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Vol. XXVIII Issue I October 2018
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In this issue: Is a hot dog a sandwich? Bread, meat, and condiments. These are the ingredients of an age old question. Finally, an answer. By Ariel Fabito and Ben Patton, p. 3
SGA welcomes newly-elected student leaders The Student Government Association (SGA) election results have arrived, and Tenisce Richelieu will be Riverside’s student body president this year. By Jacob Breuer, p. 6 • PHOTO BY FABIAN HERNANDEZ
Posters about famous Hispanic influencers cover the windows next to the main office. Students in various Spanish classes helped create the mural to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
Riverside celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
By Jeymy Rivas Just like the cultures it aims to celebrate, Hispanic Heritage Month doesn’t fit into just one month of the year. Originally created by President Ronald Reagan to celebrate the heritage and culture of Hispanic and Latino Americans, Hispanic Heritage Month runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua all celebrate their Independence on Sept.15. Mexico’s Independence Day is Sept.16 and Chile’s is September 18. After the Independence days comes El Dia de la Raza, a holiday that celebrates the heritage and cultural
diversity of Central America, on Oct. 12. Elizabeth Moreno, who teaches English as a second language (ESL) at Riverside, knows many of her students and their families celebrate Hispanic culture during Hispanic Heritage month. “There are parties with a lot of food like empanadas, tamales and pupusas,” Ms.Moreno says. Assistant principal Ashley Stephens believes most Latinos living in America are aware of their country’s day of independence, but are not celebrated even though this month was created specifically for that. “We try to give it just as much weight as
Black History Month but I agree that it’s not talked as much about as other events. I think we can do a better job,” Stevens said. Destino Success, a Riverside student organization that celebrates Latino culture, has organized events throughout the year to celebrate Hispanic Heritage and make all students feel supported, including bilingual tutoring every thursday, a food sale for students and staff, 5-on5 soccer tournaments, and Flamenco dance lessons and performances. During Hispanic Heritage month, the school held a trivia game during morning announcements, scavenger hunt, bake sale on Sept. 18 and Latino parent night in the cafeteria on Oct. 3.
DPS struggles with work order efficiency
Hurricane Florence highlights need for repairs in Riverside classrooms
“I’d be surprised if my blinds get fixed before second semester,” says Bolen. Several spots at Riverside flooded during Many teachers at Riverside have a story Hurricane Florence, but a slow response to about how they tried to get something fixed repair requests suggests the problems have via a work order for DPS. Many of those never been here for a long time. got completed or, if they did, DPS took an exThe Durham Public Schools (DPS) mainteceedingly long time to actually complete them. nance department has an efficiency problem. “They have to do better,” said assistant For weeks, engineering teacher Adam principal Kadeidra Carr referring to how Davidson has been trying to get DPS to DPS handles work orders. check the dust content in his room. He When Riverside’s own custodial staff would do it himself, but DPS maintenance cannot fix a problem in the building, Carr staff keeps taking the engineering departfiles a work order. A teacher emails or ment’s ladders without his permission and texts her about a problem in their room, then leaving campus with them. He has or near their room, and she submits it in also been requesting work orders to fix a system called Teamworks. Problems the water that leaks into his room every they encounter may include leaks, air time it rains. After Florence, there was conditioning/pollution, or rodents. a large pool of water that stretched the • PHOTO BY BEN PATTON Carr files 15-20 work orders per day. length of Davidson’s room. After she files them, it takes DPS one to Flooding filled Adam Davidson's classroom after “The system is very slow,” said Da- Hurricane Florence. DPS' maintenance department vidson, who teaches Introduction to has been slow to fix several issues at Riverside.
By Ben Patton
Engineering Design (IED) and Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM). “DPS keeps fixing the symptoms, not the problems,” said Davidson. And he’s not the only one. Engineering teacher Conner Bolen, who teaches IED and Principles of Engineering (POE), has broken blinds in his classroom.
Cont. on p. 5
Bridge to improve security By Simone Brooks
Durham Public Schools (DPS) is building a bridge in front of the building’s main entrance to make Riverside safer for staff and students. The bridge was first going to be a vestibule, but space became an issue and the district changed its plan to a bridge instead, according to assistant principal Ashley Stevens. Main office secretary Kathy Cowan thinks the bridge will make the school safer because it will force visitors who enter the building to go straight to the office instead of walking into the school. Craig Carlson said all DPS, schools are improving campus security. “Throughout Durham Public Schools will soon be receiving some great type of safety upgrade for staff and students,” assistant principal Craig Carlson said. CE Jordan High School will soon complete a similar project around its main entrance. The RHS bridge is supposed to be finished some time in October or November. Assistant
principal Kadeidra Carr said it has been a very slow process lately. “The bridge will have a very nice, covered top and railings on the side of the bridge for safety reasons and a glass door as the entrance,” Cowan said. Some students think the bridge will disrupt school at first. “The bridge is a distraction right now because it looks cool and all the kids focus on it walking into the building,” said Tina Cole, who works in the front office. “But later on I think it will be a great thing for safety.” Stephens said that she hopes that the bridge will make students more accountable for skipping. Students will no longer be able to use the front entrance way to leave campus. “If students try to leave campus it would be harder for them,” Stephens said. “You are not great when you skip.” Many teachers are excited about the project. “The bridge will be a great change for the school and staff,” said social studies teacher Janet Heape.
Freshmen class adjusts to life at Riverside Freshman student Yahari Garcia experienced a lot of emotions her first day of high school - a day she’ll never forget. La estudiante de primer año Yahari García se sintió muchas emociones en su primer día de escuela secundaria, un día que ella nunca olvidará. By Estefany Fuentes and Katherine Aparicio, p. 4
Jordan Landis breaks cross country school records Junior Jordan Landis has never been more committed to anything in her life than running. Jordan Landis es una Junior en la secundaria nunca se comprometido a otra cosa que no sea correr. By Javier Morales, p. 7
Kaepernick stars in Nike's controversial ad campaign
Just months before their record-breaking “Just Do It” campaign released, Nike nearly dropped Colin Kaepernick. By Joe Laird, p. 7
English teacher Kirsten Steele's double life
Risking your life for others is something not many people do, especially if you receive nothing in return. But that’s exactly what English teacher Kirsten Steele does when she isn’t working at Riverside. By Brisa Rabadan, p. 8
Puente para mejorar la seguridad Por Simone Brooks
están mejorando la seguridad del campus. "En todas las escuelas públicas de Durham, pronto recibiremos algún tipo
Las Escuelas Públicas de Durham (DPS) están construyendo un puente en frente de la entrada principal del edificio para hacer que Riverside sea más seguro para el personal y los estudiantes. El puente primero iba a ser un vestíbulo, pero el espacio se convirtió en un problema y el distrito cambió su plan a un puente, según a la subdirectora, Ashley Stevens. La secretaria de la oficina principal Kathy Cowan cree que el puente hará que la escuela sea más segura, ya que obligará a los visitantes que ingresen a la oficina directamente en lugar de • PHOTO BY FABIAN HERNANDEZ A bridge will soon connect Riverside's main entrance to the ingresar a la escuela. office. It should be complete in October or November. Craig Carlson dijo que • PHOTO FABIAN HERNANDEZ todas las escuelas de DPS
Cont. en p. 5