THE JAGUAR TIMES - VOL 19 ISSUE 4 (NEWSPAPER)

Gearing Up For Prom Season

By Katherine Gonzalez

For some students, senior year can be an exciting year to make lasting memories with friends, teachers and partners. Seniors have already experienced their last homecoming dance, last sports senior nights and last senior days. Upcoming is grad nite and the much-anticipated last school dance: prom.

Prom is a time-honored American tradition that holds immense importance in students’ time in high school. It symbolizes the culmination of their academic journey and marks the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.

This year’s prom will be on June 1, held at Navy Golf Course in Cypress. For most of the students of the class of 2024, prom night serves as a tribute to four years of learning, friendship and school spirit. This event is usually seen as the last time the entire class is all together before graduation.

However, in order to make prom memorable, it all starts with the planning process by senior leadership.

According to senior Natalie Pineda, who is part of the senior leadership, she has noticed that putting this event together has been slowly consuming. The team is focused on making sure all the details are correct, splitting ideas on what to have at the dance and on how to promote ticket sales. She wants

South East Prepares For New Bell Schedule

By Brianna Hernandez

Starting next school year, South East is expected to adopt a new schedule going from an 8-period to a 6-period schedule where students will attend all their classes every day. The staff voted in favor of the 6-period schedule, with some claiming it would be a better option for the students.

Although there have been many mixed reactions from the students, it was said that so far, the 6-period schedule is likely to be our new schedule for the upcoming school year. The 6-period schedule will have all classes meet every day for about an hour each, with the advisory schedule to be finalized soon.

Some students have had reactions to this new schedule, claiming it is going to be stressful while others think it is going to be a lot easier.

According to junior Jason Osorto, he thinks that this new schedule can lead to stress.

to make sure that this event is wellenjoyed by the seniors.

“As we are working right now, we are deciding on setting dates for when we can sell tickets so students can have a certain time to get their money on time,” Pineda revealed. “If I am being honest, it was kinda overwhelming to organize. But leadership agreed on making Zoom meetings and PA

Lit Mag Gives Creative Students a Platform to Share Their Work

By Brianna Hernandez

The Lit Mag club has been preparing to launch the school’s first literal magazine, giving students the opportunity to showcase their artwork and creativity. The students have been working with their club members to put together this collection of student artwork for the literal magazine. Sophomore Melissa Lopez, who is the president of the club, shared about what the club is looking for in the magazine.

“Other students may also want to share their work or art, but they don’t have anywhere or anyone to share this with,” she said. “I feel like with this magazine they will be able to show their work and what they love to do.”

This will allow students to share their passions they’ve created in poems, artwork, books and music through the Lit Mag magazine.

The Lit Mag club is divided into different groups; some are in charge of the book section, others in the music section while poetry and art get a group as well. The club meets every Friday to plan out the magazine and see what artwork will go in it. Each club member goes through the Google Forms and starts collecting submissions. They expect to produce the magazine in black and white color and to have it printed and distributed by the beginning of May.

The club first started with Lopez because she wanted to create a space where every student could share their creativity.

announcements with information to make sure everyone is aware of the place and price for the upcoming event, therefore each and everyone can register!”

Some agree that prom is looked at as being the prime for the students’ time in high school. But there are some

“I feel like it’s going to be a little more stressful since the 8-period schedule gives us time to breathe because we meet every other day, so it gives us time to catch up,” he explained. “So for the upcoming schedule, I feel like I’m going to be more stressed because I will see them every day.”

Junior Ayleen Barcenas, however, likes the new schedule.

Students Scramble to Get Their Tardies and Absences Cleared

Photo by Katherine Gonzalez Dresses, shoes, makeup and other attire items have been donated to the parent center (B103) where students can pick up items for prom.

By Ruby Ortega

Photo by Ruby Ortega

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The Jaguar Times Staff

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Music & Movie Tastes: What’s Your Flavor?

By Serenity Hernandez & Anthony Higuera

Listening to music is a universal enjoyment that often brings people together. On campus, music is a big part of student culture. Teachers might enjoy listening to the same or similar music but they will never know if students never ask.

Senior Araceli Carrillo expressed that she “listen[s] to rock, grunge and punk.” She revealed her favorite art-

ists: ¨I love Bullet for My Valentine, Dead Kennedys, Linkin Park, The Doors, Nirvana.¨

Junior Bruce Ocana shares a similar taste to Carrillo also liking rock and punk, stating his favorites are ¨Dead Kennedys, Mom Jeans and The Doors.¨

Their taste in music is shared by teachers like Economics teacher Mr. Jantzen who regularly plays music such as The Doors, The Beatles and Bob Marley during class. According to Janzten, these “are a couple of his favorites” while also explaining how he likes to always have some background music for the students.

These common interests can lead to better connections between students and teachers, as they have something more than just school to bond about.

“I find that my students like to share their music with me and it’s like them sharing a piece of themselves with me.” English teacher Ms. Anas shared.

“The bonding comes more from when they hear what I listen to and they have questions regarding it like ‘Who is that? Why do you listen to them? Where did you discover them?’ So we communicate about that,” expressed biology teacher Mr. Seitz, who also agrees that music helps him connect to his students on a broader level.

Students here also have differing preferences of genres, such as rap and

R&B. Seniors Osiris Ramirez and David Rodriguez, both enjoy rap and R&B. Ramirez expressed her favorites are, NBA Youngboy, Giveon, SZA, Daniel Caesar and Justin Bieber.

Unlike some teachers who have found their music taste to relate to students more often than not, other teachers such as English teacher Ms. Jacoby don’t necessarily agree with these students’ music tastes, expressing how she listens to “a lot of different music except R&B and rap, almost anything else.”

Math teacher Mr. Jimenez too finds it difficult to relate to students through music today, explaining how “music taste is changing and I’m getting further and further from the new stuff you know.”

Seitz felt somewhat similar, feeling that some students only know and relate to some of his music because their family listens to it or because ¨they used to grow up listening to that.”

In the end, music preferences throughout our campus have proven to be extremely diverse. Despite differences in music taste, music remains a way to cultivate bonds and further communication among students and teachers.

“Even people from different backgrounds, it [music] helps create that common ground between them,” Anas expressed.

Continue reading on Page 7.

Taylor Swift’s Newest Album Is Another Classic

By Desiree Garrido

On February 4th at the annual Grammy Awards, Taylor Swift announced a brand new album called “The Tortured Poets Department” (referred to as “TTPD”). While fans were expecting her to make a surprise announcement during her acceptance speech, they wrongfully guessed it to be the release of “Reputation (Taylor’s Version).” Swifties (fans of Swift) expected this because many Easter eggs were indicating so.

During her announcement, Swift revealed that “TTPD” had been in the works for two years, which came as a huge shock to fans, as she’d already released “Midnights,” “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version),” and “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” while simultaneously working on this album.

On the night of the album release, Swift made an Instagram post sharing that “TTPD” was a secret double album: “TTPD: The Anthology” consisted of an additional 15 songs.

Throughout all 31 songs, Swift indulges in a wide variety of deepened emotions like anger, grief, regret, pain, confusion, maturity, gratitude and relief. This album briefly indulges on reasons for the end of her 6-year relationship with actor Joe Alwyn.

Swift is known for covertly writing about people, so much so that usually only Swifties can tell who her songs are about, but that’s not the case for “TTPD.” In this album, Swift is

more carefree in being discreet when writing about those who’ve impacted her life.

The most obvious song written about Swift’s and Alwyn’s breakup was the notorious track “So Long London.” (Alwyn is from the United Kingdom.) With shattering lyrics such as “I’m just mad as hell ‘cause I loved this place for so long, London, Had a good run… But I’m not the one”.

In another song “loml,” Swift changed the abbreviation from “Love of My Life” to “Loss of My Life,” accentuating that while she expected Alwyn to be the person she’d spend the rest of her life with, he ended up being the biggest missed opportunity for her. As she heartbreakingly sings “I wish I could un-recall how we almost had it all,” she grieves the life they almost had.

While Swift grieved that great loss, she found room to reflect on the drama with Kim Kardashian that rooted through Kanye West over the past 15 years through her song “thanK you aIMee.” In the song title, Kardashian’s name is capitalized. Throughout the song, Swift expresses the pain she felt during that horrible era, singing, “And I can’t forgive the way you made me feel… But I can’t forget the way you made me heal.” Also highlighting all that she’s achieved, “I wrote a thousand songs that you find uncool, I built a legacy that you can’t undo”. By the end, Swift expresses how while it was hell; she’s grateful for everything Kardashian put her through because

of the person she came to be.

Though Swift expressed many upsetting emotions throughout the album, fans were lucky enough to get a love song about her current boyfriend, NFL star Travis Kelce.

In “So High School,” she sings about how Kelce brings out that pure, teenage love of Swift all over again. “You know how to ball, I know Aristotle,” is the catchiest lyric in the song that shares a jock meets nerd love story vibe.

Thankfully “TTPD” isn’t all sad –listening to this song for the first time was very refreshing, to say the least.

My top two favorites songs are “The Black Dog” and “loml” because I have a preference for sad songs, and those lyrics are pretty gut-wrenching and relatable to me.

Overall, I highly recommend people to listen to “TTPD” and the charts back my recommendation as 10 songs occupy the top 10 spots on the Billboard Hot 100.

Image courtesy of Republic Records

Photo by Serenity Hernandez Mr. Jantzen selects music to play for his students before class begins.

Another Big W: Boys Tennis Wins League Again

By Abigail Salazar

South East High School is home to countless extraordinary athletes. From track stars to brilliant swimmers, many of which have brought in a lot of wins to the school. However, out of all the teams at South East, the boys tennis team has stood out above the rest.

The boys tennis team is currently on a masterful run in consecutive seasons. Last year, they successfully climbed through the season and celebrated their victory against old time rivals from South Gate High School, doubling the Rams’ score for a final of 12-6. The win allowed them to come home officially titled league champions. This year, they returned to the top as league champions and have secured their spot in the playoffs once again.

Throughout this journey, the team has been led by not only determination and hard work but by confident head coach Mr. Toro.

“There was no pressure to defend our title because we got bumped up to division one; there is a significant difference in level of play from division two,” he explained. “I prepared my team by doing lots of drills with them but at the end of the day it was them who put in most of the work. The boys would play often, especially during

the off season and that helped them drastically.”

Junior Paul Repreza, who plays on the varsity team, has been on the team since his freshman year and has always tried to envision success. He shared that before the big game he tried to have “positive thoughts and be as confident as possible.” He said he is always pushing through any mistakes or obstacles that come his way as a team.

All their determination and hours of hard work paid off. Once again they repeated last year’s history, making them two-time league champions after defeating South Gate with a score of 15-3.

According to Toro, all players were crucial to the support and victory of the team, however some players were vital to the team’s success. A few of those key players are juniors Abram Llerenas and Roberto Llamas and the captain of the team, senior Oswaldo Flores.

Flores, along with Llerenas, left with an overall score of 32-1 and 22-1 during the season. Only dropping one set, this is an impressive act in the tennis community. Flores shared that before going into the league game he was feeling “anxious but confident” because he knew that the team was capable of securing the win.

The boys team celebrated this big win with pictures and laughs, creating a core memory with their teammates. Coach Toro shared that he was “extremely happy” that the team worked so hard to become back-toback champions.

South East’s Multi-Sport Athletes Are Built Different

By Zaira Ramirez

There are exactly 19 sports at South East High School, which includes both girls and boys sports. Within these, there exists a rare type of studentathletes who not only dominate on the field but also excel in multiple other sports.

Here at South East, some studentathletes hold the embodiment of the term “multi-talented” in the world of high school sports.

Whether it’s on the basketball court, soccer field or track, these students bring an unparalleled level of intensity and skill to each game. Despite the rigorous demands of juggling multiple athletic commitments, they maintain an impressive academic record, proving that excellence knows no bounds.

Daniel Mejia, a sophomore who participates in soccer and tennis, is one of these students.

“Because I grew up playing multiple sports, I decided I wanted to continue that,” he explained as to why he made the decision to join multiple sports. “It also allowed me to stay active, which is also why I want to carry that on.”

Although juggling numerous sports can be challenging, Mejia

Repreza shared that his favorite memory in the entire season was winning CIF.

“I liked this season a lot,” he shared. “I had some good days as well as bad days but I improved so much as a person and as a player which I am proud of myself, even though my teammates mess with me a lot. I’m fine with it, they’re still my family, no matter what and I would like to play them until the very last season.”

Much like Repreza, many of the other players have formed a strong bond with one another through laughs and struggles.

Flores also shared that one of his favorite memories was winning the Division II championships.

“It all came down to one set, both us and South Gate were watching the game. The moment was full of anxiety and suspense. It was exciting to see when we finally won and we all celebrated. It was definitely my best and most memorable experience that I have had with my team.”

Now that these Jaguars have accomplished this feat, what’s next? For those who will remain on the team, Toro shared that his hopes are to “shoot for a three-year Eastern League Championship and win CIF Division I next year.”

With the way the team has grown and continued to win over these last two seasons, capturing the title for the third straight year is a real possibility.

emphasizes that he maintains a high level of concentration while on school grounds in order to do well academically and continue participating in his athletic activities.

For most this can be seen as difficult, and it makes sense.

Sophomore Aaliyah Miner mentioned that it helps to have a sports period, which allows for athletes to get in more practice during school hours.

“I ran cross-country, played basketball and I’m currently in track and field,” she shared, also adding that she plans to join the new flag football team beginning the next year.

Besides these two athletes, there are still many more talented students who excel in a variety of sports.

One student in particular, freshman Amberly Martinez, caught the attention of students on campus as she took on two games in one day.

On February 27th, Martinez began her play with volleyball in the gym, then on the soccer field and ended it at the softball field. While this is just another day for Martinez, many people were left in astonishment as she was able to tackle multiple sports within hours apart of each other.

Martinez emphasized that she “always makes sure to do work and take advantage of free time” while

making sure she communicates with her coaches and teachers.

Martinez further states that participating in all these sports won’t have any negative effects on her passion for the game.

“The love for the sport won’t go away,” she said of being a triple-athlete. “I’m just excited for more experience and opportunities in the future.”

That attitude is what pushes her to excel in all she does.

Being a multi-sport athlete is a challenging and rewarding experience. It requires dedication, discipline and a strong commitment to train in multiple different disciplines. These athletes show us how it’s done.

Whether you are a seasoned athlete or just starting out, the journey of becoming a multi-athlete is filled with personal growth, resilience and a deep sense of achievement that anyone can attain.

Photo by Zaira Ramirez

Freshman Amberly Martinez is part of three teams at South East High School: volleyball, soccer and softball.

Photo courtesy of Mr. Toro

The South East boys tennis team are league champions once again.

Big Pick Energy: Seniors Make Their

By Gustavo A. Jacome

As the deadline to commit to a college approaches, many seniors have yet to fully commit to one of their many accepted choices. This is due in part to the delays caused by FAFSA and the trouble that came for many to finish the form.

As reported by GEAR UP site coordinator Ms. Williams, 289 out of the total 453 (64%) seniors have both applied and got accepted into at least one of their college choices.

The most popular choice of college for California State Universities goes to Cal State Los Angeles, with a total of 133 applicants accepted. The most popular University of California was Irvine, with a total of 105 applicants, 29 were accepted and 6 were waitlisted. However, few seniors have fully committed to going into a singular college, according to GEAR UP from data collected on April 26.

Many factors come into play when choosing a college such as location,

What is FAFSA?

Many students are still awaiting to see if they can receive additional financial assistance for their education after graduating from South East High School.

Seniors have applied for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. The process was previously required to be filled out by hand but the system recently switched to an online format.

majors offered and tuition fees. Several seniors shared the most important factors that went into their decision process.

Valeria Cruz, an aspiring molecular biology major, shared her thoughts.

“Some of the biggest factors that come into play that come into choosing a college are my financial aid packet because as a low-income student, I have to make sure I’ll be able to pay for my tuition,” she explained. “Another factor is location. Would I have to dorm? Do I have to stay home? I’m also checking out campuses to see what school works best for me. I am between UC San Diego and UC Irvine.”

Others have answered similarly. Evelyn Torres, who is intending to be a 2D Art & Design major, has already committed to Cal State Fullerton. She shared her decision process.

“Some of the biggest factors in choosing this college was the distance, in case I don’t get accepted into dorms I would be able to drive to Fullerton,” she explained. “It isn’t one of the farthest colleges [from where I live].”

Alexander Mejia, a committed criminology major who has decided to enroll at Cerritos College, expressed that finances were a significant part of his decision.

“Some of the biggest factors in choosing this college were money and how far it is; my car is kind of bad so if the college were far away, I’d likely fall into problems,” he explained. “FAFSA has played a big role in choosing [my school] because the amount of money I’m going to receive balances out everything, especially because Cerritos offers the first two years free.”

In the end, FAFSA has played a significant role in determining where some students have chosen to attend college, while for others, it remains a pending decision.

The application has been extended countless times to accommodate the challenges faced by students and this has been critical for students as many would have had to pay full tuition for college without it.

This form is a free application for federal student aid which the seniors filled out and submitted. And many decisions will based on whether or not these students receive the funding.

FAFSA forms are needed to apply for federal student aid such as federal grants, work-study funds and loans.

Seniors Evelyn Torres (above) and Alexander Mejia (above right) have already made their commitments to Cal State Fullerton and Cerritos College, respectively.

GEAR UP has also posted outside their office a collage (right) of acceptance letters South East seniors have received.

Photos by Gustavo A. Jacome

form was May 2, hopefully giving

enough time for students to work out everything.

However, a downside for many individuals is the longer waiting period for their financial aid packages, leading to an extension of the commitment deadline to May 15.

“The process has been difficult, due to changes in FAFSA, because many of our families are of mixed status,” Williams revealed. “This means students have citizenship and parents do not. Student aid was not prepared to meet the needs of most of our families. GEAR UP has been supporting students and parents in each step of the process.”

There still are a lot of factors that must be considered for these students. This is the next big decision in their educational journey. Williams is thrilled to help these students with these steps.

“We’re excited to see where stu

BY THE NUMBERS: WHERE DID THE SENIORS GET ACCEPTED?

California State University: CSU LA: 133; CSU DH: 65; CSU Fullerton: 58; CSU Long Beach: 47; CSU Northridge: 46; Cal Poly Pomona: 18; SDSU: 14; SFSU: 11; SJSU: 10; CSU Chico: 8

University of California: Riverside, Merced: 34; Irvine: 29; San Diego: 28; Los Angeles, Santa Cruz: 9; Davis: 8; Santa Barbara, Berkeley: 7

Their College Decisions

Members of the Lit Mag club have been working all school year long to publish their first literal magazine.

Continued from Page 1.

“I am interested in reading and writing, and there are also other students who are interested in this,” she explained. She took this idea to her friends and English teacher Mr. Wallace to see where it could go.

Wallace mentioned that he wanted to join because “When they first approached me to be their advisor for their Lit Mag, I said ‘yes’ because I have never done anything like that. I love the literal magazine, and in college, we would work on punkstyle magazines, so I’m familiar with it.”

Sophomore Brianna Aguilar, co-editor of Lit Mag, shared why she wanted to join the club.

“I also am passionate about literature and I find it interesting and you can do it in songs or favorite books and find the meaning,” she explained.

In the process of building the club, sophomores Anahi Ramirez and Destiny Guzman started to brainstorm ideas on how they were going to manage this club since this would be the first club they were managing.

“One of the challenges I faced was getting people to submit their work and not being shy,” she revealed. “We want them to be able to express themselves, and also to start a magazine in which it was hard figuring out the printing and how we were going to run the club.”

“Well, we do plan to hopefully do two nice literal magazines a year,” Wallace shared of the club’s goal. “And if we can get them printed that would be amazing.”

Lopez and Aguilar run the Lit Mag Instagram account (@sehslitmag) and they encourage students to submit their work through there. They will continue to use that platform to keep students informed on when their new magazine will be distributed.

Deadline: May 15th is the final day for stduents to notify schools of their decision to commit.

Photo by Brianna Hernandez

Graphic design by Danielle Cardona and Jocelyn Salazar Seniors share which schools they have received acceptance letters for admission.

Locked In: Students Find Workout Spots in South Gate

By Andy Arellano & Caleeb Olazagaste

Students spend their free time in different ways. Some participate in extracurricular activities while other students may choose to spend it socializing with friends or pursuing hobbies and interests. How students decide

PromContinued from Page 1.

challenges that seem to come up every year as prom season approaches.

Some senior girls shared that they are very worried about finding an affordable prom dress. Some do not want to spend over $200 on a dress. And even if they do, they have to make sure the dress fits well and matches the theme of the dance.

To help out those looking to not break the bank with prom attire, the parent center has been collecting donations for seniors looking for help with what to wear for prom. So far, they have collected dresses, shoes, makeup kits and face masks. The donations are intended to help out students who may not have the resources to get an outfit for prom. Students in need can go to the parent center and pick up what they

Tardies

Continued from Page 1.

96% of the time or better, having no more than 5-7 absences per school year. For South East, the school policy states that by the end of the year, students are only allowed to have 14 unexcused absences.

With that policy in place, students are rushing to clear their absences and tardies to participate in senior activities like grad nite and prom.

According to office staff Mr. Pacheco, when tardies are cleared they stay on the student’s record but the effort demonstrates how responsible

to spend their free time is often a reflection of their individual priorities and goals. Many students enjoy doing physical activities as well with the rise of social media influencers promoting fitness and healthy lifestyles.

This has led to an increase in students participating in weightlifting, CrossFit and other high-intensity workouts. The gym has become a popular place for students to unwind, relieve stress and take care of their physical and mental well-being.

Gym culture has expanded throughout the years and it is huge here at South East High School. While there are many gyms close to South East, some of the most popular are Planet Fitness in Plaza Mexico (located 1.7 miles from campus) and Blink fitness near the Jordan Downs Recreation Center (located 0.4 miles away from campus).

These gyms are some of the most popular among South East students. Senior Nathan De Leon shares his experience at Blink Fitness which recently opened near Freedom Plaza in 2020.

“This gym is really well put,” he shared. “I like the free weights that they have. I love their equipment and

want. Nobody should miss this oncein-a-lifetime event because they can’t find an outfit. And the parent center wants to help alleviate some of that challenge.

And even with the stress of finding the outfit for prom, some have found excitement in getting prom dates, renting a party bus or driving with a friend group.

“One of the biggest challenges aside from figuring out what to wear is finding a date,” Pineda said. “Many would love the idea to go to prom with a significant other, but not many have the possibility of doing so.”

Despite these obstacles, senior Claudia Gutierrez is in fact excited for this big occasion and believes that there are many pros to going to prom.

“I believe prom is worth it because I know it’s my last year and first time ever attending an event like this,” she explained. “I cannot wait to see everyone dress formally and with their fancy

the student can be in owning up to tardies. This is why the school gives students opportunities to clear tardies with Jaguar Bucks and Saturday school.

As for absences, the only way those can be cleared is to have the student’s parents fill out an absence note. Parents must obtain a form at the attendance office and write down the reason why their child was absent in order for it to be cleared.

According to real statistics from the school’s attendance, out of 447 seniors enrolled at South East, 172 have a 91% or lower attendance rate, which gives the students the “chronic” label for attendance. Students who are in chronic condition are recommended

the environment is great. It’s a great atmosphere to be around when working out.”

Junior Eric Garcia, who attends Planet Fitness, shared his experience.

”I like to work out in my free time,” he said. “It’s even more fun when I go with some of my friends and you also meet a lot of new people from different schools. You make a lot of new relationships and meet cool new friends. Also it’s pretty close to my house so it’s easy to go there right after school.”

Physical activity has been proven to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity. It also plays a crucial role in improving cardiovascular health and boosting brain function.

Engaging in regular physical activity can also enhance mood and overall feelings of wellbeing, leading to a happier and healthier life. It also helps maintain a healthy weight, strengthens muscles and bones, and improves flexibility and balance. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website, “Children and adolescents ages 6 through 17 years should do 60 minutes (1 hour) or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily.”

”I recently started to go, but I can already see some of the benefits, working out helps me take out my stress and stuff,” junior Anthony Herrera shared.

accessories. Memories will be more valuable even though it is for sure not economic, but I am picking happiness [over that].”

On the other side, boys are not falling behind with the proposals for prom (commonly referred to as a promposal). Some are even thinking of asking their significant others with the mariachi band. Others like the old school approach with a poster while some just want to keep it simple by giving their dates a rose and asking them to go with them. Even though it might seem straightforward, it has a huge and remarkable meaning for that couple.

While the boys interviewed did not want to share their promposal plans, the excitement in planning it was very high. You can expect to see them in the weeks leading up to prom.

There is a huge amount of hard work that needs to happen for everyone involved behind the most antici-

to attend detentions during lunch or attend Saturday school.

If students are struggling with clearing tardies or absences, administrators suggest talking to the school dean Mr. Ramirez or the attendance counselor Ms. Martinez.

Students at South East are offered multiple chances to make up tardies and clear their absences but some still aren’t on board with their choices.

Senior Israel Euan feels that the school should do more to help the students.

“I feel like the school should more easily accommodate students who have chronic attendance and give easier ways to clear their attendance,” he said.

“Also it’s becoming fun because I started going with my friend; we go almost every day and afterwards we just hang out.”

Many other people enjoy other parts of working out like conditioning.

Junior Aaron Cortes shared that he enjoys running around the South Gate area.

“I like running laps around South Gate Park,” Cortes added. “It’s very relaxing and it clears my mind whenever I need space.”

Working out is really helpful for students who are under pressure or stresss, especially with the upcoming tests and finals. Waiting for an acceptance or rejection letter from colleges produces a lot of stress and anxiety as well. Junior Isiah Ruiz shared that the gym allowed him to make a friend.

“I would always see the same guy at my gym everyday,” he recalled. “Eventually one day I told him to spot me and I talked to him and we realized we both go to the same high school! We became good gym friends after that.”

Gym culture benefits students in many aspects in their lives, which boosts students’ morale whilst they go through life’s hardships.

“I recommend that people should work out. It has helped me a lot [in] not only in my physique but my mental health. So I say people should work out,” Ruiz added.

pated dance of the year. For one night, students have a chance to dress their best and share a memory of a lifetime. The seniors at South East are eagerly waiting for the night of dancing with their friends. It will be a special time for many students as they get ready to say farewell to high school.

As for senior Aaliyah Dominguez, she thinks that the rules are fair.

“I am a bit overwhelmed and feel pressured to clear my absences and tardies,” Dominguez explained. “But I appreciate the opportunities the school gives us.”

Attendance office tech Mr. Garcia revealed what he’s seen over time.

“Responsible students have always stayed on top of their attendance by clearing absences any time they have to, but other students don’t seem to be bothered by their bad attendance.”

He hopes that students stay on top of their attendance so that it won’t affect them in the long run, especially when it comes to being eligible to attend prom and grad nite.

Photo by Katherine Gonzalez Shoes and makeup were also donated to the parent center.

Photo by Andy Arellano

Junior Aaron Cortes works out at Planet Fitness in Plaza Mexico.

New Schedule Will Be Unfair to Me

By Marlyn Flores

I am fed up with having a new class schedule every year.

This is my third year at South East High School and although I have enjoyed most of my time, it is difficult to adapt to a new schedule every year.

During my freshman year we had a 4x4 schedule where all students had four classes and they met daily. We would alternate A and B periods every Monday and we would also have an advisory daily.

Last year during my sophomore year, we had an 8-period schedule where we would meet all eight classes on Mondays and switch to odd and even periods throughout the week while attending advisory class on Thursdays and Fridays. This year, the schedule changed again with last year’s Monday and Tuesday meet times switching.

During my freshman year, I was incorrectly placed in courses intended for sophomores, thus necessitating that I complete the requisite freshman coursework during my subsequent academic year as a sophomore. Additionally, the school was experiencing overcrowding, which resulted in my removal from a math class after four to five weeks into the school year. These circumstances caused me to struggle as I was unable to keep pace with the curriculum due to my confusion and lack of foundational knowledge.

According to English teacher Ms. Jacoby, the 8-period schedule was a way to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the schedule has its drawbacks, as it requires additional teachers and thus involves higher costs. The funding for this schedule is set to expire after this year.

It is my belief that the district should prioritize funding for these classes, as they permit students to expand their knowledge and pursue a more comprehensive education.

The expectation of an upcoming 6-period format, I fear, has presented a challenge for me in terms of accommodating both the classes I need and the classes I desire to take.

For students like myself who are involved in school activities, we must now reconsider our schedule, since we may not have the necessary space for the additional courses we wanted.

We are expected to get clarity on those answers to our questions this month, however. But these frequent changes have not been easy for students who want to know what next year will look like. It’s a challenge with so much uncertainty over the schedule.

New Bell Schedule For ’24-’25

Continued from Page 1.

“It will be easier to take, and you will have fewer classes to worry about,” she said. “I also feel like it is going to be easier for new seniors since we will have main courses.”

The new schedule, however, could limit those students academically, especially if they want to take more classes. The new schedule will force students to be reduced to only being allowed to select up to two electives for the school year. This will also be a challenge for students who want to participate in sports as well.

Some teachers believe that this schedule will help students be able to focus more.

According to science teacher Ms. Felix, she sees a benefit for the students in the change.

“It will help the students focus more,” she explained. “It is also going to help them ask for help during class, so the change isn’t a lot for the teacher; it is more for the students.”

The staff at the school had to vote on whether to keep the current schedule or adopt the 6-period schedule. While the voting took place, many teachers and administrators were in favor of a 6-period schedule. In addition, for the past couple of years, South East and all neighboring schools had been receiving money called “The COVID Relief Fund.”

This money was given to schools so students can take more classes

during the return from the pandemic. During the pandemic, due to school shifting classes to an online-only format, many students struggled and failed their classes, making them want to retake those classes. With that situation, the district extended the class schedule rather than opening up summer school.

According to English teacher Ms. Jacoby, the reason the school may not be expecting an 8-period schedule for next year, as many of the students would like, is that there was a lot of uncertainty at the time of voting.

“The district has been paying the school COVID relief funds and extending the schedule,” Jacoby explained. “But when we voted, we weren’t sure if the district was going to allow us to keep it. We knew when we voted that the schedule we are on now wasn’t even going to be an option because if the district didn’t fund it, then we as a school wouldn’t have the money to fund it.”

This led to the voting results leading to a likelihood of the 6-period schedule happening for next year.

According to principal Mr. Jaimes, he has a plan to announce the new schedule.

“My goal is to be able to finalize the schedule within three weeks, but then again, that is my goal,” he shared during an interview in mid-April.

The announcement will put to rest the curiosity of what next year’s schedule will look like.

Culture of Music & Movies

Continued from Page 2.

At South East, there are some teachers and staff who would like to share their film favorites and give readers some great recommendations to add to your movie lists and give you insight into what teachers watch for entertainment.

History teacher Ms. Ortiz shared her experiences watching the awardwinning film “Anatomy of the Fall” (2023), which she expressed was one of her favorites this year.

She enjoyed how the film showed a different perspective for each opposing side and how there were three different languages spoken in the film. She also respected the clearcutness of the story.

“It’s just more international, I think we should always be open to other perspectives, not just American perspectives. You know me, multiple perspectives like in history,” explained Ortiz.

¨I would recommend ‘The Great Dictator’ (1940),” Film and screenwriting teacher Ms. Baddour stated, as it was one of the many early ¨impactful¨ films.

She also stated that she recommends all the movies in her film class like, “The Kid” (1921), “Some Like It Hot” (1959), “O Brother, Where Out Thou?” (2000), “Pan’s Labyrinth” (2006) and “Boy” (2010). She explained that she enjoys films

New Schedule Would Have Benefitted Me

By Desiree Garrido

that “encompasses generations in multiple genres.”

Screenwriting teacher Ms. Lopez recommends “Spirited Away” (2001), “WALL-E” (2008) and “Home Alone” (1990) to students because these movies are easy to follow and connect with, especially animation films. Lopez adds that “After Hours” (1985) is her favorite and must-watch film.

In the film, “There are many obstacles the character faces in getting back home, which makes a very compelling movie,” explains Lopez.

We also have teachers like math teacher Mrs. Rodriguez who have deeper stories behind their film favorites. Rodriguez’s favorite film is “Léon: The Professional” (1994). She explained the reason for this is that when she was younger she was being taught the climax of a story and her teacher got mad at her class for not understanding saying that ¨he was basically calling us dumb.¨ These events came back to her one day when watching “Léon: The Professional” and it hit her.

“That’s the climax!” she exclaimed as it was the first time she understood and found what the climax was. Rodriguez expressed that she would not recommend this to students, because of its violence. But also adds that if they are trying to learn what the climax of a story is, it’s a perfect movie to watch.

For the past two years, South East students have adjusted to an 8-period bell schedule. However, for the 2024-2025 school year students should expect to have six classes and see their teachers daily. Teachers voted on what schedule they’d want to be implemented for the upcoming school year and the majority vote was a 6-period bell schedule where classes meet daily.

As a graduating senior, I won’t get the chance to experience this schedule change but I would have liked to have this schedule, especially as a senior who has been placed in many electives as class fillers.

Coming into the school year I already had 255 credits accumulated – seniors must have 210 to graduate. That alone goes to show you that I’ve taken a lot of extra classes these past four years.

I would have liked to only have six periods because if I wasn’t as involved as I am, I’d be put in at least four electives. But since I’m a peer college counselor, in yearbook, journalism and taking a college class, those all substitute as electives and they’re all classes a part of my schedule. Since I take a college class, I don’t have an 8th period which is a plus, but if I wasn’t in these classes, I’d be placed in extra elective classes, as many of my senior peers are in. A 6-period bell schedule would be an advantage for many seniors, as many of us have met our A-G course requirements.

Additionally, I’d prefer the 6-period bell schedule because since we’d see our teachers every day, the class time would be shortened and that’s my preference because sitting in a class for an hour and a half is very tiring and can get very boring.

On top of that, if a student misses one day of class with the bell schedule we have now, they’re already very behind in class since the class time is so long. Teachers I interviewed said one of the reasons they prefer the 6-period schedule is because when they assign homework to their students, by the time they see them again students have forgotten about their homework, or what was previously taught and discussed in class, due to meeting every other day. Another teacher suggested that the hour and a half can become a drag and it’s easier to plan for classes when we meet every day.

In my opinion, the new schedule should be of great benefit to many students and staff. I can only hope that this schedule stays consistent, that way all students and staff members can be comfortably adjusted without having to worry about another change.

SENIOR STAFF MEMORIES

ThebestpieceofadviceIcangivestudents

is to get involved with everything. School is much more fun when you actually involve yourself in it. I remember my freshman year was during Zoom so we didn’t get theopportunitytobeapartofanyclubsoranythingandmysophomoreyearIdidn’twant

to be a part of anything which I regret so bad. I wish I could’ve been in a lot more things and done a lot more now that I’m looking back on it. Nevertheless, my time spent here was amazing, I’ve met a lot of amazingpeopleandthrough them I’ve been able to become a better person.

I’ve made and lost a lot of different friends here through the years. Some made me feel bad about myself, but some made me feel heard and cared for. I learned

My years spent here have been fun. I liked the friends I made here and all the new people I met, and I especially loved reconnecting with old friends this year. I think hanging out with people is the best part of the school experience and helps us connect better. I’m very grateful to have a good school experience and it’ll be something good to look back on when I leave for college.

- Serenity Hernandez

How to Thrive at South East

- Kimberly Ponce

est memory was coming out as a Division 2 tennis champion in my junior year. When I first joined tennis, I had no real plans for winning like that. As the season progressed, the more victory seemed like a possibility. Once the team and I stuck to it, we came out on top.

- Miguel Pulido

Being a high school student at South East High School has been very enjoyable. The teachers are very skilled in what they teach and get along with the students, not to mention all the clubs, workshops and help the school offers to students are very useful and entertaining. I’ve met lifelasting friends who have taught me the value of real friendship. - Atalia Garcia

SPRING SEMESTER

SENIOR MOMENTS

My favorite memory of my high school years has been the San Diego overnight trip with USC TriO. This was a memorable expe- rience because I was with one of my closest friends and we stayed in a hotel together while visiting three different universities. One of the universities we visited was UC San Diego, and that’s the school I committed to. That trip was my first time visiting, which is something I’ll remember when I’m a student there.

- Desiree Garrido

Katherine Gonzalez

One piece of advice I’d give upcoming seniors is not burning yourself out too much. I know it may seem like you have to always be on task and study every night but it’s OK to take some time for yourself. Give yourself the amount of rest you need to get back to your goals and studies. Always make sure to balance your fun and responsibilities.

An advice I give to the lower classmen, is to appreciate the moments. Stop and look around you. be thankful for all you have, what you don’t have and where you are. Never let success get to your head and never let failure get to your heart.

High school is the beginning of your future. It’s where you start making lifeimpacting decisions. My biggest piece of advice is to pay attention, try your best to pass your classes and enjoy your time there as best you can. That could be joining clubs you’re curious about or have a passion for or just hanging out with your friends listening to music. It not only helped with the boredom but also made the day pass quicker.

Anthony Higuera I just hope that upcoming seniors don’t have as much trouble with college admissions and FAFSA. And that they live their last year of high school without regrets. Best of luck to you all. Gustavo A.

Photos by Zaira Ramirez, Desiree Garrido, Ruby Ortega and Joseph Maldonado.

Ruby Ortega

Danielle Cardona

Ayden Castañeda

Jacome