HELP WANTED Looking for something to do with your summer? Well look no further, your answer is here.
Jobs:
Today’s modern athlete is always looking for an “edge” to set them ahead of the competition. This “edge” comes in various forms, whether it is illegal steroid use, or good, clean hard work. For the past two decades, the use of creatine supplements has grown to be very popular among both bodybuilders and athletes alike. Creatine is a natural chemical found in the body, most comonly found in muscles. When creatine enters the body it stimulates ATP, which transfers energy from one cell to another. Once this has been done, ATP is turned into ADP, which renders it useless to the body. But when creatine is in motion, it converts ADP back to ATP, giving the body greater endurance, allowing for a better workout. In order to learn how this product has influenced MenloAtherton High School, The MArk interviewed some of its students. Among those interviewed, all were using these products for athletic purposes and thus their name’s have not been included. The “main point is to reach an ideal mass in a quick amount of time” and to “gain muscle and lose fat.” Within one week, all of them said they saw their “strength and endurance improve.” Even at a high price tag ranging from 40-60 dollars per 2 pound tub, these students claim investing in “your performance is worth it.” These athletes believe that products that include creatine, are the key to “help an athlete achieve the unachievable,” as it allows the average athlete to reach their maximum potential. However not everyone is on board for supporting creatine. One student mentioned that while taking the supplement one must “drink a lot of water, because it can ruin your liver.” Another student felt that it is “like taking illegal steroids” and provides an unfair advantage, and “should be banned from high school athletics.” Users replies to this sentiment were that “it’s fine [because] anybody can get a hold of them,” making it equitable. However, there are other less controversial ways to get bigger, like “drinking chocolate milk.” If anything, it “drives me to work harder to prove I can perform just as well without these products.”
by Josef Nevigato
Volunteer: Many places need volunteers. There are opportunities at The Boys and Girls Club, Habitat for Humanity, The Humane Society, The Hiller Aviation Museum, churches, and hospitals. If you are looking for a volunteer opportunity that is off the beaten path, you have a few options. Kiwanis, an international coeducational service club, offers a variety of volunteering opportunities in a group setting. There is a chapter located in Redwood City. Another way to find job opportunities is to go to a volunteer search engine, such as volunteermatch.org. Here you can type in your location and interests and the website generates opportunities for you. If you do not wish to volunteer in a group, do not have access to a computer, or would prefer to talk to someone about volunteering, visit Mr. Gradiska in the Career Center. While not lucritive, volunteering in your community or as part of an international group can be just as rewarding a summer activity as a paid job.
Activities: In the Bay Area there is plenty to do but a tight budget can be limiting. You may be thinking, ‘I am a teenager and do not have money to spend on activities.’ If that is the case I have the perfect thing for you, it is called sf.fun.cheap.com. On this site, you can look up events for the day or in the near future that are inexpensive or even free. On the day of the event, drive up or take the train to the city. If you cannot find anything fun to do on that site, there are many other great resources you can use like Groupon.com that offer activities in the Bay Area. This way your summer will never be boring.
by Megan Wiebe
the MArk
Get big or go home!
When you are under age 15, your job options are very limited. There is always neighborhood work like babysitting, lawn mowing, gardening, or car washing. At 15 and under, you can work a maximum of eight hours a day, 40 hours a week, and six days a week. When you become 16 a whole new world opens up. With a permit, you can get low-level jobs at places like grocery stores or fast food restaurants. According to Mr. Gradiska, the most common job for teenagers is working at a fast food restaurant and the second most common job is coaching or tutoring. Mr. Gradiska also says if you are looking for a fun job, do something that appeals to you in fields that you are interested in.
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