Roots: A Redwood Magazine

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TABLE OF ga 'a

02

Staff

15

Clubs & Lifestyles

04

News

29

Opinion

07

Government & Politics

33

Sports

11

Arts & Entertainment

47

Humans of Redwood

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The district issued Chromebook sits on a table outside of the cafeteria on Redwood's campus.

Covid-19 has made student's high school experience one that occurs inside their own home through the means of online learning.

Technology is more important now than ever before for Redwood Rangers. Photo editor Abigail Miller captures the still image.

Editors: Abigail Miller Brandon Teela Ciera Sesock Lily Stetson Haley Michelson Krissy Hetherington Allyson Zamora Sabrina Hirani Sydney Brammer Madison Fortney Monica Aviles

Writers: Dillon Fritz Aidan Hatch Nick Schonken Danica Ramos Dominick McCormack Isabella Valero Megan Yang Emma Kaspar Katlyn Weddle Mia Angulo Kiley Langford Alexandria Urena

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THE FUTURE OF SEASON 1 SPORTS %\ &LHUD 6HVRFN On December 1, 2020, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) issued an official statement regarding season 1 sports (also known as fall sports).

These images were taken during 2019 fall sports.

Because of recent stay at home orders, CIF called for the cancellation of season 1 sports practices.

Schools have been ordered not to have official practices for the rest of the year. It was stated in the official CIF Statement, that “All full practice and competition start dates are officially on hold until updated guidance is issued.”

CIF also called for the removal of all season 1 sports Regional and State Championship events. This decision was made to protect all the athletes from possible exposure to COVID-19. “By canceling Regional and State Championship events, more studentathletes will have the opportunity to participate in a longer season, rather than a truncated season.”

If you want to read the official CIF statement or any future statements visit cifstate.org.

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The VUSD School Board Election results were released on November 3, 2020. The parents and families have voted these new and concurrent members onto the school board.

Visalia Unified School Government Board Member of Area 5 is Megan Casebeer Soleno. There was a total vote of 8,087 people who voted for Area 5. Out of 8,087 votes, 4,658 people voted for Megan Casebeer Soleno. Soleno’s percentage was 57.60%.

Nielsen E. Foster also ran for Area 5, but he had a total of 3,429 votes.

Foster's percentage was 42.40%.

Visalia Unified School Government Board Member of Area 6 is Christopher Pope. Pope had 2,145 votes, with a percentage of 50.09%.

Lucia D. VĂĄzquez ran against Christopher Pope for Area 6, but had 2,137 votes, with a percentage of 49.

91%. There were 4,282 people who voted in total.

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The candidates for Visalia Unified School Government Board Member of Area 7 were: Jacquie Gaebe, Nora Allstedt, Colijia Feliz, Randy Evans, and James R. Reynolds.

Jacque Gaebe is the new Visalia Unified School Government Board Member of Area 7. Gaebe had a total of 3,608 votes, with a percentage of 39.95%.

Nora Allstedt had 1,991 votes, with a percentage of 22.04%. Colijia Feliz had 1,601 votes, with a percentage of 17.73%. Randy Evans had 1,169 votes, with a percentage of 12.94% and James R. Reynolds had 663 votes, with the percentage of 7.34%. There were a total of 9,032 votes for Area 7.

These board members are looking forward to helping the district in the coming year. They hope to positively serve the students and families of VUSD.

Taken by Abby Miller for the Redwood Gigantea

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The 2020 Election; A History Teachers View

By Abigail Miller No matter your political view, one thing the American people have in common is the fact that this past Presidential Election was one for the books.

Jason Vieira, Redwood High School AP US history teacher says that this election "definitely was different than recent elections". Taking into consideration how different this election was because of Covid-19, Vieira says that there were "two very distinct campaign styles on display".

The way both of the candidates "viewed the Covid outbreak was evident if the public just paid attention to how they campaigned. President Trump getting Covid and being hospitalized was a pretty wild moment in political history" says Vieira, "I don't know if we have ever had a Presidential candidate hospitalized so close to Election Day".

In his own view "our political ideologies are becoming more extreme because of the way in which we receive information." He says "It seems political ideologies have their own news and social media echo chambers that just reaffirm their belief systems".

In the middle of the 20th century, Americans "relied on 2-3 major network news sources and the paper of record, so the news and information the public was getting was thoroughly vetted".

However today, people are able to "seek out news that they want to believe. It's an assault on truth and I think it's going to get worse in the coming years" says Vieira.

As far as finances go, Vieira says "money has always played a role in politics. The Supreme Court has decided that money is speech and whether or not I agree with that ruling, it is the law. With that precedent being set I can see money and, the wealthy in particular, playing a significant role in federal and state politics moving forward. But that's nothing new in American history."

"2020 is a tough time to compare to any historical era because as a nation we're all over the place socially, politically and economically" he says. "It's very easy as an American to worry about our nation or think the worst is yet to come with everything we've seen in our society over the past several months. With that being said I'm still hopeful in our country's future and in the ability of the American people to overcome our differences."

As far as the election turnout "2020 was historic and that's an objectively good thing. Young people turned out to vote in record numbers, that's also great news. I've always felt the more people engaged in the democratic process the better it is for democracy and democratic institutions, and Election Day was a good day for democracy", he says.

Vieira says that it's hard to tell if there will be any major historical moments to take away from this election. He explains "It's difficult to say right now because it's all so recent but I think one takeaway from this time period is going to be the cult of personality that surrounds the President".

Vieira says that he has never recalled seeing such a large following of a political figure before.

"Perhaps it's just bizarre to me personally because I have never really revered modern political figures". His personal philosophy is that "in a republican democracy they work for me, not the other way around. And if I disagree with an elected official, even one I voted for, I'm completely comfortable being critical of them".

However, he says, "that doesn't seem to be the case with our current President and his followers will reject the best science, medicine and apparently now math if the President tells them to. It's a troubling trend and I think historians will be writing about it for decades.

Stephen Tootle, COS history professor says that the the far left and right did not have a insignificant impact on the election. "We have always had anti-American radicalism in our politics. What we call “the right” in this election was simply populism, a force that is always present in our politics. What we call “the left” is the same. The Left and the Right both want to destroy our political system because our system does not give them what they want", he says.

"There are always people around who think that our system was designed to give “the people” what they want. Then they define themselves as “the people.”

But luckily our system was designed to prevent “the people” from getting what they want. Because the political goals of both the “Right” and the “Left” boil down to nothing more than taking rights away from people who aren’t like themselves and bestowing money, power, and privileges on themselves. " Tootle says "Our representative institutions worked during this election. I think we got a good demonstration of why it is good that counties and states run our elections instead of concentrating power over elections in the federal government."

In contrast to what Vieira said about money interfering with todays politics, Tootle believes "money has never been less important"and "it certainly did not translate into votes in any discernible pattern".

In his own views, the major takeaways from this election depend "on what kind of pressure the American people put on our elected officials and if elected officials choose to exercise patriotic leadership". Tootle says "If the American people demand a restoration of political norms and reaffirm our commitment to our constitutional order our politicians will follow suit. Politicians can also show leadership by choosing to reject the Right and the Left and any anti-American, anti-pluralistic political ideas.

"In the end "the future is unwritten" he says, and "How we act now is what will justify the sacrifices made for us by the people who came before us".

Covid-19 Affects Redwood Club Budgets

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Visalia Unified School District allowed Visalia Unified elementary schools pre-K through 2nd grade back to school on December 7. December 14 they are beginning to allow 3rd through 6th grade back to school. Students and families who choose to are also able to stay in full distance learning. Students in 7-12th grade will have the option to return to in-person learning when Tulare county is in the red tier for 14 consecutive days.

California has the more Covid cases than any other state with 1,366,435 active cases. Because of the surge of Covid cases in California there was an emergency alert on December 8th at 12:00pm to people who live in the 11-county Southern California region and 12county San Joaquin Valley region. The alert came after the capacity of hospitals intensive care units dropped below 15%. The restrictions should last at least for three weeks if ICU capacity projections for the following month are above or equal to 15%.

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Schools in the past few weeks have been able to do athletic conditioning with safety procedures. The California interscholastic federation (CIF) doesn't expect the California Department of Public Health will allow school sports to return to full practice and competitions possibly until after January 1st 2021. For now they are allowed to continue with athletic conditioning with safety procedures.

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

no. 1 December 11, 2020

If you are one of many who haven’t figured out your post high school education or career plans, don’t worry. You don’t have to have it all figured out to be successful after high school.

Former Redwood graduate, Jessica Robles (2001) never really considered herself an artist nor did she see a career in art while in high school. While she has always had a fondness for drawing ever since she was little, she had never taken art classes until she went to Redwood.

Initially after graduation, Robles thought she would be a graphic designer. It wasn’t until she met Richard Peterson, an art instructor at COS, that she found not only her potential as an artist, but her "people" as well.

After attending COS, Robles obtained her BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) degree at the Kansas City Art Institute located in Kansas City, Missouri and her MFA (Master of Fine Arts) degree at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb, Illinois. Both of these degrees are in printmaking. “In grad school (NIU) they force you to teach. They give you a class to teach and I ended up liking it a lot.”

Fast forward to today and she has been teaching at COS for 7 years and Fresno State University for the past 5 years.

By: Mia Angulo

Robles is really passionate about Printmaking. “ I enjoy how challenging and hands on it is. You can never fully learn everything there is to know about it because there are multiple ways to produce prints and it is always evolving,” she states. She has taught many different types of printmaking such as advanced lithography, advanced intaglio, beginning and advanced screen printing.

This semester she is teaching Advanced Drawing at COS and Introduction to Printmaking and Introduction to Color Theory at Fresno State. Outside of teaching Jessica has participated in various print workshops and has presented her work at gallery shows. Locally she has had her own show at Arts Visalia and has participated in Taste the Arts and the South Valley Artist Tour.

Being a teacher isn’t her final destination. “My hopes and dreams are to open my own studio or start an artist residency. The residency requires a building or a house where artists from all over the world come and stay with you. It’s kind of like a vacation where you only make art. I would also like to teach workshops. It’s like teaching, but you have more control”, states Robles.

Robles’ talent and passion for art is obvious in her work. The story of how she got there is equally just as important. It’s helpful to know that you don’t have to have it all figured out. Along your journey you may just be one moment or one person away from being pointed down a path that you never even considered.

If you would like to see more of Jessica's work you can follow her art page on Instagram @jessicaroblesart or visit her website at www.jessicarobles.com.

0HQWDO 0XVLF is an older podcast from 2017-2018.

It was founded by Jordan O’dell-Fontana in 2017. The entire team behind this podcast were teenagers. The goal behind this podcast was to normalize talking about mental illness.

The hosts take turns playing calming music and explaining certain mental illnesses and related issues such as social media and school. This podcast is very chill and laid back.

6KH 3HUVLVWHG was founded by 17-year-old Sadie Sutton in 2019. Sutton was inspired to start her own podcast to share her story. She went through a year and a half of treatment for severe depression and anxiety. This podcast was made to help others and to break down the stigma surrounding teen mental health.

"She Persisted" episodes include interviews between Sutton and subject matter experts, other teenagers, and social media personalities. Episodes also offer tips, stories, and dialectical behavior therapy education for people struggling or interested in teen mental health.

Episodes are posted weekly and can be listened to on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. There are over 45 episodes available.

7HHQ :HDOWK is hosted by Brandi England and CoHost Kevin Freisen. Since 2016, episodes are posted every Monday. They share their own stories as well as have guests that share life experience and tips.

Every week they have a new focus and confront different things that teens deal with in their lives.

Different themes include mental health, physical health, self esteem, and bullying. England and Freisen also choose a book and movie of the week, and have a section in the show to share young people doing positive things in the world.

Arts & Entertainment By: Jalen Bullock After an amazing ten years of gaming from companies such as Microsoft, Sony, and even Nintendo we are at the period where we can look forward to new gaming consoles to hit shelves. Let’s talk about why you should buy the PlayStation® 5 or the Xbox® Series X.XBOX Series X vs. PS5 PriceWe will begin this breakdown by comparing the prices.

You can pick up a new Series X at retail starting with a price of $499 which includes 1TB of internal storage.

As Microsoft® have done in the past, they are also releasing a smaller model the Xbox® Series S that will be at the price of $299 which includes 512GB of internal storage.Of Course included with the Xbox® itself is an Xbox® controller, HDMI capable, and all the needed cables. One bonus of deciding to purchase an Xbox® Series console is if you had an Xbox® One controller they are compatible with the new generation console.Double A batteries are sold separately.Sony® stayed similar to the pricetag Microsoft® set by matching the $499 for the PS5 but going up to $++399 for their cheaper model the PS5 Digital Edition. Yes it is true that the cheaper model is $100 dollars more than Microsoft’s cheaper model, but you are getting the same performance from the PS5 Digital Edition as to the disk version. Off this fact alone PS5 takes the win in this round.A huge downside with this could be that the PS5 only comes with one controller and because of the improved design you must buy additional controllers for $69.99

How The HEAL Projects Helps Empower Students and Their Community?

By: Allissa Lozano

The HEAL Project is a Non Profit organization that is run by students to help empower students. HEAL stands for, “Healing Equity Advocacy & Leadership”. This project is creating a safe environment for students to learn about empowerment and how to take action in their community. HEAL also aims to provide “Healthy behaviors and environments as a substance use prevention strategy for Latinx & Black Youth”, as stated on their website. The HEAL project is made possible through contributions from many sponsors including the California Health Collaborative. On their website, the HEAL project says, “This project is funded by Elevate Youth California. Elevate Youth California is funded by the State of California’s Department of Health Care Services through the Proposition 64 Youth Education, Prevention, Early Intervention and Treatment Account and is administered by The Center at Sierra Health Foundation.” Through Proposition 64 almost $22.893 million is provided in “Funding and technical assistance for organizations that are developing or increasing community substance use disorder prevention, outreach and education focused on youth.”

HEAL is one of these organizations. At the moment HEAL has 4 main objectives, Healing Circles, Youth Coolations, Art Engagements and Youth AdvocacyHealing Circles are just one part of how HEAL tries to include VUSD High School and Middle School students. In these healing circles HEAL wants to provide “A place to be seen and heard” while also “unpacking hurt and trauma (personal, historical, systemic) [and] Increase prosocial support and behaviors.” Lindamarie Herrera 24' takes part in the Healing Circles, saying, “We talk about great topics.

When we end the meeting I feel a weight lifted off my shoulders and I feel much happier.” The Healing Circles are a great way for everyone to express themselves and feel more positive. Youth Coolations are open to all VUSD high school students, with this HEAL aims to “Engage youth in peer to peer education to advance policy, systems, & environmental change on campus and community.” In these Youth Coolations groups HEAL aims to make some impactful changes. Through the PSE initiatives they hope to achieve two things so far “Alternatives to suspensions for substance use related suspensions [and] Tobacco Retailer Density in low income communities of color and proximity to schools.”HEAL also offers Art Engagements for VUSD high school and middle school students, where they hope to engage with artists and spread advocacy through Murals, Videos, Poetry and many other arts.Jung Lee 21’ is a talented artist who is also a big part of HEAL. When talking about her art and HEAL she describes how “It was awesome to share my art. Like now more people view me as an artist.”

Youth Advocate is a student led group. In this event HEAL hopes to provide “Youth Empowerment and Leadership Summit to engage youth in advocacy, leadership, and substance use prevention and education.”Jasmine Luna 22’ is the HEAL project’s Instagram researcher influencer. She specializes in researching educational topics and creating posts that are able to start a conversation with the viewers. Luna is also a part of the Youth Coalition, she explains that the Coalition “Consists in brainstorming and going into depth about some policies and ideas that could improve our communities as well as our educational systems and practices.”Luna’s big inspiration for joining this project and spreading advocacy, saying “WE are the ones who go to school for our educations, so why not fix a few of the bugs and gain full enrichment through helpful programs and ideas that will introduce equity and a healthy, safe environment for our schools in VUSD to thrive in.”Another thing Luna is passionate about is mental health, “Mental health is something I am passionate about, hopefully as this group expands, we may start growing the group and adding in more students to separate zooms in order to continue the healing processes and to continue to spread the message that YOU are worthy even in a time so difficult.”HEAL is a wonderful organization for students who are looking to be a part of their community.

Links: https://linktr.ee/healproject Instagram: Heal.Project

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With so many people cooped up in their houses due to COVID-19, it is important to remember that fun, safe outdoor activities still exist. *R RQ D +LNH Hikes provide a great opportunity to not only get outside, but enjoy the beauty that some California trails can provide.

Marble Falls Trail is a hiking trail in the Sequoia National Park with breathtaking views and refreshing sights that’ll make your day. Although you do have to pay an entrance fee to get into the park, many trails scattered throughout provide you with an unreal outdoor experience. Marble Falls Trail “begins from Potwisha Campground in the foothills region of Sequoia National Park. The 8-mile round trip trail is the perfect spot for a ... hike”, according to hikespeak.com.

It’s approximate completion time is 4 hours and 30 minutes, and the trail has an elevation change of 2,150 feet.

5 Outdoor Activities that are COVID-19 Safe 6WDUW D *DUGHQ A garden can provide an excellent outdoor experience for anyone. Not only does it give you continuous activity, a garden allows you to grow your own fruits and vegetables that can be used to eat or cook with.

No matter what time of the year it is, there are always plants to grow.

Carrots, Celery, Spinach, and Peas all make great vegetables to grow during the Winter. On the other hand, Cucumber, Peppers, Tomatoes, and Beans make for great summer grown vegetables. Strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries are some fruit that are also more suited for the summer. +DYH D 3LFQLF A Picnic is a great way to spend quality time with the people you care about all while outdoors. You can enjoy the sun and have some delicious food all at the same time.

Stonebrook Park is a great park to have a picnic at.

Located at 1382 W Hemlock Ave in Visalia CA, Stonebrook Park is a quiet neighborhood park that has plenty of space for you to socially distance yourself from others.

GSA Club Due to social distancing, and adjusting to online learning, there have not been many active clubs.

However, the GSA (gay - straight alliance) club made sure to keep their regular meetings, and encouraged others to join. The GSA has gotten more members, and has grown to have about 18 members (including officers).

President of the GSA Club, Alyssa Abasto, 21’, says the goal of GSA is to “provide a safe space (especially since we live in a very conservative county).” Before the lockdown, the plan was to“shift to an afterschool program so kids could stay afterward if they felt uncomfortable at home”Abasto also plans on having some guest speakers, and doing some social activism in Visalia, “but for the time being, it (GSA) acts as a safe place for people to be themselves, and not be scared to ask questions.”

In GSA, the members spend time discussing personal stories, issues, and achievements. “We provide a connection to the Source Visalia for information regarding sex ed. and transitioning safely” explained Abasto. She also believes with online learning, the meetings are now much “easier” since “there's more time compared to the 35 min lunch we typically would work with.”

GSA is a safe place that “does not require any labels or confessions.” Abasto encourages those who “want to learn or feel safe to come and talk” during meetings.

“Membership is anonymous if you want, nobody but the club needs to know that you're there.” Abasto hopes to inform and educate Redwood about the LGBTQ+community, and to keep the club safe, since it is the “most important” part.

Vice - President, Graciela Isabel Cruz Mendoza, 21’, is bisexual (she/her). She explains how GSA is welcoming, and “allows everyone to be who they want. It allows the members to meet new people who will understand them, and who they can go to for quite literally anything.”

Mendoza hopes more people get involved “even if they’re just an ally. We always include everyone in our conversations and it’s always such a fun time to hang out, talk, and plan some activities.”

Club member, Brianna Martinez, 21’, is also a cisgender bisexual (she/her) and is in her first year of GSA. “We plan to bring awareness to different sexual orientations and gender identities, and help people in the LGBTQ+ community feel comfortable in who they are.” She joined GSA to “be more of an activist for the LGBTQ+ community, and this club seems like a great place to start.”

To those who feel anxious about joining, “You have nothing to be nervous about, everyone in the club is super nice, and welcoming...the club has been more open and safe over the years.”

You can reach out to Redwood's GSA Club online: Instagram redwoodhighgsa

BY: MADISON FORTNEY Hidden inside of two alley walls on Main Street lies the flourishing, beautiful, shop, Casa Plants and Succulents. Casa Plants and Succulents is a local plant and succulent shop that houses 100’s of different types of plants.Their extremely wide variety of plants allows every customer to find exactly what they're looking for.Cristina Casas, owner of the shop, was born and raised in Sonora, Mexico. She recently moved to Visalia, California 3 years ago. Her love for plants started from an early age. Casas says, “My grandma grew her own garden, she inspired my love for all living plants.” While living in Mexico, Casas often helped in her grandmother’s garden. This is where she learned how to care for all types of plants. When moving to California, Casas struggled to find employment. This then sparked her great idea to start selling plants from her very own home. Casas business took off extremely fast, eventually she had to relocate to a more spacious shop. Casas says, “I was lucky enough to find the perfect spot for my shop on Main Street.” Casas does a lot of online marketing on Instagram and Facebook in order to grow her platform and reach a wide variety of customers. She often sources her plants from many different nurseries around California. Casas Plants and Succulents was named after the owner herself, Cristina Casas. Her shop has now been open for 2 years. Owning a plant shop can come with many obstacles like local competition but this doesn't bother Cristana Casas one bit. She is thrilled to have this amazing job where she gets to be around the things she loves most, plants. Casas Plants and Succulents is known for their beautiful arrangements and great customer service. Casas says, “My favorite part of my job is getting creative with my arrangements.” The shop makes arrangements for many types of special events, weddings, birthdays, and even baby showers. Her advice to new plant owners is, “Everyone can be great plant parents, all you have to do is follow instructions and have fun.”

She advises new plant owners to start with easier plants such as, “cactus or succulents.” Once you learn how to care for easier plants, you can move on to more advanced plants like house plants. Casas Plants and Succulents is located on 520 E Main St, Visalia, CA. The shop is open Monday-Sunday from 10am-5pm.

TUNE IN WITH NATURE Nature is the result of millions of years of evolution, producing organisms, and ecosystems. It's mesmerizing, and infinite. It's not only beautiful, but it's a muse for writers, artists, photographers, etc.

Nature impacts our well - being in numerous of positive ways, both physically and psychologically. There are hundreds of studies from scientists, schools, and hospitals that come to the conclusion that being in nature, or even simply looking, can decrease anger, fear, stress, and anxiety. It also reduces blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle tension.

Being in nature can help “clear your mind” and “restart” it with new, fresh ideas. Our exposure to nature allows our brains to relieve themselves from any negative emotion, and replaces it with calmness and relief. It restores our sense of being “present in the moment.”

Sometimes, we're too busy or stressed about what's going on in our own lives that we lose touch with nature. Sometimes we distance ourselves from nature in this modern world, like we’re on the sidelines looking in.

Over time, people have grown more and more disconnected to nature. Many have a viewpoint that humans are simply “better” than nature, and have created it (nature) into an object when it is much more than that. We spend more hours glued onto our television screens, phones, and even more due to distance learning.

It can be difficult to create connections between humans and nature, it’s easier to separate ourselves from nature, but nature needs us more than ever. Today we face more pollution, increasing heat, and animal extinction. There are many who are disconnected from nature, that they believe society is not at fault for all the underlying consequences.

We are a part of something so much bigger than we realize it.

We do not own the Earth, we’re an integral part of it. “World does not belong to man, man belongs to the world.

The following are some simple ways to connect with nature:

SIMPLE WAYS TO CONNECT WITH NATURE 7DNH D 1DWXUH :DON Even if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just a block!

Enjoy the wandering, and vividly look at every tree, flower, stone, etc. )HHO WKH (DUWK EHQHDWK \RXU IHHW We are often separated from nature with the shoes on our feet, take a moment and enjoy the soft grass on the soles of your feet.

*URZ D SODQW Nurturing a plant, and watching it grow is always satisfying and healing. You can learn a lot from gardening. Keep a nature journal: -RXUQDO Document all that you find interesting about nature, even collect leaves to put into it. %ULQJ WKH RXWGRRUV LQVLGH Have some plants around your home, it improves/balances your mood.

+XJ D 7UHH Sounds silly, but it actually increases levels of hormone oxytocin, which helps you to feel calmer. The hormones serotonin and dopamine make you feel happier. ([HUFLVH RXWVLGH Listen to the sound of birds, take in all the greenery that surrounds you. :DWFK WKH VXQVHW VXQULVH Take in the moment, admire the radiant colors, or even bring someone along to enjoy the view with you.

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By Haley Michelson

This pandemic has created a huge impact on everyday life. As people are having to now stay home due to the rise in cases lately, it is likely holiday plans will be left canceled.

With new stay at home mandates, there is an unlikely chance big family gatherings will happen during the winter holidays.

It is a rough time in which seeing family is an important factor right now.

At the moment, there is no way that having family gatherings will be safe for everyone's health.

Further leading into the holidays, with stores limiting capcity and the negative affects of online shopping, this is even more of a challenge.

Online shopping is a big factor in the coming holidays as it is one of the easiest options. Dates for deleveries are easily pushed further into January with high requests for merchandise.

This year will not be normal in many aspects.

With the holidays coming, families might not get to see each other and the demand in online retail makes COVID more and more disliked as it goes on Raining on our 'sunny days' everyday..

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BY HALEY MICHELSON

This specific time as we are all at home has no doubt gotten the best of many.

Most struggles due to boredom with nothing to do with your time or finding that not socializing on such long scales of time has many having the feeling of the exact opposite of being home sick.

Within the past nine months of being home due to the pandemic and our â&#x20AC;&#x153;quarantine,â&#x20AC;? time has felt infinite as this is something that has never been experienced before.

Challenges are common, but something many struggle with during this time.

Ashley Zambada, a sophomore at Redwood highschool and Autumn Marx, also a sophomore that attends Redwood have mixed feelings about the time spent being home for months on end as it is likely many have faced the common struggle of our feelings have changed on being home most of the time.

Zambada, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;23, says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;...at the beginning of quarantine I was actually excited because we got a break from school and all I did was workout and play video games with my friends.â&#x20AC;? As being on a sort of different schedule, the first few months of being home did not feel real at all.

As Marx, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;23, says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The very beginning was weird and it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even start to feel real until a couple months in.â&#x20AC;?

The beginning of this fiasco seemed to be the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;calmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of the overall situation as this progressed, things started to feel completely different.

Finding ways to cope with boredom as well as the new freetime was amazing and people picked up many new hobbies along the way.

Zambada says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I began to learn how to cook other things and I would watch streams on youtube most of the day.â&#x20AC;?

With some taking the advantage of their time being home, Marx â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;23 says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I like staying home but only when I want to. When someone else is telling you, it is completely different. I just watched a lot of Netflix.â&#x20AC;?

Currently, being home at the moment is affecting everyone all over again.

Marx, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;23, says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only gotten more annoying being home, restrictions were just starting to lift and now theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re being put back into place.â&#x20AC;?

She then goes on to say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;School takes up most of my free time now and when Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not doing that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m hanging out with my friends.â&#x20AC;?At this point, Zambada was feelings completely different about our â&#x20AC;&#x153;quarantineâ&#x20AC;? then the very beginning, which many people have the same views and opinions as her, she says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now I feel isolated and desperate to go outside...I am extremely stressed with school all the time and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m more public sick.â&#x20AC;?

Without going in public, only for the essentials, it is hard to be open to socializing and feeling comfortable in public, as school is many peoplesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; main priority right now, being home and learning is extremely stressful and challenging.

This time is throughouly isolating.

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,/ & P R E H E A T O V E N T O 3 5 0 D E G R E E S I N A B O W L , M I X T O G E T H E R T H E C A K E M I X , E G G S , W A T E R A N D O I L , T H E N T R A N S F E R T O A 8 X 8 B A K I N G D I S H . B A K E F O R 3 4 - 3 6 M I N U T E S O R U N T I L L I G H T L Y B R O W N E D . W H E N D O N E , C O O L D O W N T H E C A K E O N A C O O L I N G R A C K F O R A B O U T 1 0 M I N U T E S , O R U N T I L I T â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S C O M P L E T E L Y C O O L . C U T O F F T H E S U R R O U N D I N G S O F T H E C A K E S O Y O U A R E L E F T W I T H J U S T T H E F L U F F Y I N S I D E . C R U M B L E I T V E R Y F I N E L Y A N D A D D O N E S P O O N F U L O F F R O S T I N G A N D M I X T O G E T H E R , T H E N R O L L I N T O T I N Y B A L L S . M E L T W H I T E C H O C O L A T E W A F E R S W I T H 1 T S P O F S H O R T E N I N G ( M A K E S T H E C H O C O L A T E E A S I E R T O D I P C A K E I N T O ) D I P T H E C A K E B A L L S I N T O T H E C H O C O L A T E , T H E N S E T I N T O M I N I C U P C A K E L I N E R S . M I X T H E R E M A I N I N G W H I T E C H O C O L A T E W I T H G R E E N F O O D C O L O R I N G A N D D R I Z Z L E I T O N T O P . A D D S P R I N K L E S T O T H E T O P , T H E N E N J O Y !

Ĺ­#( '')( Ĺś/( Ĺś#. P R E H E A T O V E N T O 3 5 0 D E G R E E S I N A B O W L A D D 2 T A B L E S P O O N S O F M E L T E D B U T T E R I N A N O T H E R B O W L A D D 3 T A B L E S P O O N S O F S U G A R , Â T S P O F P U M P K I N S P I C E A N D Â T S P O F C I N N A M O N G R A B P I L L S B U R Y O R I G I N A L D O U G H B I S C U I T S A N D C U T 2 B I S C U I T S I N T O 6 P I E C E S E A C H R O L L T H E P R E V I O U S L Y C U T U P P I E C E S I N T O B A L L S D I P B A L L S I N T O B U T T E R , T H E N I N T O T H E C I N N A M O N S U G A R , P U M P K I N S P I C E M I X I N A N O V E N F R I E N D L Y B O W L , P L A C E C I N N A M O N C O A T E D B A L L S I N T H E B O W L .

M I X Y O U R L E F T O V E R B U T T E R A N D C I N N A M O N P U M P K I N S P I C E M I X T O G E T H E R P O U R T H E M I X T U R E O N T O P O F B A L L S P U T T H E M I N T H E O V E N F O R A B O U T 1 6 - 2 0 M I N U T E S F R O S T I N G : G R A B A B O W L A N D M I X T O G E T H E R 3 T B S P O F P O W D E R E D S U G A R , 3 T B S P O F M I L K A N D A S M A L L S P L A S H O F M I L K M I X U N T I L Y O U G E T A F R O S T I N G L I K E C O N S I S T E N C Y - T A K E B I T E S O U T O F T H E O V E N , A D D T H E F R O S T I N G A N D T H E Y â&#x20AC;&#x2122; R E A L L G O O D T O E A T !

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Y O U S T A R T T O D E C O R A T E B E F O R E O R A F T E R T H A N K S G I V I N G ? "

Emma Sanchez '23

" B E F O R E T H A N K S G I V I N G B E C A U S E W I N T E R I S M Y F A V O R I T E S E A S O N A N D I L I K E T O G E T I N T O T H E H O L I D A Y S E A S O N A S S O O N A S P O S S I B L E "

Amanda Dominguez '21

" A F T E R T H A N K S G I V I N G B E C A U S E I T ' S F U N T O H A V E P H O T O B A C K G R O U N D S M A T C H T H E H O L I D A Y S ! "

23,1,21

Yes, astrology is something that not everybody takes seriously but there are many aspects of it that shed light onto our individuality. Should it be something to take seriously?

Who knew that traits that we did not know about ourselves could be found with just our birthday and birth time, that is pretty amazing. Whether or not you agree, astrology is based on the positions of the stars and any simple movement can impact one’s zodiac sign and birth chart majorly causing a person to be born with many unique traits.

Believing is one thing, but experiencing the truth behind your zodiac sign proves the realness behind it.

For example, if someone is born under the Taurus zodiac sign then there are certain traits that they may experience. Taurus are known to be very stubborn and responsible beings. Some may say that zodiac signs should not be taken seriously, but this is not right because if that Taurus does not experience traits such as stubbornness, it is not because astrology is fake, but it is because there are different signs in their birth chart that cause differences making this person very unique.

When we look at someone’s zodiac sign, we are only focusing on their sun sign, but this person has a whole chart of other signs that determine other aspects of themselves, such as the Taurus example. The sun sign is Taurus but the moon sign may be a libra and the rising sign may be in Scorpio, and all of those signs change the way this person feels to the way they think.

People may be quick to judge astrology but it is because they most likely do not understand it.

=RGLDF 6LJQV 6HULRXV RU 1RW" t’s not hard to determine your birth chart, so if you do feel uncertain about what is true and what is not all you need to do is google your birthday, and there are many websites to determine your birth chart for further information about all of your characteristics.

Knowing your birth time and exact birthdate is very helpful for a more insightful look at astrology. But, being honest how hard is it to believe that zodiac signs are real? Considering all of us are born at different times and different days while the stars are in different locations, it does make sense that we all have unique things about ourselves.

On the other hand, zodiac signs should not be taken seriously. Although some of these traits are accurate to me and how I really am as a person, I do not believe that these should be taken seriously for it is not always accurate for everyone else.

These are fun to look at and compare but, I would not base my whole personality off of this one sign. Just like how my boyfriend is a Sagittarius and our signs aren’t compatible, but although we aren’t compatible with our zodiac signs, that doesn’t mean I’m going to break up because of that. These Signs and the websites are a fun way to look at peoples differences through constellations but not to fully base your relationship or personality off of what these signs are.

Wearing a mask has become the new normal. As cases go up again across the nation we often see people who don’t wear masks. If there are no conditions that exempt you from wearing a mask, then you should wear a mask for your safety and others safety. People may have the virus and not even know. This is called being “asymptomatic”. This mainly occurs for people who don’t have underlying health conditions and who may be on the younger side. This is one of the reasons why wearing a mask is crucial to the health and safety of others around you.

According to the CDC, there should only be three types of people who can be exempt from wearing a face mask. These people include “children who are younger than three years old, anyone who has trouble breathing, and anyone who is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the cloth face-covering without assistance”. We have to ask ourselves: does having a certain medical condition allow me not to wear a mask? The CDC says “more than 25 million Americans have asthma or about 1 in 13 people”. Still, doctors advise that most people who have asthma can safely wear masks. How about people who suffer from chronic pulmonary diseases, such as bronchitis and emphysema? Well, medical professional Dr. Mical Raz says “people with these conditions may have even more reason to mask up”.

As we can see from medical professionals from the CDC they highly recommend people to mask up as cases across the nation continue to rise. As a nation, we should see everyone participating in wearing a mask. Some individuals, particularly children, with sensory processing disorders can be one of the groups that can be exempt from wearing masks. I think we are at the point in this Pandemic where if you can safely wear a mask then you should most definitely mask up.

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ā ā ā Ă Due to the Coronavirus, our students have not been able to go to school for at least 8 months. With students being at home, they have more time to do many activities they basically never did during a regular day. We decided to get some perspective from students on how they feel and what they have been doing to keep themselves busy during this time of year.

Joseph Ross, ‘23 says how he “dislikes being in quarantine” and hopes that we can go back to school as soon as possible. Ross misses his everyday social interactions with his friends. “It gives me something to look forward to even on a bad day.”

During this time of year, Ross keeps himself busy by, “working on cars and doing projects around the house to stay Kadence Hutchings, ‘22 says how productive.” Ross hopes to go she misses being on the Redwood back to school to be with his campus. Hutchings says, “I miss friends and continue to do fun having dress up days with my friends activities with them. and going off campus for lunch.”

Hutchings also emphasizes how she Bella Aldridge, ‘23 says how she misses her senior friends from last was happy in the first place but, year and did not get to say goodbye “time seemed to freeze” and she to them. Due to the school being wishes that, “we could all return shut down for a very long time, to Redwood.” Aldridge Hutchings has been doing many emphasizes how she is going to, different activities outside of school. “miss going to the cowhide “Some activities I’ve been doing are games and seeing my friends.” spending time with my animals, With the school being closed, drawing and sketching a lot more, Aldridge has been doing many and spending time with close family activities outside of school. “I friends.” have been going on bike rides, working out, and doing some Laiba Hassan, ‘23 says how she online shopping.” Aldridge hopes misses being able to be face to face. to be very optimistic during this “I miss attending clubs and sports in time and hopes to know where person!” Hassan gives emphasis on the future might take here. how she misses, “the football games and all the fun activities in school.”

With school being closed, Hassan has been doing many different activities during this time of year.

“Outside of school I have been working out everyday and watching Netflix.” She also started doing boxing and really enjoys it. Hassan hopes that the coronavirus goes away and everything will go back to normal.

632576

Smithson, '21, on the left, with her teammate and best friend, Sierra, on the right after a first place tournament finish.

Even without a junior season, Redwood Softball's very own Sydnee Weber, '21, and Hailey Smithson, '21, were able to earn scholarships to further their academic and athletic careers based purely on talent and heart.

This past week, the girls were 2 of the 4 total athletes able to sign their National Letters of Intent securing a spot on their collegiate teams.

Unfortunately due to COVID-19, they had to sign from home instead of the traditional ceremony that takes place in the quad every fall and winter during school.

Athletic Director, Michael Wright, said "Hopefully, at some point this school year we will be able to celebrate properly. I know it is a special moment and they deserve the proper recognition and celebration so I am anxious to give that to them."

His encouragement to the athletes signing is to enjoy the time they have in high school and to realize there is always time to get better.

In November 2019, Hailey Smithson, '21, made the decision to commit to McPherson College located in McPherson, Kansas.

She decided on McPherson because of it's small town environment and somewhere she would love to spend her next 4 years.

"As well as being studs on the field the girls on the team are very kind. I was lucky enough to get to stay in the dorms with some of my future teammates and I enjoyed every second of it. I am very excited to experience the different atmosphere that this school and town will bring."

Smithson was able to visit the college last fall and said she immediately felt welcomed.

"Everyone staff and students included were so kind and made me feel like home. Coach Segovia, the head softball coach, truly cares for his athletes which shocked me because you see most college coaches wanting to focus on winning and they do not seem to care about their athletes' education as much as their athletic ability. Coach Segovia makes sure that his athletes are attending their classes on a regular basis and keeping their grades up. Everything about the school made me feel like they truly want their students to succeed."

She intends to major in sociology with an emphasis in criminal justice and a minor in psychology.

Smithson had the opportunity to sign to play alongside her best friend of 10 years, Sierra, from her travel team.

"She has always been by my side and pushed me to be a better player. We worked all this time together to be the best we could be and now we are finally able to go play the next four years together. Our entire softball careers have been working towards this moment," says Smithson.

Smithson's biggest influence has been her father, "My dad has always pushed me to be the best on and off the field. He may be hard on me sometimes but in the end it has made me into a better person, without him pushing me there is no way I would have become the player and person I am today."

After being a part of the Varsity Softball team since her sophomore season, she is very grateful for her time on the Redwood Softball team as it taught her many lessons in adjustment and adaptation.

Head Coach of the Softball team, Bob Rooney, said, "Hailey is a versatile player who can play almost anywhere defensively. Offensively she hits from the left side. She can spray the ball around as well as bunt. She has grown and matured both as a player and a person over the past 3+ years. I'm excited to see where she is with her game this, her senior year. She has really developed into a solid defensive player in both the infield and outfield."

He has enjoyed watching her grow in her maturity and confidence both offensively and defensively which have made her a great leader both on and off the field.

His final words to Smithson are, "Keep doing what you're doing. You have a great support system and a strong foundation!"

She has also been a part of softball team which has played a big part in her recruitment.

"While playing in a showcase the summer before my junior year I was approached by McPhersonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s west coast recruiter after a game and from there it all took off. He loved the way I played and relayed my information to the head coach. If it was not for the experience of playing travel ball for so many years with girls I call my sisters I would not have made it to where I am today," she says.

After visiting and verbally committing to Missouri Valley College this fall, Sydnee Weber, '21, was able to officially sign her National Letter of Intent on November 4th.

What drew Weber to Missouri Valley is the fact that out of the 1400 students there, about 1100 are student-athletes so everyone understands each other including the professors. She was also very drawn to the coaches from the very beginning.

Right now, she is still deciding between aeronautical engineering and business and marketing for her major.

Weber says, "The softball program stood out to me because the coaches are truly invested in their players and care about them as people and not just as things to help them win. All of the girls got along and molded so well together ...plus a couple girls Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve played travel ball with are going there so thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nice to see a familiar face."

She also mentions that she enjoys the pace and people in Midwest since she's visited there so many times.

"Every time I go I find another reason that I love it, I love the idea of it being far away from Visalia because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve lived here my whole life and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love to experience something new and this is the perfect opportunity. I have family friends out there about an hour away so I still have a support system," she adds.

Weber is appreciative of her travel softball team because of the people she was able to meet and it's speed of the game which is similar to college.

"She's been a part of the Redwood Varsity Softball all four years of high school and was also a part of the 2018 DII Valley Championship team as a freshman.

Playing in high school has helped me prepare for college because we practice every day as we will in college and has helped with time management by having to make time for school, working out, and practice," she says.

Coach Rooney adds, "She is definitely a "high energy" player. Sydnee is vocal on the field and in the dugout and we always need players like that.

She leads by example. She has great speed and always plays the game at full speed that's what makes her stand out."

Rooney is very thankful for the opportunity to watch Weber grow and mature both as a player and person and is excited to watch her lead the team as a senior this year.

Weber is grateful for everyone who has helped her throughout her journey but someone that sticks out to her specifically is one of her coaches and mentors, Rylee Pierce.

"Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been working with her for so long and I've seen her do such amazing work and her passion for the game and her knowledge is so inspiring," Weber adds.

Although this year has been anything but normal, teams still remain hopeful for a sport season and final season before heading off to college.

Redwood Softball has always been a strong program and made that known in 2018 by securing a DII Valley Championship.

In the year to follow, the team finished with a 1713 overall record and went 8-2 in League. Both Weber and Smithson were a part of that team.

Before the 2020 season was cancelled, the young team started off 1-9 heading into the regular season.

Rooney is "excited for this season and to see the growth in our returning players from last year to this year. I think they will be ready once we are allowed to start and anxious to redeem the season that we didn't have last year."

He notes that the team only graduated 2 players last year and there will be some experienced underclassmen joining the seniors for the upcoming season.

Smithson's goals for this upcoming senior season are "to grow a little more as a player before I head off to college and just work to become stronger mentally and physically. I want to have some fun with my teammates before I step off Redwoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s field for the last time. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be difficult to leave both my school team and my travel team behind as I further my softball career but I am looking forward to the great things McPherson college has to offer me as both a student and an athlete."

Weber's main focus is for everyone to just have fun this season while also getting better heading into college.

"I want to win some games and get better as a unit. Personally, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m just looking forward to seeing the girls and my main goal is just to refine and better my glove, better my understanding of the game. I just want everyone to have a good time and get better as a team and I expect everyone to feel the same," says Weber.

Î&#x2013; P VXUH 6\GQHH ZLOO GR ZHOO DW WKH QH[W OHYHO EHFDXVH VKH LV H[SHFWLQJ WR GR ZHOO DQG ZLOO ZRUN WR PDNH KHUVHOI VXFFHVVIXO VKH LV D KDUG ZRUNHU DQG GULYHQ WR EH DV JRRG DV VKH FDQ EH DQG VKH GRHVQ W HYHQ NQRZ KRZ JRRG VKH FDQ EH Î&#x2013; ZLOO EH ZDWFKLQJ KHU FDUHHU IRU WKH QH[W \HDUV

+LJK VFKRRO VSRUWV VHDVRQ VWLOO RQ KROG XQWLO WKH QH[W VFKRRO \HDU WUDGLWLRQDO IDOO VSRUWV DEOH WR VWLOO FRQGLWLRQ XQWLO IXUWKHU QRWLFH Since no competition has been played within Visalia Unified School District since March 13th, Redwood has adjusted to COVID guidelines in order to prepare for a season that still may not happen this year.

Already 5 months into the new school year, the traditional fall sports, Cross Country, Girls' Tennis, Girls Golf, Water polo, Football, and Volleyball, have been pushed back into the winter season and it is now considered Season 1.

All other sports will be combined into Season 2. There is no restriction on student athletes playing more than 1 sport during Season 2.

On December 1st, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), released a new public media statement declaring "Due to the continued surge in COVID-19 infections, the California Department of Public Health has postponed the issuance of its updated youth sports guidance. The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) does not expect the CDPH will issue any guidance allowing for schools to return to full practice and competition until after January 1, 2021, at the earliest. Thus, all full practice and competition start dates are officially on hold until updated guidance is issued."

Within this statement, the CIF has also officially canceled Regional and State playoff seasons in order to ensure teams get a longer regular season with Section Championships being the final destination.

Due to Tulare County's stagnant position in the Purple tier, teams have been held to very strict guidelines as to what they can and can't do during their conditionings.

This is the new Athletic Director, Michael Wright's first year at Redwood which he's spent visiting every practice everyday, readjusting schedules practically everyday, and virtually communicating with coach's and athletes as much as he can.

His initial reaction to the latest CIF was "Disappointment and frustration. Our coaches and athletes are working hard and want to play so these setbacks are disappointing and frustrating, although there is nothing we can do about it."

Since teams have been conditioning since October, nothing changes as of right now. The statement doesn't affect their conditionings but rather the progress in transitioning into official practices.

"Basically all athletic scrimmages and contests for December and early January are going to have to be canceled along with officials and transportation. As far as making up or rescheduling the canceled games, we do not know if the season will be pushed back so not sure there will be enough time. So we are just waiting," assures Mr. Wright. The waiting game has become normal for everyone now but the hardest part for Wright is the feeling of helplessness.

"It is very difficult for me because everyone is looking to me for answers that I simply can not provide. It is extremely frustrating to not be able to provide any answers to [players, coaches, and parents]," he says.

But on the other hand, he is looking to the positive side that kids are able to still stay in shape in a controlled environment with their teams. They can still get that sense of comradery and focus on simply getting better and working hard. It's at least something for right now.

Within the Redwood Athletics program, there have been very few students test positive for COVID-19. But let it be noted that these students did not contract it from conditioning but rather personal gatherings or within their own families. Therefore, there have been no "outbreaks" on the teams affecting multiple kids.

To ensure that an outbreak would not happen, that student who tested positive had to quarantine for 14 as well as their assigned cohort. The student who tested positive could return with a doctor's note but the cohort could return after the 14 days (with no symptoms).

One suggestion that has been heavily debated is that sports should be evaluated individually as to whether it's safe to return to practice and competition rather than evaluated as just a part of a whole season.

Sports less populated and traditionally more safe and spread out such as Golf, Tennis, and Cross Country could return much sooner than other contact sports or those held indoors.

Wright adds this on the subject, "That is a tough one there. You want equity and fairness but the reality of it is sports like cross country, tennis, and golf are all outside and can stagger starts so competitors are socially distanced so maybe they should be given a chance to participate. It is just tough for other sports."

Ultimately, he hopes that the vaccine will help speed up the return process and also mentions "I would like to see us follow what other states have done that returned to sports. They have seen many positive effects with sports return and I think we could do it safely like many other states have."

Wright would like to conclude with: "I would just like the community and athletes to know that while we desperately want to return to normal and playing games we really are taking their safety seriously and do not want to put anyone at risk. While the effects of COVID are not as sever for student aged people we are not willing to take any chances and we simply do not know enough about this and need to defer to experts in the area to ensure we are doing what is in everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best interest. I want everyone to know we are going to keep working towards a return and preparing as if everything is moving forward and we will make the adjustments that are necessary."

Stay tuned with the Redwood Gigantea for more updates on this story soon.

Redwood Varsity Baseball Head Coach, Dan Hydash

Even without a junior season, Redwood Baseball's Diego Alvarado, '21, and Ethan Garcia, '21, were able to earn scholarships to further their academic and athletic careers based purely on talent and heart.

This past week, the boys were 2 of the 4 total athletes able to sign their National Letters of Intent securing a spot on their collegiate teams.

Unfortunately due to COVID-19, they had to sign from home instead of the traditional ceremony that takes place in the quad every fall and winter during school.

Athletic Director, Michael Wright, said "Hopefully, at some point this school year we will be able to celebrate properly. I know it is a special moment and they deserve the proper recognition and celebration so I am anxious to give that to them."

His encouragement to the athletes signing is to enjoy the time they have in high school and to realize there is always time to get better.

What drew Alvarado to Oregon State is the legacy of the school.

"OSU is consistently in the College World Series and the coaches preach on building a brotherhood," he says.

Being a part of the Redwood Varsity Baseball team since sophomore year, Alvarado said he learned how to be a great teammate and pick up his teammates whenever they needed it. He also learned a lot from the high intensity games and under the pressure situations such as playoffs and the program's many tournaments in Clovis.

Redwood Baseball Head Coach, Dan Hydash, said, "Diego has been outstanding for us. The work he has put in to get to where he is has been inspiring. Many players say they want to go as far as they can athletically, but very few are willing to put the work in to get there. Diego is dedicated to being a great player and student. He is also a leader in the Redwood Baseball program."

Travel ball has also always played a big role in Alvarado's life especially when it came to securing a scholarship with Oregon State.

After sending out emails and getting phone calls with the OSU coach, Mitch Canham, they came to watch him play through connections playing for the SoCal Giants travel ball team.

He said his biggest takeaway from playing travel baseball has been, "learning how to be a good teammate and understanding how others react because we often all come from so many different teams. We make new friends from places all over the world and that really helps when it comes time to transition into college because you are basically meeting your team for the next 4 years and the commits that come in after you who are younger."

His biggest inspiration has been his mom because "she has always been there for me and wants to see me succeed."

Making the early decision to commit to Long Beach State as a sophomore, Ethan Garcia, '21, knew exactly where he was meant to be at. Garcia has also decided to major in criminology.

"Long Beach is a beautiful place down south and I really just like the scenery of it. The head coach has a very old way of the game of baseball...I know he has my best interest at heart and will get me to my full potential as a pitcher. I committed there because I know this school will better me both as a baseball player and academically in the long run," Garcia says.

Long Beach State's Baseball team is coached by Eric Valenzuela and is a part of the Big West conference.

Garcia has been an active member of the Redwood Varsity Baseball team since freshman year.

He appreciates Redwood's Baseball program because "Hydash and the rest of the coaching staff really make practices like a college atmosphere which has really helped me prepare for college. I've learned to work hard when people are watching and also when no one is around. Just learning how to give it your all, 100% of the time."

Coach Hydash said on behalf of Ethan, "He has been an impact player for the Redwood Baseball program since he entered as a freshman four years ago. In fact, he started a game on the mound as a freshman and got the win. We knew then that he would be a special player. He is naturally talented but works hard to be the best player he can be. Over the years it has been fun watching him grow and develop as a player and young man. He is one of the leaders in the program."

Garcia played travel ball for El Monte Dukes where he received his connection to Long Beach State through.

"Playing travel taught me to value the game more and to appreciate that I am still playing the game of baseball," he says.

His biggest influence and mentor has always been his dad, "He's always pushing me to work harder so I can get to where I can go."

Although Garcia adds it was weird not being able to sign in front of all his friends and coaches who have helped him towards this opportunity, he is just grateful to sign to play the game he loves at a Division 1 college.

Hydash's final advice for both of the boys is, "keep grinding. College athletics take dedication, passion, and commitment. Both Ethan and Diego have these qualities. They need to just keep doing what got them to where they are and if they do so, I have no doubt they will be highly successful college athletes."

It's been over a year since the boys in blue last stepped on the field surrounded by a packed Mineral King Bowl on a cool Friday night.

For many, players this was going to be their breakout season. The one that would secure their spot to play in college. For seniors, their final season with their friends, their chance to lead. And for many upcoming players, their chance to prove they have what it takes.

As CIF has recently pushed back the start of their season to January 2021, the team continues to adjust to the "no official practices rule" by simply conditioning and solidifying routes and plays.

Last year, Redwood's Varsity Football team had their first winning season since 2016 led by first-year Head Coach, Kevin Scharton. There were over 90 kids on the roster, all of whom got to touch the field at least once.

Despite many injuries, the team pulled out a 10-2 overall record and went 4-1 in league. The team also made it to the second round of playoffs, for the first time since 2014, before falling to St. Joseph 28-21.

The Rangers started their season with a 7 game winning streak, put an end to Tulare Union's 29 game win streak, took second in WYL, had their first 10 game win season in over 15 years, brought the Cowhide home for the 65th Annual Cowhide game, and defeated Dinuba, Scharton's former team, in the first game of the season.

" I learned that our kids had a lot of passion and were willing to work hard to be successful on Friday nights.

The team learned how to play hard and finish strong despite learning a new offense and defense. That team set a standard for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team. This year the team will have a year of experience under their belt and I believe they will expect to be successful on Friday nights because of the hard work they put in"

Despite many players graduating, the upcoming team has many returners or new and young talent surfacing.

Leaders who have stepped up in the pods include Dominick McCormack, '21, Marcus Correia, '22, Matthew Ramirez, '21, and Caden Shafer, '21, according to Scharton.

Some younger players to keep an eye out for include: LB/RB Marcus Correia, RB Karson Everett, TE Kolby Howard, Receiver Ashton Ibarra, Safety Gavin House, DB Chris Shin, Safety Daryl Tillman, DT Jacob Gonzalez, and DT Colton Bowser.

The senior class is filled with lots of experience and passion. Safety/Rec Dominick McCormack, DB/Rec Reid Terry, and LB/RB Caden Shafer will get playing time on both sides of the ball and be key players on special teams, says Scharton. Also, LB Gage Walker, LB Joseph Madruga, LB/Safety Mitchell Wilson, RB Aram Babagian, and Receiver Ivan Saddler are players to look out for.

The team graduated many vital players such as starting quarterback, Ryan Rios, '20, starting tight end, Sam Olson, '20, starting defensive end, Hudson Walker, '20, and key running back, Brian Brown, '20.

Head Coach Scharton had this to say as he reflected on last season:

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Although no quarterback has been officially named yet, Scharton does confirm there is a three-way battle between Franky Alvarez, '23, Reece Bueno, '23, and Alexander Garza, '22 for that starting position.

Since the team has been practicing for about 5 months before the start of the season, they believe that they will have very good team chemistry this season

"All three quarterbacks are very talented and throw the ball really well. It will come down to which quarterback can run the offense, take control of the huddle, and make plays. We still have a ways to go to determine a starter."

Although CIF has recently pushed back any competition, scrimmages, or official practices to January 1st, Scharton shares that this was a positive thing because they didn't cancel the whole season, so there is still hope.

Although there was great talent on both sides of the ball last season, the Rangers relied heavily on their defense.

The new coaching staff played a big role on what they were able to accomplish last year as well. With great play calling, use of personnel on the offensive side, and a strong scheme on the defensive side, the Rangers were able to put up a fight with whoever they faced, and they won majority of those battles.

This time around, practices look very different. Frosh, JV, and Varsity practice 4 times a week, each for an hour of conditioning only. Players are required to wear a mask unless doing physical activity, must fill out a dailey Questionnaire for COVID, and remain in the same pods of 15 players without interchanging at any point.

Varsity is split into 6 pods dependent on their positions.

"We begin with daily drills and work on fundamentals which differ by position. We also get some form of conditioning done within each pod. We are limited in some things we can do as a team due to guidelines such as running a full-on offense or defense.

However, we can do some things within the pods such as run routes with the receivers, run pass plays against air, or work on pass drops with the defensive backs.

We really have to be creative in what we can do," is how Scharton describes practices. " I can't wait for the day we play real football, and I'm able to celebrate with my guys on the sideline after a great play."

-Redwood Varsity Football Assistant Coach, Michael Wright II

"If and when we get the green light to return, I expect the Rangers to be ready to work hard and to be a very competitive football team. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m especially looking forward to coaching our seniors that have been through so much. I believe we can be a successful team because our players and coaches have spent time getting ready for this season to begin. When the time comes, we will be ready," adds Scharton.

The whole team studies film 4 times a week during pre-first, rather than last year's one film session a week. The Rangers are doing their part to gain a better understanding of the game, as well as learning the importance of teamwork. They can also see what worked from last year and what they still need to work on for the upcoming season.

"The coaching staff has done an amazing job being creative to make practice a place to learn, be competitive, and to keep the players in shape. The players work hard and seem to enjoy themselves during practice time. " -Redwood Varsity Football Coach, Kevin Scharton

Although Howard has worked hard throughout his football and basketball career, COVID-19 has proposed a challenge. Unfortunately, this pandemic has resulted in the cancellation of many important events when looking to be recruited for either football or basketball.

Howard says, “camps and showcases have been cancelled.” One of the biggest ways to be exposed is through these extra camps and showcases where college scouts come to find players. Despite these events being canceled, Howard has adapted to the change. Instead, Howard says he “I send film through email and talk on the phone or in person with coaches.” This has allowed Howard to maintain a connection with college coaches, giving him a better shot at being recruited.

Kolby Howard, ‘22, is a varsity two sport athlete who plays football and basketball. As of right now, Howard is training for football. Throughout his entire sports career, he’s had the dream to play football or basketball in college. Howard has worked hard throughout his entire football and basketball career in hopes of possibly being recruited to play at the next level.

Howard says, “I want to keep playing past high school because it will allow me to do what I love for a longer time.” He has developed a passion for both sports and through this passion he believes both could potentially “provide an education” for him. Not only is it Howard’s dream to play in college, he hopes that it can pave the path into his future. Howard has devoted hours and hours into training and making sure he is able to perform at his best.

Not only does Howard value his training above all, he takes his academics seriously. Howard has always made sure to “put school first” so that he meets all of the sports eligibility requirements. Howard realizes the importance of managing his grades and he says by keeping his grades up he can, “focus on playing and training to my best ability without distractions”. He has applied himself to both his school career and his sports career in hopes of majoring in “business or financing.” Howard has “always been interested in business and making money.” This is something he plans to further educate himself on while playing football or basketball at the college level.

As of now, Howard has had some contact with college coaches and recruiters. Unfortunately, he is unable to give us any more information on who he has been in contact with. Not only has the pandemic posed a threat to his recruiting process and the recruiting process of many more Redwood athletes, it has also been a battle to maintain practicing throughout quarantine.

However, Howard, a determined athlete, has used the extra time to really focus on improving. He says, “I workout and train with friends”. He has continued to train to make sure when game time comes, he will be ready to perform to his best ability. The possibility of having a game has been Howard’s motivation throughout quarantine. Howard had an amazing season last year, in both football and basketball. He has learned “anything can happen” and that “the beginning of the season does not determine the entire season.” Howard also developed “leadership skills” as he “sat back and watched and listened.” These are important and useful learning experiences that will make Howard a better player on both fields.

Howard has come off of two amazing sports seasons, and although this year is odd, he looks forward to the upcoming seasons. Howard says, “I’m looking forward to just playing if we get the opportunity.” When school returns, all athletes hope to return to their sport with complete normality.

With Howard, the football team played one of the best seasons in a while and the basketball team made it to valley. Howard looks forward to “repeat and continue” what happened last year on the field and court.

During the break, Redwood took the initiative to hire a new Athletic Director. This position was filled by Mr. Michael Wright in June and he started his first day on July 1st.

This is Wright's first role as a Head Athletic Director but he has a strong resume proving he will fit the position perfectly. Some of his past roles have included: -Teaching social science and AVID at the high school level for 24 years -Taught and coached at Hanford and Redwood -Most previously, spent 13 years at Dinuba High -Has spent all 24 years as a Head Wrestling Coach -Spent the past two years as Dinuba High School's Assistant Athletic Director and Director of Football Operations, overseeing football from 7th to 12th grade.

As a head wrestling coach, he was able to completely turn around Dinuba's program. He coached two teams that have placed in the Top 10 in State, several wrestlers placed in the Top 25, one State Champion, two finalists, and many state placers and qualifiers.

He also brought the school their first League and D2 Valley titles in Wrestling as well as Dinuba's first state placer. He turned a team of 7 wrestlers into the school's only Division 1 program.

"Coach Wright is a doer, a workaholic, and has a knack for being an AD since he handled all the behind the scenes paper work, management, and organization as the Head Football Coordinator," said Scharton.

"I know he's going to do a good job because I've seen it with my own eyes at Dinuba. We have someone who will step in and do his very best for all people."

On behalf of Wright, Scharton also wanted to add "We have someone who will step in and do his very best for all people. He's very down to earth and approachable, his number one focus will be the student athletes, and he believes strength is in number and that's something he will focus on, getting coaches together to be on the same page moving towards the same direction to make us all successful."

Redwood's Wrestling Coach, Watts, has known Mr. Wright since 2004. They coached on the USA National teams together for a few years and coached each others' sons over the years.

"Mr. Wright is a fierce competitor on the mat and he always expects the best out of his athletes. He cares about coaches, kids and doing the right thing. His work ethic is his best attribute, he works tirelessly to get better and stay on top of things he can control," said Coach Watts.

Wright also has a past with Coach Scharton as the running backs and special teams coordinator for 8 years. Together, they led the team to 4 Valley title games and won the D2 Valley Championship once.

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Mr. Wright has taken the time to really evaluate and plan for not only this upcoming school year and sports seasons, but also his goals during his time here at Redwood. Ultimately he wants to "lead a successful athletic department both academically and in sport."

Specific goals Wright plans to implement: -See all 22 sports reach the Division 1 level -Get all athletes more involved in weightlifting classes at school and building stronger off-season programs -Hold a great athletic fundraiserBegin to host an annual "Hall of Fame Night" to induct the school's greatest athletes into the Redwood Athletics Hall of Fame -Help athletes play sports in college by getting them the necessary information and meeting with the athlete and their parents to help get them get placed, properly to ensure their success -Bring the coaches closer together, be a support system for each other, and sustain success through stability by being there for "the long haul" -Coaches and athletes feel supported in trying to reach their specific goals and to provide them whatever they need to reach those goals.

"Lastly, my goal is to lead by example, I will be the first one on campus each morning and one of the last to leave. Our athletes will see me working out every day at 6am and be to work on time, dressed for success. I want to be a professional example, for them to see that hard work pays off and that good things happen to good people."

Wright has taken a more active role in social media announcements and keeping both athletes and parents encouraged and updated on anything going on with sports and Redwood.

His encouragement to student athletes right now is to stay on top of their school work above all.

"We cannot control when we will play so we need to focus on the things we can control and that is our academics. We will play again and we need to be ready. You all need to be prepared physically and mentally. Do your school work and then get better.

Watch your sport, run, lift, just GET BETTER!"

"We cannot control when we will play so we need to focus on the things we can control and that is our academics. We will play again and we need to be ready. You all need to be prepared physically and mentally. Do your school work and then get better.

Watch your sport, run, lift, just GET BETTER!" "I am excited about that first Friday night under the lights in the bowl, watching our girls tennis team extend their continuous winning streak, seeing boys basketball get back to Selland Arena and this time raising up the Valley Championship plaque, seeing our girls wrestling team get that first state placer, and for spring sports to just get back to competing after not being allowed to play last season," said Wright.

Amidst a Pandemic Becoming an Athletic Director has always been Wright's professional goal so when it became available, he put in his application immediately.

"Leaving a stable job during a pandemic was and still is scary. But, for the past 24 years I have preached to my students and athletes that you have to chase your dreams no matter what they are or who and what is trying to keep you from reaching your goals. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to work at a school with a rich athletic tradition. Jobs like Redwood do not open very often and this is the one job I felt good about leaving for. It is a dream job."

His plan for this year is to move along with the approved CIF plan with sports starting in the Winter.

But in doing so, this means all the planning for a normal school year had to be thrown out and require starting brand new with the changed dates. These changes include brand new schedules, transportation plans, and planning for overlapping sports seasons.

Luckily, he was already able to meet with almost all 22 varsity coaches, 1 on 1, to connect and get on the same page. He's going to start doing check ins with student athletes and their eligibility to see how he can help them, academically, socially, and emotionally especially during this time when sports are such a big part of kids' lives.

As a message to the kids to keep them motivated he says that he is, "just looking forward getting back to normalcy, school, practice, and competition. I am anxious to meet and interact with our athletes and to go to practice and see their development."

Starting completely new as an Athletic Director and with the given circumstances has been a challenge for Wright but he is grateful for his relationships with staff such as Mr. Paolinelli from the past who have helped him adjust and learn all the policies and procedures without the stress of competition.

"Really, all the coaches and staff have been very supportive of me and it makes the transition a lot easier. We know there will be a few bumps in the road but we are working hard now to keep them to a minimum."

When he received the call saying he got the job, on an early morning in June from Assistant Superintendent Somavia, Wright was excited and happy but then his mind instantly switched to "when can I start?"

"I just could not wait until I was board approved so we could celebrate with my friends and family. It is a phenomenal feeling to work toward a goal and see it come to fruition. It is really indescribable."

He would like to publicly thank the selection committee: Assistant Superintendent Dedi Somavia, Area Administrator Mike Waters, Director of Health Services Suzy Skaden, Principal Matt Shin, Vice Principal Eric Paolinelli, and former El Diamante AD Greg Flenory for "selecting me to lead Redwood Athletics, it was a tough and intense process and I am honored to have been selected."

Redwood's Prinicipal, Matt Shin was very impressed by Wright's coaching and teaching history in three different districts, his knowledge and access with NCAA Clearinghouse, and success in all aspects of his career.

"He is very well organized, personable, and outgoing.

He's passionate about athletes and students' success, isn't afraid to work hard and make things better, and is very successful it whatever he puts his mind to because he's very driven and has such a strong work ethic."

Something else that stood out to Shin was his familiarity with the community, school, coaches, and staff since he coached and raised his family here before taking on the job at Dinuba.

Shin ended with "I hope people welcome him as they would anyone else that's brand new to Redwood, he's a vital part of our school, and I believe people will really appreciate his passion for Redwood and athletics. He wants people and this program to be successful in all aspects."

One moment that has stood out to Wright was during a meeting 15 years ago when he was at Redwood. It was about what it means and looks like to be a Redwood Ranger each and everyday.

"Redwood has school pride that is not only evident in their students but in the alumni and staff as well. I know every school says they have school spirit but I have been at 3 schools and there is something special about being a Redwood Ranger. The athletes work hard and the parents are supportive. The alumni are awesome and we will need to lean on their continued support especially this upcoming season."

Wright's final remarks concluded with, "I would just like the Redwood family to know that sports are my passion. I want to develop relationships with our student athletes that leads to life-long learning and friendships. I want our athletes and coaches to know that I am here for them, to serve and support them.

The athletes will know how much I love sports as they will see me at practice and competitions, even at away events. You will see me do everything that I can to help our coaches and athletes be successful."

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Two-time Varsity soccer player, Elise Hyde, '22 is an outside defender for Redwood High. She has been playing since she was four years old and has always been a standout player.

Hyde first peaked interest in Westmont College after attending an ID camp in February right before Covid -19 took place.

After the camp, her and the Westmont head coach, Jenny Jaggard emailed each other frequently about what kind of player she was and why she wanted to attend Westmont.

Eventually, Coach Jaggard invited her back to Westmont for a campus tour and Hyde got the chance to meet some of the soccer players and play with the team. After playing with the team, Jaggard saw potential in her ability to play outside defender and offered her a scholarship where Hyde officially verbally committed on November 13th..

Hyde knew Westmont was the school for her because of the location, the campus, the soccer team, the liberal studies education, the close knitted community, and the

Christian aspect of it all. She says, "I am a Christian and I love how Christianity is incorporated into their education."

According to Hyde, Westmont has worship and Bible studies throughout the week, and the soccer team also has their own personal Bible studies as well. Hyde appreciates the close relationships between the professors and students and how God plays a huge role in every aspect.

While awaiting attending Westmont, Hyde is most excited to start playing soccer. She says, "I can't wait to develop special relationships with my new soccer teammates and share our passion and love for soccer." Hyde is also thrilled to have a normal college experience awaiting her and is ready to be independent and pursue a career path in kinesiology.

The second Hyde stepped on the Westmont field, she knew this was going to be her home. She says, "The girls are very supportive of another and it is their philosophy to work hard and support one another."

Hyde immediately noticed the close relationships between the players and the coaching staff, she says, "they are like a family who love, support, push, and celebrate each other."

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Another person who really had a big influence on Hyde was her former teammate on the Redwood soccer team and current soccer player on the Long Beach College team, Evan House.

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During the recruitment process, Hyde says her Redwood coach, Jason Viera has helped her a lot. According to Hyde, Viera emailed a letter of recommendation to Coach Jaggard about what kind of player, teammate, and person she is.

Coach Viera also was the one who first put Hyde as an outside defender which turned out to be the position that got her to a college scholarship.

During Hyde's first year on Varsity as a Freshman, all the Freshmen were paired with an upperclassman, Hyde was paired with House. Hyde says, "She is an extremely hard worker, kind, generous, athletic, humble, and an amazing team player. We were both each other's number one fan."

According to Hyde, House also wrote Westmont a recommendation letter.

Coach Jaggard was very impressed by this because she says she has never received a letter of recommendation from a current college soccer player.

Hyde says, "I am truly blessed that I have had Evan House as my soccer teammate and Jacon Viera as my soccer coach."