Granite Bay Gazette April 2016

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Taxation on menstruation

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The Granite Bay Gazette GRANITE BAY HIGH SCHOOL w 1 GRIZZLY WAY w GRANITE BAY, CA w 95746 w VOLUME 19 w ISSUE 7 w THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2016

SILENCED

COMMENTARY

Incidents of sexual violence often go unaddressed at GBHS

savitri asokan sasokan.gazette@gmail.com

Bernie supporters unfairly criticized for young age

BY SAVITRI ASOKAN

sasokan.gazette@gmail.com

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here are good reasons to critique supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. And then there’s the cliched argument that the only people who vote for him are the young people.

Unfortunately, I’ve heard much more of the latter than I would like recently.

All kinds of adults – parents of friends, teachers, various journalists whose publications I regularly peruse – seem to believe it is their prerogative to offer their opinion on the idealistic naivete that, supposedly, motivates all youngsters to #feelthebern.

Even if I wasn’t a fervent Bernie supporter, I would find this logic unappealing and dangerous.

The amount of negativity directed toward young people this year has been enough to engender a lifetime of cynicism and disinterest in politics.

Bizarrely, analysts are always citing worrying figures of how few young people ever even exercise their right to vote.

Shouldn’t we just appreciate the fact that youth participation in an election season hasn’t been this fervent and widespread for decades?

For too long, the youngest age group have been largely ignored by presidential candidates, a direct consequence of their inactivity in election seasons.

Yes, it’s possible Bernie’s catering to young folks – but we’re a part of the electorate, too, and we deserve that attention as much as any group.

That’s not to say that, as so many adults assume, the only real reason any student supports Bernie is because of his (admittedly dubious) promises of free college.

On some level, I can understand why people in power, who are unused to taking youth voices seriously, might feel like our opinions don’t matter. But it’s the plethora of ordinary adults that bothers me, who are all too eager to tell me why my opinion doesn’t matter.

So, I don’t want to hear about how I’ll never truly comprehend how tremendous a victory it will be for our mothers and grandmothers to see Hillary Clinton take the oath of office.

(Because, of course, feminism should remain a static movement, indifferent to changing circumstances.)

There’s always going to be a tradeoff between information and action. But we can’t let that constrict us into complete inaction, shamed by people who might know better.

Perhaps it is shallow to feel a twinge of pride in liking, retweeting and sharing posts about, say, income inequality, but these digital weapons are the advantage we have over previous generations.

I can cancel my subscriptions to the New Yorker and the New York Times, but these petty acts of self-assertion don’t take away the damage youth-shaming is doing to our generation.

Think seriously about criticizing us over issues, not age. Perhaps we are ignorant, but I can guarantee we’re not more ignorant than a significant segment of the adult population.

Yes, we’re a voice of optimism, and that optimism might be unrealistic, but it’s what we are.

Heaven knows the other end – of total negativity – is no better. *** Savitri Asokan, a senior, is a Gazette co-editor-in-chief.

Special to the Gazette /ROSEA LAKE

Victims said increased awareness about consent is necessary for change.

During her sophomore year, Hannah, a 2015 Granite Bay High School graduate who asked that her last name be withheld, was going through a rough breakup. In an effort to revitalize her spirits, Hannah decided to spend a night at Sunsplash with her good friend, a male student at GBHS. After a few hours of playing arcade games, her friend invited her back to his house, promising a night of Disney movies – Hannah’s favorite – and consolation.

Later that night, he assaulted her.

Pushing himself on her and taking off her clothes, he forced Hannah to perform oral sex on him, despite her repeated attempts to convince him to stop.

Afterwards, he told her he “could tell (she) wanted it by the way (she) let him get close.” At 3 a.m., he snuck Hannah out of his house and drove her home.

As she left the car, he was still trying to kiss her.

It was not Hannah’s first time encountering sexual violence. Neither would it be her last.

According to the Rape, Abuse and In-

cest National Network (RAINN), there are about 293,000 incidents of rape per year. High school girls, aged 16 to 19, are four times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault.

Granite Bay, like all communities, is not devoid of sexual violence.

But in past years, assault has been less prominent in police reports or criminal trials than in hushed whispers and campus rumors.

“People see (sexual violence) glamorized a lot, in the media,” said Connie, who works for Stand Up Placer, a local organization which raises awareness about sexual and domestic violence.

“Because of that, the “Fifty Shades of Gray” kind of (mystique), victims sometimes don’t know that they can speak up, (or) where they can go for help.”

The U.S. Education Code’s Title IX states that “no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”

See ASSAULT, page A9

Community remembers class of 2008 graduates after deaths Jerry Bogard, Cal Poly SLO graduate, worked for Deloitte

BY HANNAH HOLZER

After graduating from Granite Bay High School in 2008, Jerry Bogard went on to graduate from Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo with honors and a degree in Agricultural Business. He was hired straight out of college by Deloitte Consulting, which is where he worked until his passing.

On Friday, March 4, Bogard ended his own life.

“I can honestly say it was the worst day of my life,” Kim Nash, Bogard’s cousin, said.

“I love this wonderful boy with all my heart.

He had so much good in him (and) he wanted only the best for other people. He had demons haunting him that none of us are likely to understand, and he just couldn’t see what a wonderful and amazing person he truly

BY HANNAH HOLZER

Jerry Bogard Friends and family recall Bogard as a driven, caring person with a strong work ethic.

hholzer.gazette@gmail.com

Former ASB president dies in rock climbing accident Eric Seidman Seidman’s death said to be followed by a “communal mourning.”

hholzer.gazette@gmail.com

was.”

Since his passing, Bogard’s friends and family have reflected on his character and praised the warm and caring person he was.

As a preteen, 2008 GBHS graduate Jenavieve Hatch said she was “hopelessly in love” with him for over a year and, at 13, See BOGARD, page A7

The parking lot of Temple Or Rishon was overfilled, with cars and people spilling into the adjacent church. A line of people formed and snaked to the side of the building to even reach the doors of the Temple. Mary Seidman, mother of Eric Seidman, stepped out into the warm April day to hug each and every guest.

The inside of the Temple was filled to the brim; only on High Holy Days is the temple ever this crowded.

Rachel Seidman, sister of Eric Seidman and a 2009 GBHS graduate, shared a lighthearted and touching tribute, which consisted of the top 10 things she learned from him.

Mark Seidman, father of Eric Seidman, also spoke of his son as a determined, talented

young man and shared remorse for those who did not have the pleasure of knowing him.

The memorial, while somber, was jovial and humorous – a reflection of the joyous man it honored.

Sierra College course transfer policy changes effective 2016

Teachers deal with students’ secrets

U.S. History 17B no longer assigned weighted credit

BY SURINA KHURANA

skhurana.gazette@gmail.com

Students at Granite Bay High School are well-known to strive for excellence in just about every way – in athletics, extracurriculars and, of course, academics. One way students have found they can improve their GPA, take more classes or simply lighten their semesters is by taking classes through community colleges.

Students in the Roseville Joint Union High School District were granted weighted class credit for classes they took at community colleges that fell on a list of 11 specific courses.

Classes on the list that many students tended to enroll in were U.S. History 17B, Sociology 1, Psychology 100 and Statistics 13 at Sierra College, a local community college.

While it is a popular option to take these courses at a community college, they are known to be significantly easier than their Advanced Placement course counterparts at GBHS. “(I was planning on taking) U.S. History at Sierra College (because) I heard it was an easier class at Sierra College,” sophomore Rishi Somanchi said. “I also wanted to do as many classes as I could during my junior year. I know AP U.S. History is a hard class so I wanted to knock it out in the summer.”

Somanchi shares the same views as many sophomores who planned to take U.S. History 17B through Sierra College this upcoming summer. Many decided they will no longer take the course after Advanced Placement European History teacher Mike Valentine informed them that they will no See SIERRA, page A7

inside the Gazette news

BY ANJALI SHRIVASTAVA

ashrivastava.gazette@gmail.com

Gazette photo /MEAGAN TALLMAN

Types of credit will differ from past policy.

Doubling as a decoy

Daylight Saving up for debate

Local students participate in alcohol-selling bust

Bill will decide whether time change is observed in California

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See SEIDMAN, page A10

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voices

I was crying (and my teacher) looked at (my self harm scars) – he didn’t say anything but he saw them. He said “Come into my office, we’re going to talk about some things.” And I told him … Everything. *** While many students claim to have a close relationship with their teachers, few are willing to share such personal details as their mental health history.

Even fewer students are willing to share sensitive information if they fear they will be disciplined for it.

Yet what many don’t realize is facSee CONFIDENTIAL, page A6

Ted Cruz – the Zodiac Killer?

A satirical look at the presidential candidate

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News

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Granite Bay Gazette

Thursday w April 14, 2016

NAMES IN THE NEWS

Local students participate in decoy program

surina khurana

Teens have the opportunity to bust adults and businesses who sell alcohol to minors

Maya MurphyCook wins an award at the Lenaea Festival

ing both licensed businesses, their employees, and also the community about dangerous situations Underage drinking is notorious with alcohol use and abuse,” for being both a popular practice for Hopping said. and potential danger to high school Hopping is instrumental when it students. Businesses and employ- comes to facilitating the program ees who sell alcoholic beverages, or with GBHS students, although it is adults who buy these products for the student ‘decoys’ that are doing minors, knowingly break the law- much of the work.

-and a few Granite “We call them Bay High School operations because students are now they’re really on their way to stop During the decoy not ride-alongs them. operations I either because (the stuPlacer County are not just have to show them dents) sheriffs currently observing, they runs undercover my ID or tell them are participating,” operations, inforHopping said.

I’m underage mally known as As for the probefore they buy or cess itself, student the Minor Decoy/ Shoulder-Tap Progive me alcohol participants are regram; in which stusponsible for quite dents travel with a bit of action dur– An anonymous ing operations. officers to test local businesses on One senior boy senior boy whether or not emhas been working ployees or other on these sting opadults will sell or erations for some buy alcohol for these decoy stu- time, and hopes to continue in dents. the future. He, along with other The programs was put into place students referenced, must remain by the Department of Alcoholic anonymous in order to preserve the Beverage Control (ABC), which intention and integrity of the decoy is a California state government program. agency focused on regulating “I’ve done it multiple times and alcoholic beverages. They were will do it until I’m 21,” he said. established in 1987 and have been “During the decoy operations I successful ever since. either have to show my legal ID Deputy Gregg Hopping, GBHS or tell them I’m underage before School Resource Officer, has been they buy or give me the alcohol,” working with the students involved the senior boy said. “Once I was in the decoy program and is a great served or obtained the beer, I text proponent to the program’s success. the officer and let them know, then “The goal (of the program) is See ALCOHOL, page A8 awareness and education: educat-

skhurana.gazette@gmail.com

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heatre at Granite Bay spent a weekend a month ago at the Lenaea Theatre Festival where more than 1,200 students participated.

Senior Maya Murphy-Cook received a gold medal for her performance as Emily in “Bang! Bang! You’re Dead!” *** The winter percussion band won first place at recent show at GBHS. Way to finish off a great season. Toot toot! *** The Granite Bay Gazette won a Gold Crown at the Columbia Scholastic Press Association Convention. Way to go, team! *** In March, Ashley Martinez and Lyndsey Benner’s cheer team, Power All Stars, received a paid bid to the Cheerleading WORLDS competition in Orlando, Florida on April 23-25, 2016. *** Tanvi Yadlapalli qualified for the National Speech and Debate Tournament that is to be held over the summer in Salt Lake City. Utah has probably never seemed so exciting. *** Juniors finished the fun, exciting SBAC testing today.

Seniors, sophomores and freshman no longer get the extra two hours of sleep. *** Our very own Hannah Holzer tied for third in the California Journalist of the Year competition. Congrats, Hannah! *** Sophomore media student Shawn Shah won third place in the breaking news category and was a presenter at the Student Television Network competition. That’s a cool shot. *** Tamara Givens was named the State Activities Director of the Year. Talk about spirit. *** The GBHS Robotics team was in the finals of the Las Vegas Regional competition.

They are driving to success. *** Senior Aubrey Holt won the RJUHSD Student Board Representative award. She serves as our ASB President and thus is on the school board with the superintendent and district board members.

In her free time she enjoys rollerblading. *** Ursus, Granite Bay High School’s Yearbook, is a National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker finalist.

Picture that. *** Surina Khurana, a junior, is a Gazette news editor.

CORRECTIONS Accuracy is perhaps the most important fundamental of good journalism. It's the policy of the Gazette to correct all factual errors that are brought to our attention. Email us at: gbgazette@yahoo.com.

Identification Statement GRANITE BAY GAZETTE PUBLISHED EIGHT TIMES PER ACADEMIC YEAR c/o Granite Bay High School 1 Grizzly Way Granite Bay, CA 95746 Subscriptions: $25 per year/ $15 per half year

BY NASEEHA ISLAM

nislam.gazette@gmail.com

Intervention team adds new member Saenz says he loves working at GBHS

Gazette illustration/CARISSA LEWIS

Any Granite Bay High School student who is 16 years or older can be a decoy after an appliciation and interview process. The stings are usually called operations instead of “ride a longs” because the students do much of the work. One operation is called a “shoulder tap” students tap (hence the name) or get the attention of an adult outside the store and ask the adult to buy them

Robert Saenz Intervention team report specialist was recently brought on as a new member of the GBHS staff

cipals Jessup McGregor and Anvari,

BY HANNAH HOLZER plus Minor and Saenz. hholzer.gazette@gmail.com McGregor said he and Anvari work to provide vision and direction to the Granite Bay High School has intervention team – they are interbrought on a new member of the ested parties which look to support staff, learning support specialist students by locating those that might Robert Saenz. be struggling. They do this, he says, Saenz joined GBHS’ new interven- by utilizing grade data, monitortion team, which was implemented ing those with D and F grades and this year. Alongside the creation of by partnering with teachers so those the team itself, several new, accom- students that need help do not slip panying positions were added. through the cracks.

The GBHS’ intervention team, deThose that are struggling, Mcspite its recent creation, has already Gregor said, do not fit one pattern or experienced a few bumps in the road. group. This is a positive result – beMelanie Anvari, hired in the fall of cause there is no clear trend or group 2015 for the position of interven- in need of help, this shows that all tion counselor, groups of students, who worked alongside range in ethnicity and Holly Minor, who status, I get to reach socioeconomic was hired as the are all largely succeedstudents that ing. learning support specialist. Anvari In contrast with Mcneed the most was then proGregor and Anvari, academic moted to assistant who mostly work to deprincipal in Detect students in need of intervention. cember of 2016 support, Saenz and Miwith Minor leavnor work directly with – Robert Saenz, ing her role to fill those students.

Anvari’s position As a learning support learning support as intervention specialist, Saenz said specialist counselor. he gets to focus solely Robert Saenz, on student needs. was recently hired “I get to reach students to fill Minor’s pothat need the most acasition of learning support specialist. demic intervention,” Saenz said.

According to Saenz, the position Saenz also helps run the On Track of learning support specialist is new Tutoring center after school, which not only to Granite Bay High School, offers personalized tutors to students but also to the Roseville Joint Union for assistance on an individualized High School District. He said he level to ensure no student is left bethinks RJUHSD is being “proactive” hind. Additionally, he and Minor by creating these positions and the have been tasked with the responintervention team itself in an effort sibility of helping seniors complete to stop a problem before it becomes their graduation-mandated Personal an overwhelming issue – if the team Finance Course. had been created after the fact, he Previously, Saenz worked at Oaksaid, the workload would be over- mont High School. He said that alwhelming and students might not though he was nervous to transfer, he receive the help they need. loves GBHS and thinks it’s very nice The intervention team is assisted and welcoming. by everyone on the staff, but is speSee LEARNING, page A8 cifically composed of assistant prin-

Recent graduates report higher levels of stress and anxiety The rigor and expectations of advanced courses cause distress

BY WHITNEY KNORP

wknorp.gazette@gmail.com

Some college campuses across the nation are finding their health centers overloaded with anxious and depressed students.

The New York Times found that one in six college students are diagnosed with or have been treated for anxiety disorders. The National Alliance on Mental Illness found that one in three college students report prolonged periods of depression, and one in four have experienced suicidal thoughts.

The national surge of mental health issues brings up the question of why now and why at such drastic levels?

Granite Bay High School’s AP Psychology teacher Natalie Elkin shared insight into what has shaped this generation’s lack of mental stability.

“Two words: social media!” Elkin said. “Then, not only do the expectations come from just our family, community, friends and school, coaches and everything, but it comes from all the world out there.”

Elkin stressed the importance of not making judgments by comparing your life to someone based on their social media.

“I look at your Instagram account and ... we cannot help and make an immediate comparison.

Here’s what we don’t realize: we only put up on social media the very best version of ourselves, so no one sees the dark, ugly and pain that’s back there.”

Besides social media being a significant factor affecting the mental well-being of this generation, Elkin said that there are many reasons for these issues and why they are following people out of high school and often worsening in college.

“Particularly in this community,” Elkin said, “where there’s so much affluence, with affluence comes an expectation for looking a certain way and behaving a certain way and having a certain income, pursuing a certain career and having a certain GPA. Once that gets ingrained, it’s impossible to just leave it behind and move on to college.”

Elkin said the best approach to reducing stressors and getting ahead of the problem is to get in the habit of treating your body right, getting good sleep, food and exercise and adapting realistic expectations for yourself; in spite of what everybody else may expect.

“Say OK,” Elkin said, “I see what you guys expect of me. Now, instead of just making those expectations my expectations, what if I stop and think about what I want for myself.”

Some think that high school problems will lessen or disappear once students reach college since most

high schoolers have such a tunnel-vision of college being the ultimate goal right now. However, some recent GBHS graduates weighed in that this is not the case at all.

“Pressure in school has definitely increased,” said Kaitlyn Prather, GBHS graduate and a freshman at Purdue University. “The pressure to good grades to get into specific majors is very high. You also feel pressure from your peers because they might do Sabrina Keester well on one exam and you GBHS graduate didn’t do so great.” and Cal Poly Prather said that the lonestudent, says liness and unpredictability you need a good of a new place without fasupport system in miliar people, family or college childhood friends takes an emotional toll because people’s support systems that kept them stable are no longer present.

Sabrina Keester, a GBHS graduate and freshman at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, agreed that trying to adjust to a new home and become entirely self-reliant deeply increases pressure.

“College courses are hard,” Keester said, “and to have to build a support system from scratch as you’re diving into a lot of responsibility can take time, and for those who need that support immediately and (used to get it) from their families can have a hard time.”

In respect to how to deal with mental illness on such a large scale, Elkin said it requires effort from not only students themselves, but the schools as well as parents.

“I do think that it is definitely in part the responsibility of the school,” Elkin said, “to touch base with not just with your grades, but how are you doing socially, how are you doing emotionally, do you feel like you’re getting support, do you feel happy, are you getting sleep?”

She said students should be utilizing all the available resources that could help them. They just need to be given information on what they do have access to on campus.

As to parents’ role in helping their children, Elkin said they are very important as well.

“I would really want parents to be educated about how serious these disorders are,” she said, “and I would want parents to look for those symptoms and check in regularly not just with kids’ academics, not just with the cleanliness of their bedroom, but with their emotional stability, their mental stability, how are they actually doing.”

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Daylight Saving Time may be eliminated in future years California will vote on Assembly Bill 2496 soon

BY BRAYDEN JOHNK

bjohnk.gazette@gmail.com

The act of springing forward and falling back could finally meet its end if Assembly Bill 2496 is passed.

This bill would eliminate daylight saving (often referenced improperly as “savings”) time in California, repealing a law that has been in place in our state since 1949.

As it is now, daylight saving time has a profound effect. Californians move their clocks forward one hour in mid-March, and in early November move them back one hour.

Daylight saving time dates all the way back to Benjamin Franklin, who conceived the idea of changing sleep schedules, although not the time itself.

However, it wasn’t practiced in the United States or Europe until World War I, when Germany first used daylight saving time to reduce the use of coal during wartime.

Although discontinued for many years, it again began to be used throughout North America and Europe in the 1970s because of the ongoing energy crisis.

The initial goals of daylight saving time were to save energy and bolster outdoor afternoon activities from March to November with the extra hour of sunlight gained.

However, Granite Bay High School physics teacher Steve Miller sees a greater overall impact from daylight saving time.

“The whole idea of when we turn lights on and when we turn lights off to save energy really, to me, is irrelevant compared to our health,” Miller said. “I think our health should far outweigh the benefits of saving energy.”

Daylight saving time does have its apparent problems, which are many of the reasons some want it gone.

There are, in fact, numerous negative health impacts associated with it, which have been highlighted in a large number of studies.

Some research has shown an increase in heart attacks the first week after the time change, higher frequency of traffic accidents on the first Monday after

Truancy policy to be enforced

Students receive letters after many absences

BY BRIGID BELL

bbell.gazette@gmail.com

Many Granite Bay High School parents have read a letter from the school notifying them of their “student’s excessive absences from school” after their child has missed at least nine days of one period.

Although this policy seems to be one students are facing for the first time, assistant principal Jessup McGregor said nothing has changed, at least technically speaking.

“We don’t have anything new,” McGregor said. “We’re just simply enforcing it more than we have in years past.”

According to the letter students receive in the mail, “if (GBHS) does not receive documentation for ALL future absences, (the student)’s absences will be reported as truancies and may result in disciplinary action.”

McGregor, although aware that the letter may be harsh, explains “after nine (absences), that’s a pattern we’re concerned about.”

A continued pattern of absences might lead to disciplinary hearings by GBHS and district authorities and ultimately result in law enforcement involvement or probation.

Deputy Greg Hopping explained that the school hearing is really just to help the student get past any problems and make

the change and an overall disruption to normal sleep patterns and body rhythms, among many others.

“If (daylight saving time) is impacting our health in a detrimental way, and if these facts and figures are correct,” Miller said, “then we shouldn’t be doing this.”

Another advocate for the elimination of daylight saving time is sophomore Brent Bartholomew, who, like Miller, acknowledges the negative health effects.

“I’m just more tired, and I can’t operate to my full capacity when I am tired,” Bartholomew stated.

He is not the only one impacted and sees the potential cause and effect of the disruption as severe.

“It can cause hazards because if people are tired and driving to work, they could possibly lose control of the wheel, doze off, and kill someone,” Bartholomew said.

GBHS sophomore Jordan Bliss, a golfer on the junior varsity boys’ golf team, holds a different stance than Miller and Bartholomew.

“I am against the bill because then it would get dark at 5 or 6, which is pretty early, all year long, and then I wouldn’t be able to golf late into the night.”

Bliss urges people to take advantage of springing forward by utilizing the extra hour of sunlight in the summer for outdoor activities, one of the initial intents of daylight saving time.

“You don’t really need it to be light at six in the morning,” Bliss said. “But you do need it to be light later on in the night so you can do more stuff.”

This biannual time change also has consequences for students in other GBHS activities.

Junior Nick Rogalski, a member of the band, believes daylight saving time has a large impact on that program.

“During the fall, daylight saving time has a big effect on us,” Rogalski said. “It is generally dark up until DST and then we get an extra hour of light in the morning, which is definitely a nice thing.”

The band is impacted by any time changes because it often has before-school practices.

“In terms of zero period, it would definitely be a challenge to march in the dark,” Rogalski said.

Lynn Lewis, the GBHS band teacher, shares the same view as Rogalski.

sure school becomes a priority.

The panel that holds the hearing often encourages the student to become more involved in school activities.

“Once you feel like you’re a part of the student body, then you’re more likely to come to school,” Hopping said.

But the meeting does end in rigid expectations.

“At the end, once we feel like we’ve identified the issue, the student is put on a contract,” Hopping said. “If they violate that year-long contract, then they are subject to another hearing at the district level.”

Hopping said the hearing could ultimately result in law enforcement involvement and probation.

Probation, however, is rare. “(Students go on probation) mainly when the student is defiant,” Hopping said. “Probation is at the court level.”

Some students though, primarily seniors and athletes, are finding this policy troublesome.

“I’ve had a lot of people calling me telling me this is frustrating,” McGregor said, after acknowledging that the policy was generally unknown to the student body. “We’re trying to work with people through each situation, slow down a little bit and give people some transition time.”

Senior athlete Sammi Tafoya has missed school for illness, college visits and volleyball tournaments, no different from previous years, but she now faces being labeled a truant by the school.

“I heard rumors that the attendance policy was strict but I didn’t think I’d be truant for being sick or for volleyball,” Tafoya said.

She also didn’t know that a doctor’s note was required.

NEWS BRIEFS

“It’s kind of hard to be here and start doing class when it’s really, really dark outside, so it feels like we’re rehearsing in the middle of the night,” Lewis stated.

Lewis, however, is actually neutral on the whether or not the daylight saving elimination bill should be passed.

“I don’t know if I have a real strong opinion on it – we would just make it work,” Lewis said.

While committed to making whatever changes

FAST FACTS Truancy policy guidelines: wParents can only excuse their children up to nine times, after that, the absence is considered unexcused. wAfter the nine-absence threshold (established by the district), excused absences are considered to be documented doctor’s appointments and school-sponsored field trips only (established by the state).

“I didn’t think I needed a doctor to verify my fever or vomiting,” Tafoya said.

Because a doctor’s note is considered excuse, McGregor recommends that all students missing school for medical reasons obtain a note.

“When you have a doctor’s note, the box gets coded with an ‘X,’” McGregor said.

“If you can get a doctor’s note, get one.”

He also recognizes that missing school is sometimes inevitable.

“I know that real life happens and you’re not going to be here every day,” McGregor said. “I think that it’s a balance” Deputy Hopping explains the newly enforced policy with the addition of newer administration.

“Somebody new comes in,” Hopping said, “and they have some new ideas – a new energy.”

happen transparent for her band members, on a personal level, Lewis feels strongly about the entire time change issue. “(For) me personally, it’s a sleep thing,” Lewis said.

“We get up so early as it is, when you lose that hour it’s like being here at 5:30 in the morning instead of 6:30 because we have zero period.”

See DAYLIGHT, page A8

Drug kills people in the greater Sacramento area

Many overdoses occurred after taking pill

BY CONNOR HINSON

chinson.gazette@gmail.com

Methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, LSD are all highly dangerous substances and are all illegal. Surprisingly, however, none of the aforementioned drugs are statistically considered to be the most dangerous.

According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, over 40% of all drug overdoses in 2014 were caused by opioids – a subset of painkillers which include OxyContin, Vicodin and morphine.

Recently, people in Sacramento County and Yolo County have been experiencing an inordinate number of overdoses and deaths from a drug thought to be Norco, an opioid painkiller made from acetaminophen and hydrocodone.

Although the drug in question resembles Norco, it is now known that it contains fentanyl, a synthetic opioid with a potency 100 times that of heroin. Fentanyl is normally prescribed by the microgram, but these illicit street pills contain extremely high doses.

As of Friday, April 8, 48 people have overdosed and ten have died in the last two weeks alone. This number is unprecedented, and has caused massive alarm in local communities.

The origin of the fake Norcos is officially unknown, however the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is working with local law enforcement to

locate the source of these pills and stop the spread.

While this outbreak has currently only affected Sacramento and Yolo Counties, it is unknown at this time whether or not the fentanyl pills have spread into Placer County. People as young as 16 have overdosed on these pills.

The DEA has put out a statement advising against taking painkillers that are not your own prescription, however this is only a deterrent, and cannot fully protect anyone.

Granite Bay High School senior Emily Lavrador spoke about Norcos on the GBHS campus.

“It’s extremely easy (to get Norcos).

They are very much around,” Lavrador said. “Most people have heard of them, and it’s pretty easy to get them just like it is marijuana or anything else like that.”

“I’ve never taken them myself, but I have a few friends who have,” Lavador said. “Someone had a prescription, and he shared it with one of my friends.”

Another Granite Bay High School senior girl, who has requested to remain anonymous, had a more intimate experience with the drug.

“I’ve only taken Norco once,” she said.

“I felt like nothing and no one could hurt me. I could easily understand how people get addicted.”

Although she felt that she had a safe experience, the source of her Norcos is See DRUG, page A8

ASB UPDATE

Boys’ golf turns season around with a strong win

The varsity boys’ golf team won a league tournament on April 4. Their overall score was 369.

Bryan Baumgarten, who is committed to the University of Illinois, shot a 69.

“We won by 27 so it showed everyone, if they didn’t already know, that we are the best,” Baumgarten said. “The season started out a little rough, but I think we are turning a new page and will only get better from here on out.”

Generally speaking, the golf team has had a good season so far.

“We lost one match to Oak Ridge High School (but) other than that we have won all our matches and the first league tournament we played in,” senior golfer Ryder Sanders said.

Winning the tournament was a moral booster for the team.

“We felt good because we got off to a slow start this season so it was good to come out on top,” Sanders said.

“We all have high expectations for this season with a state championship as our goal.”

The team consists of three junior boys and three senior boys. Granite Bay Golf has had a prestigious reputation for many years, having won numerous state titles and tournaments.

Golf is said to be very different from other sports.

“There are no advantages on a golf course,” Baumgarten said. “People get good breaks, people get bad breaks and in the end who ever is the best will succeed.”

-By Caroline Palmer

Gazette photo illustration /WHITNEY KNORP

In future years, Californians may not change their clocks twice a year like they’ve done in the past.

ASB discusses Granite Bay High’s upcoming Senior Ball The Gazette talked to senior Kylie Shimada about the muchanticipated, upcoming dance that is at the end of April.

goodies the attendees will receive.

Shimada: Senior Ball is April 30.

Gazette: What has Student Government done to get ready for this dance?

Shimada: The dance is at the Hyatt Regency in Sacramento.

GBHS boys’ golf team won their league tournament and has a goal of a state championship. The team has only lost one match so far in the season and is looking to prove their excellence.

&

Gazette: When is Senior Ball?

Gazette: Where is the dance?

Special to the Gazette /DAVE MACINTOSH

Q A

Gazette: What are some features to the dance that students can look forward to?

Shimada: Some features would be the food. (It) is going to be amazing and we have some fun

Shimada: Brooke (Gonzalez) and I have hand painted every invite, which took a lot of time and we’re excited for the seniors to receive them.

Gazette: What is special about this dance compared to the others?

Special to the Gazette /AUBREY HOLT Gazette photo /Natalie Erickson

Senior class vice president and Senior Ball co-comissioner Kylie Shimada describes Senior Ball.

high school! People should go and make the best out of our last formal at Granite Bay.

Shimada: This dance is special because it’s the last formal seniors have in –Compiled by Katie Cologna

Thursday, April 14, 2016

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Enrollment rates to plummet

A5

Huge decline in student population expected over six years age might entail more consequences than less-crowded hallways.

Based on the most common funding model for CaliThe future of Granite Bay High School is expected to change drastically over the next six years. Specifi- fornia, schools are paid about $5,000 per student per cally, the hallways will seem less crowded to gradu- year. The loss of 47 students under the current average for California schools would cost a hyates who come back to visit. pothetical total of about $235,000 – on Demographers have predicted that in top of a loss of $3,080,000 as GBHS just six years, enrollment numbers are drops down to the state average. expected to plummet.

If we lose Among the certain losses will be “They will fall because the young students, we teachers. couples that all moved here to raise their families no longer have schoollose teachers ... “If we lose students, we lose teachers, staffing is based on enrollment,” aged children,” said GBHS principal (which) would be since Leighton said. “It would be heartbreakJennifer Leighton in an email. “Unless heartbreaking. ing to lose teachers.” young families continue to move in, the Students who will be attending GBHS neighborhoods that feed into GBHS during those years have mixed reacwill ‘age out.’ In fact, by 2022, we are – Jennifer Leighton tions, but they are mostly positive. predicted to have only 1,338 students GBHS principal “I feel that the decrease in enrollment coming from our attendance area.” could be a good thing,” said eighthAs of now, GBHS has a total of 2,001 grader Emma Tran, who will be attendstudents, with 1,680 coming from its ating GBHS next year. “I would prefer tendance area and 321 intra- and interfor there to be smaller class sizes since high school district transfers.

By comparison, the average California high school doesn’t provide individualized attention to struggling students.” enrolls about 1,385 students.

Staffing cuts, however, are not likely to result in However, ending up 47 students under the state averBY STEPHENIE KANG skang.gazette@gmail.com

smaller class sizes – just fewer teachers. Class sizes are likely to remain fairly constant.

Bettina Manalo, who will be attending GBHS in two years, is more concerned about the quality of education she will receive.

“Lack (of) enrollment could lead to fewer teachers, which could mean that either the few good teachers would be gone or some of the bad teachers could leave,” Manalo said.

“Should it be the former, then we’d hardly learn a thing.

But if it’s the latter, then it’s beneficial to students. Of course, there would be even Gazette photo /AISHWARYA more people out of a job and A loss in enrollment also means a loss in funding, and staffing cuts. slightly higher unemployalready in our attendance area,” Leighton said. “ Our ment rates.”

For the moment, however, GBHS remains unaf- goal would be to attract only the best from outside our area – not by doing anything different, but by marketfected.

“We know we have a great school, with great kids ing what we already have.”

Period of college admissions provide additional stress and complications

Students receiving admissions and weigh determinants for final decision, including the cost of a school, distance from home and location in their decision.

Gazette photo / AISHWARYA PATTNAIK

GBHS seniors are affected by various factors when choosing

BY AISHWARYA PATTNAIK appatnaik.gazette@gmail.

Senior year can be a year filled with fun memories, but it can also be one of the scariest and hardest periods of time for students in their last year of high school.

Although college application season has ended and most seniors have received their college decisions, the stress of choosing where to go still remains.

After going through the process of choosing what colleges to apply to and only recently receiving college decisions, students now need to make the most significant decision of all – where to spend the next several years of their lives.

Ivy Liu, a senior at Granite Bay High School, said she’s “kind of freaking out,” since her college decision will have a major impact on her future.

Transitioning from high school to college is a huge period of change and growth.

Grace Lyu, a senior at GBHS, understands the im-

portance of this period of development.

“I am stressed,” Lyu said. “It’s a big decision (to choose) where you are gonna go for four years.”

However, not all seniors are as stressed over choosing a college.

Some seniors – such as Kedar Rudrawar, a senior at Mira Loma High School – spent time researching colleges and got into his dream school.

“I am not stressed,” Rudrawar said. “I have basically committed to my top college – University of California, San Diego.”

Additionally, many senior athletes usually commit to schools earlier than the period of college admission responses and therefore might not be as stressed during the spring semester.

Chisay Arai, a GBHS senior who plans to play golf in college at Holy Names University in the Bay Area, said she is “not as stressed now” because she already knows where she will spend the next four years of her life.

Before choosing where to go, seniors must consider

For example, senior Jonathan Chu numerous factors such as cost, location, educational opportunities, said the quality of the engineering weather, distance from home and program at the colleges he applied safety hazards.

I am stressed. It’s to is a deciding factor.

Although Granite Bay is characsize can be another decida big decision (to ingClass terized as a wealthy community, the factor – Liu said she wants to atcost of college is a huge component choose) where tend a school that is not so big that for many seniors. you are gonna go she cannot receive one-on-one help “Money is a huge factor,” said from her professors. for four years.

GBHS senior Robyn Pan. “That is Since the end of senior year is a where all of my options have the busy time because of International biggest difference.”

– Grace Lyu Baccalaureate and Advanced PlaceLyu also mentioned how cost will ment tests, a lot of seniors cannot GBHS senior play a huge factor in her decision. visit campuses to help make their “I’m ... debating between colleges decisions. that are very expensive,” Lyu said.

“Since I am in IB, I do not have “Tuitions are either ($50,000 or the time to check out colleges so (I) $45,000).” have to base off what (I) find onAlong with money, selecting a school based on the academic programs it offers has a huge influence on line,” Lyu said. “Sometimes they only show you the some students. best parts of the college.”

2015 valedictorian questions importance of rank Annina Hanlon complained, said system was unfair

BY ARTHI BOBBALA

abobbala.gazette@gmail.

Gazette photo /WHITNEY KNORP

Class ranking system is seen by some students as an unfair representation of their academic progress because they see it as being compared to the rest of their class at a highly competitive school.

It should come as no surprise that class rank is very important to students at Granite Bay High School, a school that is notorious for its competition.

Class rankings are seen as an objective indicator that help colleges distinguish qualified students during the admissions process. However, many students have shown concern that this system has been counterproductive.

Last year’s valedictorian, Annina Hanlon, presented her proposal to change the current class ranking system to the school board. Her concern was that class rankings were a source of unnecessary stress and economic inequality in schools.

“I was disillusioned with the irrationality and potential harmfulness of the ranking system to the students that were subjected to it,” Hanlon said. “I saw my position as valedictorian as a convenient opportunity to criticize the status quo without appearing to be working for my own self-gain or vengeance.”

“Class ranking is inherently un-

While the current class rankfair and unequal because it favors those that have the money to pay ing system has definitely motifor extra college courses at Sierra vated students to try harder and or online,” said Sumana Kaluvai, push themselves to the limit, a GBHS graduate. “While Gran- some students said they believe ite Bay is a relatively wealthy the competition has gotten out of area, there are still people at our hand.

“I think that the value that school that probably aren’t able to afford such classes, and these we place upon arbitrary numbers like our concerns GPA and class should be ranking has taken into account.”

I think that if we c o m p l e t e l y the Many othdidn’t have class perverted objective of er students rankings, students school (which at GBHS said that the wouldn’t constantly is) to learn,” senior Grace class rankbe comparing Lyu said. “For ing system is not a valid themselves to those me, I definitely saw our class indicator of around them. ranking system a student’s as a measure intellect. of my own self “Our class – Camilla Griggs worth, and I ranking GBHS senior think that it is simply is discouragbased on ing for a lot of how many kids, even if weighted classes you take,” senior Jona- they are smart.”

While the school board seems than Chu said. “People who take electives like debate or journal- to be very receptive to this ism are already at a disadvan- change, some common concerns tage, even if they might be some surrounding the issue regard the of the smartest kids on campus.” college admissions process.

“As of now, there is no new class ranking system,” said GBHS principal Jennifer Leighton. “The problem is that some colleges do still want to know a senior’s rank in their class, although it doesn’t necessarily weigh as heavily as other factors.”

Because there are so many factors to consider, a comprehensive policy will not be passed by next year or anytime soon.

“If and when a student’s class rank is taken off of transcripts, it will be started with a freshman class after plenty of warning,” Leighton said.

The potential benefits from changing the current class ranking system seems to be self-evident to many students.

“I think that if we didn’t have class rankings, students wouldn’t constantly be comparing themselves to those around them and they (would) be focusing more on themselves and their potential,” senior Camilla Griggs said. “It will definitely take the focus away from the numbers and it will alleviate the stress that originates from these numbers.”

The Gazette. Your names. Your faces. Your newspaper.

Thursday, April 14, 2016

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Apple vs. FBI debate creates fruitful concerns

A6

Students align with different sides of the conflict – some concerned with privacy, others with security

BY ARTHI BOBBALA

abobbala.gazette@gmail.com

The recent showdown between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Apple has brought back the debate about national security versus individual privacy. Apple publicly contested a court order mandating its help for the FBI in recovering information from the phone of San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook.

While the FBI has managed to get into Farook’s phone without Apple’s help, the controversy has caused some to take sides over the issue regarding individual privacy. Supporters of the FBI include national security and law enforcement advocates, while supporters of Apple are advocates of privacy and civil liberties.

Recently, this debate has materialized among Granite Bay High School students and teachers, some of whom own iPhones.

“I would side with Apple,” senior Kyle Giannini said. “I think that because they are a private company, they should have the right to refuse the requests of the FBI.” Others disagree.

“Law enforcement and the FBI are there to protect the general public,” senior Ivy Liu said. “Even though Apple’s intent was to protect the people’s privacy, I think that the FBI had the right to unlock it because they were doing what was best for the general public.”

Others, agreeing with Liu, have reasoning that stems from a more specific view, taking into account the specific iPhone in question.

“I think that because the San Bernardino shooter committed a crime against society, he no longer deserves the liberties of normal American citizens,” freshman Stephanie Samson said. “Law enforcement should have the resources they need in order to protect the public from such horrors.”

The FBI essentially asked Apple to create a new code that would bypass the security system which erases all of the data on an iPhone after numerous unsuccessful attempts to unlock the phone.

“I think that, in the past, the government has definitely shown us that we can’t trust them, which is why we need to be careful

about how much power they get,” Giannini said. “If we are not careful, it would be very easy for them to abuse that power.”

After it was announced that the FBI got access to Farook’s phone data without the help of Apple, many law enforcement agencies at different levels reached out to the FBI and asked for help. These agencies want the FBI to aid them in investigations by unlocking iPhones in the future that could be essential in solving their cases.

While the creation of such a universal key which could access any locked iPhone would revolutionize investigative methods for law enforcement agencies, this debate also forces the country to revisit the issue of government overreach and abuse.

“Obviously, you want the government to be able to take necessary measures against terrorism of other threats to public security,” said senior Ibrahim Hajar. “But the software that allows access into iPhones does raise concerns about governmental abuse.

“After the recent attacks in Brussels and Lahore, fear and paranoia in the American people and the government is largely

Students struggle to maintain perfect

Gazette photo illustration/ CARISSA LEWIS

Some students fear that if a key is created by Apple under an FBI request, there would be a potentially hazardous lack of restrictions.

prevalent. This kind of hysteria is the perfect breeding ground for governmental abuse. I think that this paranoia is un-

derstandable. However, we shouldn’t be ignorant and should be aware of governmental abuse.”

Traveling for college?

Some students consider going overseas

BY TROY PAWLAK

tpawlak.gazette@gmail.com

Gazette photo /ALI LEMOS

Students deal with varying policies throughout the day as they are dependent on the teacher implementing them – some students dislike changing policies, and would prefer one, standard guidline.

Teachers implement tardy policies of differing levels of severity much to student dismay

BY KATIE COLOGNA

kcologna.gazette@gmail.com

When it comes to Granite Bay High School’s tardies, there is always a group of people who arrive late in the mornings. What many students have a problem with, however, might not be that they are arriving late, but that they are marked tardy on their way to class.

“If you see a student running towards the 900 building near the bell, they are probably in my class,” Advanced Placement Calculus and Standard Level Math teacher Scott Becker said.

The tardy policy of the Roseville Joint Union School District states students should be in their seat by the time the bell rings. The enforcement of these policies is left up to the teachers, who implement policies varying in levels of strictness.

“There are definitely some teachers that are a lot more strict about it than others,” senior Tanvi Mehta said. “It just depends on their personal preference, honestly.”

When students commute, sometimes situations are out of control of the student – for example, traffic can hinder a student’s ability to make it to school on time – and that student might end up being repri-

manded with a tardy for a reasons beyond their control.

“I’d rather the tardies not be such a big deal,” Mehta said. “Especially in the mornings, because you think they would be a little understanding of kids in traffic or kids trying to get to school but don’t have the means to at a certain time.”

To many GBHS students, it is frustrating to have such a diverse number of teachers who have polar opposite policies.

“It’s kind of annoying having one teacher that’s not strict and another teacher that is strict,” sophomore Benjamin Law said.

This varying in policies causes issues for some. “(In) my first period, if you’re not in the seat when the bell rings, you know you’re late,” sophomore Jordan Bliss said. “But (in my) second, third and fourth (period classes) you can walk in five, six minutes late and they’re OK with it.”

Teachers will also sometimes add their own twist onto school tardy policies.

“I stole my tardy (policy) from Dale Mortensen when I first started teaching here over 15 years ago,” Becker said. “We call it the Dice of Doom. The definition of tardy in my room is that every part of a

student’s body must have crossed through the threshold of the doorway to the classroom before the bell stops ringing.

“Each grading period, everyone gets one free tardy. For each tardy after that, they must roll the Dice of Doom. There are five punishments which correspond to the numbers one through five and the number six is a ‘get out of jail free’ card.”

Punishments for the Dice of Doom range from cleaning the room to writing one hundred times ‘I will never be tardy to class again.’

Even though some teachers are OK with students running late, many teachers use the strict policy as a sort of practice for the lives students will be living in the future.

“While it would be nice to have consistency, the world does not always work that way,” Becker said.

It all comes down to the teacher’s preference and rules. It is then the student’s job to have to adjust to it, even if it is a hassle to switch back and forth between their policies.

“Some teachers are more comfortable with students coming in late,” Becker said. “(But) as our kids move into college and then the workplace, they will have to learn to adapt to differing expectations

As the time of college admissions and decisions has come and will soon end, schools across the country have reported an increase in the number of foreign students enrolling in American universities, with some voicing their dislike of this trend.

On the other, often overlooked, side of this trend is the increase in American students studying at schools in foreign countries. Since last year, the number of students enrolling in foreign schools has increased by approximately 5 percent, from 290,000 to 305,000, according to the National Association of Foreign Student Advisors.

One of the most common destinations for these students is the United Kingdom.

Oxford University has reported that United States students make up the most international students and alumni for the university. The London School of Economics has also reported an increase of overseas students, with nearly half of their students hailing from outside the UK, but not necessarily from the United States.

For some Granite Bay High School students, the attractiveness of foreign schools has gotten their attention.

Depending on where the schools are located, the application process changes – and individual schools maight have some individual processes as well. For Oxford University, there is no additional application and an applicant must fill out only the standard UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admission Service) application, which is used throughout British schools.

For Cambridge, the potential student must fill out the UCAS as well as an additional form, called the Cambridge Online Preliminary Application which is needed for those who hail from outside the European Union.

There are typically three outcomes – acceptance, rejection or conditional acceptance.

Rory McDiarmid, a professor at the University of Glasgow, told the

CONFIDENTIAL: When to report discussed

Continued from page A1

ulty members, as mandated reporters, are only legally required to report suspected child abuse, which can be either physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse or neglect.

Behaviors that are illegal, but don’t fall into these categories, such as drug use or consumption of alcohol by minors, will not necessarily be reported by an adult on campus.

When a teacher learns of a student’s suspicious behaviors, it is up to them as to whether or not they will report it.

For Advanced Placement Psychology and Peer Counseling teacher Natalie Elkin, this dilemma presents itself frequently. The subject matter she teaches is more personal than most classes taught at Granite Bay High School, and because of this, students who have taken a class with her see her as someone they can confide in.

Elkin said for the majority of cases, she would not report a student for engaging in illegal activities, if it had happened off campus and had not threatened anyone.

“The issue is safety and not so much health,” Elkin said. “I certainly don’t condone it and I certainly don’t approve of it, but I don’t see them necessarily being at risk.”

For Elkin, only incidents which immediately threaten students necessitate a full-fledged report.

“I’ve had students come to me, concerned about a friend,” Elkin said. “At that point, they were so concerned because this friend was doing so much drinking, they were worried about the person’s safety. I did report that. For me, it’s the difference between unhealthy choices and life-threatening choices.”

Similarly, drama teacher Kyle Holmes said if he had reason to believe it was a lifestyle a student was maintaining regularly, whether on or off campus, he would

at least have a conversation, voicing his concerns.

Some students feel uncomfortable with the idea that their secrets may be shared with others, even if the intention is to protect them.

One junior girl who wished to remain anonymous once shared her struggle with depression, body dysmorphia and self harm with a teacher on campus. “(During our conversation, the teacher) basically told me ‘You need to talk to your mom or I will,’” she said. “I had been in fourth period with him and I went home 20 minutes later, and as soon as I was walking through the door he was on the phone with my mom.”

She said that while the teacher’s intentions were good, she does not believe it really helped her overcome her conditions. “(After the call, my mom) had my dad come over and we all sat outside, and we had a very long talk,” she said. “At the

Gazette photo /HANNAH HOLZER

Seniors and graduates consider international colleges, such as England’s prestigious University of Oxford.

New York Times that some students spent one semester in Dublin and are alarmed by the conditional ac- one in Paris. ceptance offer, but if students meet Regarding possible language the given requirements, acceptance barriers, Mac Millan said she did can be expected. not incur any problems in Dublin Senior Samuel as they speak English, Rutten plans on and because one of her attending the UniSome of my fa- majors is French, she versity of Twente was able to communivorite memories cate with the people in in the Netherlands, but has been given have been with France. Additionally, she said European conditional accepthe people that schools focus more tance.

In order to be al“one large assignI’ve met abroad. on lowed to attend the ment, midterms and finals” and has had “aluniversity, Rutten – Kennedy Mac Millan most no homework.” must take a test Mac Millan said she to prove his unGBHS 2014 graduate derstanding of the would recommend her Dutch language. experiences to those Rutten is a native of interested in studying the Netherlands and abroad. moved to the Unit“Some of my favored States as a child but now plans ite memories have been with the on returning. people that I’ve met abroad, trav“Since I have not lived there since eling to different countries,” Mac I was a kid I have to prove to them I Millan said. “A few weeks ago I got can still understand the language at to go to Morocco on a trip with my program for a week, and it was so that level,” Rutten said.

Although there are students who cool. We rode camels in the Sahara choose to spend their entire college and fed wild monkeys.

“I completely recommend spendexperience abroad, there are also those who choose to travel abroad ing a semester or two studying for extended periods of time through abroad. Also, depending on where you decide to go and where your universities in the United States.

2014 Granite Bay High School home university is, a lot of times graduate Kennedy Mac Millan studying abroad can actually be is studying abroad for a full year cheaper than a semester at (a) U.S. through a U.S. school. She is study- school. My whole experience has ing abroad through the International been amazing and I’ve been able to Studies Abroad program and has see so many different cultures.”

time, I don’t think it really helped me at all … It’s not anything that anybody else can do to help me; I have to do it myself.

The talk that my parents gave to me didn’t really help me – it kind of made it worse.”

Though she was uncomfortable, she doesn’t blame the teacher for what he did.

“He realized (I) wasn’t the normal (me),” the junior girl said. “ I don’t want to say the word report because that sounds really official … He wasn’t being a teacher in that moment, he was sharing his experiences with me as well and he was just being a nice human being and caring.”

While students are careful about what they say around teachers, teachers might be put in the uncomfortable position of reporting something that was told in confidence.

Both Elkin and Holmes always tell the student beforehand if they decide to interfere.

“There’s no such thing as off the record when you’re talking to a teacher,” Holmes said. “I have had conversations where … at the end of the conversation I have to say ‘I need to let you know, I have to fol-

low up on this legally. You might hate me for it, but I have to.’”

In some cases, the student willingly goes to an adult for help because they realize they are unable to handle the situation alone.

One junior boy who was hesitant to share specifics said that he contacted an assistant principal because he was involved in an incident concerning drugs.

“I did go to ( assistant principal Brian) McNulty to talk to him about the situation that I was in at the time, because I was worried things would get too far,” the junior boy said. “He wanted me to write (my story) down ... and he told me after it was all handled to not do that again, or else I’ll get more than suspension … I wanted to end it, and I needed help.”

McNulty said all GBHS adults’ priority is to keep the students on campus out of harm’s way.

“As certificated adults, we are mandated by court to keep you guys safe,” McNulty said. “In order to do that, sometimes we have to contact outside agencies … that’s our job.”

Thursday, April 14, 2016

w The Granite Bay Gazette

A7 News

Changes in the UC application process for 2017 class

Two large essays become four shorter essays with more choices

BY ALI LEMOS

alemos.gazette@gmail.com

For prospective University of California students next year, the essay portion of the application will have four essays instead of two.

The UC system has decided to change the personal statement section of the college application, and are now referred to as personal insight questions.

However the overall application process to the UC has not changed.

Granite Bay High School Senior Tyler Genetti liked the application process that he went through and plans on attending the University of California, Los Angeles, in the fall.

“It was efficient, I could write one application for all the UC and some of them are great schools,” Genetti said.

If applicants want to apply to UC Berkeley or UCLA, they fill out the same application and just send it to the specific campus they wish to attend.

What used to be the personal statement for incoming freshmen was two prompts which could not be, in total more, than 1000 words.

Students would then have to consider if they wanted to weight the essays equally or place more importance on one, making it longer.

“I thought the prompts were reasonable,” Genetti said. “(They) gave people

a chance to explain their life story.”

Now incoming freshmen are faced with answering four personal insight questions but are given eight prompts to choose from.

In addition, each essay can only be 350 words, which might restrict students from fully developing a subject they care about.

The old personal statement questions encouraged applicants to discuss “how your world shaped your dreams” and “to tell (the UC’s) about a personal quality (or) talent.”

These vary from some of the new prompts that advise students to “express your creative side” or to “describe your favorite academic subject and how it influences you.”

The additional prompts are intended to give students a chance to reflect on their individual circumstances and give the UC campuses a more diverse student body.

“I think this is worse because most people can get their point across in one or two prompts and more than that would get repetitive,” Genetti said.

However, GBHS junior Megan Le plans on applying to UCLA, UC San Diego and UC Berkeley and is excited about the changes in the application.

“You can find different ways to express yourself so it feels less limiting,” Le said.

“It feels the way they’re doing their application is more diverse and like they actually want to know your personality.”

According to the UC application website, which has been updated for next year’s applicants, “all (questions) are given equal consideration in the application review process.”

Admission Offices intend to learn about an applicant’s interests and personality with more detailed questions that allow students to express themselves on four different topics instead of one.

While the impact of the personal insight questions are yet to be seen, Cindi Underwood, the College and Career Coordinator, notes the benefit this change could have.

“I believe that students will have a great starting point for the responses Source/UNIVERISTY OF CALIFORNIA Gazette illustration/TROY PAWLAK since the questions seem more specific than previous The Univeristy of California system is the premier public university program in the state prompts,” Underwood said. of California and is composed of schools that are often dream schools for state residents.

SIERRA: Requirements for weighted credit changing Continued from page A1

longer receive weighted credit for taking it at a community college.

The list of 11 courses will no longer be relevant to students who plan to take community college courses starting in the summer.

In October, RJUHSD Board Policy 5121.1 was approved stating that courses where “advanced college standards meet college elective courses with prerequisites” are weighted courses. In contrast, community college courses that lack prerequisites are courses that are not eligible for weighted credit.

In the Sierra College course catalog, no prerequisites are listed for Psychology 100 and Sociology 1.

Though there is a prerequisite of English 50 or English N for U.S. History 17B, students have been told that U.S. History 17B is a class they will not receive weighted credit for.

“Specifically for U.S. History 17B, the reason the course is no

longer weighted is because that course is not considered an advanced course either by the district or by Sierra College,” said John Montgomery, the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, in an email. “The prerequisite referenced in the policy is consistent for all college courses, namely a department or subject area prerequisite. There is nothing about English 50 or English N that makes U.S. History 17B an ‘advanced’ course.”

Although it is not directly stated in the policy, the prerequisite must be in the specific subject area of a given class for students to receive weighted credit.

According to Somanchi and Valentine, many sophomores are “disappointed” and view the new policy as “unfair” because students received weighted credit for the class for many years in the past.

In fact, 91 current GBHS students have taken U.S. History 17B at a community college and received weighted credit for it.

Though future students won’t

receive weighted credit for classes lacking prerequisites, they can still receive unweighted credit for those classes.

“The policy restructure was intended to encourage and raise rigor for high school and college courses concurrently,” Montgomery said. “Students who are motivated by rigor will not be discouraged to build on their college transcripts.”

While U.S. History is a graduation requirement, many students have taken elective courses like Sociology 1 and Psychology 100 for similar reasons to those surrounding U.S. History 17B. “I took sociology and U.S. History 17A (at Sierra College last summer) because I wanted a head start for college credit,” junior Kevin Yang said. “I only took sociology because it was on the list. I don’t really have an interest in sociology that much.”

Since students have continued to enroll in classes like these and receive weighted credit for minimal work and time, a dispute arose several years ago.

“The district (pushes) to have what we call a guaranteed and viable curriculum – (to) make sure our students are getting the stuff they need – (but) we can’t keep track of (that) when the students are not in our classes,” AP U.S. History teacher Brandon Dell’Orto said. “We have no idea … whether a Sierra College class experience was worthy or not. With no way to qualify that in this data-driven age, we’ve had to resort to basically nothing more than anecdotal interviews, talking with kids when they take these classes.”

Dell’Orto and Advanced Placement Government teacher Jarrod Westberg said they have never found a student who had an experience taking U.S. History 17B that was remotely similar to the experience one has in the class at GBHS. “There’s never been one student that has come back and said ‘That was a really challenging experience. The class was great. I see history totally different now.

I think I am even more prepared for college,’” Dell’Orto said. “We

haven’t had one in (more than) 10 years. We have had student after student after student (who said), ‘(The class was) kind of a joke. (I) jumped through the hoops … (and) got my extra GPA (bump).’”

In terms of enrollment, around 220 sophomores generally enroll in AP European History and about 220 seniors take AP Government.

According to Dell’Orto, there is a drop off in the number of juniors who take AP U.S. History as a large number of students tend to “bypass it.” This drop-off is apparent in Westberg’s government class.

“The ones who have taken AP U.S. here know so much about U.S. history, and (the) ones who took it at the college level are nowhere near as strong as the AP U.S. students,” Westberg said. “It’s a weird thing because they both get the same credit when (some) know so much (more) about history than others.”

Valentine said one of the leading reasons students might originally not have signed up for AP U.S. is because the structure of the class is especially challenging.

“This is the first year they un-

blocked (AP U.S. History and AP Language and Composition),” Valentine said. “Because of that, it’s faster – it’s harder. The ones that are taking it now only have 15 weeks, and the ones who took it before have to remember an entire class when they take the AP test. Everyone’s hearing that, and they’re going ‘I don’t want to sign up for that.’”

While some students say the policy hurts them, others believe it opens up more doors for them, as they can receive weighted credit for any class with a prerequisite in the subject area.

Board Policy 5121.1 ultimately seems to impact those who planned to take U.S. History 17B, Sociology 1 and Psychology 100 the most. It attempts to account for differences in academic rigor between the courses at Sierra College and GBHS. “Let’s give the weighted grade for the classes we know are worthy of the weighted grades,” Dell’Orto said. “This has become an incredible game that’s about … getting ahead as fast as possible with the least amount of work. That’s just not what we should be about.”

BOGARD: Friends and teachers remember 2008 graduate’s friendly personality Continued from page A1

had her first kiss with him. As a friend, she spoke highly of his open-mindedness.

“I never felt like I couldn’t be at least a little insane around him, and that was why I loved him,” Hatch said. “Around Jerry, I did not care that I was more or less detached from reality and desperate for love and validation.

“Jerry was dark. I was dark. I could be dark around Jerry – a rare find in one’s early adolescent years.”

Hatch said as freshmen she and Bogard were partners for one unit in French. On the day of a graded assessment, he was absent from school.

“I was annoyed, but physically incapable of being angry with him because I knew that Jerry would never intentionally flake and also because I had just spent the last two years being obsessed with his every sentence,” Hatch said. “The next day, before first period started, I stood near the door to our French class chatting with a friend from my cross country team when Jerry panted over and interrupted the conversation.

He put his hand on my shoulder and … said, ‘Jena, I am so, so sorry.’ That was Jerry – earnest at his core when earnestness was not the cool thing to be. He was never anything but kind to me.”

Allison Eklund, a 2008 GBHS graduate who worked alongside Bogard at the Robeks owned by his cousin, Kim Nash, remembered his genuine care and concern for his friends.

“From working together at Robeks, to going through high school heartbreaks, he was a wonderful friend who I felt I could truly lean on in times of need, and also share some of the most wonderful and celebrated moments of high school (with),” Eklund said. “I remember being there for him during a difficult breakup, and he too was there for me when I had my heart crushed.

“He challenged me to value myself more than I did as a teenage girl. He told me I deserved to be treated better (and) … although I didn’t want to hear that or address it at the time, I know that was a really powerful moment in my life. Deep down, I always knew Jerry meant this from a place of genuine care. He cared for his friends deeply, and he wasn’t afraid to say what needed to be said.”

Eklund also said that Bogard was “a gentleman” who “understood how to treat women” – during their friendship, he made her feel physically and emotionally safe and cared for.

Lauren Berkema, another 2008 GBHS graduate, said her friendship with Bogard was more accidental than purposeful, and because of this she cherished it even more.

“It is impossible not to notice Jerry,” Berkema said.

“Everything about him to me was so intentional – what

he wore to school, what car he drove, his physique, his afterschool activities. What made our friendship so special to me is that he never intended on being friends with me. He actually wrote in my yearbook that he always thought I was weird and, after meeting me, he was right. But despite his best efforts and greatest intentions, I forced him to be my friend. His genuine annoyance with me became more of an endearing annoyance with me. I personally think it was because of all the flattery, I don’t think I went a day without reminding him about his muscles.

“When I think of Jerry now, and when I look back on pictures of him, … what I really see is his smile.

He radiates confidence, and entitlement and life. That is why losing him is so hard, because you look at his face and you see life.”

At GBHS, Bogard was an active athlete, playing for the school’s lacrosse team. 2006 GBHS graduate Kevin Sinor said that one thing he remembers about Bogard is him being “a really good lacrosse player.”

Bogard’s cousin, Kyle Nash, a 2008 GBHS graduate who is the son of Kim Nash, Bogard’s older cousin, also mentioned his strong athleticism.

“Jerry was a great competitor and extremely loyal as a friend, family member and teammate,” Kyle Nash said. “I have many fond memories of Jerry, but his effort and enthusiasm on the lacrosse field will be something that sticks with me forever.”

Aside from having connections to teammates, Bogard also grew close to a few teachers during his time at GBHS. Bogard was a teacher’s assistant for Jarrod Westberg, an Advanced Placement Government teacher who was struck by Bogard’s maturity as a junior.

“He ended up being a TA during first period on my prep (period) so I got to know him really well,” Westberg said. “He had a lot of stuff going on in his life (and) was confiding in me. I usually don’t get at that level with my students too often, but he would ask a lot of very important questions about life (so) I got to know him really well.

“He was just a very nice kid. Very mature – way, way beyond his years. I think his life experiences … made him grow up very fast.”

Sinor also thought Bogard was “mature beyond his years” and Hatch said, at the time, he “seemed to have been alive longer than 14 years.”

Another teacher who Bogard grew close to was Advanced Placement United States History teacher Brandon Dell’Orto.

“Jerry was such a great kid,” Dell’Orto said. “Boisterous, smiling all the time. He obviously was hiding a lot of stuff that he was dealing with. He and I had long talks about stuff, (just) trying to get through the crap part of life. But man, what a great kid.”

After high school ended, many of Bogard’s friends

said they failed to stay in contact with him and wish, in retrospect, they had.

Sinor said he regrets not staying in contact with Bogard and other friends from high school.

“I think my biggest regret would be not staying in contact with people I really cared about in high school. You never know when they need somebody,” Sinor said.

Sinor said he will remember Bogard as “down to earth and full of life.”

Berkema also said she regrettably did not keep in touch with many people after high school, including Bogard.

“I have been torturing myself with thousands of ‘if onlys’ since I heard of his death,” Berkema said.

“About a month before he passed, he added me on LinkedIn. I remember looking at his profile and thinking how successful he is now, how proud I am of him and how I should call him. It breaks my heart that I no longer have that opportunity.

“I have learned that I would have never regretted calling. I have chosen to carry the lessons I have learned from my friendship with Jerry with me from now on. To be open to letting in those people who want to be in your life, and to hold on to the people you want to keep in your life. I wish I could tell him all of this now.”

After graduation, Eklund said she did keep in contact with Bogard.

“I remember being so excited for him when he got accepted to Cal Poly SLO,” Eklund said. “Once we were both freshmen in college, I did visit him in SLO and I got to see a glimpse of his new college life – (it was) full of friends and life, and remembering this still puts a giant smile on my face. Even in college, Jerry was still the responsible and brotherly figure he’d always been in high school.”

After graduating from Cal Poly, Kim Nash said Bogard loved his new job and was loved by his colleagues.

“Jerry worked hard at college and got a degree in agribusiness from Cal Poly in four years,” Nash said.

“He immediately got hired right out of college by Deloitte Consulting, a job he had until the day he passed.

They loved him there! I’ve heard so many stories this past month about what a character he was at work and how he brought ‘cool’ to the office. He had great opportunities to travel with his job and made lots of friends in several different cities around the United States, many of whom came to pay their respects and share their Jerry stories.

“While Jerry’s job was based out of the Bay Area, he bought a house in Roseville two and a half years ago and was able to work from here. He did this so he could be closer to family, and live where it was more affordable. He was active in his church, always en-

Special to the Gazette/KELSEY NEDERVELD

Jerry Bogard enjoyed many outdoor activities, particularly fishing. He will be remembered for his maturity and overall friendly demeanor.

joyed going to the gym and loved any outdoor activity ... but he was particularly fond of fishing. Wherever you found Jerry, his big black lab, Diesel, was not far behind. He loved that big dog!”

Bogard’s family wishes to state that “suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem” and strongly encourages those feeling low to reach out for help.

Hatch said she believes in the words from the book “A Little Life” by Hanya Yanagihara, which are from the protagonist’s adoptive father about his son’s suicide: “Or maybe he is closer still: maybe he is that gray cat that has begun to sit outside our neighbor’s house, purring when I reach out my hand to it; … maybe he is that flower that suddenly bloomed on the rhododendron bush I thought had died long ago; maybe he is that cloud, that wave, that rain, that mist. It isn’t only that he died, or how he died; it is what he died believing. And so I try to be kind to everything I see, and in everything I see, I see him.” *** If you or anyone you know has thought about or attempted suicide, please call the California Youth Crisis Line at 1-800-843-5200.

Thursday, April 14, 2016

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LEARNING: Intervention team adds member DAYLIGHT: People consider drawbacks of daylight saving time in the GB area Continued from page A2

and welcoming.

Saenz attended Georgia Southern University and Sac State University, majoring in criminal justice as he originally wanted to be a lawyer.

Saenz has also worked as a counselor at the Department of Labor Job Corps for 16-24 year olds, and there, he said, he realized he “wanted to work more in the high school realm.” He said he likes working through RJUHSD because there is more freedom to

adapt to student needs, even more so here than at other schools.

For students, Saenz would like for them to get to know him – starting with his name – and would like seniors to complete their Personal Finance Course.

In terms of goals for the year, Saenz said he does not have any yet as he first wants to meet and engage with the GBHS student population so he can “get to know what more (he can) do” and “build upon expectations that were already there.”

Continued from page A4

Lewis would like to see daylight saving time take a different form altogether, which although unlikely, would potentially have many supporters.

“I think we should just keep falling back and fall back and fall back, so we keep getting extra hours of sleep,” Lewis said.

Assembly Bill 2496, which would eliminate daylight

saving time in California, will need to be signed off by the California legislature, the governor and then placed on the ballot for the general public to decide what they want.

Ultimately, the California voters will have the final say on whether or not they continue springing forward and falling back.

DRUG: Street drugs were laced with fentanyl Continued from page A4 still unknown to her.

“I got (the Norcos) from one of my friends. It was super easy for me because my friend is someone who deals,” she said.

She might have felt safe, but the fact remains that the pills she took

easily could have contained Fentanyl.

The best way to stay safe is to not take any painkillers unless prescribed by a doctor.

The situation is looking optimistic, however. On Monday, April 11, Sacramento County public health officials reported no new over-

doses.

Local DEA have made solving the issue of Fentanyl their number one priority. They have set up a hotline – 530-722-7577 – and are urging anyone with any information about the situation to call.

ALCOHOL: Students in sting operations Continued from page A2 the public location or go into the restaurant or store and bust them.”

The program’s operations will either be focused on exposing employees and businesses who sell alcohol to minors, or on catching adults who buy it for minors (known as the ‘shoulder tap’).

One senior girl, a new agent with the program, is familiar with the latter.

“I’ve only gone once, but over the night we had to go up to people and ask them if they would buy us alcohol,” she said. “If they said yes, once they gave it to us we would go around the corner and get into one of the sheriff’s cars and they would find the person and ticket them.”

There are, however, lots of specific expectations of the students in order to not confuse adults. Participants must make it absolutely clear that they are minors so that violators are fully aware that they are breaking the law.

“They cannot lie about their age, they cannot wear hats, have facial hair, or extra makeup, (and) they can’t wear college apparel, or they may cause the individual seller to

believe that they are a college student,” Hopping said.

Student participants have gotten involved not only because they have a unique opportunity to be an undercover agent, but also because they realize the adverse impact that alcohol has on minors.

“I don’t drink, smoke or party ,therefore I have no personal experience in the effects,” said the senior boy cited earlier. “However, it is a major issue with teens, and all we do is help minimize the issue little by little.”

“I have a ton of fun on my weekends and what not without any substances in my body,” he said. “Plus, I remember my fun times.”

Another senior girl also has something to say when it comes to underage drinking, especially with the potential that many teens have to drink and drive.

“Accidents are happening every day and it is just dreadful,” she said.

“We need to make a change and find a solution to cause less disasters.”

To the senior girl, the problem goes further than a teenager making a poor decision, which is the basis for the decoy program in the first place.

“To store owners selling alcohol

to minors – bad decision,” the senior girl said. “Store owners and clerks should be the smarter person and not sell. Keep teens safe and keep the road safe.”

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ASSAULT: Incidents of rape and violence largely ignored in community Continued from page A1

Esther Warkov, who heads the nonprofit organization Stop Sexual Assault in schools, said schools are required to become Title IXcompliant before assaults are even reported.

“Once someone reports sexual assault, schools are required to open an investigation,” Warkov said. “If a student feels uncomfortable, the school needs to contact the Title IX coordinator and make adjustments.

“That might be an expulsion, but at the minimum the school should separate the victim from the perpetrator and make sure the victim feels comfortable enough so that their ability to perform at their full potential in an educational environment isn’t compromised. If they don’t do anything, they are in violation of federal law.”

Principal Jennifer Leighton said in an email that “the minute information comes to us that a sexual assault may have occurred, we investigate thoroughly,” in a team of administrators and Placer County Sheriff Officer Greg Hopping.

While Leighton noted not much evidence of sexual violence has been brought forward in her nearly two years serving as GBHS principal, she said she “wouldn’t say it isn’t an issue, because even one instance is a problem.”

“A sexual assault is a very serious offense that would be investigated like any other incident where student safety is involved,” said Roseville Joint Union High School District superintendent Ron Severson, who did not recall any recent cases of school-related sexual violence involving two students.

However, in her experience, Warkov said, typically schools throughout the country are “woefully ill-prepared to address Title IX issues.”

“Schools almost never admit that,” Warkov said.

In Hannah’s case, even when her therapist found out about the as-

sault and called the police, to her knowledge no punishments ever followed.

The lack of consequences for sexual violence was painfully apparent to another 2015 GBHS graduate, who was assaulted after attending the annual Senior Ball.

After her returning to her friend’s house for post-ball festivities and drinking vodka mixed with Gatorade, her friend’s older brother, who was sober, forced her into his bedroom and raped her.

“I remember wanting the situation to not happen, but I couldn’t stop it,” the graduate said. “My best friend asked his brother the next day what happened. He said I was ‘so incoherent I couldn’t even talk,’ and he thought it was hilarious.”

Unlike Hannah, the graduate did not seek redress through legal means. She was unaware of the options available to her, both at school and in the community.

“I think talking about these issues, instead of sweeping them under the rug, would (make victims feel saf-

er seeking support),” the graduate said. “With one rapist in my class, everyone brushed it off and tried to defend him, even though I knew multiple girls that had been taken advantage of by him.”

Both she and Hannah agreed the current state of awareness regarding sexual violence is inadequate, and assemblies or required sexual respect online courses would supplement health and safety instruction about consent.

Warkov said most people do not know that addressing sexual violence on a high school campus is foremost a civil issue, not a criminal issue, and if victims feel their education is compromised, they have every right to ask for proper accommodations for the school. “(I would want other victims) to find someone to talk to before it’s too late,” Hannah said, “and to know that it’s never their fault.

Let guys and girls know that sexual violence is always 100 percent the abuser’s fault, regardless of what the girl was drinking or wearing.”

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Losing their hair for a cause

Gazette photos /CARISSA LEWIS

Many students and staff participated in the annual St. Baldrick’s event. Junior Connor Challis, far left, smiles as finishing touches are made.

Sophomore Victoria Grivette, center left, awaits the removal of her ponytails. Junior Isaac Noschka’s famous curls disappear, center right. Senior Kamal Sadek, far right, enjoys his new bald head.

SEIDMAN: Graduate left impact on community, remembered by teachers and peers Continued from page A1

Hundreds of people gathered to share memories to honor the life of Eric Seidman. A community gathered to reflect. In the words of Jenny Padgett, one of Seidman’s high school teachers, Seidman’s passing has been followed by “a communal mourning.”

During his senior year at Granite Bay High School, Eric Seidman served as associated student body president.

After graduating in 2008, he went on to graduate from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2012 and earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.

Seidman, an active rock climber, was climbing Gibraltar Rock in his town of residence, Santa Barbara, when he fell and sustained fatal injuries. He was 26 years old.

Both Seidman’s high school friends and teachers remember his wonderful leadership as ASB president and overall friendly and positive demeanor.

2007 GBHS graduate Katie Lall served on the student government cabinet, the main group of leaders of the class, with Seidman.

“When I think of Eric, I can’t help but smile,” Lall said. “He always made me laugh, and he was a person you looked forward to spending time with because you knew there would be lots of laughter involved. He was genuine and kind.

“I don’t remember ever hearing him say something hurtful or mean or negative about anyone.

I can honestly only think of positive memories of him. I knew I would always have a fun time if he were around because he made any situation fun and exciting with his sense of humor, goofy personality and genuine concern for those around him. I know I can speak for many about him truly being a oneof-a-kind guy.”

Seidman was involved in the student government program his sophomore, junior and senior year.

He was also junior class president his junior year.

Activities director Tamara Givens grew very close with Seidman during his time in the program and remembers him for his kindness and warmth.

“SG became his home,” Givens said. “He found (his niche) and he fell in love with it, and then he wanted to be ASB president. He was a fabulous leader. One of the things I told his dad was, ‘I adored Eric every day I had him in class.’

He was just so kind and loving. I still see him in front of the class being goofy.

“One of the (graduates posted online, saying) ‘He was the nicest boy in Granite Bay,’ and that’s true. He was just such a nice kid (and) an incredible leader. He was everybody’s friend. He had a tremendously diverse friend group (and) was friends with so many

different kinds of kids. He was that kid who just reached out.”

Ted Marsden, a 2008 graduate, said he thinks everyone in the graduating class of 2008 felt Seidman perfectly fit his role as class president and was a “true leader.”

Darrin Pagel, a GBHS precalculus teacher, spoke highly of Eric’s impact on those around him and his involvement in student government.

“Eric was that guy that everyone gravitated to,” Pagel said. “He had an infectious personality and was always so positive. He was a friend to all, never excluding people and made sure students hanging out on the fringes were included. I really enjoyed having the opportunity to work with Eric when he was in Student Government, he lead well and was a servant leader … and I’m sure his impact on people extended beyond the walls of GBHS. He will be greatly missed.”

Brandon Dell’Orto, the Advanced Placement United States History teacher who had Seidman as a student, said he remembers how Seidman always kept his activities balanced and had no problem leading his class. Additionally, Dell’Orto said he never remembers Seidman ever being upset or sad, “he was just full (of) energy, enjoying (the) challenges he had.”

Many of those in Seidman’s graduating class of 2008 mentioned how he went above and beyond his title and truly lead their class.

Blaze Russo, a GBHS graduate of 2008, said that he always saw Seidman as a key character in his high school years.

“I’ve always seen him as the leader of our class of 2008,” Russo said. “He was always one to come alongside his classmates and inspire them. I think that’s one of the reasons this loss has been hard for us – at some point in our high school days Eric came alongside each and every one of us and shared some encouragement and motivated us to be our best selves.

I believe he did this in big ways and small (ways).”

Aside from leading his classmates through Student Government, Seidman was also a leader in his extracurricular athletic activities. At GBHS, Seidman was on the track team.

Pratik Shah, a 2008 graduate who was on the track team with Seidman, said he served as a motivational force even in physical education classes.

“One of my strongest memories of Eric was actually in P.E. sophomore year,” Shah said. “Most people would complain (about) the mile runs. However, I, Eric and a couple of the other track kids would use it as a chance to see how we were progressing. I was just starting out with distance running, and Eric was way faster than I was. As the semester went on, I started getting to the point where I could kind of keep up. Instead of

being competitive, he would slow down (and) help me push myself so I would run faster than I would have on my own. He was always encouraging the people around him to do better.”

In regards to Seidman’s sense of humor, Givens said he had “a very witty humor” and would do things just because he knew he would make her laugh. She also said he brought in and played Jewish rap music to the student government room and made the class a CD of songs.

Seidman accompanied Givens on the Senior Europe trip in 2008 along with the entire SG cabinet.

“We were fortunate enough to be in Europe during the Eurocup, so every night we would go and find a pub or somewhere to watch soccer,” Givens said. “European soccer fans are crazy about their soccer, and we were in Germany in a pub watching the game and the Germans said all of these chants ... and Eric listened and learned them all. So he’s chanting them all and we’re saying them, but that wasn’t good enough for him. He went back and looked up everything on his phone and afterward he came and (told us) what we were all saying. He was so excited about learning those German chants. Most kids go to Europe to drink alcohol, he was excited to learn German chants.”

Padgett, the aforementioned International Baccalaureate Theory of Knowledge and Advanced Placement Literature teacher, said she knew Seidman through her daughter, a 2008 GBHS graduate who knew Seidman in Junior High School as well as at GBHS and went to Sadie Hawkins with him as freshmen. Padgett also knew him as a student in her English class sophomore year.

“Eric was a beautiful person,” Padgett said. “He was happy and radiated that. He liked to laugh, he liked to have fun, he wasn’t overly serious, but he was a hard worker and a good student. He liked to participate in class, he was one of those kids that would jump in and participate and talk. He would read poems, he would talk about literature, he loved to have those discussions. He was just truly memo-

rable, you wouldn’t forget Eric if you had him in class because he left an impression.”

Padgett also said that the conversations she has had about Seidman after his passing may sound cliché – his kindness, positivity and general characterization as a good person – but in his case, everything that is said is “just very true.” She also spoke of his friendliness.

“Everyone says, ‘Eric was my best friend,’ and they all felt that way,” Padgett said. “It’s because he made people feel that way. He made you feel like you were good friends and (that) everyone had a connection and a story. He stayed in touch with people. He was doing cool things.

“He and my daughter spent some time together when (they were both) in London studying in college. He would stay in touch with you on the other side of the world – that was remarkable. That (2008) class stayed really close, and I think he’s a big part of that.”

In regards to the person he was post-high school, Katie Lall said she knows he was the same kind person she remembered him as at GBHS. “Even though I haven’t seen him over the last few years, I know he was still the same Eric who loved people and made people feel loved,” Lall said. “I know so many are hurting over this tragic news, but I hope his family can find some peace and comfort knowing Eric made a lasting impression on me and so many others. His life is a true testimony (to) the importance of being a friend to everyone around you.”

Marsden said he was with high school friends at the time he learned of Seidman’s passing.

“We were just shocked,” Marsden said. “We each shared some memories we had of him, which then turned into laughter – which is exactly how I want to remember Eric. The small silver lining to this tragedy is that it’s brought friends and classmates together. He will be remembered as a great friend, a good leader and a beloved dude.

He was the best of us.”

Givens has been an activities director for 17 years and Seidman is the first student government

alumni she has lost. One of the things Givens said she will miss about Seidman is his hugs.

“One of the things (I remember) is he was the best hugger – he would hug you like he meant it,” Givens said. “He wasn’t afraid to hug people for a long time.

He didn’t let go right away.

That’s just something that was a great quality about him.

“I’m just Special to the Gazette /URSUS devastated.

I Eric Seidman runs through a crowd at Grizzly can’t stay in Retreat, 2007. He is remembered by his peers touch with ev- and teachers for his strong leadership and kinderybody – I’ve ness. been teaching a ber time. long time and it’s getting harder Padgett said she thinks Seidman and harder to stay in touch with leaves a legacy of “joy.” people – but I know where my “When I think of Eric, I think ASB presidents are. A lot of them of joy,” Padgett said. “And what have gotten married and had baby a huge thing to have everybody showers and just the fact that he’s think about you. Let’s remember gone and is not going to be part of that: life is supposed to be somethat makes me very sad. I’m most- thing we’re all having a pretty ly really devastated for his family, good time doing, and I’m going to they were very close. Every night remember that.

I go to bed thinking about him and “In a way, none of us will ever every day I wake up and I think quite be the same. It’s final and ‘Eric’s gone.’ We’ll see when that permanent and it happened and it’s stops, but … that’s been hard. Just a loss in every sense of the word. knowing he’s not here is sad.”

When someone that young and that Givens said she remembers Seid- beautiful and full of promise dies, I man telling her how much he loved think we all reflect on our generosliving in Santa Barbara and how he ity of spirit. Eric was a model for wanted to live there forever. living your life and being happy in In reference to the Seidman fam- the moment, and I hope people do ily, Padgett also said she hopes we that.” take care of them and then take care of each other during this som-

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Granite Bay Gazette

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Thursday w April 14, 2016

GAZETTE Psychotic, not chaotic: A look into mental illness The Granite Bay

GRANITE BAY HIGH SCHOOL 1 GRIZZLY WAY GRANITE BAY, CA 95746

Editors-in-Chief: Savitri Asokan Hannah Holzer Troy Pawlak News Editors: Surina Khurana Caroline Palmer Voices Editors: Connor Hinson Amanda Nist Anjali Shrivastava Lifestyle Editors: Natasha Chanda Garbhita Shah Hannah Xu Green Screen Editors: Olivia Heppell Blake Panter Amanda Prather Epsa Sharma Sports Editors: Cole Kahmann Matthew Ontiveros Jacqueline Romero Online Editors: Clair Kasel Rawan Khalili Jill Kurpershoek Ali Lemos Isabella Tkachuk Illustrators: Natasha Chanda Carissa Lewis Troy Pawlak Photo Editor: Carissa Lewis Staff Writers/ Photographers: Brigid Bell Arthi Bobbala Shivani Bobbala Katie Cologna Sonia Garcha Naseeha Islam Brayden Johnk Stephenie Kang Kayomi Kayoshi Whitney Knorp Aishwarya Pattnaik Meagan Tallman Savanna Thompson Adviser: Karl Grubaugh The Gazette is published eight times per academic year by students in the advanced journalism class at Granite Bay High School.

Content is determined by the staff and does not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Granite Bay High School’s faculty, administration, adviser or student body.

Students are protected in their exercise of press freedom by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and California Education Code 48907.

Signed editorials and columns reflect the views of the writer.

Letters to the editor and guest commentaries are encouraged and must be signed, although anonymity can be granted on a caseby-case basis.

The editorial board reviews letters to the editor, advertising and guest commentaries and reserves the right to edit and refuse material.

Reasons can include length, clarity, libel, obscenity, material disruption of the educational process at Granite Bay High School or violation of copyright laws.

Send Letters to the Editor to: gbgazette@yahoo.com Identification Statement GRANITE BAY GAZETTE PUBLISHED EIGHT TIMES PER ACADEMIC YEAR c/o Granite Bay High School 1 Grizzly Way Granite Bay, CA 95746 Subscriptions: $25 per year/ $15 per half year

A student with schizophrenia shares experiences with a psychotic disorder to spread awareness

Editor’s Note: This story was written by a Granite Bay High School senior girl who remains anonymous at her request.

T

oday should’ve been a nice day. It was an hour before the sun had peaked itself over the clouds, and students were buzzing about in the quad chattering about their weekends. However, I couldn’t recognize any of them; their faces were stock and blank. One particularly small group of girls sitting across from my friend and I were rambling on about the events of recent classes.

“They’re talking about you, you know,” a woman’s voice rang in my ear. I ignored it and turned to ask my friend about her morning.

“They are going to kill you,” the woman said.

I stuttered during my conversation but quickly continued to ignore the woman once more. She was persistent, however, and I soon found myself getting up and walking briskly out of the lunch spot and on to the quad without saying a word.

My best friend trailed behind me. She was expressing both worry and understanding – this isn’t the first time this has happened.

“Run away! You’re stupid! Die! They all hate you!” The lady screamed at me louder this time. I looked down at the concrete.

“They all think you’re stupid. You are stupid. You will die for it.” I could see the floor twist under me and threaten to pull me under. The world around me became distorted.

“WATCH OUT!” Yelled a familiar man in my head.

“THEY’RE COMING!” I didn’t know who “they” were – I never did. I started to run. I went into a corner and sat down. Eventually my mind calmed down a bit. I was used to this torture, after all, and managed my last class with a detached consciousness. I was utterly terrified and felt very alone, although I hardly ever am.

What I just described was a minor psychotic episode, for it only lasted a day or two.

Statistically speaking, about one in 100 people suffer from some kind of psychotic disorder in our world. A survey done

by Harvard University revealed that 60 percent of Americans believe people affected by schizophrenia – a common psychotic disorder – are dangerous. In reality, only a small percent of people with schizophrenia have committed acts of violence, and those who have often had other factors such as environment and substance abuse driving them to violence.

Indeed, some are dangerous, but this is by far the minority.

Ask yourself, if I came up to you and told you I suffer from chronic psychosis, would I be considered dangerous? What if I

COMMENTARY was the kid sitting next to you every day in the same class for the last couple months? Would you be shocked to discover that individuals with psychotic disorders surveyed by USC were found to be “at least 14 times more likely to be victims of a violent crime than to be arrested for one?” I can vouch for this statement. Stigma is a terrible thing.

In reality, everyone reading this has been affected by stigma. It is defined as being “a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something” by Merriam-Webster dictionary. Fact of the matter is, everyone has experienced some form of stigma whether it be for his or her religion, race, gender or even illness. Hiding my true self in fear of negative stigma is one of the hardest things I’ve ever experienced – I’m sure you can relate.

People suffering from severe mental illness, such as those on the psychotic spectrum (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, chronic psychosis, schizophreniform disorder, etc.), experience torment from both their minds and their environments.

I’m sure by now you’ve looked to see who wrote this article. You’ve probably found that I am an anonymous senior. This is no mistake. I know very well how some people would react toward me if they knew I was a diagnosed psychotic. A few would fear me, many would pity me, others would jest at me and some would even call me a fraud.

These are all reactions I have experienced and are all reactions I wish to avoid.

Many people with psychotic disorders, like myself, already have several things inside our heads tormenting us. The last thing we need is to be tormented from the outside. I have recently had the pleasure of joining a community of people who suffer from psychotic disorders. From these people, I have learned that those affected by these illnesses are not defined by them and can go on to live prosperous lives of their own.

However, psychotic disorders affect everyone differently and for some, simple acts can become challenges. The experience I mentioned in the introduction was only a minor episode. Most of my symptoms are tactile hallucinations which, for example, is like feeling someone grab you who isn’t really there, which I can manage, even though they are frightening at times.

Gazette illustration/TROY PAWLAK

I am extremely lucky to be able to function at such high levels and to live in a country where the genetic and biological factors that cause psychotic disorders are understood. My more severe symptoms were caught early and suppressed with medication that saved my future. In fact, I am going to attend a university that ranks in one of the top 25 universities in our nation. Most people suffering from psychosis are treated too late or never treated at all.

It is predicted that 40 percent of people with psychotic disorders go untreated every year. Without proper treatment, many of the mentally ill are cheated out of their full potential.

In the end, we are all people and should treat each other like fellow human beings. Every person deserves respect, and the stigma surrounding one’s illness should never take that away.

I hope reading this has enlightened you in some way to the reality of people suffering with mental illness. The more people who understand, the closer we come to a brighter, safer future for all.

Soda-throwing scum should seriously stop Purposely being disrespectful is annoying and pointless

R

ecently, I was enjoying the fine spring weather and decided to go for a run around Maidu Park. The sun was setting, fragrant flowers perfumed the evening air and I was having the time of my life.

As I reached the last leg of my journey, tuckered out but content, I came across two friendly walkers giving directions to someone trying to get home.

Everything in the world seemed at peace. But suddenly, I was rudely reminded of the human scum that walks the earth – some piece of trash decided to throw their leftover fast food soda at me, full of ice.

Thankfully, this delight of a human had terrible aim. It missed me by about five feet. It was pathetic – just like him.

As I came to a screeching halt, many thoughts came to my mind, most of them expletives. But mostly, I wondered why.

Why would anyone ever deliberately try to ruin someone’s night? What kind of sick, twisted person gets enjoyment out of trying to hurt and humiliate some-

COMMENTARY

olivia heppell oheppell.gazette@gmail.com

one?

Maybe it was because I was wearing a Granite Bay Tribe shirt and they go to a rival school, but that’s still no excuse to throw your trash at someone and pollute the Earth.

Maybe it was because I’m a girl, and girls are unfortunate targets for sexually frustrated teenage guys that can’t figure out how to talk to their female counter-

parts.

Or maybe it’s because they were just genuinely revolting people who had nothing better to do than guzzle down a beefy five-layer burrito and harass people.

In both Granite Bay and Roseville, people are incredibly kind and educated, something that seems to go hand in hand. They realize right from wrong and know how to be a “good” person. That has kept me, in general, sheltered from the idiots who manage to roam the earth, because somehow, natural selection has yet to do its job.

This charming experience has reminded me of the terrible, god-awful people that live around us all. And it makes me sad that innocent bystanders have to put up with their garbage existences on a daily basis.

On a more positive note, it made me thankful for all the lovely, wonderful people I get to interact with every day, and the fact that occurrences like this happen so rarely.

I can now also be content knowing the occupants of the car will most likely spend the rest of their worthless existences working minimum-wage jobs and getting nowhere fast. If that isn’t justice – I don’t know what is.

So to anyone who reads this, remember to be nice. You never know how your actions will impact someone, or if they’ll be published in print and online, documented forever.

I firmly believe that what goes around, comes around, so next time you’re considering throwing trash at someone or just being a jerk in general, maybe reevaluate yourself and your life and really reflect on what brought you down to the lowest level of humanity there is.

As for whoever thought it would spice up their evening to ruin mine, I only have one thing to say.

In the wise words of Jarrod Westberg, “The bus will come.”

Karma will come. And when it does, that bus will hit real hard. *** Olivia Heppell, a senior, is a Gazette Green Screen editor.

Let’s dispel the myth that all rapists are strangers

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Yet, most rapists are not t can occur at any time, place or age, by anyone to anyone. It can devastate people even aware that they’re comin multiple ways for the rest of their lives. mitting a crime.

Because when the word Rape is not something to be sensationalThe voice of the “rapist” is uttered, it conjures ized.

Granite Bay an image of a sadistic, menThe statistic that four out of five rapes were tally and physically afflicted committed by someone known to the victim Gazette individual. And most people is often parroted, but few recognize what this are unable to see themselves truly means. as such a repulsive degenerIt means that the rapist was likely someone who the ate. victim was comfortable with, maybe even someone People who are loved and respected are also capable who was loved by them. of sexual violence, much to our disappointment.

The person who laughed with her, who made her Take Bill Cosby, once revered as an iconic cosmile and who comforted her is real. The person who median, now disgraced after being exposed for his violated her and convinced themselves they were treatment of women. Still, the Cosby of 2016 and the entitled to her body is also real. And they are the same Cosby of years prior is the same person. We all loved person. him. No one thought he would ever do something like Just a regular guy. Not necessarily a monster, nor an that. angel, but a person.

The people responsible for hurt in our community It’s difficult to imagine that such an unspeakable are not monstrous, shadowy strangers – they’re people crime could be executed by an everyday, regular we know, love and celebrate. person.

And when you love somebody, you will find a way The typical paradigm of sexual assault and rape has to justify their actions, regardless of the cruelty. been one of violent obsession, in which the perpetra“The victim must be lying,” we say. “Or maybe they tor completely and utterly dominates the victim.

EDITORIAL

asked for it.”

We childishly refuse to hold them responsible.

“They have their whole life ahead of them, and it should not be dictated by this one mistake.”

Rape is not always a girl, pinned down against her will, struggling against her attacker.

For a long time, the schema of sexual assault and rape has been of a male perpetrator and female victim.

Historically, rape has been a tool for female subjugation and statistically, women are likelier to be raped by a male perpetrator.

Yet that paradigm fails to recognize an important nuance – male victimization happens more often than we realize and we shouldn’t ignore it just because it’s less common.

The notion of the “stalker in the night” excludes date rape, statutory rape and taking silence as permission.

People say sex is about power. Rape is the taking of power. The taking of security and autonomy.

A survivor’s story will never match society’s conception of assault. No one can truly understand it until it happens to them.

Thursday, April 14, 2016

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The Granite Bay Gazette

Voices A12

Community college does not equal idiocy HEARD Not every student who attends junior on the

electricity bill made me realize that they would be sacrificing too much money and stress for my education.

I told myself for the next two n the next couple of months, things are drastically months that two years at Sierra Colchanging for the Class of 2016 – we are officially lege will be no different than two years at Columbia. leaving high school behind and moving forward.

The talk about leaving this town and moving to a For a majority of us, moving forward means going big city made me fearful. I would be stuck here for the off to a four-year college. The spring semester is filled next few years, while my friends seek new adventures with questions from everyone about where we’ll be in new cities. attending.

Then, acceptance letters began So why is it that when this emerging, and college was all question arises, I feel anxious and the talk on campus. My anxiety panicked? began emerging as I continued Because I will not be attending a to distance myself from all four-year university. I’ll be attenddiscussions about college. ing Sierra College, where I’ll earn I even went as far to try and my general education in two years avoid family events, fearful and then move on to a university. that I was being judged for not The look on people’s faces when going to a top-notch Ivy League I tell them makes me feel somewhat institution. The only people who disheartened. They assume I wasn’t are more judging than teenagers smart enough to get into a four-year are Indian parents. or didn’t have enough motivation, Whenever I tell someone I am sgarcha.gazette@gmail.com and I instead opted out and took the going to go to a community colroute to community college. lege, I always add how it’s only This choice wasn’t about my academics or my lack for two years and then I’ll transfer to another school, of determination. As of right now, I can’t afford the as if I needed to justify my decisions for others. tuition of a university.

My relationship with my mother is also rocky. She My financial status has no correlation to the area in always looks at me with dismay, because she was the which I’ve grown up. My family’s income is derived only mom who couldn’t boast about her child’s acafrom a small-business that has been owned for almost demic achievements.

30 years. Owning a business, in this economy, does Every other day she would mention how someone’s not guarantee that you will have the ability to feed a child got into an Ivy League, as if to rub it in my face family of seven every night. that I wasn’t that child.

On top of struggling to make ends meet, my brothShe looked at my decision as a form of laziness, er’s very grand (and expensive) wedding was the only rather than lack of financial aid. Could I have taken thing I needed to see before realizing that my tuition out numerous student loans for a tuition? Yes – but money was almost non-existent.

I didn’t want to deal with the burden of paying off In the middle of last semester, students were in the student loans into my adulthood. process of applying to colleges. I was not. My plan to This was my way of not burdening my parents with an expensive tuition, and my mom treats me like I had go to Sierra College had already been set in stone. done much worse than put them in debt.

I continued to dodge the never-ending questions of I grew more and more upset. I felt as if I had made a where I was applying, and if I thought I was going to terrible decision and now it was too late to apply. get in. Even with family members, I kept my answers Almost every day, I came home, skipped dinner and vague and simple. slept for hours trying to avoid my problems.

My mom and dad tried persuading me to apply At school, I kept a smile on my face in an attempt for colleges, claiming that they’ll find some way to to convince others (and myself) that I was fine. My pay for it. Watching them fight over the cost of the

BAY I

college does so out of incompetence

Do you think the new Sierra College policy is beneficial to students?

“No, because it doesn’t allow students to take easier classes in the summer.”

freshman

Tanvi Yadapelli “It is detrimental because the reason students take classes at Sierra is to go around their schedule or to get ahead.”

sophomore

COMMENTARY

sonia garcha

What is it about attending a two-year college that makes me different from any other student?

mother and I rarely spoke, and if we did, it turned into an argument.

My grades were slipping and I had almost lost all my motivation to continue. My only excuse for my poor grades was that I was going to Sierra so it didn’t really matter.

I then realized that in the midst of convincing others that I’m OK going to a community college, I convinced myself that it wasn’t OK. I finally snapped out of it and my sadness quickly turned to anger.

Why was I being patronized for not attending a community college instead of being encouraged to pursue my dreams? What is it about attending a two-year college that makes me different from any other student?

I want to be just as successful as any other student on this campus, and I will work just as hard as anyone to achieve that.

In two years, when I finally get into my dream school, I will know that it was all worth it.

Don’t let anyone, including yourself, believe that you’re any different because you’re not going down the same path to a “proper education.”

Our society, and our campus especially, has made college education a very big deal. I understand that it can be a big deal, but those who aren’t ready or aren’t attending shouldn’t be deemed as outsiders from the rest of our student body.

You will all become successful, in the different ways that you define success. In five or 10 years, it’s not going to matter what your grades were like in college or high school.

You’ll have your degree or your job and that’s how you’ll travel towards your future, without ever needing to look back on how you got there. *** Sonia Garcha, a senior, is a Gazette staff writer.

Knowing everything is an unattainable triumph

Milan French “Juniors and Seniors got the opportunity to take (certain classes) that (sophomores) now can’t like U.S. History”

junior

Megan Le “Yes because in Sierra College classes, students are able to take more classes that are not offered at Granite Bay and to experience a little bit of college life.”

Inescapable bias prohibits people from fully understanding every side of an issue

E

very year, new campaigns aimed at gaining rights for a particular group of people arouse conflict.

Such campaigns inspire the awareness of cultural tension and racial prejudice, and the rest of society joins in by either supporting the campaign or trying to poke holes in it.

But while many of these campaigns aspire for righteous causes, the ideas often go over the heads of supporters.

Whether the issue be injustice towards particular sexualities, racial discrimination or religious oppression, everyone wants to believe they understand the matter entirely.

But the truth is, no one does.

It doesn’t matter how educated you are in politics or how perceptive you think you are, it is utterly impossible to fully understand every perspective.

It’s generally the case that an individual will fully emerge him or herself into one perspective and never even bother trying to figure out the rest. The other situation, which most people neglect to address, is when an individual takes a step back, observes various perspectives and then concludes that, because he or

COMMENTARY

carissa lewis clewis.gazette@gmail.com

she decided to do this, they now fully comprehend the issue.

The trouble with this is, even after extensive research, you will only ever know various perspectives in terms of facts and details. The only way to completely comprehend a perspective is by submerging yourself into it to get a feel for the emotional aspect of the belief.

But, as mentioned before, this creates other problems. Fully immersing yourself into one side of the story means you have chosen your belief and, even if you are respectful of contradictory beliefs, your mind is made up.

This lack of emotional comprehension leads to unrecognized prejudice. I have heard people who are generally considered open-minded make commentary that they intend to be perceptive but is actually subtly (or sometimes not so subtly) offensive.

This misunderstanding I have recently heard applied in two situations.

The first or these situations came from an anecdote. A teacher was telling me about how his grandparents had said they would be OK if “so-and-so decided to be a girl” or if “so-and-so decided to be a boy.” While their intention was good, the teacher was disappointed in the way his grandparents had misunderstood the concept of being transgender, believing it to be some sort of instantaneous decision.

The second of these situations was during a conversation with a group of friends. We were talking about the Tower of Babel, a religious belief describing the separation of languages. But rather than trying to understand it, those in the group were commenting about how ridiculous they thought it was.

Growing up, I was raised in a family that believed and aspired to carry

out Christian teachings, one of which includes the Tower of Babel. While my beliefs have since evolved, I am grateful to have experienced a Christian mindset because now I am able to not only know the beliefs but to understand the reasoning and morality behind them and thus have a broad respect for the religion.

That being said, while the comments about the Tower of Babel were not a direct attack on me or my beliefs, it saddened me to hear how even people who are often insightful can unintentionally mock something they don’t fully grasp.

Yet despite my experience with Christianity, I know I will never be able to completely fathom other religions such as Hinduism, Islam or Judaism, no matter how much I spend time learning about the practices. All I can do is appreciate them as they are and recognize my own ignorance.

The only way to be truly open-minded is to understand and accept that you will never be able to perfectly comprehend any given issue. *** Carissa Lewis, a junior, is a Gazette Photo editor.

Dreaded senioritis plagues upperclassmen

senior

Seniors do nothing to stop spread of this disease

Ivy Liu “I’m not sure because there are a lot of unanswered questions.

I’m not sure if we are taking away a resource for our kids.”

staff

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t’s midnight and I turn over and pull the covers over my head. I’ve just finished my fourth episode of “Mad Men” with no sign of homework in the near future.

COMMENTARY

caroline palmer cpalmer.gazette@gmail.com

Duane Blomquist Compiled by Aishwarya Pattnaik

It’s April 6, and a sickness is plaguing my body and mind.

A year ago, things were different – but everything changed when senioritis attacked my body.

It started toward the end of senior fall semester; winter solstice was approaching and it seemed that my motivation was dissipating at an alarmingly fast rate.

At first I assumed it was normal, but soon, I couldn’t

want to go frolic in the freshly bloomed, spring dando any homework without at least putting it off for delions and drop out of school so I can watch nature’s two hours. first green turn to gold.

When I first went to the doctor, they told me not to Around 3 a.m., I read some Bukowski and I realize worry and that it might not be senioritis. However, many people’s optimism is disguised with cynicism after a few preliminary tests, to my dismay, the seand misanthropy, maybe even my own. nioritis had spread into my muscles, lymph At 3:30 a.m., I negate all prior beliefs, ultinodes, brain and grades. mately determining that I know nothing.

I still remember the doctor’s Then I take a swig of NyQuil and set my somber gaze pressing into my alarm for 8 a.m.. soul and the bright lights in I wake up in a fog, because of not my face as my diagnosis was sleeping the full 7-8 hours suggested explained. by the NyQuil label, and I’m confused “There is no coming back and a bit agitated, since my mom is from this when it has already yelling. I turn over and put a pillow progressed this far,” she said over my head. as she wiped a single tear The next thing I know, water is surgfrom her face. “I wish we ing onto my face. I pull the pillow off could have caught it earlier.” and look at my poor enervated mom.

These days, it’s like I can’t I rub my eyes and get dressed in less do anything without a groan than 7 minutes, rushing down the stairs. I of agony escaping from my almost trip while taking a quick look at my decrepit body.

Gazette illustration/CONNOR HINSON frantic self in the mirror.

As a result of my diagnosis, I don’t fall asleep until I laugh – I have 7.7 seconds allocated for laughing two or three in the morning. The time from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. is typically spent lying on my back contemplat- in the morning, 6 minutes for dressing, 2 minutes for eating and 3 for kissing my dog goodbye. Anything ing the meaning of my existence and reading books else will result in me being late for the millionth time. that aren’t for class.

My dad throws me a Fiber One bar, my mom hands Around 1 a.m., after reading some Camus, I cynime a water and I kiss my dog goodbye as I try to avoid cally conclude that there is no real meaning to life and that everything we do, despite our best efforts, is a lecture about regressing on my way out the door. astronomically insignificant. *** Around 2 a.m., after reading Frost, I decide that I Caroline Palmer, a senior, is a Gazette News editor.

Thursday, April 14, 2016 wThe Granite Bay Gazette

You’re moving to Canada, eh?

bombing that killed 329 people.

And if you’re anti-Bernie Sanders for his socialist beliefs, I recommend sparing yourself the long, difficult, and extremely expensive move to Canada – it’s just a waste of time and money. You’ll just find yourself under more socialistic rule, where the provinces with the biggest economic contributions lose wealth to provinces that do not contribute economically, and very capable people could live their entire lives on welfare without working.

Sure, Canada’s cabinet is 50-50 men and women as well as racially diverse. However, don’t be fooled by appearances of equality. Canada has even worse pay equity struggles than America, as the prime minister Justin Trudeau admitted himself recently, and polls display that one third of Canadian citizens agree with Trump’s ban on Muslims.

Not to mention, normal day-to-day life would be drastically altered. Many American chains are not in Canada, items are more expensive, and you might end up being forced to pay both

Have fun in the freezing cold, while I’m enjoying the California sun

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hen did Canada become America’s official back-up plan?

You don’t have to be a political connoisseur to have noticed the innumerable threats of emigration in the name of escaping America’s politicians.

And with the current presidential election characterized by colossal controversies, it seems like everybody is preparing to trade their stars and stripes for maple leaves and Tim Horton’s.

According to MarketWatch, the Google search for “Move to Canada” reached its highest peak ever immediately following Donald Trump’s victory of seven states on Super Tuesday.

The numbers approximately tripled from their last profound surge during George W. Bush’s reelection.

This doesn’t even take into account the numerous social media posts and in-person whining that are sweeping the nation.

COMMENTARY

whitney knorp wknorp.gazette@gmail.com

nnnOverall, it’s clear that a very significant number of people are quite dissatisfied with this year’s selection of candidates.

Even Vox.com has taken notice of the epidemic of the infatuation with Canada, and concluded through a poll

that 28 percent of Americans expressed potential desires to relocate to Canada if Trump was elected.

One man interviewed by Vox called out to the Canadian prime minister, “Let all Americans come to Canada so we can be safe and happy and free.”

Clearly, there are some misconceptions about Canada.

While I recognize Canada might have its perks, these have become far too glorified in Americans’ eyes.

Universal healthcare is a major pro to Americans favoring Canada, and it’s probably great – that is until you land on a long waiting list for treatment you need as soon as possible for a potentially fatal illness.

They have less homicide than us, but they also lack consecutive sentencing, thus allowing dangerous criminals to be let off the hook quite easily.

Paoracle.com reports that a five-year sentence was given to a man with an important role in the 1985 Air India

Ted Cruz pulls off ultimate ruse Presidential candidate’s true identity is revealed

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t’s no secret that the current presidential election has caused quite an uproar. From Donald Trump’s ludicrous social views to Bernie Sanders’ optimistic plans of free tuition, the United States has been taken on one heck of a bumpy ride.

Although these points are important to pay attention to, I think it is vital for the American people to focus on a piece of information that’s not as established on televised media, but it’s a massive conspiracy theory on multiple social media platforms: Ted Cruz is the zodiac killer.

For those of you that don’t know, the Zodiac Killer is a notorious serial killer. He is proven to have murdered five people, but there’s a possibility that he’s killed as many as 28 people in Northern California. The Zodiac Killer was active, from what the government knows, in the 1960s and 1970s.

Ted Cruz, born in Calgary, Canada, in 1970, is running in the election and it seems that it’s not only the Internet and I who think there’s something fishy about him.

One of the main arguments that non-believers make is that the Zodiac Killer’s prime occurred before Cruz was born.

This is a valid point – but there’s a simple answer to this: reincarnation. This theory is the most commonly accepted among others, and the majority of the “Ted Cruz is the Zodiac Killer” conspiracy theorists have concurred on reincarnation being the means.

Another conspiracy is that Ted Cruz’s father, Rafael Cruz, is the Zodiac Killer and has passed this familial tradition onto his son.

This conspiracy would explain a lot about Ted Cruz, especially the things he has said. While on an episode of Jimmy Kimmel, when asked what his favorite cereal was, Cruz responded with “Serial killer or cereal?”

This was then followed by what I perceived, to be painfully obvious contrived laughter. This attempt made by Cruz was used in order to conceal the fact that he indeed does have a list of his favorite serial killers, which is highly unusual and concerning for a presidential candidate.

Another piece of evidence that further supports the notion that Ted Cruz has, to put it lightly, villainous tendencies, is when he confessed if he was in his car and was getting ready

I

U.S. and Canadian taxes. If you’ve talked to young Canadian citizens, you’ll find many of them choosing to cross into America to buy clothes, makeup and other products because of their prices. Even prices on houses are still extremely high in Canada.

So how about instead of throwing a tantrum about the candidates we’ve been dealt, we save everyone from Canada’s cold, expensive country by staying and making a difference instead of running from our problems. * * * Whitney Knorp, a junior, is a Gazette staff writer.

kayomi kayoshi

Going to Oklahoma is my choice, OK? remember all through high school hearing senior students complain about how they were constantly being questioned about their futures, and thinking that such questions would never bother me. How could it possibly be annoying to tell someone else about all my exciting plans for my life and have them share in that excitement? Well just like when I try to answer a question in my stats class, I was wrong.

Now I’m not saying I don’t love to tell people where I’m going, what I’m majoring in, and how excited I am to finally be starting my adult life.

It’s the judgmental questions, un-asked for opinions, and ridiculous “advice” that drives me up the wall – those aspects of my college decision process that have made me want to avoid talking about it at all costs.

I don’t know what it is about people, but for some reason everyone feels entitled to interject opinions, sometimes in very hostile and judgmental manners. I learned that when I would tell people of my plans to attend the University of Oklahoma, it was not followed with enthusiastic excitement as I hoped, but with distasteful judgement. People say things like “interesting choice.” dsf“Ohhhh. I know someone that went there and they really hated it. You should really think

While I recognize Canada might have its perks, these have become far too glorified in Americans’ eyes.

COMMENTARY

to reverse and saw Donald Trump in the backup camera, he’s not confident on which pedal he’d push. n Cruz has hinted at murdering another person, and the U.S. still has not come to terms with the truth – Ted Cruz is the infamous Zodiac Killer. kkayoshi.gazette@gmail.com n America, we need to wake up and recognize the threats within our country. This issue has made my respect for America decrease because it’s almost insultingly obvious, yet America isn’t willing to take action and is literally letting him get away with murder.

For any Harry Potter fans out there, when it was revealed that “I am Lord Voldemort” was an anagram for Tom Marvolo Riddle, it had the same effect as the spell stupefy: it stunned us. Therefore, I present “2 True Zod16c,” which just coincidentally is an anagram of “Ted Cruz 2016.”

There is a video on Youtube of Ted Cruz in 1988: Cruz was a senior in high school, and he reveals his aspirations as wanting to “take over the world, world domination.”

Many people would be quick to say that this was merely a sarcastic response, but do we know the real Ted Cruz well enough to make that assumption? I think not.

Instead of being tricked into overlooking the actual personalities of the candidates by their absurd policies, we should start with dissecting their personalities – with an emphasis on their pasts.

What I’m trying to convey is Ted Cruz is either the Zodiac Killer reincarnated or is the son of the Zodiac Killer – and also that I’m a conspiracy theory enthusiast who is too satirical for her own good. *** Kayomi Kayoshi, a senior, is a Gazette staff writer.

I will either love it or hate it, but it shouldn’t matter to you

Voices A13

COMMENTARY

twice!”

“Why would you ever leave California? You have no idea what it’s like out there. You’re going to hate it when you come mtallman.gazette@gmail.com back next year.”

I swear, these things have actually been said to my face. People who barely know me, have the audacity to tell me what I am and am not going to like and what experiences I should and should not have.

At first I was confused and frustrated as to why other people had such negative things to say about my choice, which did not affect them at all, but then I realized I simply don’t care. This is the first major life decision I have ever gotten to make on my own, so I really don’t care about your opinion.

To most people, moving to Norman, Oklahoma, sounds like the worst thing in the world. But for me it is exactly what I’ve been looking for. I chose the University of Oklahoma for its beautiful campus. Because of its well-known name

meagan tallman

and good academics. Because of the football.

Because of how nice people were to me when I first visited the state. Because of the traditions within the school. I’ve chosen the University of Oklahoma because it is going to be a brand new experience that will create a new home for me.

I have thought it through, done all the research, and fully weighed my options and Oklahoma is still where I want to be.

So when some random person comes in and tries to tell me that I have made the wrong decision, it is immensely frustrating. For them, yes, this would be the wrong decision, but what these people are failing to do is realize they aren’t the ones going to college there – if they hate the place, it really doesn’t matter!

Why is it so hard for people to look at something through someone else’s eyes and simply be happy for them? Why do people (often absolute strangers) feel like it is their place to rain on my parade?

Though I can’t say for sure, I have a strong hunch I am not the only one who has encountered this nuisance. And it doesn’t just have to be about where you’re going to college.

Everyone is so different, therefore everyone is going to have different plans after high school.

Traveling? Cool! Going to junior college? Good for you! Not going to school and just working?

Awesome! My plan is different than your plan which is different than her plan, but the special thing is that all of us have made a decision based

Gazette illustration/CARISSA LEWIS

So to the rude commentators who are swearing I will hate my school and want to come home: who knows, maybe I will! on what we want out of life, and we are all chasing that. These are our stories, and we should be the only ones to write them. The downcasting eye of a naysayer is both unwelcome and unnecessary.

So to the rude commentators who are swearing I will hate my school and want to come home: who knows, maybe I will! But the thing is, that’s ok. The old saying ‘you never know until you try’ applies here too, and there’s no way I’m going to cast off this adventure simply because it’s something different. This is the beginning of my journey, and in order to find what I’m suppose to be doing, there are going to be mistakes. My college choice may or may not be one of them, but if it is, I am ready for it!

Becoming an adult means taking full responsibility of your life – both the positives and the pitfalls – and learning along the way. My journey into the real world is officially starting, and regardless of your opinion, I am ready and excited for whatever the outcome might be. *** Meagan Tallman, a senior, is a Gazette staff writer.

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Write a guest commentary for The Gazette.

A14 News

Second look

Thursday, April 14, 2016 w The Granite Bay Gazette

Powder Puff ď ˇSavanna Thompson, top, plays for the senior team at the Powder Puff football game. The senior and junior teams, below, face off at the line of scrimmage. Laura Perjanik and Faith James, bottom left, win the MVP awards.

Referee Chet Dickson, bottom right top, whistles to halt the players. Coach Kyle Holmes, bottom right, holds the trophy for the winning senior team in the post-game celebration.

Seniors beat juniors 16-7 in annual flag football contest Gazette photos by Carissa Lewis

Lifestyle

Granite Bay Gazette

B Section

Thursday w April 14, 2016

COMMENTARY

N TAX ON TAMPONS

natasha chanda nchanda.gazette@gmail.com

Where you finish is more important than where you start

H

igh school is the epitome of competition.

And it only seems to be getting harder.

With the increased rigor of the courses and the decreasing acceptance rates of colleges, the stress of grades has increased over the years.

And by increased, I mean the Earth will invert on its axis if you happen to get a B+.

I used to be one of those people as well, so trust me, I understand.

My first B in high school absolutely ruined me. Getting into a top ranked university seemed near impossible.

And then I got my second … and then my third. At that point, getting into a mildly decent university seemed unfathomable.

In the midst of my meltdown, my mom gave me a word of advice that I have been using to accept my “failures” and move forward. She told me that where you finish is infinitely more important than where you start.

In other words, the impact you make using the knowledge you have attained is much more important than the statistics regarding your knowledge.

I then proceeded to talk to my brother about how many B’s he got in high school, and as a college freshman, he couldn’t even remember.

In the big scheme of things, a couple of “bad” grades are very trivial in comparison to the greater education you are receiving.

If anything, a bad grade should be motivation to do better in the future.

I understand that right now, grades do matter to get into a good college, but it is also important to remember that colleges do not weigh their decisions solely based on grades.

Other factors play huge part in the admissions process.

In the next few weeks, stress levels are going to exponentially increase with Advanced Placement tests and finals closing out the year.

It’s extremely important for everybody to remember that looking at the bigger picture will be more beneficial and less mentally taxing in the long run.

None of this goes to say that you should not try in school simply because some grades won’t directly affect you in the future, but in the case that you do happen to get a bad grade, just know that it is not the end of the world.

So here’s just a bit of reassurance. I promise you, no matter what happens and no matter what grade you receive, things will be fine.

Just remember, what you make of your education is in your control.

Starting slow doesn’t mean you can’t finish strong.

***

Natasha Chanda, a junior, is a Lifestyle editor.

Gazette illustration/HANNAH XU

T

BY HANNAH HOLZER hholzer.gazette@gmail.com

he debate over the so-called “tampon tax” – the argument over whether or not feminine hygiene products should be exempt from sales tax – has inspired two female members of the California State Assembly, Cristina Garcia and Ling Ling Chang, to introduce a bill which would eliminate the sales tax on all tampons and sanitary napkins, period.

While California is not the first state to introduce such a bill, it is by no means a minority in the taxation of tampons – 40 states, plus the District of Columbia, have such a “tampon tax.” In general, sales taxes are under the authority of states and are, most often, implemented automatically on all goods and services unless otherwise noted by a state government.

Maryne Matthews, a Granite Bay High School sophomore and president of the Feminist club, said she completely supports AB 1561.

“It being taxed is ridiculous,” Matthews said. “Let’s say someone buys a box of tampons every month, and this goes on for, let’s say, age 12 to 50 – that’s almost 40 years worth (of buying tampons). It adds up, and it’s not like you can control that.”

The Huffington Post calculated that – assuming four tampons a day on a five-day period from a $7 box containing 36 tampons – a woman will spend almost $1,800 on tampons over her lifetime. She will use

approximately 9,120 tampons, or 253-plus boxes of 36. In the course of a year, she will have spent about $47.

Using this logic, and the findings from obgyn.net that the mean age for a first-time period is just under 13 years old, the average female will have spent about $235 on just her tampons alone by the time she is 18 and a senior in high school. This cost does not factor in the price of birth control, menstrual medication such as Midol, heating pads or the occasional chocolate bar.

For the entire state of California, assemblywoman Garcia’s office found that the state would lose about $20 million of sales tax revenue per year if this bill passes.

“Given that the size of the loss in tax revenue is small – an estimated $20 million loss to a proposed budget of approximately $170 billion – it is unlikely that removing the tax would be significantly detrimental to California’s economy,” said Sacramento State economics professor Kristin Van Gaasbeck. “While the loss of $20 million

will certainly affect spending on certain programs, … the loss in revenue is very small when compared with the overall size of the budget. It accounts for only 0.01 percent of the overall 2016-2017 budget, and only 0.77 percent of sales tax revenue.”

Professor George Jouganatos, an economist at Sacramento State University, said this loss in tax revenue will be minimal, especially because the money saved – which would have been spent on the sales tax – will likely be spent elsewhere.

“It will be a decrease in revenues from this particular product, (but) it may not even be $20 million if the savings are spent on something where there is a sales tax,” Jouganatos said. “Let’s say (it’s a loss of) 50 cents per month per woman … what is she going to do with this 50 cents now?

Spend it elsewhere. There will be sales tax, perhaps, on that item (she buys).”

The idea of a multiplier effect – that there is a ripple effect created from purchases because one person’s spending becomes another person’s income that multiplies the effects of the original spending – helps explain why the loss of tax revenue might not be $20 million. If a woman spends her sales tax savings, that becomes someone else’s income, which then gets spent somewhere else.

Savings by schools Most high school females are responsible for purchasing their own menstrual products, but products such as these are sometimes made available to students.

According to Kris Knapp, the Roseville

Joint Union High School District’s assistant director of the maintenance and operations department, site nurses at schools in the district are responsible for purchasing their own feminine hygiene products which are then made available to students.

At Oakmont High School, these products are not purchased but are instead donated

by Kotex. This was the case at Granite Bay High School until recently.

According to GBHS nurse Jenny Serrano, the school stopped receiving donations about six months ago. She said she purchases about $60 dollars of tampons every three months to stock the restroom in the office.

Placer County’s sales tax is 7.50 percent.

Given that GBHS purchases about $20 of tampons per month, after the sales tax exemption the school would save about $1.50 – or, $15 per year.

Not very significant, but savings nonetheless.

Fairness of the pink tax Sales taxes, in general, are regressive.

“Regressive (means that) the lower the income, the bigger the burden the tax is,” Jouganatos said. “The sales tax depends on the county, but that (designated sales tax) impacts a poor person a lot more than a rich person.”

Mathews, the GBHS feminist club president, said it’s the equivalent of taxing those with a uterus … merely because they happen to have a uterus.

See TAMPON TAX, page B5

School event scheduling causes conflict Occasions falling on the same date affect students around the district

BY KATIE COLOGNA

kcologna.gazette@gmail.com

Granite Bay High School is nearing the end of the 2015-2016 school year, and many important events are coming up at all of the high schools within the area.

Because some of the high schools in the Roseville Joint Union High School District hold events at similar times,conflict arises when events are scheduled on the same night. Many students have a tough time when they want to go to both events but don’t get the chance to.

“It’s like a puzzle (to put the calendar) together with all of the organizations we have, between performing arts, activities and

athletics,” GBHS activities director Tamara Givens said. “It takes a long time and … a lot of communication and cooperation with people.”

One of the most recent events, Junior Prom, was held on the same night for both GBHS and Roseville High School.

Consequently, those who were given the opportunity to attend both proms were not able to.

The spring musical is another event that clashes with other schools’ musicals.

There are four schools in the district that have their musical on the same nights, including Roseville High School, Antelope High School, Oakmont High School, and Woodcreek High School.

The musicals all occur between

the days of April 13 and April 24.

Luckily, for this event, there are multiple nights on which these events are happening, so students can still see their friends and families from other schools perform.

With strong dance programs across many of the schools in the district, it could be a problem for students who want to attend more than one show at one school if they occur simultaneously.

The spring dance shows for AHS and WHS are both from April 28 to the 30 and the dance shows for RHS and OHS are from May 18 to 24.

Senior Ball is another upcoming Special to the Gazette /UDAYAN CHANDA event, and RHS and GBHS are GBHS juniors experience their junior prom on March 12, 2016, both having their dances on the the same night as Rocklin High School’s junior prom. night of April 30th. friends senior ball because we go others so we were both really Some seniors may face the to different schools and our senior disappointed.” same issue as the juniors having balls are on the same day, senior to choose between one of the two Jacci Sannar from RHS said. “The dances to go to.

See EVENT CONFLICTS, page B5 “I’m going to miss my best original plan was to go to each

inside lifestyle Random club

B2

Book of the Month

B3

Top 10

B5

TCID:BW

Speech and Debate GBHS students experience numerous victories at National Qualifiers

New Drivers Students explore the pros and cons of being a new driver at the age of 16

B2

B4

Violin Virtuoso Junior Lexi Luong highlights violin talent and role in Into the Woods

B6

Thursday, April 14, 2016

B2 Lifestyle

GBHS students go to national program Boys’ and Girls’ State recognizes talented high school students

E

BY RAWAN KHALILI

rkhalili.gazette@gmail.com

very year Granite Bay High School sends two exceptional juniors to attend a week long summer leadership summit.

The American Legion Auxiliary Girls’ State program, and American Legion Boys’ State.

Both are among the most respected leadership programs in the country, and have been a long lasting tradition at GBHS. This year's representatives are: Juniors Natalie Hatch and Tobi Ayo-Ajibola.

Candidates are selected by a staff panel. “The staff votes for a total of five (students) on the first ballot, and then vote again on a second ballot’ College and Career Center Counselor Cindi Underwood said. “Once voting is complete, the top five candidates are interviewed.”

All the ballots are secret, and the interview panel is free of teachers and staff in order to prevent bias.

“I spoke to Hannah Holzer (2015 representative) “All juniors with a GPA of 3.5 or above are and she gave me really good advice,” Hatch eligible” Underwood said. said.

Girls’ State was founded on the principle “For Participants at girls state will also take part in God and Country.” Their mission is the educate mock government sessions and create legislayoung girls about leadership and patriotism. tion. Bills are based around the state govern“I was really surprised to find out that I was nominated, I felt honored,” junior Natalie Hatch ment capabilities.

“I still have to think about my said. bill. It will take a good amount of “I wasn't actually expecting consideration,” Hatch said. to become the nominee.”

We hope to At American Legion Boys’ Students from schools from inspire (the State, over 1000 delegates are all across California attend this prestigious program students) to seek selected from all corners of Terrence R. Abel a which is held at leadership roles in California. member of Boys’ State discussed Claremont McKenna College. our society the program’s details.

“I’m hoping to learn from “The program is designed to a lot from other great girls, provide a practical school of govthat have leadership qualities – Terrence R. Abel, ernment, and to stimulate interest and are driven” Hatch said.

Member of Boy’s State in government, citizen rights “(Hopefully) some of their and responsibilities of American talents and intuition will rub citizenship,” Abel said. off on me and that I'll have Candidates are selected based on a better perspective of state “ Scholarship, leadership, and government.” involvement in school and civic The ALA Girls’ State participants will learn about the democratic process activities.”

Boys’ state was founded with the hope that the of and how our government works on both State delegates would understand how government and National levels.

“I don't know what to expect, other than the fact works. “We hope to inspire them to seek leaderthat I will gain a lot from attending” Hatch said. ship roles in our society” Abel said.

Speech and debate remains victorious Team members achieve accolades

she also recognizes the competitiveness the activity brings out in team and represent RJUHSD people.

It’s so great in World Schools.

“I feel like it’s a very comSuch recognition is well deafter the long petitive environment because served for the hours they spent sometimes have to compete day to get to we preparing, starting as far back against our own teammates,” she as Spring Break. said. “Yet the team is like one big clap at our “Going into Nat Quals, I family and everyone is very supteam’s knew the team as a whole portive of one another.” prepared as much as possible,” success Ultimately, though speech and Bavirisetty said. “We continudebate may take lots of work and ally started after school runstress, news like this makes it well – Afrah Tahir, ning debates. We all wanted to worth it. go to qual and we had the same “Speech and debate takes a lot mindset which helps each and of time, effort and focus which everyone of us.” can drain you both mentally and According to Le, the team physically but (it) also comes used Google Hangouts “rewith a huge support system and a ligiously” to have hangout family,” Tahir said. “It's so great debates and attended practice every Monday after the long day to get to clap at our team’s and Thursday night. success and have the team dinners to let the While Yadlapalli is grateful for her team, day settle.”

BY ANJALI SHRIVASTAVA

G

ashrivastava.gazette@gmail.com

ranite Bay High School’s speech and debate program has once again proved their excellence with major accomplishments in a recent tournament.

On the weekend of April 1-2, the speech and debaters of GBHS travelled to Ponderosa High School to compete in the National Qualifiers by the National Forensics League (NFL) for the Capitol Valley District, or simply “Nat Quals.”

It is extremely difficult to qualify in these tournaments. For most events, if there are between 6-20 people competing, then one spot is available. For an event with 20 or more people in it, there are two spots available.

Tanvi Yadlapalli, a freshman, was the only one who qualified and will proceed to the National Tournament. However, three members of the team made it to the last round in their events, and all members made it past the preliminary rounds.

Yadlapalli, as a freshman, is slightly less experienced than other members in the district, which is what makes her achievement so impressive. She competed in the event known as “Expository,” in which the speaker gives an informal speech about any given topic.

Three members earned spots in the World Schools Debate, also a prestigious tournament. In order to qualify, a student had to be a debater, not speaker, and be a runner up or winner in their event.

Five people were chosen from the Capitol Valley District to attend, and three out of five of these people were from GBHS. These three people are sophomore Rahul Bavirisetty and juniors Megan Le and Afrah Tahir.

Bavirisetty competed in Lincoln Douglas Debate, also known as a “debate of values” because of its emphasis on morality over strict logic. This year, seventeen people competed in this particular event, meaning there was only one spot available. Bavirisetty made it very far, but ended up losing in the final round.

Le and Tahir were both partners in the event Public Forum, or “Pub Fo,” and also made it to Special to the Gazette/AFRAH TAHIR the final round.

The three along with two other debaters from  (From Left) Speech and Debate Team Captains Shivani Bobbala, Arthi Bobbala and the Capitol Valley District will compete as a Aishwarya Pattnaik pose at the National Qualifiers Tournament

Random...

BY NATASHA CHANDA

Facts

nchanda.gazette@gmail.com

Club

Club

Club Name: Stock Market Investment Club Presidents: Neil Shah

w The Granite Bay Gazette

“I was honored to find out I was selected as a nominee” Ayo-Ajibola said. “It was enough to know that the faculty thinks highly of me and the other boys.”

Ayo-Ajibola was selected by the panel, amongst four other candidates.

“The guys were some of the coolest guys around, an honor in and of itself,” Ayo-Ajibola said.

Like Girls’ State, the Boys’ State program involves sessions to inform the participants about government.

“I’m most excited for the mock government.

It's a good opportunity to see what it takes to run the government.”

Boys’ State is going to be held at California State University Sacramento, with boys coming from many cities in California.

“Meeting some of the smartest guys in California and bringing back experiences can harbor greater civic duty in my colleagues at GB,” Ayo-Ajibola said.

At Boys’ State participants are exposed to the duties it takes to be a “franchised” citizen.

Despite not being interested in a public office position Boys’ State provided useful tools for life and any future occupation.

“I want to go into medicine but as an American the opportunity to participate in civic duty is a part of what makes our country great” AyoAjibola said. “I’m trying to come back with a greater sense on how I can do my part.”

Tobi Ayo-Ajibola

Ayo-Ajibola is the 2016 Boys’ State representative from GBHS.

Natalie Hatch

Hatch is 2016

Girls’ State representative from GBHS.

College of the Month Universiy of Michigan Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan Mascot: Wolverine Enrollment: 43,625 Tuition: In state – $13,856

Out of state – $43, 476 Student to faculty ratio: 15:1 Acceptance Rate: 26.2 percent ACT Averages: 29-33 SAT Averages: 1930-2230 Most popular majors: Economics, Experimental Psychology, Business Administration and Management, Political Science, - Compiled by Neuroscience Jacqueline Romero

Student Lexi Harrington

Gazette photo /ALI LEMOS

1.) Approximately 40,000 Americans are injured by toilets each year.

2.) “Facebook Addiction Disorder” is a mental disorder identified by Psychologists.

3.) Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia ironically is the fear of long words.

4.) The total number of steps in the Eiffel Tower are 1665.

5.) Former president George W. Bush was once a cheerleader.

- Compiled by Rawan Khalili

What is the purpose of your club?

The purpose of this club is to provide an understanding about the essential skills, knowledge, and tips for becoming a smart investor.

Students are exposed to real-life situations as examples to the fundamental content.

When do you meet?

The club meets every Thursday after school in room 804 from 2:45 to 3:30.

How was the club created?

Students can get involved by joining the club and consistently attending every week.

- Compiled by Shivani Bobbala

Gazette: Are you involved in any sports at Granite Bay High School?

Lexi: Yes, I play softball here.

Gazette: How long have you been playing softball?

Lexi: I have been playing softball since I could walk.

Gazette: How long have you been on varsity?

Lexi: I like the team aspect of it but in the same way it’s a very individualized sport.

- Compiled by Ali Lemos

Thursday, April 14, 2016

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Lifestyle B3

Powder Puff restrictions leave students frustrated

Many unsatisfied by the limits put on name choice

BY CAROLINE PALMER cpalmer.gazette@gmail.com

W

ith spring comes Powder Puff and with Powder Puff comes the infamous game of getting a personalized T-shirt name passed.

Each year the junior and senior girls play each other in a flag football game.

Practices for the event start a week or so before.

One of the most exciting parts about Powder Puff, for some, is picking a name that will appear on the back of a shirt which is then used as a uniform for the game.

A panel made up of mostly administration, but also teachers and student government students and teachers, is in charge of accepting or denying each girl's prospective name.

“There are no set requirements,” said senior Powder Puff commissioner, Tiffanie Nguyen. “You just have to get it passed by the (administration). (However), this year they were really strict on death (related names and other sensitive topics).”

appointed because they didn't even notify me (when they changed) my name,” senior Sydney Ladrech said. “I think it was very unfair because instead of just asking me (that it meant) ‘DMs’ (as in direct messages), they just decided to Google it and they found some random drug reference associated with it … and assumed it was what I meant.”

Yet, some names get past the scrutiny of administration.

“My Powder Puff name is EmScHOE, except on the T-shirt ‘hoe’ is not capitalized, but I fully plan on bedazzling the word ‘hoe,’” said junior Emily Schofield.

Even though Schofield’s name could be seen as inappropriate by some, she still said she would have been disappointed if it was rejected.

“It would have … been extremely disheartening. Nicknames are given by others to their beloved friends, and yes sometimes they're silly,” Schofield said.

“We're in high school! We all know words like ‘ass’ … exist! We're paying for the T-shirts, so who cares? We're just some Gazette photo /CARISSA LEWIS The seniors cheer after their win at Powder Puff. Despite the rejection of nickteenage girls out here trying to have a names deemed inappropriate, many were still able to enjoy their experience. good-hearted time with our friends.”

Junior Chloe Miller experienced the death-related rejection.

“I’m actually (very angry) about (the rejection) because my first choice (of name) was ‘Chlo Milla the Killa’ and when they told me I couldn't use it I thought that it was ridiculous,” Miller said. “It's Powder Puff and it's all just suppose to be fun.”

This year Nguyen said that the panel searched each questionable name using the website “Urban Dictionary” – a website notorious for defining slang.

“It’s really funny because everything is bad on Urban Dictionary either way, so it doesn't really make sense,” Nguyen said.

Hunter Loomis, a senior, tried to get the name Watson printed on the back of his T-shirt, which is a reference to Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson. However, the panel searched Watson on “Urban Dictionary” and found an inappropriate reference around the name.

For a number of students, many have found that their seemingly innocent names had some apparent drug reference attached. “(Last year) I tried to get ‘Slad into yo DMs’ (and) I was pretty annoyed and dis-

If you really knew me,

you would know...

Milan French

If you really knew me, you would know that I am adopted.

Grace Lyu

If you really knew me, you would know that I get annoyed really easily.

Biennial blood drive helps saves lives Both students and teachers alike participate in donating

BY SHIVANI BOBBALA

sbobbala.gazette@gmail.com

S

omeone needs blood in the United States every ten seconds. Despite the great need for blood and the fact that up to 38 percent of the American population is estimated to be eligible to donate, less than ten percent actually does, according to the American Red Cross.

This puts the upcoming blood drive at Granite Bay High School into some perspective.

GBHS holds two blood drives a year – one in the fall and one in the spring. The annual spring blood drive is set to take place on Thursday, April 28.

The blood drive is conveniently located on campus in the small gymnasium. In order to sign up to donate, students needs to get a parent’s signature and sign up for a time slot with the nurse in the office.

With the ease and accessibility of donating blood, it’s surprising that not everyone does so. Those who don’t donate on the GBHS campus have various reasons for doing so, the major one being eligibility.

For example, Grace Lyu, a GBHS senior, has never donated blood before because she doesn’t meet both the 110 pounds that is the required weight and the age minimum “I … really want to donate blood,” Lyu said. “Even when I reach the age, I am underweight, so I am not allowed to donate blood.”

Lyu is currently looking to gain the weight she needs to be able to donate, because she has personal experience with needing blood.

“I have had multiple surgeries before and I did need blood donation for my surgery once,” Lyu said. “My grandpa and my grandma had cancer and my uncle has had heart disease and during the long surgeries, he did need people to donate blood.”

People that get tattoos and piercings are also barred from donating for at least six months, due to fear of Hepatitis C spreading.

“I have donated blood twice at our school’s blood drive,” said Jenny Padgett, teacher of International Baccalaureate Theory of Knowledge and Advanced Placement Literature. “I believe that donating blood is important and I would do it each time but because I choose to get tattoos it usually disqualifies me from donating blood.”

Travelling is also one of the main disqualifiers of otherwise eligible donors. For instance, Suchi Krishnaraj, teacher of Advanced Placement Chemistry, Honors Chemistry and International Baccalaureate Chemistry, has never donated blood before because she travels to India a lot.

Stephen Chang, a GBHS senior, also pointed out how missing class could be keeping people, himself included, from donating.

“I have never donated blood before,” said Chang, “I don’t donate blood is because every

day that there’s been a blood remove his brain tumor. Not all donation drive, I always had a of this was used, but once the test on that day so it has kind of blood has been removed from been bad luck. This time around, storage, any unused ‘extra’ has I am going to donate blood.” to be thrown out. Thus the need Despite these barriers, for continuous new supplies.” however, there are still many Some say that the good karma people at Granite Bay who that comes with donating blood meet the requirements and do is what motivates them to head donate their blood. Saving lives to these drives. was the overwhelming reason “I am lucky enough to be in many cited as to why they felt a good health and able to give to responsibility to donate. those who are not,” Elizabeth In fact, some people take it Henderson, teacher of Physioloa step further gy and International by donating Baccalaureate Biolother things ogy, said. “I hope I am lucky like organs and that if I did need it, plasma as well. enough to be in someone out there “I’ve donated who is my match good health and would donate too.” blood twice and plasma able to give to For Henderson, once,” said the whole experithose who are ence that comes Skylar Beasley, a GBHS with donating blood not. senior who has – Elizabeth Henderson, is also fulfilling. had personal She teacher of physiology has donated a total experience with and IB Biology friends needing of 16 times and plasma. even has a t-shirt “My close collection going. family friend “You do save has cancer,” Beasley said. “The lives,” Henderson said. “You plasma (donation) helps cre(also) get a free blood pressure ate her medicine she takes after and anemia screening.” chemo.”

Ryan Corp, a senior at GBHS, Others donate because they cited a more eccentric reason for realize how much of a need for why he donates blood. blood there actually is.

“I donate to save lives,” Corp “Blood expires, so continuous said, “(I) also (get) a weird sense supplies are necessary to meet of power ... knowing my blood demand,” said Anthony Davis, is in someone else.” teacher of CP English 9, Honors Regardless, whether a teacher English 10 and CP English 11, or student, giving blood helps who has donated about twelve save thousands of lives a year. times so far. “My son needed The blood drive on April 28 is blood during the surgery to an easy opportunity to give.

Book of the Month Title: The Sirens of Titan Author: Kurt Vonnegut

The Great Gatsby of mice and men Romeo and Juliet

Grapes of Wrath

Tanvi Yadapelli

If you really knew me, you would know that I play the saxophone.

Random House

- Compiled by Aishwarya Pattnaik

Summary: Between the Second World War and the Third Great Depression, Mr. Rumfoord and his dog Kazak flew themselves into a phenomenon known as “chrono-synclastic infundibulum,” scattering themselves across space-time in the solar system. Malachi Constant is the richest man in America and the only person invited to one of their regular materializations on Earth as per Rumfoord’s instructions himself. Upon arrival, Rumfoord gives him a pocketful of prophecies, and soon Malachi is stripped of his fortune and unwillingly sent on a trans-planet journey centered around the failed Martian invasion of Earth, to eventually cycle back and face the man who sent him on it in the first place.

- Compiled by Stephenie Kang

Lifestyle B4

Thursday, April 14, 2016 w

The Granite Bay Gazette

Oak Ridge principal accused of sexual assault

Paul Burke faces a unanimous decision for termination in the middle of the 2015-2016 school year

BY SONIA GARCHA

H

sgarcha.gazette@gmail.com

igh school administration has been the talk of this year, not only at Granite Bay High School, but also at Oak Ridge.

In November, former Oak Ridge principal, Paul Burke, was placed on a paid leave of absence. In early March, Burke was terminated by an unanimous decision.

Initially, this dispute was issued as a ‘confidential personnel matter.’ However, The Sacramento Bee reports that there may just be more to the story.

The Bee reported that Burke was suspected to have sexually assaulted another faculty member on campus.

Burke immediately denied the accusation, but was still placed on a leave of absence.

The teacher denied the allegation multiple times, but the situation had become too serious to handle lightly.

As of now, Burke has been terminated, but will remain to be paid until the end of the school year.

Consequently, a search for a new principal has begun since mid-March.

Aaron Palm has now become the new interim principal and will remain in that position, until further notice.

Palm denied being interviewed for this story, as he intends to focus on his responsibilities as interim principal.

“I am not speaking about Mr. Burke and any impact that has come from that situation. For the health of the school and the community I am working on staying positive and looking forward,” said Palm via email.

The student body and parents support former principal Burke as they participated in a boycott against his termination in early January in the midst of Burke’s absence.

Many students were calling in absences and organizing a sit-in as a form of nonviolent resistance.

Some parents are choosing to support Burke as he begins to appeal his termination.

Student

Spotlight

Senior Emily Demure, prior to attending Granite Bay High School, was an Oak Ridge student up until October of her sophomore year.

“I was initially disheartened,” Demure said. “He did nothing to inspire bad emotions from me while I attended Oak Ridge. From what I have heard, I feel as though there were some false accusations made.”

Demure takes her position, along with the Oak Ridge student body, as she felt that this whole issue was a misunderstanding.

“My friends from Oak Ridge were quite distraught in his firing. A few of them participated in the student boycott a while back,” said Demure.

Demure, who will attending Penn State this fall for volleyball, said that Burke was very supportive of the sports teams at ORHS. “I know he worked hard to have our gym redone my sophomore year and he assisted in arrangements for volleyball practices to continue in other schools gyms. He

seemed to be doing well,” said Demure.

Although administration members don’t reap the same benefits of tenure that teachers do, there are very few serious situations that look towards an administrator’s termination.

However, schools are constantly functioning for a majority of the year and require a full staff in order to keep everything running.

Our own Granite Bay community hasn’t been affected by the situation, but GBHS administration is trying to gather information.

“I don’t really have anything to tell you!,” Principal Jennifer Leighton said via email. “I have been trying to get more information about what happened, but no one knew anything.”

No other information was released about Burke’s lawsuit against the district.

How are you involved at Granite Bay High School?

I am on the Granite Bay golf team at the high school, and play outside of high school also.

Student shares passion for golf

How long have you been playing golf?

Since I was about 5 years old.

What made you get into playing golf?

My dad has been playing for a long time and he thought I’d like it so he introduced me into the sport.

What do you like about golf?

It is fun, I love it and I have a great time. I really like the peaceful atmosphere, the nature, and the green grass. It’s also very fun to play out with your friends.

Do you want to play golf past high school?

Yes, I aspire to play college golf, and maybe if I am lucky, I’ll be the next Rory McIlroy.

Have you ever had any hole-in-ones?

Yes I have - Granite Bay Golf Club hole number seven.

Gazette photo /BRAYDEN JOHNK

TJ Patterson

What is your favorite course to play?

Probably Coyote Moon Golf Club in Truckee, California.

Who is your favorite golfer?

Rickie Fowler, for sure.

-Compiled by Brayden Johnk

Students explore privileges and restrictions of driving New drivers talk about the laws regarding provisional licenses

BY BRAYDEN JOHNK

O

bjohnk.gazette@gmail.com

btaining a driver’s license is a huge milestone in the life of a teenager. Their license is more than just a card – it is their ticket to freedom.

Granite Bay High School sophomore Ben Law received his license at the end of last year and is excited about his new independence.

“It has given me a lot of freedom with going wherever I want, whenever I want, so it’s pretty awesome to do that,” Law said. “I have really enjoyed driving to my friends’ houses without my parents coming along.”

One restriction that most newly licensed teens contest is the fact that they can’t drive their friends around for the first 12 months after getting their license without having someone 25 years or older in the car.

Law sees this rule as beneficial.

“You can understand the law because it’s for your security, so I’m good with it,” Law stated.

Sophomore Hannah Bonfils also understands the need for the regulation.

“They want experienced drivers driving their friends,” Bonfils said. “But honestly I still do it, and I know all my friends with licenses do it.”

Bonfils also received her license at the end of last year and has benefitted from it by creating her own schedule.

“I get to just go out and get whatever I want to eat,” Bonfils said. “And I can drive to my friends’ houses whenever at anytime, so it’s nice.”

Sophomore Nicole Gearing, scheduled to get her license on May 23, 2016, is eager to experience this independence that Law and Bonfils have been enjoying.

“I’m looking forward to being able to go wherever I want, whenever I want, and not having to wait an hour for my parents to come pick me up,” Gearing said.

Freedoms also come with responsibility, and Gearing fears something could go wrong.

“Breaking down on the freeway and not knowing what to do, that scares me so much,” Gearing said.

Sophomore Adrian Lada, scheduled to get his license on April 7th 2016, agrees with Gearing.

“I’m looking forward to not having to depend on my parents as much to drive me places,” Lada stated.

Lada, while comfortable on the road, still feels there are improvements needed to assist all drivers.

“I believe that there should be more yield signs and stop signs,” Lada said.

The driving instructors who are in the car with newly permitted drivers are often in risky situations, and would likely agree with Lada.

Jearme Greathouse, a West Point Driving School Instructor who has been working with newly permitted drivers for several years, believes new drivers are well situated though.

“I would say most of our drivers pass the driving test,” Greathouse said.

“Only the students who are adults sometimes don’t – who have not had the experience that teen drivers have.”

However, newly-licensed drivers aren’t always perfect.

“I think the most common thing that new drivers have a problem with is not braking early enough,” Greathouse said. “They wait too long and brake at the last minute.”

That’s not the only area where new drivers often need improvement.

TAMPON TAX: Assembly members propose a bill Continued from page B1 So what determines whether or not products such as this one are taxed?

“It is difficult to draw lines as to what should and should not be taxed,” Van Gaasbeck said. “That being said, I think it is clear that feminine hygiene products are a necessity. There are good reasons to exempt these products from sales taxes. The sales tax is regressive and disproportionately affects lower-income individuals.

Since these products are used only by women and they are a necessity, the tax also disproportionately affects women.

“Taxes on feminine hygiene products are certainly regressive and disproportionately burden lower-income individuals because they are a necessity rather than a luxury. While one could argue that these products are not absolutely necessary, I would argue that they are at least as necessary as orange juice, ice cream or popcorn – all of which are exempt from sales tax in California.”

Alternatives to regressive taxes In the case of the pink tax, Assembly members Garcia and Chang have decided to attempt to eliminate the

sales tax completely. But there might be different options.

For example, there are ways of making a sales tax progressive – meaning that the financial burden of the tax increases as income increases, poorer classes pay less and richer classes pay more.

“There would be ways, yes, (to make a) sales tax progressive,” Jouganatos said. “It would be complicated, and maybe not feasible. For instance, you would have a luxury tax on goods that are for luxury consumption, a higher tax rate on yachts, really expensive cars, that sort of thing.

We (could also) have a return – after the poor person pays the sales tax, which is regressive, then we return the money in a different form to those who qualify. That would be a way to reverse the (inequality).”

In defense of periods The bill will be examined by California Assembly legislative committees and might eventually be voted on, perhaps even becoming law and thus eliminating the tampon tax.

“I hope the bill gets passed,” Matthews says, “and that people see it as something that needs to be done.”

Gazette illustration/CARISSA LEWIS

The provisional license prevents new drivers from driving other individuals unless an adult over the age of 25 is present.

“Staying center (of the lane) is another factor a lot of new drivers have a problem with,” Greathouse stated.

While some have definite opinions on driving ability, Greathouse takes a neutral position when it comes to female driving versus male driving.

“I wouldn’t say girls or boys are better drivers – it’s just based on the experience they’ve had before,” Greathouse said.

As an instructor for three years, Greathouse has some useful advice for drivers about to obtain their license, as well as the newly licensed.

“It’s really important to look where you want to go and make sure the car goes where you are looking,” Greathouse said.

Juniors deal with mass changes The class of 2017 is the first to experience new curriculums

BY NATASHA CHANDA

nchanda.gazette@gmail.com

Common Core, new UC applications, AP test changes, unblocked history classes, the new SAT. The list gets dangerously long.

The class of 2017 has had to face a numerous amount of changes in their high school career.

It all started when it was announced that Advanced Placement United States History and Advanced Placement Language and Composition would be unblocked for the first time, meaning that one course would be administered in the fall, and the other in the spring.

In the past, the classes were at the same time, however they were taken over the span of the full school year.

As a result many students ended up taking the Sierra College substitute for the APUSH course so they would not have to worry about taking the course in the fall and not being prepared for the AP test in the spring.

Though it was said that the courses would be split up to decrease course load, many students were still assigned both courses in the same semester. Some thought this defeated the purpose of a lighter course load.

“The unblocking of US really affected me because I’m taking both Lang and US this term,” junior Diana Garcia said. “It’s harder because I have reading every night for US and then I also have Lang homework to read or prepare for essays in the same night. If it was blocked, it would have been much easier for me to get through this semester.”

Second, the announcement of the new SAT initiated numerous confused feelings.

The College Board decided they would change the tests halfway through the 2015-2016 school year, affecting many juniors, both in positive and negative ways.

In more than a few cases, students decided to abandon the SAT altogether and attempt the ACT instead.

Others liked the change better.

“The new SAT gave me an opportunity to practice, learn and apply new types of questions that were not seen on the old test,” junior Jessica Chugh said. “I personally liked the new SAT much better than the old one, and I feel it was slightly easier to prepare for.”

The College Board also changed the format of some of their AP tests.

For example, a short answer section was added to part one of the AP United States History test and the AP European History test.

However this change seemed beneficial to some students.

“I feel like the AP tests are changing for the better and they’re not as hard as they used to be,” Garcia said.

Common Core changes are another aspect juniors have had to adapt to. Though it does not affect all juniors directly, they have been used in pilot testing for later classes.

“We have to learn to shift out of a way of learning that we have known for years and transition to a newer, more advanced curriculum and new tests,” said Chugh. “These changes can be difficult at times because often,

the teachers are also dealing with it for the first time, so people are left confused due to the lack of clarity.”

Some juniors have had to transfer over to integrated math classes, which is now different than the school’s previous curriculum.

Before, the math classes were taught by subject. For example, Geometry and Algebra 2 were each their own class.

Now, the math classes are rightfully titled “integrated” since they incorporate different math courses into one course and separate each course by levels one, two, and three instead.

The last and most recent change is the adjustment to the personal statement portion of the University of California application.

The two personal statement prompts are being replaced with eight short-answer “personal insight” questions that students can choose from.

They will have to choose four of the eight.

The goal is for applicants to have “a greater say in the kind of information they share with the university”, according to an email sent out by the GBHS counseling department.

Students will be able to provide a greater sense of identity with the way the answer each question and the questions they end up choosing.

Instead of being 1,000 words distributed across two prompts, the world limit is 350 words for each of the four questions.

As a whole, the juniors have been through a number of changes that have made their high school experience slightly different than that of previous classes.

Lifestyle

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Unique campus quirks and sights GBHS consists of distinct sites to explore

D

but regardless, COMMENTARY they bring great joy to GBHS students who may find themselves stumbling upon a cute surprise in a bush on the outskirts of the campus on their way to class.

In a generally secluded area of campus, aprather.gazette@gmail.com behind the 800 building near the gate to the small parking lot, there are some beauti-

id you know that the 8 on room 815 is actually upside down? Or that the best water fountain is the most hidden one on campus?

These, and so many more, are some of Granite Bay High School’s hidden gems on campus.

The upside down 8 of room 815 is a commonly unnoticed spectacle at GBHS. Little did you know your eyes have been deceiving you this whole time. Next time you walk by the 800 building direct your eyes to the 815 sign. The 8 is not how it should be.

The best water fountain on campus is most definitely the fountain you see to your left as you're exiting the indoor hallway of the 500s. The water is always clean, cold and refreshing, and the trajectory of the water is high enough so you don't have to lean over and get your hair soaking wet, which is always a positive.

Rumor has it there is a hidden pond around the corner from our quaint little campus. Science courses such as Fish and Wildlife course as well as International Baccalaureate Biology utilizes this pond for various class activities and lessons. This pond can be found practically on campus, and is very convenient for students and fellow Granite Bay community members.

If you ever find yourself walking by the 500 building, make sure to stop and check out the new mural that is painted by senior Elizabeth Sciascia. She spent several days using chalk to create the beautiful flower design on the wall of room 514, and it definitely deserves attention.

It has been said that some adorable, fluffy kittens Gazette photo /GARBHITA SHAH have been found roaming in the bushes around our An uplifting, light-hearted quote is always campus as well. These kittens are unknown to be stray featured in the hallway of the 900 building. or simply lost from their beautiful Granite Bay homes,

amanda prather

ful pink flowers this time of year.

This is an area on campus that not many people tend to populate, though it can be used as a path to classes in the 800 portables and other classes around that corner.

If you are in need of an alternative route to class, check out the flowGazette photo /GARBHITA SHAH ers on the way. Fresh seasonal blossoms Yet another provide a pleasant sight rumor that has been while walking to class. told is the amazing view from the roof of GBHS. Being above all of the trees and buildings would make for an amazing view of the great city of Granite Bay, or you could make some new bird friends!

Now lets discuss the ever mysterious 900 building.

Have you noticed the motivational quote on the wall as you walk in the door? They are usually quite witty and uplifting. An example of one of these quirky sayings was, “if you're feeling down about yourself, just remember you don't look like you did in the sixth grade!” I have to say that was quite uplifting and really brightened my day.

Also in the 900 building is the ever mysterious numbered stairs. Why are the stairs numbered -11 through 11? One will never know. If you ever need to count your steps, head over to the 900 building to fulfill that desire.

These hidden gems and places on campus are often overlooked, but are just a few things that make Granite Bay’s campus so unique.

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Ice Cream Franchises Talenti

Ben & Jerry’s

Tilamook

Obtaining scholarships remains a challenge 2015 graduate shares her experience

BY HANNAH XU

A

hxu.gazette@gmail.com

s the end of the school year nears, and college acceptances are being distributed, students have been rushing to earn that extra dollar to pay for college expenses.

However, while some scholarships are as easy to obtain as simply applying, not all are so trouble-free.

Certain scholarships require the student to enter contests, write an essay or go through a series of gruelling interviews.

For those interested in gaining financial help for any University of California, the most prestigious of them is the Regents’ and Chancellor’s Scholarship. This scholarship offers up to ten-thousand dollars over four years for those without a need for financial aid. Those who are in

need of financial aid can get an adjusted amount.

But because of the hefty amount being offered, the slots to receive this scholarship are slim.

In order to apply, students need to apply, but only after they apply will they be given a formal application to fill out and send in. Only about 2000 students, per UC, who request and application are sent one.

From there, students go through an extensive process to be chosen. Beyond just filling out an application, students must participate in an interview, write an essay and of course uphold notable achievements.

Out of those 2000 per school, only approximately ten percent receive a scholarship.

Sona Jeswani, a GBHS graduate and

currently a freshman at UC Berkeley, applied for this scholarship her senior year of high school.

One obstacle she ran into was her essay.

Jeswani said it was frustrating to choose what to write about as there was a word limit.

“It was difficult to describe all of my passions and involvements in (such a small essay),” Jeswani said.

However, although she applied for the Regents’ and Chancellor’s Scholarship, and reached semi-finals, Jeswani did not win the scholarship. Instead, she won the Berkeley Leadership Scholarship.

Similarly, this scholarship was difficult for her to receive.

In order to stand out amongst applicants, Jeswani had to be very involved on campus and in the community.

“Apart from creating my own club, I was actively taking initiatives in FBLA, speech and debate, tutoring and NHS,”

Jeswani said.

However, UC scholarship aren’t the only ones that are difficult to receive.

One of the most notorious scholarships, the Gates Millennium Scholarship, offers a large amount of money and has given over 1.5 billion dollars to students in scholarship money.

Although these scholarship may be challenging to get, students should still apply in the chance they may be the lucky recipient.

In order to qualify, however, students need a head start in buffing up their applications.

“Students (should) get involved in their school and community,” Jeswani said. “I highly recommend trying out clubs on campus in order to discover your passions and meet new people. Taking initiatives and pursuing opportunities has been very rewarding throughout my years in high school.”

How to: Concentrate when studying

Haagen-Dazs

Dreyers

Magnum

1. Remove all distractions (phone, computer, TV, etc.)

2. Switch between subjects every once in awhile to keep the information from blurring together.

Breyers

3. Take short breaks intermittently to give your brain a rest.

4. If you are preoccupied by other things, visit http://www.donothingfor2minutes.com/ and follow the instructions to clear your mind.

Gazette illustration/HANNAH XU

Deluxe - Compiled by Troy Pawlak

EVENT CONFLICT: RJUHSD schools face scheduling overlaps Continued from page B1 Lastly, graduation is one of the most anticipated events and family members of seniors look forward to attending every year.

This year, GBHS graduation will occur on the morning of May 27th, however RHS, OHS and WHS also have their graduations that day.

Students who have friends graduating on the same

day will not be able to attend their friend’s or family’s graduations.

“I want to go to Roseville High School’s and Granite Bay High School’s graduations because I have friends that go to both , but I know some of them overlap so it won’t be possible,” senior Mikayla Houlihan from Woodcreek High School said.

What seems to be a lack of communication between

the schools has affected many students dramatically.

“We have never reached out to other sites and found out when they were doing events,” Givens said It all comes down to not being able to satisfy everyone.

“We all live in the same area,” Houlihan said. “It’s ridiculous and inconsiderate to think we wouldn’t have friends and even family at other schools in the same district.”

Your Names. Your Faces.

The Gazette.

Drumstick

Klondike

- Compiled by Clair Kasel

B5

Thursday, April 14, 2016 w The Granite Bay Gazette

B6 Lifestyle

Violin Virtuoso GBHS junior shares her love of music with local school

BY NASEEHA ISLAM

nislam.gazette@gmail.com

G

ranite Bay High School is filled to the brim with high-achieving, talented students, both through academics as well as through extracurriculars. One student, however, is rising above the rest when it comes to turning passion into action.

Lexi Luong, a GBHS junior, has been playing the violin since she was eight years old, taking part in multiple orchestras and chamber ensembles over the years – and shining in those, too.

“I am a member of the Auburn Symphony and the concertmaster of the Placer County Youth Orchestra,” Luong said.

“I take private lessons, I play in occasional gigs, I’m a member of a chamber group called Fifth Street and I do summer camps (sometimes as a participant, sometimes as a counselor),” she said. “I’ve played in a couple other orchestras before, including the Sacramento Youth Symphony. I played violin in the pit orchestra for two musicals at Del Oro and I am going to playing in (the musical) ‘Into the Woods’ this year at Granite Bay!” But Luong’s musical success is not stopping there. With her extensive musical background, the motivated junior is taking her talent to teaching.

A few months ago, Luong decided that she wanted to

share her musical experience with others who may not be lucky enough to have had the same opportunities that she did. She now teaches fourth and fifth graders at Woodbridge Elementary School of the Roseville City School District.

“I know I’m very privileged and lucky to be able to afford private lessons and a good violin,” said Luong, “Things like that are a huge factor in musical success. Music has been such a huge part of my life, and I wanted to give someone else that experience, too.”

“Woodbridge is a Title 1 school, and many of the kids don’t have money to afford music lessons so I wanted to provide that for them.”

Luong was not the only one who was involved in the startup, however.

“I asked my orchestra conductor if she had any volunteer opportunities and she found this school, contacted them and put most of it together,” she said, “but I was mainly the one with the idea to start the program.”

Luong works with a class of about 15 elementary school students, and looks forward to every class she leads at Woodbridge.

“I just started working with them in February so I haven’t really built relationships with them individually yet, but as a whole class I really love them,” Luong said. “They’re very sweet and enthusiastic and always love coming to violin class.”

The Woodbridge class has been doing extremely well since Luong took the lead in February.

“I’ve heard from the kids’ normal school teachers that they love violin class and look forward to it every week,” Luong said. “They’re still learning basic skills but have improved since their first class.”

Although she started the Woodbridge violin program to teach music, the classes Luong has been leading have already incorporated much more important life lessons.

“I feel like it’s my responsibility to be a role model

for them as a musician and a person, and I deeply care about them and want to be a positive influence in their lives,” Luong said. “I always love teaching there, and I always leave feeling really warm and happy.”

For Luong, music has not only been a hobby, but also a source of inspiration that affects all parts of her life.

This is what she hopes for her students to gain out of her classes – building stronger relationships, and seeking music, specifically violin, as an escape.

“I am able to connect with people who I’d otherwise have no way of meeting, but the one thing that we have in common is music,” Luong said. “I’ve formed friendships with so many people through music, and many of these people are very influential in my life.”

“The actual music is a way of connecting with people, too, because when you play music you are able to express yourself to the world and when you listen to others’ music it’s like they’re communicating with you,” Luong said. “Sometimes music is a good way to express things that you can’t really say in words or that you can’t really even figure out in your own head.”

Gazette photo /NASEEHA ISLAM

Above, Luong practices for the school musical “Into the Woods.” Right, Luong awaits her performance at the Auburn Park Reserve.

Gazette illustrations/HANNAH XU Special to the Gazette /ALLISON LEE

Sports

Granite Bay Gazette

C1 Section

Thursday w April 14, 2016

COMMENTARY

matt ontiveros montiveros.gazette@gmail.com

Athletes ought to consider all aspects of collegiate sports

I

t seems that if given the opportunity many athletes would jump at the opportunity to play their sport on the division one collegiate level.

Many students see athletics as a way to bypass traditional routes into college all while hopefully having everything paid for.

Unfortunately, actually obtaining this achievement requires a level of dedication that seems to hit everyone quickly once they get through at least a year of high school.

Too many athletes fall into a trap where they put themselves in a position where they rely on their athletic talent to get them to non athletic goals.

It is incredibly impressive to make it to the next level in sports. However the sheer number of kids who fail to actually reach this is staggering.

If you look at the situation from a completely statistical perspective, a miniscule fraction of high school athletes will go on play in Athletes need to college, to reflect and and a fraction of realistically those will evaluate their actually succeed goals before in college they devote too to some much time to degree.

This is something they why it’s so impreswon’t profit sive for those who from. are able to do so.

Students who are thinking about going through this route need to seriously take a look at what they are undertaking.

A division one sport in college is equivalent to a part time job in the amount of hours it takes. Opportunity cost has to be weighed as well – how far would some of these students go if they spend the countless hours practicing studying or developing other skills?

The reason this route that some high school athletes take is dangerous is it leaves them with no other alternatives.

Unfortunately some sacrifice so much and still aren’t able to secure spots at their dream colleges because of how competitive this day and age is.

Yet at the end of the day they don’t have anything else to go back on because they pursued that original sports goal.

Even with all the benefits that high school sports provide, athletes need to reflect and realistically evaluate their goals before they devote too much time to something they won’t profit from.

** Matt Ontiveros, a senior, is a Gazette sports editor.

Fan of the month

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Grizz Quiz

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For the record

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Emily Talmi, second from the right back row, lines up to shake the other team’s hands as she competed in Costa Rica

Special to the Gazette /EMILY TALMI

GB athlete goes international Emily Talmi traveled to Costa Rica to play soccer on an elite level

BY SAVANNA THOMPSON

F

sthompson.gazette@gmail.com

our years ago, sophomore Emily Talmi joined the Olympic Development Program a youth soccer organization that helps provide the national team with a talented pool of players from which to make selections and that offered Talmi with an opportunity to compete internationally.

ODP offers open tryouts to players for the selection of its state team.

“Once you make it on that team, you go to regional camp where the coaches select 18 people, and from those 18, they select a traveling team,” Talmi said.

Talmi represents Region IV, consisting of players from the West Coast, Alaska, Hawaii, and as far inland as Colorado and Idaho.

As a part of ‘00 ODP Regional Team,

Talmi’s team traveled to Costa Rica in late February to play four games against Costa Rican women’s professional teams.

“I was very happy for her; it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity, so she had to go,” said Talmi’s mother, Anne, who has supported Emily in all of her soccer endeavors.

Emily Talmi sees a fundamental difference in the style of play between the two countries.

GB athletes make big choices

Many factors are taken into account as athletes pick colleges

BY COLE KAHMANN

ckahmann.gazette@gmail.com

Perhaps one of the largest decisions an athlete will ever have to make is where will they commit for their last four years of amateur sports.

With many factors like academics, location, coaching, playing time and much more, high school athletes need to process lots of information to make sure they make the right decision.

Granite Bay High School sophomore Cameron Douglas made a decision to play soccer at the University of California Los Angeles.

Douglas valued the education level of his school, nearly as much as the soccer program.

“I feel that I value the soccer portion of UCLA a little more than education, however, I still feel that education is extremely important,” Douglas said.

Douglas ultimately prioritized career goals when making the final decision of choosing his college.

“If I had to say what the biggest factor was when deciding that I wanted to go (to UCLA), it would have to be that I feel I have the best chance of becoming a professional soccer player as well as get a great education,” Douglas said.

However, for athletes not seeking pro-

fessional sports, other factors take priority.

Senior Emma Darragh committed to Illinois Wesleyan University to play soccer because of its academic upside.

Having different priorities, Darragh decided she didn’t want to play soccer for a Division I school because of the time and stress associated with it.

“I knew I didn’t want a Division I school because I wanted to be able to have a balance,” Darragh said.

She realizes that pursuing an academic career makes the most sense for her future and will have the greatest results for her.

“Academics are more important for me,” Darragh said. “It’s where I’m actually going to be going in my life and pursuing my career.”

As a result she picked a school with a coach that understands the significance of academics and allows participation in other school clubs and activities.

However, outside of that, she feels the opportunity to play in her favorite city played the biggest influence in her decision.

“I really love the city of Chicago and being close to it presented an opportunity for me,” Darragh said.

Early graduate and GBHS alumni Jordan Holt spent lots of time and effort deciding See COMMITTING, page C4

Spring Sports Update GBHS athletes continue on in their spring sports seasons

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“The competition was so different: they were strong, fast, and very dirty,” Talmi said.

This trip marks the furthest distance Talmi has traveled with a passport.

“When I first got there, I felt super jet lagged, so I was afraid of how my performance would be hindered by that,” Talmi said. “First game, I was pretty consistent, and I got my goal in the second game so that was, you know, my big thing.”

Talmi performed consistently in the third and fourth games where fatigue is most prevalent. The team finished with 2 wins, 1 tie, and 1 loss.

In her free time, Talmi and the team went zip lining, received a tour of major Costa Rican cities and helped children at an orphanage.

“Unfortunately, this was a once in a lifetime event,” Talmi said. “A lot of my friends on that team are stopping ODP, so I think this is my last year on ODP.” Talmi has also been on the GBHS women’s varsity soccer team since her

Water polo boys excel to the next level at nationals

MacLeane and Zellhoefer selected to play for top team

BY ISABELLA TKACHUK itkachuk.gazette@gmail.com

Granite Bay High School is known for producing champions.

From boys’ soccer and football, to girls volleyball, students have participated on state title-winning teams.

What is significant, though, is two boys’ water polo players, selected to participate in a National tournament, and ultimately become champions.

Granite Bay High sophomores and Varsity water polo players Joey MacLeane, a goalie, and Jon Zellhoefer, an attacker, were selected for an Olympic Development Program team, that competed in a USA Water Polo National tournament in late February.

The boys, along with 13 other players, were chosen after a two-day tryout held weeks before the tournament.

“ODP takes the best players from every zone, ours being the central zone, and they make a team to send down to Riverside for the National Championships,” Ma-

Rivercats A transition in affiliation from the A’s to the Giants leaves fans with mixed opinions

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freshman year, helping the team win a league championship last season.

“She hit the field as a very talented defender who can also attack, works hard all game, is a great teammate on the field and off the field,” said head coach Mark Broers who finds it hard to believe Emily has only been with the team for two years.

Broers said Talmi is a huge contributor to the success of the team, earning her the respect of all other coaches in the league and causing their teams to avoid playing the ball on her side of the field.

“If she continues to progress the way she has, she could be a league MVP candidate,” Broers said.

Many talented soccer players in this area tend to forego their final high school soccer seasons to pursue other interests or to take advantage of other opportunities.

Broers said Talmi could be a team captain if she stays through graduation.

Anne Talmi has watched her daughter mature as a soccer player, becoming more confident and independent.

See SOCCER, page C3

 Sophomores MacLeane, Zellhoefer competed in Riverside for the ODP team Special to the Gazette /JOEY MACLEANE

cLeane said.

MacLeane, along with his Granite Bay teammate Zellhoefer, were carefully analyzed for two back-to-back days before making the team.

“For ODP they look for a well-rounded player, but they also look for certain skills,” Zellhoefer explained. “They take 15 boys on a team and they select them based on skill and how well conditioned (they) are.”

Both MacLeane and Zellhoefer had started playing at young ages – MacLeane at age 6 and Zellhoefer at age 9.

“I first started playing water polo when I was about 6… but I quit for a while (because) I kinda hated it up until 7th grade, so I’ve been playing for about 5-6 years total,” MacLeane said.

What turned MacLeane’s stubbornness towards water polo around, though, was his father, John MacLeane.

“My dad was what made me play. I actually didn’t really want to play in 9th grade but what made me want to play again was how much my dad and brother love the sport,” MacLeane stated with sincerity.

See WATER POLO, page C4

Baseball Athletes learn more than just the sport while on the GBHS team

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Thursday, April 14, 2016 w The Granite Bay Gazette

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GBHS diving team strives for success this spring season Students take interest in a smaller sport at GBHS

“For a typical dive meet, everyone has about 30 minutes to warm up and then they call out the list for who goes when and then we dive and get our score,” Garcia said. “Finally they add up all your scores to see who gets first, second and so on.”

In addition to the more traditional spring sports at Because the dive team practices at public locations, Granite Bay High School, diving has become a poputhey have the opportunity to meet athletes from dive lar yet less well-known sport for students. teams at other local schools who are using the same Junior Taylor Garcia has been diving since she was pool. in 7th grade and is a member of the GBHS dive team “This is my first year at GBHS. doing dive,” Paolucci said.

“My favorite part (about being on the dive favorite part is coming team) is just getting to bond with all the girls My favorite part “My together with all the other and competing against people from all over the place,” Garcia said. is just getting to schools that practice with us and becoming friends.”

Because of conflicts with other programs bond with all the Even though some athletes that practice at the GBHS pool, the diving the team have been divteam holds their practices at Oakmont High girls and compet- on ing for years, some joined School and Sierra College depending on availability. ing against people the team with minimal to no experience.

For each diving match, players prepare to from all over the Paolucci said that one compete in either the front, back, inward, thing that helped her quickly reverse or twister dive. place. improve her diving skills “(What dive we do) really just depends on – Taylor Garcia, GBHS was being able to utilize your ability,” junior Ashley Paolucci said. techniques she had learned “One week we will be working on reverses diver from her past experience and the next week we will work on inwards.” tumbling.

Junior Malia Stout started diving two and a “I decided to join the half years ago and she said her favorite dive is a front two and a half tuck. team because I needed another sport,” Paolucci said.

“The hardest part when I started diving was getting “I needed a sport because cheer ended and I wanted used to the (diving) board,” Stout said. “It’s so much to try something new that I hadn’t tried before and I different than diving on the floor.” found a sign and that got me motivated to join and be Like many other individual sports, athletes get part of the dive team.” scored for their own dive and then their points conFreshman Sammy Gimblin is a first year diver and tribute to their team’s overall score. said she joined the team because she was really inter-

BY JACQUELINE ROMERO jromero.gazette@gmail.com

Supportive friend and fan Freshman strives to attend different sports’ games

BY NASEEHA ISLAM

nislam.gazette@gmail.com

A

ndrew Dolan, a freshman at Granite Bay High School and avid sports enthusiast, has been attending GBHS sporting events all year and through the spring season.

Out of all sports currently played, Dolan enjoys attending one in particular.

“I really like going to baseball the most,” Dolan said, “mostly freshman guys baseball.”

However, Dolan’s interest in baseball mostly revolves around his friends, which is primarily the reason why many students like to attend games. Student fans and the tribe often go to school sporting events not just to support the school, but to cheer on their friends on the court and on the field.

Gazette photo/MEGAN TALLMAN

Junior Audrey Wagner practices her dive techniques in preparation for an upcoming meet. ested in learning more about the sport.

“It’s actually been quite difficult to learn the sport,” Gimblin said. “It’s difficult because you are training yourself to do all these tricks and have perfect positioning or else you will land in the water bad and it will hurt. The biggest challenge was probably back dives just because it was scary to dive in blind.”

The diving team is relatively small compared to other sports at GBHS and is always looking for new members.

“(I go) because most of my friends are on the team, that’s the main reason why,” Dolan said. “Baseball is also one of my favorite sports to watch.”

Dolan loves being out in the stands cheering for his peers and close friends, one of whom even created Dolan’s favorite memory so far of being in the fan section.

“My favorite memory would probably be seeing my friend hit a double in the first game I went to,” Dolan said.

Due to the fact that this is only his first year at GBHS, Dolan still has many opportunities to attend more sporting events.

“I do plan on attending more games, just as long as my friends do it,” Dolan said. “I wouldn’t go as often if my friends weren’t in it, but I would still go to games.”

Dolan looks forward to being at more than just baseball games in the future.

“I’m looking forward to the rest of the baseball games and track meets this year, and football next year,” Dolan said. “I enjoyed football in the fall and would like to see a basketball game next winter.”

However, Dolan said he would agree that there has been limited attendance in the fan section, especially at games where freshman

“I love the connection I’ve made with all the girls on the team,” Gimblin said. “Since its such a small team we all get really close and its great.”

According to Stout, being part of the diving team has been a great experience and learning the techniques as a beginner is fairly easy.

“I would tell people who are thinking about joining (the team) to definitely try it out,” Stout said. “You can learn the dives pretty fast and it’s really fun getting close with all the people on the team.”

Andrew Dolan As the freshman finishes up his first year of high school, he attempts to attend as many sporting events as possible. teams are playing.

“I would like to see a few more people there,” Dolan said. “It’s kind of a small audience.”

Dolan enjoyed attending baseball games in particular this 2016 season, and looks forward to supporting his fellow GBHS athletes in upcoming years.

“Students might be a bit less supportive of freshman teams,” Dolan said. “I think it’s pretty equal overall.”

Students react to switch in Sacramento River Cats affiliation Local minor-league team becomes feeder team for the Giants

BY AMANDA NIST

anist.gazette@gmail.com

On Wednesday, March 30, the San Francisco Giants played a preseason exhibition game against their minor league AAA team, the Sacramento River Cats. Raley Field, the home of the River Cats, sold out all available seats, plus standing room only seats.

Previously the Sacramento River Cats were affiliated with the Oakland Athletics.

But starting the 2015 baseball season, the River Cats officially made the jump from A’s affiliation to Giants affiliation. So, what officially sparked the switch?

Jason Sitterud, the Granite Bay High School boy’s varsity basketball coach and girl’s golf coach, as well as a College Prep English 11 and 12 teacher, said the reasoning behind the switch was probably financially related.

“It always comes down to money,” Sitterud said. “(The River Cats) always led the minor league’s attendance with the A’s, and now (as Giants affiliate) they’ll continue to lead with attendance but I think now they’ll sell more merchandise.”

Sitterud said he’s been a fan of the A’s since he was a child and he first started liking sports.

“Me and my dad, through his work, got tickets to A’s games and we’d go to about 10 to 15 games a year, and I just kind of

became an A’s guy,” Sitterud said.

Sitterud also said it’s more fun to root against the Giants, because, growing up in Roseville, people have always been more inclined to support the Giants. He said that, because of his loyalty to the A’s, he was not happy when he found out the River Cats would no longer be a part of the A’s franchise, and instead part of the Giants.

“I think it’s all about the Giants in this community, unfortunately, and it was nice to have a little bit of a connection for the A’s, and to have the community involved with the A’s,” Sitterud said. “I think that the A’s fans appreciate more of the hard work it takes to get to the pros. Giants fans are kind of soft and spoiled.”

Sitterud is not alone in his discontent for the switch in teams. Corrina Pochini, a GBHS senior, said she was extremely disappointed because she’s been an A’s fan all her life.

Pochini said in her opinion, the reason for the switch was because the Giants have been winning more titles than Oakland has, which she said she doesn’t find fair, but since the Giants have more fans now that they’ve been winning, they wanted to move them closer to San Francisco.

“When I found out I was really disappointed, because that meant instead of

having the feeder team for the A’s being in our backyard, they moved to Tennessee,” Pochini said. “Plus my whole family and extended family don’t like the Giants too much, so that kinda added to the disappointment.”

As a kid, Pochini said she went to a lot of weeknight River Cats games because they were close to her home and her dad worked in Sacramento, so her and her mom would meet up with her dad and watch the games. Now that the River Cats aren’t A’s affiliated, Pochini said she has no reason to go to the games.

Not everyone in the Granite Bay community was disappointed in the switch from the A’s to Giants franchise. In fact, both GBHS senior Sam Northam and GBHS junior Ryan Paris said they were really excited.

Northam said he’s been a Giants fan since the day he was born because his dad was a Giants fan so he always rooted for them with him.

“I was really excited because it meant that I would only have to drive 20 minutes to check out their farm system to see some of the future stars for the team,” Northam said. “(Before) it was always too far of a travel for a minor league game, but I did see (the Fresno Grizzlies, the Giants AAA team before they were the River Cats) a couple of times when they would play the

Gazette photo /AMANDA NIST

The Giants and River Cats line up on the field in preparation for the National Anthem before their recent game in March at Raley Field.

River Cats.”

I root for every team that’s playing the Northam said that although he did go to Dodgers.” a few River Cats games when they were a Paris said he is definitely planning on part of the A’s franchise, he plans on seegoing to more River Cats games now. ing even more games now that they’re in “I think it will definitely boost their the Giants franchise. popularity considering how successful Similar to Northam, Paris said he’s been the Giants have been in recent years, and a Giants fan for years and has been going how that has led to an increase in their fan to River Cats games his whole life. base,” Paris said. “Overall I’m just really “Knowing that I was going to be able to see players in the Giants organization play happy that they made the switch, and this year is going to be special for the Giants in Sacramento now was awesome,” Paris with that even year magic.” said. “I only really root for the A’s if they are playing the Dodgers, but then again

Your names.

Your faces.

The Gazette.

Thursday, April 14, 2016

w The Granite Bay Gazette

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Grizz Quiz Compiled by Shivani Bobbala

Lexi Harrington Softball

Megan Le Tennis

David Van Volleyball

Soccer

Mountain Biking

Tennis

Volleyball

I played when I was little and I fell in love with it.

All my friends were on the team

I have always loved biking

A lot of my relatives play so I wanted to pick it up as well

My older brother plays and it looked fun

Since 1st grade

Since late freshman year

3 years

Since 7th grade

Being outside with friends and staying active

I love the team and the time we get to spend together, as well as the fact that our team has been kicking butt recently.

How fun it is! You can play for hours and never get sick of the sport itself.

Camaraderie

We practice about 8 to 9 hours a week

Most weeks I get 3 hours of playing in on weekdays

How long have you been playing?

What do you like most about the sport?

Julianne Hamler Mountain Biking

Softball

What sport(s) do you play?

What got you interested in starting this sport?

Ivy Liu Soccer

Since I could walk

Softball teaches life lessons and forces you to always toward the next play, which you have to do in life as well.

How many hours a week do you play?

At least 40 hours

When the season is on then 5-6 hours a week

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GBHS athlete thrives to compete at the collegiate level

BY MATTHEW ONTIVEROS montiveros.gazette@gmail.

Sophomore athlete Nolan Stabbert is no beginner when it comes to competing in high school sports.

In both his freshman and sophomore years he has participated and excelled in three sports football, wrestling and lacrosse.

After a successful wrestling season where he obtained varsity experience, Stabbert has transitioned to lacrosse once more.

“Football and wrestling help make me mentally and physically stronger as a lacrosse player,” Stabbert said.

Stabbert has especially found success starting in faceoffs.

“Faceoffs are important because they can give the team that wins the face-off more possession time,” Stabbert said. “Possession time wins games.”

Stabbert isn’t the first in his family to take up the sport.

“I grew up watching my older brother play lacrosse but I played baseball. Then I decided I didn’t really like baseball anymore in 5th grade so I tried lacrosse and have been playing ever since,” Stabbert said.

Stabbert’s brother Will is currently playing lacrosse for Drexel University.

Even though he competes in two other sports, Stabbert still plays lacrosse in the high school offseason on a travel team.

“I play for the Alcatraz Outlaws during GB’s offseason,” Stabbert said. “It’s a lot of fun and you get a chance to meet some different people and travel around the country playing in tournaments with them (while) having fun ... doing it.”

All the offseason training eventually pays off when it comes to compete for the high school.

“It helps me for (GBHS) lacrosse because it

keeps me active and keeps me playing lacrosse,” Stabbert said.

Stabbert ultimately hopes to follow his brother.

“I want to keep working to be the best player I can be,” Stabbert said. “If I was given the opportunity I would like to (play in college).”

WATERPOLO: Athletes reflect on their state championship SOCCER: Sophomore Continued from page C1 MacLeane expressed his gratitude towards his father and how much it has helped him that he also doubled as his coach.

“My coach doubles as my dad and he’s really been a great help to me because I always have this ‘almanac’ of a man to use that’s been gathering information on polo for 40 years,” MacLeane stated. “I’d be nowhere near where I am now without my dad’s help.”

Throughout both MacLeane and Zellhoever’s successful careers, they can agree that they owe most of their successes not only to their

coaches, but to their teammates.

“My teammates are very supportive and we all train hard and motivate each other to work hard,” Zellhoefer added.

Not only are the young athletes thankful for those around them who provide constant motivation and positivity, they are also thrilled to have been apart of an elite experience.

“It was unreal,” Zellhoefer said when describing the experience.

“When the buzzer went off (there was) cheering in the stands and all the guys on the team were shouting and our coaches were hugging us. We shook hands and went and got our medals and awards.”

Even though it may seem as if

sophomore year is still far from college, both boys are looking forward to the possibility of playing in college and furthering their water polo career.

Joey MacLeane’s father, as well as Granite Bay High School’s health and safety teacher and water polo coach, John MacLeane, shared his excitement towards his son, along with Zellhoever’s experiences.

“Jon and Joey are both outstanding players who would start on any varsity team in the SFL,” MacLeane said.

MacLeane is confident in the two boys’ ability as players.

“They both absolutely deserved the selection. They both were high

impact players in the games during the national championship,” MacLeane said.

MacLeane also described his son, Joey, as one of the best goalies in the USA at his age and Jon as impactful.

Considering how accomplished both players are, MacLeane believes they are both highly capable of playing in college.

Even though this National Championship seemed like a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity, expect to see many more honorable successes from young Granite Bay water polo athletes, because of their passion and commitment.

“I’ve just fallen in love with the sport,” Joey MacLeane said.

hopes to continue her athletic career in college

Continued from page C1 has goals of playing collegiately and internationally.

Talmi plans on attending Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the fall of 2019 to play soccer as she is an excellent student-athlete.

In addition to her successful and ongoing soccer career, Talmi participates in women’s leadership groups and is involved in community service.

Emily Talmi After returning from playing soccer in Costa Rica, the sophomore looks forward to the GBHS girls’ soccer season.

COMMITTING: Students consider many factors before officially signing to their colleges Continued from page C1 what schools fit her the best, in the end, she found the right fit.

Currently, Holt is playing soccer at the University of Kentucky as a freshman and loves everything about it.

However, before she made her decision, she looked deeply into the coaching staff, location and players she would share the experience with.

Interestingly, she first asked herself that if she lost soccer, would she still appreciate the school? The reasoning and answer to her question is simple.

“Soccer is and always will be a signifi-

believes everything about the school cant part of my life, but it’s far from the fits her including the structured routine, most important aspect,” Holt said. “After which she enjoys being here in Lexington for three months now, I know that if I following.

I know that if I didn’t didn’t play soccer, Most importantly, she wanted to have soccer, I’d still feel I would still feel a attend a school that received her a sense of belonging at sense of belonging parents full approval and, in the end, UK met all of her criteria.

UK.” at UK. The least understood, yet perhaps She also looked for – Jordan Holt, other essential pieces that GBHS graduate most important factor in deciding what school to go to is just having fit her as a person. the right feeling inside.

Similarly, she loved “I immediately fell in love with the Kentucky for its perfect balance of educacampus, the people, the southern charm tion and athletics. and the atmosphere of the UK women’s However, she also wanted to go to UK soccer program,” Holt said. “ I got a feelbecause of its spot in the Southeastern ing that’s hard to put into words, it just Conference, one of the winningest colfelt right.” legiate conferences in the country. She

Big hits. Big news.

The Gazette.

Special to the Gazette/DEIDRE HOLT

Jordan Holt runs to steal the ball from her opponent during a club soccer game in preparation for her career at University of Kentucky.

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Thursday, April 14, 2016

w The Granite Bay Gazette

GBHS basketball players use off-season differently Athletes decide if they should continue or not

BY MATTHEW ONTIVEROS montiveros.gazette@gmail.com

As the Granite Bay High School basketball season has ended, some GBHS athletes look to different avenues to play ball.

The Youth Basketball Academy provides this opportunity for club teams to form and compete on a high level during the offseason.

“My ‘Beast Mode’ 2018 team is a travel basketball team sponsored by Marshawn Lynch,” sophomore Andy Pham said.

Pham plays point guard for the team as well as for the GBHS freshman team last year.

Marshawn Lynch is a recently retired NFL running back who had massive success with the Seattle Seahawks. The Basketball’s team name ‘Beast Mode’ comes from Lynch’s signature nickname.

“We have all travel and sleeping fares paid for and we are given jerseys, warm ups and sweats,” Pham said.

Pham was able to join the team based on previous contacts.

“I got invited by the coach I went to Vegas with last year because he came back to the YBA organization and wanted me to come out (and play),” Pham said.

However, playing on the travel team meant not participating in the highest divisions.

“I was planning on the playing varsity (level) since that’s what I played when I went to Vegas, however, the talent level for the varsity (division) was really high so I played with the 16u travel ‘Beast

Mode’ team,” Pham said.

Playing for a club team allows for extra independence, but much of the same pressure still exists.

“We’re allowed to play freely and enjoy the game while playing hard,” Pham said. “(I also enjoy) getting W’s.”

‘Beast Mode’ has received first place in all of their tournaments except one.

“The competition is different because having a sponsor has us put in big tournaments such as Los Angeles, San Diego, Oakland, Vegas and San Jose,” Pham said. “Next year we’ll be heading to Texas, Oregon, Portland, etc.”

Besides paying for all the equipment and fees, having such a huge sponsor comes with other benefits.

“As our sponsor (Marshawn Lynch) comes out to our big tournaments,” Pham said. “Like this weekend we’ll be heading back out to Oakland for the Oakland SolSpecial to the Gazette/ANDY PHAM diers Tournament (…) and he’ll come out and watch our team play and go get some Travel team Beast Mode competed in a Sac Area Sports varsity tournament on April 2nd and received first place. lunch or something as well.”

This tournament in Oakland is one of the “We did a lot of weights and condihigh school. largest held in California.

“For a week in June, the school hosts a “Basketball has been a part of my life “Playing is playing no matter where you basketball camp for kids that we all have tioning, open gyms, and scrimmages,” since I was young, and giving up on it go, but the fact that you have someone big Palmaer said. to go coach at,” Giannini said. would be extremely hard, but unless I watching and sponsoring you urges you to Besides these requirements, the varsity Senior Kyle Giannini used to play basshow extreme improvement I don’t think it bring the best out (...) and compete at the team also makes trips to Las Vegas and ketball for the high school and recalls the will affect college decisions,” Pham said. top level,” Pham said.

San Diego. vigorous offseason training as well.

For the senior Giannini, basketball came Their season continues throughout the “All (the offseason training) helped us “For varsity we started literally the last summer with competition every weekend. get in shape as well as develop better team to a stop because of prioritization. day of school,” Giannini said. “After that “I stopped playing because it took up Players on the high school team also chemistry,” Palmaer said. we had practice every weekday in June too much time and I wouldn’t have been have to put in their share of work in the “(I’ll be playing for ‘Beast mode’) most and played on tournaments every weekable to work and play at the same time,” offseason. Senior Kovey Palmaer went likely for the rest of my basketball career end.”

Giannini said. “I chose to keep my job to through several years of offseason training so 2-3 more years,” Pham said, who sees The team’s involvement goes beyond save up money for college.” in his basketball career at GBHS. himself not taking the sport much past just playing, however.

Spring teams prepare to reach end-of-season goals As the season is in full swing, sports get ready to finish strong

BY STEPHENIE KANG

boys’ volleyball coach Bruce Honberger said. “(With) 20 wins and 3 losses, they are undefeated in league so far. They are currently on MaxPreps Spring sports are well underway and many teams (as) number one in the section. They’re currently are gearing up for the end of the year. number four or five in NorCal so there’s a lot of Some teams are still struggling to adjust to the inwork to do before they get that far.” flux of new players and departure of seniors, but the The baseball and softball teams are also looking majority of Granite Bay High School sports teams are for success this year. competitive and ready for playoffs.

Varsity baseball is 6-6 and 2-2 in league, and With winter sports softball is 3-5 with a 1-3 record wrapping up, the varsity in league. boys’ basketball team In track and field, the team is finished 20-9 and 6-6 in looking to utilize all the new league. The varsity girls’ athletes that joined this year to I’d like to make a basketball team finished have a strong season. challenge for the 11-16 and 3-9 in league.

“It’s a totally new team, so In the spring season, scores go up and down,” track league championthe Girls’ lacrosse team and field coach Jacqueline Nasca is 8-4 overall and ranked said. “We lost a lot of athletes ship again and win ninth in the state. and seniors last year, and we three times in a row.

Similarly, boys’ lahave a bunch of young (athletes). crosse is 5-1 this season (There is a) lot of heart on the and ranked third in team, which is nice. I think it’ll – Mark Broers, Northern California. pay off even more in the next varsity girls’ soccer coach “Our only loss is by couple of years.”

Gazette photo /CARISSA LEWIS one goal to number one Possibly one of the strongest (state ranked) Monte teams at GBHS right now is the On April 4th, varsity girls’ soccer beat Woodcreek High School 1-0 to continue a quality season.

Vista,” varsity boys’ latennis team. They are currently crosse coach Scott Pink 4-0 overall and in league. to come together. (However), we should be back in the team is still meshing together, they are looking to said in an email. “We The varsity girls’ soccer team has also found sucthe hunt.” complete a three-peat. are improving every game and expect to compete for cess this season. They hold a record of 5-2 and are “I’d like to make a challenge for the league cham“We won all four of our preseason games (and) we both the Sacramento Valley and North Coast Section ranked 12th in the state. lost our first two league games 1 to 0 which I don’t pionship again and (win) three (times) in a row,” Brochampionships.”

However, they feel that they have something extra think we’ve done in years,” varsity girls’ soccer ers said, which is something that has never been done Varsity boys’ volleyball also has goals they are yet to play for this year. to complete, but has had a promising start this season.

Last year, the girls’ team won the league champion- coach Mark Broers said. “After losing 10 players last before. “We’re just trying to look at it step by step year, we knew it was going to take time for the team and kind of put the pieces together right now.” ship for the second year in the row. This year, while “They’re a very talented group of seniors,” varsity skang.gazette@gmail.com

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Sports C5

GBHS baseball teaches more than just technique Program focuses on developing individuals

BY CLAIR KASEL

ckasel.gazette@gmail.com

From ages five to fifty, boys and men come together on evenings to coach, watch and play the sport of baseball.

Baseball teaches more than throwing, catching and hitting. From a young age, it teaches players important life principles like leadership, dedication and teamwork.

Granite Bay High School’s varsity baseball team has many players that have a deep appreciation for the game.

“Baseball has helped me meet a lot of new people and taught me a lot of life lessons that I will use for the rest of my life,” senior varsity player Michael Birch said.

Like Birch, many of the players have been playing baseball since little league starting as early as five years old. Birch has been playing for 13 seasons.

He will continue to play baseball by playing for Sacramento State University after graduation.

From his years of experience, he has had many different coaches, but the GBHS coaches have been the ones who have helped him with more than the physical part of baseball.

“The most important thing I have learned from coaches is to keep my mentality strong, and I need to play with (the mentality) everyday,” Birch said.

Another senior from the GBHS team is Drew Kindelt. He started Little League baseball a few years later than Birch, but has just as much love for the game.

Kindelt decided to not pursue baseball in college, and as a result, is trying to remember something he feels is necessary in his last season.

“Now that it’s my last year, I have learned that it’s really important to just go out and have fun and not worry about anything other than enjoying the game,” Kindelt said.

With the seniors being such strong players and

great role models the underclassmen have great idols to look up to.

Junior Darren Nelson is gearing up to play for Cal Poly in two years and he is still trying to get the last bits of knowledge and wisdom that the seniors have for him and his teammates. “ My best advice is to work hard, give it your all and most importantly have fun,” Birch said.

Having older teammates has allowed players to get better and to have role models that they look up to. The older players also work as assistant coaches and examples for the players to watch.

Sophomore player Dante Tafoya is on the Junior Varsity team and looks up to the players on Varsity.

“Watching the varsity players has helped my game and they lead by example,” Dante said.

“My goal is to play for a college Gazette photo/CARISSA LEWIS and watching the seniors commit to their college teams has made GBHS varsity baseball picks up a 2-1 win against Folsom High School on April 4th to advance to 4-2 in league. me more dedicated.” they also feel great teammates play a role.

Sophomore year is a pivotal aspects of the game and what I need to do in order to All of the players know that they need each other to become a better player and a man,” Kindelt said. point for many high school athletes because it is the win and to be able to play a great game. Teams that time when they decide if they are going to work to This year they have been working together vigorhave united players stem from coaches who emphacontinue to play in college, or if they will be done ously to get to the section championships and win. size the importance of the game. after college.

Despite losing seniors next year, the team is confident “Teamwork is the most important part of the game “The most impactful moment for me baseball wise that the seniors and coaches have prepared the juniors because you need everyone’s effort to win and the was being pulled up to varsity as a sophomore,” and sophomores for varsity success. coaches tell us that every practice,” Tafoya said.

Birch said. “It really challenged me to step up and “Playing for the GBHS team has been great and Varsity coach Pat Esposito has been working with the helped me improve my game tremendously.” the coaches have really helped my game,” Birch said. boys to fine tune their skills on and off the field.

Not only do the players recognize that time spent “I am eager to see where baseball takes me.” “(The coaches) also have taught me many key towards mastering their sport has helped them, but

Dance show causes scheduling problems for athletes

Students miss sports contests because of conflicting performance times

BY MEAGAN TALLMAN

mtallman.gazette@gmail.com

Here at Granite Bay High School, one of the most popular electives every year is the dance class. Students from all grade levels are always eager to sign up and participate in the course which ends with three dance show performances at the end of the term.

For the most part, the class receives great reviews, however, in the past few years there have been complaints from athletes about the schedule of the dances conflicting with their games. Some athletes haven’t found the class accommodating to their athletics.

In the spring of 2015, Alex Hassna was in the intermediate dance class and was also a member of the varsity lacrosse team. He found no issues balancing the two until the dance show came around.

Hassna told the teacher at the beginning of the year that he was a lacrosse player and if any scheduling problems occurred

between the two programs he would have to choose baseball.

“So then at the end of the year when dance show time rolled around, I realized she’d scheduled a dance show on the same night that we had a lacrosse game against one of our huge rivals,” Hassna said. “I tried to talk to her and see if someone could fill in my spot for that one day since it was the only show I’d be missing and she became very cruel and mean to me and wouldn’t let me be in any of the dance shows, which I thought was really unfair.”

Hassna had previously taken dance and had been looking forward to the show all term, and when he realized that missing only one dance show would result in not being allowed the participate in the remaining three, he was extremely upset.

In addition, missing the shows had an effect on Hassna’s grade in the class as well.

“Not being able to be in the shows affected my grade for a while, but she had

Junior enjoys success playing GBHS softball Harrington learns how to respond to trials in life from her sport

me do a bunch of tasks like cleaning the floors and windows in order to get my grade back up.”

The experience left Hassna with a bad opinion of the class, and he chose to not participate in the elective this year.

Desiree Milburn has been the director of the dance class here at GBHS for many years and has been trying to juggle scheduling the dance show at the most convenient time possible for different students.

“Every year in the beginning of the year, in April for the upcoming school year, the first thing we get is a schedule for all the sports game.” Milburn said. “Then student government decided when these events will be and after that performing arts like choir, drama and dance get to plug in what their dates are. Typically because band and choir have important competitions to schedule around, I am the last to choose dates so I kind of am picking from leftovers.”

Due to the conflicting schedules of the different GBHS performance arts programs, it’s hard to pick a time that suits every student.

“In the spring it’s especially hard because there are so many great programs here at Granite Bay, that there’s always

to miss a dance show. Obviously, I’m not going to make him do the show since the sport comes first for him, so I just gave him an alternate assignment to make up for missing the show,” Milburn said.

Overall, Milburn does her best to balance the schedule so that all dancers can participate. She also does her best to allow students to recover points from missed shows so they can fix their grades if they fall.

Varsity lacrosse players and juniors Jake Bognacki and Ethan Smith are in beginning dance for the first time this year, and were aware of possible scheduling conflicts when they signed up for the course.

“I knew that my fellow teammates have had conflictions with the dance show and spring sports,” Bognacki said. “She’s being pretty agreeable this year.”

“She told us that all we had to do was come to her and tell her we’d be missing the show,” Smith added. “ It will affect our grades a little bit but she just said we have to do some makeup stuff like coming up with new warm up or dance.”

Both students have enjoyed being in dance and haven’t found any other issues between having their sport and dance in the same term.

Lexi Harrington

Junior currently plays for a travel team in San Francisco and has committed to the University of Arizona.

BY ARTHI BOBBALA

abobbala.gazette@gmail.com

Lexi Harrington, a junior at Granite Bay High School, has been playing softball since she was six years old. She started off playing tee ball recreationally. When she got good enough at age eight, she started playing competitive softball and travel ball on local teams.

At 14, she started to play for the East Bay Sorcerers, a team based near San Francisco. After six seasons, Harrington continues to play for this team and attends practice two hours away from Granite Bay. A highly skilled player, Harrington plays for the Granite Bay varsity team and is hopeful this season will be a success.

“While we are a team that has had difficulties in the past, I think the team atmosphere is really good this year,” Harrington said. “I think it will be a great season.”

Harrington has committed to play for the University of Arizona, a PAC-12 team, after graduating from Granite Bay. “Arizona is the second most winning team in the history of softball,” Harrington said. “UCLA is first with 11 national championships and Arizona comes in second with 8.”

“I fell in love with the campus and the coaching staff when I went there for a camp,” Harrington said. “They extended an offer to me and I was extremely humbled to accept.”

While Harrington has had a lot of success as a softball player, her career has not come without trials and tribulations.

“Softball is a game of failure. For example, if you are a hitter and you succeed three times out of ten, that is considered pretty good.” Harrington said. “Playing a sport in which you are expected

going to be some sort of scheduling conflict for some students no matter when the show is placed,” Milburn said.

In order to be as fair as possible, Milburn makes sure to inform students on their first day of class when the dance show and rehearsal dates are so that they are aware of the schedule. She says she does her best with the scheduling, but in the end, once a student makes the decision to sign up for the class she expects them to perform.

“If it’s missing a dress rehearsal that’s fine, but if you’re going to miss a dance show, out of fairness to those who have jobs or other things and are changing their schedules, I’ve made the policy that you just can’t be in the show,” Milburn said.

“I will try to just put you in a couple of dances like the larger class dances but just won’t give you spots in the smaller ones like partner dances out of fairness to your partner.”

However, she understands that for student athletes in her class, loyalty to their team is their first priority and has tried to be accommodating for them.

“Once I had a baseball player in class, and the team made it to the championship game, and so he was going to have

to fail about 70 percent of the time has definitely taught me a lot about overcoming failure not only in my sport, but also in my personal life.”

Softball has also taught Harrington how to be resilient in the face of adversity. “In softball, you have to have a short memory. This means that you can’t let the last play affect you because you can’t control it and all it will do is affect your performance in the next play.”

While Harrington does not have plans to play in the pro-league, the lessons that she has learned from her time playing softball are ones she will remember for the rest of her life.

Keep your eyes on the prize

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Thursday, April 14, 2016

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SECOND LOOK

For the Record Boys Baseball: April 18- GBHS vs Oak Ridge April 20- GBHS @ Oak Ridge April 22- GBHS vs Oak Ridge April 25- GBHS @ Nevada Union April 27- GBHS vs Nevada Union April 29- GBHS @ Nevada Union May 2- GBHS vs Woodcreek May 4- GBHS @ Woodcreek May 6- GBHS vs Woodcreek May 9- GBHS @ Rocklin May 10- GBHS vs Rocklin May 11- GBHS @ Rocklin

Gazette photos /CARISSA LEWIS Gazette photos /MEAGAN TALLMAN

Girls Softball: April 21- GBHS vs Rocklin April 26- GBHS @ Del Oro April 28- GBHS @ Folsom May 5- GBHS @ Oak Ridge May 10- GBHS vs Nevada Union Girls Soccer: April 15- GBHS vs Del Oro April 18- GBHS vs Oak Ridge April 20- GBHS @ Folsom April 27- GBHS @ Oak Ridge April 29- GBHS vs Nevada Union May 3- GBHS @ Woodcreek Boys Lacrosse: April 16- GB vs Marin Catholic April 18- GB @ Casa Robles April 26- GB @ De La Salle April 29- GB vs St. Mary’s Girls Lacrosse: April 16- GB vs Menlo-Atherton April 19- GB vs Casa Robles April 26- GB vs St. Francis April 29- GB @ Christian Brothers

Gazette photos /CARISSA LEWIS

Boys Tennis: April 19- GB @ Folsom Track and Field: April 15- Del Oro Invitational April 20- SFL #2 GBHS @ Del Oro April 26- SFL #3 GBHS vs Nevada Union April 30- Sacramento Meet of Champions May 4- SFL #4 GBHS vs Rocklin and Oak Ridge May 7- SacTown Races May 10- SFL Championship May 12- SFL Championship May 18- CIF Sac-Joaquin Section D1 Finals Swimming: April 15-16- Mt SAC Meet of Champions April 19- GBHS vs Oak Ridge April 29-30- SFL Champs Meet May 12-14- Sac-Joaquin Section Champs May 20-21- CIF State Championships

Gazette photos /CARISSA LEWIS

Boys Volleyball: April 16- GBHS @ Lincoln April 19- GBHS @ Oak Ridge April 21- GBHS vs Nevada Union April 26- GBHS @ Woodcreek April 28- GBHS vs Rocklin May 3- GBHS vs Del Oro

Gazette photos /MEAGAN TALLMAN

Gazette photos /CARISSA LEWIS

wSophomore Emily Talmi, top left, runs to take possession of the ball against Woodcreek HS. The GBHS dive team, top right, work on form in practice. GBHS senior girls, big middle, hike the ball in their win against the juniors in Powderpuff. Senior Michael Birch, small middle, walks to the dugout. Senior Liam Bell, middle bottom right, flips in the air during a dive. GBHS junior Kenny LeBeau, bottom middle, warms up while his teammate is up to bat.

Senior Aubrey Holt, bottom left, remains ready in an athletic stance in the Powderpuff game.

Gazette photos /CARISSA LEWIS

GS The Gazette’s arts and entertainment guide.

April 2016

GREEN SCREEN Local photography spots growing in popularity

PAGES

8&9

Special to the Gazette/ JESSE ULI

Page 2

April 2016

sneak peek.

Special to the Gazette / GINGER MCGRAIL

wSee page 5 for a Senior Ball preview

Special to the Gazette/ CONNOR VIVALDI

wSee page 8&9 for a look at the best local photography spots

Gazette photo /EPSA SHAMRA

wSee page 16 for a look at Spring Fling

Reflections on a social media hiatus Gazette staff editor takes five days off of the social media hype “Snapchat me back!” Amanda vehemently demanded in at-

conscious self took over and resist once I realized I had breached the forbidden gates. tempt to keep our 42 day streak. On my first day of my no-social This same thing would happen countless time throughout the media-strike, this was the first and hardest hurdle for me to overweek, and realized I only truly went on social media as a force of come, harder than the time I got tagged in an Instagram picture habit. and I couldn’t even look at what it was. The sacrifice needed to be Sitting through boring classes was torture, and I had to replace made; the Snapchat could wait, but my newspaper article could my first-period Twitter and Instagram mindless not. scrollings with phone games. One source of I decided to conduct a small social media media was merely replaced by another experiment on myself for this issue of the In the five day span of no social media, I had Gazette. I decided to not use social media to fight the temptation to reply to 35 snapchats for five days, record how I felt and what I from 13 people, resist three Instagram notificawent through, then reflect upon it later. tions and zero Twitter notifications. Small side Prior to starting the strike, I tallied up note: if you don’t open snapchats after five the amount of times I went on social media days, they will start to automatically get deleted. throughout the day on a regular school I noticed that I missed Snapchat the most, day. Instagram: 7 Twitter: 16 Snapchat: 44 because I missed the direct (although through a Facebook: 16. phone) interaction with others.

My first day I was earlier for school in The other social media apps where I just got the morning. Typically, I spend a couple a second-hand viewing of what people were up of minutes every morning looking quickly to and what they were just posting for everyone through my social media. I tell myself it now seem more trivial and useless to me. bpanter.gazette@gmail.com helps me wake up in the morning, but I find When my five day hiatus from social media it really is just an excuse for me to avoid ended, I thought I would scroll through everygetting out of bed. I had more time to get ready and found that I thing I missed, but once I actually got to that point, I got bored missed traffic in the morning. after a couple of scrolls and stopped.

While sitting in my car waiting to get out for school, my thumb, The desirability of social media comes from its instantaneous with a little media-thirsty mind of its own, hovered around my nature. Without that initial impulsive impulse, social media loses social media app folder on my phone, gave it a click; then my its appeal.

COMMENTARY

blake panter

Guide to Green Screen

Upcoming GBHS Events for April April 14

Elections

April 15

No School

April 30 Senior Ball

Page 3 Music reviews

Page 6/7 Food Reviews

Page 11 Conspiracy theories

Page 14/15 Movie reviews

Page 4 Top Tweets

Page 8/9 Local photo spots

Page 12 Follow Friday

Page 16 Spring Fling

Page 5 Senior Ball

Page 10 EDM music

Page 13 Into the Woods

April 2016

Page 3

tune in.

M83 Junk

BY HANNAH XU

hxu.gazette@gmail.com

A

fter the critically acclaimed album Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, M83 made a name for himself in mainstream music.

His most popular song “Midnight City” was the summer anthem of 2011, and even yet is still being blasted on alternative and electronic pop radio stations.

The French group since then had been on a five-year hiatus, with nothing being released other than songs for movie soundtracks.

At long last – another album. However, unlike previous albums, filled with heartfelt and beautiful synth ballads and melancholy lyrics, this album takes a complete turn.

Anthony Gonzalez, the “leader” of the group, stated that with this album, M83 took a new approach to its creation.

His perspective on their music changes on Junk – the philosophy: if casual listeners are only going to listen and save a few songs and throw away the rest of the album like junk then the album will be comprised of mostly junk.

With that in mind, the album in its entirety is the furthest thing from junk.

With heavy 70’s and 80’s influence, the over-the-top and incredibly cheesy mixes oldtimey tunes with modern electronic pop.

The synth heavy backgrounds gives the feeling of bell-bottom jeans and vibrant colored tops.

Although the album was intentionally “bad”, the songs are worthy of playing on repeat for the weeks to come.

“Do It, Try It”, the lead single off of the album, can only be described as what a silent movie would sound like if M83 played in the background.

As a clear attempt to be M83’s next Midnight City, the song is festival ready and a tad corny, but fun nonetheless.

Dedicated fans were worried about the quality of this album after the first single dropped however those fears are evidently unfounded.

“Solitude”, the second single, is an epic ballad perfect for a James Bond movie.

The faux-violin and gaudy electric guitar creates a mystical aura.It’s borders overwhelming but mellows down just enough to not be chaotic.

While “Solitude” is a creation from the heavens, there are pitfalls on the album.

“Time Wind” emphasises the cliche riffs that honestly, no one wants to hear. However, this is only one song of many, so the album isn’t affected much by it.

The album could’ve been more, that much is true. But it’s worth more than trash.

Mute to North America

 Junk was released on April 25, 2016.

B+

Skip to: “Soltitude”

Hunter Hayes This is What theStoryline Truth Feels Like Gwen Stefani STEPHENIE KANG

P 36 brickhouse

This Is What the Truth Feels Like was released March 18, 2016.

B

Skip to : “Make You Like You”

skang.gazette@gmail.com

ushed back for well over two years, Gwen Stefani’s new album This is What the Truth Feels Like may appear to be an cacophony of repetitive sounds and themes and lyrics but is actually a genuine form of catharsis for Stefani in which she allows the listener to peek in her world.

Let’s start by swinging away at what was the most flimsy: her unoriginal sound. As well as the often brazen copy –and–paste of other popular artists that accommodated it.

In several songs like “Used to Love You,” I did a double take and questioned whether I was really listening to Gwen Stefani.

This active impersonation does not serve her well – in songs that are clearly quite personal to Stefani I often felt isolated from the emotions she was trying to convey. But there was good in this album.

Although there are a few songs where Gwen Stefani repeats the same lines over and over again until the chorus loses its taste (an ironic example: “Misery”), her lyrics are where the album’s depth and heart are found.

According to Stefani, one of the biggest things facing her in the creation of this album was actually how personal it is.

Researching the motivations behind Stefani’s album, it became clear why some songs are extremely base in their construction.

She’s forced to scale back on how much she can do for the sake of at least trying to make money at her job.

Accordingly, her songs are sonically one – dimensional, bouncy and cheerful in a way that recalls the music trends of a few years back, but this is a distraction.

If you reach forward to touch it you’ll discover that her outdated pop is a flimsy obstruction and that rich life seethes just underneath. And if you listen carefully, you

can observe the rise and fall of her former marriage and disclosure on her relationship with Blake Shelton.

“Truth” was especially a good example of this. This was where her vulnerability was displayed the most prominently yet where I rolled my eyes the hardest at the 00’s nostalgia emanating from my headphone speakers.

As a general album to stick in your music library for a rainy day, This is What the Truth Feels Like suffices, especially if you harbor any familial feeling for the 2000’s.

My personal favorite was “Make Me Like You.” Too sluggish and low in pitch to be completely let-loose-feel-good but also too stylish to be dismissed, you probably won’t listen to it on repeat for days but you also won’t hit skip if it came up in shuffle.

A few songs were absolutely unbearable and I had to break the skip button on them, but, as a whole, Stefani is absolutely worth it.

Mind of Mine Zayn Malik SONIA GARCHA

sgarcha.gazette@gmail.com

W

e’re quickly approaching the summer months, which means new artists and new music for our eager ears.

A year has gone by since the One Direction fandom was left heartbroken by the farewell of Zayn Malik.

Malik had initially claimed that the fame was too much and wanted to “live a normal life” even breaking off his engagement to Little Mix singer, Perrie Edwards.

Since then, he has officially signed onto RCA records, began a relationship with model Gigi Hadid and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart with his album, Mind of Mine.

Mind of Mine has a variety of songs at all different paces and a song for everyone.

Malik, whose stage name is now ZAYN, first debuted “PILLOWTALK” in late January.

At first, I was somewhat disappointed because I felt that he could’ve pulled

off something so much greater with his phenomenal voice.

I wasn’t as excited for his album anymore, but waited for the next tracks to release.

His smooth and electrifying voice finally came through with his next singles, “iT’s YoU”, “BeFoUr” and “LIKE I WOULD”.

All three songs showcased his breath-taking voice and took him to the top of the charts.

Within the 18 tracks, Malik included an intermission called “fLoWer”, a tribute to his father in his native language, Urdu.

Now, I’m not necessarily fully-fluent in Urdu, but I know enough to realize that his voice sounded choppy in his pronunciation and he somewhat struggled to get the words out.

However, this was the only song that I wasn’t really a fan of.

If you’ve been a long time fan of One Direction, you’ll quickly notice how Malik expresses his views on sex, love and individuality though his explicit lyrics, something he was not able to do during his 1D days. “TiO”, which stands for “Take it Off” is a very catchy, seductive song that will quickly

be put on repeat. I found myself, at one point, listening to this particular track over the others, due to its upbeat tune and appealing lyrics.

I believe that many underestimated the success that Malik would quickly achieve.

Many believed that his success would only be temporary and his fame was only achieved by his departure from the band.

His success on this album proves that he is in it for the long haul and this is only the beginning of what he has to show us. He has an incredible passion for music and shows that though this album.

ZAYN’s collaboration with Kehlani, his only collab on the album, is also another top hit on the album. “wRoNg” is filled with the smooth voices of both artists as they sing about the mistakes with falling in love.

I would say that this is the top hit of the album and will be a cult favorite for many.

Overall, my expectations were exceeded and I’m finding myself having new favorite tracks the more I listen to the album.

I truly believe this album has something for everyone, even the non–One Direction lovers.

Polydor Ltd. (UK)

Mind of Mine was released on March 25, 2016.

A

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Page 4

April 2016

current.

Top Tweets Spirited tweets by Granite Bay High School students

BY JILL KURPERSHOEK

jkurpershoek.gazette@gmail.com Gazette illustration/AMANDA PRATHER

Twitter

Gazette file illustrations/THOMAS TAYLOR

Netflix Picks

BY HANNAH HOLZER

Big s/o to @jojo_holt for getting an assist today in her first colligiate game #BBN

Joey Scotti

@joeyscotti10

hholzer.gazette@gmail.com

1 Retweets

37 Favorites

every weekend from now is gonna be a summer tease

Theme: Empowered leadings females 1.V For Vendetta– Natalie Portman gives a stunning performance as Evey Hammond, depicting her transformation from peaceful Brit to anarchist extraordinaire.

2.Kill Bill Volumes One & Two– It’s difficult not to feel empowered watching Uma Thurman take her vengeance on the murderous group that ruined her wedding and life.

3.Heathers– First, who doesn’t love Winona Ryder? After coming to her senses about the true nature of her murderous bad boy boyfriend, Ryder finally decides to put an end to the suicide rampage threatening her high school.

4.Valley Of The Dolls– Perhaps not often thought of as a film of empowerment given that the plot heavily focuses on the drug abuse and use of three females, I would argue it is. Each of the three females attempts to fight her own battle, some end in despair, others in triumph.

5.Bridget Jones’s Diary– And finally, one of my favorite comedies of all time. Renée Zellweger’s fully flawed character of Bridget Jones is on full display as she is plagued with the threat of eventual spinsterhood. However, her rebound from her failed relationship with a womanizing colleague to the tune of Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman” never fails to inspire.

queen

@_aayaaa

6 Retweets

19 Favorites

lets keep this in mind the juniors still have another year of high school so regardless, they lose :-)

emma dareRAW

@emma_darragh

0 Retweets

46 Favorites

so a month from today ill be in hawaii, trying out for cheer, wondering if what ive spent 13 years doing will pay off #dearlawd

that shim cray

@kylie_shimada

0 Retweets

34 Favorites

Stop parking in the people’s parking spots !!!!!!!!!!!

0/10 would reccomend !!!!!!!!!

100% annoying !!!!!!!!!!!

kass

@kassidyhenson

0 Retweets

19 Favorites

Recipe of the Month: Mixed berry smoothie Ingredients:

1. Two ice cubes 2. One cup frozen strawberries 3. One banana 4. Handful blackberries 5. Handful blueberries 6. ½ cup Orange Juice 7. ¼ cup Milk 8. Assorted fruits and nuts for garnish (sliced strawberries, banana, raspberries, chopped almonds, etc.)

9. Optional: One scoop

Directions:

1. Put the banana, frozen strawberries, ice cubes, and orange juice in the blender until pureed.

2. Add the milk, blueberries, and blackberries to the blender, and blend until it reaches the desired consistency.

3. Optional add protein powder 4. Add more milk or orange juice if it is too thick for your liking.

5. Spoon the blend into a bowl and top with the granola.

6. Sprinkle the assorted fruits and nuts over the top, and enjoy.

bowl

BY SAVANNA THOMPSON sthompson.gazette@gmail.com

Gazette photo/ SAVANNA THOMPSON

April 2016

Page 5

ball gown galore.

Special to the Gazette

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BY SAVANNA THOMPSON sthompson.gazette@gmail.com

W

ith Senior Ball coming up, there are thousands of styles and colors available online, but those orders run the risk of terrible return policies or a sketchy website localized out of Shanghai.

Instead, senior girls can look to local boutiques for their dream dress this season. Outside of the mall, some girls lose hope of finding a beautiful and unique prom dress, and it can be difficult finding a friend who wears the same size to borrow a dress.

Haute House Couture, located in Carmichael offers the latest styles of dresses at a range of prices. Open every day of the week except Sundays, the small business receives regular shipments of new styles and sizes.

The owner even writes down the dress you purchase and the name of your high school to ensure that no one will buy the same dress as you.

The Fountains is home to a higher end boutique that sells formal dresses. These tend to be a little pricier because every style is name brand like Sherri Hill or Blush.

Appointments must be made beforehand to try on any formal dress. Out in Sacramento, Sophie’s Boutique, Krazy Mary’s and Elegant Designs Bridal dominate the formal dress market with their beautiful styles in all sizes.

The selection at Krazy Mary’s may be limited, but girls are guaranteed a unique dress as the dresses in store are hard to find even online.

Popular colors this dress season include candy pink, red and royal blue.

Because summer is approaching, a dress of any color will stand out yet fit in as spring formals distinguish themselves with light colored dresses.

Two piece dresses which became increasingly popular during the 2015 prom season will be seen everywhere this season.

This year is claimed to be year of the crop.

Coming in all colors, patterns, and types of jewels, the crop dresses are cutting edge and accentuate your torso without being too promiscuous.

Another big trend is the illusion. This style incorporates sheer mesh materials to give the effect of bare skin.

The illusion panels will be placed strategically on the body of the gown, on the back, along

the neckline, or on the skirt to show off extra leg.Sequins and crystals have been seen all over the red carpet and will yet again be popular.

Such sparkly gowns will make girls stand out in any picture and under the flashing lights of a dance floor.

Characterized as sexy or sweet, overall lace dresses or lace trim are in high demand as 2016 is the first year that these dresses have been central pieces of designer’s collections. Dainty and elegant, lace styles emphasize femininity.

Full skirts and ballgowns, notorious for fulfilling childhood dreams of being a princess, prevail once again as a highly sought-after style.

For those who don’t want a super sparkly dress or bold pattern, simple dresses are always a classy look.

Statement jewelry like chunky necklaces also enhance the overall aesthetic of a dress.

With the wide array of local stores, formal dress shopping this spring should not be an impossible process.

Standing out in terms of a color or style will cause senior girls to fit in as there are no limits to the possibilities of dress options for Senior Ball.

2015 seniors showcase their elegant gowns worn at the 2015 Senior Ball.

Dresses range from lace to bodycon to natural flow.

Gazette photo illustrations / EPSA SHARMA

Gazette’s tips and tricks on dressing for success at Senior Ball

Page 6

April 2016

look me in the fry.

The chosen bun...

Islands

BY COLE KAHMANN

ckahmann.gazette@gmail.com

Islands has always been and still is my favorite burger place.

Growing up I would always want to go to Islands for my birthday dinner and after going again, that won’t change.

The restaurant is located in a nice location right off of East Roseville Parkway.

Everything in the restaurant follows a tropical theme, even showing surfing and other extreme sports on the TVs at all times.

Replicating a tropical experience, they offer unique burgers with exotic toppings and sauces. They also offer Mexican dishes which nicely broaden their menu.

When I recently went there I ordered the Mavericks burger which includes barbeque sauce, shoestring onions, cheese and the other basic vegetables.

The burgers themselves are fairly large and all have unique, bold flavors. They always cook their burgers just right and are capable of making burgers in any way.

Not only do you receive a delicious and large burger, but each burger meal comes with bottomless fries.

In this area, there is a lot of debate about the best fries. Many claim the nearby In n Out has the best fries, which is fair enough, but Islands is definitely in contention for being the best.

Cooked to a perfect crisp, the fries complete the meal and set Islands’ meals apart from the competition.

The Gazette staff attempts to meat up with the best hamburgers in town.

Moo-Moo’s A downside of the place is that burgers cost around $10 and drinks don’t come with meals, but the food is well worth the extra money.

The restaurant not only has great food, but its atmosphere makes for a unique experience that many other restaurants can’t deliver.

It has a relaxed, yet energetic mood that makes Islands a great place for a meal with your family, friends, date or even by yourself.

However, the service ranges from normal to slow speed. To avoid the problem, I don’t see a problem in waiting until you can eat as many mouth-watering, bottomless fries as you can and going later to avoid busy times.

Overall, Islands is the best burger place in the area to sit down and enjoy a relaxed, delicious meal. Islands Restaurant serves great burgers in a relaxed, beachy environment.

Gazette photo /COLE KAHMANN

BY RAWAN KHALILI

rkhalili.gazette@gmail.com

When I first heard about Moo-Moo’s, I was expecting a full-blown barn atmosphere: hoedown music, workers in overalls and bandanas. Unfortunately there wasn’t anything farm-like, which was fine, since their food made up for the lacking theme.

Upon entrance I was greeted by an extremely friendly staff. I didn’t feel like I was in a restaurant, because of the welcoming ambiance.

The menu took my breath away.

Dozens of burger and sandwich options to choose from, ranging from the classic to meat-free options for our fellow vegetarians on your choice of sesame or kaiser bun. Obviously, I got too overwhelmed with the menu options, and opted for the classic burger.

As a meat lover, I’ve trained myself to identify good beef from beef trying to pass as meat. The burger beef was decadent and utterly perfect.

My favorite aspect of the burger was the secret Moo-Moo Sauce, which kind of tasted like a Thousand Island spin off, exceeding the typical ketchup and mustard duo or whatever people put on burgers.

But honestly, the only thing that was actually better than the food was the service. Our server was extremely kind and funny. Bearing with us through our

long list of questions about the menu and indecisiveness.

The food came out within 10 minutes and at the perfect temperature, matching the friendly climate. Halfway though my visit, I concluded that quality can be seen not only in the food but in the attentiveness of the work crew.

If you have a burger craving that InN-Out just won’t satisfy, I can guarantee Moo-Moo’s will have what you’re looking for.

And if the burger isn’t enough, they also have an inviting list of shakes and sides. Oh, and did I mention chili cheese everything? Suddenly, I completely forgot about my disappointment with the restaurant decor.

What are you waiting for? Moooove on down to Moo-Moo’s burger barn. Moo-moo’s menu is large enough to take your breath away.

Gazette photo /RAWAN KHALILI

Krush Burger

BY SAVANNA THOMPSON sthompson.gazette@gmail.com

Simply put, I am a huge foodie, but burgers rarely satisfy my cravings for delicious food. So, when I volunteered to review a burger joint, I procrastinated the disappointment I knew was inevitable. Needless to say, that disappointment came.

Krush Burger, located right outside of the Roseville Galleria by the outdoor children’s play structure, attempts to differentiate itself from other fast food locations by selling “sliders” instead of real burgers.

Consumers can purchase two mini burgers for $6.95, but the size of these burgers is proportional to threefourths of the size of a stereotypical burger.

For me, one slider was plenty, maybe because I was sick to my stomach by the time I finished eating one.

I ordered the original burger, containing lettuce, tomato, cheese and an excessive amount of their house sauce. My burger was nearly soggy and dripping from all of the sauce they smothered in between the bun and the meat. The cheese was barely melted on the burger,

and the meat was just average.

The amount of bread significantly outnumbered how much meat was on the burger leaving me with half of my bun by the time I was done with the burger.

Krush Burger itself hires a very friendly and attentive staff who even cleared my tray from the outdoor patio on an empty Tuesday afternoon.

The outdoor seating area felt great in the sun and there were plenty of umbrellas if people wanted the shade.

The restaurant itself was very clean and well-kept.

My burger was quickly prepared, and the host asked me how I wanted my burger cooked as if it were a steak.

Unfortunately, the menu was extremely limited and pricey as the burger tasted like fast food rather than a delicacy burger. There was no option to add avocado which automatically makes any meal I eat 10 times better.

In addition to the mini burgers and classic fries, Krush Burger offers sweet potato tots: a slightly mushy version of tater tots made out of sweet potatoes. While I admire this innovative approach to the burger experience, the tots needed to be a little crispier.

Krush Burger has another location in Rocklin and has a food truck that can operate at nearly any location.

My burger was below average, but the restaurant itself has potential to be successful with a more extensive menu and a staff who is more careful about the amount of sauce they put on their burgers.

Krush Burger can make a quick meal while at the Galleria, but I would not recommend going out of one’s way to eat here.

Krush Burger has a limited menu, and subpar hamburgers.

Gazette photo /SAVANNA THOMPSON

April 2016

Page 7

look me in the fry.

Max’s

BY MEAGAN TALLMAN

mtallman.gazette@gmail.com

It was a drizzly Friday afternoon in old town Auburn when a few friends and I started feeling the rumbling in our stomachs, alerting us that we needed food pronto.

After examining our options, we all agreed a nice burger was exactly what we needed, so we popped across the road and went into Max’s.

Upon first entering, I was surprised at the fancy decor of the interior that did not match with the simple exterior. The restaurant must be going for a rustic chic feel for the place was lined with wooden beams and the walls had exposed brick detailing that really made you feel like you were at a more upscale restaurant than just any old bar and grill.

Being that it was three in the afternoon – not rush hour for food by any means – the place was totally empty, so my friends and I were seated immediately.

The waitress was pleasant enough, and promptly served us our beverages and took our orders. This, however, is when I became a bit perturbed by the Max’s staff.

One of my friends who accompanied me has a nut

allergy and she informed me that typically she would tell a waiter about the allergy and they would make special accommodations (i.e. taking nuts out of a dish, or cooking in something other than peanut oil.) However, when our waitress was informed of such, she rudely pointed out that my friend would have a limited number of options, and that they wouldn’t be willing to cook her food in a different type of oil. She then proceeded to give off an impatient attitude while my friend mulled over other options.

Now while companion was very go with the flow and simply ordered a different entree, I was quite put off by the interaction. In my opinion, a restaurant should be doing whatever possible to maximize customer satisfaction. Sit down dining is not just about the food, it’s about the experience, and I did not appreciate the snarkiness of this woman.

Somehow I managed to get over this nuisance when my food made it to me, as I was still quite starved. I had the classic American Hamburger, and it was average.

No better or worse than the homemade burgers my dad grills up on fourth of July. One thing important to note however was that these burgers are massive. I could barely make it through half this thing before I had to

Squeeze Inn

BY KAYOMI KAYOSHI

kkayoshi.gazette@gmail.com

If there was a Tinder for burgers, I would definitely swipe right for the Squeeze Inn. The qualities that separate a good burger from a great burger are the level of messiness, how juicy it is, and if there’s a unique factor about it that I wouldn’t get from eating a standard burger. It’s safe to say that the Squeeze Inn’s burger passed all of my tests with flying colors.

Upon walking in, I was greeted with a spacious venue that has an authentic burger joint atmosphere. I ordered the Squeezeburger which included meat, lettuce, tomato, mustard (though I opted for none), mayo, onions, pickles and the star of the whole burger, the cheese.

The Squeeze Inn is notorious for the way that they do their cheese, and their location in Sacramento was featured in an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.

What’s special about their burgers is that they don’t do the ordinary slice of cheese on the patty. Instead, they put a whopping heap of cheddar cheese on a patty, add a couple of ice cubes, and put a top on it to allow the steam to crispen the cheese.

The result of this is a truly decadent burger with a “cheese skirt” around it, which basically entails nice and hardened cheese that’s at least an inch out from the actual patty. Being the self-proclaimed cheese enthusiast that I am, this was the best part of the burger.

Before I actually started eating the burger, I spent a generous five minutes coming up with a plan of attack, which was to not think about it and just eat with vigor.

throw up a white flag and call it quits. So if you’re coming here, be sure you’re ready for a hearty meal.

All in all, my Max’s experience was mediocre. Nothing about the whole experience really moved me too passionately. Perhaps I’ll give them another chance to make up for my previous sassy waitress, but until then, I would not say Max’s is a restaurant you need to check out.

Max’s offers an average tasting burger with sassy service.

Gazette photo /MEAGAN TALLMAN

Ikeda’s The Squeezeburger was juicy and delicious, and, with the gracious addition of the vegetables, the patty engulfed by the cheese skirt and the fluffy sesame bun, I found myself feeling like a snake when I opened my jaw.

When eating the burger, I had to strategize in order to keep everything from falling out because I wanted to get the perfect bite. If you’re a dainty eater, this is really the only flaw that I recognized with the Squeeze Inn. Something else that I loved from this place was definitely the French fries. I ordered a large and it sufficiently fed three people altogether. Their fries were delicious and were seasoned perfectly; they are definitely something that I will go back for. In my opinion, they are the poster child for tasty french fries, and I’m afraid that these fries have now become my new basis of comparison when trying new fries.

The Squeeze Inn has lived up to my perfect burger expectations, and I, without a doubt, will be eating there again.

Gazette photo /KAYOMI KAYOSHI

Squeeze Inn is known for the way they do their cheese, a crisp cheese skirt.

BY BRIGID BELL

bbell.gazette@gmail.com

The ultimate challenge: the quest for the best burger experience, a noble and worthy quest, but difficult all the same.

Burger after burger, fry after fry, milkshake after milkshake, the search continues.

In all of my experiences though, two things have become clear. One, the best burger simply does not come within a 50 mile radius of Granite Bay High School.

Ikeda’s burger was good. It had some sort of fancy aioli that was comparable to pesto with fresh ingredients, and a well cooked patty. I got a full meal plus a little doggie bag to take home for less than $15. Like I said, good but nothing special.

I ordered sweet potato fries which tasted pretty fresh but were lacking some salt and were honestly a little limp for my taste. Overall, they were somewhat unimpressive.

However, the one food item that impressed me at Ikeda’s restaurant was their milkshake. If you’re looking for the best milkshakes in the county, Ikeda’s is your spot.

To me, the sign of the best milkshake is the mastery of one of the classics: chocolate or vanilla. My mom always says if you don’t like chocolate, you’re a Russian spy, so out of fear of being labeled a communist, my primary choice is always chocolate – which is the flavor that left such a notable impression.

Most restaurants claim their milkshakes are made with “real ice cream,” but in this one, you can taste it. It’s rich, but not too rich – still fresh enough to leave you wanting more after slurping

the last drops out of the red pinstriped cups. It’s plenty chocolatey but never enough to be able to taste any hint of chocolate syrup.

So why, after giving you only one reason to go to Ikeda’s (their phenomenal milkshakes), have I given them a 3.5 star rating when the food alone doesn’t deserve so high of a rating?

The second thing I’ve learned, simply put, is about the experiences and memories, the funny stories and family nights that these meals bring to mind.

Proudly family owned and operated since the late 1960s, Ikeda’s first opened as a fruit stand and small grocery store, later adding the restaurant.

It’s a classic place to hit up when passing through Auburn for Sierra bound Bay Area-ers as well and locals alike. There is always a crowd and the grocery store attached is full of fun-to-browse candies, sauces, produce and (most famously) house-made pies. Families are abundant and many have been visiting Ikeda’s for generations.

So in the experience oriented definition of a great burger joint, Ikeda’s fits the bill. Quest, quested.

Ikedas serves an adequate burger, but their fries and milkshakes enhance the overall experience.

Special to the Gazette /DANIEL KAGAN

Page 8 & 9

April 2016

through the local looking glass

THESE VIEWS WILL MAKE YOU

SHUTTER

BY BLAKE PANTER

bpanter.gazette@gmail.com

Lake Clementine Located in Auburn, Lake Clementine makes for a perfect combination of hiking and photo opportunities. It is about five or 10 minutes away from the infamous Foresthill Bridge, and the hike will lead to a nice lake and dam with water flowing over. Hikers can climb down to an overlooking rock to the waterfall. You can go year around, but the best time to go is either spring or summer because then, it is easiest to hike down to the actual lake itself down below where the water is falling. You can swim and get a great view. The view of the monumental dam waterfall makes with great contrast of a seemingly minute person for perspective in photos.

Special to the Gazette /CONNOR VIVALDI

Hidden Falls A regional park in Auburn, Hidden Falls has a ton of different hikes and waterfalls to see. With all of this variety, the best time to go is probably in the springtime, so that nice weather and a crisp swim in the water can accompany your photography adventure.

Due to high popularity, Hidden Falls can get pretty busy during the summer months, so be prepared. There is no one specific trail; there are plenty of options for adventurers to choose from, and you can’t go wrong. Photographers have the opportunity to use time exposure to make the small soothing waterfalls milky and smooth, but I recommend using a Neutral Density filter to avoid having your pictures turn out overexposed and too bright.

Above, Senior Sydney Ladrech poses for photos at Clark Tunnel in Auburn. Right, Drew Robles poses on the tracks of Clark Tunnel as well.

Downtown Sacramento You can easily find access along the Sacramento River to get some pictures of the Tower

Bridge. If you go at night, the lights reflecting off of the river can make a great effect for some landscape photography. Golden hour, the time just after sunrise and right before sunset, is the perfect time to get the best lighting for portrait photography in Downtown Sacramento. This effect, combined with the unique, urban architecture will make for some great pictures. Downtown Sacramento is a happening place, so you can double up your photo trip with some unique food places, art museums and concert venues.

Clark’s Tunnel Clark’s Tunnel, an eerie tunnel that train tracks run through, is located in Penryn, which is about a 20 minute drive from Granite Bay. The best time to go is at night where it can be a bit more of an experience, but is not for the easily frightened. If you go at night, make sure to bring a decent flash. Inside, graffiti decorates the walls, can make a neat backdrop for portrait photography. After you park, there is about a five minute walk to get to the tunnel after you hop a barbed wire fence. If, however, you don’t want to do this, you can walk about a mile down the train tracks and then get to the tunnel eventually.

Foresthill Bridge Foresthill Bridge is also known as Auburn-Foresthill Bridge or Auburn Bridge. 522 feet above the American River in Auburn, it ranks as the tallest bridge in California. It makes for a great lookout point to see the natural world of Auburn. A couple of years ago, people were able to climb on the supporting substructure of the bridge, but then people died, so you can’t do that anymore and in general is a terrible idea, although it would make for a great picture. Right before you drive across the bridge, pull off to the side of the road and walk down a path that leads right below the bridge. Underneath the actual bridge, because of its elevation, you can still get a great view of the river and take some great sunset or sunrise pictures.

Special to the Gazette /NATHAN MOUDAKIS

Local photography spots in Auburn, Roseville, and Sacramento grow in popularity among students and community members.

Gazette photo /AMANDA PRATHER

Page 10

April 2016

electronic dance music.

Raves are concerts where electronic dance music is commonly played. The audience enjoys feeling the beats.

Gazette photo /JILL KURPERSHOEK

Modern artists must implement electronic dance music to remain relevant

BY JILL KURPERSHOEK

jkurpershoek.gazette@gmail.com

It’s no secret that electronic dance music, also called EDM, has exploded in popularity over the course of the last few years.

More and more EDM artists have been awarded Grammys, and non-EDM artists, such as Justin Bieber and Mike Posner, have collaborated with DJs, implementing EDM elements into their music.

Posner’s new song “I Took a Pill in Ibiza” is an indirect critique on the music industry, describing how he was once a big-name artist when pop songs were the mainstream, but had adjust to the changes in the music industry or be left behind.

Although beginning with small audiences and with events usually held in questionable venues, Electronic Dance Music has erupted into a 6.2 billion dollar industry, according to a CNN report.

Calvin Harris is currently the highest paid EDM artist, making over 65 million dollars in 2014, and will be a headliner for the Coachella Music Festival this year.

This music genre never used to generate the incredible amount of attraction it does now. As an avid festival attendee, even I really didn’t begin to cultivate an interest in the EDM scene until the last year or so.

“I listen to it occasionally, but it’s not my go-to music choice,” Maddie Williams, a senior at Granite Bay High School, said, “I think like all music, EDM will evolve causing the genre to expand and new genres to branch off of it; I can actually see it becoming more popular in the next couple of years.”

In my experience, the preconception of EDM is believed to be a loud, gothic type of dubstep that teenagers strung out on ecstasy listen to in sketchy clubs.

While that’s half true, those associations aren’t entirely accurate.

In reality, the majority of people don’t realize EDM elements have been integrated into almost every genre and usually don’t realize that they’re listening to it.

“I think it has become so popular because it is so different than any other type of music and people nowadays are attracted to anything different than what is familiar or ‘normal,’” Williams said.

Its increasing popularity can be best illustrated through the Coachella line up, as Coachella is one of the most attended music festivals in the United States.

This year’s lineup features over fifteen big-name DJs dispersed amongst the three-day event.

Jesse Uli, a senior at GBHS, is an up-and-coming events photographer who has also noticed the changes in this field that EDM is bringing.

“I’m more interested and wrapped up in the hip-hop industry but about 25 percent of my client work goes to EDM artists,” Uli said, “and that percentage will grow by the way the whole industry is moving towards EDM.” The rise of EDM and festival events go hand-in-hand.

As music festivals have eased into the mainstream scene, DJs have had more accessibility to events that allow them to showcase their work alongside other bigger artists for large-scale audiences.

“I think everything has its time,” Uli said, “but I think it will be on the rise for the next few years and then some new genre will (emerge), that’s just how it goes.”

There are also theories that the EDM industry thrives due to the drug use associated with it.

However, many DJs promote drug-free attendance.

In addition, DanceSafe is a group that raises awareness about drugs at festivals and events and how to stay safe when attending.

In regards to its continued growth, EDM’s success in the music industry the next few years is expected to remain steady.

“It’s something new,” Uli said, “I think the entire genre is attached to a really good vibe, whereas (other genres) can get bad reps for being too violent. As a genre, (it) revolves around just having a good time.”

April 2016

music to my ears.

Page 11

A STREAM OF MUSIC Gazette photo /CARISSA LEWIS

Music apps are rising in popularity due to reasonable prices and ease of access You will also endure ads that will irritate you a bit and make you question the possibility of changing to Premium. usic streaming has been increasing in popuHowever on the computer, you are able to listen to larity this past year as people are ditching whatever song you pick. separately buying songs and investing in Listening to it on the computer is more convenient companies that stream music. than on your phone because you aren’t limited to The top five options of music streaming include Sposhuffle. tify, Tidal, Pandora, 8tracks and Apple Music. StreamSpotify Premium has a plethora of options ranging ing allows you the option to listen and download songs from free listening to personalized playlists. a monthly payment of ten to fifteen dollars, ranging on Spotify offers first time users a three month trial for which company and package deal you purchase.

99 cents Which for all your music lovers is a smart long term The benefits of Spotify Premium are more beneficial investment, because you could download 50 songs on to each music listener due to Spotify Discover. your phone for the price of $10 a month, but if you purSpotify Discover accumulates a playlist personalized chased them separately through iTunes it would amount to the songs the user has listened to the past week. to a total of $65.40.

It’s a new playlist every week, so you’re exposed to Streaming music is a smarter, more accessible and new artists that have similar styles to the artists you usumore customizable experience. You’ll get more bang for ally listen to. your buck.

On the computer, Spotify also has an option for you to Spotify is a fan favorite of most students and for all be a private or public listener. you ballin’ on a budget college bound seniors you’ll That is in correlation to the option of seeing what receive a $5 discount by using your ID number. other people you are following are listening to. On the Spotify offers two options, Spotify Free and Spotify sidebar is shows what your followers are listening to, Premium. and you have the option to keep that information public There are many pros and cons of Spotify free. or private.

Well the main pro is that it’s free, obviously. Spotify Playlists on Spotify are able to be chosen by mood or Free allows you to listen to all music on your phone or activity and you can adjust it to the rigor. music device, with a few exceptions.

You are also allowed to download music to your With normal spotify you are able to create music phone so you can listen to it offline, and not use your Gazette illustration/BLAKE playlists, however you are only allowed to shuffle. date. PANTER

BY EPSA SHARMA

M

esharma.gazette@gmail.com

There are countless reasons why Spotify continues to be a fan favorite, but people are still avid users of other music apps like Pandora.

Pandora is an app that is full of radio stations geared towards the artists and other artists or songs similar to them.

With Pandora you are only allowed to skip 4 songs, and it’s more a leisure type of listening environment.

With Pandora you are not allowed to create your own playlists but you are allowed to choose music stations that cater to your stations.

Pandora has died down in popularity but it still remains relevant, it is increasing in popularity with the older generation.

8 tracks is a hidden gem of the music streaming world. Its main asset is having playlists for every mood possible.

Users have the option to put hashtags by mood to categorize them.

So let’s say you are looking for a rainy day homework playlist, in the search bar search rainy and then search homework – and bam you have a plethora of playlists.

Finally a new streaming app is trying to climb up the music streaming ladder – Tidal.

Tidal is fresh off the app store and charges more than Spotify around $12-$15 a month. It’s very apparent that it’s a rookie app and has a similar setup to Spotify.

However the clean cut layout of Tidal makes it stand out.

Overall music streaming is rising in popularity due to its ease of access and price.

Page 12

April 2016

current.

Mixtape - back to the basics

Artist of the Month Kate Miller 1. What style of painting do you do the most?

I tend to paint surrealism the most, incorporating my subjects in dreamlike environments.

2. What are you working on right now?

I am currently working on my breadth pieces and am polishing my past paintings in preparation for the Advanced Placement studio art test.

BRIGID BELL

bbell.gazette@gmail.com

1. Mistakes – Lake Street Dive The band’s latest single preceding their newest album, Side Pony features a big presence of both the bass and trumpet, giving the single, like most of the band’s music, a soulful, seventies vibe.

2. Smoke – Luke Levenson feat. Abbey Smith Although compositionally and lyrically simplistic, the harmonies and range of both artists are impressive. The less complicated lyrics allow emphasis on the delivery, making the single an easy listening song choice.

3. Piano Song – Eryn Allen Kane Yet another R&B artist, Chicago native Eryn Allen Kane’s jazzy tunes and metaphorical lyrics, as well as her incredible vocals could be seen to take their roots from some of the Motown greats like the Supremes or the Temptations. Even though singing about a breakup, her hopefulness is tangible.

4. Make Some Room – Suffers This group’s most popular song seems to find inspiration from many of the greatest late seventies and early eighties soulful hits, from Natalie Cole to Marvin Gaye.

Follow @carter.bliss for a range of artsy photography.

Follow Friday

Instagram

Compiled by Whitney Knorp

3. What do you most enjoy about painting?

What I enjoy the most about painting is how it allows me to create anything imaginable. There are no limits as to what you can create with art.

4. What impact do you feel art has had on your life?

I feel like art has made me a more observant person, making me more appreciative of art and allowing me to see things in a different light. I now notice things such as small details in nature which I never had before.

5. Are you planning on pursuing art in the future?

I am not pursuing a major directly relating to art in college but I hope to use the skills I’ve gained in helping me pursue a degree in computer science. I plan to continue to create art on the side as well.

Compiled by Brayden Johnk

FRESHMAN 2019 201 vs VS. SENIOR 6 .

Was high school what you expected it to be?

Grace: “No, I expected it to be much more work and stress, but this year has been no problem so far.”

Claire: “Yes, it met my expectations.”

Best campus activity?

Grace: “Volleyball is my favorite activity. I love being a part of a team.”

Claire: “Peer counseling is the best campus activity.”

Grace Ehnen is a freshman at GBHS.

Claire Raney is a senior at GBHS.

Compiled by Amanda Prather

Page 13

April 2016

it’s time to go.

GBHS spring musical comes from the big screen to a theater near you

BY CARISSA LEWIS

clewis.gazette@gmail.com

As opening day stems into action, the Granite Bay High School drama department presents a re-fern-ished adaptation of Into the Woods.

Combining the classic stories of Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk and a few other familiar characters, the play introduces an unconventional twist on some of Grimms’ most famous fairytales.

Into the Woods centers around a baker and his wife in their pursual of removing a curse that was placed upon them. To do so, the couple must find four peculiar items – a slipper as pure as gold, a cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn and a cow as white as milk. The search leads them into the woods, where they encounter the other fairytale characters.

The witch, who placed the curse on the baker’s house, is slightly more independent but still heavily involved in the interactions of the other characters.

“She doesn’t really care about what other people think of her,” said senior Kassidy Henson, who is playing the role of the witch. “She’s wise. She tries to … advise other people, but

they don’t tend to listen to her because she’s an outcast.”

The play is divided into two contrasting segments. While Act I more closely mirrors classic fantasies, the plot drastically alters in Act II. “All of our conflicts from the first thing seem to resolve,” said junior Saawan Tiwari, who is working on costume design and acting as Rapunzel’s prince. “We end our show at Act I, but then the show starts up again at act two and it feels almost forced.”

The tone from Act I shifts from being lighthearted to bearing dark undertones as the characters experience the repercussions of their actions. The characters learn the consequences of receiving what they originally hoped for. “(Act II is) just so relatable,” Henson said.

“Usually fairytales are just the dream, and Into the Woods makes fairytales a reality … What you wish is what you get.”

Before entering into the serious phase of the play, Act I provides the audience with comic relief.

Some of the characters, while not being particularly dynamic, are designed to be humorous.

Such characters include the princes of Cinderella and Rapunzel. “(The princes) have these two songs where

Gazette illustration/OLIVIA HEPPELL

they’re literally having this sibling rivalry of who has the hardest maiden to catch,” Tiwari said.

Into the Woods was selected as the drama department’s spring production partially because of the recent release of a movie revision.

The movie, which was released in 2014, stars many lead actors and actresses such as Anna Kendrick, Meryl Streep and Johnny Depp.

“They did a very good job for a movie adaptation,” Tiwari said, “(but) when you come see the show, you will get a completely different experience.”

According to set designer Kendall Smith, GBHS’s version of the musical is more colorful and animated than the original script.

To help immerse the audience into the setting, the design team adorned the GBHS theatre with vines and moss.

The production is at 7:00 p.m. on April 14 to 16 and April 21 to 23. Student tickets can be bought for $10, and adult tickets cost $12.

“We try to make it as professional as possible,” Smith said. “Our theatre is good. Our sets are going to be great and our music is good. We have professional music people, and we have our band working with us … Everything is really solid and perfect.”

Page 14

W

April 2016

film.

WALT DISNEY PICTURES

I

BLEECKER STREET

T

UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Rated: R

Rated: PG-13

By: Olivia Heppell oheppell.gazette@gmail.com

By: Connor Hinson chinson.gazette@gmail.com

By: Amanda Nist anist.gazette@gmail.com

my big fat greek wedding 2: C

Rated: PG

eye in the sky: B+

n drone warfare, a human life is not always judged based on empathy, but often by layers of detached bureaucracy. Eye In The Sky questions this idea as well as a handful of others relating to ethics in technologically advanced modern warfare.

The film opens with a shot of a small Kenyan home inhabited by small Kenyan family. A dad is making a hoola hoop for his young girl to play with. The girl appears very excited.

As she plays, the camera slowly zooms out to reveal that the scene is playing out through the lens of a drone. In fact, much of the movie is seen though this drone and ones like it, as officers in England command pilots in America to track down high ranking terrorists on the president’s East African “most wanted” list.

While this is the basis for the conflict in the film, most of the tension is built through the inability for any party to come to a concrete decision. Even after they find the terrorists, which occurs fairly early into the film, their fate cannot be decided before passing through innumerable levels of bureaucracy.

Because no one person wants to be responsible for the possible collateral damage of a drone targeted assassination, actions which should take no time at all take several minutes.

In many ways, this film calls back to cinema classic Dr. Strangelove. Both are tight-knit wartime dramas which take place right before a major wartime event. Both also take place in one day.

However, while Dr. Strangelove uses the preattack cacophony for comedy, Eye In The Sky uses it to expose the fallacies within the system.

Where Eye In The Sky succeeded in making a statement, it falls short in its filmmaking. Director Gavin Hood doesn’t have the best track record, with such films as X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Ender’s Game under his belt, both of which are considered to be failures.

Although the direction as a whole is much more coherent in this picture, it still comes off looking like a cookie cutter drama. Nearly all of the shots or cuts were interesting, leaving the acting and script to hold up the entire film.

Luckily, both Alan Rickman and Helen Mirren gave excellent performances. Despite their occasionally harsh viewpoint, they never come off as unreasonable or ignorant to the scope of the situation.

As a film, Eye In The Sky might appear outwardly as mediocre and contrived. However, after experiencing it in its entirety, Eye In The Sky is a genuinely provocative and important film.

zootopia: B-

ith high expectations for Zootopia, supposedly Disney’s best new animated film to date, I was ultimately disappointed leaving the theater.

Zootopia was by no means bad or unenjoyable, but it failed to reach the high standards of Disney.

Part of what makes Disney and its films so magical are their ability to transport the viewer to another world that is entirely believable and encompassing.

Instead, I found the world constructed in Zootopia to be caricature-like and unrealistic, ultimately reducing how much I could enjoy the movie.

Despite the setting, the characters were lovable and funny, but predictably didn’t vary from one another.

Both Judy Hopps, the starring bunny, and Nick Wilde, a scheming fox that ends up turning his life around, faced essentially the same conflict as children – bullying.

I applaud Disney for openly discussing bullying.

However, the fact that the two main characters dealt with the exact same issue added no dimension to their relationship or the story.

Disney also attempted to discuss discrimination that occurs in our society based characteristics that one can’t change.

In the film, the number of “prey” outnumber the “predators” in Zootopia. Consequently, the predators were discriminated against as dangerous and unable to control their predatory instincts. This led to predators being ostracized and targeted by a biased majority.

This overt allusion to discrimination that the United States is facing today raised important and relevant points, but perhaps wasn’t what a viewer is looking for when they go to see a lighthearted Disney film.

The humor was uncharacteristically weak for Disney who usually nails the perfect ratio of adult humor to childish humor.

The film spent a lot of time discussing serious problems and solving conflict resolution and failed to incorporate comedic breaks.

One charming aspect of the film was the many allusions made, Disney-related or otherwise.

The little touches such as these are what make Disney stand out in the world of filmmaking.

Disney did not produce an outstanding movie this spring, but it wasn’t the worst way I could’ve spent my afternoon.

he one thing I hate about reunion shows – any reunion show – is that all of the jokes that prompted laughs in the first one are generally recycled in the second one.

There’s nothing more annoying than hearing the same joke over and over and over again. Also, did I mention there’s nothing more annoying than hearing the same joke over and over and over again?

This seems to be the main theme in My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2. The same punchlines, the same houses, the same nosey Greek families – seemingly the same exact movie.

The difference between the two, however, is that the sequel focuses on middle aged Toula and Ian attempting to reignite their relationship while stressing about their daughter Paris, who wants to go to college and away from her overbearing Greek family. Toula also decides it’s her personal job to help her parents plan their wedding, because the priest never signed their marriage license.

The whole movie jumps between these three plots.

The planning of the second big, fat Greek wedding was the main one – I think – but it was hard to tell because the whole film was just one bad joke after another.

Sure, the cracked jokes and Greek humor in the first movie made My Big Fat Greek Wedding the successful romantic comedy that it is, because it was seemingly so original at the time. But recycling the same laughs 14 years later make the second movie unoriginal.

We get it. There’s a Greek family that gets up in each other’s personal lives, who somewhat like to make racist or inappropriate jokes. They live close together. They have no boundaries.

The movie wasn’t all bad and recycled jokes, however. It was nice to see good old fashioned familial love. The bond that the Portokalos family has might be annoying and intrusive, but it’s also extremely heart warming.

When the wedding planner for the grandparents’ wedding quits because she thinks the family is too chaotic, the entire Portokalos family comes together to prepare everything for the wedding.

Despite the nonsensical jokes, the movie was pretty cute. I’ll admit I caught myself smiling at times.

Every movie doesn’t deserve a sequel – this is for sure. But being able to watch the characters you fell in love with on the big screen once again makes it completely worth watching.

April 2016

B

Page 15

film.

WARNER BROS.

W

BAD ROBOT PRODUCTIONS

B

LIONSGATE

Rated: PG-13

Rated: PG-13

Rated: PG-13

By: Naseeha Islam nislam.gazette@gmail.com

By: Arthi Bobbala abobbala.gazette@gmail.com

By: Katie Cologna kcologna.gazette@gmail.com

allegiant: B

ecause Allegiant is part one of the third installment of the Divergent series, my hopes were set pretty high for the anticipated movie. With Theo James playing the ever so attractive character Tobias Eaton and Shailene Woodley as the courageous Beatrice Prior, I looked forward to seeing how their story would begin to conclude.

On a journey to see what is past the infamous wall that is supposed to keep all of Chicago protected from the outside world, Four (Tobias) escapes beyond the wall with Tris and their companions.

With the ongoing battle between the allegiants and the factionless, Tris and Four battled through many conflicts until they stopped the fighting between the two groups and the corruption of the head of Chicago.

The movie was filled with the expected action, but also humor from Peter, played by the sarcastic Miles Teller, and the nerdy, uncoordinated Caleb played

by Ansel Elgort. With action-filled drama, it was nice to have comedy to lighten the mood.

As for the ongoing romance between Four and Tris, it seemed a little dry. They never seem to truly enjoy each other’s presence due to the strenuous situations they are in. It is rare when their relationship shows a happy and enjoyable side.

Each movie that comes out is worse than the last.

This one in particular moved slower than the other ones, and unlike most movies that have two parts, I wasn’t hanging on the edge of my seat to see what would happen next.

In all honesty, I think the actors were actually better than the actual content of the movie. They gave good performances, but the movie fell short.

When the movie came to a close, it felt like there wasn’t going to be another movie, and that there wasn’t anymore to the series. It wasn’t a shocking ending that left me wanting more. After watching a movie that was over two hours, it was quite annoying to have an unfulfilling ending.

This movie was good in terms of acting, action and occasional comedy, but the movie as a whole was disappointing. This won’t stop me from seeing the next movie, but that is mainly because I want to see if the series will be able to redeem itself.

Without a doubt, if you have seen the movies before this then I would recommend seeing this, but if you are not an avid watcher of this series then I wouldn’t take the time to see this movie or any others preceding it.

10 cloverfield lane: B-

hile 10 Cloverfield Lane is designated under the genre of fantasy, I would say that it was more of a thriller or a horror movie.

Brief and to the point, the exposition introduces us to the main character, Michelle, who is played

by Mary Elizabeth Winstead. After a conflict with her boyfriend Ben, who we know very little about, Michelle gets on the road and leaves behind this mystery boyfriend.

While driving, she gets in a car accident and later wakes up in a cold basement chained to the wall.

We are then introduced to the character of Howard, played by John Goodman, a big bearded man who has spent a large portion of his life preparing for a nuclear attack or alien invasion. He tells Michelle they have been attacked by the Russians, and he has saved her from the side of the road.

Howard is definitely a man suffering from severe mental disorders. However, we are forced to reevaluate our perception of him as simply someone who is crazy multiple times.

For example, Emmett, a character played by John Gallagher Jr, is later introduced and we find out that he voluntarily came to Howard’s bunker seeking refuge, making the viewer wonder if the Russians really did attack them.

Without spoiling the whole movie, let me just say that it is going to surprise you and leave you with a lot of unanswered questions.

None of these questions will actually be answered in the film. So if you are the kind of person who needs closure, this is not the movie for you.

While this movie does not provide you with much closure, it effortlessly builds suspense and mystery in an artful manner. The movie didn’t make much sense at times, but it is just a part of its charm.

Something I didn’t like about the movie however was that it didn’t capitalize further on the intricate plot line. It delved into serious psychological questions yet failed to answer them.

The movie lacked coherence and a clear message about anything really.

While it was an enjoyable movie, from an analytical standpoint it was hard to find a recurring theme or message and it just seemed like many arbitrary scenes stuck together.

The acting however was very well done, especially the character of Howard. John Goodman did a fantastic job portraying the complexity and multifaceted nature of his character. Instead of reducing the character to a model of craziness and hysteria, Goodman’s noteworthy performance was nuanced and deliberate.

batman v superman: C

atman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice really did live up to my expectations. Luckily for me, those expectations were set pretty low before I even stepped into the theater.

The film, which lasted two and a half hours, had a plot which felt forced and segmented to say the very least. A complicated plot was inevitable considering the fact that there was not one but two superheroes involved. However, the entire first half of the movie seemed committed to having parallel, but mutually exclusive, plots. Batman and Superman, despite knowledge of each other, did not actually come into contact until about halfway in, and even then only as their alter egos, Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent.

There was also an attempt to provide a broader perspective of the movie both politically and philosophically. Characters battled the questions between the rights and responsibilities of those with superhuman abilities and touched upon a more religious context of metaphorical men, gods and demons.

While this aspect of the film was somewhat intriguing, the attempt was not carried out well. Instead, this alternate, deeper plotline quickly gave way to some mindless, macho action.

The only aspect of the movie that I didn’t find all that bad was the acting. Henry Cavill, returning as Superman after 2013’s Man of Steel, did a decent job portraying the calm and collected Clark Kent and noble, heroic Superman. Jesse Eisenberg (Lex Luther) acted the most impressively in the film, although his character was poorly scripted. For too long I was convinced, due to his portrayal of insanity, that Eisenberg was playing Batman’s the Joker rather than Superman’s Lex Luther. Ben Affleck (Batman) wasn’t awful, but he didn’t live up to Christian Bale’s portrayal of Batman.

The fight scene between Batman and Superman, which I assume is what most people in the theater were there to see, lasted about an hour and a half.

Now, I understand that the target audience was intended to be those individuals that enjoy lots of loud, special-effect fueled violent action. And let’s face it, the target audience will go to see any superhero movie regardless of widespread disappointing reviews.

After an exhausting afternoon of frustration and a developing headache from the overall emotionless and action-packed film, my personal advice would be to watch the trailer instead – it summarizes the entire essence of the movie, and will save you valuable time and money.

Page 16

April 2016

fling into action.

Silversun Pickups // Foals & Bear Hands // CAGE THE ELEPHANT

“The opening artists are like Spotify with ads”

Gazette reviews local rock concert at Sleep Train Arena

“The music is so loud I feel like my cartilage piercing is going to fall out”

“This went from James Bay to Screamo real quick”

- Epsa Sharma

Senior

BY OLIVIA HEPPELL

oheppell.gazette@gmail.com

R

adio 94.7, Sacramento’s token indie radio station, recently hosted Spring Fling at the Sleep Train Arena.

The concert’s main performer was Cage the Elephant, an American rock band formed in 2006 in Kentucky.

Preceding Cage the Elephant were various other rock or indie bands, each more popular than the last until the show finished with the main event.

The energy and number of concert-goers matched the popularity of each new band that began playing.

When Bear Hands, the first performer, took the stage, the floor was pitifully empty. Because our seats weren’t general admission, I was, for the most part, unaffected by changing moods.

Although Bear Hands tried to energize the audience throughout their set, the majority of the audience was unresponsive and spent their time socializing.

Bear Hands lacked stage presence, partially contributing to the reaction from those in the audience.

The music felt like it came straight from a garage band, and depending on your tastes, that can either be exactly what you’re looking for or a disappointment.

Bear Hands is an American rock and post-punk band, and their music was distinctly their own.

After a brief 20 minute break after Bear Hands finished their set, Foals took the stage.

Foals is a British indie-rock band from Oxford.

They definitely felt a bit more mainstream in terms musical style.

At first, their style was calmer and more emotional, and then before I knew it, the music shifted to a style that was much closer to punk or even screamo.

It was definitely unexpected, and the transition from a James Bay style of music to scream definitely took me by surprise.

Foals, compared to Bear Hands, had a great stage presence. Lead singer and guitarist Yannis Philippakis brought energy and excitement to the stage, and the audience responded well.

You can tell when an artist feels passionately about their work, and this definitely translated.

Another break was followed by another band, this one considerably more famous amongst the concertgoers than the first two.

The third and final act before Cage the Elephant was an American rock band called Silversun Pickups.

Clearly experienced in performing, they interacted with the audience and with each other on stage.

Seeing the playful demeanor and dynamics between the band members on stage was refreshing after the more individualistic acts that preceded it.

The music was more mainstream and the audience clearly enjoyed their set and really got into the performance.

The vocals were impressive and the quality of music was the best out of the three so far.

However, Silversun Pickups, Foals and Bear Hands all paled in comparison to when Cage the Elephant took the stage.

Immediately, the crowd went wild for the band. It was clear that they were the main event and what the audience had been waiting for.

The energy in the arena spiked as Cage the Elephant began to play.

The songs they played were either their hit singles or songs off their newest album, Tell Me I’m Pretty.

The lead vocalist, Matthew Schultz, was a seasoned pro when it came to filling the stage with energy and engaging the audience.

One of my favorite parts of the night was watching him dance all over the stage with seemingly endless stores of energy.

Another memorable moment was when Matthew Schultz’s brother and guitar player for the band jumped down from the stage and interacted directly with the audience.

Cage the Elephant proved themselves a band worth remembering in two ways: the performance they delivered and the quality of the music and vocals.

While the concert was incredibly fun, I could’ve just seen Cage the Elephant and been content with my evening.

Spring Fling was a great way to spend a Saturday night and I would definitely recommend getting tickets for next year, especially if the headline artist is as talented as Cage the Elephant.

Gazette photos /EPSA SHARMA

Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento hosted a four act rock concert. Top Left shows Foals, Silver Sun pickups starting off the night with their playlist. Middle Left includes Cage the Elephant and Bear Hands finishin off the evening wih their final playlist.