Granger high school
Tri-Color Times An open forum for student opinion and expression
TRICOLORTIMES.COM
OCTOBER 2016 LIX-II
Granger High Lancers and teachers participate in politics By Dailyn Marrero POLITICS is a worldwide phenomenon that has recently been a strong topic of interest among adolescents. The current elections have conjured much debate within the media, leading to a range of opinions in high school and college students, many of which are students at Granger High School. “Kids in my classes do show strong interest in politics, and there are others who don’t. However, it is still extremely important for anyone to understand and acknowledge the world of politics. They are the central focus, and the outcome of the elections will dictate their upcoming future,” Ms. Robinson, a government teacher, said. Right now, most of our leaders are not only making decisions for today, but also for many years down the line. Their votes could harm you many years from now, as stated in a “Popular Teen” article. It is a vital necessity to interpret the visceral effect of being uneducated regarding the govern-
ment. “If they don’t understand how it works, taxes might be an issue and the cause of not acknowledging politics,” Ms. Robinson said. “Even if you aren’t old enough to vote, you can write letters, protest in various ways, and join politically oriented clubs and groups, etc. if a law impacts you, you are entitled to offer your opinion,” Ms. Robinson said. Students might perceive these elections a topic strictly for the older generations. However, the community needs to grasp that in order to shape future societies, even non-voting teens are in a position to voice their opinions. “If we want kids to vote, to be engaged, we need to address them directly, hear their concerns, give them a reason to be engaged. This means honest, direct, adult-like conversations, not high speed ‘kid’ conversations,” Stephen Young, high school teacher and founder of Ontario’s Civics Education Network (CEN), said, according to the teachmag.com
website. There is an obvious inertia in voting with teens. “[Civics education] means honest, direct, adult-like conversations,” Ms. Robinson said. “I think they get most excited once they understand how the system works and when they are aware that they do have a voice and they can have an effect on the system.” “We did a huge poll, and the students came out predominantly liberal,” Ms. Robinson said. Nelson Lotz (12) is an activist on the political spectrum, and he possesses strong views towards parties and candidates. Bernie Sanders, Lotz’s preferred candidate, was not able to carry on with his presidential run after losing the nomination to Sec. Hillary Clinton. “I was appalled Bernie Sanders wasn’t able to win,” he said. Lotz does lean toward a liberal standpoint, which is the most common standpoint at Granger and possibly in this generation. He disagrees with the Second
Amendment and believes that the laws should be enforced. He prefers a trustworthy, socialistic economy and takes a stand against many conservative views. “I believe this generation has pretty neutral opinions on both major political parties. However, this generation is definitely less conservative than past generations,” Lotz said. “I used to do organized campaigning in the sense that I knocked on doors at a few residents’ houses, but I haven’t done that in a while. I volunteer and post on Facebook in moderation as a form of campaigning, just talking to people about my beliefs. I’ve attended a few rallies, such as the one held when Bernie Sanders visited,” he said. Overall, Lotz is very politically educated, and he enjoys politics much like others should. He sets an extremely important example to the students at Granger. “People in our generation need to be more involved in politics. If they’re fed up with politics, it’s their time to change it.”
Nelson Lotz works hard on research in his AP Government class.
Tri-Color Times staff enjoys field trip By Diego Serrato THIRTY-FOUR student journalists ended up going on the field trip to the SLUG Magazine offices. Chuck Manzanares (12) said he didn’t mind the trip there. “It was kind of scenic, seeing as how the field trip was at 8:30 a.m. with the sun rising.” After the bus pulled up to a huge parking complex downtown, the students took pictures of each other at the Gallivan Center and in front of urban backgrounds as they walked. At SLUG, they were introduced to some of the staff, the jobs that they do, and why that role is important to writing. The whole process from writing all the way to publishing was
described. They were introduced to the people in those positions, Oswaldo Cabrera Valencia (9) said he liked everything about the trip and that the people were nice. Manzanares said he liked the whole process, but his favorite part is what happens before the publishing of an article. April Hendriksen (12) said she liked the process of publishing and meeting everyone, but the thing she took away with this field trip was her realization that “you are the news, you create the news,” she said. She’s talking about the fact that she has to find a subject and write something that the general public will be interested in. “Although I didn’t like the
food, I could imagine myself working at SLUG later on in life biggest difficulty would be finding an article idea, something interesting to write about. Taking pictures and writing something that interests people would be fun,” Hendriksen said. While finding an article idea might be the hardest part about being a journalist, these students agreed that journalism might be an interesting career. “Being a journalist might be one of the hardest jobs out there. It involves a lot of thinking, but best part is about this career is that you get to choose your topics and you get to choose your hours,” Manzanares said. Cabrera Valencia said he
wouldn’t mind working as a journalist, although his parents want him to be an English teacher. “I can imagine myself being a journalist and working here at this very building and eating the same exact sandwich that I enjoyed while I was there. I’d just be brainstorming and thinking of things to write while enjoying my food,” he said. All in all, many students that went on this field trip would consider a career in journalism, but there were others that just went to expand their knowledge of photography and journalism. Either way, journalism is a never-ending career—there will always be a need for someone to seek truth and report it.
Dress Code Woes
By Britney Evans MANY LANCERS spend their mornings choosing their perfect outfits for school. They dress in their coolest outfits and trendy styles so they can come to school and look fabulous, but Lancers must also take the dress code into consideration. Even with rules established in the student handbook, the interpretation of the dress code varies depending on who is reading the rules: administrators, teachers or students. Morgan Tagge (12) was in this situation. In early September, a teacher told her to change her shirt. She was wearing a tank top that she claims was not against school requirements. “It was a three-finger tank top. Something that is allowed.” she said. This came up during a pressroom visit by Dr. Dunn and Mr. Beck. “That’s hard because you start getting into the details, is it one inch? Is it four inches? Is it three inches? So it’s really hard,” Dr. Dunn, Granger’s principal, said. But, according to the student handbook on page 4, the only specific strap rule is no spaghetti strap type tank tops (with no bra straps showing). It seems unfair that Tagge was dress-coded for wearing something allowed according to the student handbook. Many students agree. Luciano Lopez (11) is an outgoing Lancer dancer who got creative last May. On a normal day of school, he decided to challenge the dress code by wearing short shorts and a ripped t-shirt with a spaghetti strap sports bra underneath. Throughout that day only one teacher said something about his choice of clothing but he was not dress-coded for it. “It feels like teachers are on the lookout to dress-code girls,” Lopez said after his experiment with the dress code. Hailey Koopman (12) agrees with Lopez and she feels that what he did was a good thing, and it proved a point. “If a girl dressed how Luciano did, she would be dress-coded, but if it were a boy, he wouldn’t,” she said. Both Koopman and Lopez brought up the controversy of tank tops and shoulders. Lopez doesn’t believe showing shoulders should be an issue. “Guys have shoulders, too,” he said And fewer boys are dress-coded for showing shoulders. “I understand why stomachs should be covered but shoulders? Really?” Koopman said. As Dr. Dunn spoke to the newspaper staff, he mentioned appropriate dress in the workplace. “If you ever go into a professional environment, if you go to an attorney’s office, if you go to a doctor’s office, if you go a business, you are going to see people dressed professionally,” he said.
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Tri-Color Times VOL. LIX Issue 2
October 2016, page 2
AVID: Students become a family one stranger at a time
By Gabriela Thompson THE DEFINITION for ‘avid’ reads: “Having /showing a keen interest in, or enthusiasm for something.” However, there’s more to ‘avid’ than meets the eye. When Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) was officially founded by Mary Catherine Swanson in 1980, she wanted to identify important skills that were needed for students in order to succeed at college level. In doing so, Swanson incorporated components of philosophy, academic reading/writing skills, and adviser assistance that should be developed in high school and used later in college. As AVID grew, Swanson piloted this program at Clairemont High School in San Diego during 1980, and the program helped children from families who were in poverty and those unprepared learn about college. It soon progressed to other schools in different states, as stat-
ed on the avid.org website. Now AVID is a club in most junior high and high schools that’s teaching students to be ‘college-bound.’ While in AVID, kids learn habits like: taking Cornell notes that help the student understand them after note-taking, becoming organized by using a planner/binder, and initiating tutorials with their peers in same classes. Members also learn about what it takes to succeed in college and ways to pay for it. Depending on some schools, students can join as early as seventh grade. Some members reap the benefits instantly and others realize the helpfulness later for instance, “In seventh and eighth grade I had bad grades. I didn’t think that AVID really helped. But in ninth and tenth, I realized that my grades started to improve, that’s when I knew that I wanted to be in AVID,” Leslie Galicia (10) said.
Although AVID sounds just like any other regular class, AVID does some activities that those classes don’t. Granger’s AVID holds socials every quarter. These socials range from pool parties to pizza parties to visiting feeder schools to connect with them. These are held for members and anyone who’s interested in AVID or anyone who simply wants to come, and the best part is there are no parents. Those socials are the usual school party. When there’s a holiday coming up, AVID gets in the holiday spirit. Last year, Granger’s AVID club held a pumpkin-carving event to get in the mood for Halloween. AVID also holds a ‘Parent Night’ where the parents and students mingle. The members show their family how AVID helps them become successful and college-ready students. “What I like is that AVID brings us closer and helps us to
understand each other better.” Isabel Hernandez (10) said. The benefits of being in this program come in different ways. “It teaches you that the bad neighbors in the neighborhood can get into good careers,” Derrick Rosas (9) said. This program can have members start realizing that sometimes their effort isn’t enough. “It helps me realize what I need to improve,” Alyssa Martinez (9) said. AVID may seem just for students, but it also helps the teachers. Teachers also learn about AVID principles and reflect on what they did during their college years. Mr. Schmeling told how being in AVID opened his eyes. “I realized that sometimes AVID can be harder than other classes at times, but to have an opportunity to go to college takes a lot of hard work. It’s one thing to say you’re going to college, but another
thing to be successful in doing it,” he said. These teachers enjoy working with AVID students. “To see that lightbulb moment and see the student get excited -- it’s really hard to describe, but it’s that ‘aha’ moment,” Schmeling said. Students appreciate the time that AVID teachers put in a year starting from freshman year students improve from learning basic AVID principles such as note taking and reading skills. Then they progress to writing scholarship applications and applying for colleges in their senior year. Although these skills are learned through the years and rewarded with having a guide to undergo the strenuous work of college, there’s one more reward. Successful AVID participants receive a yellow cord to wear at graduation to display their hard work on one of the most important days in their life.
Younger siblings struggle with reps
Carlee Cobb one of the younger siblings in the Cobb family.
Opinoin by Kiana Dalpiaz WHEN YOU’RE a younger sibling, sometimes it can be the best thing, but there are some things that don’t help. There is a lot of responsibility when it comes to being the older sibling, but there are also some rewards that come with being the oldest. As the youngest, many expect them to live up to an older sibling’s reputation. Being the youngest sibling in the family I always have thought that it was rewarding. Coming into high school, that is not always the case. Coming to Granger, there were people that I knew not just of my friends but also my sister’s friends who are still in high school. When going to my classes some teachers, would read off the roll and only recognize me as my big sister’s little sister. “One of the worst things about high school is people comparing you to your older sibling,” Carlee Cobb (9) said. “People dislike being only known for another sibling of the family, rather than
calling them by their own name.” When you’re coming into high school, and you’re the youngest, you take on a position of being the underdog. If your older sibling brought a reputation of being lazy, teachers might make the inference you are as well. “I think it is nice having different siblings in my classes,” Mr. Monson said. If your sibling was a great student and had wonderful grades, you have this unspoken pressure to live up to their accomplishments, even if you aren’t as interested compared to said person. “My older sister goes to a different school, and I prefer that rather than having her here because now she gets better grades,” Brighton Carter (9) said. Sometimes it is quite a drag to be consistently compared to older siblings. However, sometimes it is the other way around, and my mom is saying to my older sister that you should do this like your little sister. My older sister still has distant friends coming to Granger, even
if she graduated three years ago. “I think having her as a friend in high school, she made it a better year,” Breylin Talbot, Kyra’s cousin, said. People knew Kyra as an intelligent, funny, and outgoing student. Personally, I don’t have most qualities my sister had. I am smart, however, I don’t feel as smart as my older sister. I most definitely am not outgoing. I act quite sheepishly when interacting with new people. Overall, I am generally the polar opposite compared to my sister. I do indeed love my sister, I love her bubbly personality and intelligence. But I feel pressured to take on this role that doesn’t feel comfortable. My personal best, school wise, will never be comparable to my sister. Academics and standardized testing are not things I enjoy. Even though being the baby is hard sometimes, there are pros and cons to being the sibling going into high school, but overall it creates an unnecessary pressure.
The homecoming dance was magical Opinion by Stephanie Perez EVERY homecoming has a story behind it, no matter the number of dances you have been to. Although some might not be as good as others. Yg Hashmi (12) and Angele Nguyen (12) thought that this one might be the best one. Waking up that morning, just knowing that it’s going to be a good day, you go get your hair done, and try to look your best. Then it comes time for Hashmi to see his amazing homecoming date. What would be your thoughts when you see a wonderful angel right in front of you? As he freaks out on how beautiful she looks inside his mind, he’s just thinking that he’s one of the luckiest guys on earth. She simply looked “wonderful…amazing,” Hashmi said. At that moment he was speechless. With much respect, Hashmi decided to take Nguyen out on a date before the dance, they decided to go out and eat. Just to be able to have some more time to-
gether before the dance, which in fact would be Nguyen’s “favorite part.” However, now it’s time to go to the homecoming dance. It is now time to go have more fun. As they meet up with Zaida De La Mora (11) and Pablo Cardenas (12) they go hit the dance floor, where they took a picture together showing how happy they were at the moment. They now have two to three hours until they have to end the fun, but in Nguyen’s opinion, it just wasn’t enough time. Having too much fun made time pass by quickly. How will we make sure to keep those memories? Keeping them in mind would be good, but how about some pictures? Luckily there was a photo booth. Hashmi and Nguyen took advantage and went to pose together for some amazing pictures, and their enthusiasm will help in making sure that all of them come out equally as amazing as the homecoming experience.
As songs pass by Hashmi is waiting for a slow song to come up so that he can enjoy this special moment with Nguyen, and he’s checking the time once in a while to make sure that they have enough time to do what they want. For Hashmi, slow dances are unexplainably the best. They seem to give him some sort of nostalgic feeling. Not wanting the song to end. Although, slow dances might be his favorite, it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t like any other type of dances. A slow dance’s magic for Hashmi is unexplainable. As you slowly grab your date and wrap your arms around, or when you give them a turn and they give you that bright smile with a glow in their eyes that reflects just how you like it. It is a moment to cherish, and the feeling one gets would be what makes it special. Ending the night in an amazing way. Hashmi will always remember the way Nguyen looked and fun he had on the dance floor.
Yg and Angele strike a pose and become the most adored pair at homecoming.
October 2016, page 3
Tri-Color Times VOL. LIX Issue 2
Lancers are thoughtful, empowered, and connected By Amanda MacKay THOUGHTFUL THE NEW school year is in full swing, and Lancers are constantly being reminded to be thoughtful, empowered, and connected. G-Cards are now being handed out, so Lancers should start thinking of ways to be thoughtful, empowered, and connected to Granger High School, earning them will be a breeze. Being a thoughtful Granger student can mean many different things. Part of being thoughtful is about being respectful and understanding towards others, whether it be teachers, administrators, or other students. Thinking about others before yourself is often times a good quality to have. But even if you just do small things to let the people around you at school know that you are thinking of them and their feelings, it can brighten their day in an instant. Just one thoughtful Lancer can make a huge difference here at Granger High School. Being thoughtful towards just one person can create an unstoppable chain reaction. Similarly, being thoughtful towards multiple people will surely improve the days of many Lancers throughout the entire building. Being thoughtful towards those within the Granger community can inspire others to be thoughtful, and will therefore create a cycle that will not be easily broken. Thoughtful Lancers can do things as simple as cleaning up after themselves at lunch, holding the door open for others, or thanking a faculty member. These simple tasks can have a huge impact on someone else’s day.
EMPOWERED BEING empowered at Granger High is more about individuality than it is about helping others. Empowered Lancers are students who have confidence, strive for excellence, and don’t let others stand in their way. Sometimes being empowered at Granger High can be very difficult. Since Granger still does not have a great reputation among other high schools in the state, some Lancers might be ashamed that they attend Granger. But if students decide to increase their level of Lancer Pride, they could make great strides as a student body. Empowered students have pride in themselves and in Granger High School. If students, teachers, and administrators change the way the student body as a whole sees Granger, it will change how other schools’ students see GHS as well. Lancers need to learn to love their school, and all that it is before they can expect others to respect Granger High. Focusing on the downfalls within the school weakens the school community; if students take pride in being a Lancer and work to solve problems, they will be much more empowered. To be an empowered Lancer means having a positive attitude and thoughtful approach in everything that they do. Lancers can be empowered in the classroom by working their hardest to succeed. To be empowered outside of the classroom is to take part in extracurricular activities. The most empowered Lancers are not always the ones who get the highest grades, they are the ones who work hard at everything they do when it comes to their learning.
CONNECTED IN ORDER to feel more connected to Granger High School, students should increase their involvement in activities in and out of school. With so many clubs and sports to choose from, any Lancer can find a group where he or she belongs. Being around Lancers with similar interests can make students feel exponentially more connected to Granger and its students. In addition to participating in extracurricular activities, students can be more connected to Granger High School by attending sporting events, assemblies, and other schoolsponsored events. Some Lancers may feel as though these activities are a waste of their time, but attending certain events and participating in them can be much more fun than some might initially believe. If Granger students feel as though they are a part of the events put on by the student body officers and the administration, they would feel more connected to Granger High School and all the people in it. Being thoughtful, empowered, and connected all go hand-in-hand. If Lancers are more thoughtful of others, it can help build better connections among Granger students. If empowered Lancers show that it is cool and OK to show pride in the school, it can encourage other students to have Lancer Pride. If every Granger Lancer strived to be more thoughtful, empowered, and connected, it would make Granger High a much better place to be for all administrators, teachers, and students.
School spirit seems to rise and fall as years pass
Opinion by Jonathan Jordan IS SCHOOL spirit going down the drain since three years ago? Is it rising to a new level? To me it’s falling into the gutter. I feel like three years ago, when the first freshman class of Granger entered, the spirit was so high it would blow the roof off this place. But now it’s three years later, and it feels like the energy we once had as a family has vanished completely. I feel like if we were to try to fix this problem, it would take a lot of work. First of all, I feel that we need
more activities that all the students could get involved in like competitions or even just friendly team games. Usually games always bring us together, but there is that one time where it doesn’t. If that fails, there are always more things we can do. Another thing we could do is have more assemblies near the middle of the year so we don’t get in a slump during the winter. That would work wonders for all the students. Tyler Wagstaff (12) has an interesting take on this situation. He thinks that school spirit is still
high, but it’s not as creative as it used to be. “It’s at least interesting, but it does not leave much to the imagination,” he said. This opinion of his is quite relatable. For the past three years, it’s felt like they have been doing the same thing over and over again. I feel like it would be helpful to shake things up a little bit. “If the student body were to work with the other groups for ideas,” he said. Like if the student body went to get unique ideas from the theatre clubs, or if they wanted some Latino culture they could
Mental illness affects many students By Andalynne Moore THERE are 297 disorders classified in the DSM-5—the current edition of the manual that contains all of the diagnosable mental disorders. With this many disorders, roughly half of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness at some time in their lives. Considering these statistics, it is likely that many students at Granger High School suffer from a mental illness, and possibly from more than one disorder. High school can be difficult enough on its own without the added hardship of a disorder. When a person has a mental disorder, it may be difficult for someone who is not feeling motivated to do anything, let alone come to school. These illnesses are disruptive, and they can seriously affect every aspect of a person’s life—including performance on homework and tests, not to mention a student’s behavior in the classroom. “Some days are harder than others. Some days, it’s really easy to come to school and do everything I need to do, but other days, it’s very difficult,” a student experiencing depression said. Even worse, many illnesses go undiagnosed and untreated. It’s terrifying to think of any person going through something like this on his or her own. If someone thinks they may have a disorder, he or she should
“go to a psychologist and get diagnosed correctly. Also, get a second opinion. Once you are sure you have the mental illness, use a combination of medication and therapy,” Ms. Gaskins, a psychology teacher, said. Even with this extra help, people still struggle with their mental illnesses. “Medication can take 6-8 weeks to regulate. It may be too high or too low, making you feel drowsy. Building relationships with teachers and having supportive parents can help. Support can also teach coping skills. We all have a list of things wrong, and coping skills can help,” Gaskins said. The right medicine and counseling can help immensely, but having support is more effective than medicine, so extra support can help anyone through hard times. “We all have a responsibility to help. We don’t want anyone to fall through the cracks,” Gaskins said. There are so many people willing to help. Many people have been or are currently going through similarly difficult experiences. Hope Squad, a group at Granger, meets every first and third Monday of the month and is dedicated to helping people in times of need. “The core of Hope Squad is to support. We try to create a safe place, a place where people can talk and know they’re not alone,” Mr. Timothy, the Hope
Squad adviser, said. Just getting this help can be hard, too. This is especially true for people suffering from anxiety, the most common group of mental illnesses. “I don’t like talking to people I don’t know. It makes me feel like a lesser human. Things other people can do with ease are difficult for me,” a student with an anxiety disorder said. This fear of judgement causes even more damage, because it can prevent students from seeking the help they need. “I don’t have anyone to talk to. I don’t want to talk to anyone about it because I want people to think I’m cool, I want them to like me. Even doing this interview is scary for me,” this student said. It’s extremely important to become aware and to help people who are struggling, because a lot of the times they have trouble asking for the help they need themselves. In addition to supportive teachers like Mr. Timothy and Ms. Gaskins, Granger’s counselors have lots of useful information, and Granger’s full-time social worker, Mr. Kaluhikaua, is always ready to help. It’s okay to talk to someone—no one should have to feel alone. [Ed. note: While the teachers named in this article stand ready to help Lancers find answers, the students who answered questions and participated in interviews will remain anonymous.]
go to LIA for some ideas. This would fix a lot of things with school spirit and get more people involved. There is still one more problem to cover. What about the students who don’t get involved? I say go to them, and get some ideas from them. That would open a whole new area up for the people who haven’t been interested in school spirit. I feel that the more students involved, the better it would be. A lot of the students here at Granger High don’t get involved, and
it’s the same students eho help cheer on the crowd and support the teams over and over again. School spirit needs to be mixed up, and it needs a whole new perspective for students. Overall, school spirit is falling for some and rising for others. It is supposed to be something that gets all students involved and pumped up, but right now it only gets the same students up and pumped for it. Let’s boost up our school spirit and show everyone else what it actually means to be a Granger Lancer.
Tri-Color Times Staff Editor in Chief Amanda MacKay Managing Editor Skye Rouse Reporters Doris Ah Ching Samantha Barman Ryan Beckstead Lexee Buckner Oswaldo Cabrera Valencia Kayla Carter Kiana Dalpiaz Stephanie Dorantes Britney Evans Ashley Garcia Kristy Garcia Suiry Gregorio Flavianna Hawley April Hendriksen Lupita Hernandez Tina Huskic Katherynn Jaco Jonathan Jordan
Online Editor Haley Rigby Photo Editor Vanessa Holt Sports Editor Taylor Wolfley Reporters Bowen Larson Chuck Manzanares Dailyn Marrero Ramon Martinez III Maria Martinez Madison Mccurdy Ana Montelongo Andalynne Moore Jessica Nateras Stephanie Perez Megan Peterson Jasmine Raya Ariana Rojas Mireya Ruiz Anna Sayasith Diego Serrato Gabriela Thompson Arei Turner
The Tri-Color Times serves as a student forum for student opinion and student expression. The views expressed herein reflect neither the opinions of Adviser John Carlisle and Granger High School, nor those of Granite School District. The Tri-Color Times invites and publishes letters to its editorial board; all letters will be edited for taste, length, and liability.
Granger High School 3580 South 3600 West West Valley, UT 84119 (385) 646-5320
Tri-Color Times VOL. LIX Issue 2
October 2016, page 4
Detailing a car can be hard work when done right
By Chuck Manzanares CAR DETAILING is, simply put, professionals using specific tools to clean cars. The tools get rid of all sorts of things like dirt and road grime, both on the inside and outside of the car. Car detailing can also help keep the car in really good condition. After being
thoroughly clean and detailed, a car would have more resale value. There’s many students here at Granger High School who know how to detail a car. “First you want to clean with vacuum to make sure it is clean inside, then scrub it with a steam cleaner and soap with a horse hair brush,”
Diego Serrato (12) said. Car detailing takes some time to master because it takes a lot of time and hard work to really get a car looking as good as new inside and out. There are many different areas a car detailer must really pay attention to, such as the paint, chassis, wheels, headlights, trim, and
Diego Serrato is a hard-working student who has mastered car detailing.
the inside of the car. Starting with paint, paint is very sensitive when is comes to this because some of the chemicals used in detailing could easily strip paint right off the car. There is a process that people go through. First, the car must be cleaned on the outside of dirt and tar, then it must be towel dried. After that, detailers apply what’s called clay bar. Clay bar takes off contaminants such as metal particles, dirt and things like that. A wax must then be applied to the car to prevent scratches and marks on the car. “I spent last weekend detailing my car, I spent all of Friday after school, all of Saturday and some of Sunday just to really get my car clean,” Serrato said. Some adults enjoy car detailing, Mr. Johnson is one of those people. “I like doing it most of the time, sometimes I enjoy it, other times it’s a pain,” Johnson said. Another tool car detailers use is 3,000 grit sandpaper for a pro-
cess called color sanding. This includes careful sanding around the car to get rid of any peeling of paint and unevenness of the car’s exterior surfaces. Some other special tools get used in car detailing for what’s called tire dressing. This process includes the application of a protectant for the tires so they don’t crack. Using wax on the car is useful to protect the car from the sun’s UV rays. Shampoo is used for the carpets to get out any dirt, mud, and any other unwanted substances in or on the carpet. Special brushes are used for the interior to get into hard to reach places. For example, a horse brush is used to pick up any small rocks, debris, dirt particles, and small things like that. With all that being said, car detailing seems like a difficult job to get used to, but car lovers find it very rewarding as detailing always raises a car’s resale value. Many people do this because it’s one of their favorite hobbies.
Students stay connected to teachers
By Anna Sayasith SENIORS, juniors, and sophomores, remember those good old days when the first day of school began. The first day is filled with new teachers, new faces, and a new school. Pupils should still consider visiting back to previous teachers, that have helped and encouraged success along the way. “It’s my job, that I’m someone to come back and talk to,” Mr. Schmeling said. Mr. Schmeling teaches Success 101, which is a class that is required to be taken by all freshman students. Mr. Schmeling helps students discover who they are, find career paths, explore lifestyles after high school, and improve grades. Some come back asking for advice, some just visit to just have a short conversation. “I’ve had a lot of kids who have made mistakes and bad choices come back and say thanks,” Mr. Schmeling said. It seems juniors and sophomores are the most likely to re-
turn to visit their teachers. Seniors in their the final year of high school are about to leave and start a new chapter in life. Teachers are willing to help with life after high school. Mr. Mundt is available after school to help students recover credits. Faculty members are eager to help in any way to ensure that Lancers will graduate on time and be able to walk across the stage. Since this is their last year, they should consider thanking teachers that have been a big influence. Juniors are close to being the “big dogs” in Granger. Before this big transition, they should talk to trusted teachers to see if there is any way to improve senior year. Teachers are willing to help with assignments for classes required to graduate. Lancers should be aware of any missing credits before beginning senior year. Sophomores know what’s expected in high school, and they should take steps now to guar-
antee access to needed classes later. Faculty are willing to help with picking classes to make high school a successful experience; faculty can also help with any struggles that sophomores may face. Freshman are going through the biggest transition right now as they’re new to the school world, and they’ll probably need the most help. Staff are willing to help with any questions they have about this big transition in life. That’s why they must take Success 101, and that’s why they bond so strongly with teachers in the Freshman Academy. To any student that is needs help, teachers and counselors are willing to help with anything. If after-school meetings are inconvenient, the staff is available throughout the day for quick conversations. Remember that teachers are accessible through Canvas as well as through e-mail. They’ll get back to you when they can.
Mr. Schemling keeps a sharp eye on his students.
SBOs make sacrifices
Carmen, SBO President, is the head leader and the voice for Granger’s 3000+ students
By Kayla Carter CARMEN Cendejas (12) is the student body president. “Being student body president is pretty fun. I get to meet new students all the time. I like being around them and getting to know them. Just knowing their names and building a bond with them is a lot of fun,” Cendejas said. “I enjoy it, and I honestly don’t think that being student body president is any different than being a normal student. I’m not ‘high and mighty’ or anything, I’m just like anyone else, I have homework and a job that I have to do.” For students who wish to run for class office, there are many things to consider. “I decided I wanted to be the student body president at the beginning of my junior year,” Cenedejas said. “My friends and family are very supportive if me. They all said that it would be a good idea and that I should do,” she said. Being SBO is a huge responsibility. As student body presi-
dent, the student should want to do good in the school and at the same time make himself or herself a better person. He or she wants to set goals for themselves and the school and achieve them. “My goal for the school is to get everyone connected. Just remember to be yourself. Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. For me it’s the same way: I just want be myself,” Cenedejas said. Running for office is a bold move, and many students might hesitate. Remember, Cendejas did it. She took the chance. It’s her first time as an officer. “I used to think that I couldn’t do it and that it wouldn’t work out, but it did. It worked out because of who I am,” Cenedajas said. Cenedajas invites all Lancers to check in and say ‘hello.’ “If you don’t know me, and you want to talk to me, then just come and talk to me whether it is at lunch or in the hallways -- still just come talk to me. I always have time. Don’t be shy,” Cenedejas said.
October 2016, page 5
Tri-Color Times VOL. LIX Issue 2
Lancers are confused about SchoolCity
By Tina Huskic SO MANY students have no idea what SchoolCity really is, and many assumed it was a test, but that’s not true. It is not a test, and it is instead
just a testing database. In no way is it a test, but it is used for the tests. Instead of it being under many different tests it is just one system to where all the tests are kept so it is easier for the teachers and schools to see it. Students are all familiar with the Sage tests, but have strong feelings about them. The school still has those and for those students that do not like testing and or their parents don’t want them to take Caden having deep content thoughts about testing it. However, stu-
dents can still opt out of the test, and no that does not mean they have to take the SchoolCity, because it is not a test. Dr. Dunn explained that it is much easier for the school to see the progress of the students with SchoolCity. “It just gives the feedback on who is learning, and it’s an information platform for the teachers to see the progress of students,” Dr. Dunn, Granger’s principal, said. That must be reassuring for most of the students, and the other half of the student body that had no idea SchoolCity meant anything. Still, students have different ideas about what SchoolCity means.
Dress code still a controversy By Stephanie Dorantes STUDENTS have no power over the dress code whatsoever, and no matter what they do, they can’t change it. They’re not the ones in charge of the school, so they may as well not try to change the dress code. Sure some things just don’t make sense to everyone like the shoulders part. However, it’s an issue worth studying from both sides, and both students and administrators have reasonable opinions. While not everyone agrees with certain parts, the dress code is not that hard to follow. They are now in high school, and they should do what they are kindly asked to do. And when a Lancer does earn a dress code violation, he or she might get angry, but he or she already knew what was expected in terms of appropriate clothing to wear in school. Roberto Martinez (12) doesn’t care for the dress code, but he also agrees with the dress code. He believes that it’s a school, and that Lancers should wear clothing that is appropriate to school. “Since we are older
now, we should know the rules about what to wear for school, and we should not be wearing ‘those’ types of clothing to school,” he said. Martinez explained that when students get dress coded, they shouldn’t get angry for no reason, because they knew about the dress code from the start. There is no reason to get angry with the teachers or administrators. Mr. Beck and Dr. Dunn agree that they enforce the dress code for the safety of all students, because their job is to keep us safe. Dr. Dunn likes the school to have a professional image, so when random people visit, they see that Granger has pride. Dress code is tricky. Girls want to wear some stylish things like a dress or a pair of shorts. But there is a time and place to wear them, and that it’s not in a classroom during school. Riyan Shepherd (11) agrees with the dress code. She thinks that some part of the dress code makes sense not very hard to understand. “No one wants to see half of a butt check hanging out,”
“I thought it was a test until I was told it wasn’t, and that actually is awesome to know. Being a senior and having so much to deal with already, those end of the year tests are so dumb and pointless. I just want my senior year to be chill,” McKayla Skaurud (12) said. Skaurud doesn’t like these tests and she’s not alone. Lancers are questioning if SchoolCity will increase testing performance, but while some student think like Skaurud, there are others who don’t. Caden Cousins (12) doesn’t mind the tests, but still feels strongly about them. “I really just think it is what it is, and I do not mind it because I can’t control it. It is just a part of
school, and I roll with it. I believe that the test is too complex for its own good. I do not think that it tests the students all that great, and nobody takes it seriously. It’s a joke to most students,” Cousins said. He goes with the flow and accepts the fact of the tests at the end of each year, but he is not a fan of them. The teachers have a different opinion. Teachers also decide when the tests are given. All this data goes back to the teachers, and it helps them see where they need to explain more or where students are having some trouble, so overall, SchoolCity is for the teachers’ sake.
she said. She also thinks that the dress code is a way for everyone to feel comfortable in school. The dress code makes sense for teachers and students at Granger and for the people who visit Granger. School is a place to learn, to get an education, and to enjoy a safe and clean environment. Shepherd dislikes the dress code requirements for exposed shoulders. She thinks that no one really cares about shoulders, and she thinks that showing shoulders is not a crime nor a distraction to students in any way. In the end, she doesn’t think that the dress code really matters, and that it’s not the most important issue to worry about. Brian Gramajo (12) dislikes the dress code and doesn’t understand how certain things are distracting. He believes that the faculty exaggerates the dress code. He thinks they also makes the dress code an even bigger problem. He doesn’t understand why women can’t show their shoulders and believes that the dress code will change with the seasons.
Opinions are mixed about behavior of freshmen at Granger By Arei Turner EVERYONE has been a freshman once. Freshman have notoriously been picked on by the upperclassmen, despite the fact that everyone has been in their position. During homecoming week, a sign in the senior hall was decorated with a sign that read, “Seniors eat Freshmen.” “Freshmen are trainees,” Ivan Mena (12) said. He believes they are just now learning how to fit into a high school setting. “Most of them are pretty stupid, like, when they play loud music in the halls and are very loud. Also, they have no respect at all for anyone, not themselves, not others, not even the teachers,” he said. He believes that the freshmen aren’t treated harshly enough. “They can be pretty cocky at times,” he said. While Mena dismisses them as a class, he might be willing to make exceptions here and there. “They aren’t mature enough for high school,” he said. Even so, he would consider being friends with a freshman, just as long as he or she weren’t annoying or anything of that nature. “But it’s hard to find one that isn’t annoy-
ing…they all are just so full of themselves; it’s crazy,” he said. Teachers also have strong opinions about the freshmen. Ms. Atkin, a science teacher, has taught at Granger for more than 15 years. She started in the old building and moved to the new one. Ms. Atkin believes that no matter who the lower class is, that’s who will be picked on. “Before the freshmen came over it was the sophomores that everyone picked on,” she said. “The freshmen have their own hall, they are isolated from everyone else, and that’s keeping them from mixing in with everyone else. I mean, they do come over to another hall for their science classes, but that’s about it,” she said. “When the freshmen transferred over to Granger High, it was a big concern for the parents because you really don’t want your freshman daughter hanging out with a senior boy. There was a huge controversy about this. Freshmen really have an unfair advantage that they are in their own little hall, that keeps them from socializing,” Ms. Atkin said. “I believe that’s the main reason
why the freshmen are picked on.” freshmen should not be able to just keeps using stereotypes toWhen Ashley Tamez (11) go to homecoming. They deserve wards them, they’ll start believhears the word ‘freshmen’ the to go. If the seniors and everyone ing it as an expectation to be anfirst word she thinks of is ‘an- else gets to go, they do, too.” noying and stupid. Maybe it is not noying.’ “Most of the time they If everyone gives these fresh- their fault that they act like this; are annoying. You can rarely find men more of a chance, they’ll be perhaps they’re just responding to ones that are mature enough for able to grow more. If everyone the stereotypes placed upon them. high school. I think it’s a good thing that they are in high school because they can be around older and more mature people, so hopefully that’ll help them become more mature and not act like little kids in a junior high,” she said. “I really feel that they could learn quicker and find more and better friends here,” Tamez said. She said that she doesn’t stereotype freshmen because she can’t tell who is a freshman and who isn’t. “Another thing,” she said, “I heard that people have Ashley Tamez is a junior with a strong opinion about freshmen at Granger been saying that
Tri-Color Times VOL. LIX Issue 2
October 2016, page 6
Granger Lancers love supporting the golf team
By Megan Peterson MOST PEOPLE do not really think much of golf. When it comes to supporting golf, people do not find it as important as the football or basketball games. Here at Granger, however, this does not seem to be the case. Granger High students and faculty feel golf is well-supported
considering the type of sport it is. “I feel golf is very supported, but just needs to be more promoted,” Bran Hester (11) said. Hester feels that the school should announce the tournaments like they do for football. “Announce it like you do for other sports and Lancers will come support,” said Hester.
Lamona poses and shows happiness about her support for golf.
He feels that because the sport is less popular, it gets less attention when it comes to the promotion of the sport. Hester feels small things like announcing a golf tournament on GTV a few days before it happens is a great way to get more fan support. When it comes to the support of golf, Dr. Dunn is a big supporter. He not only plays golf himself, but his son plays high school golf. When it comes to the administrative support of golf, Dr. Dunn believes golf does not need the supervision that other sports need. “There is a different etiquette when it comes to golf,” Dunn said. “When it comes to football, fans are expected to cheer, but when it comes to golf on-lookers are asked to be more quiet so the players can concentrate,” he said. The reason the golf team only consists of six players is because golf has a higher expense. “You can’t just go to a field and play golf like you can other sports.
You have to go and pay to get into a golf course. Plus you need more than a ball you need the different clubs to play the game properly,” Dr. Dunn said. To anyone who believes the school does not do enough for the players, know that Dr. Dunn is taking action. In response to this scrutiny of the golf team’s support, he called a member from the United Junior Golf Association to set up a special clinic with the boys. The clinic’s date and time are still being scheduled, but he can’t wait to see it does for our golfers. When it comes to the support of golf, Lamona Chheng (12) feels that the school is doing enough. “Golf isn’t a sport that draws a big crowd, and it never has been,” she said. Chheng feels that people expect it to draw a crowd like in the movie Happy Gilmore, but in real life she feels it is not that way. “It’s not an interesting sport that
people fall in love watching. It’s a sport you play to love,” Chheng said. Overall, Chheng feels the school is doing a great job to support golf. “The administration is the team’s biggest supporter,” Coach Crowther said. He said that the administration has done a lot to encourage the golfers. He feels that Dr. Dunn has a lot of interest, especially since he is a golfer himself. Crowther said that coaching golf can be difficult because every athlete on the team is new to golf. “I’ve been coaching for five years, and only twice did a kid come to me who had previous experience,” said Crowther. He believes most kids do not golf because of the cost that golf has. Crowther does, however, want Lancers to know he is still looking for more golfers—no experience needed. He thanks Granger for the support it has given him and his boys.
The proud Crimson Crowd just got louder By Skye Rouse GRANGER High has been known for its amazing and proud student section. The cheerleaders and the SBOs help do their part and make sure that the crowd stays pumped up and that the students are involved. In addition, the SBOs are starting a new club at Granger called the Pep Squad. “The Pep Squad is a group of hype man that are designed to help make it better by having the opportunity to help create and lead in the new cheers to help make our student section better,” Joseph Alvarez (11) said. There are many sports teams at Granger, and many of the students only cheer for the more popular sports. The Pep Squad helps support all of the sports teams, even the less popular ones. “The student standing section is very important to Granger and, in a way, it defines us as a school,” Alvarez said. “Personally, I love being in with the crowd and I believe that the Pep Squad will help us get even more students involved,” he said. For some students being a
part of a club is another way for students to get involved if they aren’t very athletic, and some students do both. “I am on the tennis team, so I understand that not everyone is cheering on the other sports. I think that the Pep Squad will help us have the Crimson Crowd alive throughout the year,” Alexis Topacio (11) said. “When we had our first meeting, there were a lot of female freshmen and that made me really excited and kind of surprised. I thought there would be more guys, because they’re a little more outgoing than the girls,” Topacio said. Many other schools have Pep Squads – schools like Hunter to Highland. The advisors of the Pep Squad think that this will help make for a better community at Granger, and they are hoping that it will get more kids involved after school. “I get that not everyone has the courage to scream and start the cheers before the other students join in, but in this club, we’re going to try and help our peers get over that,” Alvarez said. “This is
another amazing opportunity for Granger, and we hope it carries on for years after we graduate.” There is a lot of work that goes into making a new club and getting the word out. The members of the Pep Squad got the name out by posting it on social media and posting banners all over the school. “This is an awesome club, and it’s so radical. People think that if you’re in the club, you have to be on a sports team, and you don’t -- not everyone has to play,” Ms. Webb said. “We are trying to start recruiting within the school by having students ride the spirit bus,” she said. The meetings will be held on the first Monday of the month. Members will get assigned a certain number of games that they’ll have to go to, and that will depend on each sports’ number of games and whether they’re played at home or away. If you’re interested in helping support the school but can’t play a sport this would be the club for you. They are always looking for new members to join the squad!
Alexis Topacio shines a smile to show her joy about Pep Squad finally growing up to its potential.
Homecoming: a smash hit By April Hendriksen STUDENTS walked into the halls of Granger High School on Tuesday, September 6 finding each hall decorated for homecoming week. Freshman hall was Rio, sophomore hall was New York City, junior hall was Tokyo, and senior hall was Las Vegas. The Lancers attended school wearing exotic clothes on ‘tourist Tuesday.’ On Wednesday, the students all wore white to school, creating ‘White-out Wednesday.’ It was a success, but the carnival after school was even better. There were bouncy houses, games, and food. There was also a color run that didn’t do very well. In addition to being a carnival, it was also a car show. Thursday featured trendy socks often paired with long shorts. After red-out Friday, cars from the car show drove homecoming royalty and court around the football field track as they were announced during halftime. Diego Garza (12) was crowned King, McKayla McGee (12) was crowned Queen, Tyler Walker (11) was announced Prince, Stephanie Le (11) was announced Princess, Mario Maldonaldo (10) was announced Duke, Taylor Wolfley (10) was announced Duchess, Edwin Perez (9) was announced Lord, and Janet Barrios (9) was announced Lady of the Court. The football game itself had plenty of people talking. When the Granger team scored its first touchdown, many balloons were released to the joy of many happy Lancer fans. Beyond the enthusiasm in the bleachers and the adrenaline on the field, Granger’s reputation was marred when two fights broke out and another one nearly happened involving a guy wearing a Trump mask. The first fight
was nothing more than a trifle. An adult separated the two boys and no one got hurt. Soon after, two different students broke into a fight and it turned into a riot. Adults and police officers alike came rushing to the scene and were able to stop the riot after five minutes. The cause of the fight was not immediately apparent. The boy wearing a Trump mask wandered around until a teacher asked him to remove it. After he protested, but consented to remove it, another boy told him that it was not funny. The boy with the Trump mask shrugged it off and walked away, but not before touching the irate boy’s shoulder, which flared his temper. “Don’t touch me!” he said, smacking away the ‘Trump’ boy’s hand. After that, the football game continued smoothly. The game started with Granger ahead by seven points, only for Hillcrest to soon nip at their heels with a touchdown of their own. Another Lancer quickly scored a few minutes later, and the Lancers won with a final score of 28 to 21. The Hillcrest supporters were good sports. “It’s awesome, even though we’re losing,” Hillcrest’s Rebecca Mopadish (12) said. Granger’s victory was celebrated by fireworks. This all led up to the homecoming dance. Everyone had a great time. There were no fights, minimal amounts of drama, gorgeous young women, and handsome young men. Music boomed through the halls and walls of the school and balloons were scattered everywhere. “It was the best homecoming dance in the four years I’ve come! I really enjoyed it, and I thought it was one of the best dances I have been to,” Garza said.
October 2016, page 7
Tri-Color Times VOL. LIX Issue 2
Misuse of hall passes may be causing issues within the school
By Mireya Ruiz LIKE MANY schools, Granger High uses big, wooden hall passes. Hall passes have been around for quite some time. Some schools were recently introduced to big, wooden hall passes about three years ago according to some students that wrote an article on The iNews Network on the nycis-
chool.org website. However, hall passes have been around for quite a while at the Granite School District. Big, orange hall passes have advantages. They symbolize who is out of the class with permission. Students are required to get the hall pass before they leave the classroom. When there are stu-
dents roaming the halls, administrators can see what classroom they should be in. Big hall passes also minimize the risk of getting into trouble by the administrators. If the student doesn’t have the hall pass, then most administrators can tell that the student is up to something bad. That’s what they assume, because the hall passes represent permission for what the student doing in the hall. For example, sluffing is a huge problem. Without the hall pass, administrators can assume that the student is about to sluff. But when the student uses the hall pass it displays that the student is in a class. There is some conflict between the teachers when it comes to hall passes. Sometimes there Stormie Stone poses with what’s left of what is considered Granger’s hallpass. is misuse of passes.
“Letting the students use the hall pass usually isn’t a problem. It turns into a problem when they’re gone too long,” Ms. Lago said. Many students use the hall pass correctly, but some of them goof around. They might get the hall pass just roam the halls for long periods of time. Or they get it to visit with friends. “It’s usually not a problem until they say that they’re ‘going to the bathroom,’ but go to talk on the phone or go downstairs to see a friend,” Ms. Lago said. Some teachers, like Ms. Lago, don’t mind letting students use the hall pass. Not all teachers are like that. One of the main reasons why teachers don’t like students using the hall pass during class is because they’re trying to teach. The bell schedule gives students five minutes to get to class with enough time to get to go to the rest room and get to class. But
sometimes what they don’t consider is that sometimes their recent class was half way across the school. Some students don’t care about the hall passes, because they don’t use it. But then there’s the students who don’t mind using the hall pass, but think that it’s different. “Hall passes aren’t that bad. I mean, if you got to use the rest room now, then you’re going to have to use the hall pass. I can’t really complain, because it’s what we have to use,” Yazthel Garcia (9) said. On the other hand, some students don’t like it. “The hall passes are weird. I don’t really like it, because it’s like I’m carrying around a huge heavy piece of wood,” Stormie Stone (10) said. “If you’re a student and get a hall pass you should use it correctly and not take advantage of the privlidges we get,” Lago said.
Granger students might get banned By Jessica Nateras GRANGER Lancers get outrageous during lunch, there are long lines in the cafeteria and the school food isn’t always great. Sometimes Lancers just feel like drinking Mountain Dew. This encourages many Granger students to stroll down to Fresh Market to satisfy their cravings. While students may love shopping for lunch at Fresh Market, the employees at Fresh Market aren’t always happy to see dozens of Lancers packed in the aisles. “Fresh Market really doesn’t like it when students come over,” Mr. Timothy, a former Fresh Market employee said. This seems surprising because students spend a lot of money at Fresh Market. “The previous Fresh Market manager did not like it when students came to Fresh Market because of shoplifting,” Mr. Ander-
son, an assistant principal, said. That leads to security-conscious behavior at Fresh Market. Students hate to have to leave their backpacks on the floor by the doors at Fresh Market. For students who wonder why this is the policy, shoplifting is the correct answer. “Students got banned from Fresh Market because they were shoplifting,” Ms. Neibaur said. It’s a Lancer Pride issue. No student wants to get banned from Fresh Market for shoplifting. It’s not worth it. Fresh Market really does not have to open their doors for students. Let’s respect them for allowing Lancers in. Earlier on this year, there was a fight that happened a while back at McDonald’s. “Once there is a fight at Fresh Market, we’ll be banned,” Mr. Anderson said. Students obvi-
ously did not get banned from McDonald’s because McDonald’s needs students’ business, but Lancers are not the only people who shop at Fresh Market. Lunches at Granger come with open campus privileges. “It does not really bother me when kids go to Fresh Market, just use the crosswalks, and come back in time,” Mr. Anderson said. Lancers please be cautious during lunch if you plan on leaving campus. Also, please respect that Fresh Market is being more than pleasant with Granger students. The best thing Granger students can do is give them the best respect, show them that Granger is more than a school and Lancer is more than a title.There are so many great things about Granger and it’s amazing when everyone comes together so everyone in and out of the school can see it.
Fresh Market the most popular place students go to during lunches.
Granger High School prepares to switch to two lunches By Madison McCurdy OVERCROWDED. That’s just one word to describe Granger. The common area is filled with kids and some have no place to sit. Some are angered by the hall-blocking actions of the administration, but others seem overjoyed. The teachers are very happy. The students, on the other hand, are not as thrilled about this. “They only block off the academic halls, it helps kids focus on learning and helps them get a better education,” Jasmine Bullock (11) said. She thinks that academics are extremely important, and she is on the drill team and needs to up keep great grades in order to stay on the team. Bullock understands the value of empty halls. She’s less impressed by the idea of two lunches. “I think that it is stupid, we have too many kids to be taking away one of our lunches,” she said. The teachers are extremely happy that the halls are empty. Although the halls are blocked, other hallways are still littered with trash. Students are somehow avoiding the staff and still getting
into the hallways. The halls aren’t the only problem. Granger High School is overcrowded, reaching beyond 3200 kids. Granger High School currently has three lunches, but the wheels in the principals’ heads were turning, and after interviewing custodians, cafeteria staff, students, and teachers, they decided to remove second lunch. “We have contacted the fire department, and we have now permission to set up more lunch tables underneath the library,” Mr. Beck, a new assistant principal, said. Obvious concerns include lunch room crowding, longer lines for lunch, food delivery, and finishing lunch in time for the next class. Some teachers want kids to enjoy the outdoors, and they’d like to see Granger add some tables and garbage cans outdoors. With enough trash cans in the courtyard, they hope kids will throw their garbage away instead of leaving it for the custodians to clean up. According to Mr. Beck, having three lunches is too much,
and the work on the lunch staff is too stressful. The cafeteria staff serves 525 lunches at each lunch on average. Most of the lunch staff is on board for taking out our second lunch, they say they will still be selling the same number of lunches just in a faster period of time.
They have yet to test what this split with the lunches would be like on snowy day. If fewer students left campus during lunch, the lunch crowding would increase. They will find out when the time comes. Granger’s staff plans to clear the hallways every year, but this lunch schedule
change is an experiment. If it succeeds, it will be the standard for years to come. Sadly, administrators do not plan on lengthening lunches. They must keep students in class a certain amount of time according to the district’s requirements.
With three lunches, the cafeteria is already crowded. Two lunches will increase the length of lunch lines.
Tri-Color Times VOL. LIX Issue 2
October 2016, page 8
Mr. Beck logs miles as he walks the halls of Granger High By Oswaldo Cabrera Valencia does it with kindness. Instead of he runs into a few more students. AT GRANGER High School getting angry and shouting at the He makes sure they’re Granger there are more than 3000 students students who are breaking the students who are not skipping and that’s a lot, meaning there is rules, he greets them and asks classes, since some students don’t never a dull moment. “There is what the students are doing and have first periods. always something going on,” Mr. what they are supposed to be doSince Granger has such a big Beck, one of Granger’s new vice ing. That way, peace is kept and campus, it’s easy for students to principals, said. no one gets hurt. hide in a variety of places, espeMr. Beck likes to start off his “It’s better to not be a jerk cially in cars. He takes advantage day by looking at his three this seminary trip to check note cards: a list of students if any students are skipping to visit, a ‘to do’ list, and a “...a list of students classes. He sends a few back list of Spanish words to learn to visit, a ‘to do’ list, to class. that day. After he’s checked In the seminary he talked all three note cards, he visand a list of Spanish with Brother Smith about the its classes regularly. He viscollege day that’s coming up words to learn...” its classes often so students in a few weeks. He left the aren’t alarmed by his presseminary after arranging evence and take it as a normal when confronting an off task stu- erything for college day and conthing. “I want to be seen as a dent, you’ve just met. You’ll only tinued visiting classes and fixing source of help not a mean admin- bring up tension, someone hating problems. istrator,” Mr. Beck said. you, and the student could get just Mr. Beck is a really responOn his way to the classes, as angry,” Mr. Beck said. While sible and helpful worker at our Beck sometimes runs into stu- continuing to check off items on school. He helps us with probdents that aren’t supposed to be his ‘to do’ list, he also checks in lems that we don’t even know that in the halls. He asks for their with school workers who ask him are going on. “Una muy buena name and student number and, for help with students that have persona,” or “a very good perfor safety’s sake, he checks if many types of problems, from son,” one of the Spanish teachers they are enrolled at Granger High small to big. at our school said. Next time you School. “We really wouldn’t want Later, after dealing with stu- see Mr. Beck wave to him or say someone who wants to do harm dents and visiting the classes, Mr. ‘Hello,’ and thank him for helping in our school,” he said. When Beck visits the seminary building our Lancers stay on task. He loves he approaches these students, he next to Granger. Along the way, when people show gratitude.
Mr. Beck works with students throughout each day.
Ms. Catten is devoted to Granger and its diverse student body By Hayley Rigby HERE AT Granger High School, the counselors work hard to help the students work towards graduation and also many other things. These counselors work hard day in and day out, and they do their best to make this a safe and wel-
coming school for every student. “The thing I’ve been doing on a daily basis is meeting with seniors to create a college and career readiness plan, I also help new students entering the school get the classes they need, and I help students that are having bad
Ms. Catten, one of Granger’s counselors, is having a one-on-one meeting.
days,” Ms. Catten said. Ms. Catten works hard every day to make this a better place for students in and out of her office, Catten is one of the many counselors at Granger High School, and she wouldn’t want to work anywhere else. She thinks the diversity at Granger High makes this school such a special place to work. “I love working here because I get to meet students from all over the world. It’s amazing to hear all the different stories about these students, that’s what I love about Granger. This is such a diverse school with a group of amazing students in it,” Catten said. The counselors love to meet with the students and get to know them and help them with any problems they have or anything they need. The counselors do their best to help these students feel
welcome here at Granger High, not only welcome at school, but comfortable and feel like they can express themselves. Many of the counselors have been counseling for years. “I have been a Granger counselor for four years, but I have been a counselor for five years, I’ve loved working here at Granger. On a daily basis, I see from 10 to 20 students every day, but it just depends on what day it is,” Catten said. Some counselors do additional work here at Granger. Ms. Catten coached the softball team two years ago. She also played softball when she was in high school, and only softball, but many other sports, too. “I played softball throughout my entire childhood. When I got to high school, I began to play other sports and became
very involved, I coached here at Granger, but I found that it didn’t work with my schedule very well, so I couldn’t continue being the coach,” Catten said. Counselors don’t always just counsel, they do many other things. Catten played many sports and was a great student. Granger High is lucky to have counselors that would do anything to help their students graduate and do well in school. Granger High is a special place with a diverse group of students, teachers, counselors, and administrators that are all willing to help with any problems that any students have. Grangers students are very lucky to have a chance to be at such an amazing and diverse school. Be sure to thank the teachers around this school and show them how much the students at Granger appreciate them.
Granger welcomes two vice principals and an intern
By Flavianna Hawley AT THE start of a new school year, there are always dozens of changes that take place, whether they are in the form of administrators, faculty, students, or anything in between. This year, some of these changes happen to be in administration, with the introduction of three new assistant principals to Granger. Mr. Beck, Mr. Anderson, and Mr. Neilson are all excited to be part of the Granger community and were eager to share their opinions on the school. “I really like this age group,” Mr. Beck said. He worked at Cyprus High as an assistant principal for four years,. “Some people think it sounds crazy, but I enjoy working with teenagers.” Mr. Beck said that the large number of students at Granger is a sharp contrast to the amount of kids at the previous schools he has worked, but he still looks forward to getting to know students and learning what he can about them. Mr. Anderson shared a similar
attitude when it comes to students. He attended Granger as a student, and while he may have served as assistant principal at Cottonwood High for five and a half years, he understands what it means to be a Lancer and has many ties to the Granger community. “I want to make sure kids know two things about me. I’ll do whatever I can to help them and I expect them to fulfill their end of the bargain, meaning they attend their classes on time, respect their teachers, and take school seriously,” he said. He also stressed the importance of graduation. As a BYU graduate himself, he said that having high expectations of students and giving them a positive learning atmosphere helps them on their way to college. Attendance is also an important part of maintaining good performance in school, and the assistant principals are expected to enforce it as much as possible. The biggest topic for the three new administrators, however, was Granger pride. “I hope to
help kids feel a sense of pride years now, and the two will no verse student body help make about being here, because this is doubt continue this collaboration Granger a special place. “It’s a really cool place,” Mr. Neilson, as they tackle this new beginning like the Granger Creed says, our the intern assistant principal, said. at Granger. As for Mr. Anderson, diversity makes us such a great Like Mr. Neilson, Mr. Beck teaming up with teachers and get- group,” Mr. Neilson said. It is previously worked at Cyprus ting to know students is his main with this thought in mind that High School, and he’s eager to be goal. the new assistant principals push part of Granger’s team this year. All three administrators agreed forward into a new and promising Mr. Neilson considers his that an impressive staff and di- year. teaching experience in special education, as well as coaching and scorekeeping at other schools to be assets he brings to Granger as an administrative intern. He has worked closely with Mr. Beck as a teacher for Mr. Beck and Mr. Anderson have replaced Ms. Callahan and Dr. Gatti as vice principals.