The Silver Spur: October 11, 2016

RB High teams up with Red Cross to organize annual blood drive.

Improv team, led by senior Taylor Davis, begins new season

Pokémon GO!: The craze that swept the nation

News 2

Features 6

Backpage 8

theSilverSpur October 11, 2016

Rancho Bernardo High School

In This Issue test center Bronco center becomes home to new test center for students who have to miss school on testing days.

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New grade-Check system Replacement for progress report system helps students avoid becoming ineligible for sports or other extracurriculars.

RB Broncos Undefeated

Football team dominates the field for the fourth year in a row Photo Courtesy of smugmug.com Pedrum Moein

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Samantha Yi

Senior assassins

Features Editor

An interview with senior Rai Pisuena, who has taken on the challenging task of coordinating an annual tradition.

“Finish the mission.”

That was the wellknown motto of the RB High football team last year. They completed that mission last year at the end of the season down to the very last seconds when Devaughn Vele touched down to victory at the Division III Championship, and the RB Bronco football players are fighting once

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Homework zone A weekly gathering of students to peer tutor and help ensure academic success for all.

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Senior Spotlights Athletes Madison Samilo and Zihao Jin commit to play soccer and golf respectively at California colleges.

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POkÉmon go!

again to live up to last year’s accomplishments.

Currently, the Broncos are maintaining last year’s record as they remain undefeated. They started out the season with a 38-0 win over Eastlake. Since then, they have dominated their opponents in the game with fellow Broncos cheering for them in the stands.

FOOTBALL page 7

A look into the psycology and consequences of the popular summer craze Pokémon GO.

RB Football 2016 as of 10/10

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Overall Record: 6-0 League Record: 2-0 National Ranking: 120 State Ranking: 12

Did You Know?

Bubble wrap was originally intended to be used as wallpaper.

American car horns beep in the tone of F.

Ramon Colon (99) carries the ball downfield.

Oxford University is older than the Aztec Empire.

a short messsage From Mr. Lemaster Broncos, It’s hard to believe we are already gearing up for our first quarter finals and starting our second quarter. I have enjoyed walking around campus and hearing about all the ways students are taking advantage of the schedule. I have also been able to hear about some of the concerns which I think is really important. Two way communication is vital when going through a change process. As always, I am so impressed with our students, staff and teachers who have embraced the new schedule and worked to make it beneficial for all students. I am also impressed with the number of clubs, programs and activities our students get involved with.

It’s what makes RBHS such a special school and wonderful place to be principal.

Principal LeMaster

FOLLOW US!

RB HIGH FOOTBALL-From left to right: Tour de Force dances at halftime show; Number 14 tries to break the tackle; After win, RB high poses for a group photo.

Photos courtesy of Jason Yamane, Pedrum Moein and smugmug.com.

Science Department to begin new RB High welcomes new Bronco, Next Generation Science Standards Assistant Principal Kelly Moore Janhavi Chafekar Editor-in-Chief

The Poway Unified School District has made multiple curriculum changes over the past few years, starting with Common Core, which was implemented in the 2013-2014 school year, and changed the way teachers and students interacted with old material.

Common Core involved more critical thinking and application. English teachers were encouraged to use more non-fiction texts to supplement their coursework, and math and science teachers made students solve problems that mimicked real-life scenarios.

These similar concepts were kept in mind when middle schools and high schools in the district began to integrate their mathematics programs by combining different categories of math, like statistics, geometry, and algebra, into one class, called Integrated Math.

This also strived to help students not only learn the math skills that they needed, but to also learn how to apply them.

College Board has also been changing its curriculum for many of their AP Classes so that they place a greater importance on application over rote memorization. Similar changes are being made to RB High’s regular science courses through the Next Generation Science Standards.

“

How do you practice science not memorize science.”

-Lori Brickley, biology teacher

Lori Brickley, an AP Biology teacher at RB High, said that these changes in the science curriculum are very similar to those College Board made to the AP Biology course in the fall of 2012.

“Everything is changing, like AP Biology did, from rote memorization, or things you can look up on the phone to how would you think to solve this problem,” Brickley said. “To me, it is so much better because it is teaching people to think as opposed to teaching people to recall information.”

Brickley adds that while it is important for students to learn the book material, it is also important for students to know how to use the information in a creative way.

New Generation Science Standards page 2

Munira Ali

Features Editor

In the past years, RB High’s administration has gone through considerable changes.

Last year, we said goodbye to Assistant Principal Martin Casas after only 4 years.

This year, RB High welcomed Assistant Principal Kellie Moore.

It’s no doubt that RB High has a great reputation, but what makes our school stand out from the rest is not only its outstanding academic history or our superior athletic record; rather, the fact that our school has a sense of spirit and community also attracts teachers and administrators.

“When I came and interviewed, I was like these are my people,” said Moore.

“I went online and looked at the online edition of the Silver Spur, and the school spirit, and how many opportunities there were for students to do so many things.

Also, meeting with the admin team, I felt such a connection.”

Before coming to RB High, Moore was a teacher and an ASB director at Coronado High, with years of advertising also adding to her experience. Moore has a son and twin daughters who are three and two years respectively. Moore also enjoys running and hiking, as well as sailing.

Photo by Janhavi Chafekar

Going from being a teacher to an assistant principal is a tremendous difference in time commitment and responsibilities; however, for Moore it was more about the level of impact she had on the students as well as the school in general.

“I felt like I could affect more change at a school-wide level rather than at a student-level, which I also love doing, but I’m very passionate about professional development and constant growth as an educator,” said Moore.

Many returning classmen knew Casas, whether it was saying hi to him at lunch, or because they knew him on a more personal level; in any case, getting to know a new staff member and building relationships can take time.

KELLY MOORE page 2

October 11, 2016 theSilverSpur 2 News New assistant principal joins RB High administration New Test Center employed to help going to make mistakes,and mistakes don’t they are in a safe and supported environment. define who we are, and as long as we make “I have never been one to say no to will students catch up on missed work KELLY MOORE FROM 1 Moore knows she has big shoes to fill;however, she also has her unique approach to gaining the respect deserved as an administrator.

“To see that he was able to develop those over time, gives me hope that I can do that as well,” said Moore. “In terms of respect as an administrator, I think we both have two different styles and approach. My approach to students is that, every single one of us is

the right choice to move forward, then we can all have really good relationships.

I think it’s a horrible thing when students think their administrators are there just for discipline. So one of my goals would be to establish relationships that are more about forgiveness and growth and opportunities.”

Going forward, Moore wants to work with teachers and help provide them with resources to make their curriculum stronger. She also looks forward to helping students feel like

you try this out, or will you do this, because my opinion is, well, what could it hurt.” said Moore. “I was really into technology and creative designs for classrooms at my last school, and a lot of our teachers used some great pieces of technology, but I want to push that more and let teachers know that technology has many benefits.”

Students, be sure to say hi to our new assistant principal when you see her around campus.

New science curriculum revamps S.T.E.M. teaching SCIENCE FROM 1 “Not that you don’t need information to make good thoughts and decisions on how to solve problems,” Brickley said. “It places more emphasis on creativity, thinking out of the box, and changing your paradigm and go into science practices.” Learning the key concepts and facts of any science course remains important, but under the Next Generation Science Standards, students must also understand how they relate to all disciplines of science.

For example, students will know why

it is necessary to understand chemical processes behind life processes to learn biology.

“

[Next GenerationScience] places more emphasis on creativity, thinking out of the box, and changing your paradigm.”

-Lori Brickley, teacher

Similar to the other changes, Next Generation Science strives to help students become better adapted for careers

that are becoming more dependent on technology. The new standards also strive to help American students catch up to other countries with higher rates of success in STEM courses.

According to Next Generation Science Standards, teachers will have to combine science practices with the disciplinary core ideas and crosscutting concepts. This change is similar to the new AP Biology course, which forces students to connect the ideas from each of the four main ideas.

“These ideas permeate everything you do,” Brickley said. “It’s like a fungus that just permeates the entire foundation.”

Munira Ali Features Editor This year, the administration has implemented a new system that benefits teachers and students alike that allows students to make up tests without missing class time.

This situation is familiar to most of us: sitting in the back of a classroom making up the essay or the test you missed, all the while having the constant talking and buzzing of the class as the teacher tries to get through the day’s lesson, which you are inconveniently missing.

With the four by four, and faster paced classes, this can be a setback for the teacher and especially the student. Thus, the new test center can help reduce the stress from both parties, with the student coming in before school rather than after school or at lunch to take the test.

“So instead of impacting the teachers’ lunch, or having to come in early or stay in late, we thought it might give the students some incentive to get stuff done in a timely fashion, and give them some room to do their day-to-day tasks,” said test center coordinator Cindy Long.

The system is setup so that teachers simply fill out the given cover sheet, attach it to the test, and hand it straight over to Long. Students will then get a slip of paper providing the details of when and where to show up.

Every Wednesday morning, Long as well as office staff members Jeanna Szymanski and Heidi Huisman come in at 6:45 to set up for the tests; they then check in the students and monitor the test.

“Once the tests are collected, they are handed either to me or Ms. Heidi; I log them back in, and I make a spreadsheet of who showed up and who didn’t. I then send an email to the teachers who participated that week, and I give them an option of picking up their test, or having them delivered only

by Ms. Heidi. That way the integrity of the test is not jeopardized,” said Long.

Students need to remember that only current ID cards will be accepted. If you don’t have an ID card at check in, you will not be admitted.

Because of the four by four schedule, it is being stressed the fact that students should not be absent, but having systems in place like the test center helps make it easier for students who have to be absent, and it makes it easier for them to stay on top of their classes.

RB High students help save lives again by donating to American Red Cross blood drive Alyssa Frederichs Staff Writer The American Red Cross held a blood drive at RB High last month. Seniors and juniors over the age of 16 filled the Multipurpose Room to donate blood. The American Red Cross is an organization that provides emergency help, disaster relief and education across the United State, and their goal was to get 80 to 100 donations.

The Red Cross comes to RB High twice a year, and the drive usually yields about 80 units of blood.

Denise Coughlin, Red Cross representative, helped organize the blood drive and emphasized how influential students can be when they donate blood.

“Each donation saves 3 lives; you can save over 300 lives a year with your blood drives,” Coughlin said.

When you donate, you lay down flat while a nurse takes your blood. After the

BLOOD DRIVE-RB High students donate blood to the American Red Cross. procedure is finished, you are often given something to eat and drink because donors often feel tired or nauseous. Lucy Arvizu, a senior who donated blood, said that it was a good experience, but she did experience some of the side effects.

“Yeah, I was super light headed afterwards, but it was worth it,” Arvizu said. “ It felt really good; I’m really

happy that this will go to someone who needs it.”

Amelia Cabrera, senior class president, said that donating helps students become more informed about how donating can impact the community.

“The Red Cross always needs donations for blood,” Cabrera said. “It gets the students aware about the need for blood and the benefits of donating.”

Photos by Janhavi Chafekar Heart surgery takes about 5 donations, patients with Leukemia need up to 8 donors a week, and Cancer patients need 5 donations. If you are in a severe car crash, you may need up to 50 donors.

Giving back is what the blood drive is all about.

“If you are ever in a situation where you need blood, you would hope that your friends would have donated,” Arvizu said.

Many of the donors felt the giving blood was worth the side effects when they saw the positive effects the drive could have on the community.

The Red Cross always needs blood, and Coughlin as well as The Red Cross organization as a whole are appreciative of RB High’s continued participation in giving back to the community.

October 11, 2016

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theSilverSpur

October 11, 2016

Students should understand the importance of their local elections Janhavi Chafekar Editor-In-Chief

According to a study conducted by the United States Election Project, an organization that specializes in electoral turnout data throughout American history, voter turnout for the 2014 midterms was the lowest since 1942 during World War II. While America has one of the lowest voter turnouts within the developed nations, we are generally ranked much higher when it comes to presidential elections. The Bipartisan Policy Center, a nonprofit think tank, projected that 57.5 percent of the voting population turned out to choose between incumbent Democratic president Barack Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney. Just two years later, during the 2014 midterms, little more than a third of the voting population (36.4 percent) cast a ballot.

While voter indifference is a large problem

for Americans, it is especially prevalent in younger voters. The average of exit polls show that there was only a 2.4 percent drop in voting for those who were 65 years or older, but a 20-percent drop for voters who were 18 to 29 during the midterms. Such drastic changes in voting patterns can be attributed to the fact that older voters have more time, money, and resources to read about and show up to vote.

However, there are structural differences in the way youth view politics.

Mia Gamberale, a senior at RB High who will be voting in the upcoming election, believes that younger voters associate governing with the president and do not think about the other levels of power.

“Ever since I was ever aware of the concept of the government and the presidency Barack Obama has been my president,” Gamberale said. “I don’t know anything other than him as my leader.”

She adds that it creates the idea that the president has unilateral power and makes younger voters not understand how complicated the American political system is.

“We only see a fraction of our government especially with our younger generation that don’t care as much,” Gamberale said. “It skews our perspective because we think that the president has the most power because we see him more often than we see Congress.”

This is especially unfortunate because while presidential politics are more interesting to Americans, many major policy decisions are relegated to state governments (made up of governors and state legislators) who have the power to create their own state budgets, expand or shrink social programs, and make a myriad of other social and economic decisions.

Midterm elections include senators, governors, congressmen and women, state legislators, as well as many different municipal positions. A

majority of Americans do not know the names of these elected officials, let alone have a strong opinion about them one way or another.

A recent study conducted by Professor Steven Rogers from the Saint Louis University showed this phenomenon through the results of state legislature elections, which were directly affected by the sitting president’s approval rating. Unpopular presidents were a drag on state candidates of their same party and voters did not know anything about their local candidates to differentiate them from the president. This creates the continuous problem of voters blaming the president for problems that are often out of his hands.

Gamberale reiterates the same point by adding that putting a face to American government makes people more likely to get involved.

“If you don’t know who is behind your government, you are less likely to vote for them,” Gamberale said.

Dear colleges, please take a chill pill and stop emailing me Calling elderly people “cute” is

more offensive than we may think

Takashi Joubert Backpage Editor Having been so long since my switch to Gmail, I’ve nearly forgotten what it’s like to willingly step into the unending barrage of college emails that my Hotmail inbox has become, clutching my cursor as my only weapon against the onslaught.

It’s truly a warzone. Both obscure and prestigious colleges sending wave after wave of expendable soldiers to shove one another and scream their “last chance to respond” battle cries as they relentlessly hurl themselves at me.

They’re under strict and simple orders: to do whatever it takes to stay at the top of my inbox long enough to seize my attention, be clicked open, and read.

When I opted to receive these college emails with the flick of a pencil on my sophomore year PSAT, little did my young naive self know of the boundless regret that was to come.

The first of these emails I received made me feel so special. Not even the knowledge that my friends had received the same volume of emails could dampen my conviction that I was desired by colleges that knew me as a purchased PSAT score and a piece of contact info.

What had I done right to entitle myself to be put on a recipient list with tens of thousands of others, and by schools like Dartmouth and Harvard nonetheless?

To think, an algorithm on one of their prestigious computers had personally inputed my name at the very top of an email message, and even added a “Dear,” before it. It was almost like an actual person knew my name and wanted to actively recruit me! Not only that, but someone even took the liberty to use personal pronouns throughout the we-

adults who deserve the same respectful conduct given to other adults.

Guest Writer The media also perpetuates many harmful stereotypes about senior citizens, saying they A recent focus on the importance of “political are “slow,” or “disconnected.” While many correctness” has inspired communities across seniors are alienated by their placement in the nation to combat discrimination, making special homes or their inability to operate an effort to protect those of different races, a vehicle, they can still be technologically genders, and sexualities. Unfortunately, age- advanced and highly aware of current events. based discrimination has remained widely Senior Sawyeh Maher works with elderly ignored. Ageism against the elderly is so deeply residents at the Remington Club, an old age embedded in modern society, that it often goes home in Rancho Bernardo. unnoticed, or is accepted as the norm.

“They are very mentally active,” Maher While you may not experience it, ageism said. “They often engage in some pretty affects seniors every day, whether it be in the lively conversations during dinner, especially form of harmful stereotypes or condescending about politics.” behavior exhibited by Age does not younger people. In measure intelligence Take a moment to think order to fight ageism, or mental acuity. about what many seniors Senior citizens can it is necessary to have experienced during recognize where and be just as smart and when it can take place. as opinionated as their lives.”

One of the most younger people. commonplace forms The knowledge of ageism is the infantilization of the and life experience of an elderly person is elderly. For example, the reaction of most unparalleled. Take a moment to think about what people to an elderly couple on the street is many seniors have experienced during their similar to how one might react to seeing a lives- some are veterans, some have overcome child play with another child- “How cute!” adversity, some have built themselves up from This is patronizing and completely nothing. They provide society with a unique unwarranted. The elderly are adults and perspective, a look into the past. It is unfortunate deserve to be treated as such. This kind that an entire generation of valuable minds is of condescending behavior can also be cast aside and marginalized while they should seen at public businesses. While getting be admired and respected. served, the elderly are often spoken I encourage you to re-evaluate how to as if they are young children- with you behave in front of seniors. Become raised voices, false cheery tones, slow more conscious of your internal ageism by speech, and simplified sentences. This immersing yourself in a senior environmentkind of age-based profiling is also highly volunteer at an old age home, or pay a visit to offensive. It is in bad form to assume your grandparents. Interactions with seniors that, just because a person looks older, could broaden your worldview, providing his or her comprehensive abilities are you with knowledge and wisdom that you compromised. The elderly are mature couldn’t get anywhere else.

Claire Fiorino

Cartoon by Takashi Joubert

want-you’s and look-what-we-have-tooffer’s of the email message!

The confidence boosts didn’t last. After some time, I could no longer differentiate between the groans that came from the email servers forced to store my college emails and the ones produced by my own throat.

It took me finding out about a few friends receiving personally-written recruitment emails from coaches and such for me to see my college emails for what they truly are: junk ads clogging my inbox.

And what do you do with Ads you don’t want to see? Get Adblock, click close, skip, or in this case, move to trash folder.

Moving them to some other email folder designated “college emails: read later” is another option, but that’s really just a nicer sounding version of the trash option.

All these colleges want to do is spread interest in their school and maybe boost their college ranking with another student to reject; it’s a shame that lowering admission ranks and self-promotion has to feast on the crushed ambitions of students.

Feel free to blame them—Columbia, Northern Arizona University, Drexel, Colorado School of Mining, and all the other colleges whose forgotten names I didn’t

bother to further browse my Hotmail inbox for—for misleading the naïve with endless emails: for not actually “wanting” you because you’re you, but because you happen to be another student foolish enough to have walked into a trap on the PSAT. Maybe, you could even blame yourself for sealing your email-ridden fate in graphite on test day.

If you haven’t already been desensitized to the potential for rejection, or of your name being the same as any other to a college-email-sending computer system, and are thus actually disappointed by these realities: no fear. These emails have virtually no impact on the admissions process; they have nothing to do with your chances of getting into any of these colleges, and the information they provide is easily dwarfed by what you could learn from a single college visit.

Of course, now I’m left to ponder what could be worse than these wretched emails.

Maybe I should consult the ghosts of all the dead trees that went into the monstrous, ever-growing mass of college and university letters—shiny pamphlets and thick brochures enclosed—stuffed in a bag in my closet.

I wonder if a bonfire would summon them.

“

New 4x4 “grade check” compromise avoids negitavely affecting sport eligibility Kalena Tano Editor-In-Chief The new 4x4 schedule has brought on many changes to how we operate at RB High. Among these changes includes the new system of distributing progress reports in which students only receive a notice if they have a C grade or below in any class.

Some students have expressed concern about this system because distributing progress reports only to select students singles them out in front of their peers.

Although this new system may seem awkward and embarrassing to some students, the system ultimately helps many students because it avoids creating an unnecessary grading period just four weeks into the quarter which could potentially negatively affect students’ eligibility to participate in certain programs.

Some may argue that the school could just pass progress reports out to all students to avoid creating an awkward situation, but this system creates an official grading period, which could harm some students’ eligibility for participation in sports.

Principal David LeMaster expressed his

theSilverSpur Rancho Bernardo High School 13010 Paseo Lucido, San Diego, CA 92128 (858) 485-4800 | rbsilverspur@gmail.com Mission Statement:

The Rancho Bernardo High School Silver Spur is a student run organization on campus dedicated to providing accurate news and stories to the student population. In addition, the Silver Spur strives to educate its staff members on the innerworkings of journalism and prepares its students for the real world of reporting, media, and communications.

reasoning for choosing a “grade check” over an official grading period.

“In a 4x4 schedule, the midpoint is 4 weeks, and at that point it’s too early to give students an official grade,” LeMaster said. “As soon as we give all kids grades, it becomes an official grading period.”

“

In a 4x4 schedule, the midpoint is 4 weeks, and at that point it’s too early to give students an official grade.”

-David LeMaster, Principal

On the semester schedule, grading periods were placed at six, 12, and 18 weeks, far enough into the year to more accurately judge a student’s’ progress. At just four weeks, some teachers may have only two or three assignments in the grade book, which isn’t enough to tell how a student truly stands in that class.

In order to be eligible for activities such as sports teams at RB High, students must have at least a 2.0 GPA, and so the Editors-in-Chief

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Janhavi Chafekar Kalena Tano Liz Winn ewinn@powayusd.com Janhavi Chafekar Kalena Tano Munira Ali Samantha Yi Kalena Tano Ian Levy Takashi Joubert Maggie Smith Takashi Joubert Janhavi Chafekar Ian Levy Kalena Tano Takashi Joubert

new style of giving a “grade check” to students in danger of failing classes rather than a progress report to all students avoids possibly making some students ineligible for sports because of a class that they could have an A in just a couple of weeks later.

Now on the 4x4, students’ eligibility is evaluated at the nine-week mark, or the end of the quarter, giving students a more accurate portrayal of their grades.

Some may wonder why the school can’t simply not give reports at all. Poway Unified School District states in Article 3.0 Section 3.6.3 of the PUSD Board Policy and Procedures that “Because a “C” grade or better is needed for credit in terms of admission to college-level work upon graduation, high schools will send progress reports to all students with a grade of C or lower at progress reporting times.”

This means that high schools like RB High in the PUSD system are required to distribute notices to students in danger of failing any class. Since RB High needs to distribute notices but cannot give grades to the whole school in order to avoid an official grading period, the administration compromised by creating the “grade check” system.

“It accomplishes a couple different things Staff Writers

Joseph Buckley Alyssa Fredericks Madelyn Hernandez Christine Kwiat Rebecca Lee Sammy Long Hannah Park Katherine Pham Maggie Smith Kayleigh Sumber Nicolas Wiscour-Conter

without making an official grading period, thus not affecting student eligibility,” LeMaster said. The compromise of a “grade check” attempts to eliminate the possibility of making students who probably deserve to play their favorite sport ineligible because of an early grading period.

“

I waited until my kids were working on a project and delivered them individually.

Not a big deal... the kids all knew what was going on so it really wasn’t an issue.”

-Jeff Carpenter, teacher

Although the “grade check” system is helpful to many students, it could create awkward situations for students in the classroom because only select students receive reports; RB High’s administration has realized this, and they attempted to find a solution so that teachers could eliminate any discomfort in the distribution of reports.

“One suggestion was made to pull students aside one-on-one; another way to do it

Editorial Policy:

The opinions expressed in the Silver Spur are not necessarily the opinions of the staff, administration, or the students of Rancho Bernardo High School. They are not representative of the opinions of the Silver Spur staff as a whole. The Silver Spur is a public forum for students to express their individual

would be to slip them in with the process of handing back other papers; another idea was to print progress reports for the individual class and hand those out with the reports,” LeMaster said. “So there were quite a few different ways we discussed.”

LeMaster said that the most important part of this brainstorming session was to find a way to distribute the necessary reports while still honoring and respecting the privacy of student grades.

“I waited until my kids were working on a project and delivered them individually. Not a big deal...besides, the kids all knew what was going on so it really wasn’t an issue,” AP US Government teacher Jeff Carpenter said. He still, however, acknowledged the fact that there is no perfect solution or right answer to the best way to handle distributing reports to select students.

The administration strives to make its students comfortable and drive them towards success. The new “grade check” system seems as if it may be an uncomfortable and inconvenient way to notify students of their grades; however, the new system aims to help students avoid being tied to a grade that may not truly reflect their progress in a class.

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theSilverSpur

October 11, 2016

Blake Johnson earns his pilot license Food industries and their Katherine Pham Staff Writer We may all aspire to achieve our dreams, but how many of us really put in the effort needed to reach those goals? Blake Johnson is a freshman who, since last May, has been working hard to achieve his dream of becoming a certified pilot. ­­­Johnson has been taking classes at Gillespie Field in El Cajon where he flies planes, such as a Piper PA-28, since around that time. Though he already completed all of his classes and paperwork, Johnson has to wait until he is 17 before he receives his official pilot’s license.

With excellent grades, a well-rounded and friendly demeanor, and filled with ambition, Johnson can be considered outstanding. Knowing this, it’s not a big surprise that his passion for planes has sent him soaring off the runway and high into the skies. Of course, his parents have financed his endeavor. On top of the textbooks and other required supplies, they’ve paid $2500 for his 11 weeks of classes and they pay about $100 for each flight hour.

Johnson hard work is what has propelled him to success. Despite being only 14, and the youngest in his class by six years, Johnson still managed to thrive in his piloting classes. The class sessions, with occasional quizzes and tests, were themselves two and a half hours, twice

a week, not including homework and a weekly study group meeting. On top of that, Johnson also balances school, boy scouts, volleyball, piano and tennis.

“How did I manage to do it? Honestly, I just buckled down and did it,” said Johnson.

“It’s kinda like the phrase, ‘You never work a day in your life if you’re working at something you love’”.

But, all those sleepless nights and tiring days were all worth it in the end. Since he isn’t a licensed FAA pilot yet, to him, all that’s left is to wait. But all that training isn’t going to be cast aside to collect dust until the then; Johnson has been applying his training with monthly flying sessions with a certified instructor in the cabin. He’s already flown at altitudes of up to 5000 feet.

“Absolutely exhilarating, and terrifying at any given moment,” said Johnson, “but pure joy is truly what you feel.”

Though he himself can certainly serve as an inspiration for many, his own inspiration for flying is simple.

“Myself, I actually just always wanted to fly,” said Johnson. “It sounded like my calling, from the very beginning.”

With an overflowing amount of ambition, the willingness to work hard, and the right drive to succeed, Johnson shows us that our dreams aren’t as unreachable as they may seem, whether or not you want to take to the sky as well.

“If you really want to get into it,” said Johnson, “you’re never too young to start.”

obsessions with being “gluten- free”

Photos courtesy of Angela Johnson

“

Myself, I actually just always wanted to fly; it sounded like my calling, from the very beginning.”

-Blake Johnson, freshman

Search and seizure practices allowed at RB High Ian Levy Sports Editor Despite popular belief, teachers and staff do have the right to search your belongings without permission. The truth is that there is no loophole or mandatory rule the school has to follow in order to access your phone. With reasonable suspicion, the school is permitted to search students’ phones, backpacks, cars, and any other possessions that they feel might be violating a school code or other district policy.

The school’s right to do this stems from California Ed Code 49050 which states that, “School officials may search any individual student, his or her property, or district property under his or her control when there is reasonable suspicion.”

This California Ed Code states that the administration has the right to search any students’ belongings as long as there is a possible threat or danger. The reasonable suspicion aspect of the Ed Code means that the administration can search someone if he or she is given a valid reason to suspect danger. For example, another student or teacher may bring up an issue, and the administration would have to decide whether or not that issue is serious enough to act on.

In such a circumstance that the school does decide to search a student, they have the full authority to do so.

“As long as we[the administrators] enter a

Cartoon by Takashi Joubert search with reasonable suspicion, it’s okay,” Assistant Principal William Egan said. “If we feel that they are breaking a school rule, it’s enough.”

“

California Ed Code states that the school has the right to search any students belongings as long as they believe that there is a possible threat or danger”

- Ed Code 49050

It is rare when the school has to search a student’s phone which may be why some students have a hard time believing it is

didn’t know, makes food meant to be made with wheat flour extremely starchy and Editor-in-Chief a complete and overall betrayal of good food. Two weeks without sweet, carb-filled Five months ago, my mom went to the wheat flour can change a person who has doctor for stomach pains. The doctor pretty no reason to be deprived of it other than a much gave her a measly shrug and a shot-in- family freakout. the-dark prescription, and so she snagged a I became constantly irritated with my few antibiotics from CVS, came home, and mom and sister, who, by the way, were still opened up a google search. What she found entirely immersed in rice flour world, going online was a flashing WebMD article on so far as to even buy gluten-free shampoo, the symptoms for a gluten sensitivity, and as if wheat-filled hair products had fund how going gluten free could eliminate her their way into our bathroom. stomach pain “in three weeks!”

The placebo virus was taking its most She immediately called my sister and brutal toll; every time my sister ate a piece I downstairs and started examining us of bread, she would suddenly get a migraine from head to toe, looking for the deadly even if she hadn’t swallowed it yet, and symptoms in us. She when I tried to found a slight red area bake my chocolate The placebo virus on the back of my chip cookies to lure sister’s arms, which them back to gluten, was taking its most WebMD deemed my mom claimed brutal toll; every time valid evidence; for she couldn’t even my sister ate a piece me, she dug up my be in the room or medical history and her stomach pains of bread, she would filed my mild case would return. suddenly get a migraine of asthma from my Finally, the two third grade days as weeks were up. Our even if she hadn’t a symptom. That pantry was emptied swallowed it yet.” day marked the first of all gluten free day my family went contents. My mom gluten free due to the most toxic placebo and sister were devastated and packing their I’ve ever witnessed: a placebo that took bags for another trip to Sprouts when my away the joy of eating pretzels, cookies and dad suddenly stormed out of his room to buttered french bread. intervene, something I’d been waiting for I am not sensitive to gluten. I knew it the him to do since the beginning of this plague. day my mom found that article, and I know It was like a movie. “You need to stop,” he it today. My mother and sister, however, bellowed. “It’s gone too far. You’re hurting “knew” from that day on that gluten would us. You’re hurting everyone.”

That was the end. My mom and sister “forever” be their achilles heel. The next day, slowly turned, their heads dropping to the we took a trip to Sprouts that felt more like ground.

They put their bags down. They sat a funeral march than grocery shopping. down on the couch. My sister turned on the The Gluteneers beelined straight for their TV, in an obvious attempt to make it seem new favorite section and began stacking food like she had never committed any crimes on into our cart: crackers, chips, pasta, cookies, my dad and me. My mom gave her a stern pretzels, what have you. As I watched with look and turned the TV back off. I looked bulging, tear-filled eyes what I will always remember as “the End.” Within ten minutes around, sighed awkwardly, and went up to we checked out with a cart full of certified my room, wondering what just happened to us. I heard my dad say he was going to gluten-free “goodness.”

For two weeks, I lived off of baked Vons, and then I heard the door click shut. goods created with rice flour, which if you And that was the end of our suffering.

Kalena Tano

“

actually possible, but any belief that a student has violated the law, a board policy,an administrative regulation or some other kind of school or district rule, can result in the student’s possessions being searched.

This may seem intrusive to students, but to the administration this is an important aspect of keeping a safe environment. When bullying or a cheating scandal arises, it is important for the school to search students’ phones or other electronics quickly in order to control the situation before it becomes out of hand.

The school’s policy of searching possessions is only to establish safety and not to intrude on a student’s privacy. The administration respects every students’ desires to not be searched and tries to maintain fourth amendment rights that protect students from search and seizure, but, in the end, when it is a matter of safety or cheating, the school will act.

Cartoon by Samantha Yi

Countries around the world have a different, not “weird,” ideas of beauty Maddy Hernandez Staff-Writer The United States of America is one of the most diverse nations in the world.

Many of the things we encounter in a day, including music, food, fashion, and popculture, are influenced by customs and traditions borrowed from other countries.

However, there are some aspects of the American life that are true and original to our country. For instance, what we consider to be beautiful is different from those in other countries.

In America, being tan, skinny, painted with makeup and having graceful curves is often considered an ideal look for women.

Although natural beauty does come into play, it is not valued as much as it could be.

Many American girls struggle with feelings of insecurity by the time they turn eleven.

It can be argued that the media and society are to blame for this and that this insecurity is a learned trait.

Contrary to common belief, guys don’t have it easy either. Like girls, boys are exposed to society’s ideals at a young age. In the boys section of a toy store, you will probably find plastic sports sets and figurines of ripped, strong-looking men.

The pressure to have the physique of an NBA player is often overlooked by society, but it does exist for many teenage boys.

America’s strict and unrealistic beauty

standards are perhaps only topped by those such as in Korea and Japan. If you are from any East Asian country, you probably already know that those who live there are notorious for striving for perfection: professionally, academically, socially, and physically.

East Asian beauty standards are partially shaped by western-influence. However, the region has constructed its own distinct, strict and complex image of beauty. The girls (and guys) work hard to maintain their

“

What we consider to be beautiful is different from those in other countries”

pale skin, tinted lips and larger, “anime-esque” eyes, often aspiring for a “cuter” look. Although looking like what you might imagine as life-sized Powerpuff Girl seems difficult enough, it doesn’t stop there. Skinny waists, graceful curves, v-shaped jawlines and long legs are also valued.

Because this look is difficult to obtain, plastic surgery is considered by many young girls in Asian countries. According to the Fair Trade Commission Republic of Korea, the plastic surgery market in Korea alone is worth five trillion U.S. dollars. This

makes up nearly 25 percent of profits made worldwide off of plastic surgery procedures.

While plastic surgery is one way for people to accomplish the slim look, people also use methods such as detox, dieting, face masks and light makeup to accomplish the “cute” look.

While still expected to be emotionally strong, the guys are generally softer and more feminine looking than the stereotypical, rough and tough American boy. Even though the “handsome” man in East Asia may be considered too feminine in other parts of the world, it is clear that their countries’ people consider them goodlooking. Also, it may seem that many of them live up to the same standards that the girls do with their skinny legs, arms, and waist. But from that culture’s viewpoint, some aspects of manliness can be seen through their eyes.

People from either cultures might see another culture’s beauty as “weird” due to the plethora of differences. Even in the “melting” pot country of America, distinctions are often drawn and rude comments are sometimes made towards other culture’s perspective of beauty.

However, it is important to understand how each country varies and how their different ideals make up a large part of each country’s unique culture. Having different images of beauty leads to diversity, and this diversity is something that should be valued in the global world we live in today.

Photo courtesy of IMBD

Photo courtesy of Pinterest

Yuki Furukawa - Japanese actor and model -

Chris Hemsworth -Australian actor-

Height: 5’9” Weight: 137 Ibs

Height: 6’3” Weight: 201 Ibs

Characteristics

Characteristics

- Body weight significantly lighter than what height might suggest - Small face with parted bangs - Long, slim legs with slim arms - Pale skin, almond eyes, and slim jawline

- Body weight heavier in relations to what height might huggest - Muscular arms and legs - Tan skin, round eyes, carefree hairstyle - Overall built and toned body

6 Features

theSilverSpur

SAT prep classes by Khan Academy and Collegeboard Samantha Yi Features Editor The decisive moment of a high school student’s life comes when a certain test is around the corner: the SAT. It is common knowledge amongst most students that a good score is necessary to gain admittance to their desired schools, and thus, SAT prep is almost always necessary. There are many different ways to prep for the SAT -- academies, boot camps and tutoring are among them. However, some people don’t have time or the money for boot camps, or they’re simply too expensive. Thankfully, there’s a study tool online that can help prepare students for the SAT just as well as boot camps like Elite or Summa -- it’s called Khan Academy.

Khan Academy is known to students of all ages as a helpful and credible aid. In addition to videos about math and English, the site has coordinated with College Board.

When you first log in to your free account, you are given a series of diagnostic quizzes. This way, the site can see where you are in terms of skill. After that has been done, you are taken to a dashboard, where you can set up a study schedule, sign into College Board and see your recently taken SAT scores.

Next, you click on the “practice” button to start your prep. Just like the SAT, the section is divided into English and math.

Practice quizzes are provided for different kinds of skills branching out from each subject . Some skills you can practice include analyzing and identifying the meaning, structure and purpose of text passages.

In addition, Khan has created videos of text analysis, explaining how to answer each question. After a student works through the untimed section of quizzes, a timed mini quiz is prepared, testing the student under timed pressure. It’s like a mock SAT. Math is organized in a similar way. With each branch of math divided into sections; each branch has quizzes with the answers explained after. At the end, you take a mock quiz . Since the Academy is partnered with College Board, the questions are derived from College Board as well.

The upside of the Khan Academy math section is the quizzes are usually not timed.

In some online SAT preps, all the quizzes are timed, giving the student very little time to actually understand and solve the question. The main point of the practice quizzes is to take your time and interpret and understand the questions and how it’s phrased, so if time runs out before one can solve it, it defeats the purpose of the practice session, and so many qualities of Khan Academy make it ideal as a study tool, so check it out a few months before the SAT rolls around.

Ian Levy Sports Editor

October 11, 2016

Bullet Journaling- A new way to organize your life Kalena Tano Editor-in-Chief I’ve seen the best and worst of productivity. In my 4 years of high school, I’ve experienced days of sitting by lit candles in my spotless room listening to The XX and completing tasks at a rate of 4 tph (tasks per hour), but I’ve also spent 12 hours at a time splayed out on my bed watching Bojack Horseman and slurping a Baja Blast while trying to forget the AP Calculus test I have tomorrow. In short, you could say I’m someone whose productivity fluctuates on a large scale, but recently I’ve found a way to balance out my desire to do as little as possible to survive with that of needing to have control over every aspect of my life in a new little book I call my Bullet Journal.

I first stumbled across the idea of doing a Bullet Journal about a month ago on Tumblr when I saw a post containing a link to the Bullet Journal website. I watched the introductory video and read the basic instructions and decided I’d give it a try.

Assuming that this would just become

BULLET JOURNAL-An example of a students bullet yet another one of what I like to call a “2-day productivity kick,” I grabbed an old World Market journal and flipped to the first blank page, which ended up being about half of the way through the book, and got to work.

A Bullet Journal is organized in modules, each dedicated to different types of notes.

The first module is the index, which later makes it easy to go back and find an old journal page a few months later. After adding the index, I added a future log and a monthly log for the current month. The

Photo by Janhavi Chafekar future log has space to write any long term notes for the upcoming six months or year, and the monthly log features a calendar with quick notes with major events throughout the month.

After adding the monthly logs into my index, I was ready to add my daily logs for September. With similar formatting to a traditional planner, I dedicated a week to each page, so September’s daily logs took up four pages. I then made a space for each day for notes, and filled in my tasks.

The Bullet Journaling system has three

kinds of notes: tasks (i.e. to-dos), marked with a bullet, events, marked with a check box, and other personalized notes, which are marked with a special symbol you create yourself. I used a music note to mark any songs I had heard that day, a quotation mark for interesting quotes I’d heard, and a clock for deadlines. Using the space I’d given for each day, I jotted down notes for the day, and by the end of each day, it was easy to see everything I had done and needed to get done. And at the end of the week, I could see what I had gotten done as well as what I hadn’t so that I could move my uncompleted tasks to the next week or the next time I predicted that I would have time.

After about a month on the Bullet Journaling system, I’ve turned my ratty old half-used journal into a functional system that keeps me organized in a way that’s simple for my brain to understand even on my laziest of days. As someone who easily gets overwhelmed by crowded to-do lists, the visual appearance of the different types of bullets have made it so easy to look at what things I have to do on any given day without stressing over event notes that I may have thought were deadlines at first glance before.

Homework Zone reopens to give Fitting in: How a student from students extra time and help to study Canada learned to love RB High Photo by Munira Ali

Munira Ali

Maggie Smith

Features Editor

Staff Writer

Every Tuesday from 5 P.M. to 7 P.M, the library hosts the Homework Zone for students who need tutoring, or for those who just need a quiet place to do homework. Implemented by RB High’s intervention team last year, the administration hopes that the Homework Zone will be a way for students to get the help they need.

Run by math teacher Tracy Stowe, the Homework Zone is another place where STUDY SESSION-Gracie Horne helps student with homework. students can come for help if they cannot “We had cheerleaders who had come back

by Munira come before school, after school, or lunch. from their workout; we hadPhoto baseball players As an alternative to the Bronco Center, who were getting ready for a test,” Stowe the Homework Zone provides a safe and said. “We also had two students who were quiet environment for students who need a preparing for the SAT.” computer or help with homework outside Stowe looks forward to the new year the normal hours. and improving the “Since we have Homework Zone by The Homework Zone help in place with getting more students the Bronco Center provides a safe and and tutors to join. before and after “If we start to quiet environment for school, we have get more people, we students who need a students that are will probably have either athletes or to add more academic computor or help with can’t stay after said Stowe. homework outside school tutors,” school, or for “The 4 by 4 gives us whatever reason hours.’” a new schedule, and a can’t be there lot of students are off at those times,” role fourth period, so Stowe said. we might start something then.”

The Homework Zone isn’t open to only Many students have already started athletes; in fact, all students are welcome for attending and are starting to see the whatever the reason might be. benefits as well. Junior Angel Vargas With resources such as computers and has been attending the Homework Zone academic tutors such as peer counselors sessions, and he has seen an improvement to help the students, the homework zone in his test scores. provides a different time frame for the Peer Counseling Tutor Gracie Horne feels varying student schedules. the Homework Zone is great for students “Kids can get extra help from peer tutors and wishes it had existed freshmen year. that maybe are athletes, so if they are “Kids can come to the Bronco Center and finishing practice, they can just come to the fillout a slip to get a tutor, or they can come library and get access to computers if they to the Homework Zone which is easier for don’t have that at home,” Stowe said. some kids,” said Horne.

“

A little over a year ago, sophomore Basma Bahia walked off of a plane in San Diego, content with her new house and new surroundings, but she was soon hit with the reality of what she had embarked on, and the emotions that had built up soon made her feel alone and scared.

On that August 1 in 2015, Bahia had taken a plane from Ottawa, Canada to San Diego as her father was starting a new job as a senior software performance test engineer. Bahia and her family moved into Rancho Bernardo so quickly that she had to also quickly adjust and get ready for school, which was starting in two weeks.

“When you come two weeks before school, you’re not even prepared,” Bahia said. “Emotionally, it was very difficult.

I remember going home after school a lot and crying.” Bahia arrived about two weeks before school started, and she still had to unpack and adjust to her new living situation and surroundings as well as being introduced to new people and a new culture.

Moving from Canada to San Diego, you experience a culture shock. The weather is completely different, and so is the landscape.

When Bahia arrived to her new house, she was shocked at the sight of a palm tree in her front yard. The experience at school was different as well, and Bahia felt she did not fit in at all due to all the already formed groups and friendships.

This scenario is exactly why counselor Matt Hunt and his peer counselors work to help students who are new adjust to RB High. Hunt works with his peer counselors to create an open and safe environment, for all students, helping them get involved in clubs and extracurricular activities by forming welcome committees.

Student peer counselors at RB High help new students by showing them around

Photo by Janhavi Chafekar BASMA BAHIA- Student who moved from Canada to the U.S the campus and helping introduce them to their teachers and to activities at the school, providing a safe and comfortable environment for the new student. If a new student is from another country and speaks one language more fluently, he or she will be linked with a student who also speaks that language.

“We are all gonna be new at some point… whether it’s a new school, or a new college, or a new job,” Hunt said. “It’s important that we recognize that and be understanding.”

For those who do not prefer to use peer counseling, they will have to be more proactive and advocate for themselves when it comes to meeting new people.

“I know fitting in can be very difficult, especially when you come to a new place like this,” Bahia explained.

“It takes time, and you shouldn’t really stress out about it. You just have to gather up the courage sometimes to go and talk to people… You never know. It could blossom into something really great.”

Although Bahia is still adjusting and misses her close friends in Canada, she learned to gain courage and open up to new people. At Rancho Bernardo High School, there are programs out there for students who do not feel connected, you just have to go out and join them.

Q & A with Rai Pisuena-All About Senior Assasins

The annual game of senior assassins has recently begun. This year, however, senior assassins coordinator Rai Pisuena is taking the game in a slightly different direction by adding new rules and altering old rules in the name of fun and equal play for all.

The two biggest changes to the game this year are the paid revives and the bounties. As of last year, the only revive a team could get was by eliminating both of its targets. This year, Pisuena has made it so that a team has an opportunity to buy back in after they have been eliminated.

The revive is a one-time deal and costs $10. Pisuena hoped that adding the revive rule would make the overall prize money (which starting at the beginning of the game amounted to somewhere around $1700) grow to between $2500 and $3000. The revive must be purchased before the end of an assassination period which usually lasts about 3-4 weeks.

The bounty, on the other hand, is a

completely foreign concept to the game and adds a unique spin on breaking the rules. A bounty makes a player no longer solely susceptible to his assassin, but vulnerable to all assassin’s playing the game. All rules (such as floaties and safe zones) still apply to the bountied player, with the added benefit that he is worth three kills instead of one.

“I give a bounty if a player is being disrespectful, if they constantly break the rules, or if they jeopardize the game,” said Pisuena.

Another aspect of the game Pisuena is changing this year is the length of the game. The game last year was extended far beyond what many players had anticipated, and it got to the point where players were looking forward to the end.

The game finally concluded with the money getting divided amoung a large number of teams which made some people upset. This year, Pisuena is trying a new system to counter the possibility of a repeat of last year by ending the game sooner, around February. His system is called a speed round.

“A speed round is where there will be twice as many purges a month; you’ll

only need one person out in order to get a team out, and if you don’t get that team out, you’re out,” said Pisuena.

To establish what a speed round means, a purge must first be understood. A purge day is simply a day where floaties don’t count, and anyone can get any other player out. This said, a speed round will have twice as many purge days in any given assassination period, and will also only require one teammate to get out for a team to be eliminated instead of both.

Finally, if a team’s targets are not eliminated by the end of the assassination period, the team is out. Speed rounds will start in early November, so until then, it will still require both targets to get out for a team to be eliminated, and there will continue to be no punishment for not assassinating a team’s targets in time.

For now, the game has been running smoothly with these new adaptations, and in time the game will see if these changes stick. With 346 seniors entering the game with a strong desire to leave as a wealthier senior, there are bound to be conflicts.

Pisuena is confidant that his new rules will make the game run better, and seniors will enjoy the game more, too.

SENIOR ASSASINS- Seniors pose with their floaties.

Photo by Janhavi Chafekar

7 Sports

theSilverSpur

October 11, 2016

Seniors commit early to play sports in college Zihao Jin commits to San Diego State University after six years of playing golf Ian Levy Sports Editor After playing golf for over six years, senior Zihao Jin has recently committed to San Diego State University. Jin plans to treat college as a stepping stone that will lead him towards the next level of golf, and he hopes to someday make a career out of playing golf.

Jin’s dad introduced him to the sport as a child while they were living in China, and he continued to play golf when he moved to California, even though his dad stayed back in China to work. Jin’s dad being in China does not distract him from his goal, but it is rather a source of motivation for him in school and sports.

“He sacrificed a lot for me,” said Jin, “and his sacrifice motivates me to work hard and not disappoint him.”

Jin has maintained above a 4.0 GPA throughout his high school career by using the discipline that he has learned on the course. He has learned to manage his time wisely and to accommodate his schedule for homework and studying, while saving time to practice golf.

Jin practices six days a week with a private coach that he has known for five years. As a result of their long-time relationship, they have

become good friends. His coach has helped him prepare for golf in college through both training and by setting up connections with coaches at SDSU. One prime reason that Jin decided on SDSU was the coaches. Jin has been contacting SDSU’s coaches since his freshman year, and he finally committed last summer.

Photo by Janhavi Chafekar Since his private coach is friends with the SDSU coach, it made the connection between Jin and SDSU a solid one. SDSU is also close to home, which is an added benefit.

“SDSU is close to home, so I can still work with my private coaches,” Jin said.

Continuing his training with his same private coach is important

for Jin in continuing on to the professional level.

As a high schooler, Jin may not be too far off from his dream.

According to Polo Golf Rankings, a website that ranks golf players across the nation, Jin is ranked 32 in the nation. He has also placed, and even won, a number of tournaments, including first place in the Golf Performance Center Junior Championships and fourth in the Rolex Tournament of Champions. Jin is also captain of the RB High boys golf team, along with Steve Sugimoto, and he has been working hard with the team since his freshman year.

“I am going to miss all my teammates,” said Jin. “Golf is a lonely sport, but sometimes having friends to play with made it more interesting.”

While playing with the RB High golf team, Jin reached State his freshman year, and he qualified for State again his junior year. He has benefited from playing with the team in a number of ways, one including the social aspect.

Jin believes that practice is what makes a good player, but friends to support you makes the sport worthwhile.

Jin looks forward to the upcoming golf season, as well as continuing his golf career at SDSU.

Madison Samilo commits to play soccer for UC San Diego next fall Hannah Park Staff Writer Madison Samilo, a senior, committed to UCSD this past month after looking at many other west coast schools. Samilo has played soccer since she was four years old, after her parents signed her up for rec soccer, and she has been on varsity all four years of her high school career. Naturally, she has always intended to continue soccer into college, especially at UCSD. Every Tuesday and Thursday Samilo drives to Temecula and back for club soccer practices. After playing for another club team since she was eight, this past year she switched to Arsenal, even though this requires a long commute. Even in her free time, Samilo practices soccer. Hard work pays off, as it has led her to her top-choice college, UCSD. Samilo hoped to attend UCSD because both her parents had gone there when they were in college, as well as many of her other relatives.

It also has a great Marine Biology program which is her intended major. Plus, it’s right next to the beach, which Samilo especially likes. The other schools she had looked at did not stand out to her at all, but after attending a soccer camp at UCSD and experiencing the

atmosphere there, she knew that it was the right school for her.

Though she is admittedly intimidated by the rigorous training schedule that she knows will accompany college soccer, she is excited to meet new people. The UCSD women’s soccer team last year was the CCAA tournament champion; they finished fourth in the league, and made it to the first round in the NCAA playoffs. Anyone would be intimidated by this.

Samilo and the girls soccer team at RB High had an impressive season last year as well. The team made it to CIF open division last year and finished as runner ups, not to mention that they went to state for the first time in RB girls soccer history.

Following an impressive soccer career, Samilo will certainly rise to the challenge. Beyond Photo by Janhavi Chafekar her impressive athletic career, Samilo also has leaves an impressive academic trail and hopes to keep it up until graduation, despite already committing. When asked about the upcoming high school season, Samilo responded optimistically saying, “I think we’re gonna do really well this year considering last year we made it to CIF open division finals and got runner up, and then we went to state for the first time in RB girls soccer history.”

Boys water polo plans to Girls tennis takes to the courts in improve with new players anticipation for another successful season Katherine Pham Staff Writer The boys water polo season started Sept. 1, and they have played 17 games so far, with a record of 11-7. In the Palomar League, the varsity team ranks 5th out of the 8 teams, and it is ranked 5th in their Division 2, tied with San Pasqual.

With a new season comes new players, as well as dealing with the loss of last year’s graduating players.

“We lost one starter last year, so our team is pretty much the same as it’s been, so that’s part of the reason why we’re very excited,” Sam Collins, a junior on the varsity team, said. “We have a pretty good freshman class this year.”

“Austin Fitzgerald,” Nick Bell, a senior on the varsity team, said, “he transferred here last year after the season, and he’s a junior this year, and he should be pretty vital to how we’re going to do this year.”

No matter how great a team is, there’s always something that can be improved, and our boys water polo varsity team is no exception.

“I think we could just definitely be in better shape, have stronger legs, swim faster, that sort of stuff,” Collins said.

However, already half way through the season, their improvement since last year

is evident. Last year, the boys ended the season 12-19. Their record so far shows that they are on their way to beating last year’s record. That’s no surprise though with their rigorous practice schedule. They practice every day right after school, sometimes even twice a day, with morning practices from 5:30 to around 7:15.

Just as in any other sport, the boys’ main goal is to, as Bell puts it, “Just win win win.”

“League, CIF, that kind of stuff. I think every year, beating Poway is a big thing,” Collins said. “I think we have a pretty solid chance, and that’s something to be very excited about.”

With all the hard work and dedication these boys put in, they definitely deserve it.

“Maybe a little more school spirit, a little more recognition for the sport, that’d be nice,” Collins said.

So, if you have the chance, come out and show your support.

Madelyn Hernandez Staff Writer Like most high school sports, tennis requires players to work as a team.

Even though some matches are played independently, the player must think about his or her teammates and prioritize accordingly. The girls’ tennis team at RB High shows what it means to work as a team.

The girls definitely know that teamwork is not about relying on others to catch their mistakes, but rather working together to enhance each other’s individual abilities.

This year, the team had a strong start.

The varsity team started the season with a great reputation, winning most of their matches for the past three years. So far this season, the girls have played 15 matches, with only one loss against Torrey Pines, one of the most prevalent teams in the league.

Torrey Pines also beat RB High last year and the year before. Regardless, the girls have managed a current five-win streak after the loss. On September 29, the girls won their most recent home conference match against Poway with a score of 11-7.

Varsity co-captain Tierney Kim has noticed that the girls have improved a lot

TENNIS- Montana Denton and An Doan shake hands with opponent since last season and are definitely starting to show more aggression during their matches. The girls are also much more spirited than they used to be, encouraging their teammates to try new things on the court and play their best.

Of course, there is always room for improvement. Although the girls are more enthusiastic at practice and during their matches, Kim wants them to be more comfortable on the court and have more confidence as individual players. However, she greatly admires how the girls work together and play as a team.

Photo courtesy of yearbook

“What really motivates me is when I am working with other people,” Kim said, “to gether, if we all put in our 110-percent, I think we could really go far.”

Kim believes that in order for a team to be successful, all of the individual players must be compatible with each other and willing to work to their full potentials.

To be proficient in any sport, from soccer to basketball to swim, one must learn how to work both as an individual and as a team.

The girls tennis team still has about half of the season left to go, and they have high hopes for another great season.

Boys football continues an undefeated season after defeating Mission Hills FOOTBALL FROM 1

FOOTBALL-RB football team beats Mt. Carmel

Photos courtesy of Pedrum Moein and smugmug.com

“It does feel great to know that we’ve had such a fast start,” said Tyler Holcomb, a senior.

The team is currently defending their winning streak with a victory over tough opponent Mission Hills last Friday, 3220. The Broncos were missing their “Blue Chip,” quarterback Mark Salazar, who is out with a broken collarbone.

However, Christian Lewis, the substitute quarterback, proved himself on the field with a touchdown pass and three scoring dives against Mission Hills. This victory ensures that the team may remain undefeated.

“It made me proud to see all my teammates pull together as a unit and play with such passion, despite losing two starters,” senior James Lee said.

The boys prepare for each game by lifting weights, watching replays, and of course, practicing every day.

A scout team replicates what the other team will hypothetically do on a game night so that the defense and

offense have the opportunity to practice against their opponent under simulated conditions.

With all of the games in session, Bronco football is fighting to accomplish its ultimate goal: win CIF and become state champions once more. They have moved up in the division since last year,

“

“We do know that we have different challenges ahead of us this year than last year, and nothing is going to come easy, but we are confident in ourselves.”

-Tyler Holcomb, senior

and they are currently playing against “classic” San Diego teams, like James Madison and Oceanside. The team is in Open Division for CIF playoffs, and they will have more challenging games as well. CIF is a “one-and-done” situation,

with eight teams in each division. Team ranking determines home-field advantage.

However, it doesn’t really matter where the team plays. The important thing is victory.

“We do know that we have different challenges ahead of us this year than last year, and nothing is going to come easy, but we are confident in ourselves,” Holcomb said.

While CIF and State are the ultimate goals for the season, teams cannot prepare for those games right from the start. Right now, it is important for the team to prepare for each individual game.

When the season games end, CIF will come along, and then regional playoff and finally State Championships.

All of the boys on the team - including Coach McCoy - know what is at stake.

Everyone has high hopes and wishes.

While last year’s motto was “finish the mission,” this year’s is, “leave no doubt.”

The team must prove that last year’s victory was not a fluke. RB football has been successful because of hard work and tenacity, and the boys must sustain that legacy.

8 Backpage

theSilverSpur

October 11, 2016

Within a week of release,“Pokémon GO” had topped

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by Samantha Yi

by Takashi Joubert

It’s just before curfew when you find yourself out in some obscure street in RB, inwardly screaming in excitement as you hunt that ever-elusive, “nearby” Dratini. Maybe instead you’re staring outside your window, puzzled by another teenager wandering aimlessly in the dark: a smartphone light illuminating his determined countenance.

It was scenarios like these that became the face of the public’s temporary obsession with Pokémon GO. Rather than decide whether the craze over the augmented reality mobile game was a social virus or miraculous wonder, the goal here is to give you a tour of the numerous and various psychological factors at play in getting so many to both download and keep opening the app.

First, and possibly most

easily recognizable, is the power of nostalgia.

Pokémon titles have been around for 20 years; “Pikachu” is a household name.

That the series has rooted itself in our childhood memories is undeniable.

A 2006 study by the University of Southampton showed the counterbalancing effect the warm, positive emotions aroused by nostalgia has on feelings like depression, boredom and anxiety. It’s an easy task to trap players when the virtual reality software at work in Pokémon GO is a literal dream come true for so many of them; the 8-bit sprites many knew as young kids are just as they had imagined them to be in real life.

Of course, nostalgia is still only one factor in the game’s appeal; next up on the list is the reward psychology. You explore, capture and collect Pokémon.

You level up, buy coins, get awarded for persistence with shots of dopamine. There’s always a sense of achievement that keeps players loyal.

The social aspect of PokéThe realization mon GO takes that the Google-spinoff

company, Niantic Inc,

develops “Pokémon GO” caused Nintendo’s surging shares to plummet.

the widest, biggest spotlight.

The game is socially inclusive; it’s easy to dive into, with or without much Pokémon knowledge.

Senri Kuroiwa, a senior at RB High and proud member of Team Valor, joined the game at the first sign of his friends becoming hooked.

“I think that my friends chose Team Instinct and Valor evenly,” said Kuroiwa. “But I picked Valor because I found out from the internet that it was more popular.”

on social media through funny shared memes, relatable tweets, and accounts of individual experiences. It’s thrilling to be a part of something bigger than oneself; here, it’s a massive network of endless connections between strangers and friends, with new connections made every day.

Overall, the game is still just that: a

“Pokémon -- the wondrous creatures that thrive on our planet.” This is the opening of every Pokémon movie to date.

As fans watch one of the newest Pokémon movies, “Hoopa and the Clash of Ages,” they can’t help but wish that the fictional creatures were real. Currently, there are three kinds of media that allow trainers to live inside the world of Pokémon: the Nintendo games, the anime TV series and “Pokémon GO.” Since the

Following its release on July 6, 2016, the “Pokémon GO” app quickly grew into a global phenomenon.

Though it’s since declined This in popularity, the peak “ bandwagon effect”—a phenomenon where individu- g a m e . of about als do something because It’s a welcome disothers are—unsurprising- traction for many 45 million ly played a part in the over- of our lives, and night success of the game, just because it’s Satoshi Tajiri first daily active moment but it can be taken broad- been able to enintroduced fans to these er than that: the game trap more people creatures, Game users world- incredible is fundamentally social. more effectively Freak, Nintendo and anYou have the opportu- than any other networks have all wide made it ime nity to meet and interact hit mobile been competing to bring with new people face-to- game before these creatures to life. face on your search for d o e s n’ t the most popular Tajiri developed pokemon, reminisce with m e a n the first games for others through shared the goal mobile game in Gameboy, and that’s nostalgia, join one of three is any when Generation teams with millions of differI was introduced.

U.S. history. other players, and e n t .

Other generations chatter about the game

(source: Forbes)

A viral future by Kayleigh Sumber

There’s something going on: co-workers, friends, neighbors, and even parents are in on it. It’s Pokémon GO and it took the world by storm after its release in July. Pokémon GO reached the number one spot on the App Store’s chart for free applications only a day after its initial release, and it hit a peak of 21-million daily users in midJuly. However, even considering the app’s explosive popularity, it has begun to lose appeal after such a successful start.

Initially, the app attracted players through its usage of a familiar copyright. The Pokémon series of games has sold over 279-million copies, and it is a recognizable name due to the vari-

ous forms of media the series uses: television, video games, manga and trading cards.

People downloaded the free app and began to catch Pokémon, but unlike other apps, Pokémon GO stuck. SurveyMonkey stated that while most mobile games only had 30 percent of users return, Pokémon GO had an exceptional 70 percent. The app’s popularity caused Nintendo’s stock shares to rise in value by over 120 percent, leading investors to take another look at the company’s potential worth.

With a successful start, one might assume that the app’s

Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, The Pokémon franchise began in 1996 with Pokémon Red and Green on the Nintendo Gameboy. You’d have to be over 20 years old to be an original Pokémon master.

enduring popularity would be certain. Yet, such an assumption would be unfounded.

Slice Intelligence, a company based around analyzing customers’ online purchases, states that the game’s revenue has steadily decreased since its peak on July 15, falling by 79 percent. Many incidents ranging from uplifting, unfortunate, to straight-up bizarre have affected the game’s lifespan in unpredictable ways. Local businesses like the Denver Zoo found Pokémon GO to be a way to attract attention and increase revenue.

According to the Denver Post, on the weekend of July 22 through July 24, the zoo brought in $58,000 of revenue and 5,000 more visitors than the previous year.

By investing in lures, the in-game item that attracts Pokémon to

specific areas, and offering discounts on admission to people playing the app, the zoo managed to profit from people seeking to catch more Pokémon.

The app has also made players more active. In order to hatch eggs, which will give players a randomly selected Pokémon, players must walk a distance of 2 km, 5 km, or 10 km. The game motivates users to exercise with the reward of obtaining rare creatures. On the other hand, the incentive to get out and about has led to some players finding themselves in troublesome situations.

Reuters reported that players frequently posted on social media about receiving minor injuries, and that four teens in Missouri were arrested for using the app to commit an armed robbery.

According to the local police, the robbers were able to use the app to determine which players were in isolated areas to target them.

While playing the game, players run the risk of being ignorant of their surroundings and behaving dangerously, though measures have been taken to prevent serious accidents by not allowing

soon followed.

Today, fans await “Generation VII: Pokemon Sun and Moon,” be-

cause previous versions like “Alpha Sapphire” and “Omega Ruby” have raised high expectations for Nintendo.

Nintendo has enhanced the artwork, storyline and animations to such a degree that players feel like they are actually living in Ash’s world. In the game’s roleplay scenario, the player catches Pokémon, goes on quests, defeats gym leaders, challenges antagonistic groups and saves the world from destruction -- all with the help of Pokémon creatures.

But, unlike the anime, Pokémon video games may fail to capture the emotions involved in battle. Trainers cannot fuse or dodge opponents moves, have strong emotional connections with their Pokémon or encourage their Pokémon. However, the positive storyline teaches perseverance to players and gives them a good idea of what it’s like to be a trainer.

The anime series, on the other hand, captures the purest form of Pokémon -the emotions, the spirit and the bond between people and their personal Pokémon. Following Ash’s journey from Kanto to Kalos, the viewers cheer him on as he befriends both people and Pokémon along the way. In the anime, fans feel both the passion of Pokémon battles and also Ash’s spirit and determination.

Recently, people with more desire for real Pokémon began playing an app

called “Pokémon GO.” This augmented-reality app involves “catching” real Pokémon on a mobile device.

Unfortunately, the graphics lack precision and color -- not to mention spirit.

“I find it pretty boring and prefer the Ni n tendo games because there’s much more to do; you can explore a unique overworld, and also, there’s no data required,” said Alex Lazaroiu, a fan since Generation IV. The point of catching Pokémon is to develop bonds through hardships and battles, not to just throw balls and keep up inventory.

“Pokémon GO” is all about catching and (maybe) battling at gyms that don’t even follow conventional rules.

The purpose of gyms should be to test one’s skills and earn badges to be eligible for the Pokémon league -not to just randomly catch and battle for no reason.

The new app represents an all-time low in the world of Pokémon. The game was not developed by the Pokémon Company or Nintendo; it was created by Niantic Inc., which is an American company and not a Japanese one. Like with most things, the original source generates authenticity. With the app, authenticity is lacking.

To top it all off, the GO app has incited violence, robbery and near deaths.

If fans want to experience real Pokémon, they should watch an anime episode. Or, if fans actually want to train their own, they should visit GameStop and purchase “Pokémon Alpha Sapphire,” thus commencing a journey to the beautiful land of Hoenn.

Pokémon introduced

Many new have been since the 151

originals

of Gen. I peop l e to play if the app detects that they are driving.

After Pokémon GO’s fame and controversy, other publishers seeking to create a viral

, there y a d o T 21 are 7

trend will likely look to it for examples of what works and what to avoid. Though the game’s user base is shrinking, if the issues affecting the app are resolved, it is likely players will return and the game may return to its former popularity. For now, it stands as a reminder that the public is fickle, trends will pass, and that all the publicity in the world isn’t a guaranteed key to success.

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Art by Takashi Joubert