Vol. 93, Issue 1
November 1, 2018
Bruins come together to celebrate seniors KAMERON HAILEY & WINDSOR MCINERNY Photo Editor, Features Editor
The Senior Night football game is a special event honoring both football players and seniors alike. At the game, held October 26, Wilson played against Compton High School, where the Bruins won 42-16. This was a perfect end to the perfect senior night. Because of the win, the team not only got to celebrate senior night with a victory, but also is now qualified for the CIF playoffs. “Big game for the team… if they win they are in the playoffs. They control their own destiny,” Athletic Director, Jeffrey Evans said before the big win. The game started with a massive debut of some of the many Wilson seniors, walking with their parents and loved ones through a tunnel of football players alongside Wilson’s many spirit groups. Everyone cheered and clapped in honor of their accomplishments, spoken from the announcer. After the grand beginning, Wilson’s Advanced Dance performed on the field to support the players, kicking off the start of the game. The players had a triumphant start and kept that momentum through-
Seniors Emari Mann (middle) and Exodus Gordon (right), along with Emari’s mom (left), walk down the aisle together, to celebrate their final year of high school. out the game with many effortless touchdowns. “I think everyone has given it their all,” Evans also shared. Although, the victory did not come without a little sadness. The
memories created will be on the football field and stands forever, and the seniors will be missed. When asked if they would be sad to see the seniors go, Wilson’s Activities Director, Mrs.
ing style and instruments. From the violins and bass harmonizing in unison, to the tenor saxophone solo during the Jazz band’s performance, the concert was successful in displaying the true talent of the young musicians that belong to this program. Throughout the concert, a range of songs were able to distinguish themselves as being very unique and creative. One of these tunes were the “Flight of Fancy” piece, which had both the Symphonic Winds and the Symphonic Strings play in a simultaneous manner. Based on real life birds, this song had the bass students beat and peck on their instrument in order to create somewhat of a mimicry to the sounds of a woodpecker and a hen pecking on wood. Another creative tune was the “Fright Night” feature, performed by the String Orchestra, which included an array of fantastic halloween-styled tunes. This included, but was not limited to, the Addams Family theme, Night on Stark Mountain, Funeral March, and more. All in all, the concert was a fun and unique experience for
the parents and the students. Speaking of the students, a large amount of them were basically enthusiastic for their concert, but not just because of the fun they were about to have. Many of them actually wanted to stimulate some of the students and any younger pupils into exploring the vast world of music.“I want to inspire people to get into music.” commented Angelina Lopez, an expert violin player. Heck, some of them were even inspired by music themselves, influencing them towards the beauty that it sacredly possesses. Melissa (violin) and Vanessa (bass) Orna are both examples of this, stating that different types of music got them into it in the first place. “Jazz really inspired me because I liked the way it sounded.” said Vanessa, reminiscing on the earlier tunes of jazz she has heard in her life. In summation, students of the instrumental program not only want to amaze their audience, but they also want to inspire them. They want people to basically respond to their work, like the way Melissa did, and say “ I want to be part of this magical art.”
Fall instrumental concert brings the sound of music EMMETT EDGE Reporter
It was the dusk of October 24, 2018. Not a sound nor peep was heard--utter silence. Then, as if a sudden breeze rushed into the building (shout outs to the opened door), the room of the auditorium suddenly resonated with the varying tones and chimes produced from instruments, all unifying into perfect balance, creating a delicate tune. People were left truly astonished with overwhelming feelings of delight that such exquisite music had hidden from their ears for years. As they sat back in their seats they were taken aback and simultaneously forgetting what they had come to. They’d ask, “Where am I?” and would quickly glance towards a hot pink paper that was resting on their hand. By reading that paper, they were reminded that they’ve attended the fall concert. The audience at the concert was exposed to six different bands (Jazz Band, Symphonic Winds, Symphony Strings, String Orchestra, Intermediate Orchestra), each having a different play-
Fekjar, and Wilson’s Athletics Director, Mr. Evans, both answered simultaneously, “Always”. Evans continued, “We don’t spend four years with everyone . . . and not form a bond.”
Fellow Bruins can look forward to seeing more of the Wilson players compete in the CIF playoffs, this Friday against the Mira Costa Mustangs.
INSIDE
Teachers say “Aloha” to the new Lokahi room. Page 5. Bruins check out the emotional Fall Drama. Page 6
Woody’s Road Trip: Homecoming 2018 Page 8
Opinion
Wilson High School Loudspeaker
Page 2
Wilson facilities need change Chloe Knopf
Features Editor Using a public restroom= has never been very attractive. No one should have to face these gross struggles while at school. Wilson High School is a fine school with many positive attributes, but those do not include the bathrooms. School is mandatory, so for students to have to worry about where they’re going to use the bathroom—in addition to worrying about several other factors—isn’t acceptable. Anyone who is interested in the public opinion of these school bathrooms won’t have trouble finding consensus. In a
small survey of Wilson students, 100% of students replied that the bathrooms needed improvement, and when asked to rate the bathrooms out of five, (five the best and one the worst) 100% of respondents rated them three or below. Students deserve property amenities, and although I can only speak from experience about the female student bathrooms, it’s clear that the male bathrooms have equally problematic circumstances. Having to ask for bathrooms without ants, bad smells (and not just because it’s a restroom), and a lack of necessary materials such as toilet paper, tampons, or soap, is a silly and redundant request. This is the equivalent of simply asking for a bathroom; for them to be sanitary is implied, as senior Rachel Garcia puts it, “I would prefer if there weren't ants crawl-
ing where I'm about to go pee.” This is a reasonable request and shouldn’t have to be asked for. One unexpected result of these
“Wilson High School is a fine school with many positive attributes, but that does not include the bathrooms.”
-Chloe Knopf Features Editor
poor conditions are students’ tendency to pick a favorite bathroom and stick to it. When asked about the bathroom favorites, senior Natalie Waldo claims
“The Media Center is my favorite because it doesn't smell as bad and it’s more clean,” while another student said, “Definitely the 500 bathrooms. They are always super clean and have toilet paper and soap. Plus, there are no ants and disgusting trash everywhere.” Seeing students pick and choose where they feel comfortable using the bathroom is something no administration should be pleased to hear about. Another issue facing the Wilson bathrooms is their lack of feminine hygiene products. The bathrooms should include free tampon and pad dispensers. In the past year, one has been installed in the girls restroom in the 100 building, and although it rarely has anything to actually give, this is still a huge improvement compared to the industrial 25¢ unoperational tampon dispensers found in most
of the restrooms. Girls make up approximately half the student body at Wilson, so around 2,000 students are in need of tampons, pads, etc. every month. Although it is sometimes (incorrectly) viewed as a controversial or embarrassing topic, it is something that a large number of students would benefit from, and an issue that needs to be addressed. The range of problems in the Wilson restrooms does not end at the lack of tampons and the abundance of ants; there are many things that need to be improved in these bathrooms. This is a problem that would take hardly any effort for the district to fix, excluding a new Dyson hand dryer that can be visited in the girls’ Park Avenue bathroom, there have been hardly any noticeable improvements in recent years, and it is time for change.
Uniform policy in need of revision Windsor McInerny Features Editor
Much too often adults sacrifice the wellbeing of students in the attempt to solve a very large issue for teens. School administrations often avoid real solutions in order to reach the “quick-fix”. I believe the school uniform is one of those quick-fixes—a bandaid placed on top of too big of wounds. If you ask a faculty member the question “why do we have a uniform?” the answer is most often one of four: equality of socio-economic classes, improved attendance or behavior, school unity, or teen violence. While lack of equality, safety and school pride are all important issues, asking teens to solve them by wearing uniform deepens the wounds. It’s critical to examine whether dress codes actually help these problems or worsen them. A very common defense for uniform, is that it conceals socio-economic classes. This hypothetically creates an even playing field—thus bringing
down bullying rates. David L. Brunsma, PhD, observed that students from high-income families were more likely to buy larger quantities of uniforms than students from low-income families. Wearing the same uniform pieces everyday, causes clothing to tear and fade and—after only two months, socioeconomic differences are exposed. The uniform system does not create equality in school but instead creates added stress and expenses for low-income families for a two-month payout. If there were no dress code, the money which would be allocated for those uniforms could go to students’ everyday wardrobe-- clothes that could be worn both inside and outside of school without stigma. Many low-income families say they can not keep up with school expenses, largely coming from uniforms. A similar study reports that children were missing class because their parents could not provide the necessary uniform. Another argument for uniform is that a common attire improves test scores, attendance, and student behavior. The issue with this argument in particular, is that
LOUDSPEAKER STAFF VOLUME 93, ISSUE 1
Photo Editor Kameron Hailey
Sports Editor Adai Vidal
Adviser Mrs. Combs Editors-in-Chief Amber Eusebio Rachel Garcia Features Editors Windsor McInerny Chloe Knopf
Reporters Alex Aguilar Angel Arias Samantha Brandts Mary Dolastek Emmett Edge Catherine Fuentes Joseantonio Garcia Alex Guzman Michael Ndubisi Cynthia Rodriguez Alessandra Trejo
problems like these stem way deeper than the clothing teens wear. More common variables affecting issues dealing with attendance or test scores are things like home life and school learning environments. Visible proof of this is a study completed by David L. Brunsma. The professor of sociology analyzed samples of high schoolers who did or did not have a uniform. Brunsma found no significant changes in student behavior, meaning the uniform was not a contributing variable. To a similar notion, when looking comparatively, Wilson’s “rival” school Polytechnic, has 5% less chronically absent students. Polytechnic High School does not have uniform, and while there are many other factors involved in attendance, Wilson’s dress code does not seem to be improving attendance rates. Using uniforms as a way to improve attendance or test scores is a sloppy tactic. If a school seeks better behavior, grades, or participation, they must improve the wellbeing of the students. Being dress coded induces stress and lack of expression can cause depression. What schools need instead are safe spaces to talk 4400 East Tenth Street, Long Beach, CA 90804 ABOUT US - Published eight times a year, the student newspaper of Wilson High School is a public forum, with its student editorial board making all decisions concerning its contents. EDITORIALS - Unsigned editorials express the views of the majority of the editorial board. Editorials are not necessarily those of the staff, nor should any opinion expressed in public forum be constructed as the opinion or policy of the administration, unless so attributed.
and unwind, cleaner and stocked restrooms, and access to school supplies. Instead, the school puts money, time, and effort into enforcing a dress code policy that has no effect on teen levels of happiness and school achievement levels-- and sometimes decrease them. While seeing 3,792 students all dressed in different shades of cardinal, gold, and khaki seems like a great display of school pride, statistically it has no effect on students sense of unity. A study from the New Yorker showed that there was no difference in school culture between schools that did or did not have uniform-and other studies show a trend of violence in response to dress code. It is easy to understand why uniforms would warrant a negative reaction. Uniforms promote conformity. Dress code restricts individuality and is specifically gendered leading to biased enforcement practices. Similarly, policing conformity has shown to have negative mental health effects on young teens. The Long Beach School District was of the first in the United States to include dress code from
the start of grade school to the end of high school. Researchers have linked this to the thread of gang violence in the city. Dress code enforcers go on to say that having uniform limits can deter students from wearing gang affiliated symbols or colors. But once again, sacrificing student’s right to self-expression seems like the wrong fix to a complex and systemic issue such as gang violence. Polytechnic High school deals with school violence as effectively as Wilson-while sparing the individuality that fashion encompasses. Our school administration must ask themselves if this is really a solution to the problem, or just another example in which student well being is suppressed in the face of violence. The ability to choose what we wear and find self-expression in clothing is one of the greatest teen liberations. In a time of heavy school violence in America, we are seeing a greater push toward uniform in public schools. To enforce safety, they strip us of one of our liberties instead of facing the real causes of student violence, behavioral issues, or inequality.
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Wilson High School Loudspeaker
Opinion
Page 3
To stand or not to stand: our choice Samantha Brandts Reporter
The Pledge of Allegiance has been a controversial issue since its introduction by Francis Bellamy in the late 1800s. Adopted by the U.S. Congress in 1942, the discussion of standing for the Pledge has only intensified. The oath to America was first initiated in public schools in the 1930s, and today at Wilson High School and schools all across America, students have multiple choices on what they can do during the recitation of the pledge. According to the California Education Code 52720, students in public schools must begin the school day with an appropriate patriotic exercise; the pledge of allegiance fulfills the patriotic exercise. This is the reason that every Bruin must acknowledge the pledge during blocks three and four every other day. Recently, the Long Beach Unified School District released a statement reminding teachers of the rights students reserve when it comes to the pledge. The statement was emailed to all teachers at Wilson High School; it stated “We follow the California Education Code, which calls for
the recitation of the pledge, but the school district does not (and cannot) require every student to participate.” Although I choose to stand, I do agree with LBUSD in allowing students to decide what to do during the recitation of the Pledge.
My maternal grandfather was an immigrant from Managua, Nicaragua, to this country and found his acceptance in America
while fighting for Uncle Sam in the U.S. Army. Manuel Maltez recognized the importance of serving a country he believed in, and gladly joined the Army to repay the country that offered him so much in return. My paternal grandfather, David Brandts, also served America as a gunner in the Army Air Corp. I stand for the Pledge of Allegiance because both of my grandfathers served this country willingingly; for me, the recitation of the pledge represents a unity and truth often forgotten, especially in today’s political climate. However, anyone that walks into the classes at Wilson High School would see that many students feel differently: some stand, some sit, and some don’t acknowledge the pledge at all. Why is this allowed? The Long Beach Unified School District cannot require students to participate in the recital of the pledge, nor can the student be punished for not doing so. In West Virginia States Board of Education v. Barnette, the Supreme Court ruled that citizens have not only a right to sit during the pledge, but also have the option of not reciting it at all. As long as a student is not disruptive, he or she can choose to do as he pleases, including standing for the pledge with his hand over his heart, sitting in his seat quietly, or even kneeling if
upcoming test assignment, the students who wrote their notes performed better than the ones that typed their notes. Not only that, but the students who typed had an advantage, since they were able to produce a higher amount of text in their notes. Those students, however, were reported to have had a harder time using their memory compared to the ones who wrote. This examination ultimately acts as a victory towards those who accept the truth that writing gives off way more benefits than typing. Not only does writing improve memory, but it also improves brain development. A 2012 study (taken by Pam A. Mueller and Daniel M. Oppenheimer) was performed on children that had not yet learned to read. They had one group of children handwrite letters and the other group trace/ type letters. The study showed that the kids who wrote had neurons activated in the brain associated with reading while the other groups didn’t. This means that the children who wrote learned how to read faster than the ones who didn’t, which supports my claim on why writing stands superior towards typing. Although the pencil has proved
its worth to me, some still flock towards their keyboards, saying not only is typing easier, but it also saves trees because of a decrease in paper use. However, writing doesn’t lead to cervical cancer, vision loss, skin problems, male infertility, and many more diseases that computers and phones may cause. Who knows, maybe they’ll eventually make hovertops (hovering laptops) but using them could cause hair loss! Also, I’ve never heard of anyone getting an actual disease from writing, so all in all, writing is the way to go. The truth is, writing has more benefits compared to what typing possesses. Not only that, but can also lead to a smarter, moreskilled generation of new people who don’t have a use for technology. However, the power of the pen is slowly losing the influence it once had over the public, losing it to the evils of software and its cursed convenience. If no one shows the new generation of people the holiness of the sacred No.2 pencil, then our society will be doomed to being enslaved by the robotic empire (not really but who knows) . So, to all of the overemotional writers out there: please keep your pens drawn, my friends.
“Although I choose to stand, I do agree with LBUSD in allowing students to decide what to do during the recitation of the Pledge.” -Samantha Brandts Reporter
he chooses to do so. The topic of standing for the pledge returned to people’s minds after the controversial advertisement Nike released regarding Colin Kaepernick as the company’s new spokesperson. Kaepernick’s name rose to many media headlines in August 2016 when he refused to stand for the National Anthem during his professional football preseason game. Many people, in the sports world and otherwise, expressed both support and outrage over
“The results show that about 65% of students feel pressured by their instructors to stand for the Pledge.” -Samantha Brandts Reporter this incident. I asked a total of 30 classmates
to take a poll with questions related to the Pledge of Allegiance at Wilson High School. When asked if they stood for the Pledge, 26 students answered yes, three responded no, and one replied “depends on the day.” This means that over 85% of students surveyed stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Another question on the survey asked if the student’s teachers make them stand, or make them feel that they should stand for the Pledge. I was startled to see that 20 students answered yes and 10 answered no. The results show that about 65% of students feel pressured by their instructors to stand for the Pledge. I choose to stand, but will admit that some teachers are stricter than others when it comes to standing for this patriotic exercise. The survey presents the conclusion that many students do not believe standing for the Pledge should be forced, but should rather be a personal choice made by the student. There are some who would say that, at this point in our young lives, many teenagers do not understand the importance of the Pledge, while others would say that one is never too young to understand their rights to free speech. As the controversy continues, which side will you be on?
Technology is cool, but is old school better? Point/Counterpoint
Emmett Edge Reporter
It is a new century philosophy, a battle between the most dramatic of all writers and the quirkiest of all nerds- a question more daunting than the chicken and egg question: is the keyboard mightier than the pen? Judging by the fact that many people are turning towards technology, it should be no surprise that a large amount of them consider spitting in the face of the ones who withdraw their No. 2 pencils with divine pride. Coming from a well-experienced overdramatic writer like myself, however, I consider it unhealthy to agree. I declare that it’s better to write than type, as writing provides a challenge and a much higher overall reward than to have typed with the help of internet programs. First off, writing enhances the memory of the greats, greater than to what typing can do. A 2014 study conducted at Princeton University proved this statement immaculately. The study showed that when a college class was writing down notes for an
Adai Vidal
Reporter How many times do you use the bright rectangular screen on a daily basis? And I’m not talking about your phone. The established Chromebook can be found in almost every school in the Long Beach district. Chromebooks were given to public schools to strengthen the educational program and to provide new learning opportunities. They have been around for quite a while now and there are several pros to having them in classrooms. Chromebooks are necessary to schools and teachers should take the opportunity to use them in class more often. Chromebooks provide a wide range of safe resources for students. A monitoring software in the Chromebooks allows students to reach safe web browsers and provides filtered resources with just one Google search. The internet is endless, and students can easily attain it with Chromebooks. If Google is still not so reassuring to teachers,students can use Google Scholar
Technology also allows students to work more efficiently. Chromebooks have Google Chrome installed which works fast and easily. Another pro to technology is the availability of typing for students. High School students already get enough practice with typing on their phones or on a computer at home. If it works best for many students, why not allow them to type on a Chromebook. You can also work efficiently on a Chromebook using programs such as Google Drive, which keeps all your work in one place. Technology is not just used in schools, but in a lot of jobs; this can help students get used to the technology that will come in the future. Chromebooks allow teachers to easily access student work through Google Classroom, Docs, and Drive. Technology provides an easy file system for teachers because it allows them to access students’ work in one place. Teachers can also post a lesson plan on Google Classroom and students will receive alerts. This can save some time writing an agenda on a whiteboard were not every student may be able to see it, Google Classroom is easy and fast; it will allow teachers to get more done during class time.
Wilson High School Loudspeaker
OPINION
Page 44
Point/Counterpoint: Is The Nightmare Before Christmas A Halloween Movie? ANGEL ARIAS Reporter
Although it may have Christmas in the title, The Nightmare before Christmas is clearly a Halloween movie. For the first act the film is fully grounded in Halloween Town and stars Jack the Pumpkin King, not an elf or Santa or anything like that. We have a skeleton pumpkin king. In the second act, yes we go to Christmas Town, but it’s only to show how different the two holidays are. The entire premise of the film is centered around a Halloween Town, their leaders, and monsters that live in said town. If a film’s base concept is grounded in Halloween, it’s a Halloween movie, plain and simple. Along with that while Christmas town is visited, it’s only briefly in the second act, and the film fails to break a darker aesthetic and style
during or after said scene. If we look at the character designs they all have this more gritty and scratchy style, which keeps A) really consistent art and B) a very consistent Halloween tone. The characters themselves have people keep the darker tone as well, with no one aside from our two leads being really “nice.” Even Santa is kinda passive aggressive. The dialogue keeps the tone of the film dark-ish even with the nicer characters. Never does the film break the Halloween theme that was envisioned by director, Tim Burton, who has also said on record it’s a Halloween movie. Everything in the film says Halloween, the lighting, character designs, characters themselves, and tone-all Halloween. I’d leave Home Alone for Christmas and sit down and enjoy The Nightmare before Christmas this Halloween.
ALEXANDRO AGUILAR Reporter
I believe that The Nightmare Before Christmas is more of a Christmas movie than a Halloween movie. Christmas is in the title and the movie revolves around the monsters and Jack Skellington of Halloween Town ditching his Halloween persona and to lean more towards the Christmas vibes. When Jack goes and sees Christmas Town for the first time he is conflicted with all the things the elves are doing and quickly begins to fall in love with Christmas and gains the Christmas spirit. As you can hear in the lyrics of his “What’s This” song when he visits Christmas Town, he goes on and on how it’s better than Halloween and is better than Halloween Town.
Later on in the film, he completely ditches the Pumpkin King persona and tries to be Santa Claus, attempting to match his beard and coat, and let’s not forget his hat. Then the whole town gets on the Christmas theme, not ditching the horror aesthetics but just transforming it to be a warm and loving Christmas. But in the end of the of the movie he gives back Christmas to Santa and he seems a bit more kind hearted. Henry Selick, the director does confirm that the movie is a Halloween movie, and a survey by the Daily Mail on October 16th, 2017 has its highest votes in it being a Halloween movie, second place to that is saying that it’s both a Halloween and Christmas movie. But I personally think that the movie is more meant for Christmas.
School-related stress Bring a Wellness Center to WHS should be embraced ALESSANDRA TREJO Reporter
KAMERON HAILEY Photo Editor
Stressing about school is definitely a given for students at this day in age. Students who are taking rigorous classes often can’t seem to reach a level of acceptance with stress. However, I believe that students should learn to embrace the positive aspects. Knowing how to better manage school stressors can help students experience less stress, allowing them to perform to their fullest potential. Many students worry about maintaining good grades or simply making time to study on top of the extracurricular activities they are involved in. On a positive note, extracurricular activities can actually help build time management skills that will eventually better academic stamina. Researchers have found that there is a definite effect on outcomes like reading and math achievement, grades, sense of belonging, and academic self-concept. In addition to building skills within a specific discipline, extracurricular activities are great for developing general academic and soft skills to help in the classroom. Stress triggers a “fight or flight” response that turns on parts of our nervous system and causes us to make certain hormones. It gives us just
enough adrenaline to help act in a beneficial way toward a stressful situation. When we feel stress, our body is sending us a signal about how the pressures we experience affect us physically and mentally. However, this much stress isn’t necessary for a teen taking AP classes. When a student is juggling multiple AP classes to get into the college of their dreams it comes into conclusion that a stress load that greatly, isn’t good enough. Kids with outrageous gpas and amazing academic skills fear that their rigorous classes aren’t good enough for the college of their dreams. “You can’t go to a college fair anymore and say you have these grades and you’re in,” said Eric J. Furda, the dean of admissions at the University of Pennsylvania. Applying to college has become much more stressful in the intervening years and it only is becoming more so, as high test scores and GPAs become less certain indicators of acceptance. To conclude, students should have time to restore themselves before continuing on with academic stress and the challenges it comes with. Dealing with stress now will only benefit you in the future. Stress is causing a traumatic issue for students and in order to get through it, we need to find a way to embrace it.
Everyday, may not be a good day for many students, which could be filled with stress and anxiety. It would help if the school could provide an outlet for students to relax if they’re having a bad day, such as a wellness center. A wellness center caters to students who feel depressed, sad, lonely, etc. and supports them anyway they can. Along with the room, there should be an intake form, that students fill out, stating what they are feeling, and how the school can help them. Schools should add a Wellness room, in case a student is not feeling okay, and could help battle mental illnesses. Many students have anxiety attacks and they need a place where they can calm themselves down. According to the Washington Post, ”Nearly a third of all adolescents ages 13 to 18 will experience an anxiety disorder during their lifetime, according to National Institutes of Health, with the incidence among girls (38.0 percent) far outpacing that among boys (26.1 percent).” It is essential to provide a space for students where they feel like they can relax and not stress. The rise of stress among students is increasing. In 1985, the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA began interviewing incoming freshmen about their experiences during their final year of high school. They asked the students if they had “felt overwhelmed by all [they]
had to do,” in which 18 percent of students responded they did. In 2016, 41 percent said they felt overwhelmed during their senior year, which is a significant increase among students that could occur due to a variety of changes from generation to generation,” according to The Spotlight. This demonstrates how high school
“Many students have anxiety attacks and they need a place where they can calm themselves down.” students are becoming more stressed than ever before, and that we need to help students get better, and find them support. The continuation of stressed high school students leaving for college, may affect their life in college. The Higher Education Today had said, “According to the latest research on college students and mental health, three out of 10 students have struggled with depression in the last two weeks, and over one in four have expressed issues with anxiety. Even more distressing is the one in 20 college students who had created a suicide plan in the past year.” If schools added a wellness center, it may help them overcome their illnesses in preparation for col-
lege. There are other ways to support students with mental illnesses, such as speaking to your counselor. However, the workload for counselors are too much to really help students. “The American School Counselor Association recommends that counselors work with 250 students each, but just three states follow that advice.”, said the National Public Radio. This makes it hard for students to talk to their counselor. Not only does the workload is too much for counselors, many students don’t feel comfortable or don’t think it’s necessary to talk to counselor when they should be talking to them. Sophomore Lexi Gullum, like many other students, doesn’t even know her counselor’s name. “If I wanted to talk to my counselor, I wouldn’t even know who to go to, let alone feel comfortable trusting them with my problems,” commented by The Lance. This explains how students don’t know who to talk to, and don’t feel comfortable to talk to their counselor. If high schools had a wellness center, this can help direct students to find help in whatever they are battling with and make them feel more safe to address their problems. A wellness center could be very beneficial for students. It may make students feel more relaxed and more motivated in school, and in life. And by having a wellness center available for students, it can hopefully drop the rates of mental illnesses in young adults, and in the long run, it can help them live a more happier and healthier life.
Wilson High School Loudspeaker
NEWS
Page 5
Teachers rejoice in the new Lokahi Room ALEX GUZMAN Reporter
When people hear the word “school” the first thing that comes to mind are students and teachers. Wilson offers many resources to its students such as the Media Center, tutors, a Career Center, counselors, a school psychologist, and so much more. The teachers, however, don’t have many resources themselves considering they are these sources. A main aid that they do have are teachers lounges so taking that in mind, expectations of standards would be highly thought of. However, according to multiple staff members this was not the case. “Conversation came about between Dr. Blazer and I about how terrible our teachers lounge is,” according to Anthony Arzate, a history teacher here at Wilson. He collaborated on the new teacher lounge accordingly named the Lokahi Room. Located in room 162, it replaced the AP room which was a previous source for AP students on campus. Since there were not many students utilizing the AP room, Arzate pro-
posed it would be a perfect place for teachers to collaborate with each other; considering there has been a push from the school for teachers to collaborate more. “It’s really comfortable, there’s little snacks in there, there’s drinks in there...it’s so comfortable,” said Daire Brown, another history teacher here at Wilson. The room was redone to provide teachers with a relaxing atmosphere different from their chaotic rooms filled with paperwork and test along with student work waiting to be graded. The Lokahi Room was painted, with new furniture such as coffee pots, fridges, and couches. “You go in there not feeling like you have work, but you know your there to do work,” responded Brown. The space has allowed teachers to walk in and get and clear head in order to work together to have a common lessons and assessments in order to streamline education at Wilson in a positive way. Teachers interviewed have nearly all said that The Lokahi Room has positively impacted their classrooms as now they feel supported by other teachers
From left to right: Julie Stephens, Paula Lazicki, Teela Smith, Anne Smith and Hally Saini. The teachers shown above discuss future plans over a potato potluck. who have put time and effort to perceting each others classrooms allowing full potential for instructions. “Teachers need to get into more of a habit of collaborating,” says Wendy Salya, the Macroeconomics and Government teach-
er. Partnership being promoted between teachers has provided a better learning environment as teachers get to talk and learn from one another to come up with the best route in their classrooms, and students are positively impacted
from this by getting the absolute best effort from multiple teachers working to improve their learning. Arzate perfectly summarized the purpose of the rooms purpose as he states, “Other teachers make me a better teacher.”
WASC accreditation process Wilson holds annual earthquake safety drill is returning to Wilson this year RACHEL GARCIA Editor-in-Chief
At approximately 10:18 a.m on October 18th, 2018, Wilson and thousands of schools all over the country experienced the annual Earthquake Shakeout Day. Students are trained to follow the simple three step rule: Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Being that the first Earthquake Shakeout took place in 2008, this years drill marked the 10th anniversary of the Shakeout. Students were told to duck under their desks until told otherwise, and the classrooms were evacuated of all students and directed to either the Field, the Baseball Field, the Blacktop on C-side, or outside of the Arches. For 40 minutes students were kept outside to ensure their safety, had this been a real drill. After the matter, the drill had been successful and students were released to lunch. There are four levels to the Shakeout Drill; Level 1 being the Drop, Cover, and Hold on procedure and Building Evacuation. Level 2 is the Basic Life Safety Drill, which was designed to engage students, teachers, staff, and administration to go over their emergency response during the drill. Level 3 is the Intermediate Decision Making Table Top Drill, which includes the same students, teachers, staff, administration, and parents to review the drill and discuss possible actions in order to improve the next drill. Level 4 includes the Advanced School Standard Emergency Management Simulation Drill, which is the implementation of the School Emergency Plan and focuses on following the full response system. The Shakeout Drill is Southern California’s way of ensuring students safety in case an emergency and actual earthquake takes place. It trains students and staff to know what to do automatically and how to handle these type of situations in a calm and fashionable manner; these practices can save a lot of lives and prevent a lot of injuries in the long run. Until next year’s practice drill Bruins, remember to Drop, Cover, and Hold On.
CHLOE KNOPF Features Editor
This year, Wilson is going through the accreditation process of the ACS WASC Association. The Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, or ACS WASC, is a non-profit organization founded in 1962. They are one of the main school accrediting programs dedicated to tracking schools’ conditions and ensuring they are meeting the expected criteria. WASC’s goal is to ensure that any given school is a trustworthy institution for student learning and that it is committed to ongoing improvement. The official WASC website states, “ACS WASC encourages and supports institutional development and improvement.” WASC accreditation ensures that a school has objectives that are appropriate for education, conditions under which achievement can reasonably be expected, is accomplishing substantially, and can be expected to continue to do so. The WASC accreditation process is an ongoing cycle that renews every six years. Although it is a complex cycle of evaluations, the process can be simplified to its core steps of assessing, planning, implementing, and then reassessing. The accreditation process be-
gins with an initial visit process. This is a short visit by a two-member team from the WASC organization in order to gather an understanding of the schools purpose, programs, and operations based upon the WASC criteria. Following this visit, the school will be responsible for completing a self-study that outlines their purpose, available programs, and schoolwide learner outcomes. The school will also need to develop a schoolwide action plan, which is an outline of the schools plans for improvement over the upcoming six years. When asked what Wilson’s plans for improvement are, VicePrincipal Renee Shipman, who is responsible for organizing most of the WASC process here, said, “Our critical areas are literacy, numeracy, increasing technology, and culture and climate. Those were the big ones.” WASC receiving of the school’s self-study means that the first year of the accreditation process is in motion. Following the self-study, WASC will decide to give the school either a six-year accreditation, a probationary accreditation, or withhold accreditation altogether. Wilson received a six-year accreditation in the last WASC cycle. “We do a study every six years. It involves the whole school and all different groups and we try to get everyone involved, and then the WASC visiting committee
comes and validates our report,” says Shipman A six-year accreditation is only given to schools that show little need of improvement for high-quality student learning and the implementation of the schoolwide action plan. A six-year accreditation is granted with one of three stipulations. The schools will need to participate in a mid-cycle progress report, which occurs in the third year of the cycle. “[The mid-cycle report] is a smaller scale, so you are reporting the progress you’ve made in the last three years connected to your action plan and the critical areas,” explains Mrs. Shipman. The school may also be required to have a one or two day visit, depending on the seriousness of issues and school size. Regardless of which caliber of six-year accreditation a school receives, in the fourth year of accreditation, the school must submit a special progress report, and will possibly receive a WASC visit, depending on the results of this progress report. In the fifth year of accreditation, these schools need only to begin preparing their next selfstudy. In the sixth and final year of the accreditation process, the school will turn in their most recent self-study, and begin the process again.
Wilson High School Loudspeaker
FEATURE
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Fall Drama wows audience at the Playhouse CATHERINE FUENTES Reporter
“The Incomplete & Random Death of Molly Denholtz” sold out at the box office Thursday night at the Randy Bowden Play-
house, leaving the public to come back Saturday night! This play is about a young girl by the name of Molly Denholtz who dies unexpectedly in a car accident, leaving her entire school and family grieving. Those who
knew her, and those who didn’t know her at all had something to say about Molly. You could even say some people even had a change at heart. The show is the perfect blend of every emotion you could have
put into one play. It takes place in 2018, making it very relatable for High School students in many ways. The setting being mostly at school, is something that makes the young audience feel comfortable with the story, seeing something they are completely used to. However, this play is one everyone should see. It demonstrates how much humans need each other in times of need. We live in a society where our phones seem to block out human connection, and this play demonstrates how much we rely on each other, especially in times of grief and loss. This new production was written and premiered in 2017, and the Wilson Drama Department did an excellent job putting on this amazing show. The actors were very empathetic for their character and really made the audience feel what they were feel-
ing. The entire production team worked together to make this show only one of all the breathtaking shows this Department has to offer. Everyone on this team is very passionate for the art of theatre and did an exception job putting this production together. The Wilson Drama Department, under the direction of its new teacher, Paula Riley, put on an impressive production for its first time without long time teacher, Randy Bowden. Bowden came to the show to congratulate Riley and her actors on a performance well done. If you haven’t seen a show here at WIlson High School what are you waiting for? Go see Aladdin Jr. performed by Wilson Musical Theatre department on November 9-10. Just don’t forget to get your tickets as soon as you can; tickets tend to sell out quickly for these astonishing shows.
Welcome Crew helps out transfer students MICHAEL NDUBISI CATHERINE FUENTES
Your Yearbook is on sale now!
Don’t let the year pass you by. Pre-order your yearbook at the banker’s window. ADVERTISERS: Space is available here and in our yearbook! Email Ms. Combs for details: ccombs@lbschools.net
Reporter
We all know about Link Crew, the freshmen transition program that welcomes ninth graders in their first year of high school. Every year they guide thousands of Bruins to discover what it takes to be successful in high school. For many freshmen, the transition from middle school to high school can be challenging, but that transition is made easier by Link Crew. However, for hundreds of transfer students, the move from their old school to their new school has gone unassisted and their needs largely ignored. Junior Natalie Quinn, a first year member of Link Crew, saw this and decided to do something about it. “Link Crew does a good job of welcoming freshmen but there's nothing like that for transfer students,” Quinn said. “We have to make them feel special too.” Quinn set out on a mission to help transition transfer students. But first she needed some help. She went to the Activities Director, Erin Fekjar, and Head Counselor Rolando Saldivar, for a list of transfer students on campus as well as a group of students willing to assist Quinn achieve her vision. Saldivar provided the list of hundreds of names on it and suddenly the daunting chal-
lenge was realized by Quinn. “I had no idea there were so many transfer students,” Quinn stated. Quinn then went to the Fekjar for help in creating a team. Fekjar agreed with enthusiasm. “There is definitely a need for Welcome Crew,” Fekjar said. “In order for students to be successful in their high school careers they have to feel like they belong. Welcome Crew helps them do just that.” Fekjar decided to make Welcome Crew as an extension of both ASB and Link Crew. She turned to the newly formed first period class of the student body, and they created a committee dedicated to helping transition transfer students. Once Quinn had a list of names and a team, the time for planning had come. They created gold envelopes full of information about the school, similar to the cardinal envelopes Link Crew give to transitioning freshmen. They planned events for the students and sent out invitations for their first event. “It's a lot of hard work,” Quinn said when describing the event planning, “but it’s worth it.” Fridays in Activities, Welcome Crew has its lunchtime party for new transfer students. If you are a transfer student looking to get connected to the school, come by and say hi!
Wilson High School Loudspeaker
FEATURE
Students enroll in free LBCC classes AMBER EUSEBIO Editor-in-Chief
Besides AP classes, students have the opportunity to take college-level courses through the Early College Pathways Partnership (ECPP) program at LBCC. By taking these classes, students can become acquainted with the workload and atmosphere of a typical college class. The ECPP program is a partnership between LBUSD and LBCC that allows students to be dual enrolled in both their high school and LBCC. Students are able to take an array of different courses while also having access to support services such as free tutoring and a graduate CSULB mentor. These courses and services are available free of cost to high school students, since the tuition and health fees are covered by the district. The courses that students are allowed to take varies by semester, and are specialized to go along with the LBUSD pathways. This semester, students were able to take Elements of Interpersonal Communication, Introduction to Computers, Computer Hardware Fundamentals, Digital & Social Media, or Introduction to Psychology. In addition to receiving high school credit, students who take ECPP classes have the opportunity to receive up to 13 units of college credit. “The goal of ECPP is to provide LBUSD high school students with free specialized college courses that will prepare them for their desired career,” Rio Medina, Career Pathways Coordinator of LBCC, explained. Medina added, “I think [ECPP]
is important because LBUSD serves a diverse population that may not be aware of the opportunities that LBCC offers.” ECPP is catered to students who may not have the access or motivation for higher education. This innovative intervention program can help change and determine opportunities for students who don’t see themselves in higher education. In addition, ECPP takes pride in its open line of communication with LBUSD and the LBCC professors. Nicholas Carbonaro, who is currently teaching a dual enrollment class, said “The program’s open line of communication helps me adapt my class and lectures to what the students need.” Overall, students who participate in the ECPP program will become acquainted with college culture, especially since the classes are mixed with both high school and college students. Junior Ayleen Huerta has taken ECPP classes for two consecutive semesters. “Since it’s a college class, it has a heavier workload. However, this has benefited me in a way that I’m learning new study skills and building my communication skills with my instructors,” Huerta said. In regards to the mixed classes, Huerta noted, “I like being in a mixed class because I get to study with people of all different ages, including adults, which has helped me learn better.” If you are interested in signing up for spring semester classes, the ECPP team will be on campus in November to answer any questions and aid in the application process.
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Seven Free Activities in Long Beach
Sometimes the weekend arrives and you’re feeling blue--nothing to do and no money to do it with. However, the Loudspeaker has gathered together some great ideas that can make your weekend fun without breaking the bank.
Yoga on the Bluff. Free yoga classes in between Ocean and Junipero everyday from 11am-12pm. Take the weekend to have a relaxed morning and enjoy Long Beach’s beautiful ocean view. -Instagram: @yogalutiononthebluff -Website: www.yogalution. com Take a hike. Go hiking and walk up Signal Hill by yourself or with friends. You can also get a good work out along the way by using the green workout machines called Fitness Zones. Go to a museum! The Long Beach Museum of Art, located on E. Ocean Blvd. is free after 3pm on Thursdays. The Museum of Latin American Art on Alamitos Ave. is free every Sunday and the fourth Thursday of every month! 5-9pm -Instagram: @lbmaorg, @ molaaart -Website: www.lbma.org, https://molaa.org/ Downtown Mural Hunting with friends! There are art murals by the group
POW!WOW! LONG BEACH
“Hula” welcomes Long Beach visitors under Queensway bridge POW!WOW! all over Long Beach walls. Have a photoshoot or admire the LB art. Enjoy a trip to Shoreline Park and Shoreline Village. You can walk along the Shoreline pier or have a picnic on the grassy peninsula located in Shoreline Park were you can spot the renowned Long Beach lighthouse. Visit the Long Beach attraction, The Queen Mary. Located
in downtown LB, The Queen Mary is a beautiful sight. -Website: https://www.queenmary.com/visit/hours/ Head down to the Bay! Stretching from Naples peninsula to Downtown Long Beach, the beach is one of LB’s main tourist attractions. Not only is the bay public and totally free, during the summer Long Beach unveils a giant, water playground on Alamitos Bay.
Contributed by Adai Vidal
Student, Alaire Thomas, teaches the value of hard work in school CHLOE KNOPF Reporter
Everybody has heard about the trope of the nerdy, high achieving, student. Although there is no harm in fitting these descriptions, the high achievers who break out of this tired stereotype deserve their equal recognition. Alaire Thomas, one of the very people who does more than just achieve in school, should be rightfully recognized for her accomplishments. Thomas is one of the highest achieving students at Wilson. She is a close competitor to anyone interested in succeeding and puts in the work needed to stay afloat, then doubles it. Thomas can be found any day working on school work or at swim practice. “Easy” is not in her vocabulary. Thomas likes to challenge herself in every aspect of her life
and do the best in everything she does. She has to, if she wants to get into her dream school, Stanford. With an acceptance rate of only 5%, Stanford takes only the very best, and Thomas plans on being exactly that. “Stanford has always been my dream school. They have such high achieving programs and I can’t wait to learn there.” Stanford holds the second lowest college acceptance rate in the United States, but Thomas is not deterred. She recognizes that even with her top grades and outstanding extracurriculars, getting accepted will be tough, so she won’t be disappointed if she only gets accepted into some of her second choices, such as Berkley, USC, UCLA, or UPenn. None of these colleges, including Stanford, are out of reach for Thomas. Thomas has not only brains, but also brawn. She has been swim-
ming since she was ten years-old and has been on the Wilson Varsity Swim Team since her freshman year. As any high school athlete can attest, sports take up a huge amount of free time and homework time. “There is no trick,” Thomas said, “I just try to do assignments right when they are assigned so the work doesn’t pile up.” With swim practice six days out of the week, plus the workload of being a senior, Thomas still manages to keep up a regular social life. “The majority of my social life is on the weekend or I’ll go over to a friend’s house just to do homework together.” Thomas explains that just being around people gives her comfort and enjoyment. When asked how she relaxes, Thomas said, without irony, that taking Spanish 7-8 and Art 5-6 are her easier classes where she
Alaire Thomas, Senior
gets to unwind a bit. With these high level classes, in addition to three AP’s and anatomy, Thomas has a heavier workload than she expected for her senior year, but it’s nothing she can’t handle. “I know it sounds cliche, but I just like to learn,” Thomas said. Thomas also taught herself how to solve a Rubik’s cube, juggle, and beatbox. Not everyday is a breeze for Thomas. “There are some days when I just don’t want to do it.” Thomas adds, “It’s not always easy, and being a senior can be
stressful, but you just have to find your joy again.” Thomas finds comfort during these times with her close friends and girlfriend. Thomas has achieved a great deal in a multitude of categories and is a wonderful role model. Advice she has for anyone interested, including her younger self, is “Rather than watching T.V., hang out with friends because you never know who you’re going to lose.” Keeping this in mind, Thomas is able to find a balance between sports, academics, and her social life.
Homecoming
Wilson High School Loudspeaker
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Seniors Abigail Medina and Ariel Knight joyfully raise money for the Gymnastics team by selling Esquites at their homecoming booth.
Dillon Harris (3) recieves a pass from Ryan Pettway (11) at the Homecoming football game vs. Jordan.
Woody takes to the road! CATHERINE FUENTES Reporter
Woody’s Road Trip was one heck of a ride for Wilson Bruins! Going from Oregon, to New Orleans, to the West, all the way to Honolulu! The entire spirit week was full of fun ideas for all students to be dressed up and show their overwhelming school spirit. To kick off our Homecoming tradition, Wilson held an exciting and fun-filled fair on Thursday, September 27. The fair was filled with a variety amount of different booths runned by clubs and students. There so many different activities and food that every student was bound to find something they enjoyed. “It was such a great experience and my favorite part about it was doing it with my awesome team” says senior Abigail Medina about selling esquite at the Gymnastics Club booth. At the fair, Bruins could also get married, get a henna tattoo, or even throw pie at their favorite teacher’s face! This year there was even a cow roaming around the quad joining from the Dance Club! The next day was finally Homecoming Day, and what could excite anyone more than Wilsons very own Homecoming Rally! There was amazing performances by Cheer, Bruinettes,
Dance, and even Wilsons varsity football team on the rally stage! School Spirit was in the air during Wilson's Homecoming Rally that got everyone on campus excited about the football game that came later that night. The moment everyone was waiting for this year was, indeed, the Homecoming game. Friday night was action-packed and filled with Bruin pride from start to finish. There was several appearances from Wilson’s very own cheer squad and drill team, as well as their talented marching band who never fails to impress. Before the night could end, Daniela Saavedra-Gallegos and Shane Nantais were crowned Homecoming King and Queen and went away with huge honor and smiles on their faces. “Winning Homecoming Queen was one of the best high school and life experiences! I would not have been able to have done it without my hard work and support from my family, friends, and teachers,” Saavedra-Gallegos said. The game was an intense one this year, as Wilson was leading against Jordan High School the entire time. With Bruin pride prevailing the air, it was certain Wilson would take the win home, and the Bruins sure did. Wilson celebrated victory over Jordan with a score of 48-7 making crowds roar!
The Homecoming court leads an entrance to the football feild dressed up and ready to take on a night full of cheers and anticpation for homecoming resuls.
Daniela Saavedra-Gallegos (12) and Shane Nantais (12) don bright smiles on their faces, as they are crowned Homecoming Queen and King, respectively. Photos Courtesy of Yearbook