Granger high school
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TRICOLORTIMES.COM
NOVEMBER 2018 LXI-III
Teachers encouraged to distribute more G-Cards By Karla Landeros FOUR AND a half years ago, Granger introduced something now called G-Cards. G-Cards are earned when they complete the school’s and teachers’ expectations. Students may earn many small rewards from the G-Cards, and they’re easy to obtain with a great attitude. There are many ways to obtain them, but Lancers rarely see them being handed out. Every year, teachers explain school expectations and remind students of them throughout the school year. At Granger, students strive to be thoughtful, empowered, and connected. This year, teachers received posters that standardize the classroom expectations of what it means to actually be thoughtful, empowered, and connected in school. Teachers also receive G-Cards every new quarter.
According to this recognition program’s intent, it is easy to see how to earn G-Cards through these methods of communication, and teachers decide what actions are worthy of earning G-Cards. Teachers choose students who have been doing well, whether it is staying a little after class to help plug in the Chromebooks or standing up for a student in class. Ms. Alo, a vice principal, believes in the G-Card program’s effectiveness. “If teachers really feel that you’ve been trying, and they just really appreciate what you’re doing, they can give you one. They can also see that a student doesn’t need to be told to behave properly because they genuinely care and have Lancer pride. When teachers acknowledge this, that is when you get a card,” Ms. Alo said. Ms. Winters, a new teacher at
Granger High, came from Granite Park Jr. High where there was a similar system to reward students. They used Grizz Bucks, which are very similar to G-Cards. Students were given Grizz Bucks when they were completing school and classroom expectations, but teachers didn’t exactly mention why they were handing them out. Ms. Winters thinks that this is the one big difference that makes G-Cards better rewards for students. “I like them a bit more because we tell the students which qualities they are showing that make them great Lancers. Students like to hear that they are doing well,” Ms. Winters said. Granger is full of many great students, and G-Cards were made with the purpose to reward those students. However, Mr. Tilley, math teacher at Granger, claims that teachers are not really rec-
ognizing students as much as they could with G-Cards. “We are probably not giving them out enough. We have many great kids who probably deserve more recognition for being thoughtful, empowered, and connected,” Mr. Tilley said. Other reasons as to why teachers may not be handing out enough G-Cards is because they don’t think about rewarding their students with them often. Usually they tend to say, “You’re doing a great job” or “Awesome work,” which makes kids feel great, but doesn’t do the same job as a GCard. I think that teachers recognize or see some of the students’ efforts but at the same time don’t think that they have something to reward us with,” Samantha Dior (12) said. This lack of participation on continued on page 4
All students affect classroom climate
By Landon Burton CLASSROOMS are the key building block of learning. Having a good learning environment helps immensely with learning without distractions and paying attention to the lesson being given. The classroom is the number one place for learning. Because most teachers have a 90-minute consultation period that allows them to wander around the building as they prepare for their classes, many students actually spend more time in classrooms than teachers do, at least during regular school hours. This exposure to the classroom environment makes students experts when it comes to classrooms. At Granger High School, there are 3000+ students currently enrolled and 160 teachers. Teachers try their best to learn names and make everyone’s learning experience count and worth something. They make their classrooms a fun, easy, and safe place to work on assignments. “Teachers at Granger help when you ask to be helped and are great learning resources. The only thing that distracts me is the temperature of the rooms. Sometimes it’s too cold,” Brittany Peterson (12) said.
Twice a month, G-Cards get pulled out, and lucky students have a chance to win.
Mr. Hsu teaches statistics and advises Ping-Pong By Ivan Siete MR. HSU is the new Intro to Stats and Math 3 teacher at Granger High School. He has been teaching for a while and hass previously taught at Judge Memorial Catholic High School. Hsu has a Mechanical Engineering degree from Singapore. Hsu was born and raised there. He then moved to Utah to study at Westminster. Hsu started at Westminster college in 2000, but because he had a full-time job teaching in a junior high, he could only go to school part-time. He graduated from Westminster College in 2009. Hsu doesn’t do a lot in his free time. “Teachers don’t have free time,” Hsu said. On the rare in-
stances that Hsu does have free time, he will occasionally play tennis or attend sporting events like the Utah Utes football games and Utah Jazz games. Hsu loves sports because they help him channel his inner frustration. Hsu has his own personal teaching styles. He loves one-onone teaching, but Hsu does more than that. He loves to go around and make sure every student is understanding what they are doing, and he strongly incorporates hands-on learning. Hsu is also the new Granger High School Ping-Pong coach. He picked up the program after Mr. Poelzing left. Hsu has some background experience playing
Ping-Pong. Hsu was even the captain of his high school Ping-Pong team back in Singapore. Dilyn Poeut (12) is the captain of the Ping-Pong team. Poeut was devastated when he found out that Mr. Poelzing was leaving because he didn’t know what was going to happen to the program. Poeut has Hsu’s Intro to Stats math class. Poeut likes Hsu as his math teacher. “He has a rad teaching style,” said Poeut. He also likes Hsu as the Ping-Pong coach and said he’s a good player. “He knows his stuff,” Poeut said. Hsu believes that the biggest challenge facing students today is stress. Students have to handle time management and meeting
expectations from parents, teachers, and peers. Hsu believes too much bad stress will harm students, but asserts that there is such thing as good stress. On the other hand, he believes that the biggest challenge for teachers is keeping everyone on the same page. There will be students who pick up a subject faster over students who might not. However, every teacher wants to see all their students succeed. Mr. Hsu loves teaching at Granger High School. He loves the diversity and different backgrounds. Hsu learns from his mistakes and will always aim for improvement. Hsu believes in every single Lancer.
Brittany prefers warmer classrooms.
Freshmen can provide fresh insight into the effectiveness of Granger’s classrooms. “The one thing I would change is not so much the class, but the people in there. The students talk too much, and it’s really hard to focus,” Stacey Myler (9) said. She’s right. The classrooms do get really loud to the point where students cannot focus. According to the creed, Lancers are thoughtful, empowered, and connected, and these traits could be expressed by helping teachers keep classrooms quieter to foster academic growth for all students.
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November 2018, page 2
Tri-Color Times VOL. LXI Issue 3
Teachers spend weekend hours and summer days preparing lessons for class By Angela Cortez ALL LANCERS go home and relax after a hard day of school, but they rarely wonder what their teachers are doing. Teachers are some of the hardest working people that students have in their lives. Teachers affect learning
habits, working habits, and future outcomes. It’s easy to sometimes think of teachers as harsh, but they invest a lot of effort behind the scenes as they prepare lessons for the students of Granger High School. Mr. Eccleston teaches math
and said he plans most of his lessons during his prep period or on the weekends. During his free time, mostly over the weekends when he’s not grading, he likes to go to the gym or watch some college football like every other guy. That’s fine for week-to-week
Mr. Eccleston uses two screens at his desk, which makes it easier to view student work while also entering grades.
Monthly skills and Harbor videos benefit students By Liliana Arreola EACH MONTH, Granger features a new skill that was designed by the Granite District to help students with different topics. The skills can be about stress, how to better communicate, the benefits of school, and other topics. The skills help talk about things that are serious, and they get students involved with our school. The Harbor videos go along with the skill of the month and are meant to help students get a better understanding. “[The Harbor videos] make me feel inspired and enlightened,” Iliana Beltran (10) said. When a student feels inspired, they are more likely to succeed, and they don’t doubt themselves. With each month being different, social workers and teachers can help students get better at what they do. The program is designed to build students’ skills to help them accomplish great things in life. “Skills of the month is a program designed by some social workers from Granite District. Our social worker here at Granger, Kim Sommers, helped develop this program. It was designed for junior high and high school stu-
dents. It has nine different segments,” Tracy Timothy, Granger’s HOPE adviser, said. The skills can get students involved with their schools. Involvement in high school is something every community looks forward to seeing in its school. At games, they want to see the student section full, and they want to hear a variety of loud voices when cheering for the school team. With the skills combined with Harbor videos, administrators can see a difference. School spirit is when the students at school are cheering for everything, whether it is at school games, assemblies, academics, or other activities. “There has been an increase in school spirit, attendance, grades, and there are more people participating.” Dottie Alo, a vice principal, said. When there are more positive things happening, the school feels more united and the students, staff, teachers, and administrators have a better time working and learning at school. Harbor videos are made to inspire students no matter what is being said. Social workers want students to see situations from someone else’s point of view. The
A smile that shows motivation to do anything and is ready for anything.
Harbor videos go with the skills each month, and they help understand the meaning of the Skill of the Month. “They are motivational videos. I have learned to have grit, and I’ve taken life lessons from the videos,” Keauno Phommavong (10) said. If the Harbor videos inspire one student in each class, teachers will know they are helping the students here at Granger by showing the videos. Students here at Granger are learning more about certain topics that need to be talked about. It gets others to talk more with their peers. The students are thinking more of what is good to do, instead of just doing something wrong such as bullying and regretting it. “The skill each month helps students be comfortable with talking about serious things. These things occur with people in their age group. I hope the students see that it’s not a joke, and there are real issues. They should take it seriously,” Alo said. When students take serious things as jokes, it is a bad thing because no one will ever see a serious thing as serious. With each skill discussed, it helps improve not only individual students, but also the surrounding kids as well. If more students listen to the Harbor videos, they could get more out of it. The Harbor videos are meant to teach all students a valuable lesson, and they are serious things. “The Harbor videos make me want to change the way I do things. Some videos motivate me into doing better, and I gain some skills,” Araceli Hernandez (10) said. The improvement of participation has helped Granger students become even closer. The involvement has made grades of students go higher, and their attendance has been improved. More students are coming to class and learning, and not just because they have to be there.
preparation, but it must take much more work to prepare for an entire year’s worth of lessons. “All the 9th grade math teachers come together over the summer to plan the whole year,” Mr. Eccleston said. That seems very hectic and overwhelming, especially when they are trying to take a break. While students are having fun or just hanging around during summer break, teachers are planning lessons for the upcoming school year. There are also many other types of planning that teachers like to do. Ms. Fukuda follows the textbook that she has for her Japanese class. She usually uses prepared materials in the textbook for assignments or finds activities online that she revises. She stays after school until 3:00 p.m. However, she stays a little longer after school on Thursdays for Japanese Club. On the weekends she spends time grading or trying to discover more activities for her students to make sure class is entertaining. However, some students think that teachers aren’t trying their
best to make education fun. They believe that teachers simply seek to give students a hard time. Some students even discuss dropping out of a certain class because of the overwhelming amount of work they have to do. “I feel like some lessons aren’t too hard, but it’s a pretty good amount of work,” Andrew Rios (9) said. He believes that the teachers don’t put a lot of effort into teaching lessons. Instead, he considers lessons easy and straight to the point, making the topics very simple to learn and study on his own. On the other hand, there were students who had different beliefs about the efforts their teachers put into their lessons. “It depends on the teacher, but for the most part I believe that my teachers truly want the students to pass the class and learn,” Kristin Karagalan (9) said. Karagalan believes that even if someone misses a certain day, teachers will be glad to listen to any questions that may linger after the next class. Teachers are glad to answer questions.
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A look at failing students
By Ivan Padilla STUDENTS fail for a number of reasons, but people commonly think that students fail in school because they simply don’t care. Instead of just speculating, it’s important to start with those who teach underperforming students. “Sometimes it is because the students are not trying,” McMurtrey, a math teacher, said. In addition, there are students who are being put into classes that are too advanced for them. “I have some students who are in the wrong level of math,” McMurtrey said. The work load is heavier and sometimes can be taught at a faster pace. This can become overwhelming for students and cause them to just quit working on the class. Students learn at different rates and should be placed into classes suited for them. However, just because students are being put into classes that are too difficult shouldn’t stop students from working with parents and counselors to find classes that are better suited for their abilities. However, no one can ignore the fact that there are students who are not doing their work and simply not trying. It’s a challenge for students and teachers alike. There are many factors and variables to why a student is failing, but Mr. Bernard sums it up the best; he made a list: 1-Students don’t understand the material. 2-Students want to be social. 3-Students’ mindsets are not focused on the importance of graduation. 4-Students may not see the point in doing their work. Mr. Bernard is in charge of the credit recovery courses, and he brings a lot of experience to this question of underachievement. “I never did my work,” Sky-
ler Jones (12) said. In this cycle, Jones would talking to his friends and not pay attention. Because he ignored teachers, he could not understand the assignments, which led him to talk to his friends. There is a core problem here. Jones, as well as many other students, are much too concerned about socializing. Jones is now recovering his credits. “My packet is 89 pages long,” he said. But even this stems from a deeper problem. “As a freshman, I had the mentality that if I passed my classes, cool, but if I didn’t, I’d recover it somehow. Now I regret that mentality,” Fatima Garcia (12) said. Coming into high school, students do not have the proper mindset that graduation comes first. Instead, they are too focused on what is right in front of them. Students can get so caught up in the ‘now’ of a situation that they forget to look to the future. It’s possible that any imagined ‘future’ seems unobtainable to students today. Perhaps it is has nothing to do with students at all. There are things that the students cannot control. “It was fight or flight. If there is something more important, school can wait,” Siotame Siaka (12) said. Siaka was dealing with issues at home and was kept out of school for a time because of it. When he did go to class, he couldn’t focus and was so far behind he didn’t know how to catch up. Teachers tried their best to help, but he was far too gone and too preoccupied with challenges in his personal life to be worried about performance at school. Teachers and counselors should do their best to accommodate students’ academic capabilities, but in the end, some variables are beyond the reach of school personnel.
November 2018, page 3
Tri-Color Times VOL. LXI Issue 3
Granger offers Air Force Junior Reserved Officer Training Course By Leilani Tima ROTC IS a special program for students that teaches them about traditional subject areas and military science. “The main purpose of ROTC programs today is to train young men and women to become officers in the military,” as stated on the studentcaffe. com website. ROTC is a beneficial subject to learn in college. It helps students learn interesting, new things about how to become an officer. Granger High now offers JROTC. Students learn so much in JROTC from their teacher Maj. Wilson. He’s the Senior Airspace Instructor for the Air Force Junior ROTC. ROTC stands for Reserved Officer Training Course. Maj. Wilson’s job in Granger is to teach students about ROTC and how to become a better citizen of the United States. “At the college level, we’re all about [cadets] actually being in the air force the day that they
graduate,” Maj. Wilson said. His last unit was in California. “I find this group to be just as good as the first, but they tend to be more polite,” Maj. Wilson said. Students have many first impressions and reasons on why they want to join JROTC. “I have a lot of family in the military, so it’s interesting to me,” Alexis Torres (10) said. Torres participates in a JROTC class. Her perspective on ROTC is that the people who teach it push their students pretty hard, but students work through it and keep going. Some students in JROTC join the class because it runs in their families. Some even plan on military careers in their future. “Oh yeah, so I was born into a military family, like all of my family members were in the military,” Preallyn Lemaveve (11) said. She looks to a future career in the military because she was inspired by her ancestors. Her progress in JROTC has been
good so far. She’s even the deputy flight commander for JROTC. Although Lemaveve takes interest in ROTC, she didn’t like it her freshman year. “It was tiring, but now I’m kind of used to it, and it’s pretty fun,” Lemaveve said. The attitudes of students have changed so much that other people have noticed it, especially Granger High’s principal. “It’s wonderful to see their enthusiasm and excitement for the program. They see that it creates opportunities,” Dr. Dunn said. He’s impressed with seeing the high level of respect that students [in JROTC] give to one another and the staff in the building. Dr. Dunn does not seem to have one bit of regret after adding JROTC. Students who take JROTC feel that they improve their behaviors more than before. “It just helps me control myself and be calmer and more mature,” Analie Arroyo (10) said. Arroyo feels that JROTC has affected her behavior
in a positive way. “My sassy attitude went away so fast,” Lemaveve said. It’s good to see that JROTC can have a huge impact on not just physical skills, but on a student’s behavior. Although JROTC seems like a good class, some people hesitated. “I was kind of nervous because I’ve seen other people make fun of kids that are in JROTC, and I didn’t want to be made fun of,” Torres said. Although Torres knew there were going to be students not liking the idea of JROTC, it didn’t stop her from joining the class. Obviously, people have different perspectives on what JROTC really means, and that’s why some students feel like they shouldn’t join JROTC because it could affect their social life. Although, some students really don’t mind what people say about JROTC, they just seem nervous because they think ROTC is difficult. “I thought it was hard
because we had to follow the rules, and they were really strict with them,” Arroyo said. She was right: ROTC can be difficult, but that’s why students have trainers to help push them along. There are a lot of things that students need to do in JROTC. They obviously learn a lot about the military. “Yeah, we learn everything about the military, even things like drill,” Lemaveve said. JROTC can also discipline you emotionally and mentally. “I’ve learned about self-discipline and respect. Things I am now proud to know,” Torres said. JROTC has definitely affected Granger High School in a distinguishing way. Students have learned so much in this first quarter of school, and it’s clear that they’re determined to learn more about JROTC. This program has had a huge impact on Granger High students, and if more students become active in Air Force JROTC.
Sandra Gonzalez offers tips to avoid the second quarter slump
By Erik Carranza SECOND quarter is always the hardest for students. There are a lot of reasons for that. People al-
Sandra studies like a champ.
ways feel motivated at the beginning of the school year because it is a fresh start, and they are excited to pass all their classes with good grades. However, doing something for a long time can get really boring or even stressful. School can have that effect on a lot people. It is shown that second quarter is where people get the worst grades. Some people say it is because they get tired of school, and it’s hard to wake up in the morning and go to school. Even though there are a lot of kids that struggle, there are always those people that are great at turning in work and getting good grades. One of those students is Sandra Gonzalez (12). Gonzalez is a high honor roll
student, and she has a lot of tips that could help younger students or even students that are going to graduate this year. “Always do your homework the day you get it. The more you let it pile up, the harder it is going to be to get it all done in a short amount of time at the end of a quarter,” Gonzalez said. Homework is the biggest thing that gets a lot of people to not pass their classes. This generation is full of people that love to procrastinate and not do what they are supposed to do. Due to this, they fail their classes for not turning in homework. Students these days are OK with just passing. Motivation is something that a lot of students need to get better grades. Find-
Coach drives improvement in athletics programs By Alexis McArthur WRESTLING made it to region last year, and the softball team won more games than they have in the last 18 years, according to Deseret News. The common denominator for both teams is coach Vidal. Coach Vidal teaches Spanish. When he started working here, he immediately showed interest in coaching and sports. As well as a Spanish teacher, he was also a football and wrestling coach at his old school, North Ridge High School. “I love coaching sports, and if I had a choice, I would’ve
been a P.E. teacher,” Vidal said. “He’s helped me a lot with my self-confidence and how to not worry about things I can’t control,” Brian Sika (12) said. Sika has been a wrestler since he was a freshman. “During my freshman year, I felt like the coach had favorites and didn’t pay much attention to the rest of us,” Sika said. “Coach Vidal has helped me with so much, in and out of wrestling. He stayed after practice to help me with my technique, and he even gave me pointers on how I could do better,” he said. “Vidal coaches kids differently accord-
Vidal is an awesome teacher as well as an exceptional coach.
ing to how they learn. He is an amazing coach, friend, and father figure,” Sika said. “I don’t like to hear kids underestimate their school. There have been countless times when I’ve heard kids say, ‘That’s good for Granger,’ and I won’t accept that. The goal I coach my athletes with is the goal of changing the culture at Granger. Kids seem to think our athletic programs can’t succeed because of the name and history of our school, and I would like to change that mindset,” Vidal said. Softball won 16 games last season. That is more games than they won in the 2014 season. They made it to the first round of playoffs, but were beat out Davis. Gates Leatherwood (12) agrees that coach Vidal has gone above and beyond traditional expectations. Leatherwood has been playing softball for 14 years. “I really like the way he coaches. He knows what he is talking about, and he isn’t overbearing when trying to teach us. He has helped me in and out of sports and helped me become a stronger and more independent person,” she said. Vidal loves coaching sports and plans to continue as long as he is teaching at Granger High School.
ing that motivation can be hard sometimes. “Do not settle for a D in the class. Not even an A-. Always give 100% in the work you do, and pay attention in class,” Gonzalez said. Gonzalez has always been a really hard worker and an exceptional student. “Having goals for yourself can be really helpful to getting your work done. Goals can create a sense of motivation for someone,” she said. Something else that can help somebody with doing what they have to do is having reminders or writing a lot of notes. “I have a calendar that I write in to remind myself of what assignments I have to do and what is coming up. I am also always writing sticky notes and taping
them to my phone. That way I see them, and it reminds me that I have to do whatever it says,” Gonzalez said. People think because the end of the year is so far away from second quarter that it gives them an excuse to not do what they were supposed to do. It’s not good to have that mentality. It may cause students to not turn anything in, and it just adds more compounded stress towards the end of the year. At the end of the day, being prepared and not slacking off will pay off. Students will feel so much more relieved knowing they turned in their work early, instead of trying to catch up at the last minute just to pass the class with a D-.
Tri-Color Times Staff Editor in Chief Jelena Dragicevic
Social Media Editor Jocelyn Roberts
Reporters Miguel Acosta Camila Aguero Liliana Arreola Landon Burton Erik Carranza Lesly Castillo Alex Cervantes Mirella Chamorro Angela Cortez Tyler Danh Paola Estrada Elena Flores Ariana Gomez Krystal Hernandez Karla Landeros Isaac Lemus
Reporters Britney Luong Alexis McArthur Analicia Montoya Nancy Otuafi Ivan Padilla Stephanie Gutierrez Lina Philip Emma Pratt Carlos Salinas Ivan Siete Leilani Tima Nancy Torres Mariah Valle Destiny Wallace Macaela Williams
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.
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November 2018, page 4
Tri-Color Times VOL. LXI Issue 3
G-Card frequency article continued.... continued from page 1 the teachers’ part reduces the effectiveness of the G-Card program. Teachers could start carrying some G-Cards on them while on the job at Granger. Most teachers keep their G-Cards in their desk drawers. If teachers had G-Cards on hand, they wouldn’t have to walk to their desks to fetch cards and hand them out.
Granger has other awesome ways of rewarding excellent students. Even if it is not often, all Lancers can be grateful that students are thoughtful, empowered, and connected. Perhaps with a few reminders, teachers will remember that G-Cards are great prizes for both students and maybe should be handed out more often.
Do’s and the don’ts for fall’s trends By Analicia Montoya FALL IS finally here. Every day is a struggle to wake up on time and to find something good to wear. Of all the seasons, however, my favorite is fall because of the colors and the relaxed vibes. Be ready to pull out all your favorite hoodies, leggings, and scarves. There is always a different trend going on for the changing seasons that come around, but I am sure that we can find something comfortable for everybody. Let’s get into the fall trends of 2018. As I said before, fall is a super laid-back season, with an array of colors you can choose to wear and feel good in. The first thing that I want to point out are flannels, an outfit choice that has been around since the late 1970s. Flannel is more than just a shirt. Today, flannel is far reaching. Its popularity transcends social gaps and gender. “I think flannels are overrated, but they still have style. It can look good with whatever outfit you choose to wear,” Isaiah Montoya (12) said. You can wear flannels around the waist, for a summer fit, off the shoulder, buttoned up, or obviously the natural way. Flannels can allow for many different outfits, from casual and comfortable to cute. Next is the oversized top puffer jacket. Instagram is becoming full of these looks. There are different types of top puffer jackets. We have the Terracotta puffer jacket that is super long and slightly structured and the Fenty’s, which only covers the chest. Whether long or short, these jackets are meant to go with boy-
friend jeans or leggings. I wanted to hear people’s thoughts on the top puffer jacket. “It’s very interesting, very chic, and comfortable. It really goes with the warm feeling of fall,” Paola Estrada (12) said. Find a Puffer jacket to go with your style and persona, and rock it all day. Combine it with a neutral outfit to let yourself stand out from the crowd. Last, but not least, I wanted to talk about a big trend: knitted sweaters. They’ve been around since the 11th century, and they are still a big hit in the clothing industry. Knitted Sweaters are a perfect fit for any outfit in the fall. While wearing the sweater, you should consider wearing it with layers of other clothing to give it some pop, but just remember to keep it simple. Wearing a nice sweater would look perfect with skinny jeans and over the knee boots. Also, remember to try to add a plaid scarf, brown boots, and some other accessories to go with the outfit. You could add a plaid shirt underneath the sweater to make you stand out even more. You can never go wrong with a knitted sweater. There are so many ways to stay in style with a sweater. You can wear it like a dress, or if you don’t like it so baggy, you can tuck in the front to slim it down. While you’re at it, you can throw a belt on to add some style points to your outfit. I hope that helps with an update on the fall trends of 2018. These are just a couple of styles that are going around this season and ways to make these outfits stand out.
Book review: The Confidence Code for Girls By Emma Pratt “CONFIDENCE gives you the power, the lift, the oomph to be yourself and do what you want— even when it’s scary,” said Katty Kay & Claire Shipman, the authors of The Confidence Code for Girls, a book written about confidence and how to gain it. This book is full of creative ways to build your confidence. The authors did a ton of research and interviewed many people for this book. I really loved this book. It was very interesting to read. The book has step-by-step instructions that you can follow to build your confidence. The authors interviewed many girls and got their views on confidence. I loved reading this book, because it has many reallife scenarios that you can place yourself in. The book itself was separated into three sections. The first section was about the keys to confidence. It started with the basics. “Action builds confidence. Confidence helps us take action,” the authors wrote. By using our confidence to take action, we gain more confidence. We can then take more action. It’s a cycle we should learn and use. It then talked about taking risks and learning to fail. By taking risks and leaving our comfort zone, we can grow. It’s hard to face failure, but when we do, we gain knowledge and try again. Becoming a culture critic is also a crucial part in gaining confidence. By becoming a culture critic, you can observe the world around you. “Becoming a culture critic puts the power back in your hands,” the authors wrote. The second section was about mental confidence. It talked about the way you speak to yourself and think about situations. There are three common types of thinking that people tend to follow. Catastrophic thinkers jump to the worst conclusions. Mind readers assume they know what others are thinking. Set in stone type of people feel that things are what they are, and there’s no use in trying to change it. Do these types of thinking
sound familiar to you? Do you automatically jump to the worst conclusions? Or do you assume you know what people are thinking? Maybe, you don’t try to change things because they “can’t be changed”? These thought processes are dangerous. “Notice these lies your brain tells you and how painful they can be. What we think creates what we feel, which then shapes what we do,” the authors wrote.
The friends you have impact your confidence greatly. If you have a friend who is constantly putting you down, stop her. You need to tell her how you really feel, or it will cause damage to your self-confidence. “If she doesn’t love you as you are, if she wants to change or control you, then she’s probably more like a frenemy. It can be tough to spot a frenemy, and that relationship can be toxic to you and your confidence,” the authors wrote. Social media can also hurt your confidence. How many times do you see someone on social media and compare yourself to them? Not only does it bruise your confidence, but your actions as well. “It’s so hard to distinguish between what’s real and what’s not; it’s easy to create a fake version of yourself, and even easier to get addicted to the likes and followers and so-called friends,” Samera Paz, a girl interviewed by the authors, said. The third, and final section is all about becoming you. It starts
off with perfectionism. Here are some thoughts from girls that were interviewed by the authors. “Isn’t perfectionism kind of good, though? I mean, isn’t that really the way to succeed? Doesn’t it mean I’m ambitious? Trying to be perfect means I’m working hard and pushing myself, right?” How often do you get caught up in doing something perfectly or looking perfect? It’s easy to get roped into becoming a perfectionist, but when you stop and think about it, perfection isn’t possible to reach. You work so hard to achieve something that doesn’t even exist. Perfectionism makes you think you have to please everyone and that you’re never enough. You have to be yourself. It might be hard, with everyone pushing you in different directions, but you need to find who you are. Try different things. What are some of your strengths? What makes you happy? What makes you unique? This book helps you figure out who you are. It asks questions that make you dig deep and truly search for an answer. By finding yourself, you are able to become “a girl of action.” A girl of action not only helps herself, she helps others as well. “You can start thinking bigger than yourself. We call that leap moving from ME to WE,” said the authors. There is an organization called WE that helps people around the world. “You don’t have to wait until you are grown or have a job with a fancy title to get things done. If you want to change the world, start now,” Craig Kielburger, one of the founders of the WE organization, said. Check out their metowe.com website. It’s a fascinating book that helps you build your confidence. At the end of the book, it helps you to create your own confidence code. I recommend that you do it. Be you. Be confident. Trust yourself. If you want to do something, do it. Don’t stop yourself from trying something new, just because no one else is doing it. Risk it. This is such a great book, and I loved it. I really hope you read and love it, too.
Beauty and the Beast hits the stage in November By Macaela Williams THE PLAY for this fall season is Beauty and the Beast. This cast is one of the liveliest, happy-goluckiest, outgoingist casts ever. I’ve had the privilege to interview some of these amazing cast members: Isaac Martinez (10), Daniel Rupp (9), and Victoria Tensely (10). They all have one thing in common and it’s their love for acting. What a surprise! You’re probably thinking, isn’t that obvious? But the real question should be, why they are so passionate about acting. In some cases, what people cherish most about acting is being other people; for others it’s being in the front and center of attention. But for most, it’s the bond created between the cast members. “I love being able to
be different characters,” Martinez said. Sometimes, stepping into someone else’s shoes and seeing their perspective can be very rewarding. It’s like being able to understand how a new kid feels after experiencing that situation yourself. This is kind of how acting works. Actors and actresses put themselves into the character’s position and use their experiences to bring out the character on stage. Another thing that actors and actresses love about theater is the community. “I love the community in theater, as well meeting new people,” Tensely said. “The experience of the story and vibe will be worth your time!” said Martinez, after being asked why students should come to watch the school play.
Another reason why you should see the show is because “It’s the greatest show!” Rupp said. It’s important to support a show that many Lancers have been working very hard to put together. You can buy tickets from the G-Store, the grangertheater.com website, a cast member, or a even stage crew member. The days for the play are November 15th-17th and November 19th. Ticket prices are $6 in advanced and $7 at the door. The theatre doors will open at six, but the show will start at seven. So, be on time. If you’re like my sister, you always want to know if there’ll be snacks, and the answer is yes! They will have popcorn, chips, and drinks, so you may want to bring some extra money.