just a few, it can be done. The school can have separate bins for plastic, paper, etc. Not everything is trash and almost everything can be reused and recycled. If more students pitch in to leave less of a carbon footprint on the world, then maybe our children will live greener lives from start to finish. As more and more people are added to the Earth’s population, it is our duty to do our party by preserving this beautiful place we call home, so future generations do not live with our mistakes! Amanda Keller, 12

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Car searches defy rights

Healthier lunch options would help everyone

Dear Editor, I think it’s sort of violating our rights as students by having car searches in the parking lot. I understand wanting to keep drugs off campus and other bad stuff, but they should only be searching cars unless they have probable cause and in that case, just that individuals car. I think car searches are just looking for trouble when it’s unneeded.

Cars are the students private property out of the inside of the campus. I think car searches are over the top and unnecessary. Luis Jiminez, 12

Dear Editor, I think there should be healthier lunch options available at our school. We as students are expected to make healthy choices on what we eat at school and at home. However, this is hard when all we have to choose from are unhealthy foods. Obesity is becoming more widespread, and the habits we develop now and most likely to be the ones we have as adults. If we are expected to live healthy lifestyles, we need to change what we eat on a daily basis first.

Paso Robles High School

Cheyenne Castro, 12

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Money for mammaries

News

PRHS athletics, student athletic trainers, and floral classes support breast cancer research

by Angela Lorenzo, A&E Editor

HOLDING STRONG: Junior Loretta Mae holds a rose in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. PRHS raises approximately $2,000-$3,000 a year under direction from Ag teacher Theresa Clark. Photo by Brigitte Maina

Faces of 229,060 new patients represent the struggle of breast cancer annually, and each year 39,920 warriors die fighting, according to the American Cancer Society.

Women have a one in nine chance of developing breast cancer, and floral students and athletic trainers have stood up for the cause each October since 2006, supporting it by raising $2,000-$3,000 yearly towards research. Due to increased awareness, earlier detection, and treatment advances, death rates from breast cancer have been decreasing since 1990, according to www.breastcancer. org.

Eleven year athletic training teacher Todd Olivera started selling breast cancer merchandise and raising money for the cause in 2006. Since then, he has donated to the National Breast Cancer Society and other organizations. Floral teacher Theresa Clark asked Olivera if her floral classes could sell arrangements and flowers and donate the proceeds alongside the Student Athletic Trainers three years ago.

“I want to help my students, as future medical practitioners, understand these diseases and who they affect and how,” said Olivera, who was also inspired to get PRHS involved in breast cancer support by his previous student, Kelley Burdette, whose mother died of breast cancer in 2005.

Clark, floral teacher since 2006, doesn’t plan on stopping soon. “I have a close personal tie to breast cancer,” said Clark, who has lost

two family members to breast cancer, and currently has two close friends fighting.

Seniors Noelle Todaro and Kaylee Van Patten are in charge of organizing and heading up floral’s breast cancer month arrangements. “I wanted to help people with breast cancer by raising money,” said Todaro, who has been involved in floral since her sophomore year.

This year, the floral classes will be selling rose and gerbera daisies stems for two dollars and floral arrangements, which vary in cost from $25 to $50. Roses are primarily sold Fridays during lunch, but can be bought during the week; students also sell the rose stems at home football games in October. All arrangements are designed and arranged by the ROP Floral students. Arrangements can be special-ordered through Clark at lunch or nutrition.

Each Tuesday in October, student athletic trainers will be wearing pink breast cancer awareness shirts donated by SLO Sports Therapy. Prizes will be given out to other students that show their support by wearing breast cancer merchandise. This year, pink bracelets will be sold for $1 and T-shirts will be on sale for $5. In honor of breast cancer awareness, a donation booth will be set up at the home football game on Friday, Oct. 19, and tables will be set up selling lanyards, bracelets, and giving public service announcements.

Prop 30: Failed vote could ‘devastate’ PRPS November ballots to decide the fate of California’s public schools

by Brandon Goddard, Reporter With elections rapidly approaching, California’s public school systems await if they will suffer more cuts or stay as slashed as they are. Students in the PRPS will definitely feel the pain should Proposition 30 not be passed, as this would, “devastate [the Paso Robles’ Public Schools] district financially and reduce [the] budget $3 million annually,” Superintendent Kathleen McNamara said in an interview.

California Governor Jerry Brown’s Proposition 30 will be showing up on voter ballots in the upcoming November election, and whether voters choose to pass it or not will lead California’s education system down one of two very different paths. According to the Secretary of State’s official summary, if the Proposition is passed it will “[increase] personal income tax on annual earnings over $250,000 for seven years” and “[increase] sales and use tax by ¼ cent for four years.”

Should Proposition 30 pass, the new taxes would raise an estimated $6 billion by the 2016-17 fiscal year.

The Proposition then “allocates temporary tax revenues 89% to K–12 schools and 11% to community colleges,” according to the official summary. This would allow the district to “maintain [its] current levels and will not force [it] to continue to chip away at resources, and the future of students’ education,” McNamara said.

According to a recent online survey by PACE/USC Rossier School of Education, California voters currently support Proposition 30 54.5 percent to 35.9 percent.

If voters choose to reject Proposition 30, “trigger cuts” will be put into place, and education budgets

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will be cut by $5.354 billion. Other programs would face cuts as well including: a cut of $250 million from the UC system, a $250 million cut from the Cal State system, and a $10 million cut from CalFire among many others, according to the official summary.

What does this mean for students? At the very least, electives will get cut. Electives have always been the first to fall, as over 200 students who applied to the now cancelled floral elective have seen just this year at PRHS. According to McNamara, “The district will continue to lose funding until the state can rectify the budget... [and the district] will have to reduce even more mid-year if Prop 30 does not pass.”

Not only will the high school suffer cuts, but the entire district will likely suffer as well. The school district finished the last school year “in shakier financial condition than the nine other districts in the county,” according to a report by The Tribune, and a series of cuts would only further exacerbate the issue.

Should Proposition 30 pass, students in the Paso Robles school district may witness the death of nonacademic classes.

The cuts would also affect any seniors planning on attending any CSU’s, which plan—if these cuts occur—to increase tuition by a minimum of five percent. CSUs say they will cut tuition by nearly ten percent if Proposition 30 passes.

Paso Robles High School

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News

Heading

north

As the Nov. 1 college application time approaches, English teacher Aaron Cantrell took an early tour up north with 12 seniors, 18 juniors, 15 sophomores, and one freshman from PRHS, Templeton High, and Mission Preparatory School.

Students visited UC Santa Cruz, San Jose State, Sonoma State, and University of San Francisco.

The trips have become regular occurrences for college-bound teens hungry to learn more about state options.

The students gathered at Templeton High School at 7 a.m. on Sept. 24 and set out for their first destination, UC Santa Cruz—a school with a law against building a structure higher than the closest redwood tree. Last year UCSC was ranked third in the world in research influence, behind Princeton and MIT. “[At] UC Santa Cruz, the environment was very nice and everything looked very beautiful and accessible,” said PRHS sophomore Mayer Pohlod.

Students met PRHS alumni Steven Gifford who helped them tour the San Jose State campus, which was the site of the first state capital.

“San Jose State [was my favorite because] I love how open and big it was. The weather was nice and it really had the college feel,” said Templeton High School senior Josi Javine.

The second day of the tour, the students visited Sonoma State and University of San Francisco. Students experienced an orientation and tour of Sonoma State and

06 | Crimson 10.11.12

by Kylie Pugh, Latino Co-Editor

learned from two PRHS alumni, Mackenzie Erb and Janessa Hagen, that housing at Sonoma State differs from that of other colleges: there are suites and apartments rather than dorms, which means fewer people sharing a bathroom.

“Sonoma State was my favorite college,” said PRHS sophomore Katie Smiley. “I loved how much it reminded me of Paso; I really loved the location and weather.”

Last in the lineup stood the only private college on the trip: University of San Francisco, which is in the top 100 nationwide for their Undergraduate Business Program and 10th in international student enrollment.

“My favorite college was USF because it has been a dream of mine to go there. The location and weather are perfect,” said PRHS junior Sarah Matthews.

PRHS senior Shiv Patel has attended three of Cantrell’s college tours and doesn’t regret it.

“Going on the college trip was a great decision. I really liked experiencing the college campus first hand and also getting a feel for the college atmosphere.”

After his 18th college tour, Cantrell remains passionate about each one. “I love to travel and to explore. As an AP English teacher, I like getting the insider scoop about various colleges. I get to network with some of the school's admissions folks and then I can pass along helpful information to my students. My favorite part of College Tours is that look on a student's face when he or she realizes, I've found my school."

Paso Robles High School

Photo by Anna Hernandez

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Finding the Perfect Look

Fashion

PRHS students keep up with fashion at local Alliance Boardshop

Trying to find the perfect look on Friday Sep. 28th seniors Nichole Steingruber and Sean Ohm went to local Alliance Boardshop and tried on four different fashions to launch off the fall season.

RVCA Shirt: $26.99 Billabong Straight leg Jeans: $59.99 Brixton Supply Hat: $27.99

Volcom Lace Shorts: $49.99 Volcom T-Shirt: $29.99

Element Long/Short Dress: $59.99

Volcom Lace Shorts: $49.99 Volcom T-Shirt: $29.99

Vans Woven Flannel: $47.99 Volcom Chinos: $59.99

Volcom Jacket: $49.99 RVCA Jeans: $67.99 Sectr 9 Beanie: $11.99

Volcom Tank: $21.99 Volcom Jeans: $69.99 Element Scarf: $31.99

HippyTree T-Shirt: $27.99 Vans Shorts: $49.99

–Summer Volle, Fashion Co-Editor, Devin Corea, Fashion Co-Editor, Stevie Stark, PR Manager, and Sierra Mosley, Graphic Designer Photos by Summer Volle and Stevie Stark

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Paso Robles High School

Crimson 10.11.12 | 07

Feature

Gearing up

Senior wins first in tractor restoration

by Kelly Munns, Managing Editor

Senior Austin Brown-Silva welded, sandblasted, and painted a 77 year old tractor, in approximately 600 hours in 300 days, restoring it into its former glory.

For ten months beginning on Oct. 8, 2011, Brown-Silva spent all his free time restoring his 1935 Allis Chalmers Model M tractor, which he entered in the National Delo Tractor Restoration Competition sponsored by Chevron through their website, delotrc.com. Previously to competing nationally, he won first place locally in the Tractor Restoration Competition at the California Mid State Fair, beating 14 other competitors this past summer and received a $2,500 prize, which is almost the amount he spent to restore his vehicle.

“The quality of the restoration made it look better than it would have when it rolled out of the factory in 1935. I’ve been involved with antique tractors and equipment since 2005, and was simply amazed at the quality in this project,” welding teacher Justin Pickard said, who attended the SkillsUSA State Conference in San Diego with Brown-Silva last year.

“It influenced me by showing me I can do anything if I’m willing to put in the time and effort,” Brown-Silva said, whose inspiration primarily stems from his father. “[It] brought me closer to my dad. I couldn’t [have] done it without his help and knowledge.”

The hours spent working on the vehicle included 25 hours of searching for parts online which he

08 | Crimson 10.11.12

CRAWLING AROUND: Brown-Silva is all smiles next to his “crawler.” His tractor is a 1935 Allis Chalmers Model M. Photo by Kelly Munns

later found through Napa Auto Parts. After the orange paint was dry and the blades were gleaming, Brown-Silva’s 6,000 pound “crawler,” meaning the tractor has tracks instead of tires, was one of 23 entries that got their own video voting page. On Sept. 10, the video voting began and will last until Oct. 19, when the winner is announced. Brown-Silva is one of 12 finalists that will compete at the Indianapolis National FFA Convention on Oct. 25 for a chance to win $10,000.

“I’ve been around equipment all my life,” Brown-Silva said, who found out about the competition through JB Dewar tractor restoration meetings. “As soon as I could crawl, I was crawling all over it.”

Brown-Silva entered the same CMSF competition in 2011 as a sophomore, winning third place with a 1945 gray and red painted Ford 2n tractor that took 200 hours to restore.

“I can remember when he was little, had to be about four and he was in his grandfather’s lap on a dozer cleaning up after a pine tree had fallen,” PRHS registrar Shoney Brown-Silva said. “He has always been amazed by heavy equipment!”

“Even faced with challenges, Austin is able to focus on whatever needs to get done and he is going to make sure that it’s his absolute best effort,” Pickard said.

Paso Robles High School

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Feature

The universal language

Senior travels to China for ballet program

by Laura Callahan, Fun and Games Co-Editor

Traveling to China for six weeks, stopping in seven different cities to perform seven sold out shows, and locals asking for pictures– one could say that senior Brianna Long lives the life of a superstar. But she would consider it breathing.

Long boarded a Cathay Pacific Airlines plane destined for Guangzhou, China on Friday, July 13. Long had been accepted into Long Beach Ballet’s annual six week summer intensive with 33 other highly skilled ballerinas, led by artistic director David Wilcox.

Long auditioned for the program in Santa Barbara at the end of January and on Feb. 3 received an acceptance letter from Wilcox.

The 2012 Ballet Ambassadors to China spent the first three weeks of the program learning a 1.5 hour long performance and training with master teachers and choreographers. The show included the entire Second Act of Swan Lake and a repertoire of six additional dances that demonstrated the evolution of American culture through dance. The second three weeks were spent touring China and performing the show in seven different cities to sold out audiences, according to Long.

The tour started in Guangzhou, home of the Gunagzhou National Ballet, then to Heze, Shangqui, Zhecheng, Sihong, Hai’an, Xu Zhou, and lastly Bejing. Each dancer helped set up and tear down the stage at each performance and sorting four costumes per dancer. Long said that the girls had to spray their dance shoes with vodka to keep them from smelling due to the heat in China. The program traveled with over 60 pieces of luggage, not counting personal items.

“It was such a unique experience to be a cast and crew member all in the same show! I got used to being flexible with my schedule and learned to deal when things went wrong. I learned so much about Asian culture too! The towns we traveled to were not always big tourist cities and we were often the only white people there. Some of the Chinese people had never seen an American before. They would have us take pictures with them and their families for good luck, hoping that someday one of them would get to go to America,” said Long, whose favorite stop on the tour was Bejing, where the group visited sights such as the Forbidden City, the Great Wall of China, and the Silk Market, which Long described as “fun times.”

Before the trip Long was accustomed to dancing in groups of six to eight people with ample warm up space and time.

However during the trip, Long learned to move as one with 28 other dancers and to make do with wherever she was for warm ups, such as theater aisles and hallways. She gained more than higher leaps from the experience.

“This experience [taught me] that dance is truly a universal language that transcends any age, culture, or nationality and brings people together to celebrate the arts,” she said.

Long has been in the Paso Robles Chamber Ballet with Class Act Dance for nine years and the Jazz Company seven.

“I have seen improvement in her dancing more specifically when she has returned from her summer intensives the past two years. I think the ability to go away and train with other dancers and master instructors has been huge for Brianna,” said Amy Wescom who has worked with Long through Class Act Dance for three years. “Throughout the past few years I have seen her grow & blossom into an amazing young lady as well as excel as a dancer.”

Long went on pointe at eleven years old and primarily studies ballet. She has also done jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary, character, and hip-hop. Currently she has five pairs of pointe shoes and two pairs of Jazz shoes.

“I don’t have just one favorite aspect of dance, it’s really a package deal. Dancing isn’t just about the pretty costumes, fancy shoes, and performances. It is countless hours in the studio, scrutinizing every last detail in front of the mirror making each position look just right. Dance is bloody toes and beads of sweat,” said Long, who has been dancing since she was three years old. “The real reward is how dance makes other people feel. When we hide all the strain and difficulty and exude beauty and grace on stage, we do it for the audience. That is a great part of dancing, making the strangers in the audience feel something new and exciting when they watch a performance.”

During the first two weekends of December Long will be dancing as the Sugar Plum Fairy in the annual production of The Nutcracker, her favorite show. This year’s performance will be her 11th time performing in the show, fulfilling her passion in small town Paso Robles parallel to big time Beijing.

“Dancing is like breathing. I have been at it for so long that I can’t imagine my life without it. I pour out mind, body, and soul into dancing because for me, dancing is my life. It defines a DANCING IN HARMONY: Senior Brianna Long was one of 33 other dancers in Swan Lake. part of who I am. It is hard to explain, but even if I stop dancing, She was in China for a total of six weeks. Photos used with permission by Brianna Long I will always be a dancer,” said Long.

Photo illustration by Lauren Reed

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Paso Robles High School

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Feature

From securing the quarterback to securing the campus Erik McKee takes over security and discipline

by Jenna Wookey, Food Editor

New Assistant Principal Erik McKee uses the knowledge he gained from his football career to out for the Anaheim Rams before they moved to St. Louis. Due to his knee injury he did not pass relate to students and become an administrator students can look up to. the physical.

McKee has taken over Ed Brown’s former position as head of security and discipline. His job Fortunately, McKee worked as a substitute teacher during the off seasons of his football career, duties include planning emergency drills, conducting teacher evaluations, and keeping track of so when he could no longer play he had another option. He speaks from experience when he advises student attendance. These tasks are far from what he was used to in his past as a professional students to “always have a plan “B” in case plan “A” doesn’t work out.” football player for the San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns.

“It’s good to have someone look at the school with outside eyes. He is very experienced According to McKee, his arrival at PRHS has been warm and welcoming; everyone from and can either validate that things are good here, or we can have a discussion on how to the superintendent down has welcomed him very openly, he said. make things better,” Nelson said, adding that taking over Brown’s position will come with Security officer Paul Jones and Principal Randy Nelson have responded to him a steep learning curve. positively as well.

However, McKee is very talented, Nelson said, and is already “I find him very friendly, easy to talk to, and he’s open to all suggestions I find him very friendly, easy to talk to, and he's making a positive impact on the school. from the security team” Jones said, adding that he believes McKee will open to all suggestions from the security team.

McKee arrived at PRHS with 18 years of experience as an educator have a positive impact on the school. “He seems to be both firm and fair and a plethora of knowledge to share with students, including his and I think high school kids will respect that.” understanding of the priceless value of a high school education.

Paul Jones, Security officer McKee went to college at the University of Southern California from “Every student will not go to college, but all students need a high 1983-1987 on a football scholarship. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers, where he school education and a diploma first and foremost,” McKee said, adding that having a plan contended for three preseason games before they released him. and a goal for after high school is crucial.

The Cleveland Browns then picked up McKee where he played tight end in 1988 and “Try to graduate with the highest GPA that you possibly can to continue your education 1989. A tight end’s job is not only to block defenders from getting to the quarterback, but to in junior college or a four year college. If you don’t continue your education you should serve as an outlet receiver if the quarterback has no other open receivers. consider the armed forces or have some type of vocational skills to get a productive source Injuries in football are not a rare occurrence, and they were not rare for McKee. In 1991, of income,” he added. over 10,000 emergency treated injuries in pro football, according to a scientific study on sports McKee wants to be someone students can come to if they need help or guidance. He has a related injuries. This data was taken just two years after McKee injured his knee for the second masters degree in counseling and wants to help students in any way that he can. time, the first occurring at USC while playing against Notre Dame.

“I have an open door policy. If a student has any concerns or is in need of counseling, I am here McKee explained that his second knee injury caused his football career to be cut short. He tried to protect, serve, and guide.”

“

“

Controversial Video Sparks Riots U.S. Embassy in Libya attacked due to YouTube Video

by Sierra Mosely, Front Page Editor

Fire and chaos ruled the streets of Tripoli, Libya and Cairo, Egypt on September 11 as angry protesters rioted against an anti-Muslim YouTube video; the day’s violence resulted in the death of Christopher Stevens, the U.S. Ambassador for Libya. An anti-muslim video titled Innocence of Muslims, created in Los Angeles by a group of extremists, is the cause for the violent attacks.

This 13-minute YouTube upload portrays the Islamic prophet Muhammad as a savage man who has no real credit as a religious figure. Innocence of Muslims has offended countless of Islamic faith and heritage because of this bold statement against their beliefs. The video depicts negative stereotypes associated with the Muslim population, including attacks on Christians, raiding of a medical clinic while police sit and watch, and a brief and inaccurate retelling of the life of the prophet Muhammad, including a violent tendency and brutal lust generally unassociated with him.

The video has initiated another investigation into the ongoing argument of tolerance, free speech, and ongoing hatred between the East and the West. There is debate over whether free speech includes the right to insult other religious beliefs, and if it does, at what point it stops being free speech and starts being slander.

After the attacks, world leaders from the US, UK, France, Russia, Italy, and Germany condemned the attacks, according to BBC News, from French President Francois Hollande’s call to action to

10 | Crimson 10.11.12

“identify the culprits and bring them to justice,” to British Foreign Secretary William Hague’s condemnation of “the brutal and senseless attack.

President Barack Obama sent out a strong message to Libya with the statement: "I strongly condemn the outrageous attack on our diplomatic facility in Benghazi, which took the lives of four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens. Right now, the American people have the families of those we lost in our thoughts and prayers," which was reported in by BBC News.

Innocence of Muslims has caused the extremist Muslim group Al Qaeda to react with extreme violence in Egypt and Libya. The controversial clip has been blamed as the root cause of at least 28 deaths in seven countries, including four Americans.

“If people react violently to someone else's extremely opinionated video, then it seems out of hand.” sophomore Cameron Weis said, who notes that the killings were “not so much a big deal, but [it] was still wrong to do.”

The movie producers might not have had any idea what would happen when their controversial video was unleashed on YouTube, but now the damage is done, and the US government must now face the task of mending broken relations with Libya, Egypt, the rest of the Middle East, and the Muslim community.

Paso Robles High School

Graphic illustration by Sydney Matteson

www.crimsonweb.net

Opinion

The Great Debate Forging a future Playing hardball

Republican Mitt Romney is the answer Obama works to bring compromise to a staunch divide

by Carly Cargill, Center Co-Editor By Noah Levine, World Co-editor

Most Americans will be able to remember the night of Dec. 4th, 2008, when Barack Obama won the presidential election over John McCain with 365 of the electoral college votes in his favor, out of 538. America was inspired by Obama’s value of change and his ability to persuade the majority.

By this time, 61 year old, Republican, Presidential candidate Mitt Romney was long gone out of the race. On Feb. 7, 2008, after receiving news that the republican party’s majority was towards McCain, Romney withdrew from the primary race and began endorsing McCain’s campaign against Obama just a few days soon after.

Now, four years later, Romney is back and ready to lead the United States back to its educational, economic, and political power.

“I supported Romney in the primary election last time [in 2008] and I don’t believe we’d be in the situation we’re in had he been elected that time,” said Frank Mecham, who is the First District Supervisor for San Luis Obispo County and former Mayor of Paso Robles.

Not only is America in a recession, but some say our country will be going through yet another Great Depression, beginning within the next few years.

Romney, who was the governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007, is a businessman and is thought to be much more experienced in politics and leadership than Obama. Not only does he promise to help build our economy back in shape, but he has proof that he is the man for the job.

“The President said he would pull the country together. I’ve never seen a more divided country in my 65 years....

Romney has helped build business and the President has established the longest and highest unemployment since the great Depression,” Mecham said as he explained why he believes Romney would be better fit to run this country.

Romney has logical ideas and plans to help better our community and pull the US back to the top of the leader board, ahead of Obama. One of the issues Romney feels very strongly about is illegal immigration. Obama said he would fix the immigration law within one year of his term, and almost four years later, we still have no better immigration than we did before.

“Mitt Romney has a plan to boost legal immigration and reduce illegal immigration; he wants to make the path to citizenship easier but at the same time he wants to strengthen the border in order to stop cross border drug trafficking,” senior Blake Campbell-Taylor said.

Although the American people are hoping for their favorite candidates as of now, the truth will arrive on Nov..

6th when the 2012 Presidential Election takes place. Either Romney or Obama will rise up and become the next President of the United States, and for most Republicans, it can be agreed that Romney stands a good chance over Obama.

“Either we can continue down the path of apathy and dependency or we can forge a new future for this great nation... For the past 4 years the people of this nation have suffered under the worst economic conditions since the great depression and yet we have a president who seems more interested in golfing and rewarding his political supporters than in solving America’s problems,” Campbell-Taylor said.

No matter which way the dice rolls, history will truly be made this November.

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“Hope and Change” was the message that Obama swept into office four years ago, and with these promises he was to usher in a new era of compromise, where Democrats and Republicans worked together to solve the problems of today and remedy the political discord evident throughout the campaign season. That’s not quite how things worked out: the GOP, encouraged by the fanatical aspects of the “tea party,” disregarded any thought of compromise, and to do otherwise, to even consider giving an inch to the other side, was perceived to be nothing more than weak, spineless, and to some, almost traitorous.

Now Obama faces the challenge of a country far less enthralled in hope, and more cemented in a reality created through the incessant back and forth of party line politics. So what does a president do to gain a second term, after all the fanatics and circus acts, accusations and turmoil, while we still face economic crisis, war in the East, and division at home? The answer is simple: the president plays hardball.

Now we see the new face of Obama: the Obama that enforces compromise with conviction, a stance that was once seen as lax is now reinforced with resolve. His mantra is simple. Forward: a slogan that encapsulates his legacy and his future. The president has faced adversity and filibuster politics, and whether the now rather infamously dubbed “Party of No” cares to admit, he’s got something to show for it all. In 2009, he passed The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which would go on to save 4.2 million jobs, as promoted in his “Forward” campaign video. He’s passed legislation to stabilize Wall Street endeavors such as the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, rescued the failing auto industry (Cash for Clunkers) and even managed a Health Care overhaul against a house divided. .

Romney represents a party that now questions its withering identity. This degeneration is illuminated through the indecision regarding Romney as a legitimate candidate to represent the entirety of the Republicans’ wants, but also through the increasing age, gender, and minority gap now associated with GOP demographics. Conservatism today is far more correlated with maintaining the status quo of the rich than their perpetuated restoration of economic equality.

“Politics often leads to desperation on both sides” said Mark Bradford, history teacher.

It’s clear Romney is working hard to delegitimize Obama as a competent Commander and Chief, pointing out bailout tactics and socialistic policies, which were ironically implemented first during the Bush administration, such as the $700 billion industry bailout needed to save the nation from economic turmoil, reported by npr.org. These hypocrisies were overlooked in Romney’s ads. Romney seeks to bolster power of large corporations, supporting the rich through tax cuts and encouraging what he states is a more free market economy.

The Republican party has made it clear that they intend to shoot down healthcare and maintain a corporate powerhouse in this country.

Now the ball rests in the president’s hands as he campaigns to further a country still challenged by social and economic issues, to restore the ideals of hope and change to a nation that mixes morality and objectivity: legislation not through judicial compromise, but falsified principles now embodied through slanderous propaganda.

This is a fault of both sides; as Bradford said, “It’s all about cliches.”

Yet, the president works to persevere past the party lines. A compromiser now as much as in 2008, our president seeks in his own words that, “There is not a liberal America and a conservative America - there is the United States of America. There is not a black America and a white America and Latino America and Asian America - there's the United States of America”, and now more than ever, we must seek to create that America.

Paso Robles High School

Graphic illustration by Sydney Matteson

Crimson 10.11.12 |

11

Tutorial Opinion

Most students decide tutorial is working out

is worth the

trouble

by Rachel Cole, World Co-Editor

Tortured in tutorial no longer, students agree that the new period of tutorial every Thursday is helpful academically and just in understanding.

The new tutorial period may give students both the chance to snooze and the time to recover their grades through allowing them time to make up, revise, and complete work that would otherwise subtract from their grades.

From 1999-2008, the school’s tutorial period, formally known as advisement, struggled to keep students in class and their noses in books, The travel pass and the rule about only leaving the class in the last few minutes also keep down the inappropriate behavior that became the norm the last time this period was implemented three years ago. There were reportedly students wandering around, and off campus, music playing in the classrooms at a disturbing level, and altogether a nonwork oriented time at school.

A new approach being to produce something every time in tutorial is the form that is a required grade in the class.

“I think that this period is helpful for everybody,” said sophomore Jimmy Esparza, who has enjoyed the first three weeks on this new schedule with six periods and two block days. He believes that everyone is able to benefit from a period like this, not only the students who are having trouble in most classes.

Even though the paperwork is the only way to make points for the period, leaving you open to a bad grade if you don’t turn it in on time, Esparza and freshman Katie Nelson both agree that this workload is both doable and helpful Even though the paperwork is the only way to make points for the period, leaving students open to a bad grade if you don’t turn it in on time,

“I think it’s fine. It helps out the teachers,” Esparza said, pointing out that the roughly five minutes of work in class don’t affect the whole 50 minutes. Esparza thinks that the work of the teachers is minimized by the quick worksheet that they just have to check over.

“Almost everyone in my class does it,” Nelson said, saying that it only takes her four minutes to do the paperwork in class.

Students are now being allowed to have a time in class where they ask their teachers questions they can’t ask in class, take tests they missed, and go over lessons that they were absent during or simply didn’t understand.

“Tutorial is academically helpful. Checking on grades helps me figure out what I need to step it up on, and the extra tutoring helps,” Nelson said.

When asked what subject this class helped with the most Esparza said, “I think math,” noting that this subject requiring at least three years can be a difficult thing to cover if you’re not careful.

This period may be on its second round at the school but this is a new time for many of the students here at PRHS, able to replace a bad grade with a good one and a hard time with a time of enjoyment.

Photo by Josh Orcutt

Embarking On Unexpected Journeys You don’t need to step out the door to embark on an adventure: You just have to open a book

by Noah Levine, World Co-Editor

I’m not here to rag on about how video games are turning our minds to mush, or that today's movies are all about blood, sex, and violence. I’ll let our parents do that.

What I am here for is to remind any of you who have ever fallen in love with a book–or had your own personal movie playing in your head, or eaten through an entire seven book series in less than a week–to remember that those awesome, spellbinding books still exist.

In high school, the pure amount of work each of student deals with, including assigned reading, often makes reading more of a chore than a pleasure. Between history texts and books that are often times are important in their place, are tougher to have fun reading than the stuff you can just sit down with and enjoy. And honestly, that’s what books should be for; too often we forget that reading doesn’t have to be a hassle, or just another deadline, but a trip into a new world, new people, and new ideas.

“Books are amazing, fantastic, they’re an experience of their own” said senior Ben Sauer, who's been reading books like those by Dr. Suess “Since [he] could read” Books like the Harry Potter series defined our generation, it was a phenomenon; it was an inspiration and a teacher of lessons. “It’s relaxing...a different perspective, they teach life lessons” said Senior Mason Keller, who cites J.R Tolkien and Robert Jordan as his favorite authors. These books took us out of our classrooms, bedrooms, and cars, and in their place we visited castles,

12 | Crimson 10.11.12

scaled mountains, and rode dragons. Dragons. Maybe this is a misconception on my part, but I was under the impression that dragons do not go out of style, and neither should the books that take us there.

It doesn’t end there either, with Ender’s Game by Orson Scott sending us flying through space, teaching us as much about fighting aliens as it did about misconception, unforeseen consequence and the truth often hidden in false realities. Brian Jacques’ Redwall series defined a world of imagination, where a band of woodland creatures fought off whatever menace threatened their peaceful abbey, and proved often that the most timid of creatures to be the bravest. Perhaps the greatest thing about a good book, though, isn’t just a favorite character, or the last pages of the epitaph. What makes a book more than a book is the adventure. The worlds we venture into, if just for a few pages at a time, are an escape to the unknown, a walk past where the sidewalk ends to see the boundless scope of a universe painted by nothing but letters on a blank canvas. All of that–whether it be plotting with a 12 year old, criminal mastermind, or liberating a kingdom from evil on dragonback, whether it be across the Misty Mountains or from the station of Platform 9 and three quarters–we read not for the last page, but for the experienced gained.

Sauer describes books as “an escape from...whatever, they open up your mind with different viewpoints, new ideas”.

That’s what reading should be. There’s a time and place for allegory, metaphor or symbol analyzing, but what really matters isn’t whether you recognized that allusion to the evils of industrial society, what matters is when you can’t put the book down. The moments of suspense, glory, joy, romance, the epic wizard fights and the secret rooms, the roads less traveled and the swan songs sung sweetest before the last page. It’s the unexpected journeys that matter.

Graphic illustration by Sydney Matteson

Paso Robles High School

www.crimsonweb.net

Fun and games

Apple of their eye Senior LaZouich Ford and junior Alyssa Harris traveled to Avila Valley Barn for a blind date

by Laura Callahan, Fun and Games Co-Editor

photo by Kylie Pugh

Two unique characters faced the awkward possibility of a silent 45 minute drive on Saturday, Sept 22, luckily the famous South Korean pop song, “Gangnam Style”, succeeded in breaking the ice and from that point on senior LaZouich Ford and junior Alyssa Harris enjoyed a blind date full of laughter and entertainment that can only be described as “cheesy”.

Ford and Harris joked around during the car ride on their way to Avila Valley Barn, discussing the previous night’s football game, the newly revealed iPhone 5, the rumored haunted Adelaide cemetery, and the “Hunger Games” movie versus the book. The awkwardness was broken when Ford jokingly suggested a game much like “Slug Bug”, except with the participants yelling the word “pavement” when catching sight of the sidewalk.

Once the couple arrived at their destination, they headed toward the petting zoo. Harris and Ford moved from pen to pen looking at baby pigs, emu’s, alpaca’s, and donkeys.

Next, the two made their way toward a customary maze constructed of seven foot high hay bales. Both took turns choosing which routes to take in hopes of making it out of the small aisles. In the middle of the maze, the couple hid from Crimson reporters and scared them. After approximately five minutes Ford and Harris made it out of the maze, with stomachs grumbling for ice cream.

Ford joked about being lactose intolerant and ordered Cookies and Cream while Harris ordered Mint Chip. They then headed for the hay bale ride; Ford sarcastically commented on how great of a date riding on hay would be.

“He’s really excited for the hay bale ride, he’s just hiding it,” Harris said. As the couple sat on the trailer eating their ice creams they talked about what they were going to be for Halloween. Ford answered “Yo Mama”, and Harris playfully responded, “Yo Daddy”.

The five minute ride carried them to an apple orchard with beautiful views of surrounding hills and a vibrant blue sky.

“I’m going to get sunburnt out here,” Harris said. She and Ford got off the trailer, picked up a bag and headed towards the orchards excited to harvest Avila Valley’s Jonalicious apples.

In order to reach the best apples, Harris hopped on Ford’s back directing him towards the ripest apples.

“Stand in the weeds but be careful,” Harris said as Ford picked a high apple. Both laughed due to the fact that the weeds surrounding the base of the tree were prickly. Ford picked a bad apple and put it back www.crimsonweb.net

as Harris picked a nice looking apple to which Ford responded, “That’s not too shabby,” as he put it in the bag.

Ford and Harris jokingly smashed apples that littered the ground. Ford kicked an apple rather far and said , “Look at that, and I don’t even play soccer,” to Harris, a varsity soccer player.

As the two bit into their apples, Harris remarked how sweet and delicious they tasted while Ford commented on how bitter the apple tasted to him. Jokingly Ford asked, “Are these vegan?” The couple then shared one of their nine hand picked apples.

On the ride back to the barn, the two talked about sports, Ford asking Harris if she liked to play chess. Sarcastically she replied, “Oh yeah, that’s definitely my sport!” Soon they arrived at a pile of large pumpkins.

“Can you eat pumpkins?” Harris asked as she and Ford picked out two large, bright orange pumpkins.

“Yeah, where do you think they get pumpkin pie from?” Ford responded teasingly.

The couple departed Avila Valley Barn and headed to Pizza Solo in San Luis Obispo for a late lunch.

“Want to hear a joke about pizza?” said Ford playfully. “No, it’s probably too cheesy.” Harris giggled at the attempted joke. The couple sat down to their plates of pasta discussing football games, which they both like to attend. Ford ordered Chicken Pesto Penne while Harris had Marinara Pasta.

As the couple headed back towards the car, Ford took the reporter’s camera and ran around downtown SLO, snapping pictures of random objects and people yelling, “Cheese!” The two laughed the whole way to the car.

LaZouich Ford Alyssa Harris On the car ride back to Paso the couple Rate: 7 Rate: 7 decided to play a game of “Sweet and Sour”, waving to people in passing cars to see their Favorite Part: Favorite Part: reactions. Harris was disappointed to not “Scaring people in the maze.” “The drive down, we laughed a lot.” have gotten any “sweet” people as Ford got one person to wave back.

Second date: Second date: After a day of laughter the two parted “Maybe as friends.”

“I wouldn’t count on it.” ways. Although they may not be sweet for each other, the date was far from sour.

Paso Robles High School

Rate the Date

Crimson 10.11.12 |

13

prejudice pride

A look at how students celebrate their cultures–and how they are stereotyped for their backgrounds.

In one ear, out the other

Setting herself free from labels

by Analia Cabello, News Co-Editor

by Anna Hernandez, Environment Co-Editor

MIDDLE-EASTERN Junior Heba Elsayed may call Paso home, but her heritage is far from this city. She hails from a land located 28.8013° N and 31.1711° E separated by the gulfs of Agaba and Suez. It’s the land Elsayed is proud to say she’s from, but also the place which made Elsayed a target of cultural hate crime on Sept. 11, 2012.

“I just walked to my locker during passing [period]. They had written “terrorist” on my locker in silver sharpie,” said Elsayed, who has had words written on her locker every year at PRHS by anonymous students.

Being a victim is nothing new to Elsayed or her family. September 11 has become not only the mark of a tragedy for the U.S., but a day filled with terror for the Elsayeds. But Elsayed could never imagine how fast the fear could set in. Three turns of a dial was all it took; her locker opened, revealing the letter—included below—which would shake her day and affect the student body at PRHS. In 176 typed and delivered words, blame was cast on Elsayed for the attacks on September 11. This letter was written to hurt, but it turned into a call of action and an event which would not be overlooked by students, faculty, or the PRPD. “The note was what pushed me over the edge. I’ve never received a note before, especially not one that brutal,” said Elsayed, who came into class appearing unfazed; but with the constant talk of September 11 rolling around campus and repeating in her

LATINO

From the time junior Francisco Valdovinos started his sixth grade year at George H. Flamson Middle School, narrow minds catapulted small displays of prejudice and derogatory, stereotypical remarks his way.

Valdovinos, born in Michoacan, Mexico, in the town of Nueva Italia, moved to the United States of America at a mere three years old. He now resides in Paso Robles with his mother and two younger siblings. Even though he’s lived in California for more than a decade, the 16 year-old has dealt with insults for six years.

“I’ve been called bean, beaner, wetback, stupid Mexican, and more,” Valdovinos said. “But none of [the words] have ever affected me in a serious way.”

Junior Emily Vallejos, like Valdovinos, has experienced racial stereotypes first-hand.

“The first thing that comes to mind [about prejudice] is that I hear a lot of people put down ‘Mexicans.’....People just assume that if you have brown hair and eyes, you must be Mexican, which is not true,” said Vallejos, a Costa Rican. “There are people at our school that make it known that they think Mexicans are different than them in a negative way. It’s weird. People that I have been around make it seem like Mexicans are...lowlifes which makes me feel uncomfortable, even though I’m not Mexican. The saying ‘Oh, you’re/ I’m Mexican’ as an excuse for anything is so annoying....Why are people blaming an ethnicity for their problems?”

head, she just couldn’t deal.

“When I first got the letter, I decided to not give them the power. That, and I didn’t want to be the girl crying in class. And then I couldn’t handle it anymore; I broke down,” Elsayed said.

Rumors buzzed for several days following the incident. But Elsayed said she finds her strength in the knowledge that hurt people hurt people.

“I’m not really upset with the person who did it—whoever it may be—because I know that their judgment is coming from somewhere else. People aren’t born thinking that way,” Elsayed said.

With tears cried and fears fought back, Elsayed said she continues to hold her head high. She may be a victim, but she is still strong. With friends, family, and the PRPD on her side, Elsayed was able to wipe the tears from her eyes and put a smile on her face as she reflected on how proud she is to be Egyptian.

“Our culture is so rich and our people for the most part are the best I've ever met,” said Elsayed, who visits Egypt every three years for two months at a time. “Everything I've ever seen from Egypt is happiness and good times.”

She said she continues to be prouder than ever of where she comes from and who she is today.

“

Let me begin by saying should we hear of you leaving this earth prematurely we would initiate a personal celebration.

You BITCH are the reason that, the men and women fighting for this country died. You terrorist piece of shit. This nation MUST keep our enemies even closer and bitch you are just that, vile. You BITCH are the reason our parents die, you BITCH are the reason we don’t feel safe, you BITCH are the reason we don’t sleep at night, and you BITCH are the reason people die every day. We would love to celebrate and would for days on end as we would and will when still another American HATER meets there maker. So we hope that you take this day and think about how you will kill yourself because we don’t waste time on Bitches such as yourself. So take your little caravan arab shit people and get out of our country better yet fall off the fucking face of this earth.

Sincerely,

THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

PS GO DIE IN A HOLE

Although Valdovinos faces other instances of stereotyping, he said he’s embraced a philosophy reminiscent of the phrase, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

“There’s too many people who hate and want to start stuff,” he said. “I don’t really care about [prejudices]. [People] can say anything they want.”

Through the misconceptions, Valdovinos finds ways to show his pride.

“I show my pride in drawings,” he said, gesturing to the two penned sketches–one of them depicting the design in middle of the Aztec calendar, and the second an eagle head, symbolic of the eagle depicted in the center of the Mexican flag–adorning the first manila divider in his binder.

Although he doesn’t participate in many traditions with his family, Valdovinos celebrates Dia de los Muertos with relatives, along with Christmas and Thanksgiving.

Instead of being hurt by harsh words and ideas, Valdovinos turns the other cheek, and focuses on the joy he feels for being who he is. “[I feel] kind of happy and kind of sad—it’s in between,” Valdovinos shrugged. “All the Mexicans kind of support each other. (need facts) I’m proud of being a Mexican because most Mexicans are who they want to be, not what others want them to be. We do what we like because we like it, not just because we want to fit in.”

“

Closing the distance

by Lauren Reed, Feature Co-Editor

This letter was placed in junior Heba Elsayed’s locker on Sept. 11, 2012 by an anonymous student.

Life in the home of the brave

ASIAN Every culture is known for different things: some are good, and some are generalizations that put that culture into a tangible box. Sophomore Stella Bao has spent the last two years becoming accustomed to biased assumptions.

“People think Chinese people are good at math and science, and they think we all play piano,” said Bao, who has had to face these portrayals that movies and books often demonstrate.

Bao moved from Shanghai, China to Paso Robles in the summer of 2010. When she first arrived at Flamson Middle School that September, people often asked her for help in science and math, assuming her Chinese background meant she automatically knew how to solve complicated problems, according to Bao. Though the stereotypes remain in her thoughts, they are unable to block out her memories of home.

“My country is so beautiful,” said Bao, who has been able to visit her homeland annually during the summer since the move.

Living in China has given Bao the opportunity visit the many attractions in China that Bao has come to cherish: Huangshan, or Yellow Mountain, in eastern China is well known for its scenery and peculiarly shaped granite peaks; in southern China, Jiuzhaigou

by Brigitte Maina, Photo Team

CAUCASIAN Living in the land of the free and the home of the brave is a privilege for some, an opportunity for many and an everyday fad for millions; but with the red, white and blue waving in the wind, prejudice rears its ugly head throughout the country and even in our humble town of Paso Robles. Despite this, senior Connor Jorgensen takes pride in the country that went from “rags to riches.”

Caucasian stereotypes cause mixed feelings and wrong assumptions that can break bonds among cultures.

“People would stereotype me as the "blonde, blue-eyed and preppy," but that isn't me at all,” senior Gary Cross said, while explaining sometimes looks do not fit the personality.

From hurtful assumptions by facial expressions to racial slang transferred from mouth to ears between different cultural groups, students from all cultures have been at fault when it comes to respect for different ethnicities. Seventeen year-old Jorgenson knows of the wrongful historical acts from the caucasian past-- but knows right from wrong. “[Americans have] done a thing I’m not proud of, but that’s in the past. I still don’t like how much prejudice and racism goes on still, but I like how we’ve moved past that,” Jorgenson said of the slavery that used to haunt America. Jorgenson feels that even though Americans have done some regretful

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10.11.12 Crimson

things in the past, “we still have compassion towards others.”

Sharing prideful moments in America’s history uplifted student spirits as they reminisced about life changing history that made our country what it is today.

“Our independence was huge... we’re a world superpower and I don’t think we could be any prouder,” Jorgenson said, who celebrates patriotic holidays as well as Christian holidays like Easter and Christmas.

“I take pride in my country by living the American dream [and] living it up and experiencing life the most I can because I'm so lucky to be living here,” said Cross, who tries to live by having the most fun possible and not letting cultural prejudices hold him back.

Though at times the bad seems to outweigh the good, “it is the love of country that has lighted and that keeps glowing the holy fire of patriotism,” J. Horace McFarland said, a leading proponent in the City Beautiful Movement during the early years of the twentieth century, according to www.quotive.com.

If there’s one thing citizens in the United States of America should know, according to Jorgensen, it is that “we are proud to be Americans” and we should love our country with no regrets.

of students have witnessed racism or stereotypes about MiddleEastern culture.

86% Paso Robles High School

of students have witnessed racism or stereotypes about Hispanic culture.

53%

of students have witnessed racism or stereotypes about Caucasian culture.

www.crimsonweb.net

National Park, home to over 220 bird species, protects many endangered animals, such as the Giant Panda and the Sichuan golden monkey, according to www.jiuzhai.com.

The nature and wildlife aren’t the only things Bao has had to leave behind.

“I am proud of my culture because it has a lot of history, and because it is where I came from,” said Bao, who has learned to incorporate her ancient Chinese traditions into her modern American life.

Bao is 6344 miles from home, but she and her family still practice her Chinese heritage.

One of the more famous holidays Bao celebrates is the Chinese New Year, to be celebrated on Feb. 10, 2013. A big family dinner is held, followed by an exchange of presents, much like Christmas. Bao and her family also participate in the MidMoon Festival–celebrated this year on Sept. 30–where family and friends get together to eat moon cake while watching the mid-Autumn moon.

Moving to America has been different, according to Bao, but she has come to understand and appreciate our culture while still celebrating her own, and now accepts America as her new home.

62%

of students have witnessed racism or stereotypes about Asian culture.

Photos by Sarah Wilson and Sierra Mosely Graphic Illustrations by Sydney Matteson and Sierra Mosely Numbers taken from a survey of 40 people.

Crimson 10.11.12 | 15

A&E

Youth Lagoon

With their debut album, 2011 “Year in Hibernation,” this group weaves the simplistic joys, sorrows, and struggles of youth into a dark and murky musical backdrop.

This solo project, despite its crisp and masterful sound, is Trevor Powers first venture in music. The man behind Youth Lagoon, wrote and recorded his music alone in his one kitchen, one bedroom apartment in between classes at Boise State.

Youth Lagoon manages to create vibrant landscapes of sound that vary from the slow build up of “Posters” to the foot-tapping “Cannons.” All of this is brought together by Power’s light falsetto vocals, which sound as if they’re being called softly from the other side of the room; a tone that feels both distant and intimate.

Though hard to hear, Power’s sweet and nostalgic lyrics such as “five years ago, in my backyard I sang love away,” add meaning and definition to his songs. This band shines in the song “17,” where a soft piano introduction leads to Powers’ recollection of his youth with imaginative and subtle lyrics, centered around the chorus, “Don’t stop imagining the day that you do is the day that you die” easily some of the most deep and introspective lyrics I’ve heard in a long while .

Though, no one song is truly catchy, and hardly any of it will stick in your head, I find myself constantly coming back to it. Its lack of catchiness is its greatest strength; with each listen the song feels fresh and new. Because of this, I highly recommend listening to the album in its entirety. With the musics’ light and atmospheric backdrop, “Year in Hibernation” is almost a soundtrack, not to happiness, or depression, but a soundtrack to life.

Yet, perhaps the greatest quality of Youth Lagoon’s music is that in the vast expanse of sound Powers manages to speak to the child in you. It’s hard to locate it exactly, but in this album lies the power to make you feel vulnerable and happy at the same time, and pretty soon you’re smiling like a child. If you’re looking to step into the vast, wonderful, and daunting world of youth, give Youth Lagoon a listen, you’ll be glad you did. Youth Lagoon is the best band you’ll never hear on the radio.

Graphic illustration by Sydney Matteson

16 | Crimson 10.11.12

Speaking spoken word Junior Luke Clifford uses newfound talent to inspire others

by Sarah Wilson, Center Co-Editor

Photo by Sarah Wilson

Greatness has been thrust upon junior Luke Clifford. Three people would be moved and changed by it.” Clifford was given the months ago, he dabbled in poetry and music. Today, he has found idea to make his passages into YouTube videos by a fellow classmate the unique combination of both, and an unexpected talent: Spoken in Peer.

Word.

For the first time in front of a crowd, Clifford shared his talent “You know when you get those gifts? You just find something new with others and performed his testimony in Spoken Word at First about yourself and you just want to share it with people? That’s kind Baptist Church’s week-long youth retreat to Hume Lake in front of of how I’ve been feeling lately. This is something I just discovered. I approximately 200 people on Aug. 9, 2012. He performed it again don’t want to seek fame or glory and be like ‘that’s what I’m known for his Peer class during the Peer Retreat at Star Farms. for.’ It’s just more like I want to use it to make a difference,” Clifford “It was absolutely breathtaking; it was totally and completely said. inspiring, even for someone who isn't very religious like me. It was Before he discovered Spoken Word, Clifford often wrote love also so personal, he put himself right out there for anyone who didn't poems and songs to play on guitar. However, he soon lost know him, and I'm sure it took a lot of trust,” said senior inspiration for writing.

Abbi Harrison, who shares Clifford’s fourth period Peer “I was in a stump. I didn’t have anything that I was writing class taught by Jeanne Neely. “He's got a talent and such a about or feeling inspired about,” Clifford said. “Then I way with words and spoke with such passion, it would have heard Propaganda, I saw him live and he was awesome, so been impossible to hear him and not be touched in some I decided to try [Spoken Word] and see where it went. It way.” was something I had not seen, and Clifford hopes that his talent, I think everyone's built with an emptiness. They something that I’d never tried.” passion, and growing confidence Spoken Word is “a mix: always are looking to fill it with something, and my in writing and Spoken Word will emptiness is fulfilled with God and love of God. borderline rap, borderline poetry,” speak to people, even those who said Clifford, who started writing aren’t religious.

Spoken Word at the end of July.

“I think everyone’s built with an –Luke Clifford, 11 Coined in the 80s, the term labels emptiness. They always are looking “a wave of new word-based performance art” that arose to fill it with something, and my emptiness is fulfilled with from the Post modern Art Movement, according to www.

God and love of God. So whenever I am feeling doubtful spokenoak.com. Clifford first heard of the movement or down, that’s just my escape. I can go to Him and put from Propaganda’s YouTube video, “Gospel, “which has what He’s saying to me down in words that can speak to over 566,818 views. other people and speak for other people. I hope that down “It’s kind of musical. You’re doing it in a rhythm like you the road I can see the seeds I’ve sowed and reap the harvest. would rap, but it’s more written in poetry kind of form,” Clifford said I would hope that it would be a way that [Spoken Word] would be of the rhythmic speech. “That’s why it’s borderline: it’s in-between.” able to change me,” Clifford said. I like this. this kid is deep. I never After watching Propaganda’s 5:14 long video, Clifford wrote four knew.

Spoken Word passages over the course of approximately five weeks.

Clifford is currently unsure of what he wants to pursue for a He decided to focus his writings on Christianity and God. career, but says having Spoken Word be part of his future would be “I’m being blessed,” said Clifford, who witnessed Propaganda interesting. “Wherever God’s leading me to go is where I’m going to perform live in San Diego and talked with him about Spoken Word. go. I would not mind doing that for the rest of my life.”

Clifford said the interaction was “a great experience.”

For some, having a career of standing in front of a crowd and When asked if he will go viral with his own writings, Clifford speaking out for their beliefs may be hard. replied, “Maybe I will, maybe I won’t. I think it would be cool to “Getting paid to do something that you freaking love?” Clifford post them not for my glory, but for the Kingdom and for seeing how said. “That would be easy.”

“

“

Great music is out there, but most of it is unheard of.

Many incredible albums have flown under the radar, leaving and entire world of music that lie just beneath the surface. However if you put your ear to the ground and take a listen, you’ll find albums that are pure gems.

Paso Robles High School

www.crimsonweb.net

Band life

A&E

Senior Alex Cushing’s life on a Friday home game

SAXY MAN: Alex Cushing played the “Fight Song” during half time during the Sept. 21 game against Righetti at War Memorial Stadium. Band students practice during second period and during after school practices.

Photo by Anna Hernandez

by Nicolette Jolicoeur, Editor-in-Chief With the alarm clock ringing in his ear at 6:00 a.m., Senior Alex Cushing rolled out of bed with the enthusiasm of a candy lover going to the dentist. But when it dawned upon him that it was Friday, his love for the Bearcats helped motivate him enough to drag his backpack and saxophone off to school.

PRHS band students commit an hour every day to promote school spirit through taking up a second period and after school practices to keep their prestigious rank of heart in the stands.

After economics and marching band, first and second period, Cushing grabbed his sax and marched across campus to give students a nutrition show. On the Friday of every home game, the PRHS band leads a procession on a path from Santino Galvan’s room to the 600 building and back, while previewing preview some of the songs the will be playing in approximately nine hours. The band then proceeds to load up the trailer with their equipment.

After finishing out the school day and resting for his big night, Cushing headed over to War Memorial stadium at 5 p.m. to warm up with his fellow band members on the drums and trumpets. At approximately 7 p.m., they will play their first official song of the night: the national anthem.

“The best part of the Friday night games is seeing all of our hard work and practice pay off as we play songs to get the crowd amped,” Cushing reported after an exciting 27-21 game, on September 21, where the fans rose to their feet to cheer on their team after being pumped up by the marching band.

At kickoff of the game, the percussionists steadily increased their pounding of the drums to pump the stands up for the first play. At the halftime show at the Righetti game on Friday, Sept. 18, Cushing represented the band by performing his saxophone front and center.

Along with the half time show, the band is constantly performing for fans with anthems like “the Fight Song” and “Hey Baby”, a crowd-pleaser of the girl Bearcat fans.

They have approximately 12 songs in their repertoire for football games, according to Cushing.

“Being in band is different from being an observer, in that you participate a lot more in the game. You kind of set the mood with the different songs and get the crowd really excited to be there,” said Cushing, who has been in band for eight years.

“The band really pumps up the cheerleaders. We love it when they start to play! Everyone loves music and the band provides just that. People can dance around and sing along with the band and it really helps bring spirit and excitement to the people at the games. They bring life to the stands,” Senior varsity cheerleader Cassie Radecki said.

With the bands constant crowd pleasing songs, it’s no wonder why the fans share a deep appreciation for the self proclaimed geeks. “I think if someone was to geek out about something, music is definitely the best thing to geek out about” Cushing said.

Although band enrollment numbers have been dwindling rapidly, cutting the band in half in four years, they still remain at the heart of bearcat spirit.

movie must-sees When the ghouls and the ghosts arrive this October you may be feeling the chills. But make sure that with all the trick-or-treating, spooking, and devouring of candy cavities you find time to catch a Halloween must see.

Halloween movies are typically seen as bone crushing, spine tingling thrillers that have you jumping at the bumps in the night and pulling your sheets above your head. But if you are in the mood for a lighter film this October make sure to pick up a children’s favorite. When asked what their favorite children’s Halloween movie was, 30 percent of 84 students surveyed voted Halloweentown, while 15 percent voted for Hocus Pocus.

If the goblins and ghouls don’t faze you then you may be into the creepier side of the film industry. While it can be easy as pumpkin pie to find a scary movie at the store it can be hard to decide which ones are most suitable for this particular spooktacular holiday.

Students were most impressed with gory films such as the 1978 film Halloween which received 17 percent

of the votes.

While many will enjoy these films with friends it may be hard to find a flick that's perfect for the whole family. While Casper may be the perfect apple cider sit-down, it was The Nightmare Before Christmas which reigned supreme across the boards, receiving the most votes overall.

This 1993 film was voted eight out of ten stars on IMDb and categorized as a family fantasy film, whereas Casper, was voted merely six out of ten.

If you prefer a trip to the cinema rather than the home theatre setup you may want to check out the new films hitting the big screen this October. One choice could be Frankenweenie, another Tim Burton film, which is expected to be a performance enjoyed by The Nightmare Before Christmas fan base. On the other hand a viewing of Paranormal Activity 4, Silent Hill: Revelation, Sinister, or V/H/S may be just what some need to get their teeth chattering, heart beats pounding, and palms sweaty in suspense.

So whether you’re carving pumpkins, putting cobwebs in the trees, or bobbing for apples there's a perfect Halloween movie out there for it all. So gather round and enjoy your Halloween this year with a bowl of buttered popcorn.

–Anna Hernandez, Environment Co-Editor www.crimsonweb.net

Paso Robles High School

Illustrations by Jordan Nevosh

Crimson 10.11.12 |

17

Sci-Tech

iPhone 5?

Yes, please!

THE ERIDIAN BLIGHT: This is the path where you face a gauntlet of elite enemies before facing the main antagonist Handsome Jack. photo by Garett Hanlon. Graphic Illustration by Sydney Matteson.

The Path of the Crimson Raider A review of the highly praised game by Gearbox Software, Borderlands 2

Crimson asked whether or not students would buy the iPhone 5, released Sept.

21. Apple’s fifth generation of the iPhone includes an upgraded camera, a larger screen and improved audio.

By Ryan Frank, Sci-Tech Co-Editor Many games can always take the easy route, add new guns, get new voice actors, little things to make a quick profit off a sequel. Borderlands 2, however, did not. The amount of detail and attention to story really pop out and almost every scene will put a grin on your face.

Claptrap, a robot who deems you as his minion and he your master, will command you to do an incredibly large task: collect 139,337 brown rocks, kill Ug-Thak, Lord of Skags, pilfer the lost staff of Mount Schuler, Defeat the Destroyer of Worlds, and finally dance for his enjoyment all to find his “hidden” stash, you can’t help but chuckle at the fact that all you need to do is to turn around and find the stash under a large pile of trash. Little side objectives and moments like this make the game even more enjoyable as you quest to defeat the games antagonist Handsome Jack.

Gearbox Software, the designers of the game, went out of their way to completely overhaul almost every aspect of the game.

18 |Crimson 10.11.12

From enemy interaction and ever changing tactics, to sharpening and combining all the menus into one crisp user interface.

Critics, such as Game Informer and IGN, praise the game in all aspects, from the insane gratification of witnessing credits fountain out of your enemy when they are defeated, to the incredibly hilarious campaign and phenomenal loot system.

“With its unmatched co-op game play, intense shoot outs, addictive loot collecting, expansive skill customization, hilarious dialogue, and insane level of replay ability, Borderlands 2 is one of the most rewarding gaming experiences of this console generation,” said Dan Ryckert, associate editor of Game Informer and reviewer of Borderlands 2, who was able to submit a review before the actual release date.

While playing the game, you can notice all the little details that Gearbox implemented into the game. For example The minimap in the bottom right corner with targets indicating where to get health or where the next quest is located, These little details make the game all the better to play.

The game itself has become very well received since it was released on September 18th, earning scores at an average of 9 out of 10 by the majority of sources according to the web site known as Metacritic.com, which takes all the review scores of the major gaming web sites and averages all of them together.

Overall not only has Borderlands 2 delivered an incredible sequel, it has built a foundation that all action- role playing games will strive to live up to.

Paso Robles High School

Yes if possible 51.9 percent

No

37 percent

Yes already have 11.1 percent A survey of 56 students

www.crimsonweb.net

Food

A local ice cream shop stacks up to expectations Instead of the traditional ice cream sandwich approach, Batch gives customers a make-your-own option. Choose your cookie from a list of flavors including chocolate chip, fudge, sugar cookie, and snickerdoodle. The ice cream is Doc Burnstein’s flavors and the selection changes weekly. Each day, Batch offers a Batch of the Day, which is a cookie/ice cream combo; this day’s Batch was raspberry sugar cookie and vanilla ice cream.

I ordered a single creation of raspberry sugar cookie and chocolate fudge ice cream. The raspberry fudge combo exploded in my mouth with a burst of flavor. The delicate raspberry flavor held its weight with the strong flavor of the chocolate. However, the cookie did not hold the weight of the ice cream. I wanted to savor this delicious treat, but found myself wolfing it down in order to keep it from coming apart in my hands. I noticed that my fellow treat-tasters who ordered doubles or triples instead of my small single received their ice cream in a bowl, which made the eating much easier and more pleasurable. I would say that the treat was definitely a spoon and bowl required dish.

Despite the hardships with consuming the treat, I had a wonderful experience at this novelty dessert shop. The small shop’s atmosphere made me want to stay there and hang out. The cute pastel-colored old-fashioned cooking utensils hanging on the wall and the bright decorations gave the shop a sweet, old-fashioned feel. I would definitely return to Batch and create even more delicious ice cream sandwiches.

— Sierra Mosley, Front Page Editor

Fast Facts How to “Batch”: • Choose your size (single, double, or triple) • Choose your “puck” from a variety of Doc Burnstein’s ice cream

flavors •Choose your cookie type that will finish off your ice cream treat Location: 1108 Broad St. in downtown SLO Price: $3.50 (single) $5.25 (double)

We are always looking for new ways to excite our taste buds and Batch has found a way to combine old deserts into a new kind of taste tantalizing creation.

Upon entering the small shop with its old fashioned bar stools and chalk menu board you are faced with two choices: what kind of delicious custom made cookie and what kind of ice cream. Batch has combined the two into the classic ice cream sandwich which they have revamped with the wide variety of choice Batch has to offer. A single sandwich cost only 3.50$, and a double stack only cost 5.25$ making this less of a luxury desert and more of a worthwhile fee for a pleasant experience.

I ordered a double stack with two peanut butter cookies and one fudge cookie all smashing together a slab of Birthday cake ice cream and a second slab of vanilla caramel marble. This magnificent creation was literally two ice cream sandwiches stacked on top of each other. As you set your teeth into this cool treat the rough doughiness of the cookie perfectly blend with the cool, smooth sweetness of the ice cream. this combination is a pair made in heaven.

My only warning comes with the handling of this treat. Since the ice cream insists on melting at an astonishing rate this sandwich could quickly turn into a disastrous mess. However, if you are willing to risk sticky fingers and an awkward handling Batch offers a delicious dessert for a cheap price.

— Cooper Austin, Fun and Games Co-Editor

Vote: Batch was rated an average of 8 and 100% of staff voted that they would go to Batch again

DOUBLE: (left) A double batch consists of three cookies and two ice cream “pucks.” This treat is given in a cup because it is too large to consume quickly.

OUTSIDE SEATING: (center) This is a seating area right outside of Batch where you are able to eat your treat and hang out with friends. The color clash of the stools and table add to the modern feel of Batch.

SINGLE: (right) A single batch consists of two cookies and one ice cream “puck.” This batch has chocolate chip cookies and cotton candy ice cream.

Photos by Garrett Hanlon, Sarah Wilson, Sierra Mosley, Jenna Wookey

www.crimsonweb.net

Paso Robles High School

Crimson 10.11.12 |

19

El Otro Lado

A Decaying Holiday Day of the Dead dies off

by Kylie Pugh, Latino Co-Editor and Michaela Iunker, Latino Co-Editor

Illustration by Jordan Nevosh

A Mexican holiday Day of the Dead, celebrated on Nov. 1, is being forgotten in American traditions. On the other hand Halloween thrives as it gives into consumerist appeal of candy and costumes. Day of the Dead traditions still stand strong throughout Mexico; however in California they’re fading away.

In Mexico, Dia De Los Muertos is an overnight celebration filled with festive parades, authentic food, and spiritual remembrance. Families come together to remember their family members and friends who have died. These rituals have been performed for over 3,000 years.

“There are parades, street performances and decorated skulls,” said freshman Juan Lopez, who celebrates Halloween in California and Dia De Los Muertos in Jalisco, Mexico.

A dying holiday, Day of the Dead, proved its downfall at the MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan) meeting on Thurs, where none of the 15 members celebrate this faltering holiday. “Day of the dead isn’t as heavily celebrated in America as much because it’s just culture. In Mexico its a national holiday. They close down most businesses, like banks and such” said Senior Victor Zuniga, who has been apart of the Mecha club for 3 years.

“I celebrated Day of the Dead twice but I prefer Halloween for the candy,” freshman Juan Aguilar said who exemplified American influence taking the life out of a latin tradition.

Although the gaudy appeal of Halloween attracts many trick-or-treaters Dia de Los Muertos has a much deeper meaning. Families coming together to celebrate the lives that have crossed over to the spiritual world.

A day and night filled with food and festivities dedicated to their loved ones.

“It’s a day when we remember the people that pass[ed] away,” senior Carolina Valles said, who has practiced the tradition since she was five when she lived in Durango, Mexico. Valles is one of the few PRHS students still celebrating Dia de los Muertos.

Throughout PRHS Halloween has taken over and Day of the Dead has died off, but spiritual remembrance still lingers on in many parts of Mexico.

Peregrine Chase

Seven skulls were drawn by Kelly Clark’s AP Studio Art students.

Hannah Woodall Taylor Machado Monica Elenes

Sara Vernetti

Fernando Torres

Elisa Santiago

Día de los Muertos might be withering away as the years continue, but the spirits of the people will still be carried on. However some statistics about this spooky holiday show it’s still alive.

www.crimsonweb.net

Paso Robles High School

Crimson 10.11.12 |

20

Environment

TIGERS: face to face with extinction

by Aidan Farrell, Environment Co-Editor

The largest cat in the world- the tiger- has struggled intensively over the past century, seeing a 95 percent population decrease, and is on the verge of extinction at the hands of humans. As people continue to chip away at a dying population, through poaching and economic expansion, it is important to understand that the Photo used with permission by Peter Harrison potential extinction of the tiger is not just a sad topic in itself, but a devastating event that would negatively affect the balance of our planet’s biosphere.

In response to the topic of extinction of wildlife, PRHS Geo teacher Mark Dimaggio is angered at the humans negative influence on the environment. “In the last 50 years, we have lost 30 percent of the Earths biodiversity. At the rate we are moving, we will see 50 percent loss in the next 30 or 40 years,” said Dimaggio.

In fact, at the rate that we are seeing species go extinct, it is a real possibility that we could be approaching a sixth mass extinction of life on Earth. The Earth has experienced five mass extinctions in its history of 4.5 billion years. Each of these mass extinctions resulted in the loss of 50 percent or more of existing life.

The term “catastropism” refers to the theory that events in the past occurred suddenly and were caused by different mechanisms than those operating today. The mass extinctions that occurred before happened as a direct result of the natural tendencies of our planet Earth. Life was wiped out as nature ran its natural course. We are fast approaching a sixth mass extinction. This time, Mother Nature has nothing to do with the gradually increasing loss of life. Humans are the direct cause of the destruction escalating around us.

Based on theory, an estimated 27,000 species of animals and insects go extinct each year... in rain forests alone. As the rain forests are burned away, hundreds of species go extinct each day. These organelles are forever wiped off of the face of the Earth and most of them we have no record of.

“The destruction that humans are causing is insanely selfish and shortsighted. What we are

doing is so unfair to future generations,” said Dimaggio.

The tiger exists at the top of the food chain and thus plays a large role in the balance of our ecosystems. If the tiger disappears, then certain species no longer have to struggle to survive.

The struggle for survival among organisms is what keeps our Earth’s system of nature in check.

Without the tiger, animals that would have once been prey, could potentially reach unsustainable levels. Since the tiger remains at the top of the food chain, there are no animals that are dependent on it for survival. On the other hand, if the tiger disappears, then other populations would begin to overwhelm the balanced system of wildlife.

Many of the Earth’s organelles are dependent on others for survival. For example, if a pollinator, such as a bee, were to go extinct, the plant that it pollinates would potentially follow in extinction. In our planets biosphere, each organism is a part of something much bigger than itself. Each creature plays a part in the sustainment and survival of plants and animals that they co- exist with.

CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between participating governments to ensure that international trade of species is not endangering to the animal’s survival. John Scanlon is the CITES Secretary General. “Despite the best efforts of tiger range States, including the establishment of more and more protected areas, where one would have hoped tigers would be safe, the decline of this species in the wild seems almost unstoppable,” said Scanlon in the Illegal Tiger Trade session of the International Tiger Forum. Almost every part of the tiger body is sought after in black markets for use in traditional Chinese medicines. “Its skin, bones, whiskers, collar bones, feet, claws, teeth, penis and tail have all been used for a variety of purposes,” said Scanlon.

Over the past 60 years, three of the eight original tiger subspecies have gone extinct. Of the remaining subspecies, some are barely hanging on in the wild, the majority of their numbers remaining in captivity. A complete turnaround would be needed to reverse the damage that is already being done. The human race would have to give up on polluting transportation and the expansion of future tourist destinations. As this is all quite unrealistic, the only thing that can be done to save members of our planets biosphere, such as the tiger, is to make the world more aware of the situation the human race is putting itself into. It might be too late to save the tiger in the wild.

The wonders of nature hidden right under our noses Local hike that leaves you breathless

by Cooper Austin, Fun & Games Co-Editor In a winding canyon off Highway 101 ies a hidden trail head marking the beginning of a trail that takes hikers past waterfalls, creek crossings, metal sculptures, and panoramic views of SLO county. The hike begins with a small detour to a 30foot waterfall, the largest waterfall in San Luis Obispo County. Alongside the waterfall a gaping cave mouth leads into the hill, continuing into the hill for about 50 feet before turning into a man-made cement pipe. The rest of this hike includes an easy walking path surrounded by trees and a final climb to the top providing a panorama of San Luis Obispo.

After the small detour to the waterfall hikers will find themselves strolling about 1.25 miles of relatively level ground shaded by overhanging sycamores, oaks, and various other shrubs that thrive around the creek. Other than occasional sightings of poison oak only a small creek crossing hinders the way of hikers as they gain approximately 225 feet during the first 1.25 miles, according to hikespeak.com.

Those wishing for only a pleasant stroll can turn back here for a 2.5 mile hike, but any who wish to reach the top now begin the climb 1,125 feet over the next 1.4 miles. As the trail begins to steepen the trees give way to sloping grassland and sage coming to about waist height. About half a mile from the creek hikers can rest under a giant eucalyptus tree surrounded by unique scrap metal sculptures and a rope swing.

This tree marks the last spot of overhead shade as the trail begins to progressively steepen on a sun blasted track that continues over several crests that each appear to be the summit but are only stepping stones towards the final peak. About 0.9 miles from the tree the path comes to an intersection of road that overlooks San Luis Obispo city. Pismo, Avila, and Morro bay can be seen from the grass covered ridge at the end of the foot path. Clear views of the city and three of the seven sister volcanoes provide a magnificent panorama of San Luis Obispo county that, depending on the hikers physical condition, may or may not be worth the climb.

www.crimsonweb.net

Paso Robles High School

1

2

3 1. Cave located along the reservoir canyon hike 2. Swing at top of the trail 3. Students spelling “LOVE” overlooking SLO

Photos by Cooper Austin and Michaela Iunker

Crimson 10.11.12 |

21

Fun and Games

A D M O E O RICA F T S A F

by Jenna Wookey, Food Editor

Do you know more about fast food than your country? Elections are coming and political knowledge matters! What’s your quiz score?

1. How many states are there in the United States?

1. What fast food restaurant is famous for their “Whopper”?

2. What day is Independence day?

2. What fast food restaurant has both burgers and tacos?

3. Who was the first president?

3. What is McDonald’s slogan?

4. What are the first ten amendments to the Constitution called?

4. What fast food restaurant has a product that is beefy and five layers?

5. What day of the week do we vote for the president?

6. Who is currently running for president?

5. What is the special milk shake that McDonalds’ offers one month of the year?

7. What is the first line of the National Anthem?

6. What restaurant has the “Happy Meal”?

8. What were the last two states admitted to the union?

7. What fast food

8. What is Taco Bell’s new slogan?

9. What war is associated with Pearl Harbor and D-Day?

9. What fast food restaurant makes Neapolitan shakes?

10. How many stripes are on the American flag and what do they stand for?

America Quiz 8-10 right: You might be president someday!

6-7 right: You deserve the right to vote.

3-5 right: You might want to pay more attention in school!

0-2 right: Have you ever taken a history class?

10. What fast food restaurant offers a “4X4”?

Graphic illustration by Sydney Matteson

Fast Food Quiz 8-10 right: Wow! You’re a fast food champ!

6-7 right: Not bad, not bad at all.

3-5 right: You must not go out much.

0-2 right: Are you one of those health food fanatics?

1) 50; 2) July 4; 3) George Washington; 4) The Bill of Rights; 5) Tuesday; 6) Barack Obama, Mitt Romney; 7) Oh say can you see ; 8) Alaska and Hawaii; 9) World War Two; 10) 13, they stand for the original thirteen colonies

1) Burger king 2.) Jack in the box 3) “I’m loving it” 4) Taco Bell 5) Shamrock shake 6) McDonalds 7) El Pollo Loco 8) Live mas 9) In N Out 10) In N Out

Spot the differences

Can you find the 10 differences between the two photos?

1) Left cheerleaders hand 2) Top cheerleaders hair bow 3) Moon 4) Poster paw 5) Street light 6) #33 helmet bar 7) Skirt lines 8) Cheerleader’s arm 9) 79’s foot 10) 79’s shoulder number

22 | Crimson 10.11.12

restaurant is know for being crazy?

Paso Robles High School

–Cooper Austin, Fun and Games Co-Editor Photo by Anna Hernandez

www.crimsonweb.net

Health

Hantavirus

by Andrea Lorenzo, Sci-Tech Co-Editor

At first, it presents itself with flu-like symptoms: fever, fatigue, and dizziness. After about a week, money on research and development of expensive medicine,” Dr. Richard Prier said, an infectious more pervasive and alarming symptoms expose themselves. The shortness of breath and deep disease doctor with his own practice in Templeton. cough are more ominous indicators of the invading viral infection of the Hantavirus.

Though HCPS is a disease with a high fatality rate and no cure, Prier says that people in SLO An outbreak of Hantavirus in the Yosemite Valley has left nine people sick and three people dead. county should not have a serious concern about contracting the illness.

Hantavirus is a relatively newly discovered virus, first recognized in 1993. The sickness it causes, “Granted we live in the endemic area for Hantavirus and the deer mouse vector, Peromyscus Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome (HCPS), is thus an uncommon illness with fewer than maniculates, but it is a rare seasonal disease,” Prier said.

600 confirmed cases since 1993, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Although SLO County has not had any reported cases of HCPS, Santa Barbara has had Since Hantavirus has a five week window when symptoms may occur, many people may one, according to Prier. still be affected. Fox News reported that Yosemite National Park has sent over 230,000 “It is probably safe to assume that if deer mice in Yosemite and in Santa Barbara county warnings to travellers who were possibly exposed to the potentially fatal infection, have it then the deer mice here may harbor it in SLO county as well.” including international travelers and Americans.

However, the likelihood of an individual in Paso becoming infected is still small.

Though the potential of contracting this disease is small, word of the “Hantavirus is not common to begin with and many things need to Many things need to happen to happen to form a perfect storm in order for an outbreak of Hantavirus virus has spread to Paso Robles. Junior Claire Verzin and her family a perfect storm in order for an have a reservation at Yosemite, despite the news of the Hantavirus form outbreak of Hantavirus to occur. to occur. Even less chance that a person could get HCPS,” Prier outbreak in Curry Village. Verzin feels that it is the individual traveler’s explained. decision to take the risk.

So although the statistics for this disease may seem alarming, HCPS Dr. Richard Prier, Prier “We still have our reservation, but if the hantavirus cases increase is a rare occurrence. It is rare for more than then we will probably cancel it. Knowing all that makes me feel a little bit nervous, but Medical Clinic one case to be diagnosed in the same area, according to Dr. Prier, other than that it is the individual’s choice to risk it. There’s just that small chance of getting therefore making the Yosemite outbreak an anomaly. As defended [HCPS],” Verzin said.

by Prier, people who live in the Paso Robles area should not be HCPS is the result of the virus’ infection. Hantavirus, pronounced “huntavirus,” is worried about Hantavirus in this locality. transmitted through the feces and saliva of mice, which can be accidentally ingested or inhaled, for example through airborne transmission. The illness can be lethal; there is CAMPING WITH CAUTION (above): Curry Village tent cabins approximately a 35 percent fatality rate among those who contract it. With no antiviral treatment in Yosemite, where mice are thought to have spread the virus. available, doctors can only treat the symptoms of HCPS. (right): Claire Verzin and her family have a reservation at “There is no cure for HCPS. Treatment is supportive of respiratory failure... probably the reason Yosemite, and might cancel if Hantavirus cases increase. there is no treatment yet is that there are not enough cases of HCPS to justify spending lots of

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Photo used with permission by zomie84 on Flickr.

Photo by Josh Orcutt

Graphic illustration by Sydney Matteson

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Technically Speaking: Volleyball Set

Sports

Junior Michelle Pridgeon goes under the microscope

WRIST: The wrists snap the hands forward preventing a catch and throw, which is against the rules in volleyball. The finger tips place the ball, sending it in a desirable direction for the hitter.

SHOULDER The shoulder provides part of the power for the set. The shoulders flex and extend outward while the wrist snap sending the ball upward. The higher the ball goes the more time the hitter has to get ready for their hit.

HIPS CORE:

The hips provide a stabile platform for the setter. Stability helps provide an accurate set to the hitter. Like the core, the hips are an integral part of a volleyball set. Without the hips the setter is off balance and unable to deliver a hittable ball.

The core stabilizes the setter. Tightening the core keeps the setter from losing balance and allows the hitter to hit the ball as accurately as possible. The setter gives a reliable option for setting up the spike.

FEET: The feet provide the quickness for the setter. Quickness helps the server get into position faster and without flaws.

The faster a setter can get their feet into position the more consistently they can hit the ball and consistency is the key to a long career in volleyball.

QUADS:

The quads provide the launch power for the set. The setter bends their knees and extends their legs as fast as they can creating tremendous amounts of upward force. With every bit of height the setter gains the more angles are created allowing for a more accurate strike by the hitter.

–Brandon Kearns , Reporter Photo by Josh Orcutt

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Sports

love

GAME For the

of the

Senior Maria Petiy dominates the PAC-7

by Devin Corea, Fashion Co-Editor

Senior and four year varsity tennis player Maria Petiy has held the advantage on the court with every groundstroke, backhand, and drop shot delivered, holding a 31-2 record so far this season as of Monday Oct. 8.

Petiy, who swept her Sep. 13 match against Atascadero 6-1, 7-5, 6-0, was one of the top three players her freshman year and has held onto the number one spot the rest of her high school career, leading the Bearcats to a 8-3 third place PAC-7 ranking this season. Honored with holding a three year captain title, she is and has been considered a leader of the team.

“Her spirit has enabled her to be a team leader, someone for all the kids to look up to; she is a huge part of Bearcat tennis,” Laura Clowes said, who has been the varsity tennis coach for 16 years and a five year coach of Petiy.

Petiy’s teammates attested to her leadership role.

“She’s a team leader that brings us together both on and off the court. Winning her matches then entertaining us with her rendition of Mercy by Kanye West every van ride home,” said Riley Caruana, who has played with Petiy for four years. According to teammates, Petiy is POSE: Senior Maria Petiy poses for a quick picture with her racket during a set break. Petiy is 31-2, as of Oct. 4, on the season to lead the Bearcats. Photo by Anna Hernandez. calm, collected, and doesn’t freak out on the rare occasion of a loss. Her calmness keeps the team composed and brings them closer.

“Maria is a great team leader and always has a positive attitude, encouraging us all to do our “I wasn’t super thrilled about tennis when I first started, but now it has become a big part of my best,” sophomore Katie Evenson said, who is doubles partners with junior Maddie Berry. life, and I’ve always loved sports. It’s fun to play and do well,” Petiy said.

At the age of eight, soon after having moved to Paso Robles from Volgograd, Russia, Petiy And do well is exactly what she does. began playing tennis with the encouragement of her mother.

According to both Petiy and Clowes, league competitors this year are fierce. Her two dropped “I first started playing with my mom just around Paso. She wanted me to stay athletic and have sets resulted from losses to the Arroyo Grande Eagle’s number one and two girls, who are both a sport I could play and enjoy for a long time. Tennis was just the sport we happened to pick up,” state ranked and likely to move on to CIF. However, Petiy has been able to hold her own and is said Petiy. currently placed third in league after taking down St. Joe competitors 7-6, 6-1, 6-2, on Sept. 27, Petiy’s first coach was local pro John Siemens. “I owe him a lot to the player I am today leading the Bearcats to an 11-7 win. because he is a great coach and taught me a lot! The first tournament I ever won was his ‘Summer “I believe I have a good chance at placing third this year in league, which wouldn’t put me in Certainly Over’ tournament, and I played in his league every year until high school,” Petiy said.

CIF qualifying position, but I feel that as a team we have a good chance at making it to CIF,” said Besides being able to look up to her coaches, Petiy has found inspiration in professional tennis Petiy, who went to CIF with her freshman varsity team. “We are striving on making this our best player Maria Sharapova. Along with having the same name and heritage, she admires Sharapova’s year since there is a majority of seniors on the team this year and want to get that unforgettable grace and talent as a player. experience of CIF.” “She has been playing forever and has her ups and downs but is still one of the best,” Petiy said.

Petiy said she is looking forward to a great rest of a senior season, but only time will tell if she Having previously competed in gymnastics, Petiy’s passion for tennis was not love at first sight. and her teammates aspirations will be reached.

>> Last week in sports

Cross Country

–Bearcat Varsity Boys XC won the Stanford Invitational, Saturday Oct. 29, blasting past 40 of the state’s best schools including six of the top ten-ranked Division 3 teams. Among 280 competitors, Matt Kwiatkowski lead the Bearcats to victory with a time of 16:23 and a 14th place finish. He was followed by his teammates Aidan Farrell (15th), Kyle Ravera (20th), Noah Yoshida (23rd), Zach Chamberlain (26th), Nick Stair (46th), and Mikie Monge (100th), who all finished within 18 seconds of each other. Bearcat Varsity Girls and JV boys also clinched a win at the Atascadero Invitational that same day. Freshman Ashley Davis once again led her teammates, with a time of 21:37 and a third place finish.

Volleyball

–The varsity lady Bearcat volleyball team was swept on Tuesday, Oct 2, in three sets at the hands of Arroyo Grande. The Bearcats lost three consecutive sets, 11-25, 10-25, and 10-25, setting their PAC-7 record down to 1-4 on the season. The Bearcats named Jackie Caraveo the MVP of the match.

Tennis

–The girls varsity tennis team defeated St. Joseph on the road on Thursday, Sept. 27 by a score of 11-7, improving their Pac-7 record to 6-2 as the season carries on. Freshman Riley Austin was named the MVP after the game. Senior Maria Petiy improved her record on the season to 22-2. She and the Bearcats will face Righetti next, on Tuesday, Oct. 2. The varsity girls tennis team also won big on Wednesday, Oct 3, dropping only two sets overall against the Coast Union Broncos. The final score was 16-2, with the Bearcats winning all of their doubles matches. Senior number one starter Maria Petiy was named the MVP, sweeping her sets and improving her season record to 28-2.

–Brandon Kerns, Reporter www.crimsonweb.net 26 Crimson 10.11.12 Paso Robles High School

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STAR IN THE MAKING

Sports

Sophomore Bailey Gaither runs his routes right into the future

by Josh Orcutt, Sports Co-Editor

A crimson jersey shimmered Friday Aug. 24, 2012 under the harsh stadium lighting, as the number 81 streaked down the field, blowing by the pressing cornerback from Bullard High School. Open 15 yards down the field, sophomore Bailey Gaither caught the first Bearcat touchdown of the season on a streak route, and the first of his bright varsity career.

In five career games on varsity, Gaither has recorded 3 touchdowns. He has 350 yards on 17 catches, as of Oct. 4. Dangerous on special teams as well, Gaither has a22.62 yard kick return average.

Gaither is following in the steps of one of the best statistical receivers to come through Paso Robles High School, Cal Poly wide receiver Elias Stokes, and Gaither has proven that he has star potential. For Gaither, his star potential showed through at a young age, and it all lead to where he is now: the number one receiver on varsity his sophomore year.

THE YOUTH FACTOR Starting football at 10, Gaither was an all around athlete, playing at least a down at most of the positions. Something about wide receiver stuck with Gaither as soon as he started being dominant at the position.

“As a kid, I always used to love playing baseball. I just wanted to try something new. So, I tried football and it stuck.

I have always had speed, and have good enough hands to catch the ball. I mean I’ve played everywhere. As of now, it’s only wide receiver, and I like it. My coach as a youth always told me that we had a good quarterback. He just wanted me to play wide receiver. It worked out pretty well, it got me a lot better for high school and everything.” Gaither said, who has played football since fifth grade.

John Morris, Gaither’s youth coach, is not only a former coach to him, but a father figure and mentor. Even after Gaither left the team to continue his life into his high school career, Morris has been there every step of the way. “[Gaither] was a very good and very determined young boy. I hated losing just like all his teammates and coaching staff,” said Morris, who had Gaither since he was 11. “I’ve [been to every] single game of [Gaither’s] since he’s gotten into high school. I have a great relationship with all my current or past players and [Gaither] is no exception. We talk at least 5 times a week if not more. All my players know [that] I’m here for them for anything, not just sports.”

Gaither, a proclaimed “huge” Oakland Raiders fan, wears number 81 in honor of his favorite player, Tim Brown.

Brown, in his career with the Raiders, recorded 14,734 yards, 1,070 receptions, and 99 touchdowns, on his way to being named one of the most prolific receivers to ever play the game according to NFL.com. Brown’s has the kind of numbers that Gaither seeks and dreams of.

“I really look up to Tim Brown, Marcus Allen, and Bo Jackson. I just love the way they play. [Brown’s] the reason I wear number 81.”

DEEP BOMB: Sophomore Bailey Gaither jumps to catch a deep pass thrown by senior quarterback Garrett Nelson during the third quarter of the game versus San Luis Obispo. Gaither had four catches for 55 yards in the 16-38 loss. Photo by Josh Orcutt. www.crimsonweb.net

FOLLOWING IN FOOTSTEPS Following in the footsteps of a star wide receiver like Cal Poly freshman and Paso Robles High School alumni Elias Stokes may seem hard, but Gaither seems more interested in writing his own books, and making his own dreams turn into reality. “[Stokes] did his part, but the only thing I can do is me. I don’t want to worry about what he’s done, and everything he’s accomplished. He’s accomplished a lot, and I’m not going to try and fulfill his footsteps. I know what he’s done, Paso Robles High School

and I’m just going to try and do my best of my abilities. I’m just going to do what I can do,” Gaither said.

Stokes saw his potential skyrocket after a very successful junior season, statistically better than almost every receiver to wear the Crimson and the White. Stokes was the PAC-7 MVP in his 2010 campaign, as well as the San Luis Obispo County Player of the Year. He finished the season with 61 catches for 1,001 yards and 17 touchdowns, 35 carries for 246 yards, seven scores and 22 kickoff returns for 708 yards, averaging 32.2 yards per return.

“He has a lot of raw talent and reminds me greatly of myself, just more talented,” said Stokes. “He has tremendous potential and in whatever path he chooses he will be successful. [Gaither] will have his own legacy separate from what I have done and he will make us all proud as long as he stays focused and is the best Bailey he can be.”

IMPROVEMENT Training has always been a key to professional athletes’ success, no matter the raw talent they possess. Gaither is not any different.

“It’s a lot of practice. No one has perfect hands, you know what I mean? If you practice, it’s the only thing you can really do to get better. It’s just practice, practice, practice.

That repetition just gets you ready and prepared for game day,” Gaither said.

Head coach Rich Schimke has seen many a receiver come through his program through the years, and not only thrive, but succeed greatly. Some examples are UCLA high-jumper Aleksander Koch, Cal Poly wide receiver Elias Stokes, and Cuesta College baseball player Mac Stuart. A talent like Gaither doesn’t fly by without any recognition. “[Gaither] has continued to improve as a receiver. He needs to continue working on his strength and route running, [but] he has tremendous speed and explosion.

We want him to be a multi-dimensional receiver, not just a straight ahead receiver. [People] have to remember [that] he is just a sophomore and expectations are high. He has the God-given tools to be as good as he wants to be. From this point forward, a lot depends on how good he wants to be. He needs to get stronger, put some more weight on, run precise routes, continue to understand the entire offense and learn how to become a leader,” Schimke said.

Morris has seen Gaither progress from a little boy, at the age of 11, to a young man filled with promise and skill. “[Gaither’s] style has always been the same. He is a speed [based] burner and all you have to do as a coach is get him the ball in open space and he will make you look good as a coach. He has no limit on his potential. He can go as far as he wants in either sport, football or baseball, as long as he keeps his head on straight, concentrates in school, and works hard, he will make it,” Morris said.

ONE BRIGHT FUTURE As his future gets brighter , it all hangs in the balance.

“Honestly, I have no idea, how my season or high school carreer will go. Only time will tell. We’ll have to see what goes on, I’m just focused on this year. Hopefully we’ll just do good this year,” Gaither said.

After all, Gaither is only a sophomore.

“Yes, we are talking about a sophomore. A sophomore that is a starter on the varsity football team; a guy we depend on that has a tremendous upside. Two years from now we will see how he develops. I can’t wait,” Schimke said.

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Homecoming 2012

Photo Essay

WORK OUT (top left): Senior Marina Perry strikes a pose on Wednesday’s Blast from the

Past Day. This day consisted of outfits from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80’s, Wednesday, Oct. 3.

TWINNING (bottom right): Seniors Kris Pequeno and Colton Madrigal represent the Oakland A’s on twin day, Monday, Oct. 1.

STRIKE (top right): Sophomore Alexis Gutierrez rocks out during a game of musical chairs on Nerd Day, Tuesday, Oct. 2.

BEING ROYAL (bottom left): Freshman Lauren Griffin and Marc Martin strut down the red carpet at the homecoming assembly, Friday, Oct. 5.

PASO MAN (right): Senior Rudy Binkele stars as “Paso Man” for Superhero day, Thursday, Oct. 4.

Photos by Danae Ontiveros,, Maddie Berry, Brigitte Maina, and Josh Orcutt

28 | Crimson 10.11.12

Photos by Danae Ontiveros and Josh Orcutt

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