January 2011

Flash Contents

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January 2011

Delve into the not so secret life of Rocklin High School...

What to do (and not) in Rocklin Secrets, secrets are no fun, secrets they hurt everyone. From the young, ripe age of five, we are taught to stay quiet. Shhh I have a secret for you *whispers* don’t tell. Then the giggles.

But, as we grow older, secrets develop into something even more. They can be an uncontrollable monster that spreads like wildfire, also known by the name of rumor. Or, simply really personal things that are not other people’s business.

But, honestly, what’s not to love about a good secret? Hannah Montana, Pretty Little Liars, Secret Life of the American Teenager? I’m kidding of course. If we look at what happens as a result of all of these secrets, Hannah has to tell the world she is Miley, friendships are broken as “A” wreaks havoc upon the lives of innocent girls, and well, a baby is born. No problems were solved, and quite frankly, more problems were created. Society thrives on the elements of privacy and the notion of surprise. Sometimes it is good to let go of a secret, but other times privacy is the best option.

But what about the not so secret lives of people? We think we know everything about our friends. With facebook, skype, and texting, we are constantly in touch.

However, have you ever thought to really explore the lives of others? Delve into the not so secret lives of students at Rocklin High School...

By Danielle Huddlestun, Co-Editor in Chief January 2011

Design by Danielle Huddlestun

January Contents

4: 6: 8: 12: 14: 16: 18: 21: 22:

Model Student: She began a career as a professional model before she graduated from High School.

Behind the Scenes: The Life of an Actor and Actress “I heard that Theatre IV might be cancelled...”

Quirky Brainiac “I’m just a normal kid, y’know, like everyone else.”

Modern-Day Ninja “No one else can push you to do something other than yourself.”

Speaking Out (About Taylor Swift) “I love her music-all of it; it’s awesome.”

Spirit on the Sideline “And so Payne entered his position as a junior member of the coaching staff for Varsity football.”

Broadcast Yourself “To some, YouTube is more than a pastime; it’s a path to internet fame.”

A Team Player “ The first time I kicked with pads and a helmet was during the first game.”

Gossip: it IS a choice “I know something you don’t know. “

24:

Shooting for Olympic Success “My old coach always said shooting is 90% mental and 10% practice.”

rhsflash@yahoo.com / The Flash / 03

A MODEL STUDENT

School vs. the

I

Real World

magine having the opportunity to live in Los Angeles, making a career salary, and being able to do what you love. Now imagine being able to do all of this when you are only sixteen years old.

This is the life of Alex Abercrombie, a senior here at RHS who has found a very successful career as a model and is graduating early in order to pursue her dream.

Abercrombie’s rise to local fame has proven to be a quick one; her modeling career essentially started this past summer when she went to an open casting session and was hired on the spot. She was featured on the front page of the Bebe website over the summer, modeling their new line. Since then, multiple agencies and big-name companies such as Ford, MAC, and Teen Vogue have hired her, as she says, “It’s never really specific [who I model for], I just go to castings.”

Since then, she has made a fairly high salary, which has allowed her to plan out her future life in Los Angeles. While most would be tempted by newfound wealth, Alex says, “I haven’t touched a single penny [of my salary]. I’m saving it all in a bank account to pay for college and my own apartment in Beverley Hills.”

Although this may seem like the perfect image of self-sufficiency and independence that is every teenager’s dream, Abercrombie’s rewards have not simply fallen in her lap.

The constant juggling between school and modeling has been a challenge, as she is choosing to finish her education her at RHS as an “advanced graduate”—she is currently taking two Language Arts classes (one junior class and one senior class) and two History classes in order to walk on graduation day. She is also continually flying to Los Angeles or driving to San Francisco in order to make castings or complete jobs, causing her to miss 38

04 / The Flash/rhsflash@gmail.com

out of the 40 allowed absences for seniors. Administration has constantly reminded her that senior activities and graduation may possibly be out of reach if this continues.

At the moment, however, she doesn’t seem to be worried.

She’s fairly confident that she will be able to get to participate in all activities, as she says, “I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything [at RHS]… it’s like having double the activities, actually, because I get to do things like go to both Junior Prom a n d Senior Ball.” Her confidence in her decisions certainly overshadows any minor doubts she may have about leaving Rocklin High a year early.

Her extremely busy schedule has left her social life affected as well. Blake Abercrombie, Alex’s younger brother, says, “She’s definitely busier this year than last year, but she’s making it work.” Even highlyanticipated school functions such as Homecoming come second to her career. Leslie Howell, a junior and one of Alex’s close friends, knows personally how busy Alex can be. “On the day of Homecoming, Alex had a MAC job and got back an hour before the dance and had to scramble to get ready,” says Howell of their chaotic Homecoming experience.

Despite the obvious pandemonium that is her life at the moment, Abercrombie seems to have her priorities in order. She has applied to Loyola and Pepperdine, hoping to be able to receive an education and model simultaneously. She has maintained healthy relationships with all her friends and family, which has proved to pay off, as they all recognize that she will be sorely missed in Rocklin once she moves. “My mom is going to have a really hard time letting her go. They’re really close,” says Blake Abercrombie.

When asked how she’ll deal with living on her own in Los Angeles, Abercrombie smiles and simply responds, “I’ll miss all my friends and family, but I’ll be getting Skype so I can keep in touch with everyone.”

- Written by Anthony Roberts, Yasmine Bouzid, and Erika Strickler January 2011

“I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything [this year] it’s like having double the activities.” ~Alex Abercrombie

Anna West: “Alex isn’t missing out on her junior year or senior year because she does all of the senior activities too. She’s squeezing two years into one.”

Both sides of the camera with Alex Abercrombie

Q:What do you like about photography?

A: You can take the camera places you normally can’t go.

Natalie LaRue: “Alex seems busier this year, especially since she has more core classes than electives.”

Leslie Howell: “Our friends and I found out on the first week of school that she was going to graduate this year and move down to southern California.

We were so shocked. It was so weird to see Alex sitting on the senior side of the gym during rallies.”

Blake Abercrombie “It’s great because she loves modeling, and she’s moving down to LA and she loves it there.”

“Alex is really busy, but she’s making good money and trying to get a head start on life.”

Q:Tell us about the photo that won the award.

A: It was during senior night when it was announced that Kayla Zellars was an NDA dancer.

Q: How does your love of photography translate into being a model?

A: I’m used to being in front of the camera, so it helps when I’m taking pictures.

Q: How did you feel when your photo won a national award?

A: I was upset because Nichols said my name was Alexis.

Q: How long have you been into photography and how did you get into it?

A: I took Publications 1 as a freshman. That’s when I started taking pictures.

Pierce Thomas: “I think it’s good for her because she has a lot of opportunities and she’s a smart enough girl to skip junior year.”

Alex’s award-winning photo

Reported by: Erika Strickler

January 2011

Designed By: Christy Sharkey

rhsflash@gmail.com / The Flash / 05

In the Spotlight

Behind the Scenes

The Life of an Actor and Actress

Neil Brinckerhoff’s typical Rocklin apparel of a hoodie and jeans fail to conceal his loud and outgoing personality. The junior is one of the most well-known students on campus; he’s involved in “every club you’ve ever heard of” and is a member of the swim team. However, his life and personality were formed in the fires of Magic Circle Theatre, a Roseville based theatre program, where he began acting at 9 years old.

“I’ve been involved in four plays with Rocklin, but have been in 11 others in programs like Finn Hall and Magic Circle Theatre” he explained charismatically, with large gestures and enunciation. His love for acting shows through his speech; his movements are both exaggerated and humorous.

However, the tragic recession brewing in the theatre gets more obvious every day. The week after Thanksgiving, the Civic Theatre West, which hosts Magic Circle Theatre, closed unexpectedly due to lack of funds.

“I was really depressed because I had a lot of friends there,” he sighed.

However, he bounced back quickly, flashing a big smile that lit up his face.

“I really got into theatre because I wanted to try something new and different, and it’s affected my home and school life. I have to stay up later for homework, but it’s worth it because theatre’s made me really outgoing”.

Although he’s heavily involved in the theatre, Brinckerhoff is a part of many aspects of campus, including Interact club.

Brinckerhoff is currently in Theatre III. One would think that his next step would be Theatre IV, but he’s not so sure.

“I heard Theatre IV might be cancelled, and I’m really worried. There

06 / The Flash/rhsflash@gmail.com

aren’t many juniors doing theatre in my grade, so I’m not sure if the class will be there. There are so many good things about it; it’ll be different without it”.

Brinckerhoff has a passion for acting, but he does not plan on following the path of an actor.

“I want to get into a California college, and minor in theatre. It can be hard to get into acting…But maybe I’ll major in the field of biology,” he mused.

Although he will take his final bow on Rocklin stages next year, his love for the theatre will not diminished.

“I really love that theatre let’s people make so many friends. I spend so much time there; it’s like my second home. There’s a really strong camaraderie, and you get a huge adrenaline rush onstage. I’m always busy there”.

The idea of Theatre IV being cancelled seems rather disastrous in the eyes of this soon-to-be senior.

- Written by Amanda Wong

Neil Brinckerhoff in dress rehearsal for most recent Rocklin High School production of “A Reunion to Die For”. january 2011

“I really love theatre because it helps build confidence...”

STAR

Lowell bubbles on stage

In the midst of the constant chaos of ASB, Amelia Lowell glows like a lively and lighthearted light bulb.

The blonde senior is both a star member of ASB and a star in Rocklin’s many plays. She has been in 13 plays, 10 of which were part of Rocklin High School’s Theatre program.

“Unlike sports, theatre is a year round commitment. It’s usually every day from 5 or 6. It’s hard to balance shows with activities and clubs, but the dedication is worth it,” she explained, while working on ASB’s everlasting mound of paperwork.

Her life’s like a beehive; busy and buzzing with excitement, especially when she’s on stage.

But Lowell’s not just the theatre’s darling. She’s also built a legacy in her four years at Rocklin High; she is the president of NHS and an active member in the community’s Every 15 Minutes program. On top of that, she horseback rides competitively and is an advanced student.

“Her intelligence is a gift she offers consistently in class discussions, and her plethora of friends attests to her genuine good nature,” her AP Litera-

ture teacher, Pilar Padilla mentioned.

However, theatre holds a special place in her heart.

When questioned about the stage, her bright eyes lit up, bringing a vivacious air to the table.

“I really love theatre because it helps build confidence, and there’s plenty of opportunities to sing and dance. It really gives people a conclusive representation of self-expression. But the best part is that it’s always different,” she said.

However, Lowell’s beloved drama program is in danger of being another victim of California’s confusing and tangled educational budget. “[Theatre IV] is really a great opportunity for acting lovers .There just aren’t enough seniors that are passionate about theatre,” she said.

Despite her passion for the arts, Lowell is not planning for a walk on Broadway’s stage after high school.

“I want to major in something career-driven, like history. I also would like to go to grad school. However, I’ll be involved in theatre recreationally,” she grins.

By Amanda Wong

Exclusive Interivew with Mrs. Topeke Thoughts on cancelling Theatre IV

Q: Is it correct that they may be getting rid of Theatre IV due to a low amount of students? How does this make you feel?

A: They threaten it every year, because they need a certain amount of students for each class. One time, they suggested moving juniors up to Theatre IV, but that won’t work because those students won’t be ready for that level yet. It’s at a college level; it’s not a recruiting program.

Q: As a teacher, what would you like to do to save Theatre IV? Or would you do anything at all?

A: Not really, only a certain amount of individuals can get in. I wouldn’t want to water it down with extra students. If anything, I would combine Theatre IV with advanced technicians. That’s it.

Q: Last question: what would you like the RHS students to know about Theatre I-IV? A: In general, it’s a great class. It helps students get comfortable at performances and public speaking. And it’s a great way to express creativity.

Also, it gets better as you rise up in theatre level.

In Theatre IV, you get to create a one person show and experience a graduate level class.

By Amanda Wong

Q: Out of all your classes, what is your favorite and why?

A: Theatre IV, because they are at a higher level and they push themselves and are dedicated to get the job done.

January 2011 Design by Ashley Brown and Michelle Tran

rhsflash@gmail.com / The Flash / 07

Quirky Brainiac

H A H R I YA R Shahriyar Jahanbakhsh is arguably the most popular kid in the entire school, however, he has changed the typical standards for popularity. According to the Flash survey, 85.9 percent of students either know, or have heard of him. In his three years at Rocklin High, Shahriyar has stood out from the crowd with both his intelligence and his eccentric personality. What people don’t know, is that Shahriyar is just a quirky kid leading an average life. and one day my Aunt took me to Stanford mall and I fell into the water fountain! It was a cold and cloudy day, so I still remember that very well. It’s cherished because it was a cute little event and I was spending the day with my aunt.

What does everyone know about you?

Okay, everybody knows that I’m smart, that I’m in AP chem, and that I do cross country and track.

What do people not know about you?

Uh, people don’t know that I DON’T spend all my time reading. I don’t sit at home reading encyclopedias and textbooks like everybody thinks.

I’m just a normal kid, y’know, like everyone else.

Photo Credit Kacy Wilson

Describe yourself. What do you think about yourself and do you think people perceive you in the same way?

Absolutely not. Like I said before, I don’t care about school as much as everybody thinks I do. I’m just like everybody else, I don’t spend all my time doing homework. I have other things to do. I think my perception is that I am well balanced, I am normal, and that everyone else thinks I only focus on school.

Walk me through your average weekday/weekend.

Average weekday? Um, I wake up, I go to school, I do my classes. Then when I go home, I pretty much work on homework until I go to bed. Well after school, there’s always cross country. But yeah, that’s my weekday.

My weekend, oh yes. I like to relax, y’know. Saturdays, I like to go running with Ravi Sharma sometimes and then the rest of the Saturday I just relax. I like to play video games with my little brother, Ariya. My favorite game is Starfox Assault on our Game Cube, and also I like to listen to Spanish music because that will help my AP Spanish grade. Um, I mostly like to be outside.

What’s your favorite word?

Uh, Sharma! Ravi Sharma! That’s right, Ravi Sharma, Sharma is my favorite word. Sharma. Sharma.

Which is your most cherished childhood memory?

My most cherished childhood memory is probably just one of my most memorable ones. I grew up in Sunnyvale

08 / The Flash/rhsflash@yahoo.com

Who is your role model?

Probably my dad because hes very hard-working and that sort of imparts on to me, his hardworking attitude. He doesn’t give up, so I learn from him.

What is the craziest thing you have ever done?

I’ve stayed up all night one day! That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever done. We went to a track event and it was at the RHS gymnasium and I stayed up pretty much from 7 PM, when the event started, to y’know 8 AM. I had never done that before; I normally don’t do over-nighters. That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever done.

If given a choice, which animal would you want to be? Why? I would like to be a shark because they are strong, powerful, and they can prey on other stuff without getting preyed on. They resemble power and strength. So yes, I’d be a shark.

If you won a lottery, how would you spend your millions?

Uh okay okay, honestly I would donate a good sum of it to medical research, and then of course spend the rest for myself. I would like to spend it on traveling, I mean, y’know, who doesn’t want to travel for free? Wherever you want to go. Y’know, take a nice year or two off from work if I’m working. So, yes, that is how I would spend my money if I won a lottery.

Who or what inspires you and why?

Mr. Pereira. Dan Pereira, he inspires me. He is a really great teacher, he is a good athlete. In his university years, he balanced that very well, and he was very successful. So he is very inspiring to me, for that reason.

By Holly Petersen and Elisabeth Hartman, Web Editors January 2011

“I’m just a normal kid, y’know, like everyone else.”

Shahriyar?

“He models his life after his male teachers. Mr. Thayer is his pride and joy. His reason for existence.”

--Nona Bhatia, 11 “What? Is it a person?”

--Kelsey McBeth, 9 “Shahriyar is a beautiful untamed lion, whose courage and ferocity goes unmatched and will remain unmatched for decades to come.”

--Trevor Hill, 12 “He gets better scores than me in Spanish.”

--Paco Hernandez, 11 “I know that Shahriyar is crazy funny. Ask him about his 100 gangsters song! It’s amazing.”

--Danielle Mikawa, 12 “He’s somewhat of a legend at Rocklin High.”

--Ricky Mackie, 11

of out g n i l t hoo get out t sc b n a a king , I w“ thin y’know I better g m ’ I ive Holly “ uz c th these o , u l ghts so oo she’ll s sch over.” botherin top e g me.” to b “I’m thinking about how stra nge it is to have a voice recorder, *he avy breath* in your hand while you’re out run ning”

INSIDE THE HEAD OF

S H A H R I YA R “Off to run with Ravi!”

ta “S Ps st ho yc ud ot! h! y ” fo Go r AP t-

W h a t d o yo u k n o w a b o u t

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Sha g wI rma good for Day nex t “Two essays back-to-back will be torture Thursday--- and Mrs. Benzel just sits there swinging her feet all excited!!”

Design by Holly Petersen, Elisabeth Hartman, and Kacy Wilson

rhsflash@gmail.com / The Flash / 09

Michael Luu

Michael

Luu

We all have them: quirks, tidbits of facts that hardly anyone knows. These bits of information make us human. Michael Luu is just one example of members of the Rocklin High School family that are more than what meet the eye.

Rocklin High School is home to us all. We spend countless hours within these classrooms, roaming the halls, surrounded by people constantly. How many of our peers do we actually know? Actually spend time to get to know?

Depends on who you are, but there are definitely strangers to each one of us at school. School life commonly consists of a few close friends and an abundance of acquaintances.

Here is a small step to change that. Michael Luu is a junior at Rocklin High. For the 68.2 percent of you who do not know him, there are countless interesting aspects of this individual that go unnoticed. Some random, yet most are little bits about Michael’s life that no one would know unless they took the time to get to know him.

He favors the color “blue fashure”. Michael’s favorite food is beef jerky.

“I eat everything,” says Luu.

His favorite hobbies include sleeping and going out. Luu’s main goal in life is to fund his “bungalow on a beach in Hawaii.”

He currently lives in Sacramento, but was raised in Belmont, North Carolina.

“I’m unsure of how many siblings I have,” says Luu.

10 / The Flash/rhsflash@yahoo.com

Heart shaped birthmark on his left foot.

His dad is half French.

“I forget how to float when I’m in water,” says Luu. He’s never been to Disneyland.

“Math makes me itchy”, says Luu. The list goes on. Luu has to have the ear buds in the right ear when he listens to his iPhone. He panics when he sees porcelain dolls. Still has his wisdom teeth, and has never broken a bone or had chicken pox.

“My outlook on life is to basically do what you like and laugh at everything,” says Luu. He is trilingual, as he speaks a solid amount of French, Vietnamese, and English. Luu is taking three honors classes, and challenged French III Honors over this past summer to be in French IV Honors this year.

Michael is jut one of the numerous students at Rocklin High who has so much to share about themselves and so much to give to others. Quirks and interesting bits of interesting information that make us up as people go unnoticed by most, yet these are the foundations of us as people.

Rocklin High School is a community of interesting people just waiting to share everything they have to offer, so the next time you pass Michael Luu in the hall make sure to ask him to say something in Vietnamese.

By Alisha McGoldrick

January 2011

“I’m unsure of how many siblings I have”

What his Friends

Say

What do you find unique about Michael Luu? “Oh my gosh. I love him. Our personalities are so similar because we both have that monotone, nonchalant attitude.

This year we’ve become closer than ever.”

- Stephanie Obrowski,11 “He’s a peach.”

- Marissa Euan,11 “He has Mama Luu make egg roles for everyone every Friday.”

- Jameen Rana,11 “His sarcasm”

- Dianne Alatorre,11 “He likes beef jerky.”

- David Leung,11

january 2011

rhsflash@gmail.com / The Flash / 11

Taekwondo Guru

A

[

A Modern Day

Ninja

ninja’s stolid resolve is unyielding to anything that stands in opposition. Andre Mota, a senior at Rocklin High School, is a modern day ninja. He is a Taekwondo guru, a nationally ranked individual who competes in tournaments in both sparring and poomsae.

Sparring is the typical fighting, and poomsae is a set of movements that focus on skills which standardize motions.

It is essential to be successful and apt in both areas to fully be a student of Taekwondo. To compete for TKD, Andre has traveled to Florida three times, Georgia and Texas twice, and Detroit, Minnesota and California once each.

All the fun involved with competing and traveling does not come without due training…but just how much training is required? Andre used to train every night, and drive to Elk Grove on the weekends for more training. Training includes basic classes, sparring, practice drills, pliometrics, running, and of course the token Taekwondo kicking. However, not all of the work is on the mats at the Dojang, a lot of it is at home, with the support from his family, who also competes.

Andre has two siblings who compete, his younger sister and older brother. They train together on kicking and running, and push each other to reach their potential.

Andre shows his determination to be the best when he said, “The hardest part is the commitment. If you’re not fully committed to it then you can’t get better because it really is a lot of training and conditioning. There’s always going to be other things that will conflict against my TKD schedule, like schoolwork and friends. However, I have to sacrifice a lot of this if I want to continue to improve.”

Most of us are barely able to keep up with our current schedules which generally include school, friends, college applications, and work…so how is Andre able to continue the rigorous schedule while taking five AP classes, including Calculus BC? “Before this tournament since schoolwork was heavy I trained about four times a week and at home when I had free time. Now I don’t train as much since big tournaments aren’t coming up until February. School has been hectic, and with college apps coming soon, I think I’m going to take a break from TKD until about December,” said Andre. Andre has been in Taekwondo for 13 years, but everything is completely worth the work for him. A foremost memory for Andre is when he went into finals, which was his fifth fight of the day. The fight took place near the middle of the night, and not many other people were competing.

Even though he did not come out victorious, he was happy

12 / The Flash/rhsflash@yahoo.com

]

Andre, left, and sister Michelle, right, practice Taekwondo (Photo Credit: Scripps Howard News Service)

with how he performed and has even more resolve now to do better. Competing for 13 years, the competitors have become somewhat familiar with each other, yet Andre tries to stay distant from those he will face in the ring so that he can stay fully competitive.

Andre has learned a lot through his experiences with Taekwondo, and advises everyone to, “stay committed to what you do and use your past losses and mistakes to learn from and push you even harder. It takes a lot of work and sacrifice to excel at anything so just make sure you’re truly passionate towards your task. No one else can push you to do something other than yourself. Lastly, take the time to enjoy your sport because victory and the process of reaching that goal are the things that make you happy.”

- Written by Christian Young

GOT YEARBOOK? Prices go up Feb. 17 $70 now order at Jostens.com January 2011

“Stay committed to what you do and use your past losses and mistakes to learn from and push you even harder.”

Why we take

Calculus BC

“There is a hierarchy of infinity. And I can prove it.”

– Garrett Watkins “Calculus is math put on its head and spun around a dozen times, but it’s still math as long as you don’t mind variables.”

“Calculus BC is fun because is Mrs. McCullough

– Luke Brunner is fun, crazy, and spontaneous, and the poeple in the class are all my friends. “ - Andre Mota “Calculus is the business. That’s why we get paid the big bucks.”

– Joe Tregoning “My cat, Bob, is on the wall above the whiteboard so whenever I feel hopeless, I look at him and I feel inspired… Plus Mrs. McCullough is the coolest person/teacher on campus.”

– Jill Wirt “I wanted to prove that I am smarter than my sister... and because I like being the contradiction of a cheerleader in Calculus..”

-Juliet Bennet “I take Calculus BC because it is a class that challenges me and I like math. One of the things that I like about Calculus is that we have all been in the same class before.

- Eric Lovejoy “We have all been in the same math class since 7th grade... also, it’s cool knowing that we are the only class in the school taking the highest level of math offered at Rocklin.”

- Elise Valentini

Karate Kid

“I like how [karate] combines a lot of physical activity along with spiritual and mental training,” says Sebastian Torrelio, a senior.

Sebastian started taking karate lessons when he was five years old and has been doing it for the past eleven years.

He practices at Ernie Rayes Training Center about 2-3 times a week for an hour each time. He says karate is a sport that takes a lot of focus and discipline.

All of his training has accumulated in a third degree black belt. Sebastian hopes to test for his fourth degree black belt this spring.

“There is a large time commitment that goes into preparing for a black belt so as long as I have the time to train I will test [in the spring],” says Sebastian.“The black belt test is a huge event, everyone meets to watch there are thousands of people.”

Despite his dedication to karate a knee problem hinders his ability to participate completely since he has to avoid kicking or doing anything that would put too much stress on his knee.

Sebastian doesn’t compete much at large events representing his training center although he has competed in some event sponsored through the Ernie Rayes Training Center.

For Sebastian karate is something he prefers to do as recreation.

“I plan on doing it as much as physically possible until I can’t anymore,” says Sebastian. “It’s grown into some-Written by Shilpa Amalkanti

January 2011

Designed by Keely O’Brien

rhsflash@yahoo.com / The Flash / 13

Guilty Pleasures

Speaking Now (About Swift)

I

f you like Taylor Swift (or have been within two feet of a radio playing 107.9), you are probably aware that her music is catered to teenage girls. This means that almost every fan of it is female. The “almost” part of that last sentence is important.

there are many stereotypes, and with them ]many expec-

Nick Dahla, a sophomore, is part of that male segment.

away. But guilty pleasures are here to stay too. Complete,

And though he may have joined a slim minority, he has

24/7 surveillance of someone is impossible. Thousands

become part of a majority. In a survey taken online, 54.9

will continue to take advantage of this fact.

percent of Rocklin High Students admit to having a “guilty

tations of conformity. Certain people with certain friends should like certain things, and for the most part, they do.

But the exceptions are certainly there.

Peer pressure and its results have been around as long as there have been peers. And they will likely never go

By Rahul Verma

pleasure”, or something they simultaneously enjoy and claim to reject. While these items can be nearly anything consumable, one of the most common categories is music.

For Dahla, it started when he began to like the song “Love Story”, from Swift’s 2008 debut. Ever since it started receiving airplay on the radio, he has been a fan. His favorite song now is “You Belong With Me”, but he likes much more of her work.

“I love her music- all of it; its awesome,” he said. “Whats not to like?” He adds the reason he fell for Swift’s music is that it is “very catchy”.

Dahla obviously is a major fan of Taylor Swift. But he doesn’t make it obvious. Most people are oblivious to his taste in music, especially his friends. Dahla doesn’t share it, and quite possibly for good reason.

He is not a feminine person however. Dahla stands six feet tall and is very athletic. His friends also fit that type.

Not a suprise, but his friends also do not think highly of Taylor Swift or her music.

“Its definitely not something you tell everybody,” he says. “I keep it secret.”

The numbers show that Dahla is one of a thousand at this school alone who have a guilty pleasure, most of whom share Nick’s fears of societal pressure.After all,

14 / The Flash/rhsflash@gmail.com

Taylor Swift has sold over 16 million albums.

JANUARY 2011

“I love her music-all of it; it’s awesome.”

(

W H AT I S YO U R

(

G U I LT Y P L E A S U R E “I have a crush on the house bunny because of her beautiful hair!”

–Austin Benny, 10 “My guilty pleasure is Nutella” –Alina Holtsman, 9

“I love Hannah Montana!”

–Josh Czub, 10 “White chocolat pretzels” –Katy Mencaccy, 10

“Mint tea... I have a glass every day!”

–Kaylyn Brest, 10 Reporting by Franchesca Awwad and Design by Devin Moss.

JANUARY 2011

rhsflash@gmail.com / The Flash / 15

Spirit on the Sideline

RYAN PAYNE Student makes “Payne-ful” decision, trading in his jersey for a clipboard and whistle

For football players at Rocklin High School and every other high school in America, Varsity year is what it’s all about. Every double-day, every practice in the rain, all of that leads up to the first time in the stadium, under the lights in front of all of the screaming fans.

Unfortunately, during the season opener of Ryan Payne’s junior season, his first Varsity game, he was sidelined by a season-ending knee injury, after six years of playing football.

Payne was subject to months of physical therapy in order to get his knee back into working condition. While Payne labored to walk again, his team completed its most successful season in the school’s history, beating Del Oro for the section championship, competing in the State Division 2 bowl game, and finishing the season at 14-1.

16 / The Flash/rhsflash@gmail.com

Despite his hard work, Payne would not be able to make it back onto the playing field for his senior year.

However, this did not spell the end of Payne’s relationship with Rocklin High School’s football program.

And so Payne entered his position as a junior member of the coaching staff for the Varsity football team. Payne is active on the team as an Assistant Offensive Line Coach.

Though he enjoys coaching, he misses playing. It has, however, afforded him the opportunity to “focus on school work and get ready for college.”

In addition to focusing more on his academic and social pursuits, Payne has also used his time to create Rocklin High’s first real mascot in the school’s history.

With his friend, senior Reuben Petersen, and the help of full-body spandex, Thunder Man was born. Mr. Bills made the two the official mascots of RHS and they hope to get the crowds pumped up at basketball games. The two mascots have made their presence known in the Rowdy Rooter section at games, trying to get fans excited for the team, however, things have been a bit disappointing with the preseason crowd.

Once the actual season begins and students begin to fill the Gym at games, Payne and Petersen will likely be responsible for getting the fans cheering.

Even though Ryan Payne is closing his career with Rocklin’s football team on the sidelines instead of on theline, his contributions to the team remain immense.

- Written by Brit Husmann January 2011

“At first it was a little weird...”

“He kind of dragged me into it.”

Varsity Football Captain, Joey Ramos

Q and A with Ruben Petersen

Illustrated by R. Morris and K. Wilson

Q: A: Q: A:

How long have you and Ryan Payne been friends?

Q:

Which one of you came up with the idea for Thunder-

Probably since kindergarten.

Was it difficult seeing your friend injured again?

Yes. He worked so hard to do well this year so yeah that was difficult. man?

A: Ryan. He kind of dragged me into it.

Q: Do you have someone in mind to continue as mascot after

Senior, Reuben Petersen

the two of you graduate?

A: His brother wants to do it, but I don’t know if he’ll be able to fit into the suit. So it’s just up for whoever wants to do it.

JANUARY 2011 Reported by: Hannah Vahldick

Designed by: Olivia Murray rhsflash@gmail.com

/ The Flash /17

Press Play

Broadcast Yourself To some, You

™ is more than a pastime, it’s a path to internet fame.

There are two ways to achieve instant short-lived fame.

One is by starring in a reality TV show. The other, slightly more respectable course of action involves uploading a short video of yourself and essentially broadcasting it to the world.

YouTube has become so iconic that it’s hard to imagine life without it. The website exceeds two billion views per day. It would likely be hard to calculate how many hours RHS students have wasted watching old favorites like “Charley the Unicorn” and “Numa Numa Dance” or more recently “The Bed Intruder Song” and “Double Rainbow.”

Some other must-sees include “Charley Bit My Finger,” “Potter Puppet Pals,” and “Fred on Halloween” (from before he sold out). It seems everyone has their own opinion about which is the best viral video out there.

Lately, more and more people have been trying to get a taste of internet stardom. Jeremy Crooks, a local Rocklin celebrity, broadened his fan-base by posting a video of himself dancing on YouTube. Two million hits later, he found himself being asked to dance on the Ellen Degeneres show– twice. Two RHS students, Corey Besmer and Raffy Maniego, are attempting to follow his example.

By Alexandra Onea, Copy Editor

Corey Besmer

Channel: cbesmer7 Video Type: Funny/ Creative Subscribers: 26 YouTubing Since: 2008 After watching a few of cbesmer7’s videos, you can only wonder what goes on in the head of the guy behind masterpeices like “Lettuce” and “The Dream.” Ask him to define his videos in one word and he’ll tell you they’re just “random.”

Don’t be too quick to judge, though. Just because senior Corey Besmer likes to express his creativity through silly clips doesn’t mean he’s your average amateur YouTuber. The main focus of his uploads is to show off what he can do in the way of video production and editing.

“When I’m making a new video, editing can sometimes take all night,” Besmer said.

18 / The Flash/rhsflash@gmail.com

It’s that kind of commitment that seperates the vloggers from the viral favorites. Besmer has also practiced his talents in our recent RHS fall play A Reunion to Die For, for which he produced the opening introduction video.

Besmer aspires to be a film maker in the future. His affinity for producing short films all began during the Summer of 2009, when he first got a video editing program and started messing around with it. The irony of it is, he learned his trade through YouTube from the start.

“I always looked up tutorials on YouTube for how to do editing stuff and that’s pretty much how I learned.”

January 2011

“His viewers don’t mind the Ray-Bans and fedoras that compliment his music.”

Raffyto Maniego What do (and not) in Rocklin Channel: peanutboyz41 Video Type: Music Subscribers: 79 YouTubing Since: 2007

When it comes to YouTube videos, the number one rule that most people don’t follow is to keep it simple. No one has mastered this better than senior Raffy Maniego.

In his videos, it’s just him and his guitar, and maybe a cool hat.

Maniego definitely has a distinct style. With over 6,000 views, there is no doubt that his viewers don’t mind the Ray-Bans and fedoras that compliment his music.

The singer/guitarist makes it look easy, but the songs themselves take days to perfect.

“I first practice a song until I get it right ten times in a row, but I mess up about 100 times, so it’s difficult to get

the perfect take,” said Maniego.

In his videos, Maniego does covers of a wide variety of songs, providing his own vocals and guitar. The most popular as of yet is his cover of “Sunday Morning” by Maroon 5, which has gotten over 1000 hits. In addition to his acoustic covers, he has also written a song of his own called “Fruits.”

The writer/vocalist/guitarist has been playing guitar for over three years. In fact, he taught himself to play.

Can you guess the internet video sharing website that provided the video he learned from? That’s right, for Maniego, too, YouTube is where it all started.

What kind of videos do you watch on YouTube?

Do you post videos on YouTube?

(385 students surveyed)

39% 38%

Other

Funny

22% 78%

How often do you watch videos on YouTube?

20% Music

Yes No

3% None

Never Once in a while Often All the time

4% 45% 27% 24%

Reported by Natalie Pinna, Designed by Alexandra Onea January 2011

rhsflash@gmail.com / The Flash / 19

4WRD

4WRD Dance Show

[Left] Amand Disandro perfoming to “Already Takin’.”

[Below] Dance team performs to “Alejandro” and Dance 4 performs to “Cowboy Casanova.”

[Left] Dance team dances to Hairspray’s “Can’t Stop the Beat.” [Above] The JV dance team performs a hiphop routine,“Party.”

photos by Kara Stone

20 / The Flash/rhsflash@yahoo.com

January 2011

“It was fun, but hard to do two practices.”

A Team Player Senior, Seth Casiple, had a busy fall sports season this year Most people know him as the first kicker Rocklin High School has had in many years, however Seth Casiple’s story is so much more.

Not only is he already committed to UC Berkeley soccer, but he also manages AP classes and plays two sports. He is a member of both the Rocklin soccer team and the football team.

“It was fun, but hard to do two practices. I had to work outside of school, such as kicking during fourth period,” said senior, Seth Casiple.

Casiple modestly admitted that balancing classes and sports was not too hard, especially because he only has six classes. However, the most difficult and surprising thing was that he had to learn how to play football.

“I had never played. I had honestly no idea. The first time I kicked with pads and a helmet was during the first game,” said Casiple.

He added that it was fun to be on the team, but a lot different than he expected. His friends recruited him to be the kicker for the football team.

Being on two teams meant a huge commitment to sports and teammates. The football team was much more accepting than his soccer teammates because they wanted him at practice. As if this is not enough, he also plays tennis and on a separate competitive soccer team.

All of his accomplishments have truly set him up for success as he is already committed to UC Berkeley. hH is excited because he wanted to stay close, particularly after a difficult move from San Diego.

“It is really not hard as an athlete, you have it all done for you. With good test scores and grades, you just fill out the application,” he said.

Looking back on the fall season of his senior year with a smile, he finds that his favorite memory was “making my first tackle against Ponderosa with my eyes closed.”

By, Danielle Huddlestun, Co-Editor in Chief

(left, above) Casiple preparing for a football game. (above) Sporting a different uniform, he battles for the ball in a soccer game.

5 goals in soccer 47 points, 4 field goals in football January 2011

Design by Danielle Huddlestun rhsflash@yahoo.com / The Flash / 21

Editors’ Columns

Gossip: it is a choice Psst.

“I know something you don’t know.”

The adrenaline rush and glamour of a secret can be too intriguing to reject. It’s dangerous.

It’s all about feeling good about ourselves, even at the cost of another person’s reputation. Talking about Sally’s grades, Charlie’s love life, or Amalee’s newest wardrobe revolution is just too satisfying; It’s a bonding experience and a self-esteem boost all in one. It’s free and entertaining. It’s easy. Too easy.

A seemingly light-hearted and innocent giggle can develop into a deadly, ugly rumor that spreads like wildfire throughout a student body. Like a weed, it plants itself in the garden of friendship. It brings out the worst in people, and not just the victim of the gossip, either.

If you are constantly concerned with every detail of someone else’s life, a celebrity’s or a peer’s, then can you live your own life? And does some other person’s social or personal life affect you? The answer is almost always no.

Completely unproductive, this verbal garbage prevents people from being productive and fulfilling their goals.

Imagine how much good could be done if people channeled their negative energy they would have normally invested in gossipping into something beneficial to society, or even themselves.

Knowing a juicy secret gives people a false sense of importance. Such chatter gives people a false sense of power and control since they know the “latest, inside scoop.”Gossip encourages people to be followers, rather than leaders, as they immediately listen to something just because, well..just because.

Let’s say we have a scenario: person A and person B. “I need an A on this test,” says Person A. “If Oliver can get an A, then you can definitely get an A. He’s not very smart,” reassures Person B. “Oh yeah that’s right, he isn’t very smart. You’d think if he were at least dumb, he’d be somewhat attractive. But he isn’t.” “ Well I guess Claire finds him attractive. Either that or she’s just dating him for his yacht. I don’t know. She can do so much better. ” Ouch. You can see where this conversation is going.

Or maybe you can’t.

At this point, Person A doesn’t know that Person B,actually best friends with Oliver, repeats the conversation to Oliver later that night over facebook. There’s always the possibility that once Oliver hears, he will start a rumor about

22 / The Flash/rhsflash@gmail.com

Person A just for revenge. Person B, however, seeing that Person A approves of such gossiping, is now inspired to gossip about this person. Person A didn’t realize , “Ohh, maybe I shouldn’t trust this person since I know they talk about people behind their backs.”

It is important to judge people based on your direct experiences with them rather than someone else’s word.

Gossip can decay current friendships and inhibit future friendships. Yes, we are in high school, but that doesn’t mean it is okay to gossip. If you’re going to gossip, make it positive.

We all have played the game “Telephone.” The sentence never maintains its originality from the beginning of the game to the end. A word is inserted, a word is deleted, etc. This game represents the real-life game of gossip.

Thankfully, I haven’t had much personal experience with gossip and rumors, even if journalists are perceived to be “gossip-thirsty” individuals.

We, as The Flash Staff, want people to know we, as high school-journalists, address real issues in an authentic voice. We want to hear your story from you, for who you really are, not what is passing through the hallways.

We want people to know that we respect individuals and quote anonymously only to protect their reputation. We want to encourage people to be informed of events and above all, ideas.

Eleanor Roosevelt encourages this concept rather eloquently, “ Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, and small minds discuss people.”

Next time you hear a friend or peer initiatate a conversation purely about someone’s reputation, you don’t have to participate. You can subtly change the subject. There is a whole world of topics to discuss other than somebody’s reputation.

Choosing not to engage in gossip will not only gain you trust in a public spotlight, but it will reduce the possiblity of someone suffering the negative energy a nasty rumor brings. Happiness should be from within, from personal accomplishment and development. Other people’s misfortunes should not be sources of personal satisfaction.

Think before you speak. Somebody may have held back a negative thought about you.

By Amanda Calzada, Editor-In-Chief

january 2011

“What happened to enjoying our youth and having fun?”

HOBBIES A P P I N E S S If you asked me to describe school in one word, I could.

Stressful.

And I’m sure I speak for at least 80% of high school students. The importance of high GPAs and SAT scores, class rank, community service, and extra curriculars have all been drilled into our brains to be our number one priorities.

But what happened to enjoying our youth and having fun? What happened to “having a life?”

The students featured in this issue of the Flash have exposed their lives outside of school.

Alex Abercombie is a model.

Raffy Maniego and Corey Besmer post videos on YouTube.

Andre Mota coaches Taekwando.

Amelia Lowell and Neil Brinckerhof love to act.

The list goes on and on, but from it we begin to see clearly what it is that makes these students stand out - they have found things they love to do that make them happy. They have developed hobbies.

In other words, hobbies are the activities and interests that people involve themselves in outside their usual occupation, in this case school.

The hobbies we have outside of school make us who we are. Instead of being branded with GPAs or being judged by our study habits, hobbies can give us a sense of identity, self worth, and confidence.

At the same time, one must wonder how these students balance time for their interests and hobbies with school. Yes, school can get very hectic, but all that energy that students use stressing, they can channel through their hobby instead. In fact, studies have shown that having a hobby can reduce stress.

According to a Swedish study, those that involve themselves with hobbies are less likely to suffer from depression or mental decline. The health benefits that come with having a hobby is similar to how daily physical activity can increase life expectancy.

As students, our stress stems off worry. For in-

January 2011

stance, we worry about deadlines and passing tests. Worry is major component of stress, but when we absorb ourselves in a hobby, worries seem to vanish. A hobby can hold our focus and challenge our minds in a fun, intriguing way, but not all hobbies have this affect.

When choosing a hobby, there are important guidelines to follow. For example, television or browsing the internet may be considered hobbies, but they do not provide enough stimulation of the brain or leave us feeling regenerated and calm. It is important to find something that you love to do, that challenges you, that is affordable, and that you can continue doing. Eventually over the years, your skills will develop and your passion for what you do will grow.

Depending on what hobby you take interest in, you can include it in your college application.

Maybe your hobby can be performing community service at an animal shelter or retirement home, or playing a sport or musical instrument.

Whatever it is, it is important that your hobby gives you a sense of achievement and allows you to stand out among the millions of college applicants.

And what’s great is that you don’t have to limit yourself to one hobby. You can have multiple hobbies that are all completely different.

You could play football, collect snowglobes, and play the clarinet. Those are pretty random hobbies, but they make an individual that much more interesting.

We can learn a lot about ourselves from our hobbies. They allow us to firgure out what we like and don’t like to do. With this we can determine what it is we want to do in life. Our interests make up who we are, and everyone’s are different.

Our campus is rich with a diverse spectrum of interests and hobbies, which makes it a vibrant and interesting place.

Happy 2011. Welcome it with open arms and try something new.

By Natalie Pinna, Managing Editor

rhsflash@gmail.com / The Flash / 23

Bullseye

Shooting for Olympic Success

Niki Siveria dreams big, qualified for 2010 International Precision Air Rifle Junior Olympics

O

n a typical Tuesday evening Niki Silveria isn’t doing her homework or hanging out with friends like most Rocklin High School students. Instead she is hard at work at the Lincoln Rifle Club.

“Since you get an unlimited amount of shots for the middle two targets, the number of shots you can use at the event really just depends on how much ammunition you bring,” says Niki.

The difference between the events are the distance Niki, a Junior, has been participating in Air Rifle away from the Shooting for the last targets and the three years. She started size. International participating in the Precision Air Rifle activity when a former has larger targets, teacher in Georgia however she has introduced her to the to shoot from sport. Back in Georgia, farther away. The her Auto Cad Class difference between teacher was also the Three Small Bore coach of the school rifle and Four Small team.

Bore is the height “When I first started of the target from it was very different the ground. In all because we were a of these even she first year team, so we has to shoot from learned along with our at least 10 meters coach,” says Niki. “I did away from the not feel that I was good target. There is at it at first, it’s kind a time limit of of of demoralizing when about an hour most of your shoots Niki Silveria at the indoor shooting range in the Lincoln Rifle Club. and thirty minutes miss the target.” for each of the Air Rifle Shooting consists of many different events. Niki participates in events.

To improve at this Precision Air Rifle Niki dedicates a three events called: International Precision Air Rifle, Three lot of time to the sport. On Tuesdays and Thursdays she Position Small Bore, and Four Position Small Bore.

All of these events consists of a target with equally helps younger kids with air rifle shooting from 4:30 - 6:30. sized circles. Each circle has concentric cirles within it, Then she starts practicing her own shooting until 8:00. each one with a certain point value, the eight circle on the Sometimes she will even go in on Sundays to get in some outside can only be shot at once. Shooters lose points if extra practice.

“I do feel a lot of my free time goes into shooting they shoot at them more than once. The shooter can take an unlimited number of shoots at the two targets in the whether its practice or going to meetings,” says Niki. “Or just preparing myself mentally. A big part of shooting is middle.

02 / The Flash/rhsflash@yahoo.com

January 2010

“It was really overwhelming at first” paring yourself mentally. My old coach always said shooting is 90% mental and 10% practice.

All of her dedication and hard work helped land her a spot at the 2010 Air Rifle Junior Olympics at the Colorado Olympic Training Center. She qualified for the International Precision Air Rifle event “It was really overwhelming at first,” says Niki. “There were a lot of good shooters there. It was also a challenge to shoot in a different range. The targets you shoot at never change but where they go can.”

To qualify for the Junior Olympics she shot a score of 375, exceeding the qualifying score by four points. She was ten points shy of shooting a score that would have guaranteed her a spot at the Junior Olympics. Niki was one out of three members of the Lincoln Rifle team to make it to the Junior Olympics.

At the Junior Olympics she shot a score of 372 placing 73 out of 120.

“It was fun to go and spend time with my teammates, they are really fun people and I got to know them better.,” says Niki. “At the end my coach gave me the best shooter award on my team, I don’t always feel like I am

The sign above the Lincoln Shooting range. the best shooter but it was nice to know other people think I am really good”. She hopes to participate in the 2011 International Precision Air Rifle Olympics at Colorado Springs.

“I’m not sure if I want to take it to college at the moment, says Niki. “At the moment I am just enjoying where I am.

- Written by Shilpa Amalkanti, Administrative Editor

Friends of Niki “I’m planning on going to [Niki’s] competition next year because she has been my good friend & I’ve known her since freshman year.”

- Tabatha Sartain, Junior

“Niki is a good influence and sets a good example for all our newcomers in Anime Club.”

Linsdsey Hogan, Junior,

Anime Club President

“Niki’s an awesome friend, [air rifle shooting] doesn’t really interfere with our friendship.”

- Michaela Blagg, Junior

Reported by Shilpa Amalkanti Designed by Shilpa Amalkanti January 2010

rhsflash@yahoo.com / The Flash / 03

Confessions revealed

Post Secret When no one’s around, I like to eat dog food.

I listen to what other people think too much.

I still own over ten stuffed animals

I have anger managment I love myself too much

I had a twin.... growing on my ovary.

I really don't like about half of my friends. I'm just nice to them because I don't like being mean to anyone.

don’t be so rude I’ve had a crush on my guy friend for 7 years but he doesn’t know it.

you should smile more I cry in the bathroom sometimes, because that’s when reality kicks in.

I hate having to look at them together and pretend like it doesn't kill me inside.

I fear being kicked out of my house because we barely have enough money to keep the family living.

Why are you so far away?

I got high with my mom

I have a very unhealthy obsession with oatmeal, I even named my fish after it...

26 / The Flash/rhsflash@yahoo.com

My mom’s husband just went back to jail and I am the only one who knows why

Everyday I do interpretive dances to never shout never songs in my spongebob pajams.

i can’t wait to see karma get you back

I haven’t had my first kiss

I keep no secrets.

GET OVER YOURSELF

I Love you, Mr. Morris!You should marry me

I’m in love with my cousin

January 2011

“quote goes here...�

Thunder

Galleria

2010

[left] ... Lauren Russo brings child around to shop at the toys booth [below] Elves are trained to take the children shopping in the annual community service event.

[Left] Dance team members Emily Winter and Emily Schwab running a princess themed store. photos by Marina Kousteros, Emily Lawrence

January 2011

rhsflash@yahoo.com / The Flash / 27

FINAL PAGE

Class of 2012 Honor Guard Megan Toppings

Varsity Cheer, Peer Counselor, Yearbook, Thunder Galleria, CSF, LINK “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”

Jeffrey Seyfried

Water Polo, Swim, Math League, Science Olympiad “An unexamined life is not worth living.”

Janis Chung

CSF, Science Olympiad, NHS, Thunder Mentoring,Yearbook, Peer Tutor, Quill and Scroll, Thunder Galleria Director “Don’t wait for things to happen. Make them happen.”

Zach Dahla

ASB Vice-President, Yoga Club, Pokemon League Club, Thunder Mentor, Student Senate, Link “Why look back into the past when we can see so clearly into our future?”

Yasmine Bouzid

Culinary Club, French Club, Key Club, CSF, Interact Club, Journalism, Mock Trial, Progressive Youth League, NHS, S.M.O.S.S. “Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.”

Joey Haug

ASB, Soccer “Never settle for anything less than your best.”

flash Editorial Board:

Amanda Calzada Editor-in-Chief Danielle Huddlestun Co-Editor-in-Chief, Media Natalie Pinna Managing Editor Shilpa Amalkanti Administrative Editor Elisabeth Hartman Co-Web Editor Holly Petersen Co-Web Editor Alie Onea Copy Editor Emily Brooks Design Editor Franchesca Awwad, Devin Moss, Michelle Tran, Amanda Wong Sports Editors Casey Nichols Adviser

Staff Writers:

Lily Atkinson, Kiersten Austefjord, Yasmine Bouzid, Ashley Brown, Clifford Carpenello, Leslie Howell, Britlyn Husmann, Alisha McGoldrick, Olivia Murray, Keely O’Brien, Alicia Phillips, Anthony Roberts, Kara Stone, Hannah Vahldick, Rahul Verma, Christian Young

The Flash is a public forum produced by students for students in an attempt to inform and entertain its audience. Journalism students have the final authority for any content found in this publication. The Flash Staff encourages letters regarding content to constitute a constructive avenue for student opinion. Letters should be directed to the newspaper’s email, rhsflash@gmail.com.

Rocklin High School 5301 Victory Lane

Brought to you by ASB student recognition team The Flash/ 28 /

rhsflash@gmailcom

Rocklin, CA 95765 916-632-7498 http://rhs.rocklin.k12.ca.us/

january 2011