Granger high school
Tri-Color Times An open forum for student opinion and expression
TRICOLORTIMES.COM
DECEMBER 2018 LXI-IV
Super Lancers receive recognition by going above and beyond By Stephanie Gutierrez SUPER Lancers have been nominated for the 2018-19 autumn school year. Many thoughtful and empowered students show what they can do, whether it’s dancing, playing basketball, or even debate. However, many more Lancers don’t get noticed. Just recently, 19 students were selected to be Super Lancers in recognition of their commitment to success at Granger High. Nineteen Super Lancers were recognized in front of administration, faculty, and family in the Black Box on November 1. Not only did they get certificates for their outstanding behavior, they were awarded a few other things as well. The Super Lancers received a gift card, a certificate, and a nice breakfast buffet. They even got to share this memorable moment with their family mem-
bers. Photos were taken for banners that will hang around the school for students, staff, and administration to see on a daily basis. Granger’s 2018-19 school year Super Lancers were the following: Diego Pimentel (12), Xavier Berlett (9), Tristin Heath (12), Steven Sola (9), Jesus Labastida (11), Angy Salas Olivares (9), Jezibel Herrera (11), Esmeralda Rodriguez Garcia (9), Cee Gee Javellana (9), Frank Stevens (11), Chester Young Yuen (10), Jacqueline Mendoza-Ruiz (12), Ari Woody (12), Slade Gordon (12), Raymond Hardisty (9), Tita Muhigirwa (10), Fabian Perez (10), Darol Roeun (11), and Alejandra Beltran Zapata (9). Granger High’s administrators strive to give students recognition. “Students just aren’t getting
enough recognition; the ceremony was something memorable that I know students will take good pride from,” Mr. Anderson, an assistant principal, said. Being a Super Lancer allows students to gain recognition at school. Hundreds of students go beyond what is expected every day. However, they don’t necessarily get the chance to be recognized. These Super Lancers show up to school, do what is asked for by a teacher, and they contribute throughout the day. Many proud teachers decided who to choose based on how the student bettered themselves throughout the year. Whether it was attendance, grades, in-class contributions, etc. Teachers also narrowed down their selections to students who don’t get recognized by the school. “Being who I am is what has allowed me to re-
ceive this award,” Fabian Perez (10) said. Mr. Timothy has been part of this event in previous years. He likes to make sure that the student he chooses will be the correct one. Alejandra Beltran Zapata (9) stood out to him the most because of her positive attitude. “Alejandra is very concerned about everyone else. She has a good attitude and is very positive,” Mr. Timothy said. Mr. Timothy did not choose her because she has a high honor roll GPA, but because she deserved it for being the student she is every day. Lancers’ outstanding behavior is what allowed them to get the Super Lancer award. Every day, they show up to school ready to learn, knowing what is expected of them, and overcoming all sorts of challenges.
Ms. Holtz congratulates her Super Lancer, who was one of 19 Lancers selected for this honor.
Granger’s AP and CE classes prepare Lancers for college By Macaela Williams FOR YEARS people have and will continue to worry about college. People worry about what college they will attend, what they will study, and whether they will get a scholarship. Since people worry about this, they take classes such as advanced placement (AP) and concurrent enrollment (CE). These classes help build college credit. However, most students, for some reason, do not take these advanced classes. One reason why is they don’t know which class is best for them and whether taking such advanced classes is even worth it. Some kids worry about their
passing rates. Typically speaking, advanced placement students only have a passing rate of 63%. This may be low, but we have to take into consideration that advanced placement tests are very dependent on whether the student is willing to put their own time into studying for it. Kids may also worry about the cost. It is important for students to realize that paying $15 dollars for a CE class or $93 for an AP test is way cheaper than paying for either of these classes in college. Furthermore, there are fee waivers for students who need help paying these tests and classes. Other kids are also concerned about which classes look best on
their college applications. Well that totally depends on what college students want to go to and what they want to study. Colleges outside of Utah will not look at CE class credits. They will look at AP credits. However, all Utah schools will look at CE and AP credits. Another point of concern is how many college credits a student can receive taking these difficult classes. For CE classes, the amount of college credits a student can receive varies. Some classes, like communication classes, are worth three credits each. Others, like EMT, are worth six credits each. AP classes can completely waive certain
general education class requirements. Students who take many AP and CE classes, and who decide to stay in an in-state school, can typically get most of their generals done in high school. Now, there are still some downsides to taking CE and AP classes. The first is obvious. Despite being able to get financial help to afford these classes, they aren’t always free for every student. Furthermore, if a student doesn’t pass their AP test, they will not receive college credit. If they do poorly in their CE classes, that grade will stay on their college transcripts, too. Additionally, AP and CE classes take a lot of time and preparation.
December Activities
By Paola Estrada UTAH IS known for its amazing hiking places and its bipolar weather. Most people think that all there is to do here is hiking and visit the capitol, but they’re wrong. During the holiday season, there are many different activities people can participate in, from full-family to single-kid activities. The Ice Castle is known for its amazing features and sculptures. Despite being freezing cold, the view is amazing. It’s only open during December. It’s something you wouldn’t want to miss because it’s not something you can see in every state. The address to this terrific event is: 700 Homestead Drive in Midway. Lancers should check it out. Another activity that’s very popular would be the Zoo Lights at Hogle Zoo. It’s a family event, and you’re able to walk around the zoo looking at decorated lights surrounding the zoo animals. It’s a great place to take photos and also admire the beautiful light decoration and different animals. “Zoo Lights is a great place to enjoy yourself, but it’s also a good place to reconnect with the outside,” Horacio Redding (9) said. The address to this event is: 2600 Sunnyside Avenue in Salt Lake City. A more grown-up activity to do is ice skating at the Gallivan center. It’s a fun place to go out on a date or just simply to enjoy the cold air and pretty lights. “It’s a great way to learn how to ice skate. Even though falling down might hurt for a moment, getting up helps you determine which move you can make to better yourself at ice skating,” Felipe Balderas Velez (12) said. The address to this event is: 239 S Main Street in Salt Lake City. If you’re more of an indoors person, another fun activity that might be more of your style is the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art. It’s mixed with different types of art, from painting to sculptures, and you’re able to get your hands dirty, as they have classes in which you’ll make fun art for only a little money. “Being able to see someone else’s perspective on a different platform like art is very interesting and eye grabbing. It’s also great to be able to experience such an array of emotions, going from artwork to artwork,” Irvin Guerrero (11) said.
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Tri-Color Times reporters learn about SLUG Mag at writing and photo workshop By Elena Flores ANGELA H. Brown took over SLUG Magazine in 2000 and has been the owner for almost 19 years. Before Brown became the boss lady at SLUG, she started out by shooting photos. “I started shooting photos to capture stories through visual art,” Brown, an SLCC grad, said. She was a freelance photographer, and one day she was hired to shoot a formal cover for SLUG. Brown was hired at SLUG to coordinate events for the magazine, and she worked for about three years before she chose to adopt the magazine as her own. JR Ruppel started SLUG in 1989. Ruppel, an aspiring underground artist, worked for a printing press and had enough connections to start his own magazine. The goal of this magazine was to give publicity to the band he was a part of because no other magazines would cover them. That’s how Salt Lake Underground was born, and its first issue was four pages long in a press run of around 100 copies. In the history of SLUG Maga-
zine, there have been three owners of the magazine. In 1994, a few years after SLUG was created, Ruppel sold the magazine to Gianni Ellefsen. He managed SLUG until 2000. During that time, he began to distribute the magazine nationally and locally. In 1997, Brown was hired on as a photographer. She later purchased the magazine, and she is still the executive editor and owner. Brown has accomplished numerous things in the past 19 years as the owner of SLUG as she pushed circulation to 32,000. “I am very proud of growing an amazing team and growing a larger business,” she said. Brown took the magazine back to its local roots. She has built a highly-respected reputation among many in the Salt Lake’s underground music, arts, and sports scenes. SLUG magazine covers local restaurants, bakeries, groups, artists, sports, bands, etc. It serves as a media platform for locals who would not normally be covered by bigger news outlets such as Fox News. Alexander Ortega is the edi-
tor for SLUG. In high school, he not start out with photography. and he didn’t think he was good was in a band and got into writing He became interested in writing enough to join the team. When through writing lyrics. He went to on the staff of his high school’s Tyson started to write for SLUG, he was also asked to shoot phocollege and got an English degree newspaper. “I was influenced by John tos along with the articles he was and began writing for SLUG. He worked his way from writer to Steinbeck, his style really cap- writing despite his lack of experijunior editor to assistant editor tured the American Spirit,” Call ence with photography. He now is a street-style photographer and before taking the editor position. said. Call read SLUG Magazine shoots photos for the SLUG Style SLUG is comprised of a small, close staff. Brown even brings when he was in high school, online feature. her dog, Hondo, to the office every day. The staff enjoys working together and enjoys the small things such as morning coffee or yoga every Thursday. “Office yoga is the best part of every Thursday,” Zaina Abujebarah said. Tyson Call is a photographer for SLUG and is also in charge of shooting SLUG Style which is an online feature showcasing unique fashion style among Salt Lake residents. Tyson is an experienced photographer; however, he did Tyson Call directs Maria Torres during a photography demonstration in SLUG’s backyard.
GTV faces challenges as its mission changes By Jocelyn Roberts IT WOULD seem that the mission of GTV should be to deliver announcements to all Lancers— such as informing students about the upcoming games and promoting student accomplishments, but it’s much more complicated and challenging than that. One challenge faced by GTV this year is the small size of the staff. “I think if it were more restrictive and competitive, it would be more appealing,” Donovan Alarcon (10) said. Alarcon mentioned his junior high announcement class was by invitation only. He also brought up different rankings and positions in the class, which helped increase competition with classmates. However, Alarcon’s advice isn’t suited to the current size of the GTV student staff. The quality of GTV has been a topic among students since the start of the year. Mr. Ganze described the class like a football game. In this analogy, he is the coach, and the students are the players. He gives them the plays, but at the end of the day, they’re the ones on the field. As an adviser, it’s not his role to go out and make the plays during the game. This gives GTV students a chance to practice leadership. “I think if the teacher helped them more, and taught them better, the quality would go up,” Manar Najim (9) said. Najim was in GTV at the beginning of the year, and she left after not liking how the class was managed. On the other hand, this is a student-run production, and the students are meant to help one another make the show happen. “This is a team production. We upload the videos, edit, and record them. There are obviously going to be ups and downs, but as we go on, the quality will go up,” Addasyn Everill (10) said. Being a part of GTV teaches students how to come out of their shell, and it helps them develop social skills. “These are kids who
have never done this before. It opens them up to a world of new opportunities. Students should recognize and acknowledge this hard work,” Ms. Alo said. Lancers should be supportive when it comes to all the work and passion these students put into creating the content in GTV. That’s a lot of effort for a message that’s not always received. Many teachers at Granger either don’t show the announcements or skip through them. Teachers say that it’s too long and takes away educational time. The crew of GTV is asked to keep the time frame to the seven minutes that have been added to second period. “The data from YouTube and Vimeo show that teachers are not actually showing all the announcements,” Mr. Ganze, the GTV adviser, said. It’s common for teachers (especially freshman teachers) to pass over parts that are irrelevant to that grade. And if teachers actually play the videos, many usually move on in class without any discussion, while other teachers have discussions afterwards. “I think the intentions behind it are good, but it’s a little too long. If you actually get the value out of it that it’s meant to have, it ends up taking 20 or 30 minutes,” Mr. McCarl said. Obviously, a PBIS or Harbor video takes a short amount of time to play, but if it isn’t discussed afterwards, there really isn’t a point—students don’t get the benefit that it’s meant to deliver. “The teachers may not find it relevant, but someone in the room might,” Mr. Ganze said. Again, the original purpose of GTV was to inform Granger High’s students of upcoming events and student accomplishments. This mission has expanded as additional informational videos have been added to the schedule. When teachers don’t show it, this prevents the students from being informed. Ms. Alo stressed that it
is a school-wide expectation for students to watch GTV. Those are challenges on the reception side of GTV, but there’s difficulty on the broadcast side, too. A common misconception is that the Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) videos are produced by GTV. PBIS is separate from GTV. PBIS helps teach students how to evaluate and handle emotions, and they create their own videos. Principals also have their own stuff that they want to be aired. Mr. Mundt is a prime example with his occasional announcements. It’s the same with Jostens Harbor videos. GTV also airs SBO videos and emotional support slideshows from Granite School District’s social workers. These are all delivered by GTV, but GTV students don’t control the content. Just producing prerecorded announcements creates a hefty workload for GTV, but so many separate organizations use the GTV platform to deliver their videos that it makes for a complicated schedule. This certainly helps reduce the GTV staff’s stress when it comes to programming daily content, but it makes GTV look bad when these groups miss deadlines or offer reruns from three years ago. Having said that, the students in GTV are given a single class period every other day to complete all of their work. “It’s kind of stressful to film and edit in one class period,” Everill said. “If it isn’t done, it doesn’t air.” Teachers and students should look forward to watching GTV’s student-produced announcement videos in addition to other scheduled broadcasts. Whether they aren’t sure what is happening on that particular day, or if they want to see what their peers have been up to, everyone should see this as a resource and understand that it has many purposes that will benefit everyone.
instagram.com/tricolortimes Hazing’s not for Lancers
By Ivan Padilla HAZING has been a problem in the past, as well as the present, for universities and even some high schools. Hazing is not to be confused with introduction ceremonies or traditions to greet the newcomers of a group. A great example of a traditional greeting would be that of the Madrigals. “I sang a song with the other Madrigals,” Mary Newton (12) said. The Madrigals sing a song called Remember. While the Madrigals sing, the senior members walk off one by one and are replaced by a neophyte member. “It is a transition period to see that journey that we are going through and the next step,” Newton said. It is both an introduction and a farewell, and it is a perfect example of a welcoming and emotional tradition. Hazing, as defined by Article Vlll.B.9 of the Granite School District’s Bullying and Hazing policy, is “knowingly committing an act of bullying for the purpose of initiation or admission into, affiliation with, holding office in, or as a condition for, membership or acceptance, or continued membership or acceptance, in any school or school sponsored team, organization, program, or event.” It’s the bullying that makes the difference—the premeditated cruelty. Newton also told a story of her father’s initiation into debate when he was a sophomore. He was in his room, unable to sleep, and he heard a noise come from his window. He wondered what it was and went to check on it.
Next thing he knew, an attractive female upperclassman from the debate team was climbing into his room from the window. She was here to take him. While she was in the room, he heard his mother coming down the hall. He quickly locked the door and told his mother that he was just fine. His mother knew she was there. The debate team had talked to his parents beforehand. Afterwards, they went out and had a hoot. One place often thought about when hazing is mentioned is the military, which has many traditions. “I think there are rites of passage; it is not hazing,” retired Air Force Maj. Sandrock said. One of those rites of passage is basic training, often referred to as boot camp. It is notoriously difficult and known for ‘breaking’ cadets. This, however, is not the intent of military basic training. It is undoubtedly difficult, but it is meant to prepare cadets for the rigors of the military. “Tradition is where you feel welcomed and feel the love. You feel like you are surrounded by people with the same goal and same mindset,” Moses Sonasi (12), a member of the football team, said. Sonasi said there were no welcoming ceremonies for the new members of the team, but that the team does have traditions. There seem to be few welcoming traditions at Granger, but the ones that are here are meaningful. The big deal within these communities come from the traditions that they carry.
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In an age of fake news, kids must find ways to get reliable information By Ivan Siete STUDENTS can get news from any outlet. However, students aren’t able to discern what sources they should rely on. Fake news is only adding to this problem. Traditionally, people would get their news from the newspaper, radio, or television. They had limited sources. Every news source recited a similar story. The
internet has given society a big advantage when it comes to getting information. There are now many news sources with different perspectives on any particular issue. Isaid Quiroz (12) isn’t influenced by the news. Quiroz does read the news every now and then, but he usually gets information from his peers. Quiroz is not
Noah Rivas is catching up on articles in The Tri-Color Times.
really interested in world news. He prefers to be informed on what he is passionate about, like gaming and cars. When Quiroz reads something suspicious, he typically tries to double check it. “Just get more sources,” Quiroz said. Today there are millions and millions of news sites, such as: The New York Times, CNN, FOX News, and multiple others. Social media sites like Twitter, Snapchat, and Facebook also provide another outlet. They allow students to have the freedom of posting links to anything—from selfies to opinions on worldwide issues. However, social media is not a reliable source. Social media caters news to people according to what fits their viewpoint on a particular issue and what’s popular or clickbait. This quickly becomes a problem because students aren’t exposed to informed or diverse points of view that
might introduce news-worthy considerations. This prevents students from making an informed decision on issues with which they’re presented. Students also have to realize that not every post or user can be trusted, so they should double check what information they find. Noah Rivas (11) reads the news whenever he can. Rivas gets the news from his phone and television because he likes to stay updated with political news. Rivas definitely knows that there is a lot of fake news roaming around on social media. He encourages students to check everything they read on social media. Many people care about the news. Some individuals watch or read the news daily, so their lives are heavily impacted by the news they are given. Their lives revolve around the stuff that happens in the news. However, this interest is largely coming from adults. Students
tend to be less interested in the news, thus their lives aren’t as influenced by the news they hear or read. Of course, there are exceptions, and there are some students who care about politics and want to know what direction their country is headed, what’s up with the weather, or how a favorite sports team is doing. With so much fake news roaming around, people have to fact check what they read. Anhtu Tran (12) isn’t too big on social media. Tran likes to get the news the old-fashioned way by watching CNN on television. Tran also likes to read the Salt Lake Tribune and keep up with news around the world. Every now and then, Tran gets her news from Snapchat and YouTube. There are many ways that students can avoid fake news. Students should also find trusted news sources and be a little more skeptical of initial reactions to what they read.
Ninth grader gets a big surprise by finding out she won a contest
By Angela Cortez EVERYONE has to write an essay at one point in their life. They can be very boring and complicated,
Shayma won a Granite essay contest.
but they can also be rewarding. It was for Shayma Sadiq (9), who decided to enter a contest, and she actually won it! She participated in the Cesar Chavez Essay Contest for her English class, and she won the grand prize that includes an award and dinner party in March of 2019. The contest is always related to social justice, and this year’s theme was about Women of the Movement. “I chose to base the essay on Ruby Bridges,” Sadiq said. Entering the consent wasn’t required, but she decided to take a risk. Sadiq has a fantastic story behind her impressive win. Her first language was Kurdish, and she is currently taking ESL here at Granger, which is a program that helps her improve
her English language skills. She is also taking a GTI agriculture class. She aspires to be a lawyer, where she hopes to fight against criminals. However, she is also considering becoming a veterinarian because she loves animals. Beyond these diverse interests, she’s a bright student and is very friendly. Sadiq was born here in the United States, but her parents were born somewhere else. “My parents are from the Kurdistan Region in Iraq and are Muslim,” she said. Her parents aren’t harsh when it comes to interpreting the religion, but this year she decided to get more in touch with it and decided to wear her hijab, but sadly that hasn’t gone so well. Her essay was about her strug-
GHS dreamers worried about the future
By Carlos Salinas Due to obvious concerns, some students interviewed in this article prefer to remain anonymous. THE PARENTS of dreamers are those who once sought refuge. Dreamers are the children of those who wanted more—illegal residents who were brought into the U.S. at a young age before they had any authority to make their own decisions. “Anyone who came to the United States before age 16, and is over age 14, is a dreamer,” as stated on the AmericaProgress.com website. “I’m actually a dreamer myself, and as a kid, I’ve struggled to get an education,” a Lancer who wishes to remain anonymous said. Without citizenship, education becomes harder to obtain. Furthermore, asking law enforcement for help is a big ‘no’ for these dreamers. “It sucks not having citizenship. We can’t ever go to law enforcement when we have an issue. Police are here to protect us, but they can’t do that when all we do is try to avoid them,” this anonymous Lancer said. The DREAM Act (Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act) allowed for certain unauthorized immigrants to apply for citizenship. The DREAM Act represents a
dream to protect young, undocumented immigrants; but changes made to DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) makes dreamers unsure of their futures. “My mom is a dreamer. She came here for a better life when she was 16. I’m a citizen here, but there are times when I can tell my mom fears being deported,” another Lancer who wishes to remain anonymous said. Dreamers’ families never feel entirely safe. Losing an uncle or even a mother would affect these students. “Whenever a police officer is on the same road as we are, my mom always tells us to never look at them, to sit down and act normal,” this second anonymous Lancer said. Safety should be the number one priority for Granger students. Students can’t simply learn under the stress of a thirdparty danger. This puts teachers in a difficult situation. “Teachers only want the best for their students. We serve these students every day; we care about them. We need to be supportive of dreamers at Granger and make them feel safe physically and emotionally at school. Granger is such a diverse school, and we need to make sure we take care of each group of students,” Ms. Thomas said. Ms. Thomas
knows that each student is different and needs to be taken care of. She promotes the idea that some students may need extra care from the teachers. The history of the United States is filled with immigrant and refugee stories. “My aunt recently gained citizenship here. She’s a refugee who came into the United States from Cambodia when she was 10. It was either immigrate illegally into the United States or be forced into the war at 16 years old,” Rachana Rin (9) said. It was 1974 when that young refugee fled Cambodia. One year later in 1975, the Cambodian genocide began, and two million residents were killed. The process for gaining citizenship is a long one. Rin’s aunt was in a ‘dreamer’ situation for years. Her family supported her throughout these years. “She took English classes to get ready to apply for citizenship. She just barely got citizenship this year. She’s 54 now.” Rin said. Over the course of Rin’s aunt’s life, she was just like one of today’s dreamers. She dreamed of citizenship, and she finally has it today. The only problem is that she had to wait 44 years to earn the security of citizenship.
gles with her hijab, in school and in her daily life. Since she is Muslim, she intends to wear the hijab often, and she prays five times a day. These characteristics can sometimes make other people uncomfortable. “Yeah, it’s hard wearing my hijab in school when some people automatically assume that I am a terrorist,” Sadiq said. She explained that she tries to not let those comments and thoughts affect her personality and kindness to others. When she learned that she could write an essay on ‘Women of the Movement,’ she decided to write about Ruby because she related to her in several ways. “I suspect she did so well on her essay because she has a good
eye for detail and because she puts a lot of care and work into everything she does,” Ms. Erickson said. She also said that Sadiq is always in a good mood and seems to get along with her classmates. She did not know Sadiq won, but she says that’s great of her to win and that she works very hard and puts effort into her projects. “No one should be less happy or confident because of their race. My goal is to stop racism and not be afraid to stand up. If we all stand as one, we can make a huge change and difference in our world,” Sadiq wrote in her essay. She clearly brings a lot of power and meaning to her work. Lancers should congratulate Sadiq for the impressive writing that helped her win this essay contest.
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 Nevaeh Chavez Angela Cortez Tyler Danh Paola Estrada Elena Flores Ariana Gomez Stephanie Gutierrez
Reporters Krystal Hernandez Karla Landeros Britney Luong Alexis McArthur Analicia Montoya Nancy Otuafi Ivan Padilla Lina Philip Emma Pratt Carlos Salinas Ivan Siete Leilani Tima 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.
Tri-Color Times c/o Granger High 3580 South 3600 West West Valley, UT 84119 (385) 646-5320
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Dr. Dunn treats high achievers to lunch
By Tyler Dahn FOR TWO delicious days, Dr. Dunn rewarded 4.0 GPA and high honor roll students with Panda Express and taco truck tacos for lunch. Students with a GPA of a 4.0 earned a Panda Express lunch with the principal, and students with a 3.75 GPA and above got authentic tacos. About 550 students qualified for tacos with high honor roll performances, and 178 students with 4.0 GPAs. Those 178 kids all received 4.0 GPAs and were rewarded by having lunch with the principal, where he catered Panda Express. A lot of these students also participate in extracurricular activities and have still managed to get straight A-grades. Getting a 4.0 is hard, especially when students have to juggle school with sports and other activities. These students show that they can do anything if they put their minds to it. “It’s all about the work you put in,” Tue Tran (10) said. She
believes everyone should strive to get a 4.0 to better their future. “It is harder [to earn a 4.0] in the upper class as compared to our fresh-man year,” she said. She believes any reward is good, but she also thinks that the reward could have been increased citizenship or decreased fines. She enjoyed the reward and appreciated that the prin-cipal acknowledged and rewarded all of them. “It is a little hard, but as long as you follow directions, school is pretty easy,” Karen Gonzalez (11) said. Gonzalez found school to be a bit challenging, but she has been nailing it with a 4.0. To main-tain such a GPA, she always does her best. She really enjoyed having lunch with the principal. She works hard and never gives up. She plans to finish strong this year, and she hopes to continue next year with 4.0 GPAs. Tanahiri Arellano (11) balances her academics with cheerleading. She maintains a 4.0 and
is doing her best to always do so. Arellano very much enjoyed the food they offered. She appreciated it im-mensely. “It was good, and I got to get to know the principal better,” Arellano said. She says it is easy to get high grades as long as kids go to class and try. “Busiest people will help the most,” Dr. Dunn said. He was very happy with all of the people who showed up. He likes to give recognition to all the kids that got a 4.0 by celebrating their achievements. He believes that most of the students that had a 4.0 are the ones who are very hardworking, and they’re also involved with sports and clubs. He believes that as long as you set your goals, you can accomplish anything. He plans on seeing more 4.0 GPA students in the future, and he knows that it will happen. He’s also proud of the students who earned tacos after landing on the high honor roll with 3.75 GPAs.
Mr. Beck and Dr. Dunn collect lunch tickets at Panda Express celebration.
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Boys volleyball club has finally been created at Granger High School By Leilani Tima VOLLEYBALL is a major sport around the world. Granger has a girls volleyball team, but it lacks a boys team However, Granger now has a new addition to its many clubs run at this school. It’s a boys volleyball club team.
“I found out that we didn’t have a team. Just when I was about to join another school’s league, I thought to myself, ‘Well…if they can have one, why can’t we?’ ” Siotame Siaki (12) said. He came up with the idea for this club and became its first
president. There were many boys that came to the tryouts, with the first club meeting reaching a tremendous success. The boys were quite excited to learn about this club. “Well, I never really thought about volleyball professionally; I always did it for fun,” Eljun Tima (10) said. Tima explained that he didn’t take volleyball seriously, but he was still interested in playing and learning more about the sport. There are some boys who have been playing since they were really young. Some were even influenced by their parents teaching them how to play. Others have experienced volleyball as part of their culture. “I’ve been playAfter eating lunch, students make a circle and play volleyball until the bell rings. ing volleyball ever
since I was a child, and it’s a big part of my culture too,” Siaki said. There are many different reasons why these guys get motivated and never give up. Although there are boys that were influenced by family or culture, there are some students that go to feel relief. “I wanted to join this club because it’s a positive way to release energy,” Isileli Pulu (10), a sophomore who spends his time playing volleyball at lunch, said. There are many boys that are inspired by so many factors. There are guys that want to continue playing this sport as part of their future careers, and there are some who think about this club as a way to have fun and a hobby. “I hope I do take this sport into my future career because it’s so much fun, and I like working with people,” Ceegee De Vera (9) said. There have been some students who explained that volleyball is fun, but it’s not something that they personally take seriously. “I just see this as a hobby, but yeah nothing further than that,” Pulu said. Despite the fact of
having it just as a hobby, these boys really do enjoy this sport and want to learn more about it to improve their volleyball skills. Some boys would consider volleyball as their future career if it could bring guaranteed success in their life. “I would take volleyball more seriously and as a possible future career if it could earn me money,” Tima said. Even though these boys have different perspectives of what they want to get out of a boys volleyball club, they still reach for the same things: skills and improvement. This volleyball club has encouraged boys not only to try something new, but to play and learn equally. Even though this club hasn’t officially started its season, boys are welcome to come to their open gyms any time they are available. Boys can be inspired and influenced to try a different sport and to always strive to experience new interests. Many Lancers can see this boys volleyball team as progressing and growing into a hard-working and fun club.
Boys basketball is optimistic about new season By Alexis McArthur FOOTBALL season has ended, and basketball season has found its way in. The coaches are very excited to welcome the new basketball team for the 2018-2019 school year. Tryouts were November 5-7. “I’m really excited for this season,” Kameron Languido (11) said. Languido added that basketball is a passion of his. “I’ve been playing basketball for about 10 years, and I was really excited to get into high school and try out for the team,” Languido said. He is six feet tall, and he has been playing on the varsity team for two years as center. “I didn’t get a lot of playing time last year because there were a lot of seniors, but I’m looking forward to seeing more playing time now that I am an upperclassman,” Languido said. “I’m excited for the season to start, but there aren’t that many returners because we had a lot of seniors last year,” Vuthy Rin (11) said. Rin thinks that it will be a lot different this year because there were only a few boys from last year’s team that tried out. “We were expecting there to be more people returning from the team
we had last year, but we can’t depend on those people because in the end, the people that make tryouts will be the ones we can count on,” Rin said. He has been on the basketball team for three years. “I’ve been on varsity but haven’t gotten a lot of playing time because there were a lot of seniors,” Rin said. “My dad showed me basketball when I was really little. I picked up on it quickly, and I’ve loved playing ever since,” Roulervee Vann (12) said. Vann is the only senior on the team this year, and he is ready to lead the team in this upcoming season. “I’ve been playing as a point guard on the varsity team since I was a freshman. I was very happy with my stats last year. I had an average of 12 points a game and an average of five rebounds a game,” Vann said. He agreed that it will be different because of the difference in experience from last year. “I’m kind of excited for this year but also kind of not. I’m excited because I love playing basketball but I’m worried because we lost a lot of seniors last year,” Vann said. He has been playing basketball for 11 years, and his primary position is point guard.
“Coach Barlow is probably my favorite coach, just because I’ve known him the longest,” Vann said. Competition to join the basketball team was fierce, and coaches had to make difficult decisions about which players to keep. “I had been on the basketball team since I was a freshman, but sadly I got cut during tryouts this year. My first year on varsity was last year as a shooting guard, but I didn’t get a lot of playing time. I mostly played on junior varsity,” Johnny Pham (12) said. Pham has been playing basketball for 10 years but has only been playing seriously for six years. “I was really excited for this year because I was hoping to get more playing time but there were a lot of new people trying out,” Pham said. He added that he looks up to professional NBA player Kyrie Irving. “I think we have the opportunity to be a really good team this year. We don’t have a ton of experience on the team, but we are going to be working a lot on the basics and getting familiar with everything,” coach Barlow said. Barlow is eager to start the season and to see how well the team is going to work together. “We don’t have the advantage height-wise, but I think our team has some really good shooters, so I’m optimistic.” Mr. Barlow has coached basketball for four years and is a very well-liked coach. “There’s only one senior on our team this year, so we are going to be relying on him a lot to lead the other players and pass on some of his experience,” Barlow said. He also mentioned that he is excited for the new Roulervee is excited for this year, and he is looking forward to being basketball team captain. team.
Donna plays as the right wing on the girls soccer team.
Girls soccer team continues to improve By Liliana Arreola THE GIRLS soccer team did well for the 2018 season. The girls practiced hard before the games started. Practices were in the spring and over summer breaks. Conditioning happened in the middle of July and tryouts happened during the end of July. Games started not too long after that. “Personally, I didn’t do too bad. At the start of the season, I started off as center mid, but I eventually got moved to right wing,” Donna Soria (10) said. “Changing positions can make things a little more difficult, but eventually you adjust to it, and it becomes easier.” The team did well, and we have received much praise. “It was nice receiving shout-outs,” Soria said. The Lady Lancers did great and knowing other people are noticing it is just another benefit for the girls and for Granger. Last year, the girls made it to playoffs and did well. This season, the Lady Lancers made it to playoffs, but they lost the game. The score was 0-3; they played against Layton. Working hard and improving is key to creating a successful team. “I played as a forward. I feel like we did excellent as a team and progressed more with our new positions,” Evelin Okeson (11) said. “I played center back this season. I’ve been playing soc-
cer since my freshman year. This year, we had more technique,” Alyssa Martinez (11) said. Compared to last year, the team got better at what they did. It can be devastating when a team loses a game, but the soccer team feels that they had more skill in the game than they did last year. “This season, we were more skillful and more knowledgeable of the game. Opie and Eden helped mentally prepare us,” Martinez said. It is great to see the Lancers’ progress not only as individuals but as a team. Progressing in a team is the most important thing, and it helps everyone learn about the game they are playing. They also had coaches Opie and Eden push them to improve both their skills and mindset. “New positions were a need because some did well and needed a new position. We did well and made it to playoffs. There has been a lot of growth, and next season we will have 15 seniors on the team,” Eden said. There has been growth for all players on the team. Last year, the girls had more wins than the 2018 season, but they had more technique this year. They may have had fewer wins, but as a team they progressed in how they played the game. The team had coaches who wanted them to do better playing and understanding the sport.
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Lancers considering New Year’s resolutions By Erik Carranza HUMANS are always trying to find ways to improve life and make it better. People are tempted to do this for several reasons, including: financial problems, mental problems, physical problems, etc. Setting goals can be really helpful for the future because it can put anybody on the right path. New Year resolutions have always been something that people have done for themselves. Some follow through with them and others do not. Perhaps some people don’t follow through with their resolutions because they lack motivation. Cris Rodriguez (11) Rodriguez has never made New Year resolutions for himself because he believes that making those resolutions will be too much commitment. “I just like to live life the way it is and let things happen on their own,” Rodriguez said. Focusing on one thing can be hard when you have so many other things that are going on in life. Rodriguez has said that if he were to make New Year resolutions this year, he would make them easy for him to accomplish because he does not want to have to struggle with them. Some of
his resolutions might be: getting a job to help his family with things they need and practicing skateboarding. “I think it is important to have goals for yourself and set easy New Year resolutions. Some people don’t set goals or New Year resolutions because they don’t follow through with them and don’t believe in themselves, so this might be solved by making realistic, easy, and achievable goals for oneself,” Rodriguez said. Elia Panuco Barrios (12) has some tips and suggestions about New Year resolutions and what she has done to accomplish her goals. Barrios has made a lot of New Year resolutions in her life. A lot of those were based around school, including getting good grades and being on top of all of her work. Ever since she made those goals for herself, she has been following through with them and actually getting pretty good grades and doing well with a lot of other things. “This year, some of my goals/ New Year resolutions are going to be: applying to college, losing weight, keeping my grades up, and staying on top of school so I
can graduate with my class,” Barrios said. Giving up a little bit of time throughout the day can be really helpful when it comes to working on whatever goals you have set. “Some ways to follow through with your goals are by picking something realistic. Most people who set resolutions tend to set unrealistic goals and expect to achieve them with such little effort,” Christian Rocha (11) said. “New Year resolutions are only worth making if you are going to accomplish them because why waste time trying to do something knowing is too hard to accomplish,” he said. Rocha has always been the kind of person that has thought about his future, which is why he creates goals for himself most of the time. “Having A New Year resolution is a great idea. People should have a specific goal every year. People can benefit from goals that they set for themselves,” Rocha said. Making New Year resolutions is a great way to learn more about yourself. It also challenges students a little bit, which is what some people need in their life if they ever want to grow.
Matalynn is grateful for the support she has from her friends and family.
LGBTQ students find acceptance at Granger By Mariah Valle GRANGER is an accepting environment for the LGBTQ community. Granger is accepting to the fact that anyone can love whoever they want, and they should not be judged for who they love. Nonetheless, the same is not true for all schools and other institutions across this country. Many people who identify as members of the LGBTQ community have had difficulties coming out to their friends and family. Still, there are those who were welcomed and treated respectfully. Coming out can be a tremendous step for someone that identifies as part of the LGBTQ community. “Those who were open about their sexual orientation or gender identity in high school reported higher self-esteem and life satisfaction as young adults than those who did not disclose, or who tried to conceal, their sexual orientation or gender identity from others at school,” as stated on the futurity.org website. Perhaps it’s important for all to recognize just how vital it is for people to be able to live their lives the way that they want to
live them, including being able to be open about their sexual orientation or gender identity. Many in the LGBTQ community at Granger feel that Lancers have recognized this pivotal moment in their lives, and they feel appreciative of the acceptance Granger has offered them. Yuliana Ortiz (9) thinks that the LGBTQ community feels accepted in most places, but here at Granger, they are very accepted. When she came out, she was accepted by her friends and family, and it made her feel grateful to have them in her life. Arei Turner (11) feels accepted at Granger, and no one attacks her with negativity. When she came out, she was easily accepted by her mom. However, her dad’s side of the family made it somewhat difficult. They did not accept her, and she didn’t know how to be herself around them. Her dad slowly accepted her. However, it did hurt her when he didn’t accept her immediately. Alyssa Thursby (10) is a supporter of the LGBTQ community. She doesn’t think they should receive any hate, even stating that
they are just like anyone else. Her family dislikes that she is a supporter of the LGBTQ community, but she just ignores them and will not change the way she sees the world. Matalynn Perkins (11) came out to her friends and family when she was in 7th grade. She would describe her coming out as perfect and something that she is beyond grateful to have happened to her. When she came out to her friends and family, they accepted her immediately. Ms. Erickson is very supportive of the LGBTQ community. From a very young age, she considered them to be the same as anyone else. She wanted to be an advisor for the LGBTQ club because she felt that students in the LGBTQ community at Granger didn’t have a gathering place. Thus, it was hard for them to find people who understood the things they were going through. She wanted to create a safe place where they could express themselves and be who they are without being judged. As a teacher, she thinks that Granger is ultimately a safe place.
Coach Opie knows how much Sub for Santa means to struggling families.
Penny Wars hits $5000 goal By Analicia Montoya EVERY year, hundreds of families don’t have the financial means to provide Christmas gifts for their children. Sub for Santa is a local Christmas charity that provides gifts for families in need, elderly, and disabled. In order to help these children, they help the parents first. The Lancer Action Team that started Penny Wars at Granger High, which is a war that goes on between the teachers. Students fill up the teachers jars with their change or dollar bills and whoever has the least at the end date gets a pie to the face. All the money that is put into this war goes to Sub for Santa for Granger High. It is truly incredible program that helps so many people every year. The Lancer Action Team adviser is Ms. Neibaur. She thinks Sub for Santa is important and heartwarming at the end. “There are several families that struggle to even get a special meal for the holidays, let alone any presents. Last year Penny Wars raised about $3,000, and the families were more than grateful. This year’s goal is $5,000,” Neibaur said. The way they do this is to find families first then to ask and help the parents. They
get information about each kid and something they have on a wish list, then the Lancer Action Team does its best to get them exactly what they want. Sometimes the biggest supporters are the people who have had this happen to them personally. Even some teachers here at Granger High have experienced a Christmas without presents. Mr. Okeson shared his thoughts about Sub for Santa. “This subject is very important because you could really make change for many families. In my first year of teaching, I didn’t realize I would go three months without a paycheck. I couldn’t afford presents for my three daughters. On the day of Christmas, I received a big box of gifts for my family,” Opie said. He knows how it hurts to not get anything for his family himself, but to have that surprise of gifts is very heartwarming, and he wants the same for others who are in need. The joy of helping out families and children in need is definitely a great feeling. There’s nothing better than helping out the community just to see a smile. The purpose of Sub for Santa is to give families presents to make holidays better.
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Lancers should watch classic holiday movies
Waylend believes that teachers should give out less homework.
Homework can negatively affect students By Emma Pratt HOMEWORK has always been thought to have positive effects on students. However, recent research has revealed some negatifve effects, too. This topic has been debated for years: Is homework good or bad? In 1999, Time Magazine published a cover with the headline, “Too much homework! How it’s hurting our kids, and what parents should do about it.” “...any more than two hours of homework per night is counterproductive,” as stated on the healthline. com website. Many studies have been conducted involving homeworkand its effects. A poll was organized, asking parents how they felt about it. 57% of the parents said that their child gets the right amount of homework, 19% thought it was too much. “Now that Mr. Cousins isn’t assigning homework, I feel like we are more productive in class,” Waylend Haskins (10) said. By not having homework, the students are now able to discuss more on what they’re learning. “We are able to study at home better and focus more,” he said. Mr. Cousins has decided not to assign homework this term. Last year, a teacher at Skyline High School had a higher percentage of passing scores after deciding not to assign homework. So, Mr. Cousins has decided to experiment with it. All of the “homework” that his students take home are assignments that weren’t finished in class. He decided that about 90% of his students won’t do the work that he assigns. By not assigning homework, it puts pressure on students to study at home. He wants to give as much information to his students as he can. Mr. Cousins said that he’s looking for a way to improve student performance. So, if Skyline improved performance by not assigning homework, he wants to try it. Duke University psychology professor Harris Cooper found that there was a positive correlation between student achievement and homework. This study showed that the students who did their homework performed better at school. “His report noted that homework is also thought to improve study habits, attitudes toward school, self-discipline, inquisitiveness and independent problem solving skills,” as stated on the time.com website. This shows that homework can have a positive effect. It helps students to become more independent and to grow. It can help students to be more prepared for an adult life. Students are able to further their knowledge with
homework which means that it actually benefits students. However, this study also showed some negative effects of homework. “Some studies he examined showed that homework can cause physical and emotional fatigue, fuel negative attitudes about learning and limit leisure time for children,” as stated on the time.com website. Cooper noticed these effects and suggested studying them further. Homework may be less beneficial that previously thought. Homework has affected students in many ways. It has helped students boost their scores, understand more, and it has even helped teachers understand which concepts their students understand. However, it has also contributed to a lot of pressure, anxiety, and stress in students. So is it more hurtful or helpful? In 2000, a study involving thousands of children and college students was conducted. The study showed that anxiety in college students and children had increased greatly since the 1950s. “In fact, the studies find that anxiety has increased so much that typical schoolchildren during the 1980s reported more anxiety than child psychiatric patients did during the 1950s,” as stated by the American Psychological Association on the apa.org website. “The results of the study suggest that cases of depression will continue to increase in the coming decades, as anxiety tends to predispose people to depression,” Jean M. Twenge, a psychologist and study author said. This study was conducted in 2000, almost 19 years ago. Twenge also said that drug and alcohol use would increase because anxiety and depression usually lead to substance abuse. “By the time I have time to start my homework, it’s already 11:00 p.m., and I still need to eat dinner. Homework does affect students’ health,” Elise Buckner (10) said. Students have a lot going on in their lives, and they sometimes don’t have time for the amount of homework given. This amount of stress and pressure definitely affect students’ health. “Think about medications...If you take too little, they’ll have no effect. If you take too much, they can kill you. If you take the right amount, you’ll get better,” Cooper said. Apply this to school and homework. Not enough homework won’t benefit students. Too much homework can affect them physically and mentally. Just the right amount of homework can help students learn, understand, and grow, and it is important for schools to start realizing that.
By Karla Landeros CHRISTMAS is a time of year when families try enjoying their time. Obviously, Christmas movies are a part of that. Throughout many years, popular television channels have been broadcasting movies of all sorts around this time of year. Movies during Christmas are so popular that they sometimes even become traditions. “Every Christmas Eve, my family and I gather around and watch The Polar Express,” Siotone Siaki (12) said. There are already two movies about the Grinch, and this year another one was made. “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” is about a grumpy green man with a heart two sizes too small. Every year on Christmas Eve, The Grinch watches the Whos celebrate Christmas from his home on top of a mountain in Whoville. The Grinch hates Christmas. So on one Christmas Eve, he decides to take his dog Max and fake being Santa for the night. His plan was to steal Christmas in one night. “The movie is great and child friendly,” Evan Caldwell (10) said. Emilia Victouriano (12) loves any kind of Christmas made for kids, but she especially loves The Grinch who Stole Christmas because she relates to him in one way. “I relate to the Grinch because I’m also very isolated and can be mean sometimes, but most of the time I have a growing heart,¨ Victouriano said.
Charles Dickens is the author of A Christmas Carol, but like The Grinch who Stole Christmas and The Polar Express, Christmas stories are often a pleasure when they are brought to life in films. In the movie, Ebenezer Scrooge is an old man with a terribly cold personality. When Scrooge is vis-
Ms. Cousins loves A Christmas Carol.
ited by the ghost of his dead business partner, Marley, Scrooge is told that he will die the morning before Christmas Eve. The only option for him to survive the night is for three Christmas spirits to teach him what his personality has to turned to. Hayden Soderberg (10) has watched many great Christmas movies throughout the years, and A Christmas Carol is one of her favorites. “I personally think it’s
a good movie, and I think it portrays a good message. The idea is pretty original; it gets people in the holiday spirit, and the acting’s good too,” Soderberg said. Even though Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas is not exactly a Christmas movie, nor is it a Halloween movie either, many Lancers have watched it and would recommend putting it in a holiday binge watch list. “It is a great movie to watch in between Halloween and Christmas,” Jessika Nava (9) said. Burton’s Jack Skellington, Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, soon discovers some doors in the middle of the forest and steps into the one that leads him into Christmas Town. Jack soon finds himself enjoying the happiness and peace of Christmas. When Jack takes the idea of Christmas to Halloween Town, the residents of Halloween Town misinterpret the meaning of Christmas and distort all manner of Christmas traditions into frightful ideas based on Halloween. Soon enough, Jack is into the idea that he and Halloween Town will take over Christmas. Many more movies are timely to watch in December, and they don’t even have to be Christmas related. Christmas is a time of joy and laughter, and obviously the television, movie theatres, and even RedBox has movies for all families to enjoy, while drinking some delicious hot chocolate.
Belle reads to the Beast as they get to know each other during her captivity.
Beauty and the Beast is an amazing success By Karla Landeros THIS YEAR, one of Granger’s plays was Beauty and the Beast. The stage filled up with props and actors, doing their best job after months of practice. Rachel Guerra (12) and Jett Larson (12), playing as Belle and the Beast, totally grabbed the attention of many viewers of all ages with their amazing acting skills bringing Beauty and the Beast to life on stage. Beauty and the Beast was the first play I have ever watched, and honestly, the play exceeded my expectations. The actors, as well as the stage props, made the story vivid and clear. When the enchanted servants and villagers sang with a smile on their face, I had goosebumps over my skin.
My favorite part of the play was probably during the “Be My Guest” song. The choreography that the napkins had was amazing. The characters were also great. LeFou, played by Jonah Newton (9), did a great job of embracing his character. The lighting and set were well put together and was very intriguing. What appeared to be the castle doors, when turned around, was a villager’s cozy home. The lighting changed the mood and the type of situation the characters were put in. An all dark moment meant that Belle’s father was lost and scared in the woods. Costumes were also above my expectations. Lumiere had battery operated candles that were literally “lit”. The villagers were
dressed appropriately for the time period that the story takes place in. The enchanted servants were quite odd though; they were a bit funny. Although the costumes are not 100% real, the actors on stage made it clear of who they were in the story. Out of everything that impressed me, it was the acting that impressed me the most! Mrs. Potts did an excellent job at working alongside her “son”. And the villagers all did a superb job. Overall, everyone who performed on stage and behind stage did an amazing job. The months of rehearsal paid off, and now they get to rest a while before their next play. I believe that the next play be just as fascinating and intriguing.