Granite Bay Gazette, Feb. 2024, Vol. 26, Issue 1

THE GRANITE BAY AZETTE G

JANUARY 2024

Introducing Bounds Broken

Dear Readers,

We hear our communities’ calls to action. The Gazette has answered with the first “Bounds Broken” section in our magazine.

“Bounds Broken” began in 2020 by two prior co-editor-in-chiefs, Heba Bounar and Mareesa Islam who desired to designate a space to showcase stories of underrepresented communities. 2020 was the year where the pandemic changed everything and everywhere where we had found community. 2020’s theme, “the race against racism” was a response to the nation’s reactivity towards racism following the murder of George Floyd.

Bounds Broken is where news, features, opinions, entertainment and sports uniquely meet, unified by a focus to recognize those who are often misrepresented or underrepresented through multimedia.

We’re incredibly honored to share these stories from local Sikhs to sports stars in the pages beyond our front cover. We hope you’ll go beyond our coverage and continue community conversations of the subjects you see in these stories. Let’s break boundaries.

2023’s Bound’s Broken focus is “faith in the media.” See our continuous coverage of Sikh students studying Sikhi in their IB world religions class from page 14.

Sincerely,

Sarah Yee

Sponsors

Staff Directory

Editors

Rachel Guo

Sarah Yee

Batul Zanzi

Emily Lau

Ryan Kim

Sienna Rodriguez

Brendan Alders

Sam Lee

Sophie Nguyen

Sabine Kanz

Sofia Baumgartner

Lauren Wong

Staff Writers

Sean Coontz

Pablo Pillai

Lola Engel

Anna Hufford

Lia Giovanni

Audrey Baime

Sakura Watanabe

Daniela Klar

Placer County’s fight against fentanyl isn’t finished

BY SARAH YEE syee@gazette@gmail.com

19-year-old Spencer Newsom was taking orders at the Habit Grill when he saw his eighth grade history teacher Tim White.

Greeting White and his family, Newsom beamed as he told them he’d just received his EMT certification and was elected captain of the fire academy’s next incoming class.

“When (White’s) family left the restaurant, his wife turned to him and said, ‘oh my gosh, what an amazing young man. He has such a bright future.’” Collanton says smiling. “He was so outgoing with everyone and loyal, especially to family. Every photo I

have of my three kids he has his arms around them.”

Spencer Newsom died in Sept. 2020 after taking a “fentapill”–a fake pill containing illicit fentanyl, unbeknownst to him.

Before Collanton spoke at Buljan Middle School’s 1PillCanKillPlacer assembly, White approached her to share his memory of her son at the Habit Grill.

“I’m crying because he’s telling me the story and sharing he knew personally of Spencer’s struggles in middle school,” Collanton said. “He says, ‘It impacted me so much that I went back to campus and I sent an email to the entire staff saying, ‘I had this experience

and I wanted to remind them all to never give up on the hard or difficult kids because they can succeed if you give them a chance.’ And Spencer did.”

Collanton now shares her and Spencer’s story with 1PillCanKillPlacer, a campaign that partners with parent advocates and Placer County’s District Attorney’s (DA) Office.

Over 30,0000 students and families have attended 1PillCanKillPlacer assemblies and parent informational nights since its launch in May 2022.

Laura Didier is the outreach coordinator for fentanyl awareness non-profit Song for Charlie and another parent advocate speaker at 1PillCanKillPlacer assemblies. Her son Zach Didier was a Whitney High School senior–a real life Troy Bolton who excelled in academics and athletics and played him in his high school’s production of “High School Musical.”

He died from fentanyl poisoning three months after Newsom.

“Sometimes kids come up to me (after assemblies) and they’re crying and I’m like, ‘I’m so sorry. I’m not trying to make you cry,’” Didier said. “It is a scary, sad subject but I also want you guys to feel hopeful that you now are more safe than you were 45 minutes ago when you walked in this room.”

Didier shared her son’s story during the introduction of the Fentanyl Awareness for Chil-

Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire spoke at the press conference after the court hearing where a dealer was convicted of murder for a teen’s fentanyl poisoning.

Photo courtesy of Placer County District Attorney’s Office media

1PillCanKillPlacer amplified education, awareness and advocacy efforts county-wide, but the state’s first fentanyl-related murder conviction and new fentanyl poisonings are still challenges.

dren and Teens in Schools (FACTS) Act, a bipartisan effort from Congressman Kevin Kiley (R-CA) and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) that would adopt successful strategies from fentanyl awareness campaigns into school curriculums and specific task forces.

One active strategy schools have taken is implementing Narcan units at school.

Now when GBHS school nurse Britta Hollis responds to campus emergencies, Narcan is among the supplies she carries. GBHS’ 22 Narcan kits are located next to the automated emergency defibrillators (AEDs).

Rocklin Assemblyman Joe Patterson’s AB 19 supports training school personnel, as Hollis is, to administer Narcan or another opioid antagonist.

Since 2022, RJUHSD nurses have offered annual Narcan trainings to all school staff. GBHS held one in Oct. 2023. Hollis said student accessible narcan training may be offered in the near future.

required to send school notices with information about the “dangers associated with using synthetic drugs that are not prescribed by a physician, such as fentanyl.”

Newly bereaved parents can seek emotional support through the The (Em)power + Resilience Project, a non-profit initiative through the Placer County DA’s office. Collanton, a founding member, described how the project connects victims and survivors to a peer support network, helping them through their process and to affect change.

not similarly situated, neither are the people who are selling.”

“98 percent of pills bought on the street or online are counterfeit” and “contain fentanyl” the Sacramento District Attorney’s crime lab has stated since 2021.

This was why Collanton sat alongside the victim’s family when Placer County became the first Cal-

When (White’s) family left the restaurant, his wife turned to him and said, ‘oh my gosh, what an amazing young man. He has such a bright future.

“Knowledge is power,” Didier said. “My son didn’t have that knowledge. So that’s why he couldn’t make the best, safest choice for himself because he didn’t have all the information.”

Beginning the first term of the 2024-25 school year, per Patterson’s AB 889, all California public schools and charter schools are

ifornia county to convict for murder for a fentanyl-related death on Oct. 10 2023.

“I sincerely hope for the day I don’t have to charge anyone with murder for it because no one is selling (fentanyl) in our community,” Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire said. “Until then, it will remain an option but I always say it needs to be used sparingly because just like (how) every victim and every drug user or purchaser is

July 2021 was when Placer County’s District Attorney Office first filed for murder for a fentanyl-related death. As of Jan. 2024, there have been four murder complaints filed.

Now Collanton’s preparing herself to return to the courtroom. A case going to trial in Jan. 2024 has been linked to her son’s case. A county special investigator called her last spring asking for her permission to search her son’s electronic communication. She said yes.

“We now have a chance that there could be a case against the person who sold Spencer the fatal pill.” Collanton said. “The hope would be that someone is held accountable for his murder. The fearful part is knowing our family would face more pain from a trial. More than we’ve already suffered.”

Laura Collanton shared her son’s story at a fentanyl awareness assembly at Mira Loma High School. Gazette photo/SARAH YEE

-Laura Collanton, Spencer’s mother

Starting in the spring semester of the 2023-24 school year, Roseville Joint Union High School District (RJUHSD) students who miss class time without proper notice will have their parents informed immediately. In this, there have been arguments about reporting students who visit the Granite Bay High School Wellness Center during class time to their parents.

“As parents, when we send our kids to school, there’s an assumption that they’re in school learning. So this is more about making sure our parents are notified if kids are absent,” RJUHSD Board member and Granite Bay High School parent Marla Franz said. “This is not stopping kids from visiting the Wellness Center outside of class.”

RJUHSD’s policy sparks

BY RYAN KIM and BRENDAN ALDERS rkim.gazette@gmail.com & balders.gazette@gmail.com

rights under California and federal law, and those rights don’t always conflict,” Pete Constant, RJUHSD Board President said, “There’s a number of Supreme Court cases… with a very clear guidance that parents have the right to be notified and involved in all aspects of their kids education.”

The Supreme Court cases Con-

Personally, I have struggled with mental health, and it’s not something I can go to my parents for.

Anonymous GBHS student ” “

The amendment to Administrative Regulation 5020: Parent Rights and Responsibilities passed on Nov. 9. It specifically states that parents have full rights “to be notified on a timely basis if their child…visit[s] the site Wellness Center.”

Implementation, however, is still under discussion.

The board emphasizes that in passing the policy, they are balancing their actions between staying within their abilities as a school board while also carrying out the will of the public.

This decision followed hours of RJUHSD School Board discussion. Over two board meetings on Oct. 13 and Nov. 9, the trustees discussed and approved policies which clarify parental rights, particularly regarding notification of any changes in their child’s activity during the school day.

“Both students and parents have

stant references and the RJUHSD Board continues to reference in their discussions and decision making on parental notification include: Moore v. East Cleveland, 431 U.S. 494 (1977) and Wisconsin v. Yoder, 406 U.S. 205 (1972).

Constant and Franz repeat they have made personal visits to RJUHSD schools to speak with students, teachers and administrators about student privacy rights.

“There were students with the GSA at the board meeting that were going to do a sit-in of sorts,” Constant said, “I came out and met with the student leaders there to talk to them about what we were doing and why we were doing it so that we could understand better how policies would be impacting students and families.”

The Wellness Center, according to the RJUHSD website, is a hub in all RJUHSD schools dedicated to

“enhancing the delivery of coordinated services with the goal to support students and families with their social and emotional support.” It serves as a place where students can come to during school if they are stressed and in need of a break, or just need a person to talk to.

“I think that a big reason people go there is because they can confide in somebody without others knowing,” GBHS senior Siahmo Newsome said of the Wellness Center. “It’s sort of a way to get away and understand yourself without it interfering with your personal life.”

Newsome was one of three GBHS students to speak at the first board meeting (Sept. 28) where AR 5020 was included for public comment. Her comments, along with the other two students, voiced the opinions of many students at GBHS who believed the amendment is a danger to student privacy at school.

Illustrations by Sienna Rodriguez

Photos by Brendan Alders

parental alert privacy debate

“I don’t think that the policy is a good idea because I understand that (...) to some extent there should be a relationship with the child and their parents, but I don’t think that it should be with something as intimate as mental health, sexuality, anything like that,” one anonymous GBHS student said,

“Personally, I have struggled with mental health, and it’s not something that I can go to my parents with.”

According to Franz, the introduction of the policy would not prevent students from going to the Wellness Center outside of class, but rather would inform parents if their child leaves class to go to the center.

“Wellness centers are an important resource for all students because I think everyone recognizes that students are challenged with any number of stressors or anxiety issues these days,” Franz said, “However, our schools’ first priority is to make sure that we’re providing outstanding education opportunities (for) our students to prepare them for their future life.”

Community arguments in balancing student privacy and parental rights have escalated following the introduction of this policy.

“If you’re really going through a mental crisis, then it’s not only the school that should be able to help

you, you should be able to seek outside sources,” Wesley Hyatt, a GBHS sophomore, said. “So if a student is not talking to their parents, I feel like the parent should still be notified.”

The Gazette reached out to the Wellness Center for comment on the policy. In an email, the Wellness administration said, “It is not clear to us at this time how to answer some of the questions…When the procedures are ready for implementation there will be a more precise answer to the questions you have asked.”

Some argue that anonymity is what makes the Wellness Center effective – Dr. Bahareh Nejad, mother of a GBHS student, argues that while the policy has potential to strengthen student support, it also might damage parent-child relationships.

The role of public schools should never be to keep secrets from parents.

Jay Reed, GBHS Parent

general consensus was of parents and students who would be affected.

“Because (students) are minors, it is important for (parents) to be aware of what is going on with their child,” Nejad said, “Beyond that, the state and national privacy laws should be enforced regarding privacy of the etiology of the visit to the Wellness Center.”

Many parents attending the RJUHSD board meetings have a positive outlook on the policy amendment, making statements emphasizing a need for strong parental rights.

Chemene Phillips, a parent of a GBHS student and graduate, gave public comment on the topic during multiple RJUHSD board meetings.

“Give parents a chance to help their students with their mental and physical issues because they are our responsibility,” Phillips said at the Nov. 9 board meeting, “We are financially, medically, and socially responsible for them for 18 years.”

Many parents expressed strong interest in being notified if their child visited.

“Theoretically, if a parent is notified that the student is visiting the Well ness Center, it could strengthen the relationship between the student and parent if they weren’t previously informed,” Nejad said. “This could enhance and strengthen the student’s support system at home. However, it could also backfire and lead to discord between the parent and student if the parents are not supportive.”

The decision to approve the policy was made over a series of RJUHSD board meetings, all of which had portions designated for public comment so that board members could get a proper understanding of what the

“Either intentionally or unintentionally, the previous position of the district seemed to be to keep Wellness Center visits or meetings with counselors a secret from parents,” Reed said. “The role of public schools should never be to keep secrets from parents.”

In addition, Reed compares the role of parents in other school matters.

“Schools have an obligation to notify parents for a variety of reasons: tardiness, absenteeism, academics. A Wellness Center check-in is just another responsibility that the school should employ,” Reed said.

As the Granite Bay community awaits the policy’s implementation, the Gazette will continue to follow the discourse between parental rights and student privacy in the future.

The Impact of

BY SOPHIE NGUYEN & BATUL ZANZI snguyen.granitebaytoday@gmail.com

Crisp fall air surrounds the scene of a black rose placed delicately on the hood of the car. Lying on the car and dripping in fake blood is Aidan Ferrante, a senior acting as a victim in the staged car crash. Ferrante was declared deceased at the crash site.

“

Slight wind gradually carries his younger sister Isabella’s and several audience members’ cries, but the black rose, placed at the location of a ‘death,’ remains still. The black rose may symbolize regret and anguish, but it makes a statement as a symbol of understanding and rebirth.

Every 15 Minutes is more than just a number from the California Highway Patrol. This biennial program, titled with this simple statistic, aims to address the impacts of drunk driving sparking emotions from all those involved- from regret and anguish to understanding and rebirth.

The Every 15 Minutes program leaves an emotional impact on both participants and onlookers alike.

Regret (the driver)

Senior Frank Cusano was selected as the drunk driver for the simulation. Audiences saw Cusano tested with a sobriety test, arrested for drunk driving and later trialed for vehicular manslaughter.

“This kind of experience gave me the feeling that I get a second chance, almost.”

Frank Cusano, senior ”

In car accidents with the suspected under the influence of alcohol, the punishment would be prison time, which would typically be between 15 years to life. In E15, Cusano was able to witness what would have likely happened if the crash was real; he was sentenced to prison for 10 years.

“This kind of experience gave me the feeling that I get a second chance, almost,” Cusano said. “A lot of people in my situation, if this was real, they don’t

chance. They lose loved ones, they change their lives, they may lose their lives.”

The five participants of the crash along with the Walking Dead participants were given the opportunity to go to the Placer County Jail and morgue as a part of the program. They toured these locations listened to speakers where their experiences in a car crash was everything but fake.

Anguish (the Living Dead)

As Granite Bay High School Media program’s E15 coverage aired to over a thousand upperclassmen at the memorial assembly the day after the crash, emotional reactions were drawn from audience members all around.

“I got carried away,” junior Isabella Ferrante said. “I genuinely thought my brother died. And there’s nothing I could do about it.”

Out of the Living Dead, seniors Kathryn Borges (who died in the crash) and Jacob Marchuk were selected to read their goodbye speeches. Parents of the chosen “victims” and Walking Dead participants were present at the ceremony, seated in the front row with tissue boxes all across. Some parents read eulogies.

“It makes you reflect back on raising your kid and… your ability to protect them diminishes and they have to take over their own decision making,” Greg-

Every 15 Minutes

ory Hailey, father of Austin Hailey, senior Living Dead participant, said. “And it’s hard as a parent … knowing that bad things can happen and you can’t save them from that like you did when they were little.”

Understanding (student reactions)

“(Drunk driving is) really a major problem that we, especially as teenagers, have nowadays...I want to spread the message,” Gerrard Ediagbonya, a senior, said.

E15, although centered over drunk driving, opens discussion for habit changes.

Distraction is the key reason for many auto accidents. A risk factor emerging in the generations reliant on technology and phones is texting while driving. The American Automobile Administration found that 94% of teen drivers acknowledged the dangers of texting and driving, but 35% admitted to doing it anyway.

1 in 4 teen crashes are due to texting while driving. Comparatively, teens are six times as likely to be caught up in a car accident from texting rather than drunk driving, according to legal firm Edgar Snyder & Associates.

Rebirth (future teens)

In an ideal world, teenagers would never drink. However, for those who still do, teenagers like E15 “driver” Frank Cusano say there’s no excuse for drinking and driving or getting in the car with someone who is.

“In our day and age where we have these technologies like Uber and Lyft that can take us anywhere, it’s just become so preventable. And so it’s really just a decision you can choose not to (make) at this point,” Cusano said.

There are other preventative measures to take to avoid accidents.

“We always advise people to please wear your seat belt. Please drive at a safe speed. Stay off your phone. Don’t mess around with the radio if at all possible. And you know, don’t eat, don’t drink while you’re driving and just get to the next destination safely,” Brandon Straw, Captain of California Highway Patrol (CHP), said.

As more community conversations spring up, more people will learn that beyond refraining from drinking while driving, changing habits and ensuring proper behavior while driving will take this unnecessary statistic away. Perhaps,

one day, as memorial assembly guest speaker Tom Graston hoped, the statistic of every 15 minutes would increase, with automobile fatalities less recurrent.

“I think as the generations go on and on, I think that people will actually learn how dangerous it is to be driving and under the influence,” junior Sophia Haley said.

Upperclassmen,scanthisQR codetofilloutashortsurvey aboutyourE15experience!

Visitgranitebaytoday.orgforthe fullstory.

Gazette photo/SOPHIE NGUYEN

Hampton Inn Suites in Roseville transformed into permanent supportive housing facility

California’s Homekey project has granted Placer County and the Alliance of Mental Illness Housing funds to transform the Hampton Inn Suites into the Sun Rose Apartments

BY SOPHIE NGUYEN snguyen.granitebaytoday@gmail.com

The former Hampton Inn & Suites on the intersection of Sunrise Boulevard and Douglas Boulevard in Roseville is being converted into a permanent supportive housing facility following the increase of homelessness in Placer County. This project is one of many in the county’s effort to decentralize housing options following the rise of homelessness in the region.

The pandemic’s economic displacement has impacted residents from all over the state, which prompted the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to launch Homekey, a proj-

ect that aims to address the issue of homelessness throughout the state by providing shelters and services to those who have been financially and physically affected by the pandemic. Placer County is known for having the lowest rate of homelessness in Northern California, and the sixth lowest out of California’s 58 counties. Yet, from 2019 to 2020, the county’s homelessness rate per 10,000 residents rose from 15.5 to 18.4, according to Placer County District 1 Supervisor Bonnie Gore. A number

“We’ve got to be able to find a good medium…where we can meet in the middle so (that) we’re not leaving the people who need the most help without any help, but we’re also not creating an environment that’s … unsafe.”

of organizations such as the Alliance for Mental Illness (AMI) Housing and the Gathering Inn have been partnering with Placer County to supply necessary residences for those who are in need.

- Jennifer Price, AMI Housing CEO

Placer County and AMI Housing recently partnered and were granted $29.5 million as a part of project Homekey from HCD for the Sun Rose Apartments project. The Sun Rose Apartments are considered permanent supportive housing, which mandates residents to supply one-third of their income to cover costs for their residences at these apartments.

Gore stresses that these housing options are for the employed who may not have a stable place to live, or may suffer due to mental illnesses or substance abuse.

“(People residing at the Sun Rose Apartments) are people that our county staff have identified … with … mental health issues, substance abuse issues, providing them with services, and they’re to a point where they’re stable enough ...

Photo Courtesy of Letty Woodworth of AMI Housing

(to) move into a unit,” Gore said to the Gazette.

Supportive services are also available for those residing in permanent supportive housing. A medical support staff is fully ready at the site; counselors and mentors are available for life skills classes, housing navigation and mental health therapy.

These services offered at permanent supportive houses can help those who were formerly unsheltered to have a place to stay. Gore says that 75% of unsheltered persons in Placer County were residents, rather than external migrants.

Many citizens within the region have been against the idea of these shelters in such close proximity. They correlate the presence of those who are unsheltered with rises in crime and claim they pose a security threat for children in nearby schools.

“I am against the proposed shelter in Rocklin, Roseville, and Lincoln due to the close proximity of schools, children playing in our parks, and their loitering and harassing citizens. Please consider another location where they can receive services,” Placer County resident Carol Belanger wrote in a comment in favor of a petition to block planned homeless shelters in Placer County in 2017. “We are not afraid of the

communities don’t want to have loitering and harassment from these people. They are the ones who choose to be homeless and don’t want help or direction for a better way of life.”

However, in response to the backlash, AMI Housing CEO Jennifer Price defends the safe nature of these facilities.

“This is really about addressing an issue with compassion but aso accountability.”

- Bonnie Gore, Placer County Supervisor

“For folks who need more assistance or have disabilities or need a little extra hand up, there has to be an option for them. And so our role is to just really try to help them and to also try to buy and be good neighbors. So

we’ve got to be able to find a good medium…where we can meet in the middle so (that) we’re not leaving the people who need the most help without any help, but we’re also not creating an environment that’s … unsafe or unfair,” Price said.

Finding a place for those who are unsheltered is just the first step in addressing the issue, according to Gore; the subsequent actions are equally important.

“This is really about addressing an issue with compassion but also accountability. It’s really important that we just don’t put people into places to live, we really look at what their needs are,” Gore said at the Regional Homeless Planning Update in Sep. 2023.

Photo Courtesy of Letty Woodworth of AMI Housing

MEDIA REVIEWS

Trolls Band Together

BY ANNA HUFFORD

6/10

“Trolls Band Together” is the third movie in the Trolls collection. In this movie the angle is switched towards Branch and Poppy discovering their “secret” families.

Compared to the other two movies in the collection I thought that this movie had a more interesting plot that kept me engaged and I didn’t become bored watching it.

The main two actors in the movie are Anna Kendrick, Poppy, and Justin Timberlake, Branch. By having recognizable actors for a movie like this better connects the audience to the characters.

One thing that stuck out significantly in Trolls Band Together was that they used references to 1990 boy bands throughout the movie such as NSYNC and Boyz II Men.

The idea of the trolls going on a journey to find Branch’s brother made it more engaging.

The Hunger Games

BY SOPHIE NGUYEN

10/10

“The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” (TBOSBAS) delves into the rise of the draconian Coriolanus Snow through a glimpse of his role as a ‘Mentor’ in the 10th Annual Hunger Games, 64 years before Katniss Everdeen’s entrance to the Games.

The movie didn’t spare Snow to fully reveal his agony due to his personal financial struggles; the audience was barred from sympathizing with this villainous protagonist. Snow encapsulated this sly agenda through his scheming feats, such as giving his assigned tribute, Lucy Gray, an unfair advantage in the Games, betraying his friend, Sejanus, to the Capital’s nonexistent mercy, and murdering Dean Highbottom. Scenes in which he showed emotion were only at the expense of keeping his public image reputable.

9/10 Think Later Album BY LAUREN WONG

Tate McRae’s album opens up with “cut my hair,” which is one of the songs on the album that differentiates a bit by having more of a rock-pop sound.

McRae’s great lyricism is shown when she elaborates on the topic of the title of the song. It’s not just about her cutting her hair, but showing her worth and her self-confidence.

The next track, “greedy” really caters to her love of dancing. It includes upbeat tempos that make it very catchy and entertaining to listen to. It opens up fast and upbeat leading to a very catchy melody that quickly got a lot of attention, making it to the top 10 hits list.

Being very familiar to the top 40 radio, she has had multiple of her songs go viral and get millions of streams and views this year.

Photo courtesy/Universal Pictures

Photo courtesy/ Lionsgate

Photo courtesy/ Spotify

Unique Names at GBHS

BY PABLO PiLLAI & SEAN COONTZ ppillai.gazette@gmail.com

Sankalp Immadisetty

“Sankalp means real power. Real power means if I want to do something, I just get that thing done. It has an Indian origin, and I think it’s really cool.”

Marabella Meraji

Nickname: Rein

“To some people a name doesn’t mean much but to others it’s something important. All the people I have met have been nothing but nice and supportive. I had a very old friend give me the name as I was brainstorming and she came up with Rein and I loved it.”

“I’ve always liked cherries, and I was eating them on FaceTime one time but someone made me laugh. I inhaled the pit of the cherry, almost choking on it. Afterwards, my friends decided to remind me every day by calling me cherry but I ended up really liking it and adopting the name.”

Katherine Wilson

Nickname: Cherri

Sikh students share

BY SARAH YEE, BATUL ZANZI & LAUREN WONG syee.granitebaytoday@gmail.com

Meet the Sikh students studying Sikhi

Senior Anna Jenkins leans over to ask Saihaj Cheema, who is Sikh, about the granthi.

Cheema replies the granthi is an Amritdhari (baptized) Sikh who reads from the Guru Granth Sahib (the living Guru and central sacred text to Sikhs) on a vibrantly adorned raised platform for the gurdwara’s congregation.

Sikh Society (Bradshaw Road). Gurdwaras are places of worship for Sikhs and open to all, especially as shelter.

Cheema is among a dozen Sikh students at Granite Bay High School. She’s one of four Sikh students uniquely learning about

“

In every single thing we do, we’re talking about perspective and bias and identity and change and interpretation -Kendra Seagraves ”

gions: Islam, Christianity, Daoism (Taoism), Sikhism and Islam. “We get to break down the walls between people in a real way,” Tastor said. “I think it might really be one of the only curriculums that does that on campus.”

In a merge of media and education, Tastor introduced Sikhi to his IBWR students, assigning three articles detailing different lived experiences from Sikhs for reading homework. Per usual, a class discussion commences the next day.

Cheema and Jenkins, both Granite Bay High School seniors and International Baccalaureate World Religions (IBWR) students, sit side by side in the diwan hall (prayer hall) of the Gurdwara Sacramento

Sikhi in David Tastor’s IBWR class.

In the now semester-long class per IB requirements and time limitations, students study five reli-

“In every single thing we do, we’re talking about perspective and bias and identity and change and interpretation,” IBWR student and junior Kendra Seagraves said.

A Gazette roundtable discussion mirrored IBWR class discussions. There Sikh students including seniors Ruhi Singh and Abhiroop Khera and juniors Perleen Deol and Anmol Thind discussed identity and representation of Sikhs in the media (like the Gazette) and education (like their current studies in their IBWR class).

The students agreed representation of Sikhs both on and off campus is scarce though emerging. Senior Abhiroop Khera is the founder and president of the Sikh Student Alliance, the first Sikh focused club at GBHS. Much like the roundtable discussion, the club meets Tuesday mornings every month in Tastor’s room (the club’s advisor).

“It’s just like having any other club like Fellow of Christian Athletes (FCA) or Muslim Student

Gazette photo/SARAH YEE

What is Sikhi? their community

Alliance (MSA) where it’s just a good way for students to connect,” Khera said of how he describes Sikhi to nonSikh members.

Behind the cover with Perleen Deol

Junior Perleen Deol is on the cover, wearing a traditional Indian suit called a sharara which she says can be worn for any event, including visiting places of worship. She covers her head with a chunni (scarf) and wears a kara on her wrist.

Despite California’s sizable Sikh community, Deol said she feels most Californians have inaccurate ideas about what Sikhi is and who Sikhs are.

“It just feels refreshing to see my culture being shown to a place that isn’t familiar with it,” Deol said about being on the cover. “I feel like Sikhism is never talked about at (this) school besides in the IB World Religions classroom.”

In IBWR, Deol said she reflected on socie-

tal and media attention towards the hate crimes and Islamophobia targeting the Sikh community.

621 anti-Sikh hate crimes were recorded from 2012 through 2022 from the Federal Bureau of Investigation Crime Data Explorer. 192 of those were in 2022 alone.

Deol said she hopes to see more awareness will decrease anti-Sikh hate crimes.

“We don’t see this (awareness) movement with say Sikh hate crimes or Muslim hate crimes because people don’t know who Sikh people are,” Deol said. “I’m hoping someday in the future, we’ll see a big movement behind these hate crimes like we did with Black Lives Matter.”

What is the Jakara Movement?

In the Roseville Joint Union High School District, the Jakara Movement’s high school chapter, Sikh Honors and Service Society (SHSS), is hosted by West Park and

Oakmont High Schools. Throughout Greater Sacramento, there are 15 chapters.

The Jakara Movement’s programs focus on everything from youth college and career development to housing and food insecurity support. On Sundays, the Jakara Movement prepares and delivers upwards of 50 meals to Sacramento’s unhoused.

“We want this to be a platform where folks can engage in whatever capacity they have,”

Greater Sacramento area community organizer Mandeep Singh said. “It’s not that you don’t have food because you’re hungry.. It’s that you’re hungry because there’s forces beyond your control that are stopping that food from getting to your table–whether that’s lack of resources in education, jobs or health disparities or even access to fresh food.”

The Gazette first learned about the Jakara Movement when the community organizer for the Roseville region Tejpal Singh spoke at

This section is not intended to be a comprehensive representation of Sikhi but an introduction. It was written with the input of over a dozen Sikh interviewees.

Referring to the religion:

Sikhism and Sikhi are often used interchangeably in general society. Sikhi is the correct term to use when referring to the religion or way of life of Sikhs: the addition of -ism (Sikhism) is the anglicized version of the word adopted by Western audiences.

Common last names:

As evidenced in this article, Sikh men use the last name “Singh '' and Sikh women use the last name “Kaur” as directed by the 10th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s call for unity and rejection of the caste system that was prevalent in India.

3 Pillars:

Vand Chakna (charity, dasvandh, seva)

Kirat Karni (honest livelihood)

Naam Japna/Simran (remembrance of God) - strict monotheism

Sikhs and Sikhi geographically: Many Punjabis are Sikhs as Sikhi originated in Punjab, a state in India. “Sikhs are a minority in everywhere, which is why they emphasize the importance of building a community in which everyone is welcome.”

-Saihaj Cheema

What are the 5 Ks?

Sikhs represent their identity through adhering to the 5Ks. Some Sikhs don’t follow all 5Ks.

Kirpan, Kesh (uncut hair), Kara (steel bracelet), Kanga (comb), Kaccha (undergarments)

Board meeting. Singh proposed a district resolution to recognize November as Sikh Awareness and Appreciation Month.

If passed, this resolution would follow other Greater Sacramento school districts, such as Elk Grove Unified School District, who honored the month this year.

A statewide recognition of the month (Assembly Concurrent Resolution 100: ACR 100) was passed last Aug. by Assemblymember Ash Kalra and the first Sikh Assemblymember and family physician, Jasmeet Bains.

Placer County first recognized the month in 2023.

Recognizing Sikhs in and beyond

November

November marks an important time for Sikhs. It includes Gurpurab, which are days where the birth of Guru Nanak, the first guru in Sikhi, is recognized.

November also marks horrific history.

On Nov. 29, news broke of an Indian nationalist’s failed plot to assassinate a Sikhs for Justice lawyer. Five months earlier, Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar was assas sinated: connections were drawn again to the Indian government by the Canadian Prime Minister. Minorities, especially religious ones including Sikhs and Rohing ya Muslims, have long faced oppression by the Indian Gov ernment. These tensions between the Indian government and Sikhs have recently been brought to the forefront in Western media.

“The month of November is the anniversary of a horrific event that took place in 1984

called the Sikh genocide–an event where…not our students, but their parents–my parents– their grandparents, their families, their friends were being abducted, were being killed.” Singh said to the Board. “These are residual effects that play an effect in the mental health of our students.”

These headlines have hit too close to home for many Sacramento Sikhs. Days after Nijjar was assassinated, Sacramento Sikh activist Bobby Singh was sentthreatening text messages that he

We want this to be a platform where folks can engage in whatever capacity they have -Mandeep Singh ”

was “next in the USA” as reported by the Sacramento Bee.

The six Sikh students the Gazette spoke with said they’ve generally felt safe to be Sikh in California, but their families haven’t felt the same security.

“Historically 9/11 and 1984 have been pretty big (for) impacts on Sikhs in America. 1984, a lot of

(Sikhs) came here–cut their hair and stuff so they wouldn’t be identified,” Khera said. “It happened again in 9/11 because people thought they were Islamic terrorists–which they weren’t–and not even Muslims should be attacked for that.”

Thind shared how his family’s history connects with these two events. His father like many other Sikhs cut his hair after 9/11 to avoid discrimination.

“I feel safe in California,” Thind said. “But my dad grew up in the state of India and he remembers (the 1984 anti-Sikh riots) very vividly…that was one of the reasons why he moved to the US.”

Cheema said her family feels proud to have lived in the Greater Sacramento area since 2000.

“I know it took a lot of hard work and change to eventually end up here,” Cheema said. “I have been fortunate to help teach people about Sikhi and also connect with other Sikh students recently. Although there isn’t a huge Sikh community here, I am glad that people are finally learning about us and what we stand for.”

A Granite Bay

Construction on a Granite Bay gurdwara is forecasted to begin

Juniors Sahib and Sirtaj Singh’s father and Thind’s father are among the five on the commit-

The new gurdwara would help families like theirs who struggle with the commute between the existing Greater Sacramento gurdwaras and expand the kitchen and school.

From Global Student

BY EMILY LAU & RACHEL GUO elau.gazette@gmail.com

From Gaza and Israel to local communities in Sacramento, families of Palestinians and Israelis face increasing challenges and tensions as the Israel-Hamas war develops. Protests and rallies gained prominence in the Sacramento region, along with students actively participating to express their views on the conflict.

Jenna Jarrar, a Palestinian freshman at Granite Bay High School, is continuing her efforts to support Palestine after attending protests and giving speeches. Jarrar has family in both Gaza and the West Bank. During the conflict, she experienced several losses of her mom’s cousins, including a recently married mother who just had a baby.

“(I’m) upset because it’s a lot of relatives that I’m never going to be able to get the chance to meet,” Jarrar said.

Jarrar spoke at the Folsom City Council Meeting on Nov. 28, in response to the city council condemning the attacks on Israel.

“I encourage our city council leaders to get involved and understand both sides of this conflict and view resources that represent both sides equally,” Jarrar said, at the Folsom City Council.

Jarrar aims for others to “just actual-

BY AUDREY BAIME & SABINE KANZ

6:30 am, Hamas, a Palestinian Militant group, launches rockets into Israel.

October 7th

ly try and look into things yourself.”

In addition, conducting research and watching reliable news sources with equal representation can prevent potential bias and one-sided perspectives prevalent in the media. With several family members having been victims of attacks, Jarrar is motivated to become better-versed in the complexities of the conflict in order to spread awareness and educate others.

“Most people didn’t know about this until Oct. 7, but this is something that I and many other Palestinians

They were all killed. Bombs just dropped on their houses.

Jenna Jarrar, freshman ”

have had to live with our whole lives,” Jarrar said.

Another Palestinian GBHS student, who asked to remain anonymous, also shares a similar sentiment as Jarrar. They share concern for their family members currently living in Gaza, including their aunt, uncle and young cousin from their mother’s side.

The student talked about how their aunt and uncle are sleeping while “wearing their prayer clothes because if anything happened they could run away. They’re sleeping (while) wearing bags just (in case) anything hap-

Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, declares war on Hamas following the Re’im music festival.

October 8th

Hamas launched an attack on the Supernova Sukkot Music festival in Re’im, Israel, leaving an estimated 1200 dead and around 240 taken hostage.

pens, so they could run away having their passports.”

When talking to their three year old cousin, their cousin told the student that they “had been sleeping wearing her shoes on because she’s scared that they’re gonna bomb her house. So if she could run away, she doesn’t want glass to go on her feet.”

Before the events of Oct. 7, many of the student’s friends told them that they didn’t have any background about the conflict. After hearing the story, the student noticed “a lot of things changed,” and many students and teachers “now really care.”

They strongly urge “as many people as possible to know what’s going on” to raise awareness and encourage support through actions like boycotting and participating in protests.

This student has been to a protest in Sacramento State University with their cousins and was shocked by the amount of people who attended the protest.

“The amount of people I saw there, it gives me goosebumps. I saw black people, white people, Jewish people, Palestinians, non-Palestinians. I saw all races, every people, a lot of genders. That thing made me cry. I was crying the whole protest because (of) the amount of people that were there,” the anonymous student said.

October 9th

Israel Defense Forces calls for Gaza residents to evacuate to Southern Gaza in an attempt to avoid loss of lives.

October 13th

Israel cuts off electricity to Gaza and it plunges into darkness.

To Local Perspectives

Freshman Miriam Frank and junior Gabriel Frank at GBHS have a family history deeply rooted in Israel and are currently expressing concerns for their relatives like the Palestinian students. In the aftermath of the Holocaust, a significant portion of their family emigrated to Israel and resided there, while others settled in Los Angeles.

“I have cousins, aunts and uncles who live (in Israel). My great grandparents used to live there. Some of them ended up going to Italy just to escape the war. So, at least they’re safe, but I have family who’s in the Israel Defense Forces. So it’s a scary time for a lot of us,” Miriam Frank said.

M. Frank mentions that she is “very involved in the Jewish community,” attending Temple Or Rishon, located in the Orangevale area. She points out that a lot of the backlash she has seen is online through social media platforms.

“I would say if it does not affect you, like I wouldn’t even worry about it. Don’t even worry about picking a side because if it doesn’t affect you, don’t make it affect you.... And if you decide that yes, you do want to find out about something, do your own research,” M. Frank said.

In addition, Gabriel Frank, states that individuals shouldn’t “make the other person the enemy” without reading into the prior history of the conflict beforehand. He states, “Palestinans

We can’t look at this as a good versus bad or right versus wrong.

Gabriel Frank, junior ” “

“I see people not even listening to the videos that people are posting, and they’re just automatically saying, ‘Free whatever side,’” M. Frank said.

As a student, M. Frank advises her peers to educate themselves, cautioning against relying solely on social media due to its potential for misinformation and biased narratives. She encourages others to form opinions based on factual information rather than external influences.

don’t deserve to get displaced from their homes,” highlighting the human impact on one side, while also acknowledging, “Israelis don’t deserve to live in fear from rockets,” recognizing the challenges faced on the other side.

“At its very, very core level, the Palestinians are good people. The Israelis are good people…There are good people on both sides. And this isn’t about the Israeli people versus the Palestinian people,” G. Frank said.

Since the historical roots of the Israel-Hamas conflict spans over hundreds

of years, G. Frank urges people to refrain from hating individuals based on demographics or religion. Instead of division, he stresses that neither side deserves the hardships that they have encountered in the conflict, advising for a balanced comprehension of the complexities involved in the Israel-Hamas war.

“Do not hate someone because they’re Muslim. Do not hate someone because they’re Jewish. Do not hate someone because they ally with Palestine. I do not hate someone because they ally with Israel. They’re people. We’re people. We’re all people. And we need, especially now, we need to be united as one,” G. Frank said.

Though G. Frank did not attend any rallies, he attended events held at his synagogue and remained connected with his family as a way of showing support. G. Frank also talked about how people could donate or support both sides by finding organizations online who are helping Gaza and Israel.

“But at its core, it’s not a conflict of right or wrong. It needs to be judged as a tragedy. And we need to look at people as people. People who have strong opinions, not demons, not enemies, but fellow citizens. Fellow humans who deserve to be treated with the same dignity and respect as any other,” G. Frank said.

Al-Ahli Arab Hospital was bombed, leaving hundreds dead and hundreds more injured. Consensus on responsibility remains unclear.

Judith and Natalie Raanan are the first hostages to be released by Hamas, and return to Israel with the Red Cross.

An Israeli airstrike hits Gaza’s largest refugee camp, killing over 195 people.

Nurit Cooper (79) and Yocheved Lifshitz (85) were the third and fourth hostages that were released from Hamas.

From Global Community

BY RACHEL GUO & EMILY LAU rwguo.gazette@gmail.com

The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict has weaved its way into the lives of people within Sacramento communities such as Granite Bay and Roseville.

Members of our community, such as religious leaders, have spoken out about how their communities have reacted and the ways they supported them.

“

Kamran Islam, one of three Imams at the Tarbiya House Natomas, works with the local Muslim community in the Sacramento Valley. As a spiritual leader, Islam gives guidance and information to those who turn to him.

While working with the community, Islam has noticed a “huge uptick in

The

Scan here to

November 4th

Muslims” and a “revival of faith” in the community and believes that one of the main causes of this increase in faith is the overwhelming uncertainty the community faces as the Gaza-Israel war develops.

Islam supports members who go to him for advice before attending events or rallies, reminding others of the moral codes and ethics that Muslims

It feels like the world stopped paying attention until Oct. 7 happened... all of a sudden everybody cares again. Karmran Islam, Imam

live by to honor those lost in Palestine, such as avoiding profanity and causing harm to innocent people.

“I do my best to remind everybody in my own community that while the Israeli government or the Israeli Defense Force may be responsible for atrocities, it doesn’t mean that your average Israeli citizen is himself or herself responsible,” Islam said.

Many of the Palestinians have worked with have family or friends in Palestine.

“I’ve been working with people as they experienced these emotions, as

November 9th

November 13th

they experienced this grief, as they went through the anger that comes with it,” Islam said. “Among the more vulnerable in our community, there is an increase in fear of being publicly visibly Muslim. It’s not just about being Palestinian now, (but also) being Muslim because often those things are associated with each other.

Islam voices his frustrations about the conflict being out of the mainstream media in the past. According to the U.S. Department of State, tensions had been high between Arabs and Israel since before 1948.

“What’s really sad is that over the last few years, it kind of started to feel like the whole world was giving up on the issue. It was just like, you know what, we can’t find peace. We can’t figure it out. So just forget about it. Which is really unfortunate because it wasn’t just about peace. It was about a severe injustice. It was about oppression that’s taking place,” Islam said.

“This has been going on for a long time. And there have been people who have been suffering for a long time and if we don’t address their issue, then it’s going to be impossible to achieve peace,” Islam said.

GBHS graduate Noah Frank, also known as the Number One Granite Bay High School, is Israeli with family in Israel: Haifa, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

“It feels very sad for me and my

November 14th

largest pro-Palestine protest in US history takes place in Freedom Plaza, with an estimated attendance of 300,000 people.

Israel put into effect four hour pauses in war affected areas of Northern Gaza to allow citizens to exit areas of Gaza affected by fighting.

Wall Street Journal states 1 out of every 200 Palestinians have been killed since the siege on Gaza starting on October 7th.

read the Gazette’s coverage of the Palestinian fundraiser

To Local Perspectives

family, we are very sad about the loss of people by the Hamas terrorist leaders,” N. Frank said.

Frank said he feels “sad and angry” when he hears about the loss of innocent lives.

“We always made sure that my father communicates with the family and see how they’re doing, make sure they’re okay,” N. Frank said.

Alan Rabishaw, a Rabbi at Temple Or Rishon, also has connections with Israel.

Rabishaw has had many connections to Israel. When he was a high school student, Rabishaw spent 6 months in Israel as an exchange student, and he currently has many friends and colleagues in Israel.

Rabishaw has a goal to unite both the Jewish community and non Jews. Rabishaw has helped organize many events and speaks out for the Jewish community.

attendees from Placerville, Roseville and Folsom.

“Since the beginning of the war, I’ve have used my voice to not only speak up and unite the Jewish people and in support of Israel, but also to teach and share my voice in the larger community, helping others understand from my Jewish and Zionist perspective what’s going on in Israel, Gaza and the Middle East,” Rabishaw said.

“This is not a time to be divided but a time for Jews and our friends to unite.

Alan Rabishaw, Rabbi ”

that there are displaced people” in order to “help them.”

“Some of my main goals are education. You know, for me, history matters. And a lot of what is being said by the other side is just not historically accurate. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be concerned about innocent Palestinian people who are not affiliated with Hamas, but we need to understand history and the reality of what’s happened.” Rabishaw said.

Rabishaw emphasized the point that it is not a conflict between Palestinians and Israelis, but a conflict with Hamas instead.

TIMELINE RESOURCES

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“At every one of these larger communal events that I have helped organize, the response has been amazing – bringing together both non Jews and the Jewish people in support of Israel has been affirming and inspiring,” Rabishaw said.

Rabishaw, along with other Jewish community leaders, have hosted many events in places such as South Sacramento and the capitol as well as a zoom call to advocate for Israel.

Some of the events had over 500

Israeli soldiers raid al-Shifa hospital, Gaza’s largest hospital leaving over 20 patients dead.

November 15th

Rabishaw has received support from neighbors as well as some Christian Congregations as an act of support to Israel and a stand of solidarity against rising anti-Semitism.

“This is not a time to be divided, but a time for Jews and our friends to unite and share our common commitment to the land and people of Israel because Israel is an incredible place,” Rabishaw said.

Another point that Rabishaw brought up was his focus towards education about the history behind the conflict for both sides. He stresses the acknowledgement to those affected by the war and “encourage(s) people to understand

Cease-fire between Hamas and Israel begins.

November 24th

An extension for the ceasefire fell through, indefinitely postponing further hostage negotiations.

December 1st

240 Palestinian prisoners were released from Israeli detention centers and 105 Israeli hostages were released by Hamas. Many Palestinian prisoners were there prior to the Oct. 7th attack for alleged/convicted crimes.

Scan here to read the Gazette’s coverage of the Israeli protest in Sac State.

December 4th

Satellite imagery confirms Israel began invading Southern Gaza.

Israel bombs Khan Yunis, the main city in southern Gaza, following threats Hamas made over hostage disputes.

December 11th

BY SOFIA BAUMGARTNER sbaumgartner.granitebaytoday@gmail.com

On the field, senior soccer captain Talan Rochelle nevefails to impress us with his strong skill set. Off the field, he is continuously finding ways to perfect his game.

Rochelle’s happenstance introduction to the sport at a young age was the start to an amazing soccer career filled with achievements that’s only getting started.

Talan was introduced to the sport when he was three years old at a youth soccer camp his older sister Taylor attended. While practicing, a coach approached Talan with a soccer ball, where he began running drills with all the older kids. That was when Talan’s dad, Eric Rochelle, knew he was going somewhere.

“It was something that naturally happened, and from that his love started to grow to where it is today” said Eric Rochelle.

Talan’s growing love for the sport served as a bonding moment for

ATHLETE OF THE MONTH:

TALAN ROCHELLE STRIKES AGAIN

him and his father, who he labeled his biggest motivator.

“He has worked so hard to accomplish what he has and I base myself on those principles of hard work. I think that's what's driven me to go so far in soccer” said Talan Rochelle.

Following in the footsteps of his dad, who played soccer in his youth, Talan joined the Varsity soccer team his sophomore year and has served as a team captain since his junior season.

Talan has continued to impress on the field ever since his sophomore year with his ever growing skill set that has garnered attention from many colleges, but most importantly Gonzaga University.

Talan had been on Gonzaga’s radar for quite a long time, having been in communication with them since his sophomore year.

This was not an easy decision to make as he received offers from Georgetown, Oregon State and

Princeton as well.

It wasn’t until he gave the University a visit and had the chance to play with some future teammates where he knew that was where he wanted to be.

“Dad, this is my spot. I love this place.” said Eric Rochelle about a phone call he received from Talan during his visit which really solidified his decision for the next four years. Talan took the offer from Gonzaga and recently committed.

With a whole senior season left and a D1 commitment secured, you might think he would take it easy. Well, you don’t know Talan Rochelle.

“Once I get to college I’m going to play with people four years older than me and if I want to survive at that level I have to keep working. It never stops”

Talan’s strong work ethic is going to come in handy in the near future as he takes his skills to the collegiate level in the fall.

A COURTSIDE VIEW OF THE GRIZZLIES

BY SOFIA BAUMGARTNER

PHOTOS FROM A SERIES OF VARSITY BASKETBALL GAMES

Offseason The Grind

What student athletes do to prepare for the upcoming season

BY SAKURA WATANABE sakura.watanabe@student.rjuhsd.us

As the fall sports season ends, the iintense practices, hours invested in tournaments and matches that a student athlete abruptly ends. The season for competition is overit’s training season now.

“Our league is the most competitive league probably in Northern California,” said Tim Healy, the athletic director at Granite Bay High School (GBHS). “If you’re trying to compete with the very best people in their sport, then you have to try and keep up with them.”

With the high demands to stay in the top for many teams and individuals, the practices that these players have during the season is not enough- and the offseason is a great time to grow in both skill and teamwork.

“I think of (the offseason) more as a change in focus because I get to work on my technique more and go at my own pace, whereas during the season it’s all about preparation and game management,” said Serene Kim, a freshman golf player for the girls varsity golf team at GBHS.

As the offseason starts, many athletes including Kim use this time to develop the things that they cannot do during the quick-tempo season. Kim intends to continue honing her skills and strength for the 2024-25 season as a sophomore.

Carson Perry-Smith, a football player and captain for the varsity football team and a senior at GBHS has continuously grown as a player throughout his four years being on the Grizzlies’ football team by constantly refining his game during the offseason not just for himself, but for the team overall.

“(Last season) I wanted to be a good teammate… and play the season without regrets, and I feel like I was able to accomplish that,” said Perry. “(Accomplishing this) just makes for a better team synergy that helps us win games.”

”

Do you have the perse- verance and the grit and the determination to go apply yourself when no one else is around?

”

Tim Healy, GBHS Athletic Director

The results that Perry was striving for not just improved himself, but his team as well. The Grizzlies made it to the quarterfinals of the CIF San Joaquin Section Championships and had an 0.8 win percentage at home.

The GBHS Athletics teams and coaches support their athletes in guiding them towards the right path during this extended period to further enhance their results for the upcoming seasons.

“Currently, I’ll be focusing on the younger part of the club… We’re always working on skill development and then during the summer we

work on game knowledge and then try and put it all together during the season,” said Damien Lawrence, a biology teacher and a water polo coach at GBHS.

Through these offseason training sessions, the Grizzlies’ girls and boys water polo team hope to become 1st in their league and make it back to the CIF San Joaquin Section Championships Semifinal once again not only for next season, but for future seasons also.

“I would argue that being a well rounded individual creates a more balanced human being that values a multitude of things,” said Healy, adding onto the value of the offseason and the rest that it provides athletes. “The better you are in regards to your rest, your focus, your energy, all those things that are directly related to a balanced life. I think you’re going to be a significantly more efficient athlete.”

After countless years of observing student athletes as the athletic director, Healy concluded that finding a balance between practicing a sport and spending time away from it generates the growth that student-athletes are looking for in the most productive way.

“Do you have the perseverance and the grit and the determination to go apply yourself when no one else is around? And I would argue that if you do, you’re probably going to be pretty good at whatever you pursue,” said Healy.

Girls Flag Football Semifinals

BY LOLA ENGEL lola.engel@student.rjuhsd.us

Jadyn Perez-Guerrero is locked in for the semi-finals in an attempt to beat Del Oro. (Middle Left)

The team huddles together at the beginning of halftime to talk about what they need to improve on to win the game. (Middle Right)

Quarterback Lillian McDaniel throws a pass to her teammate in an attempt to score a touchdown. (Top Row)

Jaylin Arnold, Gracelyn Brown, and Miko Cooper walk out for the beginning of the third quarter. (Bottom Right)

MY DAY BEING DEAD

BY ANNA HUFFORD ahufford.gazette@gmail.com

OnWednesday, I died.

Iwas selected to be one of the “walking dead” in my high school’s Every 15 Minutes, E15, program. Every 15 Minutes represents the fact that someone is killed in an alcohol related crash every 15 minutes.

I think that for many teens, having your license but also wanting to go to parties, can easily turn into the life or death decision of drinking and driving. E15 is designed to help teenagers understand that they aren’t invincible to the tragedy of a drunk driving accident whether it is them involved or someone they know.

Despite the hard emotions that the crash and video can bring up, having a program that shows and educates students on what it is truly like to experience the death of someone you know in a crash, caused by decisions they personally made, really helps them to visualize the reality of their spur of the moment decisions.

I think that without something like this provided by the school so many teens would maintain

the idea that the tragedies that come with drinking and driving would never happen to them.

For me and the other students participating in the program, they truly get to understand the background to the program by walking through what the process would be like if the situation were to be real. This has a bigger impact on the specific students selected because they get to see how the gears turn and understand that it isn’t all about just “having the students die” or “traumatizing kids.”

As someone who was chosen to be a part of the program, I have gotten the privilege to see and understand why CHP chooses to do this for our school.

Throughout the two days the program took place, we got the opportunity to be taken away from our norm and go places such as the jail and see where someone who has been charged with a DUI, and manslaughter, would suffer the consequences.When I got to go on a tour of the Placer County jail, being able to see how

Gazette photo/SOFIA BAUMGARTNER

people who have been through the things that E15 is trying to keep us from doing really put into perspective of just how quickly my life or any of my friends lives could be changed.

Even though the effect is already huge just on campus, the CHP goes one step further as to bring the child’s family into the mix. By doing so, I think that it pulls on the hearts of everyone a little bit more seeing how the mock death affects that person’s family.

On November 15, the day of the crash, getting pulled out of class gave me a mix of emotions. Even though I was expecting it, actually seeing the day play out was a lot different than I was imagining it to be

The first night after the crash we stayed the night at a hotel in Roseville and went through group therapy and got to hear a presentation from a woman who actually lost her son to a drunk driver.

After going through the two day experience of being away from my friends and fami-

ly, coming back the following Thursday there were a lot of emotions that came with thinking about how it would be if I was actually in a situation that led my family to have to say

If I didn’t agree to participate in E15, I would not have fully understood the reality of the situation the school is trying to warn us about and keep us away from. ”

goodbye to me permanently. I think that if I didn’t agree to participate in E15, I would not have fully understood the reality of the situation the school is trying to warn us about and keep us away from.

Although I understand that not everyone will get to see the program the way the 19 students that were selected were able to, I think that seeing and hearing about how people’s choices led to a life full of regret really helped open my eyes to how real

something like this could be. It has led me to make the decision to advocate for others against driving while intoxicated and make sure my friends are safe. I do understand, and now that I have completely been through the experience, how some people can feel that E15 may be a traumatizing thing for young teens to go see, I am a strong believer that for some of the students at this school the hidden lesson of it is more powerful than just seeing the emotions of the crash and the students in it.

Although some people may not agree that the idea of E15 is entirely productive and, won’t prevent teens from making poor choices, I feel that with the extreme detail taken by incorporating people’s families, l and being given the chance to see how it affects the people in your life, it will make teens more aware of the things they are doing and hopefully make them think twice before getting in that car.

Photo Courtesy of Ursus yearbook

EDITORIAL: STUDENT JOURNALISTS ARE UNDERRECOGNIZED JOURNALISTS

BY THE GAZETTE EDITORIAL BOARD

On Sept. 6, 2023, Rocklin Unified School District’s Board decision to pass Parental Right 21 – an addition to existing Regulation 5020: Parent Rights and Regulations – electrified an already conflicted community. The addition required guardians to be informed by school staff if their children request to identify with a separate gender, sex or name or to use sex-segregated school programs and activities that do not align with their biological sex or gender.

The Gazette’s ceaseless reporting of local board meetings started much earlier than Sept. 2023 or even July 2023, when Chino Valley Unified became the first California school district to pass parental notification policies regarding transgender students. We prioritize continuous coverage, following up with different angles to highlight as many perspectives as possible.

At board meetings, the Gazette staffers are proud to let our dual identities as student-journalists take center stage. We are the journalists filming in the front row. We capture angles the RJUHSD YouTube

livestream does not. We capture the crowd’s reactions, just as we did on Mar. 23 when the RJUHSD board and many community members rose to leave what should have been a civil discussion space.

The Gazette’s perpetual question is this: are we students or journalists first?

We’re both.

When we write about an international crisis coming to our community – interviewing dozens of community members on their Palestine and Israeli perspectives, having in-depth discussions on their views, and even shadowing local news anchors at protests – we’re journalists.

When we write about the local fentanyl advocacy movement and the faces that inspired it, we’re students, reporting on events that directly affect us. At school awareness assemblies, we’ve observed our unique exposure and vulnerability to this crisis. Our coverage choices reflect the conversations we hear from the community and on campus, no matter how big or small.

Our individual interests, pastimes and the combination of each unique

student lends diverse perspectives to our staff. We use our unique experiences to understand how our community struggles and where we can help with advocacy.

Like professional journalists, we face inevitable community criticism about what we choose to cover and how. We’re not professionals, but we act professionally.

Actions speak louder than words in the journalism newsroom. To guarantee factual reporting, we communicate with all parties through in-depth interviews to gain as many perspectives as possible; we read our articles multiple times to ensure accuracy during our copy editing process; we persist at school board meetings to show our undeterred dedication in communicating the whole truth to our community.

The Gazette will continue to stand as student watchdogs at board meetings not just because we are students, but because we also are journalists. Board meetings are our battlegrounds where students and journalists merge.

They can be yours too.

Gazette graphic/LAYLA WILLIAMS

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