Local efforts to help environment

Q: What is the best thing about being a teacher? A: Being able to be around teenagers all day. I think teenagers are one of the most fascinating groups of human beings to exist. There’s a quote online that talks about how raw, honest, vulnerable, hilarious and amazing teenagers are so that’s why I got into being a teacher. I love being around kids, getting to watch them grow up, mature and be better human beings.

BY SEAN TURNER sturner.gazette@gmail.com W ith natural disasters like the Australian wildfires becoming frequent, the climate crisis has become an even more urgent issue in the minds of many. New studies every day are showing record high temperatures, and disastrous effects like mass glacier melting are exceeding scientific predictions. “The consensus in the scientific community is that we need to change immediately,” said science teacher Elizabeth Henderson. “We have been staring this problem down saying we’ll handle it later (...) every year we increase our emissions it gets worse.” Henderson said that from a scientific perspective, there is a level of emission reductions that needs to be met, and each year it is missed. Though reversing the effects of global climate change will take a united international effort, some have taken action on a local and individual level in order to help. “My mom and I do small things like recycling cans and plastic bottles,” said sophomore Denali Lasko, co-leader of the High School Democrats of America club on campus. “I never throw clothes away ... if a shirt or something is beyond repair, I cut them up and use them as cleaning rag.” For many like Lasko, reusing materials and buying second hand products is an easy way for anyone to help prevent pollution. Fashion is one of the major polluting industries in the world, as it is responsible for 92 million tons of solid waste dumped into landfills each year according to the Copenhagen Fashion Summit. “I support the Sacramento Tree Foundation,” Hender- son said. “Trees are one of the best carbon adsorbents we have (...) and plant- ing trees

Administration deals with changes BY ASHLEY LUCIA alucia.gazette@gmail.com Compiled by May Lin GBHS searches for a new assistant principal A s assistant principal Jessup McGregor transitions into a new position at West Park High School for the 2020-2021 school year, Granite Bay High School is in search of a new addition to the administrative team. Principal Jennifer Leighton said the process includes a posting of the job, a screening for qualified applicants, and a review with two interview panels. One consists entirely of students and the other teachers and staff members. “We then compare our rankings, and I make the final decision and call our candidate,” Leighton said. GBHS is familiar with this process as they have seen an increase in administrative openings in the past couple years. In fact, the class of 2020 has encountered a new addition to the GBHS administration team each year. Senior Ellen Taylor believes this may have hindered students’ ability to connect with the team. “If someone creates a relationship with one, they’re likely to be gone in the next couple of years,” Taylor said. “I’m sure that many students feel as though there’s no point in creating bonds with admin because they know they’ll leave soon.“ Junior Maya Seagraves agrees that there is a benefit when administrators choose to remain at GBHS for extended periods of time. “It feels like the administrators care about the students and the campus and it’s not just another job until the next,” Seagraves said. Although, the lack of consistency in administration can be frustrating for some, Leighton believes the inpermamncancy of the team is a sign of a stronger skillset. “The strongest (assistant principals) want to be principals and eventually move on,” she said. They are essentially in training to become principals, so it makes sense that they would not stay in this role forever.” Although a strong team is essential, some also believe that a teaching background should be a larger factor in determining one’s candidacy for the position. “Admin should have more teaching experience because some of them don’t know how to control students without being too mean or strict,” Taylor said. The majority of the GBHS current administrators hold just a few years of teaching experience, and many from a charter school background. Meaning, they lack experience working in a public school setting prior to coming to GBHS. “Those who have a great teaching record are most desireable; however, the years in the classroom (do not) matter as much as the overall skill set,” Leighton said. Leighton also acknowledged teaching experience not being a number one determinant due to a certain skill set they seek out. “Recognizing and leading good instruction is very important, but there are many other skills that are required in administration as well,” she said. “So it can’t be (the) final, deciding factor.” Segraves agrees that there are many other components that have to be acknowledged in the process. “ I think it would be good to have people on the team that have been teachers,” she said. “But I don’t think they need teaching experience for them to be a good administration member.” Although the GBHS administrative team has faced a multitude of changes in the last few years, Leighton is certain one thing will remain a constant- her own position. “There have only been three principals in the 24 years that GBHS has existed,” she said. “This is my sixth year, so I’m clearly committed to staying. As Leigton looks forward to more years as the GBHS principal, students are hoping to find similar qualities in the new assistant principal as McGregor exhibited. “McGregor really reached out to all the students and I think we need someone who has the same quality of really caring about students on a personal level,” Seagraves said. can be the fastest and easiest way to help.” But for Henderson, it’s not only what you choose to do in helping the environment, it’s what you choose not to do. “I question what I consume and think mindfully before I purchase” Henderson said. For her, eating a plant based diet and avoiding single use plastics or other pollutants can be important steps to take, because it pulls support directly from industries that are often the worst polluters. While helpful toward the cause, individual action can be a difficult long term solution as climate change is a global issue containing approximately 7.7 billion individuals. “I think political effort is the most effective way to solve the problem,” said senior Rathip Rajakumar. “Politicians set the narrative for the country … and can inspire people to work harder toward a solutions, solving both industrial and personal hurdles to achieving a sustainable future.” Political action through laws and taxation can often be much faster in solving an issue than a cultural movement to inspire individuals. The issue of global warming is one with a time limit, and the deadline approaching. There are only 11 years left to prevent irreversible climate damage to our planet according to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. For many, the goals and regulations set by current United States politicians aren’t enough, fail to meet minimums established by the scientific community. ‘’I don’t see governments responding nearly fast enough,” Henderson said. ‘And I do not have faith in the ability of the free market to solve the issue in time… so far it hasn’t been an effective strategy.” ? Gazette illustration/SHREYA DODBALLAPUR Gazette illustration/ MAYA SNOW

BY JULIA GOLOVEY jgoloveygazette@gmail.com Granite Bay High School reacts to the new campus protection programs S chool shootings seem to be recurring tragedies in America, especially since the Columbine massacre in Littleton, Colorado, in 1999. Twelve students and one teacher lost their lives, with the perpetrators being a senior and a junior from the same high school. This trend of mass shootings has not gone away in recent years. On Feb. 14, 2018, 17 victims lost their lives in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High shooting, most commonly known as the Parkland Shooting. After Parkland, students and parents all over the country became vocal in the media about gun culture in the United States. Now, two years after the shooting, schools are attempting to implement ways to handle the problem of gun violence. Some argue the shootings would be reduced by restricting gun laws and the age to be able to buy one, while others argue the bigger issue is the mental health of these perpetrators. “As an American citizen, I have to stick with what the Second Amendment says, and it’s saying every American citizen can own a gun, so I feel that guns should be kept and used if necessary,” freshman Kaleigh Oliveri said. Oliveri said she believes the gun issue lies with students who struggle with mental health, and the issue would be solved if teachers were equipped with guns on campus. “It’s best for those kids to get the mental help they deserve,” Oliveri said. “(If) teachers (were) to own a gun, not to kill but protect ... they will save innocent lives.” Junior Tommy Gray agrees with the mental health aspect of the gun violence issue. “I think school shootings are an unfortunate cycle that was started by one person and has inspired many mentally ill people to do the same in order to achieve the fame they see the killers getting on TV and the internet,” Gray said. Gray added that the main focus of the issue should be on the mental state of students, because he believes that even if gun laws were more regulated, the issue wouldn’t be resolved. “(We would still) have access to many things that are just as deadly,” Gray said. “The tool isn’t the issue, it’s the sick people who are out to hurt others.” In response to this aspect of the issue, schools all over the country, including GBHS, have added mental health awareness programs. Senior Rathip Rajakumar, however, disagrees that mental health is at the core of the gun violence. “If we blame mental health for gun violence then, in the same breath, prevent background checks that search for mental illness, or blame mental health and then reduce medical coverage and access to mental aid for our most vulnerable citizens, we are outright hypocritical, illogical and at blame for every future shooting,” Rajakumar said. Drama teacher Kyle Holmes agrees that gun violence problems cannot be resolved without addressing guns. “I think that if we blame mental health, than we are skirting our responsibilities to address an actual problem,” Holmes said. “There’s mental health issues in every country, but our country continues to be the one with the largest gun violence problem, by a substantial margin, so I think that while mental health is important, I also think it’s irresponsible of us to just talk about mental health and not also stricter gun regulations.” Rajakumar has several ideas on how to address the gun violence issue. “Ultimately our backwards (presidential) administration needs to cut ties with a gun lobby in this country that is seemingly more important than the lives of Americans,” Rajakumar said. While some individuals want to see changes on a legal scale, schools are implementing changes on an educational scale. GBHS teachers were recently required to go over the class procedures to follow in case of an active shooter situation. “I think if we continue to educate our young people, we will hopefully be able to address and lower the amount of incidents that we have in our country,” Holmes said. “That would be my hope.”

Gazette photo /JULIETTA GOLOVEY Poster from the play titled “Bang Bang You’re Dead” hangs in Kyle Holmes’s drama room. The play reflects modern issues of gun violence by delving into the mental health of the perpetrator and the consequences of his actions.

BY BECCA NOLAN bnolan.gazette@gmail.com G ranite Bay High is seeing an increase in the number of students wanting to graduate early, whether their decision was a long-term goal or a last-minute decision. “(For me), it was very last-minute, and I would have been in electives all day, so I just decided graduating would be better for me,” senior Blake Clements said. “I’m currently going to Sierra (College) to get my undergraduate work done, then I will hopefully transfer to Boise (State).” Students have not always made it a priority to graduate early, but like Clements, some decide to go for it. For some students, however, early graduation is a priority. “It was a decision for me that I wanted to do so I can get a head start,” said junior Marcus Oretta, who is planning to go to Arizona State University or enlist in the U.S. Marines Corps. Oretta is graduating at the end of the year at Placer High after transferring away from GBHS because of a recent family move to Auburn. There is a lot of diversity on students’ decisions to determine whether they want to get ahead and miss out on their senior year, or have a year taking elective classes and having periods off. Making this decision makes a big impact on what students want to do with their lives. Having this as an opportunity is a game changer for most students, especially coming fresh out of high school, which forces them to get their priorities straight and take on adulthood. In the long run some students might see this to be better, and potentially give them more opportunities they might not have gotten if they continued their senior year. Students missing out on their senior year might feel like they are giving up on things that students still at school are partaking in. However this can show them that they are responsible enough to make these difficult decisions. “This was a very last minute decision for me, and I decided to graduate early because I wanted to pursue a career in creative production, while at the same time, getting a few credits from Sierra College,” senior Matthew Penkala said, who is deciding between Chapman University and Biola University. Regardless of doubt, these students were able to decide what was best for them individually, in order to continue their adulthood.

BY EMERSON FORD eford.gazette@gmail.com T radition can be hard to let go of, which is why a recent proposal to change Sober Grad Night resulted in mixed emotions among seniors. For the past 21 years, GBHS has held its Sober Grad Night at Sunsplash in Roseville. The event is a celebration on the night of graduation dedicated to the graduating senior class. Often viewed by students as one last hurrah with their classmates, there is an emphasis on keeping students safe from drug and alcohol use. Roseville Joint Union High School District officials announced last fall that they would be changing the graduation ceremonies for the high schools. Rather than graduating at the individual high school sites, district will all graduate at The Grounds Event Center in Roseville, with GBHS scheduled to have their ceremony at 3 p.m. Thursday, May 28. Unfortunately, the change in graduation ceremonies also affected Sober Grad Night. Margot Birch, one of the coordinators of the 2020 event, has been working to ensure this year’s Sober Grad Night is as successful as ever, despite the changes. “Due to the RJUHSD’s decision this past fall to change the day of our 2020 graduation ceremony to Thursday, we felt that it was important to find a venue for the actual graduation day,“ Birch said. “Sunsplash was able to move us to Friday, but did not have Thursday available.” As a result of Sunsplash’s unavailability on Thursday night, the committee began to search for other options. However, because of graduation venue change was only made in the fall – and because usually venues are booked 12 to 15 months in advance – there was minimal availability. “Based on limited driver availability, we could only consider venues between here and the Bay Area,” Birch said. Six Flags, Great America, SF Boat Cruise and Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk were all considered as alternative options, but only Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk was able to accommodate more than 250 students. Last year, 453 students attended Sober Grad Night, and historically 80% of the graduating class attends. As rumors of the change in the event began to circulate, students contemplated the possibility of abandoning this long-held tradition and instead traveling to Santa Cruz. “I thought the new location for Sober Grad Night sounded fun and was enthusiastic about it,”senior Alonzo Cannon said. “I heard Sunsplash was able to move us to Friday, but did not have Thursday available. – Margot Birch, SGN Coordinator

a lot of people like the idea of the new location but thought it wasn’t realistic and wouldn’t get much attendance because of how far away it was.” Other students, however, were less than enthusiastic about the possibility of a change. “I was a little bit upset because Sunsplash has been a tradition for (Sober Grad Night),” senior Jess Fayer said. Maddy Earhart, a fellow senior, was more passionate about they issue. “Santa Cruz should never have been an option – at least that’s my opinion, because it just wouldn’t work,” Earhart said.“They can’t take (Sober Grad Night) from me and they can’t take that from the rest of us. I will not budge on that.” Making sure to keep students directly involved in the decision, the committee sent out a poll for seniors to vote on their preference. “For two months, we worked with administration, senior class officers, plus other seniors and parents through various sports and booster organizations,” Birch said. “Once we found an alternative option for Thursday night, the Senior class sent out a survey. Sunsplash on Friday was chosen with a majority vote over Santa Cruz on Thursday.” On Jan. 23, GBHS officially confirmed to students via email that, in keeping with tradition, this year’s Sober Grad Night will be held on Friday night at Sunsplash. “The excitement of possibly getting to go to Disneyland or Universal Studios was leading the willingness to change from a (21-year) local tradition,” Birch said. “Once our only option was our fourth choice, it was no longer as exciting.” Once again, students have some mixed feelings about the decision. “Now that I know it’s at Sunsplash, I’m kind of disappointed that we didn’t change it up for the class of 2020,” Cannon said. “But I am OK with the decision.” On the other hand, Fayer is “glad that we are continuing our tradition to do (Sober Grad Night) at Sunsplash.” Earhart was also enthusiastic to learn of the decision to keep the tradition. “I’m good now, (it was really about) the tradition behind all of it, and before we had to be like ‘Hey, tell us what’s going on’ and they should’ve been telling us what was going on to begin with,” Earhart said. Some students, however, fear that attendance will be impacted because Sober Grad Night is no longer on the night of graduation, but rather a day after. “I do think that attendance might be lowered a little bit because some people might not care anymore,” Fayer said. Cannon agreed that the date change could negatively impact student turnout. “I believe Sober Grad Night being after graduation will highly affect attendance because … people will opt for their own organized events instead,” Cannon said. Currently, it is unclear if the change in graduation will affect next year’s Sober Grad Night also, but according to Birch it is a possibility.

See SUNSPLASH, page 28

Source/ GBHS Student Government Gazette illustration/KATE FERNANDEZ

BY ANGELINA KOLOSEY akolosey.gazette@gmail.com W ith graduation only four months away, the administrators at Granite Bay High have been emphasizing the importance for seniors to do whatever needs to be done in order to be removed from the senior conduct list. ¨Senior conduct designates that, due to a student’s unsatisfactory behavior, grades or attendance, they are ineligible to participate in designated senior activities,” assistant principal Jessup McGregor said. “It is in effect per the (roseville Joint Union High School District’s) Board Policies.” Students who have received an excessive amount of tardies or absences and or have failing grades can face the danger of not attending Sober Grad Night, Senior Picnic, Senior Ball and the graduation ceremony. “Behavior involves suspensions and or other serious disciplinary actions, attendance involves receiving nine-day attendance letters during the year or more than six tardies in a nine-week period and then academic progress is being on pace to graduate based on your grades at this time,” assistant principal Greg Sloan said. “If someone didn’t have the grades to graduate, assuming that was their final grade, you could also go on senior conduct for grades. The senior activities are affected by it.” Numbers vary each year and this school year it is safe to say there have been a handful of seniors informed that they have qualified to be on the senior conduct list. “I am on the senior conduct list, and as of right now the only way I know of to get off the list is to have an appeal hearing in front of the senior conduct council, which is made up of teachers and admin,” senior Maddy Earhart said. Although the list and the consequences of being on it might seem alarming, there are options students have that will lead to the removal of their names from the list and give them access to senior activities once more. “Prior to the initial date when a student on senior conduct would miss out on any activities, they will be notified of the appeal process,” McGregor said. “This includes notifying administration (the grade level assistant principal) of intent to appeal, a written statement of the rationale and appearing before a senior conduct appeals committee (comprised of representative teachers, counselors and administration). “ In certain cases, a student may be automatically removed from senior conduct simply by improving the factors resulting in their designation (such as improving attendance, tardies, completing credit recovery, etc.), and in this case, the student will be notified prior to the need for an appeal.” The special council is used by administration and staff for more complex senior conduct related situations. “It consists of teachers, counselors and administration so a call is put out to interested parties, a meeting is set, the student is allowed to bring their parent, if they’d like to they can just send over a letter or actually show up and speak, it’s their choice,” Sloan said. “Decisions are made, and the decision could include you’re off senior conduct altogether or they could say, well, you can’t go to Senior Ball, but we’ll let you walk. … They can decide which activities. It’s not necessarily all or nothing, but it could be all.” The senior conduct list, however, is not terribly popular among many seniors. “I think it’s irrational because you can get put on senior conduct for the most random things,” senior Kelsy Cole said. “My friends were at a basketball game and said one thing about a player, so they were threatened to be put on senior conduct, so to me I just think it’s weird how quick you can be put on senior conduct and how everything gets taken away from you.” The senior conduct policy is established throughout the entire Roseville Joint Union High School District and is emphasized by administrators in order to keep seniors on track

BY SOPHIE CRISCIONE scriscione.gazette@gmail.com I n the wake of changes to the graduation ceremony for the class of 2020, there have been complaints and concerns regarding seniors having finals the day of their graduation. The ceremony location has moved from the Granite Bay High stadium to The Grounds in Roseville, and the date changed from the traditional Saturday morning to Thursday afternoon, May 28. That Thursday is also the last day of school – a day that has always been reserved for final exams for all students. This year, however, seniors will take their finals the week before, giving them the last week to enjoy senior activities and participate in graduation practice before the ceremony. This adoption of a “senior week” at the end of the year was discussed at a meeting that included students, teachers and administrators, who ultimately decided it was the best solution. “This is our first year having graduation move, and (we’re) trying to do our very best to adapt to the changes,” assistant principal Jessup McGregor said. “We are hoping to be able to create a week at the end of the year for seniors to be able to celebrate the end of their school year, to be ready for graduation and reduce their stress as they’re getting out of here, and also facilitate grades being in place, transcripts and all that kind of stuff.” Senior class president Kara Kleinbach attended the meeting and, although plans are not yet final, she explained that annual events such as Senior Picnic would take place during senior week. “The plan is to have seniors take their finals on (May 21-22), so that the last week of school is free for senior activities. Since graduation is on Thursday (May 28), we’re planning on having senior picnic and graduation practice during the last week, while the rest of the school finishes their finals on the normal days,” Kleinbach said. The last week of school is just three days for all students, with Memorial Day that Monday and the last day of school on Thursday. The committee decided they want seniors to come to school on Tuesday and Wednesday for senior picnic and graduation practice, and then they won’t come to school at all on Thursday. “The plan right now is that (seniors) would not report to Granite Bay High School at all on (May 28), you would report to The Grounds for graduation and that would be you showing up (for school),” McGregor said. Having the last week of school be a senior week will not only benefit the seniors, but also gives teachers and counselors more time to finalize grades and transcripts before graduation. “If (seniors) need to make up some tests or do whatever they might (need to do), we will (have time) to do that instead of having finals finish (on Thursday),” said Jarrod Westberg, a government teacher at GBHS. “It mellows everything (out) for the counselors as well and helps teachers with getting final grades in and stuff.” Keeping the focus on graduation the last few days of school also significantly helps administrators take care of all the seniors before they receive their diplomas. “I think moving the senior timeline up a little earlier creates a lot more ability for seniors in the school to deal with any outstanding issues, whether it’s a missing chromebook, the personal finance course or a grade that needs to be made up,” McGregor said. “We can deal with those things well before graduation day comes, and that’s really helpful.” Most seniors seem to be in favor of finishing classes the week before, allowing for a fun, stress-free graduation day. “I personally am for it because it gives us more of a fun last week of high school,” Kleinbach said. “With graduation being moved, we knew that there were going to have to be changes, and I think that this is one of the best options because it makes seniors happy and it doesn’t force us to get rid of any events that we typically would have.” Teachers, on the other hand, have mixed feelings about the decision, especially those who teach classes with a combination of seniors and students in other grades. Graduation date and venue change spark concerns and require a few rearrangements

See VENUE, page 28 See CONDUCT, page 28

BY HEBA BOUNAR hbounar.gazette@gmail.com M aking the cut as a varsity athlete is a remarkable accomplishment, one that requires a sincere dedication to the sport in addition to a substantial amount of skill. For this very reason, playing varsity all four years is often a rare sight. However, this isn’t the case for Brianna Lambey. Lambey, the senior captain of the girls’ varsity basketball team, marks her fourth year as a member of the team this season. Standing as the only four-year varsity player on the team, her talent and work ethic is easily distinguishable. Junior Kendall Gray made the cut for varsity as a sophomore and recognizes the difficulty of being accepted onto the team as a freshman. “It is not traditional to take on freshmen (at the Varsity level),” Gray said. “Like this year, we don’t have any freshmen (on the team), but if they have enough skill, they can make it.” In spite of the unlikely chances, Lambey succeeded playing varsity throughout all four years of high school as a result of her talent. “Her largest impact has to be just the experience she has by playing four years on varsity and in the off season,” girls’ basketball coach Paul Shafto said. “She has a calmness about her with the ball in her hands which helps in tight game situations. She can score anywhere in our offense, which also puts a target on her from other coaches.” In addition to her role as a player on the team, Lambey also holds the responsibilities of being a team captain. Having always aspired to be a captain since her days as a freshman, she takes her commitment seriously. “As a captain,” Lambey said, “I help us through problems if we are having any.” Shafto, having chosen Lambey to be one of his captains this year, holds the position in high regard. “I believe that captains should be an extension of the coaches,” Shafto said. “They should have a good pulse of the team and help the coaches with short- and long-term goals.” Lambey’s efforts have left a lasting impact on her teammates. Junior Kaitlyn Sitterud has been playing on varsity with Lambey for two years, witnessing her leadership skills in action. “(Lambey) makes sure that the team is on track by letting us know how we can be better (players),” Sitterud said. “She leads us to be the best team that we can be.” Lambey’s clear appreciation for her team stands as one of her main motivations throughout her basketball career. The opportunity to connect with her peers in an athletic setting keeps her tied to the sport. “My favorite part of (basketball) is that you get to play around with your teammates,” Lambey said. “All years (of high school basketball) have been filled with tight-knit teams, and we all get along very well.” Lambey’s basketball years aren’t ending in high school. Having a passion for the sport since she was 4 years old, she plans to continue through college. As she is graduating this year, Lambey will leave a lasting legacy within the girls’ basketball program at GBHS, inspiring many of her teammates. “She has inspired me to have confidence in my shot and to trust my teammates no matter what,” Gray said. Sitterud expressed similar admiration. “(Lambey motivates) me to get better every day so that I can get to the hoop like she does and see the court how she sees it,” Sitterud said. “She inspires me to be that (type of) leader and voice for the team when she graduates.” Even her coach has recognized her persistent impact on the team. “(Lambey) will be remembered,” Shafto said, “for her smile, (and being) a great teammate and a smooth scorer.”

This season of girls’ varsity soccer is especially emotional – assistant coach Katy Vivaldi is retiring after 10 years of coaching for the Granite Bay High program. Choosing to leave this job was not an easy decision for Vivaldi. She helped to build the program into something very special, and she couldn’t be prouder. “I have enjoyed being at GBHS for 10 years and I will miss it a lot,” Vivaldi said. “But the time has come (since) both of my grown kids (are) living away that I have more opportunities to visit and spend time with them.” Despite the fact that her own children are out of high school, Vivaldi still likes to reflect back on the time with her children at GBHS. “When Colleen was the senior goalkeeper, (we were) playing our last game for the (Sierra Foothill League) title and she made a huge save (then) punted the ball downfield to our forward, Maggie Bell, who scored which helped us win and (claim) the title,” Vivaldi said. “It was thrilling!” Her coaching colleague, GBHS social studies teacher Mark Broers, will not only miss her as a coach, but as a friend. “She is like family to me and my players,” Broers said. “She is a leader and she really cares.” Vivaldi said the feelings are mutual. “I have learned so much through the years by coaching with Mark Broers,” Vivaldi said. “His passion and love for (the game) has really taught me a lot.” Broers and the players already know they’ll miss her constant positivity and encouragement. “She is one of those people that cares for every single player and wants to make an impact in all of their careers,” senior goalkeeper Summer Holt said. With some girls being with Vivaldi for as many as four years, certain players have begun to understand her as more than just a coach. “Spending extra time with her off the field was so special,” four-year varsity player Emma Broers said. “She always made (everything) so incredibly fun and always kept us (players) laughing.” However, after 17 years of coaching, Vivaldi has decided to move on to other hobbies. “I have been freelance writing part-time for the last three years, and I am excited to have the opportunity to have time to write and publish more in the future,” Vivaldi said. Despite her departure to spend time on her other interests, Vivaldi said she will always support the program and look forward to attending many games in the future. Players and coaches know that at the end of the 2020 season, they will have to say goodbye to coach Vivaldi – and it won’t be easy. “Thank you for your friendship, your dedication and your sacrifice,” Broers said to Vivaldi. “We will miss you!” After helping to build the girls’ varsity soccer team for 10 years, assistant coach decides to turn page to next chapter

Varsity girls soccer players take a knee at one of their last games with their coach, Katy Vivaldi. Winter season brings a set of new injuries Gazette photo /DARYN CONNER BY DARYN CONNER dconner.gazette@gmail.com

A trip to the snow over break led to an increasing number of accidents, affecting their performance at school and their sports O ver this winter season, students are seeing an increase in snow sport injuries. More and more experienced students snowboarders and skiers are attempting riskier tactics in the snow in an effort to “test their limits.” As a result, they suffer more severe injuries which affects other sports these students are involved in. Many students who participate in other sports are having to miss out on playing time due to their injuries. “I broke my wrist (...) and had to sit out for preseason for (lacrosse),” junior Jake Finsthwait said. Preseason is a valuable time for athletes to condition their athletic form and prepare for the upcoming season. Without it, players’ performance can suffer. Along with lacrosse player Finsthwait, Sophomores Nate Golding and Colby Gravlin have been recently injured during their adventures in the snow. Even with six years of experience snowboarding, Golding was a victim to the slopes. “I injured my tailbone by going off a jump then landing on it,” Golding said. “It hurt really bad.” Unfortunately for Gravlin, his time on the slopes also proved painful after he “sprained his wrist from slipping off a rail.” Luckily enough, his wrist healed in time for this lacrosse season. Senior Tyler Hopper also faced a major injury due to snowboarding and has broken and bruised his ribs after falling off rails and landing on his head. Students being unable to participate as usual in their sports due to injuries off the field has always been common, however the recent uptick in injuries from snow sports is undeniable. Students are failing to consider the dangerous aspects of these exhilarating sports, and in return are facing the consequences. BY BECCA NOLAN bnolan.gazette@gmail.com

Gazette illustration/KATE FERNANDEZ

Compiled by: Daryn Conner

Kelly Jones Soccer

Cole Sanderson Rugby

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The Office Dying after not living the life I wanted to live

BY RIA DHAMEJANI AND BRENT EVANS rdhamejani.gazette@gmail.com T he boys’ and girls’ swim teams at Granite Bay High School have gotten championships of the Sierra Foothill League and the Sac-Joaquin Section and this year should be no exception. The girls finished with the No. 18 in the United States last year, and the boys were 35th. A number of swimmers are looking forward to making new and greater achievements since their last swim season. “I’m really hoping to get faster and improve my times in my events,” sophomore Chris Nihart said about his second season. “I’ve gotten a lot more confident with what I’m doing. I’m definitely most excited about being part of the team and trying to get better times and just hanging out with my friends.” Sophomore Alissa Ansari, who also competed as a freshman, is hoping to qualify for the state championship meet this year. “I think I have connected with my teammates more, and I’ve improved my strokes in general,” Ansari said. “I hope to bring a positive energy to my team.” John Sherman, coach of the GBHS swim team, is glad to be turning the page after a climactic season. “Last year’s season did have an inordinate amount of drama, and we spent too much time and energy dealing with that situation,” Sherman said. “I am really looking forward to this season. We have a highly focused and motivated group this year that really wants to do what it takes to reach their goals.” Sherman has a positive attitude toward new focuses for this season – he wants his swimmers to live in the moment. As for any advice for his athletes, Sherman wants everyone to stay present. “They don’t need to worry about the season, or month, or week, or even the day!” Sherman said. “Be great this practice, this set, this lap. Trust the process, and the rest takes care of itself.”

Track and Field The Grizzlies are excited for a new season full of opportunities. Athletes participating in different events are looking forward to breaking records and making improvements of all sorts. “Personally, I would really like to be able to break the 400(-meter run) varsity record for boys, and I’d like to make it to some high end meets – like Arcadia and the Stanford meets – if possible,” sophomore Brycen Mogensen said. Mogensen specializes in the 400 but runs in relays as well. This will be his second season, and he is ready to continue enhancing his athletic ability since his last season. “I think I have improved in my strength and speed, but above that, I feel like I’ve improved my cardio too, being able to run faster and longer,” Mogensen said. “I got hurt last season and had to sit out for a little while, but this season I’ve taken the precautions, so hopefully I make it through the whole season with no issues.” Mogensen suffered an injury to his hip, which produced some drawbacks during his first season. By the end, however, he recovered enough to run as a freshman in the league meet and at the varsity level for sections. Junior Koby Sperandeo has been part of the team since his freshman year. Not only has Sperandeo been participating in track and field for the past three years, but he has also been running varsity since his first year. Unfortunately, he experienced an athlete’s worst nightmare; he suffered from a broken leg at the end of his last track and field season. Since then, he has been participating in lots of physical therapy as well as cross training in order to get back up on his feet again. “My strength has improved in a big way,” Sperandeo said. “My body has changed since then, and I feel that it gives me more power when I run. I’m hoping to be able to train as hard as I want so I can do the best I can.” Even with the difficult times he has been facing, Sperandeo is excited for his first race, which will be both “very emotional but extremely happy at the same time,” he said. “(I’m ready) to bring a whole new mindset to the team… and inspire even just one underclassman to work extra hard so he or she can do the best they can.”

Girls’ Lacrosse

Following an impressive season in which the Grizzlies secured a league title, the girls’ lacrosse team is gearing up for another championship year. Senior captain Kyra Kappos said she thinks the team needs to focus on its defense, noting the team is “losing our goalie who’s been with us for all four years.” Despite this, Kappos still has high expectations for this season. “You can expect another championship, (and) we’re hoping to get into (the North Coast Section championships) and … win,” she said.

Boys’ Lacrosse

After one of the best seasons in school history, the pressure is on for the class of 2020. Senior Cameron Hall said he recognizes the task he and his fellow seniors are being faced with – leading a team that can surpass the success of last year’s. “Last year’s team was definitely one of GB’s See SPRING, page 28 Varsity baseball player Derek Schwarze rounds up to practice his throw on the field. Gazette photo /LINDSEY ZABELL

GBHS athletes prepare to take next step Senior crew member heads to Columbia E very high school athlete’s dream is to play at the collegiate level. Thanks to tireless hard work and dedication, that dream has become a reality for senior Jessica Varakuta. In September 2019, Varakuta committed to Columbia for Crew. “I row Capital Crew at the Sac State Aquatic Center and I practice everyday after school,” Varakuta said. Not only is she driven to succeed in Crew, she is passionate about the sport. “It’s gorgeous, it’s on the lake and it’s super cool to see the nature. It’s a very intense sport but I love that it’s balanced,” Varakuta said. For Varakuta, the most rewarding part of Crew is the opportunities that come with it. “I think just putting in all the work that you do and then you have so many cool opportunities,” Varakuta said. “We got to row in San Diego for a regatta and Seattle and so many awesome places. Also getting into a college is definitely a huge reward because I put in so much time and effort.” Varakuta has a deep bond with her teammates, as she practices alongside them daily in the starboard position. “I love that it’s a team sport... we have so much support, my girls help me and encourage me, and although it’s a really difficult sport and there’s so much pain they just continue to encourage us. We’re all in it together and it’s just awesome that we have a great bond.” Varakuta is no stranger to team sports. “I’ve been playing sports my whole life, mostly team sports. I played soccer, volleyball, and beach volleyball so I’ve been pretty much in team sports my whole life,” Varakuta said. Looking to the future, Varakuta is eager to continue her athletic career at Columbia University and experience the fruits of her dedication. BY EMERSON FORD eford.gazette@gmail.com Rowing sensation prepares to take her game to college Jessica Varakuta

Several students begin to verbally commit to college for sports careers BY DARYN CONNER dconner.gazette@gmail.com A mong the many talented athletes at GBHS, several female athletes have taken the next step on their way to a college career. Junior Bella Ternero verbally committed to Long Beach State her sophomore year for soccer. “(The process) was very stressful and very time consuming and very mentally exhausting, but I did it because I was really driven to get there.” Ternero said. Junior Aynsley Conner also committed her sophomore year for soccer to the University of Minnesota. “I chose Minnesota because I really liked the all female coaching staff and I fell in love with the campus,” Conner said. Coaches at GBHS play a huge role in the athlete’s process to committing to a school, especially for junior Laine Weber, who has committed for lacrosse. “My varsity coach supported me the most, (he) always kept me in check,” Weber said. Choosing schools for these athletes is not an easy decision, and many factors are considered before they begin to finalize their choice. For some of them, careful consideration of their future occupation has a large impact. “I chose the Coast Guard Academy to have a lifelong career where I can serve and live my life for something other than myself,” said Weber. The community at schools also has a significant influence on an athlete’s decision. “I wanted to go to a school with not only good soccer, but also great people behind it,” Ternero said. “The coaching staff and I just connected really well.” In addition to community, teammates and other fellow commits are also reasons athletes choose certain school, for example, swim commit Junior Amber Myers. “ I chose Tennessee because the team is amazing and all the girls were so nice and made me feel so welcome once I got there.” Myers said For most players, being able to compete at the collegiate level has always been their dream. Evidently, their hard work paid off. “I realized how much I loved the game, and that’s when I realized I wanted to further my career,” said Conner, ““I just want to be able to play the sport I love for as long as I can.”

Update SPORTS The girls’ basketball team is off to a great start this season at 14-6 overall, and 3-1 in SFL. “I think we are doing really well, and we are a lot more together, and work really well as a team now, instead of more individually,” said sophomore Julianne Conterill. “I would say we need to rebound a lot more, and communicate with each other on the court,” Conterill said. The girls’ varsity basketball team is working together well, and looking to communicate better as a team to improve and grow. BY BECCA NOLAN bnolan.gazette@gmail.com

Boys’ Basketball The GBHS varsity boys’ basketball team is 5-15 overall, and 0-4 in SFL, with a recent loss to Whitney. “We aren’t doing very well right now,” said junior Jaden Amiot. The team is working well together but needs to step up their play. “As a team we are growing and improving, we started the season off pretty low, but as it goes on we are getting better.” The varsity boys’ basketball team is working hard, and is hoping to make a comeback this season and improve their play.

Girls Soccer The girls’ soccer team is currently 5-2-2 overall, and 1-2-1 in SFL. “We’re working really hard, we might not be showing the results that we want, but we’re working really hard as a team and during practices,” said sophomore Jolie Goebel. “We definitely possess the ball and we have a lot of really good players, but we really just need to put the ball in the back of the net,” Goebel said. The passion is there in the varsity girls’ soccer team, and now they are working on putting it all together together. The team is definitely working on scoring more goals and looking to get the ball up and keep it on the other teams half.

Boys Soccer The boys’ soccer team had a recent loss against Whitney, but are off to a great start this season. Currently there are 6-5-3 overall, and 1-2-1 in SF. “I think we had a lot of high expectations but we haven’t really reached those yet,” said sophomore Jeremy Siau. “I think we have a lot to improve on and we make silly mistakes that we can easily fix which would make us a really good team.” The boy’s varsity soccer team is working on communicating better on the field, and working better as a team. They are sure that by working together they will be able to get where they want to be this season.

Special to The Gazette /ALLENE SALERNO LENIE’S PICTURES

Wrestling The varsity wrestling team is currently 1-0 overall in SFL. “We’re doing pretty good, we just won against Rocklin, and we’re going on to sections,” said junior Elias Mendoza. The team is confident that they will do well and finish their season strongly. The varsity wrestling team is proud of their place currently and hope to continually represent GBHS to the best of their abilities. Although the team is happy with their current ranking, they are still striving to work harder and do better in their upcoming games.

Special to The Gazette /LAUDAN NASRI Special to The Gazette /JUSTIN MATSUDA

Special to The Gazette /LAUDAN NASRI

Special to The Gazette /BELLA TERNERO

Ben Quilpa, top left, pins an opponent in an intense wrestling match at the Reno Sierra Nevada Classic Tournament. Cobe Weeks, Scott Trythall, and Nicholas Poulos work together to block an opponent, top right. Brianna Lambey, second row left, winds up to make a pass to a teammate at a home varsity basketball game. Bella Ternero, second row right, kicks the ball away from her opponent. Jack Milne, third row left, dribbles across the court. Cartyr Ferguson, third row right, body-slams a Roseville High wrestler at a home match. Talon Niimi, bottom left, fights to hold down an opponent at a home wrestling match. Special to The Gazette /JUSTIN MATSUDA

Already, the next generation of influencers have started testing the waters and finding their niche within the fashion industry. These students have found opportunities to create despite difficulties such as school or expenses. They’re also not just celebrity influencers who are locked behind a screen on social media. They’re average people who have to muddle through schoolwork just like everyone else. “As a kid, I always really liked (fashion),” senior Kendyl Kring said. “My parents and brother would always make me style them (when I was) a 6-year-old.” Current president of the FIDM Fashion Club, Kring is looking for possible internships at boutiques in New York, which is where she plans to go for college. Alongside her club and future plans, Kring is also currently working with the Granite Bay High drama program’s upcoming show, “Pippin” as a costume designer. All of this has stemmed from a passion she got for fashion at a young age. She began with making small outfits for her dog, and she expanded from there. “I had sewn a lot as a child, but my friends got to push me into making clothes,” Kring said. “I even held a fashion show with my friends a couple months ago.” Designers like Kring also find themselves styling outfits, PIPER BACON pbacon.gazette@gmail.com

photographing models, and doing fashion journalism. These are the sorts of things that many make careers out of. Senior Kaiya Lang is a student on campus pursuing one of these careers. Interested in fashion journalism, photography and personal styling, and has already taken the first step in the business. “I do love clothes and have definitely sewn a good amount of pieces,” Lang said. Lang started by altering pieces she found at thrift stores and has been designing and creating her own pieces for about a year. While she hasn’t been paid for designing clothing, she has been paid to style and photograph models. “This is something I do all the time,” Lang said. “I’ll style outfits for (models) with pieces that I’ve found while thrifting or have altered or designed myself.” Those who have been interested in a photo shoot have contacted Lang. Her clients are typically either people she knows personally or models who have reached out to her over Instagram. This ingenuity and talent is what’s made Lang stand out among her peers thus far. She, and others like Kring, have become an inspiration to those around them. Junior Viviano Kuratomi has testified to how much he’s been inspired by the pair to grow creatively not just in fashion design, but in all forms of art as well. “(Lang and Kring) are people who truly understand fashion and its abstract concepts,” Kuratomi said. “They avidly create and improve upon beautiful works of art.” Kuratomi finds his main artistic staple to be music, but like many other young creators, he’s taken up fashion design as a hobby. He has fun with sketches and mix-matching clothes to see what looks nice with what. His enjoyment in fashion comes mostly from the ability to freely express his creativity through clothing and style. Kuratomi is keen on originality, finding inspiration from his everyday life and interests rather than what he sees in media. “I wouldn’t say I’m very inspired by pop culture when it comes to fashion, which I believe is due to (fashion) being such a self expressive form of physical art,” Kuratomi said. “Originality is integral.” Fashion design isn’t a passion for everyone to pursue, but students like Kuratomi contend that it is a great creative outlet to keep artists expressing themselves daily. Those who dive into the world of fashion learn it’s an opportunity for personal expression, and a chance to learn more about the world. “(Designing) may seem super intimidating, but once you know how to use a sewing machine, it is really easy to teach yourself how to create clothes,” Lang said. “It just takes a lot of practice and patience.”

Another Friday night, another typical high school party. One particular Friday afternoon in early December, however, marked a different type of gettogether — a college letter-opening party. Fifty or so students scurried over to senior Rathip Rajakumar’s house after school, undoubtedly curious for the outcome of such a nerve-racking event. The idea was to reveal the decision by playing a pre-chosen acceptance song or rejection song, administered by the friends of the three students who applied. What began as a potentially celebratory evening eventually took a painfully depressing turn as the time to discover the college decisions finally came. One dreaded rejection song after the next revealed the final shocking decree: nobody was accepted. Seniors Rathip Rajakumar, Faraaz Godil, and Colin Wills all applied to Stanford through Restrictive Early Action, which is a non-binding option that prohibits applying to any other school. For all three, Stanford was their dream school, holding the first spot in their lists of desirable colleges. As a result, the rejection was inevitably disappointing, not only to the students on the receiving end of the rejection letter, but also to their peers. Senior Nicole Criscione was among those who witnessed the heartbreaking outcome of the party. Knowing their incredible acHEBA BOUNAR hbounar.gazette@gmail.com

complishments and work ethic, she deeply sympathized with the students’ seemingly unwarranted rejection. “I even cried a little,” Criscione said. “A lot of people work so hard all throughout high school to build up grades, reputation, and involvement, having to make several sacrifices just to be rejected by their dream school for unknown reasons.” The rejections also left an implicit sense of fear and discouragement throughout the students who attended, Criscione recounts. “The people who were rejected from Stanford were some of the most intelligent and involved students at GBHS,” Criscione said, “so everyone’s hopes for their colleges came into question. If some of the smartest kids at our high school didn’t get into their dream college, the same could potentially happen to everyone else.” While such a common pessimistic mindset may seem logical, GBHS AP Government teacher Jarrod Westberg advocates the contrary. “There are really qualified people getting rejected and some people who don’t seem as qualified getting in,” Westberg said, “so who knows any more? Just do everything you can within reason, and if you get in, great. If you don’t get in, don’t take it personally. It’s not worth it.” The students who were rejected also held a remarkably positive outlook on the unfortunate situation. A common theme amongst the three was having low expectations in order to minimize the magnitude of the disappointment.

To reduce the potential for regrets after discovering the application decision, Colin Wills reassured himself that he had put his best foot forward. With that being said, he also reminded himself of the slim probability of acceptance. “I knew that there were thousands of people who were entirely qualified for Stanford,” Wills said, “and a large percentage of the applications submitted were very strong. Based on statistics alone, I had to expect to be rejected, even if I knew I had done everything I could to increase my odds, so when I found out I was rejected, I truly wasn’t that disappointed.” Wills’ mindfulness over the cutthroat acceptance rates of competitive colleges throughout the nation is quite frankly the harsh reality. Stanford, serving as a prime example of such uninviting statistics, has an acceptance rate of 4.8%, the lowest rate of any American college. Rajakumar, as Godil and Wills also If you don’t get in, don’t take it personally. It’s not worth it.” – Jarrod Westberg, AP Government teacher

emphasized, encountered the most comfort in the wake of misfortune through the party itself. “In that moment of disappointment,” Rajakumar said, “there’s no place I’d rather be than with the people who defined my high school experience. If I didn’t do the party, I would just have the rejection — not the rejection and a nice reminder of how great my friends are.” Godil held a very similar mindset, appreciative of the overwhelming encouragement he found through his friends. “Everyone [at the party] was super supportive and the environment was actually just everyone being happy for each other,” Godil said. Hence the unlucky experience led to valuable learning lessons, including the importance of not allowing an application decision define oneself. As Rajakamur said, “I know that I don’t need the validation of a college admissions counselor to be successful. I know that the work I put into building my resume isn’t just superficial and actually advances my goals in a tangible way.” Godil’s experience led him to value support from peers. “I recommend being supportive of everyone and not getting caught up in the competition,” Godil advises future college applicants. “Hope for the best and put your best foot forward, but don’t get too worked up about it. Everything will work out in the end.”

Out of 43,997 total applicants, only 1 in 17 applicants were accepted into Stanford University.

Compared to other top universities, Stanford University has one of the most competitive acceptance rates.