The Antlerette// January 2018

THE ANTLERETTE

Issue 6

11

the antlerette

January 2018 IN THIS ISSUE

district lost the Supreme Court case turning the beautiful painted halls into understimulating hallowed halls. During multicultural week, Elk Grove hosted an event about different cuisines from around the world, often hosting

by Anna Serpa, Design Manager restaurants to bring some small food items. Those have disappeared, largely along with our food days. The only events Elk Grove High School used to be a place of this school hosts anymore are rallies, spirited individuals and avid learners. Now repetitive spirit weeks, the military, and things have standard school changed. It has http://smartdog.typepad.com/.a/6a00e54fae15378833019b008b9f4b970c-320wi dances. become a However the prison we are student body no federally longer dresses required to up for the spirit attend. The fun weeks and no events are longer attend disappearing the rallies (not rapidly as they like they used continue to to). We aren’t tighten the even allowed to leashes, dress up for hanging us in Halloween! the process.

The Trying to make restrictions have gone too far. This graveyard the school a “safe” place has transformed Elk has no spirit because the students have been Grove High into a graveyard; feeding ground hung in nooses. It is time to exhume the for stress, fights, and misdemeanors. graveyard and bring life back into this school.

The teachers here try to make the Please bring back our fun events, because curriculum interesting, but with continual otherwise this school may crumble to its restrictions making the implementation of foundation. such activities far and few between. The walls of the A-wing used to be updated regularly with beautiful murals, but the

The Nooses

Media’s Effect on Fitness & Health The media in this generation has a huge influence on many aspects of life. Today, the media has a great effect on fitness activity along with health and nutrition…….………Page 5

Poverty 101: How to Believe in Poverty in America It has been brought to my attention that there are people in Elk Grove, CA who believe that poverty in America is a myth and does not exist. Although ignorance is bliss, I felt it was my duty to educate my fellow Americans on systematic poverty that sets thousands of people in America into a permanent state of economic-failure.”………………………………Page 9

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THE ANTLERETTE

| Issue 6

2

Social Evolution

by Daniel Thomas, Staff

Social media has changed heavily over time, and, at the same time, has changed us as a society. Before “social media” there was just media, like newspapers, TV, and the radio. Media was primarily a one-way street, communications from the publisher to the audience. We didn't receive news easily.

Something could be happening right now, but we wouldn't know because we wouldn't have the latest issue of the paper. The radio was used more for immediate news, though never like how it is today. But, in the past couple of decades, the media has become more interactive and inclusive.

The first instance of “social media”, similar to how it is now, was in 1997 with SixDegrees.com. Based on the “six degrees of separation” concept, it allowed users to list and message others online. This site didn’t last that long, as it slowly lost its focus and would constantly spam its users. This inspired many other sites including AsianAvenue and BlackPlanet, but this was also the beginning of when social media hit mainstream market with Friendster, LinkedIn, MySpace, and Facebook. They improved upon the concepts that SixDegrees brought to the table, like having people meet others with common interests, appealing to business people like LinkedIn, or even more to teenagers like MySpace, both launched in 2003. This affected the way people met.

Hey Trace!

by Tracy Tran, Assistant Design Manager

Hey Trace, There’s a guy I like, but we never see each other in person and we rarely speak to each other. I just wished we communicated more. What should I do?

-Anonymous Hey, Anonymous, With our modern day technology, long distance is not a struggle with communication. I’m assuming you two at least know each other. Though long distance relationships rarely work out, I would recommend sending a quick text. Try to get a feel of the relationship. You don’t want to seem creepy, and you don’t want to be too distant. I believe periodic texts and social media are all right as long as you know the boundaries.

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Instead of going outside and trying out new ways to meet others and make friends, all someone would have to do would be to go online and try to find someone who they would like to befriend.

Facebook and Twitter were game changers though, as Facebook incorporated many applications into the platform itself, such as its “like” system and Twitter made it easier than ever to get the latest news of what was going on in the world. This gave people instant access to celebrities and world updates, making newspapers much less relevant. Social media eventually oozed over to mobile phones with Instagram in 2010, Tinder in 2012, and Snapchat in 2011, making it practically irresistible.

Hey Trace!

My friend wants a girlfriend, but he’s too scared to make a move. Any advice you can give him?

Anonymous Hi, Anonymous!

As cliche as it sounds, you miss all the shots you don’t take. If he really wants a girlfriend, he needs to be open-minded and be able to receive all types of rejections. Not every girl will say yes. The blurred line of creepiness and affection is present in female eyes, but invisible to everyone else. Know the boundaries when she doesn’t reciprocate your feelings. The best advice I can give is to treat her like a queen with the utmost respect and honesty.The best formula to a good relationship is communication and honesty.

Dear Trace, I’m a senior in high school. I’m overwhelmed by my parents with their constant nagging to choose my major

At this point, social media seems like a living thing. The emotions and interests of the public can be followed moment to moment. The latest controversy is laid out and experienced in real time, updating in seconds. People all over the world use it, even people you wouldn’t have even guessed use platforms like Twitter. Serious celebrities, children younger than 13 years, business people, politicians, world leaders, and even our president are on social media!

You get to hear everyone’s opinion on something whether you like it or not, because everyone now feels as if their opinion is important. It’s not just publishers or big, important people that have a voice anymore, it’s everybody.

quickly. How am I supposed to choose when I don’t even know what I want?

-Anonymous Hey! As a senior, I totally understand how you feel. This is our life changing moment where we now begin to split into different colleges with their various majors. I don’t recommend this, but some people have taken gap years to discover themselves. I would try taking a few aptitude tests online to see your options.

Try to go to a community center or community college to discover something you might be passionate about. These places are meant to foster creativity and learning.

Community colleges are a much bigger institution than high schools. Many freshmen in college change their majors because they have discovered something new. Life is full of experiences. Explore your options when you can; hopefully, you discover your aspirations!

THE ANTLERETTE

Issue 6

11

Biblical Beauty vs. Media’s Beauty

by Grace Vierra, Staff

In today’s world, it is seemingly so easy for us to get wrapped up in this need to feel beautiful, but the true question is, what is beauty?

Commercials, magazines, advertisements, and billboards all give us the worldly image of what beauty is. We are taught that beauty is found when we are skinny and blonde and tan, with nice skin, toned legs, and a great smile. We are taught that if we do not portray these unrealistic, yet beautiful characteristics, we aren’t as beautiful or good enough. Media depicts beauty in such a flawed way because none of it is realistic.

Photoshop, airbrushing, and Botox are a few of the things that “beautiful people” use to enhance medias perception of beauty. How is it even possible to attain these standards of beauty if they aren’t even real? It is absolutely 100% impossible to live up to the worldly perception of beauty, but it is not impossible to be beautiful, we are all beautiful. We ingrain in our minds that if we don’t match these characteristics that the world portrays, then we aren’t beautiful, but let me tell you, you are so wrong.

Beauty goes so far beyond appearance and unrealistic characteristics. True beauty is found in absolutely everyone. It doesn’t matter if your stomach is as flat as the current Sports Illustrated model, it doesn’t matter if your skin is as clear as the women on the billboard modeling for Proactive, and it doesn’t matter if you didn’t put metal on your teeth to make them straight because your smile is flawless. No matter what you look like, what color your skin is, or how “flawed” you think you are, you are beautiful.

The Almighty God declares that your beauty is found through Him because He handmade you. How awesome is that?! The King of Kings took time to create every inch of you because He loves you. You are a creation of a perfect God, therefore, you are without flaw, perfect. The One True God looks at you, and sees His very own masterpiece.

I know it is a cheesy and well known thing to say, but your true beauty comes from within. In today’s society, it is common that we focus on our outward appearance and become careless towards our heart, but what

is found in our heart defines our beauty!

“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight,” 1 Peter 3:3-4.

In this chapter of the Bible, Peter is preaching the Gospel. Peter was an apostle of Jesus Christ and was a great example of what it looked like to be a true Christ follower. In this specific verse, Peter is saying to the world that God is not enthralled in the jewelry and clothes and hairstyles you have acquired, He is enthralled by the compassion, the grace, and the love that is found in your heart.

I know that in this world, thinking that you are beautiful is hard. I have struggled with beauty my whole life, but once you accept the truth that every human is beautiful in their own unique way, you begin to understand that true beauty isn’t a worldly perspective, it is found from a Godly perspective.

You are beautiful. You are flawless. You are a masterpiece of the King of the Universe.

Media’s Effect on Fitness & Health

by Emma Day, Staff

The media in this generation has a huge influence on many aspects of life. Today, the media has a great effect on fitness activity along with health and nutrition. There are so many social media sites as well as national television that influence Americans all around the world to better themselves.

Commercials on new programs and fitness videos are always popping up. Commercials that try to persuade you as to why their products are better and how they will slim you down fast and easy are available to all.

Body image and self-appearance has become such a big part of society that there are now so many ways to get you in the shape of your dreams. Fitness instructors are located on all media platforms, ready for you to sign up and make that commitment to yourself.

Instagram is full of training facilities and trainers that demonstrate new exercises that can be done at home or in the gym.

Scrolling through Instagram on the most popular page, you see famous fitness people

that inspire you to be better. They provide you with new ideas, new workouts, and even new mindsets. Most famous fitness people have a blog or a link to a website that provides you with meal prepping and healthy eating habits. They leave inspirational quotes and sayings that make you want to be better than before.

Social media can change one’s mindset on her body, inside and out. Reading websites and blogs of those who live a happy and healthy lifestyle make others determined to live the same. If we did not have social media to show us the different ways people lived and the different morals they go by in their daily health, Americans wouldn’t be as influenced. People want to be just like the famous instructors and so they will follow in their lead to replicate their image.

Many local gyms and workout warehouses have Instagram accounts that advertise their business. They post videos of their clients working hard and this shows the followers

what their lifestyle is all about. Seeing someone work hard to pursue their goal is rewarding and soon, they want to do the same.

Healthy eating recipes are all over the internet, making it fun and easy to make that choice. Most of them make it simple and easy to prepare with minimal time. These recipes will leave you feeling fueled, energized, and refreshed.

Media is affecting more healthy Americans than we realize. Providing programs, gyms, studios, recipes, and more, it gives all Americans a new perspective on daily life.

Social media has bettered us in this situation and this will continue to grow as time goes on. Give it a shot and better yourself!

Become a better you from the inside and out.

THE ANTLERETTE

Issue 6

Easy Ways to Be More Eco-Friendly 11

by Emily Kennedy, Staff

Since the 1980’s, the amount of sea ice in the Arctic has been declining at an average rate of 13.2 percent per decade (NASA).

Climate change concerns have become ingrained in modern society, inspiring many individuals to take action and lessen their environmental footprint. However, there tends to be a preconceived idea that being eco-friendly requires considerable effort and large-scale actions, which is simply not true.

There are many easy steps you can take to be environmentally conscious, including: 1. Investing in Reusable Water Bottles, Coffee Mugs, Containers and Straws: If you have the cash, brands like Klean Kanteen offer a variety of reusable cups and containers that help you avoid overusing harmful plastic products.

There are also more affordable options available from local stores.

It is also impactful to purchase some reusable straws, which can be found online on websites like amazon. Plastic cups and straws are an unnecessary aspect of consumer culture that can be easily avoided. Hand baristas your own reusable coffee mug when purchasing coffee, tell a waiter you have your own straw when

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ordering drinks, or bring your own to-go containers when you eat out.

Small actions like this add up to create a sizeable difference in waste production.

Being Conscious of What Brands You Support: Doing a bit of light research before making purchases helps ensure you’re supporting brands that are not environmentally damaging, and better yet, brands like Patagonia and Lush that actively work to be eco-friendly.

Buying Used Clothes: Going thrift shopping is an enjoyable way to avoid subscribing to the clothing industry. By choosing to wear used clothes, you can reduce the amount of waste you produce as an individual. Shopping at used clothing stores also means supporting businesses that rely on donations rather than corporations that are fueled by popular demand and create an unneeded surplus of clothing. Plus, it’s fun.

Buying Local: Choosing locally grown food and goods from farmers markets and other local platforms not only supports local

Seasonal Coffees

by Nina Skeen, Staff We coffee lovers know, temperature plays an extreme role in the harmonious flavor of coffee, but we can’t enjoy a hot cup of heaven in the 90 degree weather. So, we wait for winter to make its move for the 60 degree weather and winds to make a turn, when those lovely hot menus get brought out. We finally get a taste of those once a year flavors that we miss before they’re even gone.

One of the most commonly ordered coffee beverages during these colder months of fall is the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Yea, definitely basic, but it’s also a best seller and the buds don’t lie. The PSL is a base of espresso and steamed milk infused with pumpkin spice, nutmeg, pumpkin puree, allspice, a small hint of ginger, and cinnamon. This latte could

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never be complete without a swirly glob of that ‘oh so wonderful’ whipped cream that finishes almost any beverage.

While some of us may like very sweet constant twisting flavor in our coffee, some of us prefer a more subtle flavor that lays low on the sugar, but still has a kick to it. That’s why the Toasted Graham Latte was created.

It’s simply espresso poured over steamed milk with added sweet cream or honey. Right as you think this cup of perfection is finished,

businesses, but also limits the amount of transportation, and therefore fossil fuels, required to get the produce to its destination.

5. Carpooling and Public Transportation: Traveling with a group greatly decreases the use of fossil fuels, and is an easy alternative to walking when partaking in long distance travel that is not achievable of foot.

Taking advantage of the public transportation system in your area is also a way to engage in more eco-friendly group transportation that is often easily accessible with some light research.

Attempting to incorporate a few, or even one of these simple adjustments can make an important difference in your overall waste production. Although some may seem daunting, if given a try, they will reveal themselves to be relatively easy adjustments that require a minimal amount of energy. By becoming more environmentally conscious and making these changes in your life, you demonstrate to others that the changes are doable and encourage them to take action as well.

it’s topped with whip cream and sprinkled with cinnamon graham crumbs.

And then there are those of us who enjoy that simple cup of coffee. But knowing it’s the holidays, we want a little bit of a change.

If that’s the case, the choice would be the Gingerbread Coffee. This coffee is a combination of rich brewed coffee with crème, stirred with ginger, molasses, and brown sugar. This is a simple drink that has a little bit of a sting to it. It has that holiday spice flavor with that daily morning coffee flavor that you’re so used to.

During the fall season, hot coffee is the most popular ordered beverage. On days with nothing to do, you just put on your favorite pair of sweats that hug the shape of you with a nice pair of fuzzy socks and a fluffy sweater. Then you order that once a year coffee and sit in the car with those windshield wipers working themselves.

THE ANTLERETTE

| Issue 6

Differences Between Political Parties

by Kyle Mann, Staff

The government has been a part of American society since the beginning of this great nation. Citizens of this great nation have a say in governmental rule through elections and voting, but if you notice, not every president or elected candidate in government has the same morals and way of running this nation. So many people have the same question: what's the difference between the political parties?

There are two main political views on having controlled authority over America.

The first way is through having the government being able to be active in every citizen's personal life. This thought process of government aligns with the Democratic Party. As a republican supporter, I don’t fully agree with everything this party has to say about ruling America. The Democratic Party was created and organized by a man named Thomas Jefferson in the late 1700s. Democrats believe in “equal

opportunity despite race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation”. They have a mindset that, when we have personal problems in our life, it is the government's obligation to help them or fix it for them. This party affects wealthier members of this nation because they also believe in what some people call the Robin Hood effect. This means upper class people are forced to pay higher taxes to fund poor people. This process never works because with the money that rich people are forced to give them, they usually don't spend it in the right way. Examples include a girl named Chloe who was paid extra money by more fortunate people to move out of a bad neighborhood and give her children a life with a better education, but instead spent $1000 or more on a Disney World trip. She basically had her vacation paid for because of this Robin Hood effect.

The other political party that wants the government to have less of a hand in

U.S. Media in North Korea

by Tanner Mendoza, Staff Ever since the Korean War Armistice agreement in July 27, 1953 both countries have used media to advertise against one another. Primarily, the U.S. has produced millions of dollars’ worth of media to present to not only its citizens, but to the rest of the world. This ranges from news to talk shows and to even movies regarding our ideas of North Korea. Current and recent news events have been mainly showcasing U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks in response to North Korean Dictator Kim Jong Un’s threats to America. President Trump has bluntly voiced his opinions about and against their regime formally in speeches and interviews while also using Twitter to get out his thoughts. On September 23, @realDonaldTrump tweeted “Just heard foreign minister speak at U.N. If he echoes thoughts of Little Rocket Man, they won’t be around much longer!” Not only did this anger the dictator and their government, but in response, North Korea has bolstered its defenses, stating that they have the right to shoot down U.S. bombers after the provocations.

The Chinese and Russian foreign ministers have urged the effort to resolve tensions in

response to the recent remarks. Talk shows from hosts, such as Trevor Noah and John Oliver, have been keeping up with the news announcing them in their talk shows. While they are humorous here in the states, media censorship is used nearly everywhere in North Korea to prevent anyone from potentially defecting to other countries or the possibility of the media fueling ideas for civil uprising. In 2014 when the movie “The Interview” had been released, North Korean officials were furious with U.S. President Obama claiming that he forced the film into theaters. North Korea’s National Defense Committee had released a statement directly calling out President Obama which said “U.S. President Obama is the chief culprit who forced the Sony Pictures Entertainment to indiscriminately distribute the movie and took the lead in appeasing and blackmailing cinema houses and theatres in the U.S. mainland to distribute the movie. . . Obama always goes reckless in words and deeds like a monkey in a tropical forest.”

While their National Defense Committee had threatened “fatal blows” to the U.S. there were no incidences to follow up on their words. However, they did ban Seth

personal affairs is called the Republican Party. This party has a moral where they believe with less government control life is better. Republicans tend to take a more conservative stand on issues, where they have a mindset of only wanting government interactions when there is a foreign affair or serious matter on hand that affects the overall safety of the people. If you want to solve your own problems without government interaction usually messing everything up, then your political views can be classified as Republican.

The difference between the two main political parties, Democratic and Republican, tends to be compared their political positions. Without the butting heads of these two parties, many fear the possibility of government overrule and a jump into a communist based society. Although politics usually don't turn heads, they are 100% necessary for a happy, freedom based life.

Rogen and James Franco from ever visiting their country which would later expand to all U.S. citizens for other reasons as of September 1, 2017. Even with these actions, a defector by the name of Lee Min-bok who is now a South Korean Activist has taken up the task of giving the people a chance to see the film. Using helium balloons, he sent copies of the film afloat over the border along with anti-North Korean government leaflets. A total of 10,000 copies have been sent; however, Kim Jong Un and his officials have commanded the military to shoot down and dispose of any material that goes against their central government and their highly worshipped dictator. This topic has become very controversial among activists since 2013 when the military in North Korea began publicly executing citizens as a capital punishment for those caught with media that hadn’t been approved by the government.

Kim has made these executions public to create an “atmosphere of fear” to prevent and discourage any opposition to his regime.

While the U.N. has placed sanctions for the violations of human rights, the North Korean foreign minister denies any cruel or unusual punishment that takes place in their labor camps for punishing those who were caught in possession of restricted or unapproved media. Censorship since then has spread further and has become much stricter and any sign of defecting has been legally punishable by death

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THE ANTLERETTE

Issue 6

11

Depressing Compassion Expulsion

by Haven Ernst, Staff Social media is an outlet for depressed teens and adults to feed off. Not only do people with depression use social media, but they depend on it. There are many social media platforms, such as Tumblr, Instagram, Facebook. These pages sometimes consist of quotes and poems that give expectations for reality that are false, thus causing depressed teens and adults to get disappointed and maybe even sadder than they were before they looked at those pages. Are we better off without social media? The answer to that is yes.

Social media has a huge effect on the way we think. Depression is so much more than just being sad. Social media does not promote happiness. There are so many pages promoting suicide, saying that the owner of the account wishes that they, themselves were dead. That gives out a message that suicide is okay, saying that not only is suicide the answer to your problems, but encouraging it. That statement is false.

Social media makes us feel more depressed than we already were and it makes us feel bad about ourselves. Girls or guys post pictures saying “ I wish I was like her/him” because they see a picture of someone who is skinnier or prettier than them in their mind.

Social media clouds our judgement and we

let it, but we don't have to. We can make encouraging quote pages and we can block off all the sad pages. We can make a school support group club with peers encouraging each other just in case some feel that they can't go to their counselors or aren't comfortable with it. Social media has a huge effect on people with depression and their self-image.

Did you know that each year 44,193 Americans die from suicide? For every 25 people that attempt suicide one person succeeds. People with severe depression often have suicidal thoughts. I'm not saying there's something wrong with you if you have depression and it's okay to want to talk about it, but social media pages should watch what they post because whatever they post can really affect someone and if someone commits suicide because of another person's post, the owner of the post can be charged with murder. I've been through seven years of severe depression and I still suffer from it. I can honestly say that those sad quote and poem pages just made me more depressed than I already was before I looked at them. They had a negative effect on the way my brain functioned and I think I speak for many when I say the same goes for everyone with depression.–

Mysterious Poe

by Asiyah Mohammed, Staff Fall is here, and although Halloween has passed, the eerie spirits still lurk about. With fall comes dark, looming clouds and strong, roaming winds. The howls of wolves and shrieks of owls replace the night’s silence.

Spooky and mysterious the nights become, just as the famous Edgar Allen Poe. Poe was a storyteller; he told particularly uncanny stories that captivated listeners. His fascinating life suggests reason for his unusual writing. Poe was seen to many of his time as a madman. People believed he was psychotic because of his work. In his short story “The Tell-Tale Heart”, Poe details the account of the narrator who murders an old man out of fear for the man’s eye. The narrator speaks of the eye making him nervous and he goes into a mentally unstable state because of the old man’s eye. Stories

like this have shocked Poe’s audience, who aren't used to hearing such stories. In Poe’s story “The Cask of Amontillado”, he writes about a man who seeks revenge from an old friend for disrespecting him. This man plays sincere in front of the friend to lure him into a trap where the friend is murdered. Such deceit can be found throughout many of Poe’s works and that creative mischief is what attracts readers to his work.

Poe grew up in Boston in the mid-19th century. His life was a series of events that led to his early, unfortunate demise. Though he had been writing since he was a young child, his dedication to writing did not begin until his twenties. When he did begin writing, it was easy to connect his work to his life experiences. During this period, the bubonic plague was sweeping the nation, and the

People with depression get so addicted to the thought of being sad and having negative thoughts that they start feeding off of those pages with sad quotes and poems. Take Tallulah Wilson for example, a talented ballerina who took her life at the age of fifteen. Before she did it, she created an account on Tumblr, exposing self-harm.

Shortly after her mother discovered her account and had it deleted, Tallulah jumped in front of the St. Pancras train in London, in October 2012. This girl's last resort was her Tumblr account, and the moment it got deleted she felt alone and didn't feel like she could live anymore. Her Tumblr account with pictures exposing self-harm may have hurt other people, or maybe even made other girls with severe depression think it's okay.

Social media should have a restriction for those kinds of pages. Instead of posting sad quotes or poems, post encouraging ones, don't promote suicide, be the reason suicide rates go down and people stop trying to end their life. Suicide and self-harm is not the answer, it's okay to be in pain, but reach out for help, don't go to suicide or self-harm.

Although some social media accounts may encourage it, you know and I know that it's the wrong road to take.

disease took the lives of both his wife and his foster mother. He depicts this disease in “The Masque of the Red Death”. In this story, there is an entity that dresses up in a masque to conceal its true intentions of taking the lives from everyone at a masquerade ball.

Even the bravest people in this story are taken away and can't resist the strength of this “red death”. After the death of his wife and mother, Poe turned to alcoholism and his views on alcoholism can be seen in the previously mentioned, “The Cask of Amontillado”. In this story, the narrator uses alcohol to deceive his victim.

Many events in Poe's life have affected the characters and stories he has created. The horrible sufferings he experienced have influenced his art, which balances twisted creativity and distorted entertainment that readers enjoy. Edgar Allen Poe’s legacy should be celebrated in the spirit of spooky times and dark nights. If you're one to like a scare every now and then, you may want to read his story, “The Raven”. After reading it, some say they can still hear the raven calling in their sleep, “Nevermore!”

THE ANTLERETTE

| Issue 6

2. Getting the Help He Needs. Did you know there are waiting lists to get speech therapy and to get inhome support programs? I felt pathetic and helpless since I am

by Hannah Faith Villareal, Editor-in-Chief seen as a child, therefore I cannot properly aid my mother dealing As young as I was, I remember staring at with extreme stress. The older I the growing belly of my mother, waiting for get, the more I learn to use my the day when my brother would magically voice, like the time my brother did appear. I was excited. I couldn’t wait for a not receive a promotion certificate baby brother to play with, talk to, teach for some unknown reason in the things, and more. I didn’t expect, no one did, sixth grade. I confronted the that at age 3, he would be diagnosed with principal as to why my brother, did ASD. From then on, my family life was on the not receive that 8x11 inch paper. road to being completely “different” and Now that I’m nearing 18, I’m “abnormal” compared to those of other kids. definitely trying to be more active Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, isn’t in the meetings especially those something easily explained in words, seeing regarding how to help him as each case is utterly different. Sure, you progress, because I know if the can Google it, read about it, or watch time ever comes, I am all my informative documentaries to learn more, brother will have left and I must be but the only way for people to truly prepared for it. understand is to be part of a family that has a 3. The Lonely Journey. Peers don’t member with autism. I admit that life isn’t get it. Friends don’t get it. Even easy being the sister of someone with family relatives don’t get it. And to autism, and it’s even harder for the parents. be honest many don’t even There are many obstacles to overcome, and, understand the difficulty of autism. ultimately, I know that no one will truly be I’m sorry (# not) that I couldn’t there for my brother, except for me and my hang out with you since my parents parents. have things they need to do. Even Autism is a complicated realm and differs after more than 20 caregivers, my with each person, but I can tell you three brother still can’t be completely left major obstacles that my family has faced or alone with anyone other than has had to face. family. I’m sorry (#not) that I don’t 1. Behaviors and the Public Eye. For laugh when students talk about my brother’s case, behaviors dick pics because I see my brother’s include screaming, running off, every time I have to assist him potty accidents, etc. People judge showering because it is another and as a child, I used to be normal daily living skill he hasn’t embarrassed to go shopping with mastered yet. I’m sorry (#not) that my brother. I didn’t understand at sometimes it may seem like I lack the time that his tantrums were patience to deal with people. I use caused by factors, like the loud most of it up in getting my brother noises in stores. He also didn’t have to use his fork when eating, to the communication skills or tools at brush his teeth, to pick up his pen the time to help him. But one day, and try writing again, and so much a kind elderly lady told me, while more. I’m sorry (#not) that I don’t my brother was having a consider you family because you meltdown, that I shouldn’t be don’t see my brother as family embarrassed. I don’t know her either. name nor remember her face, but Don’t get me wrong, I by no means see my at that moment I realized I really brother as a burden, but I do see his autism should have been embarrassed of spectrum disorder as part of my myself. How dare I, declare myself responsibility as his older sister. The days I to be the only protector he would come home upset, I try to remind myself how have out in the world aside from selfish that is because he’s probably had it our parents, when I treated him like worse. This article tells just a small portion of a thorn in my side. I taught myself what goes on in a special needs household. It how to gaze back, making people isn’t pity that I desire after one reads this. A avert their eyes and shut their look of understanding or no looking at all, traps. Presently, he is much calmer maybe a word of encouragement, to a and more behaved when our family special needs person or family out in public is is on an outing thanks to programs what I truly want because judgement due to and new technology (aka the iPad). ignorance isn’t helpful.

No Pity Please

7

A Pansy Among Poppies

by Jenna Quarnstrom, Staff

Foreign perfume suffocatesA mass of poppies encloses One singular, beautiful pansy.

Surrounded by their precious petals, At war with her differences.

Raging against the soil With which gives her life, The pansy withers, wilting Hoping to be forgotten.

Darkness comes on the heels of the sunPrayers for eternal darkness arise In her darkest hour.

Hope formsOne for happiness and peace, For a renewal of life.

The pansy releases her seeds, Among those of the poppies.

One pansy brings five more, And she begins anew, Renewed with hopeWith faith - in her surroundings.

Reworked soil gives frail stems relief, Letting the pansy die happily.

Life begins again, Light shines For the pansies among poppies.

Born as beautiful as any other flower.

https://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/sites/rodalesorganiclife.com/files/styles/list icle_slide_custom_user_phone_1x/public/growing_peera_stockfoto_102522.jpg ?itok=Oy-K6Ss4

THE ANTLERETTE

| Issue 6

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Food For Thought

by Chelsea Planesi, Business Manager

Many high school seniors struggle with finding their ultimate passion. It’s easy to succumb to extreme stress, especially with the big question of “what do you want to do?” occurring throughout every counselor appointment and every college application.

Maybe you don’t know what you want to do, maybe you don’t know what your passion is, but that’s all right. You can be successful, even you don’t have everything planned out since freshman year. This was the case for one of EGHS’ own, Jessica Carreira, who is noted as the youngest female chef to have ever received a Michelin star.

Carreira grew up right here in Elk Grove, and she attended the classes that you and I sit in every day. She was once in our spots she understands the struggle of finding your perfect fit. She didn’t know until her last month of senior year that she wanted to be a chef. She had always loved cooking, but this passion grew when she took a cooking course and was top of her class. Carreira took the first major step in her career by working as an apprentice in Portugal. With a few years of training under her belt, she felt that

she was ready to open a restaurant of her own with her current fiancé, David Costa.

The couple decided to move to San Jose, the city with the second largest Portuguese population in the United States. There, they turned an old restaurant into a high-end Michelin-star-worthy restaurant.

Just ten months after they opened their restaurant Adega (Portuguese for “wine cellar”), they were informed they were receiving a Michelin star. It is ingrained in young, aspiring chefs that they must work long and hard in the culinary business to win one. Believing this, Carreira was in disbelief when they had gotten one. She never thought that a simple 22 year-old from Elk Grove could win this culinary achievement, let alone be the youngest female chef to have one.

Adega is located on Alum Rock Avenue in San Jose, California, and it is noted as one of the best Portuguese restaurants in the state.

Carreira loves to make the oven-roasted octopus; although it’s a simple dish to make, she feels as though they have

mastered the art of cooking octopus. Anyone who has eaten their octopus agrees that the texture and the flavoring of the meal is just right. Despite her position as a head chef of this restaurant, Carreira does not like cooking at home. Days off are her days off; she enjoys the relaxation of cooking a simple box of mac and cheese instead of a glorious Portuguese dish. She only ever really cooks at home for big holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Jessica Carreira entered high school not knowing that she would pursue a career in cooking, but, at the end of her senior year, she went with her gut and traveled to Europe. Her biggest advice to high schoolers, and aspiring chefs, is to set goals for yourself and strive to accomplish those goals- it’s best if you are the one setting your standards because that’s when it’s most rewarding. If Jessica Carreira can earn a Michelin star, then you, a simple kid at Elk Grove High, can also achieve incredible things.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2016/05/16/restaurant-review-adega-in-sanjoses-little-portugal/

The Perspective of a Customer Service Worker

by Maya Corona, Staff

I’ve been working at McDonald’s for five months, and let me tell you- there are a lot of things they don’t inform you about having a job at a fast-food restaurant. It is common knowledge that customer service jobs, in general, are stressful and frustrating.

Everyone has been a customer at a restaurant at some time or another, but it’s hard to understand the perspective of an employee until you yourself put on a uniform and step behind the counter.

Describing this job requires one word: chaos. Every day comes with new customers, different coworkers, and an endless array of possible circumstances. And by

circumstances, I mean the possibility of having a customer dumping a drink on your head, or working six people understaffed at last minute notice. This is not a rant; crazy stories are just a regular occurrence that come with the job. We’ve called the cops a number of times in response to various threats from customers. I have had to take an order for a man who was ordering for his imaginary mother, who then proceeding to perform various bird calls at full volume in the lobby. We have had to run a drive thru while the building across the parking lot was on fire.

The most surprising part of working here at first was the true colors I saw come out of people over a simple burger. A lot of people treat you noticeably different, and many forget that they are talking to an actual human being. The part that makes this job easier is the presence of co-workers who endure the same stressful situations as myself. The job is frustrating, tiring, and aggravating, but at the end of the day, I have peers working alongside me helping each other to get through the day. A word of advice for those who plan to go get fast food this week: remember that we are capable humans who make mistakes just like you.

THE ANTLERETTE

Issue 6

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Hyperloop: The New Mode of Transportation By, Jason Nguyen, Staff

The trouble of morning traffic when commuting between work and home is no longer an issue. Elon Musk, the CEO of Space X and Tesla, has devised an innovative way in mid-range transportation called the Hyperloop. Hyperloop is similar to a bullet train, but is two times faster and is 100% ecofriendly. It is composed of a low pressure tube that contains a shuttle inside. The shuttle is powered by an electric motor, shipping the cargo from place to place. It hovers above a copper track, allowing less friction against the shuttle. In front of the shuttle is a fan, which allows the air to flow through the system and out to the air bearings located on the side of the shuttle, decreasing drag that would slow it down. On top of the metal tubes are solar panels that powers each trip. Another advantage of the

Hyperloop is that there are no fuel emissions produced each trip, unlike other forms of transportation like planes, boats, and cars.

Theoretically, it could reach speeds up to seven hundred sixty miles per hour and is projected to commute from San Francisco to Los Angeles in thirty minutes.

Not only is the Hyperloop more ecofriendly, but it is also more cost efficient than the California bullet train. The estimated cost to build the Hyperloop is six billion compared to the ten billion it takes to build the bullet train and it costs only $30 for a trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles, while for the bullet train it’s around $52 for two hour and thirty minute trip. The Hyperloop cuts down two hours to commute from San Francisco to Los Angeles and is only around half the price.

own version of the Hyperloop and many interested investors are committed to making the Hyperloop reality. Elon Musk is now currently working with the Boring Company to build his own version of the Hyperloop underground, proposing a new form of transportation that can change the world.

The Hyperloop will be the new form of transportation that will innovate mid-range distance travel and challenge other transportation vehicles. Bullet Train companies should begin designing more efficient means of travel or improve the bullets trains to compete against the Hyperloop. Even airplane companies should be fearful of the threat that the Hyperloop will issue to the globe.

Poverty 101: How to Believe in Poverty in America By, Chelsey Adams, Staff

It has been brought to my attention that there are people in Elk Grove, CA who believe that poverty in America is a myth and does not exist. Although ignorance is bliss, I felt it was my duty to educate my fellow Americans on systematic poverty that sets thousands of people in America into a permanent state of economic failure. Here is the step-by-step instruction manual for those who struggle to believe that poverty is real and that it is very much alive on American soil.

Step 1: Step Outside the Urban Bubble It’s very easy to understand why poverty in America may seem unbelievable in the city of Elk Grove. Citizens here are not used to seeing aspects of the poor. In this town, the streets are clean, the grass is green, and everyone drives a new car. This community flourishes on middle-class salaries and nobody has a care in the world, but, drive 10 miles over to South Sacramento, you’ll notice new things. You’ll find the streets are cracked and the grass is dead. Homeless people fill those streets. The homes are not shiny and the kids are hungry. Take a step farther, by driving to Stockton, one of the poorest cities in California. The poverty rate in Stockton is as high as 29%. The first thing an ignorant person would want to say is that they did that to themselves, and that it is their fault that they are poor. As tempting as

Many companies are racing to build their it is to want to be poor, for many that isn’t the case.

Step 2: Understanding the Cycle of Poverty Poverty is a permanent sociological cycle that prevents people who are in the cycle from escaping. A family in poverty cannot simply get out. Growing up in poverty brings significant disadvantages that those who are not facing poverty don’t have to worry about.

Poor people tend to get rounded up together, in low-income housing or places with cheap rent because that’s all they can afford. This creates entire communities of poor people who are only perceived as lazy.

Misconceptions of the poor (which we’ll learn about in Step 3) often prevent these people from receiving aid and education. With poor communities, there aren’t good schools, thus the children lack guidance and education, so they make bad decisions. They may end up getting pregnant or becoming addicted to self-medicating. These children will grow up unable to find stable jobs because nobody is willing to hire them, often times due to racial discrimination because, in many situations, poverty targets specific ethnic groups. These people fall further into the cycle of poverty, and it repeats with every generation.

Step 3: Misconceptions (synonyms: misjudgment/false impression)

People often fall under the impression that poor people are lazy. The poor Americans begging for welfare are money-hungry, drugaddicts who are too lazy to work and cannot stop having babies. The people who have these misjudgments blame the poor. They say that the actions of the poor put them right where they belong. They’ll say that single mothers are the problem; absent, black fathers are the problem; they aren't going to school, that’s the problem; they’re doing drugs, that’s the problem; they won’t get up and get a job. Falling into the cycle of poverty can be as easy as losing a job when you’re in the lower portion of the middle class or as easy as being born as a minority. These people living in poverty are not the problem.

The problem is that these poor people have been set up for poverty due to their race, gender, or class.

These are struggling Americans. They’re worrying every hour of the day about money, their children, and anything that could happen out of surprise. There’s no security and there’s no stable home to come home to.

These people are living right here on American soil; these people are struggling.

Although it’s hard to imagine because it isn’t often talked about, these people exist.

THE ANTLERETTE

| Issue 6

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The Shooting Epidemic By, Benjamin Rodriguez, Staff

On the night of October 1st, a deranged gunman opened fire from his hotel room on a group of 22,000 concert goers. On November 5th, in Sutherland Springs, Texas, a local church was congregating when a gunman opened fire and 26 people lost their lives. In the past two months, we have had the deadliest mass shooting and the deadliest mass shooting in an American place of worship in modern history.

We cannot deny we have a growing epidemic of shootings in America and it

certainly cannot go ignored. In my lifetime, I've had many scarring headlines engraved in my memories: Sandy Hook Elementary, Charleston, Las Vegas, and Sutherland Springs. I remember hearing these headlines and wondering what was wrong with those people that they had such a twisted mind where they could feel justified or even fulfilled.

We cannot allow our culture to assimilate to these behaviors. This cannot be the “norm’, we cannot simply shrug it off and

label it as a tragedy and not let anything take place. If we are not moved by the fact that scores of Americans are falling prey to the views and evils portrayed in one person, then we as Americans need to have reflection on what has become allowed in our culture.

These are lives that had purpose and dreams that would never be accomplished because one man couldn't take it anymore. We as Americans have to rally together and make it known and begin to un-normalize these shootings by pushing our politicians to pass legislation to have stricter gun laws on the mentally ill and to make sure who we are allowing the right people to own a gun because I refuse to allow our future generations to be raised in a culture of shootings.

Social Media is Shady, Kids https://cdni.rt.com/files/news/20/eb/e0/00/us-guns-children-report.n.jpg

By, Emily Kennedy, Staff

In modern society, the individual is heavily influenced by the presence of technology, specifically social media. One’s age and personality traits, of course, play a key role in which social media site one prefers to use.

Now, it is commonly known that if said person is over the age of forty, she will most likely be an avid user of Facebook. This is, presumably, largely due to the fact that Facebook presents both repetitive memes of cats and irrelevant updates on the lives of long-ago shunned friends from high school on one convenient platform. These same qualities are what tend to deter younger individuals, as they are primarily focused on the present and care little about what their aunt Susan had for lunch on her new diet, and even less about Facebook memes.

No, millennials and younger individuals are drawn magnetically to social media sites, Snapchat and Instagram, which feed their narcissistic tendencies. Snapchat is used primarily to take odd pictures of oneself in public places, often to distress of the overforties, who curse the youngsters in bewilderment and distaste. Instagram, however, is a platform requiring much more

strategy. There is a wide range of material available on Instagram, therefore attracting a wide audience from questionable teenagers seeking public validation to the emos who only have an account to follow hundreds of My Chemical Romance fan accounts.

Speaking of the emos, they also typically find themselves at home on the social media website Tumblr, which contains an abundance of dark and existential blogs that are right up their alley. This site is also notoriously used by hipsters, although hipster-use can normally be distinguishable from other audiences when the site is referred to as tumblr, rather than the capitalized version. This slight letter change may seem inconsequential, but it is representative of a vast hipster universe in which the rule of avoiding capitalization is never talked about, but always obeyed.

Similar laws exist in which popular music is not acknowledged and boot cut jeans do not exist. The top priority in these blogs is the achieving the perfect aesthetic. If individuals fail to accomplish this, they are automatically banned from the hipster realm.

The members of these sites often harbor hostility towards the users of opposing social media platforms, as they do not understand each other and have no desire to. The users of Facebook have absolutely to interest in jumping into the world of Tumblr (or tumblr, for the hipsters), for they are perfectly content in their current situation. Other relationships are significantly more aggressive. For example, due to the sometimes judgmental nature of Tumblr and Instagram, the two sites share a mutual distaste that is often vocalized in angry rants.

Although these sites conflict each other occasionally, the degree of options appeals to the masses, causing widespread social media use and therefore, potential stupidity; it is too early to decipher the validity of the latter.