Granite Bay Gazette, Sept. 2019, Vol. 23, No. 1

GRANITE BAY HIGH w 1 GRIZZLY WAY w GRANITE BAY, CA w 95746 w VOLUME 23 w ISSUE 1 w FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2019

Gazette

Stereotypes are prevalent at GBHS.

THE GRANITE BAY

Lifestyle, Page 14

Singer sca

ndal

College ad missions sc heme is on as they sta seniors’ mi rt applicat nds ion process : FOCUS, page s 16-17

Gazette photo /ANGELINA KOLOSEY

inside

Students at Granite Bay High explain how YouTube has changed their lives. PAGE 24

Humans need to take action to preserve the planet and ensure a future for generations to come. PAGE 30

CURRENT 2 LIFESTYLE 10 ATHLETICS 18 A&E 22 VOICES 29

We’re online at GraniteBayToday.org

Follow us: @GraniteBayToday

Current

Page 2

EDITOR’S NOTE

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

Contents:

ashley yung ayung2.gazette@gmail.com

Introducing a new, improved GB Gazette L

ooking back at an era many high school students view as archaic and obsolete, physical copies of newspapers – printed on actual paper! – were commonplace, a relevant and trustworthy news source millions of Americans consumed every day.

However, with the technological age comes Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and the Internet.

Today, increasing numbers of Americans favor these platforms when they want to stay informed about the latest current events.

The result? Many critics claim we’re witnessing the end of journalism as we know it.

But perhaps we needn’t be so dramatic.

Journalism – the telling of stories – isn’t dying. Rather it is journalistic traditions – the methods by which these stories are told – that are dying in favor of a more modern approach.

But the stories? They’re still important, influential and entirely necessary.

This year, the journalism program at Granite Bay High is continuing to acknowledge that it, too, must keep up with the changing times. The newspaper you are holding in your hands – the completely redesigned Granite Bay Gazette – is one way we’re trying to make our work relevant and accessible to the GBHS community.

The new Gazette is a 32-page tabloid instead of a multi-section broadsheet, which means that we are printing fewer pages.

As a result, our editors have carefully selected the most relevant and compelling stories to print in this issue.

We encourage readers to check out our website, GraniteBayToday.org, where additional stories are published, including longer versions of some of the stories you’ll see in the print edition.

We’ve also moved from mainly blackand-white pages to all-color in order to up scale our visual creativity.

To supplement these stories and aid in reader understanding, we have added infographics.

Despite these many changes, our ultimate purpose and vision hasn’t changed since the first issue of the Gazette was published more than 20 years ago – to go out every day and do the hard work that good journalism requires so we can tell the stories that are important and meaningful to the community we live in.

We welcome and appreciate your feedback. If you have any questions, concerns or encouraging words, please contact us at: staff.gazette@gmail.com *** Ashley Yung, a senior, is a Gazette senior editor.

16

Gazette illustration/ANGELINA KOLOSEY

19 23

4 CURRENT 2-8

2 Editor’s Note: Journalism, it turns out, is changing, and Ashley Yung explains how things are changing for the Gazette.

3 AP Registration Changes: The College Board moves up its deadlines, forcing students to decide now if they’re taking Advanced Placement exams in the spring.

4 School Safety Concerns: In the midst of a rash of U.S. mass shootings, students and faculty engage in drills to make us safer … but perhaps also more anxious.

5 He Represents Us: Kevin Kiley, who graduated from GBHS in 2003, now serves as the elected member of the California Assembly in the state’s 6th district – which includes Granite Bay. 5 Charter School Gets Supervision: Despite a recommendation from school district officials that the petition be rejected, the school board voted 4-1 in the spring to offer the John Adams Academy official oversight.

LIFESTYLE 10-15

10 Emerald Brigade Chases Aliens: The field show for the GBHS band will take friends and fans to Area 51 in an effort to solve one of life’s persistent mysteries – is there life, or at least good music, in outer space?

11 From GBHS Grads to GBHS Teachers: Five young educators at Granite Bay High got their start on campus as students.

12 Too Much Time, Not Enough Sleep: Studies say teens should get 8-10 hours of

sleep per night. They don’t.

13 Teacher Takes to Her Tiny House: Lynn Guerné has fully embraced a minimalist approach to living by taking up residence in a home that’s barely 200 square feet.

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT 22-26

22 It’s a Business: Jewelry entrepreneurs are staying busy, with customers across the campus ... and across the country.

15 Making Connections: Hearts Landing Ranch in Granite Bay uses relationships with animals to help young people with disabilities.

23 Social Media Stars: There’s a whole world out there, and some GBHS students have figured out how to pull some of the strings.

FOCUS 16-17

23 Tattoo Who?: Students at GBHS do their share of inking it up.

16 Singer Scandal: The college admissions scandal that broke in March was perpetrated by Rick Singer, who got his start as a private college admissions counselor in the Sacramento area. Now, seniors are applying for college – and they have some questions and concerns post-scandal.

ATHLETICS 18-21

18 New Trend for the Tribe: Senior Summer Holt becomes the first-ever female leader in the history of the student organization.

19 Football Numbers Falling: Because of the rise in the number of concussions, and more knowledge about the damage they can do, the number of boys choosing to play high school football is down across the country.

20 Brand New Pool: The GBHS pool, which is nearly 25 years old, is in the middle of a major renovation that will dramatically increase the training and competition opportunities for aquatics athletes.

24 Senior Parking Spectacular: After a gap of a year because of construction in the parking lot, the much-loved tradition of painting senior spots is back.

26 Dancing Up a Storm: Granite Bay High freshman Sarah Thompson – known as Lil Mini Phoenix in the professional dance world – has taken her skills across the country.

VOICES 29-31

29 Always Think Before You Speak: In challenging political times, Angelina Kolosey says a little common courtesy can go a long way to helping tone things down.

31 Seniors Need to Vote Soon: And Kate Fernandez is having a hard enough time keeping track of the presidential candidates that just seems to keep getting longer.

31 Our Take: The college admissions scandal is, unfortunately, at least in part about us. Whatever happened to merit?

Page 3

NAMES IN THE NEWS

Current

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

New AP Registration Timeline New College Board protocol affects students’ mentality toward their classes

sophie criscione scriscione.gazette@gmail.com

Chromebook now schoolwide across all grade levels The 2019-20 school year is starting off with many new changes, including assigned Chromebooks school-wide and a complete removal of Chromebook carts. *** The Tribe showed up loud and proud at the first home game of the football season on Friday, Aug. 30 against the Damonte Ranch Mustangs. Students celebrated the 25-6 victory at the annual Decades Dance after the game. *** For the first time in Granite Bay High School’s history, we have a female leading the Tribe, Summer Holt, along with the other new 2019-20 Tribe leaders Nick Richmond, Jacob Shulte, Addison Hempstead, and Bradley Madsen. *** A long-time favorite tradition of designated painted senior parking spots is continuing after a temporary break for parking lot construction last year.

Seniors were chosen from a random drawing and painted their personalized spots over the summer. *** Replacing Brian McNulty’s role as assistant principal, Levirt Griffin is one of many new faculty members. Griffin will be the AP for the freshman class of 2023 for the next four years. *** Other new additions to the GBHS faculty include math teacher Naomi Bahr, science teacher Trevor Lynn, special education teacher Kayla Daley, librarian Zenia Treto, Rose Mitjans at the attendance window, speech pathologist Andrew Basham, wellness counselor Emily Belgard, para educators Lena Polzonetti and Apryl Clark, and English teacher Julie Francesconi, who is subbing for the fall term for Stephanie May, who gave birth to her first child, a girl, over the summer. *** This year’s Homecoming theme, chosen by the students, is music genres!

Students are encouraged to help build their class floats, which will highlight a music genre (pop, country, jazz, etc), and be presented in the halftime show of the Hoco game on Oct. 25. *** Criscione, a senior, is an assistant editor.

Gazette illustration/ASHLEY YUNG

Students enter an ID specific to each AP class

After these steps are completed, students can access practice tests and other study material

Source/ College Board website

BY SOPHIE CRISCIONE

A

ently.

scriscione.gazette@gmail.com

dvanced Placement classes are undoubtedly popular among students at Granite Bay High School, but this year things in the AP world are running a little differ-

Advanced Placement classes are undoubtedly popular among students at Granite Bay High School, but this year things in the AP world are running a little differently.

The College Board has made changes to its registration process, requiring all students to enroll in all AP classes by Oct. 4 and implementing a new early deadline for payments by Oct. 24.

These deadline changes are being executed for the first time this year, primarily based on the idea that students might better prepare themselves for their AP exams if they commit earlier.

A study done by College Board on thousands of students showed positive results in score improvements after registration deadlines were moved up.

The College Board website states that “in the 2017-18 school year, we piloted fall exam registration with 40,000 students. We saw an increase in scores of 3 or higher across multiple groups.

Moving the time of registration made a difference across the board, but it had the strongest effect for students who are traditionally underrepresented in AP.”

Aside from the possibility that average AP scores will increase, many more AP students might take more of their exams this year than in years past.

Some students, however, would prefer to finish the entire 18-week or year-long course before deciding to spend the money on an AP test.

“I feel like it makes (AP) classes a lot more centralized around taking the test ... and there is no purpose to the (AP) class you are in if you don’t take the test because they’re setting (registration) up so early,” said Alex Miller, a junior currently taking multiple AP classes. “You have to make a decision right then and there, instead of deciding after you see how well you understand the class, and how (much) you like it.”

Also, many seniors don’t feel confident committing to all their AP exams so early in the year without knowing what college they’re going to or if the credit will even count at that school.

“If I knew what college I’m going to and that (it won’t take credit) for the class, I wouldn’t want to waste (my) time and money (on taking the test),” said Derek Wong, a senior enrolled in several AP courses. “I think a lot of other students feel the

same way.”

Despite the fact that some seniors are stuck contemplating which AP exams they should or should not sign up for with little knowledge of the true benefit, others said they believe there is no reason not to commit to taking all their tests.

“I’m personally the kind of guy who always sticks to AP tests when I take the AP course because I wouldn’t see why you wouldn’t, (and) I think it makes the process easier, to be able to sign up and not wait until spring,” senior Tirth Surti said.

Along with the changes in registration deadlines, the College Board has implemented a new online resource, AP Classroom.

This new resource was added in the hope that students and teachers would use it for easier registration, instruction and exam preparation.

“AP teachers have access to extensive resources that are provided by College Board that include unit guides, personal progress checks, progress dashboard and an AP question bank,” AP coordinator Jill McKinney said.

Although the online resources have yet to be fully implemented in classrooms at GBHS, McKinney explained how she believed they will gradually become a very beneficial tool to AP teachers and students.

“I believe that once we learn the system and figure out how to utilize it,” McKinney said, “the process will move more smoothly than it has in the past.”

Current

Page 4

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

School safety in the midst of the nation’s mass shooting phenomenon Students question their well-being on campus while teachers take precautionary measures

BY CORINNE CAPLINGER

ccaplinger.gazette@gmail.com

S

afety, a top priority at schools across the country, has been called into question as an abundance of mass shootings and attacks have occurred nationwide.

According to statistics compiled by Mother Jones magazine, there have been 110 mass shootings in the United States past 37 years, 17 alone in 2019 according. The epidemic has spread across the country, occurring at schools, festivals, and even shopping centers.

Administrators at Granite Bay High School, in response, decided to have a lockdown drill on the second day of school.

This drill is designed to help students increase their readiness for any arising safety concerns.

“There’s no sense in waiting on something like (a real lockdown),” assistant principal Jessup McGregor said. “We need to be ready at any given time so that students and teach-

ers and everybody else has an understanding of what we are going to do if something were to go wrong,” Most teachers at GBHS appreciated the earlier-than-normal lockdown drill as it put to ease some of their worries. It allowed the school to make the necessary plans if a safety issue were ever to occur.

“I don’t remember it ever happening this early, which is great,” Advanced Placement government teacher Jarrod Westberg said.

“We’ve gone times where it’s been long gaps between drills.”

The teachers, administrators and staff at GBHS have made a valiant effort to ensure their students’ safety by training and preparing for any dangerous situations. However, they still sometimes worry about safety despite their efforts.

“You are always thinking about it, you’re trained on it, but you have to be a realist (and think) like, ‘What would we do?’ ” Westberg said.

Students might not be as concerned as parents and others, but they understand that these times call for a sense of reality. Senior Faraaz Godil said that despite being in a safer area such as Granite Bay, students still need to be aware of what could happen.

“I do follow the news... (safety is) always something that’s going to be there in the back of your mind when you go to school,” Godil said.

Other students don’t feel threatened by the risk of a mass shooter, as they understand that GBHS is making efforts to ensure their safety.

“I’m not very scared because we are in a safer community,” freshman Jason Ingram said. “I feel very safe with the double gates up front and gates around the whole school.

It’s a closed campus, (so) I don’t feel any kind of threat.”

Part of the necessary effort to adapt to the changing climate of the U.S., GBHS has implemented changes such as the gates in front of the school in an effort to keep intruders out if ever needed.

“They’re looking at restructuring some of the gates as far as ingress and egress for not only students but also staff members, making sure all the gates are locked around the

entire campus,” said Placer County Sheriff’s Deputy Shon Schoer, the school’s resource officer.

Some of the training has changed over the years. Teachers whose classrooms are in danger are now told not just how to hide, and how to hide their students, but how to fight back if needed.

“We went from the pure hide model to a run-hide-fight model for options, which is good,” Westberg said. “Student safety is front and center.”

There is no doubt in Westberg’s mind that there has been an overall improvement in the way GBHS handles student safety.

“I think we have moved a long way in this last year,” he said. “We’re doing a much, much better job than (we were) when it (student safety concerns) first started.”

Despite all the safety reforms being made, some students said they still feel as though there need to be changes made at a government level to ensure that their safety never needs to be questioned.

“At the end of the day, people’s lives are at risk,” Godil said. “We have to be able to come to the table and talk about (reforms) in a manner that actually allows us to get stuff done.”

Gazette photo illustration/CORI CAPLINGER

Faraaz Godil and other students had some concerns about the lockdown at GBHS in the first week of school.

Gazette photo illustration/ASHLEY YUNG

Current

Page 5

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

Kevin Kiley continues to succeed After GBHS, alum eventually returned to the area and was elected to the California legislature

BY JUSTIN HA

jha.gazette@gmail.com

Kevin Kiley graduated from Harvard, received a law degree from Yale, obtained a master’s in secondary education at Loyola Marymount, taught at a variety of levels of education, became a deputy attorney general and is currently the Assemblyman for California’s 6th district.

But before all of that, Kiley was a Granite Bay High Grizzly.

Kiley graduated as the valedictorian of the class of 2003. He was involved in speech and debate, journalism and sports at GBHS. In addition to spending time at the State Capitol in Sacramento, Kiley – whose district includes portions of Sacramento, El Dorado and Placer counties – also has a district office just a couple minutes from GBHS. As a member of the state legislature, he has an integral responsibility for passing bills and establishing a budget for California.

Kiley has nothing but glowing remarks for the GBHS campus and its staff.

“Granite Bay has been, from the start ... enormously blessed to have a truly exemplary faculty,” Kiley said.

It’s no doubt that Kiley was always talented – his past GBHS teachers and peers remember him well from his high school years.

“Kevin was clearly very intelligent and always seemed to have things together,” said Caitlyn Healy, a fellow Granite Bay Gazette staff

member in the early 2000s. “I think what made him most successful, then and now, was how approachable he was. During journalism class, for example, Kevin was always happy to assist and advise lowerclassmen like myself.”

Kiley’s teacher and Granite Bay Gazette adviser, Karl Grubaugh, has similar positive remarks.

“He was a very good student, but I didn’t know his test scores,” Grubaugh said. “I didn’t even know that he applied to Harvard (until he got in) spring of his senior year. But when I thought about it, it wasn’t actually a surprise,” said Karl Grubaugh.

Grubaugh remembers his personality well.

“He was a pretty quiet kid,” Grubaugh said.

“He wasn’t engaging in a lot of verbal (interaction), but he was always super focused on getting stuff done.”

Kiley was very involved at GBHS and has a variety of tips for students as someone who was Special to the Gazette /ASSEMBLYMAN KEVIN KILEY involved with many programs. Kevin Kiley works to pass bills and establish a budget for California. He is currently focusing “(When) deciding what clubs or extracurriculars to be involved in, (don’t worry about) which on legislation pertaining to mental illness. ones look best on the college resume,” Kiley said. “I think that (people should) find out what Kiley said. “(We want to) make sure we do to find a love for learning. (they) are passionate about, because that’s where everything we can to prevent tragedies.” “(GBHS taught me to) really get excited you’re most likely to excel.”

If there is one thing to learn from Kiley, it’s about school and about learning because when Kiley is currently working on legislation perthat being passionate and excited about their I was growing up … I wasn’t always the most taining to issues that will affect the future of our goals in life is the most important thing students motivated student,” Kiley said. “I (had some) area. One of those issues is mental health. can do. really excellent teachers who were great mentors “We have had rising suicide rates, and so I am Kiley always strives for the best and never gives and who got me interested in the subject matter very intrested in finding way we can better serve up on what he believes in. and helped me build the sort of habits and study kids who are struggling with those sort of issues,” Kiley said it was GBHS that really allowed him skills that would be important to succeeding.”

Board agrees to offer charter oversight Many teachers and district administrators were opposed to school district being linked to John Adams Academy

BY EMERSON FORD

eford.gazette@gmail.com

In late May, the Roseville Joint Union High School District board voted 4-1 in favor of approving a petition submitted by local charter school John Adams Academy, which will make the high school district responsible for the Academy’s oversight.

The petition also changed the school’s official name to John Adams Academy-Roseville.

Previously, the school was under the oversight of the Loomis Union School District. In late February, Assembly Bill 1507 began making its way through the California legislature. The bill, which requires charter schools to be approved by their local school district, prompted the school to take early action and petition RJUHSD for oversight.

“RJUHSD has the responsibility of oversight for JAA, but JAA is independent,” board member Paige Stauss said.

However, the RJUHSD was not the only district available for oversight. “(The school) could have been authorized by either RJUHSD or Roseville City School District, as the school is physically located within both district’s geographic boundaries,” said Norman Gonzales, the Academy’s director of outreach, in an email.

“It made the most sense to submit a petition to RJUHSD because (it) serves high school scholars and has consistently been one of the top performing high schools in the region.”

Others said the Academy’s ties to the high school district, and specifically to Granite Bay High, might have played a part in the Academy decision to pursue oversight by the RJUHSD. “There are a lot of ties to our community,” GBHS principal Jennifer Leighton said. “For instance, the creator of the school had kids that attended GBHS.” The John Adams Academy was founded in 2010 by Dean Forman, a former RJUHSD board member.

The original Roseville campus opened in 2011, and Academy campuses in Lincoln and El Dorado Hills opened in 2017.

The GBHS-Forman connection hasn’t always been positive. History teacher Mike Valentine said the tension between Forman and GBHS goes back a long way.

“We’ve had a history between (Forman) and the school district – myself included,” said Valentine, who has taught Advanced Placement European history for 15 years at GBHS. “He was a member of our school board.

And let’s say he called me out the day after he won the election, for ‘showing too many videos in class.’ ” Valentine isn’t alone in his concerns about the Academy and its connec-

tion to the school district.

“Our staff at the district office level was unanimous that this is not a good idea,” said Brandon Dell’Orto, a history teacher at GBHS and the president of the Roseville Secondary Education Association that represents teachers in contract negotiations.

“And the board overrode that.

“When you’ve been given the job of running the district by elected officials who are not experts in education – very smart people, very passionate people, but they’re still not experts in running a school district – and the people you pay to run the district say unanimously, ‘This is probably not a good fit for us,’ and the board says, ‘No, we don’t agree, we think we’re going to go ahead and go with it’ – that’s going to have repercussions long term, both on the teachers and the board and the staff.”

District superintendent Denise Herrmann said she stands by the district staff’s recommendation to not offer oversight to the John Adams Academy.

“The administrative recommendation to not approve the charter application was a compilation of work completed by nearly a dozen people working hundreds of hours, over an eight week time frame,” Herrmann said in an email. “I am extremely proud of the quality of the work and stand by its outcome.”

Academy officials and parents,

Gazette illustration /KATE FERNANDEZ

meanwhile, are supportive of the decision.

“The Board of RJUHSD is not only elected by people who attend or work in an RJUHSD school, but by all residents who live within the district,” Gonzales said. “As such, they represent the interest of all students and families that live within the boundaries of RJUHSD no matter what school they attend.

“The Board was thoughtful and fair in their review of our petition and in their representation of the best interest of RJUHSD, including all of those families within their district that desire the freedom to choose additional educational options for their children.”

Julie Hirota, the president of the

See JOHN ADAMS, page 27

Current

Page 6

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

IB class sizes remain significantly smaller than AP class sizes Student enrollment in IB classes remains quite low while AP classes are overflowing

BY MAREESA ISLAM

mislam.gazette@gmail.com

G

ranite Bay High School students have branched out into different academic paths since the beginning of Grizzly history – however, in recent years, these differences have changed the reality of student learning.

For example, the International Baccalaureate program provides students with learning opportunities beyond typical academic growth, allowing students to develop important skills necessary throughout their entire life.

Although the fast-paced Advanced Placement and College Preparatory programs offered at GBHS also benefit students in remarkable ways, their class sizes differ from those of IB courses, posing new questions about the discrepancies between the unique paths students choose to take.

Bernadette Cranmer, the school’s IB program coordinator, said there have been significant changes in IB enrollment numbers in recent years. “(A) few years ago, there might have been, let’s say, 80 students that would take one IB class,” Cranmer said.

“Now, there are about 170 students.”

The school has seen a dramatic growth in the number of students enrolled in a particular IB class, but many faculty members still hope the number of students enrolled in the IB Diploma program will grow.

Class sizes in IB and AP courses are not entirely dependent on enrollment itself, however. Students’ perceptions about each program and personal learning preferences play a role when deciding which academic path to take.

IB student Sahar Alaei said the IB diploma program’s reputation was a key part of her decision to enroll in IB courses.

“I heard that IB was a very good program,” she said.

“You (have) a lot of one-on-one time with (teachers). I found that is very beneficial.”

Cranmer said IB students benefit from the smaller class sizes and more engaging style of teaching. “(In the IB program), you’re having time to develop a relationship with the teacher, (an) understanding of the

curriculum, and relationships with your peers,” Cranmer said. “That’s definitely an advantage because in that class size, no one’s getting overlooked.”

In comparison to IB courses, AP classes tend to have more students in them. For example, IB Chemistry HL-1 has an average of eight students enrolled, while AP Chemistry averages 31 students.

AP Chemistry and IB Chemistry teacher Suchi Krishnaraj said she definitely has preferences when it comes to ideal class size.

“Any number below 25 would be (OK),” Krishnaraj said. “It’s a manageable number in terms of research projects and grading. (It) also brings more perspectives to the curriculum.”

Krishnaraj also said there are minor but not insignificant effects of class size on the quality of student learning and teacher satisfaction.

“Students take (IB or AP courses) for different reasons,” she said. “(The) duration is very different (one term for AP versus two years for IB). The scope of the curriculum

Gazette photo /BELLA KHOR

This AP US History class has 41 students compared to the average of 15 in IB History of the Americas HL-1

is different, the labs are very different and the overall goal of these two courses (is) very different. Class sizes are a very minor factor in this.”

So, how do these differences between academic paths affect GBHS students?

Eric Antonio, a junior enrolled in both IB and AP courses, said he prefers IB classes over AP. “Slowing down to learn the material thoroughly gives me the chance to really take in the information ... through a psychological perspective, (and) helps me retain that information for future use,” Antonio said.

It is clear that differences between IB and AP class sizes pose questions about the truth behind student learning.

However, if one of these stellar programs were to vanish from the campus, students and teachers would face troubling outcomes.

“We are looking at how can we help people understand the benefits of IB,” Cranmer said. “Because right now, a lot of students (are) missing out. (Students) really could be having an excellent personal and academic experience.”

Gazette photo /MAREESA ISLAM

IB Chemistry HL-1 has an average of 8 students per class

Current

Page 7

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

District considers new graduation venue Potential change in annual ceremony location alters long-standing high school tradition

Special to the Gazette/PLACER VALLEY EVENT CENTER

New grounds center began construction in June and will be finished by early 2020 to hold various events including graduations.

BY SOPHIA HARIMOTO sharimoto.gazette@gmail.com

High school graduation is an important day for many graduates and their families.

However, planning for the big day also comes with a lot of stress because of the large number of uncontrollable factors.

Granite Bay High School graduations have been held on campus every year since the school held its first ceremony in 1999. Being an outdoor venue, however, has posed serious concerns regarding the health and safety of the students, staff and families.

“Every year, we have (heat-related) issues,” said Joseph Landon, a Roseville Joint Union High School District assistant superintendent.

“Whether it’s a grandparent, parent or student

having heat issues … there’s just so much more of an unpredictability (with the weather).”

In response to the safety concerns, the district held board meetings to discuss the possibility of hosting future graduation ceremonies at an indoor facility off campus.

In January, Placer Valley Tourism launched a $34-million project to build a new event center that will host sporting events, meetings, concerts and, possibly, high school graduation ceremonies.

“We (have) a relationship with (Placer Valley Tourism), and when we heard about this new facility that they are building … (it seemed to resolve) the difficulties we’ve had with graduations in the stadiums … at our school sites,” Landon said. “We set up more details, and the more we thought about it, the more (it seemed) to be something that’s worth considering.”

In order to accurately weigh the pros and cons of moving the venue, the district sent out a

survey to parents and students to gather public input. Evidently, one major pro was the cost savings for the entire district.

“There’s cost savings in regards to dollars, but also time,” Landon said. “We’ve got five comprehensive school sites – there’s a lot of setup costs of just labor for each venue, (as opposed to) if we’re only doing that once.”

In addition to saving money, the new venue will be more modern and include advanced technology to enhance the graduation experience.

“Some other benefits (of the new venue include) air conditioning, being indoors (and) also being able to have a better audio visual (with) screens and TVs, where they can project … a better view of students getting their diploma,” Landon said.

Sarah Budean, a junior at GBHS, has been to four graduation ceremonies for her older siblings who all graduated from GBHS. In her opinion, the sun and sound system decreased the quality of the ceremony.

“The direct sunlight (made the event) very hot and bright, (and) the bleachers were hot (to sit on) as well,” Budean said. She added that it was hard to hear during the ceremony, and the sound system didn’t project well throughout the entire stadium.

The biggest concern, as expressed by families and students, is the loss of tradition and the connection to the campus.

“There may be families who have grandparents, parents and (others), who (have graduated) at the school site,” Landon said. “So, there is a kind of nostalgia (aspect that comes with the campus).”

Meghan Cole, a GBHS English teacher and alum who graduated in 2012, has a strong connection with the campus and community.

“There is a sense of home when you graduate on your campus (as well as a) feeling of familiarity and contentedness,” Cole said. “The thing that makes me the most sad is the loss of tradition, and the ceremonies (will be) less personalized,” Also, having all the district’s schools hold their graduation ceremonies at the same location diminishes the quality of each ceremony because of time constraints.

“Timing will be much more important as it will be an in-and-out type ceremony to ensure

New faculty members in various departments Incoming staff reflect on their previous school experiences

BY HASAN ALSAKATI and BELLA KHOR bkhor.gazette@gmail.com aalsakati.gazette@gmail.com

It’s a new school year, and Granite Bay High has several new faces in its faculty.

New in administration, taking the place of Brain McNulty, is assistant principal Levirt Griffin.

“Last year I was an assistant principal at a high school in Modesto. Prior to that, I taught high school math,” Griffin said.

He changed careers because he “wanted to be able to work with teachers and staff to positively impact the school environment for students.”

Newest in the realm of science is physics teacher Trevor Lynn.

Lynn was previously a college physics tutor and a student teacher at West Campus High in Sacramento.

“This is my first (time) as a full-time teacher, so my experience is limited,” Lynn said.

His minimal teaching experience certainly doesn’t reflect the depth of his knowledge and adoration for physics.

“I love physics almost as much as I love teaching! Being able to show people how to see the world around them in a new way, and to really question why things happen, is an amazing thing,” Lynn said.

The library has a new addition, as well. The new GBHS librarian, Zenia Treto, was previously a librarian at Adelante High School. Treto has been in the education field for quite a while. “(I am) a former English teacher and economics/government/U.S. history teacher, and ELD teacher – I’’ve been in the education biz since 2001,” Treto said.

With so many years of experience in different subjects, Treto hopes to use what she knows to assist students who are struggling.

“I’m able to help students out because I have subject matter knowledge from teaching all the different subjects over the years,” Treto said.

She’s looking forward to learning more skills and improving elements of

that the next group coming through has enough time for parking,” Cole said. “So, the special speeches and traditions we have at GBHS may no longer be able to happen depending on timing.”

Despite the nostalgia element, Cole is receptive to the new changes because they will be more beneficial in the long-run.

“I understand all of the points the district is making about the increased safety and convenience of the new off-campus site,” Cole said. “I recognize that it may end up being the best solution (for) all of the district’s current concerns, but I guess I am just sad for the next generations of students who will not get to experience the same thing I did.”

Unlike Cole, Sarah Budean’s older brother, Jacob Budean, does not have a strong connection to the campus and thinks the loss-of-tradition aspect should not greatly alter the decision process because it only applies to a few individuals.

“The loss of tradition does not really matter because (it) is probably only relevant to (some) teachers and parents,” Jacob said. “I think moving the location would be fine as long as it does not require locals to have to travel a great distance to get there.”

Ultimately, despite the loss of tradition, Landon said he believes the new venue would be beneficial in the long-run.

“I think the pros outweigh the cons,” Landon said. “Change is always hard and different, until you … see what it’s like.”

After collecting the survey data, Landon said most of those who responded are fairly positive about the potential new graduation venue.

“It seemed to me that there was general support,” Landon said. “There (were) definitely some concerns ... but it seems likely that (the school board) will accept it.”

Although nothing is confirmed, if the board approves the proposal, the class of 2020 will be the class to commence the new tradition.

“We are going to recommend that the board approve (this proposal),” Landon said. “If we move in this direction, (the administration) can focus on supporting the kids in the last week of school as opposed to so much energy going into graduation details.”

the learning center. “(I am) going back to college to get my master’s in Library and Information Sciences,” Treto said. “(I will also be) streamlining our Chromebook process for incoming students, (and) updating our library space to make it more compatible with our 1-to-1 Chromebook initiative.”

Treto’s personal high school experience was a memorable one, as she was involved in many school programs.

“I was (the) freshman class president, played volleyball and was on the swim team. I was a band kid, too,” Treto said.

Andrew Basham is the new speechlanguage pathologist for GBHS. “I’m looking forward to establishing myself as a professional and becoming a part of the school (community),” Basham said.

Naomi Bahr came to GBHS looking for a math department that “works cohesively” and is keen on teaching students not only about math but about themselves.

“I love to teach freshmen and the IM 1 classes so that I can give students that math confidence that a lot of them are missing. I prove to them, through their own work, that they can be good at math,” Bahr said.

Bahr is also very excited for the

school spirit and special events here at GBHS. “(I’m looking forward to lots) of football games, fundraisers with my new club and just a lot of fun with my students and fellow teachers,” Bahr said.

Her excitement for school spirit is largely because she “had a very different high school experience than most kids.”

“I was a competitive figure skater, so I didn’t go to a traditional high school,” Bahr said. “I think I love high school so much now because I missed out on all the fun activities when I was a kid.”

Among the new faculty, something they have in common is the idea that high school is a time to savor and enjoy.

“Enjoy every moment! Life doesn’t get any easier than this,” Bahr said.

“Don’t take (being a high schooler) too seriously! High school is supposed to be a time where you can explore who you are and start setting yourself up for a fulfilling life,” Lynn said, “which is really hard when you are worried about class rank, social circles and college applications.”

Current

Page 8

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

Rise of Independence High School Many students from GBHS choose an alternative form of education

BY JJ HILL

jhill.gazette@gmail.com

Granite Bay High is considered to be one of the best schools in the Northern California region for its prestigious International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement programs and heavy investment in its athletics department.

So, what is the reasoning behind the number of students flocking toward Independence High?

As it turns out, the style of education that is offered at Granite Bay just isn’t for every student. While it is a

universally standard workflow for high schools across the nation, many would prefer to be able to guide themselves through material and do school work on their own schedules.

“I left Granite Bay because I like to learn at my own pace, and at Independence that means I can finish a class in only a few months if needed,” said Reagan Oliver, a senior at Independence. He left GBHS halfway through the fall semester of his junior year and is planning on getting his diploma before 2020.

The culture at the school also played

an important role in his decision.

“I felt like Granite Bay only supported two types of students – those with 4.0 GPAs and athletes.”

It seems that, while many like the very hands-on and self-led format of teaching at Independence, for others its the pressure of the social scene at GBHS that can become absurdly intense.

Lauryn Goodwin, who transferred out during the spring term last school year and graduated from Independence, said she “felt like (GBHS) was a toxic place.”

Goodwin says the atmosphere hurt her rather than helped her.

“It was just stressful for me ... it caused me to not do great in school,” Goodwin said.

The Granite Bay bubble had become

Personal chromebooks distributed school-wide Each grade level received computers to supplement their classroom learning

BY LINDSEY MAGNO

lmagno.gazette@gmail.com

The new school year has rolled around, which means new school supplies – including a Chromebook for every Granite Bay High student.

Chromebooks are seen everywhere around the GBHS campus, but this is the first year that every student has been issued a Chromebook. The program started last year with freshmen and sophomores, but now they’re available for everyone.

Many students use laptops, and they are vital for the completion of online homework and tests. At GBHS, however, students use Chromebooks almost exclusively during the school day.

According to assistant principal Jen-

nifer Buschmann, the Roseville Joint Union High School District decided to make the switch from BYOD – bring your own device – to Chromebooks for all because all materials should be accessible for all students. “(We had) a couple pools of money the district got a couple years ago, and they decided they wanted all students to have access to technology – not only at school, but at home (as well),” Buschmann said.

Buschmann emphasized that the school district wanted students to have access to technology both at home and at school, and the Chromebooksfor-all program was a way to help make that happen.

“It’s really an equity issue,” she said, “because we know some students don’t (have technology access at home), and we also want to increase the ac-

cess and availability of resources … like library databases and classroom materials and books.”

Many students think the transition to Chromebooks has been a positive change.

“It lets me get more information rather than using a book, which gives us extra details rather than just straight answers,” freshman AJ Kirby said.

Chromebooks can also extend the creativity of students by giving them more resources to study and finish homework.

And it’s not just students – teachers are benefitting as well.

“I can post materials – what I used to call handouts … on paper – now I basically can post that material on Google classroom, and students immediately get out their Chromebooks,” engineering teacher Steve Dolan said. “It helps the teacher to not make copies and waste paper. I can give more relevant updates of stuff – in fact, I just made an edit on my

Let your curiosity blossom

READ THE GAZETTE

so toxic that she felt she needed to leave.

“Everyone thinks I went to Independence because GB was too hard,” Oliver said. “It’s true I only have to go a few times a week for class, but that means I have hours and hours of work to do at home on my own time under my own guidance.”

Oliver has been irritated by the thinking of those who have questioned his decision to switch to IHS. “I have seen many friends of mine transfer to Independence because they thought that they could go and just sit at home all day and do nothing, and within weeks those kids were removed for not being able to survive there,” Oliver said.

Carly Burgess left GBHS in the spring term last school year, and she

has experienced some of the same frustrations.

“People assume (others go) because (they’re) a dropout, or (they’re) unmotivated, and I’ve heard many times that others think it’s almost a type of rehab (where) kids with drug abuse issues go,” Burgess.

While it is unknown what has fueled these fallacies, those who attend Independence want to clear the air surrounding their campus.

“It’s still a valid form of education, regardless of the size of the school or amount of time you go in for,” Burgess said. “You need to have a lot of discipline, and because there’s nobody reminding you to get your work done, you have to hold yourself accountable.”

Gazette photo illustration/ASHLEY YUNG

Students utilize chromebooks in class for easy access to the Internet handouts in class, and so kids immediately have that updated and edited version rather than make more copies and handouts.

“I think it’s replaced photocopies … and that saves teachers money and the cost of the paper.”

Page 9

Gazette

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

Express Your Style. Personalize your dream ring.

Exclusively At

www.sharifjewelers.com

Page10

Lifestyle

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

GBHS Band ‘chases UFOs’ Daven Kashyap leads the esteemed Emerald Brigade during their first home game of the season.

Gazette photo /LINDSEY ZABELL

Lifestyle

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

Award-winning Granite Bay Emerald Brigade dives deep into this year’s preformance theme: ‘Area 51’ Raid

BY PIPER BACON

I

pbacon.gazette@gmail.com

t really was by accident.

When band director Lynn Lewis decided to create an Area 51-themed field show for the Granite Bay High band, she and her staff members had no idea about the Race to Area 51 meme that would gain massive amounts of online popularity just a month later.

On Memorial Day when the band its show reveal, Lewis announced to her students the alien-based theme for the 2019 season.

“Two years ago, we were discussing what something controversial might be and what we could go from there,” Lewis said, “Wade threw out the idea about Area 51.”

At first Lewis thought there wasn’t anything to be done with “a show about nothing.” But after a bit more consideration, she changed her mind.

The show follows the story of townsfolk who begin to wonder what is it that lies inside of Area 51, with all the rumors of aliens circulating around the military base. Tension grows when they’re kept out of Area 51 and are prevented from getting into the base and learning its secrets.

The drumline, front ensemble and drum majors will be dressed as men in black, reminiscent of the original movies. The music from the show features melodies from the movies “Men in Black” and “The X-Files,” and it includes modern musicians such as the band Radiohead and singer Alanis Morisette.

The deep-set dynamics of the show and “controversial” themes in the production, as Lewis puts it, are what is needed to win for the 2019 season. However, just five years ago, this was almost unseen in the marching band world.

“It’s gone from what you’d usually expect, which is an old military drum and bugle corps that would march in a straight line with full brass and percussion, and for a time that’s what it was on the football field,” said senior Nick Sanchez, a sousaphone player in the Emerald Brigade.

His sophomore year of high school and after one year of marching with the Emerald Brigade, Sanchez auditioned for the Drum Corps International, or DCI, which are elite marching bands. He auditioned for the one DCI band in Sacramento, the Sacramento Mandarins.

“Slowly, it turned into concept shows and story shows, where the entire show would tell a story or express an individual concept,” Sanchez said. “In 2016, a corps called the Bluecoats did a show called “Down Side Up,” which really changed the entire landscape of DCI because that was when the activity began to move away from traditional marching. It has slowly morphed into a more dance-based than marching-based activity.”

With DCI marching bands setting the standard for all field-based marching band shows, the changes in competition being made in DCI are showing through in high school competitions.

“I definitely see it trickling into band, but in a much slower sense,” Sanchez said, “mainly due to the types of staff we’re capable of providing for all of the students here.”

Though the number of available staff members hasn’t proven to be an issue for the Emerald Brigade – they’re already ahead of the game. While competition is changing for

marching bands all across the country, the Emerald Brigade has been forced to adapt because of many factors.

“Our brass numbers are a lot smaller this year and that’s due to students graduating,” Lewis said,“We just didn’t get a lot of incoming new members.”

This year, there are a total of 12 members in low brass, eight in trumpets and five in mellophones. In comparison to last year, the band had 19 members in low brass, 12 in trumpets and eight in mellophones.

The balance issue comes in when percussion is suffering from an overflow of members.

Because of that overflow, the band’s firstever cymbal line has been formed, featuring freshmen Amanda McCarthy and Aurora Jackson, and sophomore Brady Holmes.

So even though the band is scraping for low-brass members, percussion isn’t expected to be an issue for the next four years.

“Competition is really hard with a small low-brass section, because the whole balance of the band is based on low brass,” Lewis said, “It makes it really hard to succeed musically with a small low brass.”

Even with these imbalances, the Emerald Brigade has persisted with positive attitudes and a mindset set for success.

“Things this year are going really well,” said senior Amanda Batiste, who serves as the president of the Emerald Brigade. “Everyone has a super positive attitude, which is so nice. The freshman class is doing really well, too.”

Batiste said that after a season of negativity, the 2019 marching season has started out with strong camaraderie and much closer bonds between the freshmen and seniors than there had been in previous years.

“You need to be a positive force, and everyone needs to encourage others to have that positivity – and I want to make people feel welcomed and accepted,” Batiste said.

“I want to make sure that everybody knows each others’ names.”

This year, with the unique struggles the band has been facing – from the shortage of brass, the overflow of percussion, and the necessary morale boost – the hard work has been doubled, and yet, the band is doing better than ever.

Going forward in the season, the students are already eager for competition and for showcasing what “Area 51” has to offer. With an all-new depth to their marching show, they’re ready to see how they’ll score.

“I’m excited and I’m hopeful,” junior Jake Russell said. “We have a cool show with a fantastic concept, and having done so many competitions already, I feel like it’s no sweat and we can easily win our first few upcoming competitions.”

For many students, the band has become a major part of their life. It’s become their primary friend group, their main hobby and where many of them spend the majority of their time.

Many students consider the band room to be like a second home to them. It’s a safe space and a support net to fall back on when times get tough.

Through band, students have been taught many life lessons, such as time management, leadership skills, practice skills and how to have passion and pride for the things they’ve accomplished.

The Emerald Brigade’s first competition and official production of their 2019 show will be held Oct. 12 at Oakmont High School.

Page 11

Five go from GBHS grads to teachers

Former students now work as educators at the school where they once attended

BY SARAH RIETZ

S

srietz.gazette@gmail.com

ome students love Granite Bay High School so much they can’t help coming back to teach.

That’s true for five different GBHS teachers.

“When I was here, the culture was awesome,” said Meghan Cole, a freshman English teacher.

Cole graduated from GBHS in 2012 and went to Chico State.

She received her English education major, her Spanish minor, her linguistics minor, and her TESOL certificate (Teaching English to Speakers Of Other Languages).

Cole loved her time at GBHS and was very excited to come back to teach.

“I was in student government, and I was on the dance team all four of my years, I was the co-captain of the dance team, I was in Mrs. (Desi) Millburn’s dance program, I was one of her TIs, you know I did Sports-a-Rama, I did Powder Puff, I did everything I could to be involved,” Cole said.

Another alum is Tyler Jaynes, a math teacher at GBHS. He graduated in 2007. He went to Pepperdine University and received his degree in mathematics.

“Coming back to Granite Bay seemed like a good fit,” Jaynes said in an email.

Jaynes enjoyed high school and played volleyball for the school.

Michael Trout is another alum who was also very involved in sports.

Trout moved back to Granite Bay High, after teaching at Oakmont, because of his strong love for the school.

“I love the community and the culture here,” Trout said.

Micheal Trout, who graduated in 2000, strives to keep the winning culture alive because he was very involved in many of the sports at GBHS including football, wrestling,

Zachary Weidcamp

Gazette illustration/DYLAN ROWE

Tyler Jaynes

Gazette photo /DYLAN ROWE

rugby, track, and freestyle wrestling.

Along with Trout, Zachary Weidkamp also graduated in the class of 2000.

After college, he returned toGBHS where he taught hisyear as a student teacher and then became a full-time teacher.

“I had a connection, and it was an easy way to get accepted as a student teacher” Weidkamp said.

Weidkamp enjoyed his high school experience, however it was different than most others.

“My class was here right when the school opened,” Weidkamp said.

“It was kinda like junior high again,” Weidkamp said.

In addition to starting off the school on the right foot, Weidcamp also was one of the first students to kick off the winning tradition for sports. His favorite memories of GBHS revolve around his winning moments as a runner.

Last but not least is Micaela Badaracco, an English teacher at GBHS who graduated from high school in 2004.

“I went to Sierra College and transferred to UC Davis as a design major,” Badaracco said in an email.

However, she changed her major to English after two years and got her degree in English.

After a couple of years of teaching at Antelope High School, she returned back to GBHS. Badaracco enjoyed the classes she took and played softball for the school.

Playing on the softball team was her favorite part of GBHS. While on the softball team, they went to Sections.

Apparently, it’s safe to say GBHS has a family-like culture that sticks with students – enough so that some end up coming back and working on the same campus they once attended as students.

Lifestyle

Page 12

Students face on-the- job challenges Teens learn how to manage school with work expectations

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

Too much time, not enough sleep Gazette illustration/DYLAN ROWE

Gazette illustration/DYLAN ROWE

BY PAYTON BLEVINS

pblevins.gazette@gmail.com

A

massive but important challenge that Granite Bay High School students face is the struggle of working while also managing to go to school.

The result? There is no shortage of students who manage long nights of work and long days at school, all in a single day.

Many students, often working under the age of 18 while they’re attending GBHS, need to be informed of the work rules under California law for young workers.

There are limits, for example, to the number of hours a student can legally work, as well as how late they are allowed to work on school nights.

That can be especially challenging for students who have to work late and still get up for school the next day.

And it can be even tougher for those students who are over 18, because they are not restricted by child labor laws. This means not only does this person have to be on time for work after a long day of eight hours of schooling but they also have to go to work with no additional laws against working late.

Also, if someone is under the age of eighteen, they need to make sure they talk to the school staff or a trusted adult when they’re put into a bad situation and need to turn on another for the better.

For most high school students, the pressures of holding a job are not only stressful, but they can make the job dreadful and tense – to say nothing of the classroom.

“I have never personally been held against the legal times of working but I have found it quite difficult to maintain schooling and working to make my own personal money,” Ty’Anna Burton said.

Burton said it can be especially difficult to both handle her part-time job and also not fall behind academically so she’s on track for graduation.

Jack Ryan, a junior, said he’s never been asked by his employer to violate the terms of his work permit.

“I’ve never personally been held over 10 p.m. on a school night,” Ryan said.

Some students said they know of other students who’ve been forced to stay on the job beyond the end of their shift, in violation of their state work permit.

When those students complain, they’re often told to find another job.

Whether this situation is a short-term or long-term problem, it is better than being in violation of child labor laws.

The California Department of Labor is responsible for enforcement of state labor laws, including restrictions on hours per week and how late workers under age 18 can be asked to work on a school night.

Employers who violate the law can be sanctioned and fined.

The problem, of course, is that a student who complains might have their hours cut or even lose their job.

But if students have spoken up about this situation and it’s still continuing, they can tell an adult or someone over the age of 18, or make a report to the Labor Department.

Many young adults have been put to the challenge of late-night working at their personal job and handling their own schoolwork.

But if an individual doesn’t know how to maintain both of these tasks on a daily basis, and school is already difficult for them, they should consider another option for themselves.

High school students face the effects of sleep deprivation

BY GABRIELLE MATHIS

gmathis.gazette@gmail.com

E

very day, students arrive at school exhausted because they’re not getting the recommended eight to 10 hours of sleep per night.

A student poll of Granite Bay High students showed that two out of three students don’t get the recommended amount of sleep – which means that about 70% of students come to school tired, stressed and unprepared to focus in class.

Unfortunately, sleep loss isn’t taken as seriously as it should be. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, without an adequate amount of sleep, the human brain cannot function properly and people can put their physical and mental health at risk.

Not only that, but researchers found that lack of sleep increases the amount of food you eat and the use of caffeine, sugar, nicotine and alcohol.

Though teens are wired to stay up late and sleep in, many factors contribute to this cycle. Stanford University found that about 72% of students are on their phones at night when they should be sleeping.

Another 28% of students keep their phones on when they are sleeping only to be awakened by incoming texts, Snaps, phone calls and more.

“On average I get five to six hours of sleep,” freshman Nick Perry said, “I stay up so late working on homework and watching Tik Tok or YouTube I can’t even focus in art, or biology or any class for that matter.”

Many students stay up late on their phones talking to friends or watching TV, but for some, that is not

Student Spotlight

Adan Rameriez

the case. According to LifeStyle Alive, teenagers often have serious sleeping conditions such as hypersomnia, narcolepsy, sleep paralysis and more.

“I get about five hours of sleep per night on average,” said freshman Chole Cox. Unlike Perry, Cox has sleep insomnia, a sleep disorder that makes it extremely hard to fall asleep.

Aside from the emotional state of being tired, lack of sleep impairs attention span, alertness, concentration, reasoning and problem solving, which makes it extremely difficult to learn.

Sophomore Neveah Woods said she gets six or seven hours of sleep a night.

After a long day at school, Woods goes straight to volleyball practice for two hours and then spends another two hours on homework and studying.

Though students have a hard time staying alert in class, teachers have an even harder time keeping their sleepy students engaged.

Math teacher Naomi Bahr agrees that her students have a hard time focusing in class.

“I think teenagers in general are just tired,” Bahr said. “They need to make sure they get plenty of rest, so it’s just a matter of getting them off of screens and maintaining a good nighttime routine.”

When students are coming to school in need of more sleep, teachers and parents can often see a drop in their grades and how much energy is being put into activities.

With the result of sleep deficiency being harmful to the human body and how it performs, the experts says it is time for students to put down their phones, turn off the lights, close their eyes and get some sleep.

Q: How has your experience at Granite Bay High been so far?

A: So far it’s been really nice.

Q: Did anything worry about high school over the summer?

A: I was worried about the homework a lot.

Q: Before you moved here, did you hear any rumors about our school?

A: No, I did not, but I made some friends who did talk about Del Oro.

Compiled by Bradyn Kesti

Lifestyle

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

Page 13

Exchange students learn at Granite Bay Teens from around the world continue their studies in the U.S. BYSIMI SINGH

ssingh.gazette@gmail.com

G

ranite Bay High is a very diverse school – including students from all over the world.

“I really enjoy it here,” said Luisa Stahlke, a sophomore from Germany.

“Here there are very nice people, I have a lot of fun here. Everything’s different, and everything’s new.”

The environment at Granite Bay isn’t very different than it is at other schools, as it turns out. It’s just the community.

“The setting, the everyday life are not so different, because they are similar cities, not so big, but the school is very different,” said Tommaso Maddalon, a junior from Italy. “Also because we change classes, while in Italy the teacher changes classes – we stay all day long in the same room. And because here there is a lot of participation from students.”

The students at GBHS are very engaging, and they like to participate in school events, stay involved in the

community and do as much as possible to help the school thrive.

In addition to Tommaso and Stahlke, Nayane Lopez and Beatrice Salis are also attending GBHS this year.

All of them seem to enjoy GBHS because of the community and involvement from the students.

If English isn’t an exchange student’s first language, it can be difficult to learn later on. English isn’t the first language for Tommaso or Stahlke. “(Teachers) help you a lot, so I’m (at an advantage),” Tommaso said. “You have to pay attention a lot, because it is another language so you have to pay attention to understand what they ask you to do.”

Starting high school is hard for everyone. But it’s likely more difficult for people who aren’t from the United States. It can be stressful if you don’t know who your friends are yet. There’s pressure to get good grades and sustain a good social status. But the staff at

GBHS is always understanding and helpful and can help the students learn and grow. Not only those from different countries, of course, but students who have lived their entire lives in Granite Bay as well. Anyone can seek help from the staff.

“Sometimes I have an issue with the language, so sometimes in class I don’t understand everything,” said Stahlke, “but that’s probably it.”

Once a foreign exchange student is comfortable here, high school doesn’t feel so difficult anymore.

The mixed crowd at GBHS allows students to meet new people and it results in a dynamic and fun crowd. The students are very welcoming to new people, and happy to help.

“I prefer Granite Bay because sometimes in Italy it’s boring, here it’s more fun,” Tommaso said. “This school is fantastic, and you should do this experience because you become openminded.”

if you really knew me, you would know...

bryse bentley I eat five meals a day.

Gazette illustration/ KATE FERNADEZ

Teacher tries tiny house living

French educator at GBHS reveals her microscopic abode to public

abby peterson I have an obsession of sharks.

BY KATE FERNANDEZ

kfernandez.gazette@gmail.com

”I’m really happy with my kitchen,” said GBHS French teacher Lynne Guerné, “because it’s a full kitchen, even though it’s a small house.”

M

inimizing a bedroom is one thing, but minimizing an entire house is quite another.

The tiny house trend has grown immensely in the past few years, inspiring many to leave behind a majority of their belongings in favor of a minimalistic lifestyle.

The Granite Bay community was not exempt from this trend, and in 2016 Lynne Guerné found herself with an armful of blueprints for the house that she would soon be building herself.

Guerné, who has been a French teacher at Granite Bay High School for 21-plus years, was able to build her own tiny house, including designing the interior and then furnishing the home in her own contemporary style. She moved into her new home in June.

While the process extended for three years, “it was probably more because there was planning prior to beginning construction,” she said. “I went to a couple of workshops to learn about the process of building a tiny house, and then I had to order materials and those sorts of things as well.”

And while there were definitely plenty of ups and downs, Guerné is happy to finally be in the home of her dreams.

“It was interesting because I thought it was going to be some sort of surreal thing but … it felt very normal for me to be here,” Guerné said. “It wasn’t at all weird.”

But to get to this point, plenty of sacrifices needed to be made.

If it wasn’t obvious from the name, a tiny house is considerably smaller than a regular-sized home, and usually even smaller than a camping trailer.

Usually to be considered a tiny house the home must be under 500 square feet, but on average most tiny homes are smaller than that, and some recommend 200 square feet as a good starting point for a tiny home.

To live in a space like this, owners need to rid themselves of a majority of their belongings.

“For the most part, things have to serve more than one purpose,” Guerné said. “I did do a little bit of the Marie Kondo, ‘what sparked joy’ kind of a process, but I also just kept things that were practical. I did keep some things that were sentimental,

Gazette photo/KATE FERNANDEZ

and it depended on what they were.

“Like clothes, for example, they have to be things that I will wear all the time, I can’t afford to keep things that I’ll maybe pull out of my closet.”

However Guerné wasn’t alone in this process, and she had plenty of friends to help her along the way.

“When I saw her overcome every little problem that came along the way and then ultimately have a house that she could live in, I was ecstatic for her!” said Jill Cova, one of the Spanish teachers on campus who helped Guerné at different times in the process.

Another one of those friends was Celine Geneve-Brown, who is the other French teacher on campus, and who has been teaching with Guerné for the past several years.

“When she initially told me of her thoughts for this undertaking, I was fully impressed by her vision but more importantly by her solid confidence in her ability to get it done,” Geneve-Brown said. “It takes some serious guts to take on such a massive task and furthermore to do it single handedly is no small feat!

“As her close friend, I would like to think that I supported her emotionally through the good and the difficult portions of her journey to completing the build, but you would have to ask her,” Genève said.

At the end of this process, Guerné is happy to be in a home that she loves, and that she’s proud of.

It has definitely been a tumultuous journey, but at the end, “it was definitely a personal growth opportunity for me,” Guerné said. “I certainly learned a ton about myself.”

tyler mckonkey I am a figure skater.

cannon harmer I could ski a black diamond when I

was in kindergarten.

Lifestyle

Page 14

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

Culture affects Granite Bay curriculum Educators try to adapt their teaching styles to embrace social changes

BY SHREYA DODBALLAPUR sdodballapur.gazette@gmail.com

S

ociety is constantly changing. Instead of resisting these changes, Granite Bay High is learning how to adapt to them.

Amidst rising tensions, teachers strive to make their classes a place where every student can be heard.

“We deal with issues that confront culture all the time, so we have to have conversations that approach that in a balanced way,” said David Tastor, Advanced Placement Literature and International Baccalaureate World Religions teacher.

Even though this balance can be difficult to accomplish, sometimes difficult conversations must be had.

“We can’t put our head in the sand and pretend we don’t have issues,” Tastor said.

AP European History teacher Mike Valentine has learned how to have these unavoidable conversations through his daily current events.

“You can’t shy away from it, even when you know there’s going to be someone on the other side who disagrees,” Valentine said.

When someone does have an opinion on a current event or political issue, Valentine has a simple way to keep the conversation light.

“You just acknowledge both points of view the best you can and keep talking about the issue,” Valentine said.

Addressing difficult current issues can have a significant impact on society.

“The Black Lives Matter and Me Too

Gazette illustration/SHREYA DODBALLAPUR

movements have led to discussion and reflection on what we are as a nation and a general awareness of these issues being wrong,” senior Stephanie Shi said.

An increase in cultural awareness can move society forward.

“The more we discuss our culture, the more we understand ourselves as a society and create a more educated and tolerant future,” Shi said.

Now, cultural awareness is so important that it is being taught in classes like AP Human Geography and IB World Religions.

Through Kathleen Angelone’s AP Human Geography and Tastor’s AP Literature class, senior Ellie Scholes has discussed gender inequality, discrimination and the different aspects of culture that make humans unique.

“I appreciate these class discussions because it is important that everyone understands that no one is inferior to another because of their gender or who they love,” Scholes said.

Tastor has discussed gender studies in his curriculum for years in hopes of helping both men and women understand the other side.

“We don’t make it easy for our men or our women, but how then do we find a way for men and women to live harmoniously without these overly hyped stereotypes,” Tastor said.

A safe educational space allows students to learn about abstract issues and grow into a more educated society.

“The youth can change the world,” Scholes said. “It is important to bring light to these issues in our culture to spark change.”

Gazette photo / LINDSEY ZABELL

Stereotypes are prevalent at GBHS

Students struggle with being misunderstood by their classmates because of sports they play

BY ARMAAN SAINI

asaini.gazette@gmail.com

I

n high school, people tend to have different perspectives and stereotypes of students on campus. These stereotypes aren’t entirely accurate, however.

Some expect the football players to be over six feet, bulked to the bone, not caring about school and to be a little cocky. Cheerleaders are supposed to be snobs, blonde and the popular girls of the school.

“I’m not saying that some football players don’t live up to these stereotypes but never judge a book by its cover,” freshman football player C.J Herring said.

Many are just normal teens expressing their personality through their hobby.

The stereotype of the stupid cheerleader doesn’t make sense if they “didn’t have the smarts,” freshman cheerleader Kait Withrow said. “(Their grades) are held against them.”

Both freshmen agreed that these stereotypes were unfair and made little sense. “(I feel like people) throw hate at football players.” Herring said. “(That) isn’t nice.”

These students who play football and are cheerleaders are peers to the other students on campus and share many common interests with them.

Another student, Eddie Thomas, had very similar ideas to Herring. ”I think that football stereotypes are too

FACULTY focus Heidi Mckeen

Gazette photo/SHREYA DODBALLAPUR

David Tastor leads a discussion about current events with his freshman English class.

generalized,” Thomas said. “They aren’t very accurate, and they tend to make it seem like we aren’t smart or that we’re always the popular kids.”

Football players don’t always have to be popular. Not every player on the team seems to be the one everyone knows on campus.

“I think that these stereotypes (are passed) through all the high school movies and media surrounding it,” Thomas said.

Freshman cheerleader Emily Hopper agrees.

“The stereotypes are developed by movies, rumors and people just growing up thinking those facts,” Hopper said.

Movies based on high school life are basically overly dramatic pieces of film that make students focus on what they believe is wrong.

Because of movies and television, many viewers buy into the stereotypes and begin to think only football players and cheerleaders are popular, and they’re also just rude in general.

However, the people on the cheer squad and football team aren’t that rude at all and are approachable people. ”I think the stereotypes of football players are inaccurate because there are football players who are nice,” Hopper said.

The takeaway?

Students said the stereotypes are very unrealistic with what is shown online and implants the idea of these stereotypes into young minds before they even enter high school and experience it for themselves.

Q: What is your favorite thing to do with your family?

A: I love to be outdoors with my family. We live in the foothills and spend a lot of time hiking on the trails in Auburn, or kayaking at Lake Clementine and sometimes Folsom Lake. My son just got a scooter so now we spend a lot of time scootering together, too.

Compiled by Alexis Craig

Lifestyle

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

Page 15

Sports Culture class introduced at Granite Bay New elective on campus allows student athletes and Tribe leaders to participate in athletic culture in the community 5 TRIBE LEADERS 14 SPORTS REPRESENTED

28 TOTAL STUDENTS

BY LINDSEY ZABELL

F

lzabell.gazette@gmail.com

or the past 23 years, athletics have been a major aspect of Granite Bay High School culture.

This year, a new class has been created to increase the positive culture surrounding athletics on campus.

This idea for a class that actively engages athletes and their programs has been something GBHS has been wanting to incorporate for several years but has just now finally been added to the course selection.

The class consists of 28 students representing 14 different sports, with the inclusion of all five Tribe leaders.

Athletics director Tim Healy teaches the class during second period, and he hopes the class will eventually leave a positive impact on both the school and the Granite Bay community as a whole.

Multiple players from each GBHS sport were nominated by their coaches to take the class.

Senior football player Brent Evans was just one of several players invited to participate.

“Past years have been rather divided between classes, and we want to create an inclusive and enjoyable experience for all students,” Evans said.

Within the class there are several groups that focus on specific aspects of athletic culture on campus.

Senior Tribe leader Summer Holt is also enrolled in the new Sport Culture class.

“The class is separated into different groups,” Holt explained. “One group focuses on Tribe, there’s

fundraising, community outreach and a couple other groups that (focus on) different aspects of the campus.”

Holt works with her fellow Tribe leaders to promote the Tribe, as well as the different games and events that GBHS students can attend.

Each of these groups have ongoing projects the class hopes to accomplish as the semester progresses. “(Each day in class) we look at what are the gaps we see at Granite Bay High School, things that we think aren’t perfect or that we could do better or that are flat out missing, such as a Hall of Fame for Granite Bay,” Healy said.

In addition to on-campus improvements, the class also plans to take field trips to other schools to teach younger students about what it means to be a student athlete GBHS. “We have very little connectivity to our feeder schools,” Healy said. “One of the things we wanted to do is to communicate better with our feeder schools and reach out to them.”

By reaching out to both elementary and middle schools in the area, it allows for GBHS athletics break down some of the barriers faced with the nerves and fear that comes with transitioning to high school sports.

By the end of this term, both Healy and his students hope to have a meaningful impact on the school and close some of the gaps within the culture of athletics at GBHS.

Gazette infographic/LINSDEY ZABELL

Animal rehab center helps stressed students Therapeutic emotional support offers children with mental health needs a safe space to cope with their challenges

BY BRADYN KESTI

bkesti.gazette@gmail.com

H

earts Landing Ranch, a small organization tucked away from the world, is located less than a quarter mile down Eureka Road from Granite Bay High, in an area commonly called Old Eureka.

Currently, Hearts Landing Ranch has six big horses and five miniature horses. In addition, Hearts Landing Ranch has a plethora of chickens.

“The four large horses we rescued last year (were) from ‘kill pens’,” said Donna Eckwortzel, the owner of Hearts Landing.

Kill pens are where horses are placed before being exported to countries where horse meat is legal.

Eckwortzel said those weren’t the only troubling situations for horses who were rescued and ended up at her ranch.

“The other horses that we’ve rescued came from ... Northern California from various neglect (and) abandonment,” Eckwortzel said.

Eckwortzel said Hearts Landing offers three distinct programs.

“We have the equinostic learning where we match up the horses ... to kids who are hurting or broken from emotional or physical trauma,” Eckwortzel said.

These sessions are ideal for students that are hurting or broken, while the second program has a different target audience.

“The second program that we have is community outreach, so we have movie nights, worship nights, ... the pumpkin patch, the Christmas tree giveaway,” Eckwlwortzel said.

Eckwortzel’s last program is about her “seeds to stomachs” program.

“We are teaching to make our own soil ..., we plant by seed, then we grow and harvest the fruits and vegetables such that we can teach to cook,” Eckwortzel said.

Eckwortzel said she’s hoping more GBHS students will come and participate in her programs at the ranch.

“We also need social media help, people who want to learn to drive the (miniature horses), painting projects,” Eckwortzel said.

Participants of all kinds are accepted.

“No matter what the trauma is, it’s hopelessness, their lack of identity or purpose, it’s being bullied, they’re depressed (and) feel alone, everyone who is really hurting (is potentially eligible),” Eckwortzel said.

Josie, who asked to have her last name withheld, has been a session participant at Hearts Landing Ranch

for two years. “(My sessions were) very helpful and helped me overcome my depression and other mental illnesses,” Josie said.

Josie spoke about her experience with her matched horse.

“My experience is very sweet because I get to connect with the horse that made me feel happy inside,” Josie said.

Rachael Barnett, the GBHS school psychologist, said there are definitely potential benefits associated with programs like the ones offered at Hearts Landing.

“Generally if someone’s struggling with mental health, being involved in a community is going to be beneficial,” Barnett said.

However, Barnett said there are some things to be careful about when it comes to community-based treatment.

“If you do have somebody specifically with a lot of mental health needs, community is one part, but so is medication and so is therapy,” Barnett said.

Perfect for those who want to improve their mental health, or for those looking for a place to volunteer, Hearts Landing Ranch is a wonderful place to attend with lots to offer.

Gazette photo /BRADYN KESTI

Gazette photo /BRADYN KESTI

Hearts Landing Ranch invites children to paint and play with horses, top. The farm is home to six large and five small horses, bottom.

Focus

Pages 16 & 17

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

1 UCLA 1 USD

A Singer Senior Effect?

4 Georgetown University

Rising Seniors: Faced with last spring’s college admissions fraud, many students are wondering how it might affect them

BY ANGELINA KOLOSEY and ASHLEY YUNG akolosey.gazette@gmail.com ayung2.gazette@gmail.com

P

ower and money, two powerful forces that can and have been proven to be able to ultimately help an individual obtain almost any wish, including the desire to gain entry into some of the world’s most prestigious schools.

In March, college counselor Rick Singer was indicted by U.S. federal prosecutors for his role in a multi-million dollar scheme to get the children of his wealthy clients into some of the most prestigious colleges in America – including USC, Yale, Stanford, UCLA and Georgetown – by boosting test scores and constructing applications and qualifications in a fraudulent manner.

Parents of the students, as well as multiple college coaches, face criminal fees and sentencings. Singer pleaded guilty, as have several of the parents and coaches who were involved.

Singer got his start as a college counselor in the Sacramento area, and many former Granite Bay High students were his clients in the early 2000s. He moved to Newport Beach in 2011, and most of his clients in recent years came from the Bay Area and Southern California.

Still, the scandal is reverberating all the way back to Granite Bay High – especially for seniors this year who are now preparing to apply for college.

“It was interesting that (the scandal) was as blown out as it was because (college scandals) happen fairly regularly and have for a while,” GBHS senior Rathip Rajakumar said. “It’s interesting that it caught mainstream attention.”

Lynette Matthews from the College Planning Center in Granite Bay said many parents of prospective college students have vocalized concerns about the entire college application process and how Singer could get away with what he was doing for so long.

“Mostly families didn’t understand how this could happen,” Matthews said. “Since we work with many recruited collegiate athletes, we understand the process… (The scandals) made perfectly good sense to us.”

Singer was not an unfamiliar name in Placer County as the college admissions scandal managed to affect the educational industry immensely with ramifications in the Granite Bay community.

The main question for many students and families after the scandal broke was to what extent would the scandal affect rising senior classes.

“My only concern was that I was just hoping that none of our students were affected by it,” GBHS career technician Teri Keeney said.

A scandal as sweeping as Singer’s operation has the potential to negatively affect the hopes and aspirations of the rising senior class.

Senior Nabeel Qureshi said that even though Rick Singer and a few other scammers were caught, there are probably other scammers out there – scammers whose fraudulent

actions will affect his future.

“There’s definitely still some doubt in my mind that people are still cheating to get into college,” Qureshi said. “It’s disgraceful to have people paying to get into college when other people are working hard and have less (financially).”

College students fairly accepted to the prestigious universities where scandals occurred share a similar sentiment.

“There is a general sense of integrity and pride in our achievements at schools like Stanford,” said GBHS graduate and Stanford student Bronson Vanderjack. “When people circumvent the system and cheat, it makes the hard work that everyone else put in feel cheapened until the offenders are outed.”

It seems fitting that such news was a popular topic on the Stanford campus.

“The whole (Singer) case became a meme,” said GBHS grad David Song, who also attends Stanford. “The scandal was a topic of discussion for a little while.”

Vanderjack said that although the scandal involved illegal activities, there are legal actions in the college admissions game that are equally unfair.

“A joke at (Stanford) is that the cheaters should’ve just donated a building to the campus,” Vanderjack said. “Somehow, the children of said donors are often admitted.”

Lighthearted, jokes such as these allowed both high school and college students to reflect on their own privilege, and privilege in general, during college admissions process.

GBHS students have access to services like free counseling. Some can even afford private counseling services which includes test prep for various standardized tests. “(It’s) shown that (household) income has way too large a role in determining college qualification,” Rajakumar said.

“SAT scores scale with income level.”

Furthermore, the expectations that come with living in a wealthier neighborhood are different.

“I think the dreams that people sell kids are different based entirely on wealth,” Rajakumar said. “I think there’s a systemic suppression of people.”

Song also concedes that while illegal activities are blatantly unfair, there are also more subtle unfair advantages.

“There’s an underlying social/political/economic issue in the country as a whole, which is more difficult to fix than patching a few loopholes,” Song said.

Matthews, the private college counselor, said that, if anything, the college admissions scandal has only helped the local community better understand the process, and it has also increased college awareness about the importance of making fair admissions decisions.

“Colleges are (now) taking more effort to vet out students to make sure they are who they claim to be,” Matthews said.

“Also, college administrators are clear that the decisions they are making may be held under a microscope for all to see.

We can expect that they are more carefully and fairly making admissions decisions.”

1 Stanford

16 USC Source / DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Gazette graphic / MAYA SNOW

The chart shows the number of students involved in fraudulent athletic recruitment at the following universities.

Gazette illustration/ANGELINA KOLOSEY

Page 180

Athletics

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

Change in Tribe Leaders’ Tradition

Gazette photo / ASPEN KINGSLEY

Athletics

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

Summer Holt: First female Tribe leader takes the flag for 2020

BY BELLA KHOR

Y

bkhor.gazette@gmail.com

ear after year, Granite Bay High’s Tribe leaders change like the seasons, but this year, something unforgettable happened.

Five Tribe Leaders were chosen to lead the school’s football games, rallies and spirit events but one stands out above all – Summer Holt assumes her role as the first female Tribe leader in GBHS history.

“I always dreamed about the idea of being one of the leaders, however, I never got my hopes up because I knew that there had never been a girl before,” Holt said. “My freshman year, I stayed in the Tribe for a while after the game was over, and the Tribe Leader, Tyler Weaver, handed me the Tribe stick and said ‘Maybe one day, kid.’ ” Holt joins seniors Nick Richmond, Jacob Schulte, Addison Hempstead and Bradley Madsen as Tribe leaders.

Holt found out she was going to be a Tribe leader last April, and although she had some reservations, she was ecstatic.

“I decided that I wanted to be a Tribe leader the minute I was asked to be one,” Holt said.

“I was absolutely thrilled, but also somewhat nervous to see how students would respond to the idea of a girl Tribe leader.”

“However at the end of the day, I just couldn’t believe how awesome of an opportunity it was.”

Richmond, who is a captain of the varsity football team, was involved in the process of choosing this year’s Tribe leaders. He along with Schulte, who is also on the varsity football team, began talking with athletic director Tim Healy last year about the Tribe. Later, Healy asked them about candidates.

To them, when it came to choosing candidates, Holt stood out.

“We all knew she (would be the first female Tribe leader,) but it (didn’t) matter because either way, she has the most school spirit of anyone I’ve ever met,” Schulte said.

Richmond agreed, saying Holt is hands-down the most spirited person on campus.

“She always brings the energy and happiness, and she always lights up a room when she walks in,” Richmond said. “I do know that Summer is the only girl Tribe leader that GBHS has ever had, and I can’t think of anyone that would be better for the job.”

Holt was honored to be held in such high esteem.

“I am the type of person who puts full effort into something I love, and I truly do love GBHS, so I try to continue to make it a better place with every opportunity that I get,” Holt said.

In addition to being a Tribe leader, Holt is a busy athlete. She plays for the San Juan Elite Clubs National League soccer team, and she is one of the captains for GBHS girls’ soccer team.

Holt also dedicates time to being one of the presidents of Top Soccer, an organization that plays soccer with disabled children. “(My other activities) will definitely be a lot to handle and balance with being a Tribe leader,” Holt said.

Despite the heavy load, she anticipates her ability to balance her activities will be heightened by her passion for them.

Holt mentioned a bright vision for this year, a vision shared by all of the Tribe leaders.

“We have the potential to do something special and fill the school with spirit,” Richmond said.

Holt expanded on this idea of bringing spirit to GBHS and affecting school culture.

“We want this Tribe to be the most positive, welcoming, and respectful Tribe the school has ever had, and I can’t wait to see that happen,” Holt said. “I am so thrilled for this year and all that the Tribe is going to add to our school culture. Roll Tribe!”

Page 19

Athlete of the Month

Freshman reaches her way to varsity

BY DREW MCKOWN

C

dmckown.gazette@gmail.com

ameran Gluskin has worked so hard to get to where she is today, and it’s paid off – she made the varsity girls’ tennis team as a freshman.

This year, there were a lot of girls who tried out for the Granite Bay High School girls’ tennis team.

Even though she is young, that didn’t stop her from making a team outside of athletes her age.

“I have been playing tennis since I was 4,” Gluskin said.

Lots of practice and effort have helped her grow throughout the years as a player.

“I practice six days a week and about three hours a day,” Gluskin said. “I mostly play singles, but in tournaments I sometimes play doubles.”

Just because she has been playing tennis for so long, it didn’t mean she wasn’t nervous for high school tryouts.

“I was definitely a little nervous for tryouts because it’s my first year of high school and I was excited to be on a team, and I am,” Gluskin said.

Cameran Gluskin Young athlete takes strides in her athletic high school career.

Not only is it important to be physically tough, but being mentally strong is a big part in being successful at tennis as well.

“One of my main focuses right now is paying really close attention to my mental toughness on and off the court,” Gluskin said.

Her perseverance and determination allowed her to come up with lots of strategies and ways to help her grow and become a better player.

“I have a journal, and I write in it every time I play so I can look back and see what I did and what I didn’t do so I can improve,” Gluskin said.

Gluskin has definitely made a great first impression with the high school and hopes to

Gazette illustration/KATE FERNANDEZ

Head injuries reduce participation in football Most popular sport in America is threatened by criticisms about severe concussions

BY GABRIELLE MATHIS

F

gmathis.gazette@gmail.com

ootball has always been the most popular sport for boys, with more than 1.11 million participants in the U.S. per year.

Lately, however, that number has experienced a steady decline – in part, experts say, because of the numerous debilitating injuries players are exposed to.

As the world’s perception of football begins to shift to one of danger and risk, a growing number of parents are removing their children from the sport.

According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, most injuries occur in a players’ lower limbs, torso and pelvis. However, the most high-risk injuries occur in a player’s brain in the form of a concussion as a result of blows to the head.

Freshman Cody Ferrante played football for

two years before an injury forced him to stop.

“I am not allowed to (play football) anymore,” Ferrante said. “When I was younger, my helmet cracked and I went to the ER for a concussion.”

Ferrante’s concussion symptoms persisted for four months, more than three times longer than the average concussion. Although he misses playing, his parents do not want him to take the risk of another injury.

There is a misunderstanding of the risks that come with playing the game, according to Jeffrey Evans, a Granite Bay High School football coach since 2004 and varsity head coach since 2015. It is unfortunate that fewer students are able to play football, Evans said.

Evans said he tries to keep his players as safe as possible by cutting down on how much contact the players have during practices.

Evans’ players usually get injured when they hit the ground, so he tries to eliminate big collisions and saves most of the tackling for Friday nights. Luckily, at GBHS the number of serious injuries is low.

“We have never dealt with any type of paralysis or major head injuries … but there has been a lot of knees and shoulders,” Evans said.

“Nothing has ever been life-long or careerthreatening, but definitely surgery worthy.”

Still, Evans thinks the falling numbers for football participation are out of line with the

real risks involved.

“I get people maybe not having the energy or the ‘want’ to go play, but I think that hiding behind the fact that you can get injured is a little bit of an excuse,” Evans said. “You can get seriously injured in any sport.”

Freshman CJ Herring has been playing football for eight years and has a genuine passion for the sport. “(I play) just because of the intensity of the sport and the aggression,” Herring said. “It helps get everything out that you may have going on, and it’s also just a super fun sport.”

Although Herring has broken three bones and suffered a concussion while playing, he never felt scared after getting hurt.

“It makes me want to keep playing,” Herring said.

Many football players do suffer from serious injuries, but a majority were never put in harm’s way during a game.

Senior Cole Roth has been playing football for four years and has enjoyed playing through his high school career.

“I play because it’s super fun,” Roth said. “I broke my thumb once, and that was about it.”

Things seem to continue to get better and although there are concerns, football is much safer than in the past.

“What the kids get out of playing football,” Evans said, “far outweighs the risk of injuries.”

Athletics

Page 20

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

Brand new pool for the upcoming year Construction plan lies ahead to provide the aquatics and athlethic programs a new facility

BY SOPHIA HARIMOTO

sharimoto.gazette@gmail.com

T

he Granite Bay High School pool has been long overdue for a renovation.

The current pool has existed ever since the school’s opening in 1996 with one minor repair along the way.

“The original pool opened the first year and had eight lanes, but the shallow end was three feet (deep) so you couldn’t play water polo in it,” said John Sherman, a math teacher and the aquatics director at GBHS. “So, our Aquatic Boosters Club (raised) about $400,000 to make a quick change which was to essentially raise the pool deck a foot higher.”

Despite the adjustment, the pool still experienced setbacks that needed to be addressed eventually, especially as the number of aquatics athletes has grown.

“Our swimming teams are enormous,” Sherman said. “(Over) the last few years, just the high school (teams) alone had four practices a day – a morning practice, an athletic P.E. practice, an after school A, and an after school B.” Although this practice schedule is doable, Sherman said it isn’t ideal. By expanding the pool, practice schedules could be cut down and still suit athletes of different athletic ability.

Aside from the size, the 24-year-old pool was long overdue for general repair. It had cracked tiles, burnt-out lights and loose diving blocks.

Above all, however, the single biggest setback, according to Sherman, was the insufficient pool depth and size for water polo.

“We couldn’t host league games officially,” Sherman said.

In 2016, Measure D was proposed to raise property taxes in order to improve Roseville Joint Union High School District facilities. Over the past three years, the district held meetings to discuss the most beneficial pool design to better suit both the water polo and swim teams.

“Basically they pull(ed) in the stakeholders – the water polo coaches and swim coaches – and

(asked), ‘What do you need and what do you want?’ ” Sherman said.

From there, Sherman said a design team came in to design it, and more meetings were held in order to revise and finalize the designs.

“The end goal is that we have a facility that better suits what high school water polo, high school swim and the community needs,” Sherman said. “Water polo needs 35 meters and swimming has to have 25 yards, so our pool is (going to be) 35 meters by 25 yards.”

The design was finalized in February, and construction began in July. The pool project should be completed next March, but Sherman hopes it’s sooner.

“March is the contracted build date, but obviously we are hoping that this builder is ... fast and will finish earlier so that we can have high school swim here this year,” Sherman said.

Having to host four separate teams of water polo and a large number of athletes on the swim team in such a small pool limited the maximum performance level for both sports.

“Just the size made it hard to get much done if we ever had junior varsity (athletes) in the pool too,” said junior Anthony Gross, a varsity water polo player and swimmer. “(With a bigger pool), practices for both (water polo and swim) will be able to accommodate more people.”

Currently, all four water polo teams are practicing at the Orangevale Community Center.

Although this might create setbacks among the teams for the time being, many aquatics athletes and coaches say the new pool is worth the sacrifice.

“Commuting is a bit annoying compared to having practice at school, but we make the best of it,” Gross said.

Junior Malia Greenwald, a varsity water polo player and swimmer, is also excited for the benefits of the new pool because it will improve the competitive experience for both water polo and swimming.

“I am looking forward to having more lanes for swim so they can go faster, and an all-deep pool for polo,” Greenwald said. “The (larger)

Gazette illustration /SOPHIA HARIMOTO

The pool planning started last summer and construction is laid out to continue until the end of the school year. But, due to the pace they’re going, it may arrive earlier than expected. pool will speed up swim meets and allow (for) warm-up lanes.”

Not only does the pool construction affect the water polo and swim teams, but it also temporarily changes the physical education curriculum for current ninth graders who have physical education in the fall.

According to Angela Pozzi, a P.E. instructor, the current freshmen who are taking P.E. in the fall will miss out on the swim unit and triathlon.

Pozzi didn’t know if those students wilI make up

those units in the future.

In the end, although the construction of the new pool affects existing programs, it will benefit the school in the long-run.

“At some point you (have to ask), do we want to dump … thousand(s) (of ) dollars into (fixing) this pool?” Sherman said. “Or is it more … responsible to just design something that is commensurate with the programs that we are running here?”

Grizz Quiz Compiled by: Gabrielle Mathis Taylor Flynn

Sam Monk

Marc Sciarrino

Conner Baer

Taylor Triebess

What job would you be terrible at?

First Responder

Teacher

Rocket Scientist

High school Teacher

Teacher

Where is the most interesting place you have been?

The Bahamas

Disneyland

Motocross Track

Yellowstone

Venice Beach

What is your favorite season?

Fall

Spring

Summer

Spring

Winter

Who do you look up to?

Serena Williams

My older sister

Ronnie Mack

My dad

My aunt

What are your goals for this year in high school?

Do the right thing

Work harder

Make varsity baseball

Have a good baseball season

Get good grades

Softball

Water polo

Baseball

Baseball

Cheer

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

Athletics

Page 21

SECOND LOOK FALL SPORTS UPDATE

Girls’ golf strives to continue its current winning streak

BY SARAH RIETZ AND HASAN ALSAKATI srietz.gazette@gmail.com

Girls’ golf still has a full season ahead of it with matches kicking off soon, but players and coaches are looking to continue their winning streak with five league titles.

“Our team is really strong and I love my team,” said sophomore Anika Varma, who is on the Varsity team.

Cross Country With new members and hyped team spirit, cross country is heading into its season with high hopes for reaching the state championships as they practice six days a week.

In early competitions, the Varsity girls finished seventh and the Varsity boys third in a race at Lodi.

“For Varsity goals, I think we have a good chance of making it to state this year hopefully – if everyone doesn’t get injured and everyone stays healthy and always gives 100 percent,” said Grace McGuckin, a sophomore on the girls’ Varsity team.

Gazette photo / SARAH RIETZ

Gazette photo / SARAH RIETZ

Girls’ Water Polo The girls’ water polo team just kicked off with four scrimmages where the Grizzlies dominated, and they are working hard to get prepared for their upcoming league season.

“For our team goals, we are aiming to make the sections finals against Davis High School and beat them!” junior Natalie Quilala said in a text.

Girls’ Tennis The tennis girls are looking forward to another season full of victories with team morale high as they have done a couple of practice matches.

“Our goal is to win the (Sierra Foothill League) and get No. 1 in our section by beating St. Francis,” said senior Hailey Montgomery, the team captain.

Gazette photo / SARAH RIETZ

Girls’ Volleyball The Grizzlies lost the season opener to Oakmont, and they’re now 4-5 overall in non-league and tournament matches.

“Our team is very young and has two years to grow and improve together which is a huge positive for us, we are definitely improving,” said Morgan Richard, a player on the Varsity team.

As the school year kicks off, so do fall sports. Yewon Jang, Anika Varma, and Ellie Bushnell practice their putting skills, top left. Ashley Ryder serves against her opponent, top right. Lindsay Konieczny, Addison Atkin, Jonathan Romeo, and Derek Fukuda put in the hard work at cross country practice, middle. The varsity football team plays against Damonte Ranch, bottom left.

Football The Grizzlies, who are ranked No. 4 in the area by the Sacramento Bee, beat No. 6 Jesuit 24-0 last Friday in an important non-league game against a ranked opponent.

Granite Bay, which is 2-1 going into tonight’s away game against Vacaville, lost its opener to 27-22 to Monta Vista of Dublin, and then came back a week later to knock of Damonte Ranch of Reno 25-7.

“The offense started slow” against Damonte Ranch, Caymen Stevens said. “We definitely had a spark of energy in the second half. Very solid defensively.”

Boys’ Water Polo The aquatics programs at GBHS are practicing at the Orangevale Community Center while the school pool undergoes a renovation.

“I am really excited for the pool and hopefully win the league,” sophomore Iyad Majid said.

Gazette photo / LINDSEY ZABELL

Page 22

Arts&Entertainment

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

Handmade jewelry on the rise at GBHS

Photo illustration special to the Gazette / SYDNEY SEWELL

Arts&Entertainment

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

The making and selling of jewelry grabs the attention of many students on campus

Tattoo WHO? GBHS students show off their meaningful body art and piercings

BY MAYA SNOW

msnow.gazette@gmail.com

BY MAY LIN

mlin.gazette@gmail.com

F

ashion is indefinable.

With new styles coming out every season and designs getting produced based off of different cultures and popularity, it’s hard to pin-point what fashion exactly stands for, especially when there are so many differing perspectives out there.

But, there’s a word for the patches of time when people come to a general consensus about a certain type of clothing or accessory that they deem necessary for their wardrobe — “trending.” Recently, it has ranged from neon one-strap tops to crocs and scrunchies, but at Granite Bay High School, a few students have brought do-ityourself jewelry to the top of the list.

“I saw lots of people wearing these types of necklaces online, and I thought they were really quick,” said Denali Lasko, a sophomore who started her own jewelry business. “People were just selling them and they seemed easy to make, so I just went to the crafts store and started making them for myself,” As more people became interested in her designs, her popularity spread like quickly.

“I look at a lot of things that are trending right now, and lots of people wear jewelry that has stars on it or hearts, so that’s where I get all of my stars from,” Lasko said.

With more than 300 followers on her Instagram in a short amount of time, the demand increases every single day. Even with her apparent success, it doesn’t make the road any easier.

With the flow of orders and the risks of guessing which styles the customers will like next, her schedule gets busier and busier, especially with school in the way.

“Right at the beginning, it was hard at first when I heard a lot of

Special to the Gazette / DENALI LASKO

Sophomore Denali Lasko models her handmade bracelets sold on her Instagram, @bydenali.

orders all at once, and I was trying to make my stuff really nice quality for what the price is,” Lasko said. “It was hard to find my footing, like what brands of supplies are good, how I should do it with which different types of glue, and all the little small details to make the quality rise.”

However, Lasko enjoys the business because she’s passionate about what she’s doing as it’s helping her with her own life and the vision she has for her business.

In addition, her customers keep returning despite her prices because they know it’s worth it.

Not only do the styles click with them, but also her perseverance to be different and start a business at such an early age.

“I bought three necklaces from her,” sophomore Megan Hagman said. “I think they’re really cute and how they fit. The pricing is pretty reasonable because I haven’t had a problem with the quality. I think it’s cool because she’s my age and it inspires me to do other things rather than just school and sports.”

Since the sudden rise of jewelry sales, GBHS isn’t the only school that’s been impacted by this cultural change.

Eme Esteve, a sophomore at Del Oro High, has a company with multiple networks around the world and more than 2,000 followers on her social media platform. Not only is she accomplished at school with her sales, but she also got to implement her business in a shop called Spin Gifts.

“I was just wanting enough money for camp, but at that time I didn’t ship packages or drive so it was hard to get money from people and the jewelry to them,” Esteve said. “About six months ago, I started to look into shipping, and that made creating and delivering way easier.”

Now, because of her consistency in the pursuit of her imagination, she has established multiple connections from Costa Rica to Florida to California, to name just a few.

Why trends become trends in the first place can be debatable or just unknown. However, what people want to do with it is what makes the fashion culture impactful, as well what it does in their own lives.

“Seeing that people enjoyed what I created made me want to keep the business,” Esteve said.

“I love to see that my hard work pays off. Just a year ago, I was just wanting money for camp.

“I love everyone who has ever bought from me and can’t wait to see where else this will go.”

Page 23

A

s students walk around the Granite Bay High campus, they see many works of art tattooed onto people’s bodies.

Everybody expresses themselves in different ways, but for some students, tattoos are the direction they went.

Special to the Gazette / PEYTON SPARKS

Inspired by the cartoon “Rick and Morty”, senior Peyton Sparks has tattooed a character from the show on her lower leg.

“I feel like tattoos are a good way to express yourself,” said senior Nate Linthicum.

“I like the idea of decorating my body and making it unique,” said senior Peyton Sparks.

Other people get tattoos for different reasons.

“I got a tattoo for my grandpa because he passed away and he was my role model, so I got his birthday (on my arm),” said senior Dillon Hamilton.

Others get artwork to represent other significant aspects of their lives.

“Some of my tattoos tell a story,” said senior Dalton Craythorn.

“A lot of them are just aesthetically pleasing, but some have moral meanings attached to them,” said Sparks about her tattoos.

Most students with body art at GBHS do not regret their decision, and they want to get more.

“I want to get my whole arm,” Hamilton said.

Tattoos have always been a big part of human culture, and both tattoos and piercings have been

Gazette photo / LINDSEY ZABELL

Senior Dillon Hamilton has a tattoo on his forearm representing his grandpa’s date of birth. becoming more and more normalized.

“I was 14 when I got my first tattoo, but my parents don’t approve of them.” Sparks said.

Linthicum was 17 years old when he got his first tattoo.

Some parents don’t approve of tattoos, but other parents don’t mind and support their children getting inked. “(My parents) love it, they signed off (on me getting the tattoo),” Hamilton said.

Students love to express themselves in different ways. These four seniors decided to make the lifetime commitment with tattoos, but they are convinced it was a great choice for them.

September Trends Compiled by: Ethan Case

Tik Tok A new app on the rise is Tik Tok. Tik Tok is an app where, similar to Vine, you can take videos of yourself over music and show creativity by dancing or acting it out. A phrase commonly associated with the app is being “Tik Tok Famous.” A few students at GBHS actually go by this phrase.

TIKTOK.COM

Carabiners Another new trend going in our school this month are carabiners. Carabiners are used to hold your car keys or any other items you would hold on a keychain or on a lanyard.

You’re most likely to find these new, innovative key holders attached to someone’s waist where their belt would be.

AMAZON.COM

Pura Vida Bracelets The last trend seen around school recently are bracelets worn by both guys and girls.

The company that produces these bracelets is called “Pura Vida.” Most would know these bracelets, simply as “Pura Vida bracelets.”.

These bracelets come in several different colors and designs and are perfect for any occasion.

PURAVIDABRACELETS.COM

Arts&Entertainment

Page 24

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

Senior Parking Spots

Members of the class of 2020 unleash creativity by painting parking places to start their senior year

BY PAYTON BLEVINS

A

Gazette illustration/MAYA SNOW

pblevins.gazette@gmail.com

adviser Tamara Givens, now-retired assistant principal Brian McNulty and McGregor to work through the process.

“We changed the process this year,” Kleinbach said. “(It is different) than it has been in the past, so we did a random drawing back in May and kids had to sign up for it. In the summer, we painted over (parking spots from previous years) in white.”

With the help of many people working together for several months, the senior class of 2020 was able to make their mark on the school for their last year on campus.

Spe cial e zett e Ga

to th N VAN / SA A CU THB E RT

re you a senior? Or soon-to-be senior? Do you have a creative side? Are you interested in a senior parking spot?

Last year, Granite Bay High students were not allowed senior parking because of the construction being done on the parking lot with the solar panels. Staff worked hard on having the parking lot reopened for this school year of 2019-20.

After the hard work and sweat of the reconstruction, the 2019-20 seniors were allowed to put their stamp on their school once again. These students were able to pour their hearts and creativity out on their own personal parking spot, for all to see.

This event allows seniors to kick their year off with something that will be a memorable part of their entire senior year. How? Seniors get to paint their spots to reflect their personalities and preferences.

Senior Savanna Cuthbert is one of many seniors that got their very own unique parking spot.

“I painted my name and the Spongebob sky background,” Cuthbert said. “I just like Spongebob and thought it would fit me well.”

The class of 2020’s assistant principal, Jessup McGregor, said he especially appreciates what the senior parking space decoration project does on campus.

“I love that there’s a (bright) element to it,” McGregor said. “(There are) cool themes, and I think there’s great ownership in your school.”

The seniors’ efforts don’t just affect the senior class, but the people who walk by and see their beautiful artwork. Anyone who walks by – teachers, staff members, construction workers or parents – can appreciate the positive outlook on the school.

Senior class president Kara Kleinbach is also one of the many reasons that this project was possible for the class of 2020. Kleinbach said she has not only been working on this since back in April, but she and her team even did the random drawing all the way back in May to choose who gets the spots that are available to be painted.

Kleinbach worked with student government

Senior Savanna Cuthbert spent time painting her Spongebob Squarepants-inspired parking spot with the help of sophomore Aly Wells.

Special to the Gazette / LIV THOMPSON

Alongside her fellow seniors, Liv Thompson paints her music inspired spot.

Freshman vs Senior Lexi Draper

What is your favorite shoe brand?

My favorite shoe brand is Nike.

Molly McEvoy

My favorite shoe brand is Vans.

Social Media Stars @ GBHS

BY JJ HILL

S Students at Granite Bay High explain how Youtube has changed their lives.

Gazette illustration/MAYA SNOW

jhill.gazette@gmail.com

ocial media fame comes at a dime a dozen – unless, of course, you count the sprawling, underground online community Granite Bay High is entrenched in.

While many social media platforms exist, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok seem to be where most students are finding their voices. From being a photographer/model on Instagram to becoming an internet icon in elementary school, Grizzlies have been able to garner large followings of people to listen to what they have to say.

“I started gaining a following significantly senior year of high school,” said Steph Kang, a 2018 GBHS graduate. Sitting just under 43,000 followers on Instagram, her account is full of aesthetically pleasing, neon-tinted photos of herself.

Underneath each photo lays a woven tapestry of comments, each complimenting her on the post.

“They’re very sweet, understanding and altruistic people,” Kang said. “When I was a lot sadder and felt more lonely, I’d put out stories asking for somebody to talk to, and within minutes, multiple

people would always reply and lend an open ear.”

Not only has her following helped her, but they’ve also been able to provide for causes bigger than just Instagram. Using her platform, Kang has been able to help get one of her followers out of an abusive home as well as run a lung cancer campaign which became the No. 1 fundraiser for the organization.

While Kang has never profited from her Instagram, there are numerous ways to do so. Accounts are able to post advertised photos, which include an affiliate link, giving a percentage of profits to the profile owner. While manually advertising through your account is financially beneficial, advertising run by the company is the most popular way of making money on the internet.

YouTubers are able to take advantage of a website’s native advertisers by monetizing their accounts, simply allowing companies to spread their messages on top of another person’s content rather than disguising content as a post.

“I started YouTube in December of 2012 and received a crazy following I would have never expected,” said Scott Martin, a 2019 grad who uses

monetization on his channel, “Doubleswee.” He’s been on the platform since he was 11 years old and has garnered over 25,000 subscribers.

His videos consist of him improvising Spongebob-themed raps over popular song beats, performing comedy sketches, and recently has evolved into a more modern, relatable vlog style.

Martin’s older videos, however, are chock-full of voice cracks, bad dancing and eating raw meat, making his audience much grittier than Kang’s.

While her following is able to help out people with diseases or who are stuck in abusive homes, Swee’s fans pass the time by openly making fun of him and spreading memes related to him.

“It wasn’t until Christmas 2013 that I actually found (Doubleswee) and proceeded to laugh for the next few days about it,” said u/DaveGr0hl, moderator of an online Reddit community dedicated to Swee. Here, users edit memes of his videos into music videos, rappers’ album covers and more.

“When I look back at old videos,” Martin said, “it’s crazy to look (in the future) and think that if I didn’t do (those), I wouldn’t be where I am now.”

Arts&Entertainment

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

Reviews

Page 25

The Gazette staff shares the best food, music, and movies from the month of August.

Miabella Gelato Shop

Leatherby’s Family Creamery

BY LINDSEY MAGNO

BY MAY LIN

lmagno.gazette@gmail.com

mlin.gazette@gmail.com

T

M

iabella Gelato’s quality of ice cream and experience matched its popular ratings.

The gelato was a little overpriced, but the given variety of unique flavors made up for it.

From the basic flavor of chocolate or vanilla to cake batter or oatmeal cookie, it provides enough to suit everyone’s taste. They don’t overdo it and try to sell the ice cream with decorations, but they also don’t under-appreciate the idea of gelatos to be just another bland, ice cream store

Gazette photo / May Lin

he overall experience of Leatherby’s was like a trip in a movie in the 1930s.

The interior with the blue- and white-color pattern, and dinerinspired furniture, complement the idea of the era of the ’30s. The exterior was basic with a big sign indicating that the building is Leatherby’s.

The menu had a variety of ice cream and foods. The sundaes seem to be what they’re known for. I got the “Rich’s Banana Sundae” with the basic vanilla, chocolate and strawberry flavors.

The taste was anything but basic with a light texture but heavy flavor.

“GINGER” by BROCKHAMPTON

“7” by Lil Nas X

BY JJ HILL

BY PIPER BACON

jhill.gazette@gmail.com

R

B

ROCKHAMPTON is the boy band you’ve either heard too much or nothing about. Their latest record, “GINGER,” has been polished with sublime performances just begging to be unpacked.

Bearface’s noticeably increased presence on the album works in its favor, the producer’s lyrical and vocal talent flourishing in the rich tracks on the record.

The album’s ascendent production quality and mature lyrics evolve past the upbeat, fast-paced style the group has been part of in older work, invoking instead what BROCKHAMPTON really wants – the feeling of growing up.

Special to the Gazette/Complex.com

pbacon.gazette@gmail.com

eleased in late June, the “7” EP, produced by Lil Nas X, presents seven tracks that give the listener a variety of unique and enjoyable styles to jam out to.

Featuring artists Billie Ray Cyrus, Cardi B, and Travis Barker, “7” is the perfect EP to trace the beginning of Lil Nas X’s music career and is great to listen to if you’re looking for songs that deviate from the norm and give you something fresh and interesting to listen to.

Each of the songs on the album had a new, unique tune to each of them that made them super enjoyable to listen to.

IT: Chapter Two

BY SIMI SINGH

I

Gazette photo / Lindsey Magno

The Lion King (2019)

BY JULIETTA GOLOVEY

ssingh.gazette@gmail.com

was anticipating this movie coming out ever since the first movie, which still remains one of my favorite horror movies of all time.

Stephen King’s “IT” is my all-time favorite horror novel.

The movie is funny and thrilling. But one issue I had was that these two factors were not well distributed, content wise, throughout the film. I found the sudden cuts from fear or sadness to dark humor very jarring, and it didn’t suit the story well. The previous movie did a better job of blending the tone. The humor in this movie is really good, but it unfortunately isn’t used at appropriate times.

Special to the Gazette / consequencesofsound.net

jgoloveygazette@gmail.com

“T

he Lion King” live remake of the 1994 version was nostalgic, impressive and a bit disappointing all at the same time.

The realism of the film made it so much more enjoyable, but there was confusion between the characters. I constantly mistook one character for another, which made it hard to follow along.

Despite the design confusion, the way the characters were portrayed was just as good as in the original and lived up to expectations.

Special to the Gazette / imdb.com

For a longer look at this month’s Gazette reviews, visit GraniteBayToday.org

Special to the Gazette / gstatic.com

Arts&Entertainment

Page 26

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

Sarah Thompson: the 14-year-old star GBHS freshman shares her passion for dance

BY DREW MCKOWN

dmckown.gazette@gmail.com

S

ial to Spec the G e/R azett ICH C LARK TOGR PHO APH Y

ome people might think they are a professional dancer, and some people are Sarah Thompson.

As a freshman at Granite Bay High School, she has been dancing with superstars since a very young age.

She has rocked out with Kendrick Lamar, Maren Morris, Justin Bieber, Missy Elliott and many more famous artists.

Thompson has also been on “So You Think You Can Dance” and has appeared on several more dancing TV shows.

She credits her grandma for getting her started in hip hop.

“I went to a ballet class and I hated it, so then my grandma took me to a hip hop class, and I sort of fell in love,” Thompson said.

Since then, she has been sticking to hip hop but incorporates ballet into her hip hop dances, too. You can find some of her hip hop and ballet videos on her instagram account, @sarahlilminiphoenix.

One of her favorite videos was performing with Missy Elliott.

“I really liked the Missy Elliott video because it was a life-changing experience and it helped me grow as a dancer and as a person,” Thompson said.

Her most famous music video was with Maren Morris for a song called “The Middle.”

It has reached the top 10 in the U.S. charts and in several other countries. It was nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.

“They just had really good energy, and it was like the entire cast was just really, really nice,” Thompson said.

Thompson has not only done music videos, but she has also been on some dancing TV shows.

She has been on “So You Think You Can Dance” two times, “The Voice” in a performance with Missy Elliott, “Lip Sync Battles” and “Lip Sync Battles Shorties.” She has also done “Kids Choice Awards Mexico.”

This little superstar has also modeled for some local clothing stores in California.

“I did Athleta for a while,” Thompson said. “When I was really young, I used to do a lot of little (modeling appearances). But I’ve done Nike, Athleta, Uniqlo, Old Navy and Pottery Barn Kids,” Thompson said.

Lil’ Mini Phoenix – Thompson’s name when she performs – has traveled around the world for her dancing career, going as far as Mexico and New York.

With such a big commitment to dance, balancing it with school can be very challenging at times.

For Thompson, the constant work between dance and school can get very tiring.

“The catch up is pretty hard with missing days and having to come back and doing homework, like in the car or on the plane,” Thompson said. “It’s just difficult sometimes.”

Thompson’s family also puts in a lot of effort to get her

to practices and dancing events.

“Sarah and I are gone a lot, so we miss her sister, her dad and our dog. But we FaceTime a lot,” said Stephanie Thompson, Sarah’s mom.

Sarah’s friends also support her dancing career and somehow find time to hang out with her.

“Between sports, school and her dance, it is hard to find a time to hang out, but we always try to make it work,” said Avery Moll, one of Thompson’s good friends.

You might be wondering about how Sarah got the nickname, Lil’ Mini Phoenix.

“So my mom calls me Mini, as like a nickname. And then we had to make it cool, because it had to be hip hop. So we added Lil, in front of it … so then my teachers (started calling me), Lil Mini,” Thompson explained. “As time went on, I thought it (got) a little too babyish, because I didn’t like being called that. I really liked the X-Men character, (Phoenix). She was sort of everything I wanted to represent as a dancer.”

Thompson has stuck with the name ever since.

Thompson’s hard work and dedication to dance has gotten her very far by the age of just 14, and she has high hopes to continue dancing her Special to the Gazette / RICH CLARK PHOTOGRAPHY way through high school.

Farewell, Dimple Records After 45 years in business, a local Sacramento music chain closes down

BY ARMAAN SAINI

asaini.gazette@gmail.com

T

hroughout the last 45 years, Dimple Records has grown largely throughout the Sacramento area. The store sells not only DVDs, but also video games, books, comics, music albums, vinyl and merchandise.

With despite having seven successful locations within the Sacramento area, the record shop announced its shutdown at the end of June.

With many devastated customers, owner John Radakovits told the Sacramento Business Journal that he had shut down the business because of the challenges in the retail music industry and increasing labor costs.

Having more than 100 employees made it challenging to make payroll.

His wife, Dilyn Radakovits, told

the Sacramento Business Journal that musicians aren’t releasing as many physical albums, and are opting to put their music on internet streaming services instead – and it’s very challenging to sell something if artists don’t make it.

Some students on campus are also having mixed feelings about the historic Sacramento stores shutting down. They don’t know where to go, because there aren’t many retail stores that aren’t exclusively online, to get the movies and records they want. ”I actually have no idea where to shop now,” said freshman Emily Haggerty.

Junior Tyler Zavala was also a common customer who is unsure of where to shop for records. He assumes he will “probably (shop at)

Top Tweets Spirited tweets by Granite Bay High School students

BY DYLAN ROWE

drowe.gazette@gmail.com

Urban Outfitters just because they have vinyl over there.”

The two were both particularly sad about the closing. “I had quite a few memories attached to (Dimple Records), and it’s pretty sad to see it closing,” Haggerty said.

Other students, including Michael Dunn and Aaliyah Zamorano, said the shutdown didn’t really affect them. Dunn said it’s the 21st century and the shutdown was normal, just like the shutdown of Blockbuster in the video market.

“It’s 2019, not the 1980s,” Dunn said. “It’s about time.”

Both students also explained how switching to digital wasn’t a big problem at all with all the new online stores that have all of their available movies and music. ”I’m open (to switching to digital), but I did like Dimple’s a lot more,” Haggerty said. “I feel like it was a very authentic store and it was just a great place to shop at, and a great atmosphere.”

Kenzie @kenziiek12

Rachel Nimtz @rachelnimtz

Melanie Crow @1_melcrow

BY EMERSON FORD

eford.gazette@gmail.com

“Goodbye Stranger” by Supertramp is that one song that you never get tired of, and every listen is just as freeing as the first time.

“Slide Away” by Miley Cyrus is love letter to acceptance and moving on. Full of feeling and honesty, the fluidity of the melodies and chorus work together to soothe and rejuvenate you.

“Middle of Somewhere” by The Neighbourhood is a smooth and restorative melody for when you feel a little lost and need help getting back on your feet.

kid who sits next to me in class said “where’s the emo girl” when i didn’t show up,,,,,, glad to know I have a reputation

0 Retweets

5 Likes

Don’t invalidate people’s struggles because you’ve been through worse. Everyone is entitled to their own hardships.

0 Retweets

5 Likes

just chased my dog around my living room for 15 minutes at 11 pm because they stole an entire loaf of bread off of the counter.

0 Retweets

2 Likes

Gazette

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

JOHN ADAMS: Controversy over petition approving oversight of charter school

Continued from page 5

school board, stands by her decision to support district oversight of the Academy.

“I based my decision solely on the law governing charter approval,” Hirota said in an email. “The issues raised by administration in their recommendation were and are legitimate, however, those issues can be addressed as part of the oversight that the district will perform.”

In an email, Forman, the Academy’s founder, said: “John Adams is a unique new choice for Roseville and complementary to the broad array of educational options already offered at the district.

Giving parents and scholars choice makes a great district even better.”

“It is likely Roseville will continue to attract future colleges, families and businesses with this type of visionary leadership.”

Dell’Orto remains unconvinced.

“Our belief is that our board of education should exclusively worry about the kids that are in their responsibility, and that we’re going into uncharted waters if we’re going to now take on the responsibility of monitoring some other group that we really don’t have a relationship with,” he said. “And that includes the financial control of the district and making sure that we don’t go into a relationship that might cost us money that could be diverted from our kids to their kids because of that responsibility.”

Stauss, the only board member to vote against the petition, said in an email: “I was concerned with many issues, but first and foremost, I asked myself was accepting this charter good for the

RJUHSD? In my analysis, I came to the conclusion that it was not.”

In the School Accountability Report Card for the Academy’s 2017-2018 school year, only 48% of students met or exceeded the state standard for English Language Arts compared to 72% of students in the RJUHSD. In math, however, 50% of Academy students met or exceeded the state standard, compared to the school district’s 49%.

Valentine noted that the Academy’s science curriculum “would not be the same as ours, which is why (Forman) ran for the board back in 2000. He didn’t like what was being printed on school newspapers or anything else or what’s being taught in the science side. You take that for what it’s worth.”

Stauss said she was also concerned about a high school district having oversight of a K-12 school. Because the RJUHSD is not currently equipped to oversee K-8 curriculum, the district will need to either hire experts from outside of the district or train people to evaluate the Academy’s curriculum.

Finally, Stauss said the Placer County Office of Education would have stepped in to provide oversight, and that would have been a better fit.

Another common concern among district staff is the cost of oversight.

“The oversight impacts RJUHSD financially – we can only charge (the Academy) 1% for our oversight services which, in my opinion, will not cover our expenses,” Stauss said. “The 1% is from JAA’s total operating budget that they receive from the state.”

Page 27 Despite talk of possibly “making money” off of the Academy, critics say it’s unlikely that will be a reality if district officials do their job.

“Part of the worry is that we might have gotten ourselves stuck into something that would be more expensive and labor intensive than people thought it would be,” Dell’Orto said.

Hirota said there is a misconception about charter schools.

“Many believe that by approving a charter petition, the district will have large-scale resources diverted to the charter school,” Hirota said. “However, this is not accurate. (The Academy) operates as a stand-alone school, and there will be no noticeable difference to students or teachers in the district.”

Herrmann said the district’s officials will strive to make the new relationship work.

“Students and staff should not expect any noticeable differences,” Herrmann said. “The greatest impact will be to district administrative staff who will play an active role in the oversight of finances, enrollment, and teaching and learning.”

While some district teachers and staff are unhappy about the new relationship with the Academy, “the staff, administration, faculty and families of (the Academy) are excited and enthusiastic about the RJUHSD Board decision to approve the charter petition,” Gonzales said. “We are also very optimistic regarding the new relationship and the opportunity to collaborate to make both programs the best that they can be for the benefit of students.”

For many RJUHSD teachers and staff, the vote to approve the relationship was the greatest surprise.

“The vast majority of us were dead set against it when the vote happened last spring,” Valentine said. “It caught our district administration completely off guard. They thought that this thing would be voted down by the board and instead it was a 4-1 vote and they didn’t have any answers.

“How much is it going to cost? What’s going to happen now?

We’re still like, ‘What’s going to happen?’

“And we don’t know.”

New Leaf Senior Transitions assists older adults and their families with the daunting process of downsizing, relocating, or modifying their homes. Planning and implementing such a complex move can be difficult for the entire family.

Whether you don’t know where to begin, or are overwhelmed with the process, our trusted team can provide you the help you need.

Safe

Organized

Staci Zabell staci@newleafsmm.com | (916) 769-4655 Serving Sacramento, Roseville and all surrounding areas

Compassionate

137740 Page 28

Gazette

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

SMART IS THE NEW

SEXY.

Be able to find Iran on a map. Know what the city council is up to behind closed doors. Find out how to make an icebox peanut butter pie from scratch. Get it all in the newspaper, print or digital, because a little depth looks great on you.

P R I N T

D I G I T A L

T O D A Y

T O M O R R O W

THE

NEWSPAPER GET IT

Voices

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

GAZETTE Granite Bay

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

Senior Editors: Cori Caplinger Bella Khor Angelina Kolosey May Lin Dylan Rowe Ashley Yung Lindsey Zabell Assistant Editors: Sophie Criscione Shreya Dodballapur Kate Fernandez Emerson Ford Maya Snow Staff: Hasan Alsakati Piper Bacon Payton Blevins Ethan Case Alexis Craig Julietta Golovey Thomas Gray Justin Ha Sophia Harimoto Mareesa Islam JJ Hill Diana Jones Bradyn Kesti Aspen Kingsley Lindsey Magno Gabrielle Mathis Drew McKnown Sarah Reitz Amaan Saini Simran Singh Sandy Song 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 case-bycase 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 staff.gazette@gmail.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

Page 29

Dreams should be encouraged

Parents need to allow children to follow their own passions

T

rust me when I say this, I get it.

I get your fear of the unknown. I understand you want what’s best for your child. I understand you want them to live happy and fulfilled lives.

Yet … how can your child be truly happy and successful when you won’t let them go?

I’d be lying if I said I do not fear for my future. I’m scared that I might fail. I’m scared that maybe, just maybe, I won’t be happy with what I do. But in life, we can’t fear the unknown just because we’d rather stick with what we know, or at least what we think we know.

From the start of my high school career, my parents have

been supportive of most of the decisions I have made regarding my future, especially about college and possible career interests. At the same time, many of my friends have not experienced this luxury. They have been forced to conform to this constrained box that their parents have deemed appropriate for their child’s success and future.

I’ve seen that said box ruin some of my friend’s lives.

Now ruin might be a little extreme, but it has certainly affected them to such a great extent that I fear they no longer believe they can follow their own dreams. Which I believe to be one of the worst things that can happen to a young person.

Parents, it’s time to let your children go. It’s time for you to take a step back and reflect upon what you are asking them to do, what you are forcing them to do. You need to let your children dream, and they need to be able to follow their passions.

As a society, we have been told that following our dreams only leads to failure and a lack of success.

A person can love art, but they shouldn’t pursue it. They won’t make any money, they won’t be happy … right?

Wrong. We don’t know what’s going to happen, and that’s OK. The beauty of the future lies within the fact that we can’t see what’s ahead.

So what exactly does that mean for the parents who have continually held their children back from reaching their full potential? It means they have to let their children live their lives for themselves.

COMMENTARY

cori caplinger ccaplinger.gazette@gmail.com

Stop forcing your children to take all academic classes because you think it will give them a leg up for college.

Stop forcing your children to sign up for clubs they don’t even enjoy. Stop forcing your children to conform to your standards. Let them create their own.

Your child is not you, they are their own person. Perhaps they look like you, or act like

you, but they are special and unique. It’s time for you to allow that uniqueness to shine, let it grow.

Now, don’t just completely give up on parenting. Your children still need you in many ways. Just try to understand that your responsibility lies within the needs of your child, not your own desires.

So, parents, I challenge you to let your children grow on their own for awhile. See how they make their own decisions about their future. Watch how they change in front of you, without you having to control them.

After all, as Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young say, “And feed them on your dreams, the one they pick, the one you’ll know by.” *** Cori Caplinger, a senior, is a senior editor.

Always think before you speak

Gazette illustration/KATE FERNANDEZ

Educate yourself before participating in a political conversation with others

I

think it’s safe to say we are currently living through a very tumultuous period of political history.

The 2016 presidential election and the years leading up to it were covered by the media very well – almost every student at Granite Bay High School was aware of at least a few issues that were up for political debate.

In short, politics are exciting right now.

It’s also safe to say the left and the right are extremely intolerant of one another.

The two sides already tend to irritate one another.

However, hate based on political disagreement has increased across many outlets over the past few years.

Irritation has been upscaled to hatred.

In general, if you turn on the news or scroll through social media, some element of a hateful political argument can be found.

Opinions do not need to be agreed upon, however unreliable media outlets have diminished the amount

COMMENTARY

of respect we have toward the political views of one another.

A lack of education about the specific details of certain policies is also a factor that has led to these aggressive and concerning points of akolosey.gazette@gmail.com difference.

Individuals are quick to latch onto a set goal mentioned by a political candidate and advocate for it no matter the details, just as long as that specific candidate is a representative of the political party the individual is part of.

Whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, do not fully advocate for an idea a representative has until you have done more than just base your knowledge off of what they said.

Politicians themselves know how to relay their ideas in a way that will catch the attention of many, that’s simply the way politics are played out.

angelina kolosey

It is up to the receivers of information to be analytical.

Research, a look into details and an open mind are solutions to today’s issue of the extreme intolerance individuals have to those in an opposing political party.

Knowing more than what was said by a politician will form you into a more well-rounded citizen.

Being more understanding as to why others believe in a certain value or think a certain way does not only help the tolerance of others’ views when it comes to politics, but it serves as an important life skill.

It truly is beneficial to think before you speak, and to make sure your point comes across in a non-obnoxious manner when explaining your views.

A civil conversation leads to more progress in society as compared to a one sided conversation.

Politicians use strategies to motivate their supporters, the years following the 2016 election have made that evident.

However, being able to overlook these strategies and focus on the specifics of policies and ideas as well as how they are relayed is my hope for the majority of individuals in our country. *** Angelina Kolosey, a senior, is a senior editor.

Voices

Page 30

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

The environment needs saving

Humans need to take action to preserve the planet and ensure a future for generations to come

O

ur planet is dying.

In the next century, the human species might cease

to exist if we don’t start protecting our

environment. Currently, the world’s largest rainforest, the Amazon, is in flames.

Why? Because of our careless

Gazette illustration/KATE FERNANDEZ

behavior.

According to the World Wildlife Fund’s website, the Amazon rainforest produces approximately 20% of the Earth’s oxygen and is home to millions of exotic species as well as native indigenous people. However, because of recent human activity, it may soon cease to exist.

Humans naturally seek to increase their profits. In other words, our end goal is making more money, by any means necessary.

But our greedy desires have led to the deforestation of the world’s largest rainforest in order for farmers to cultivate land to raise livestock to be sold to large corporations.

With this mentality, I fear our selfish ambitions will be the death of our race. Human preservation starts with preserving our planet.

It is time to look beyond ourselves, because our future is at risk.

Although we might not be able to save the Amazon rainforest from destruction physically, there is a multitude of ways we all can take part in helping to preserve our planet and our future.

Whether you consider yourself an extreme environmentalist, an average human being or somewhere along that spectrum, we all have a personal responsibility to take action. In the end, the Earth is the home we all share.

First, educate yourself through credible sources before spreading the word. It is impossible to advocate for something you know little about.

Whenever I hear about an event

COMMENTARY

sophia harimoto sharimoto.gazette@gmail.com

that interests me, I would research more about it in order to fully understand the details. In this way, I could have educated conversations that are backed up by accurate facts.

We, as a generation, spend hours addicted to our social media time lines, when we should be using our readily available resources to learn about the events that occur outside of our small community.

One of the worst things you could do as a participating member of society is to choose to be ignorant by disregarding real-world problems.

Second, be a responsible consumer and use eco-friendly products when possible. I am sure we are all familiar with the three Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle – but how often do we apply these terms in our daily lives?

This could be easily accomplished by using reusable containers or by

Video game violence

discarding recyclables in their respective bins. If you wanted to take it to the next level, reduce your carbon footprint by committing to living off a plant-based diet.

Although adopting a vegan diet is a huge commitment that I am not yet willing to pursue, it could be something that motivates you to help the Earth. We can all improve our planet in different ways, and together we can make a difference.

Third, support non-profit environmental organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund or the Nature Conservancy. Whether you can donate or not, these organizations are great resources to stay connected and further your knowledge of how you can be involved.

There are also many resources on campus in which you can take part in to increase your involvement. Join the GBHS conservation club, Earth First, to find ways in which you can help your school and community.

Now, obviously, I don’t expect you to complete every single suggestion listed, but every single action taken to better our world will benefit our future in the long-run.

Our future is in our hands, and as leaders of the food chain, we have the choice to make a difference before the food chain slowly ceases to exist. *** Sophia Harimoto, a junior, is a staff writer.

Mass shootings and other issues concerning brutality are not related to graphic electronics

B

ecause of a string of mass shootings over the past year, there has been a narrative being pushed that video games are causing violence.

Some believe that because video games like “Fortnite” glorify weapons that this might encourage young, impressionable minds to become more violent.

I believe this is simply false.

Of course the issue of guns in America is very controversial and I am not here to step on anyone’s toes, only to provide my opinion on this very specific area of the issue about video games.

While it can be said that video games may sometimes include violence, this doesn’t mean video games are the sole problem for the rise in shootings.

First of all saying that “video games are violent” is too broad of a statement and fails to obey logic.

Many games don’t include violence, including games like “Mario Kart,” “Stardew Valley,” and “Madden.”

And while it is true that some video games include violence, that doesn’t mean that video games cause violence.

No one has ever been murdered because of an intense game of Tetris.

Saying that video games are the sole reason for shootings is like saying that sharks are the sole cause of death.

COMMENTARY

justin ha

jha.gazette@gmail.com

While some people have died because of sharks, that doesn’t mean that every death is the result of our fishy friends.

Well, what about games that do include violence? Do they cause aggression?

The answer is a firm… maybe.

Some research has been published saying that playing certain video games increases aggression, but the legitimacy of the experiment has been called into question, and there has yet to be a study pulling the debate a single way.

The problem is that there are studies with results that would seem to sway the debate, but for every study about why video games help us learn communication skills, there is an equal number

Gazette illustration/KATE FERNANDEZ

of studies that say that “Pacman” is causing children to eat their siblings.

For now, we have to use our intuition, which for some people means that playing “Minecraft” will make you slaughter fictional zombies by the dozens in real life.

Games for many people, including myself, can even be a cathartic experience that reduces stress and anxiety.

Taking stress out on fictional characters prevents gamers from releasing it in the real world.

Many games like “Undertale” implement a pacifist mechanic that allows gamers to choose mercy over violence when confronted with an adversary. The game will reward you with stronger relationships with the characters in the world

if you choose mercy over violence.

Even if video games do happen to “cause violence” or aggression, that statement is a far cry from video games causing a mass shooting.

The notion that something as small as video games are responsible for the lives of thousands of people is unnerving.

Most games just don’t directly incite violence, including games with guns, and it is silly to assume that these digital realities are causing terrible tragedies.

The line between the real and virtual world, while getting thinner, still presents a barrier for violence. *** Justin Ha, a freshman, is a staff writer.

Voices

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

Seniors need to vote soon Participation should rise in 2020 election

L

et’s hope the class of 2020 really does have vision, because they’re going to need it in the upcoming election.

With 20 Democratic presidential candidates currently in the race (plus another five who’ve already dropped out), and four Republican candidates (including Pres.

Donald Trump), the starting line is getting a bit crowded.

Newly minted voters are going to need to make a responsible and educated decision when choosing their future President, and with as many candidates as there currently are, I can’t help but begin to worry.

More specifically, I can’t help but worry that new voters will be discouraged by the vast array of decisions they will have to make when election time comes around.

It’s well known that the youngest set of voters are often the smallest group of voters, whether they’re politically motivated or not.

However, I’m not in has been like no other, entirely hopeless. and as we’ve grown older, I’ve seen how my we’ve faced challenges that peers have rallied no one has ever faced before. behind causes that As cheesy as it may sound, they are passionate we are the future. Whether about, whether that we like it or not, we will be cause is to end gun the ones who change the violence or to protest course of our country or the laws that restrict ones who leave it to decay. a woman’s body While some may say that’s autonomy. dramatic, I think it’s necesI’ve seen how sary. I believe that a call to passionate some action is crucial if we want students can become some real change, and we during group want it in our lifetime. kfernandez.gazette@gmail.com discussions about Whether people will repolitics, and every time that I witness those spond to that call to action is an unknown, discussions, my spirits are lifted. but I hope they will.

While I’m nervous and nearly desperate I hope my generation will be the outlier, when it comes to the next election, I can’t the group of teens who shocked America help but imagine my generation making a with their numbers at the polls. Only time change. will tell, but in the meantime, we can all try I can’t help but picture polls packed with to figure out how there could possibly be my peers, ready to make a positive change.

24 people in the race for President.

And there is undoubtedly a change to be *** made.

Kate Fernandez, a senior, is an assistant The climate my generation has grown up editor.

COMMENTARY

kate fernandez

Page 31

HEARD on the BAY In light of the college admission scandal, how do you think it will affect seniors applying for college?

I think that many seniors are going to not cheat to get into the good schools.

ethan dickson freshman

It’ll cause all the applications to be gone over with a fine toothed comb as far as inconsistencies.

Freedom for Hong Kong Independence from China has been denied for too long now

O

ne American Revolution was enough. However, another one might be on the rise. Only this time it’s not us, but halfway across the world in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong has not been happy with the Chinese government ever since 1997, when it was returned to China’s hands after being a British colony for more than 100 years.

One of the more recent reasons was the Extradition Bill, proposed in April 2019, which allows people who have committed crimes in other countries, like mainland China, to be sent to that country for trials and further punishments.

Personally, as a native of Hong Kong, I feel like this bill is exceedingly cruel and unjust.

No one should be sent to a foreign country to be judged, even if they are criminals.

Besides, the bill didn’t explicitly state which type of crime is significant enough for the accused person to be extradited.

Therefore, someone who stole an apple could potentially be extradited the same way an extradition could happen for someone who committed murder.

This is extremely unjust. I can’t imagine how two crimes on either side of the scale could have identical punishments.

It is like saying that the act of theft is the same as murder.

Wrong. Anyone who is in their right mind knows that.

Furthermore, some people fear political activists and those

who spoke out I believe the against the government of Chinese Hong Kong is being government meddled with by in forms of China, and seeing illustrations, my home country literature or being mistreated public speeches and manipulated would be

by China is heartpunished as breaking. well.

All that Hong As a writer Kong civilians want and artist, I is for Hong Kong care immensely to stay as Hong about my Kong, and I support freedom to Hong Kong’s fight ssong.gazette@gmail.com write and draw for independence. what I want.

I agree entirely that If spreading opinions through breaking away from China is literature were a crime that was the best and the only solution to applicable to me, I would feel this problem. frightened and enraged, just like I solemnly hope that in the what the people of Hong Kong place where I was born, there are feeling right now. will be freedom and justice And it isn’t over yet, seeing instead of mistreatment and as how the government hasn’t cruelty. entirely rejected the bill. Hong *** Kong civilians want this bill Sandy Song, a freshman, is a gone for good, and so do I. staff writer.

tommy rotelli

COMMENTARY

sophomore

I don’t think it will really affect seniors.

sandy song

macy birkland junior

I think it’s going to get more people to try harder on the SATs, keep people honest.

College admissions needs to change

M

oney, one of the many whose parents were fixers. things that runs our EDITORIAL College should be an opporsociety, is officially affecting The voice of the tunity for students who have the education system. dedicated themselves to school Granite Bay Many instances of bribery to receive a greater education, Gazette and illegal donations have an education they earned in the come to the surface, showing hopes of one day being able to that undeserving students can replace pursue their dreams. other hard-working college applicants.

The fact that many people knowThe Rick Singer scandal – in which ingly greased the wheels of the college Singer solicited bribes from rich clients to admissions system to ensure their child’s help get their children, using fraudulent acceptance is appalling. People should be test scores and fake athletic accomplishaccepted into college based on their talments, into elite colleges – is the most ent, not their money. recent depressing example.

It is sad that our world has come to a Too many diligent and innocent place where hard work and honesty no students were cheated out of spots at the longer gets you to the places you deserve colleges where they applied. to be. The college system should not be Still, seniors should not be discouraged a tool the rich have special access to just from applying to colleges because of their because they can pay their way in. fear of being bounced out of the process So many students, including Granite in favor of richer, more privileged students Bay High School students, deserve a

higher education. They deserve to receive this education on the basis that they have worked hard to get where they currently are.

Money and dishonesty should not be able to get in the way of a student’s life.

Our system of higher education needs to be more centered around a student’s abilities, creativity and talent, rather than their skillful use of their parent’s credit card.

We need to change the system so that a broader, more diverse group of people can actually attend college. We need to adapt to the ever-changing world and realize that it is getting too difficult for many to pay for college.

We are denying too many great minds the opportunity to broaden their horizons based on how much money they can cough up, and that needs to change.

sarah becker senior

Maybe in the light of this there will be changes.

mike valentine staff -compiled by armaan asani

Page 32

Current

Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, September 13, 2019

Second Look GBHS students take a blast to the past at the 2019 Decades Dance

Special to the Gazette / PEYTON FITCH

Special to the Gazette /SAMANTHA JONES

Special to the Gazette /AVA FLIER

ď ˇSeniors Kara Kleinbach and Kaylee Watson throw up peace sign, top left.. Sophomore Katie Nimtz stands in the Tribe with her friends while sporting their ‘60s sunglasses, top right. Boys from the class of 2020 are decked out in bright yellow for the Decades Dance, bottom left. Seniors Delaney Johnson and Ava Flier dance the night away at their very last Decades Dance of high school, bottom right.

Special to the Gazette /ETHAN CASE