Box Editorial Journalism once stood as the Fourth Estate, the Watchdog that oversees all that the federal government does. Those in power once feared and attacked those printers bold enough to threaten their authority. Journalism was a method of questioning and revealing those who oppress the populace. Recent times and corporate empowerment, however, have taken what was once a noble endeavor and warped it into what is now disdainfully referred to as the “Main Stream Media.” No longer do we call journalists “the press” but instead lump the entirety of news making into the category of the “Media,” equalizing the industry with mere advertising. The Society of Professional Journalism states in the Preamble of its Code of Ethics “conscientious journalists… strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty.” Yet, can anyone even viably claim that the most well known news sources as even approaching that benchmark? Bias lurks amongst even the most respected of sources, and certainly is even reflected in this very editorial. Regardless, as journalists at the beginning of our reporting careers, it is imperative to strive to achieve and heighten the ideals set forth by those before us. The Pepperbox, while we, as all humans, are inherently biased, we do not have to be hindered by our opinions. Rather, we embrace our differences and expand our own ways of thinking through the vehicle of student journalism.
Disclaimer Questions regarding editorial content of the Pepperbox should be directed toward its Editor. Opinions expressed by columnists are not necessarily those of Arcata High School. The views of and content of the Pepperbox are those of the author and not necessarily Arcata High School.
December
In the Box
Box Briefs
AIBT, December 8-10 ACT 8 a.m. at EHS, December 10 Pancake Breakfast 8-11 a.m. in MPR, December 10
January
Winter Break, December 19 – January 2 Finals Week, January 10 – 13 End of Semester 1, January 13 MLK Day (No School), January 16 THRIVE Day (No School), January 17 SAT 7:45 a.m. at EHS, January 28
February
Junior Prom 9-12 p.m. in MPR, February 4 CASHEE, February 7 - 8 ACT 8 a.m. at EHS, February 11
Editors Web Team
Kristyn Payne, Co-Online Editor Kim-Thu Pham, Co-Online Editor Billy Miller, Media Editor
Rememberng Sarie Toste............................................................4 NHS Dinner.................................................................................5 Video Competion Winners............................................................5 Occupy Arcata.........................................................................6-7 Girl Effect...................................................................................8 Health Rights..............................................................................9 Parking Lot Crisis......................................................................10 Twitter.......................................................................................11 No Shave November..................................................................12 Procrastination..........................................................................14 Ryan Robie...............................................................................15 Sleep Deprivation......................................................................16 Elaine Cunha’s AIBT Special Insert.................................... .......1-8 Fall Sports Wrap Up..................................................................17 Signings....................................................................................18 Teacher Evaluations...................................................................19 Another Spiritual Journey with Francis.......................................20 The SAT....................................................................................21 Teen Drinking............................................................................22 Grinding....................................................................................23 Occupy Wall Street..............................................................24-25 A Political Recipe by Grey Arena................................................26 Shop Classes/Adventures in Valley West....................................27 Create the State.......................................................................28 Carol Jacob and the Madrigal Choir...........................................29 Children of the Sun...................................................................30 Bloody Horror Films..................................................................31 Albums of 2011........................................................................32
McKayla Alvarnaz, Co-Editor-in-Chief Toby Shao, Co-Editor-in-Chief Forrest Lewis, News Editor Felicia Watson, Feature Editor Francis Zierer, Opinion Editor Elaine Cunha, Sports Editor
Staff
Casey Aveggio, Reporter Nirvana Begovic, Reporter Taylor Bennion, Reporter Kasey Cather, Reporter Annie Ewald, Reporter Shea Hamilton, Reporter Ryeley Haskell, Reporter
Lily Hebert, Reporter Will Kauffman, Reporter Petey Levesque, Reporter Victoria Moroni, Reporter Kimber Peterson, Reporter/ Photographer Kaylee Steiner-Olson, Reporter
Sarah Fraga, A&E Editor Nadia Al-Yagout, Business Manager Andrei Khemelnitski, Audio/ Visual Editor Colin Swenson, Art Director Hannah Luu, Photo Manager Thomas Witzel, Managing Editor Brian Then, Reporter Zoe Tinseth, Reporter/Photographer Carter Wright, Reporter Amber Yates-Smith, Reporter
Advisor
Danielle Lehman
The Pepperbox would like to thank Western Web, based in Samoa, for printing the Pepperbox at cost. Western Web supports student journalism throughout Humboldt county and has made publications like the Pepperbox possible for decades. We appreciate their dedication to keeping print media and the Pepperbox alive!
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NEWS
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A tribute to Sarie Toste Forrest Lewis
News Editor
“We hope we have inspired in you a thirst for learning, and the desire to know as much as possible. Don’t ever give in to complacency. Be driven to educate yourself by reading more, exploring the world and fully understanding that there are no limits to learning.” – from Sarie Toste’s 2011 Commencement address to the graduating students of Arcata High School On November 6, 2011, a tremendous loss was felt throughout Humboldt County and the educational world. Sarie Toste, beloved school board member, teacher, wife, mother, and grandmother passed away after an eighteen month battle with liver cancer. Sarie was truly a Humboldt woman. She was born March 9, 1936 in Arcata and died November 6, 2011 in Eureka. Sarie’s parents spoke only Portuguese, and it was not until kindergarten that Sarie encoun
tered English for the first time. She was forced to overcome hurdles learning a new language while attending Stewart Elementary School (in the building across from Arcata High School). Sarie later attended AHS as a member of the class of 1953, and served as a majorette for the school marching band, leading the processions in a white uniform and white boots. After receiving a bachelor’s degree and teaching credential from San Jose State, Sarie moved back to Humboldt where she began teaching in the McKinleyville Elementary School system. Sarie received an administrative credential and masters degree from Humboldt State University, and assumed the position of administrator for the Pacific Union School District. Over the next few decades, Sarie implemented dramatic improvements to the elementary schools of Humboldt County, including the creation of Grandparents’ Day and the daycare
program at Pacific Union. In 1996, Sarie grew concerned about how many students managed their money-spending it lavishly on candy bars and insignificant items instead of saving for more important investments like cars and college. “She was always in favor with what was best for the kids,” said Colleen Toste, Sarie’s daughter. Sarie developed a banking program at Pacific Union and named it “Learn to Earn” after a seventh grader suggested the title. “That was one thing she was always very proud of,” said Colleen Toste. “People were calling her and saying, ‘We want it in our school!’” Learn to Earn quickly spread throughout Humboldt County and has since become California’s largest elementary school savings program. It now has over 12,000 children participating in more than 150 schools throughout California, Oregon, and Washington. After retiring from Pacific Union, Sarie kept a busy life as a member
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of the Northern Humboldt High School District Board of Trustees for seventeen years. In 2011, Sarie and her husband were honored as Outstanding Community Members of McKinleyville and served as Grand Marshals in the Pony Express Parade. Sarie also was blessed with the Jean Olson Career Achievement Award, due to her work as an outstanding educator for decades. Religion was always a large part of Sarie’s life, attending church four times a week in recent years. Sarie helped plan her own memorial and desired for it to be held at St. Mary’s Church in Arcata, but feared it would be too large of a venue. At 11:00 on 11/11/11, a mass was held at St. Mary’s Church in her honor. The service was attended by close to 600 people and many were forced to stand. Her legacy was evident throughout the service, and will continue to resonate throughout the schools of Humboldt County for many years to come.
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NEWS
The PB
National honor society benefit dinner Felicia Watson Feature Editor
Going to bed warm, fed, and clothed is something that many people today take for granted. St. Vincent de Paul has a dining service where the volunteers are dedicated to ensuring that no people in our community go to sleep cold and hungry. However, similar to many beneficial services, the economy and the lack of funding threatens to shut down the dining hall. The National Honor Society (NHS) was not content to sit around and watch the dining hall close. They quickly stepped up to organize and host a benefit dinner and dance to raise money to keep the meal service open. The Mexican-style inspired dinner was catered by Fiesta Café, Pachanga, Rita’s, Don Juan’s, La Chiquita, and students of Arcata High. Students also donated desserts for a bake sale and auction, which
“I was constantly impressed with Sarie’s dedication to all her responsibilities. Sarie was always at her grandchildren’s’ events, never in a hurry, and would give a 100% attention to everyone she talked to.” - Susi Huschle, HROP career counselor “Sarie always smiled when we passed each other in the halls of JCS. She had a buoyant personality that channeled into her role as principal.” – Lia Nelson, AHS senior
“Sarie supported and gave back to the community of Humboldt County above and beyond most people. She believed education was one of the most important things to be involved in and making sure kids get a good education and are surrounded by good leaders. I will miss not sitting next to Sarie like I have for the past six years. She was a great leader and mentor for me too.” – Mike Pigg, NHUHSD Board Member “She was a mentor for many of us in education. What comes to mind to me is that she was a very classy, dedicated and passionate woman who cared deeply about education and especially the students. Sarie would often remind many of us when making difficult decisions in the district that we need to always keep in mind what is best for the students.” – Dan Collen, NHUHSD Governing Board President “She was the type of grandma that was always interested in my hobbies. She really cared about my education, sports, and goals.” – Andy Beronilla, Sarie’s grandson
Chinn, a leader of St. Vincent de she was honored that the students was popular during the night. The event took place at the Bay- Paul, voiced how impressed she stepped up to help the community side Grange on Nov. 12 and fea- was with the young people today; in a desperate time of need. tured a local Zumba instructor from Healthsport, who volunteered her time to teach community members how to dance. The event also featured a local live band, Asha Nan, who played great dancing music throughout the night. “Live music, Zumba dancing, and salsa add up to a great time,” senior Matthew Nelson said. “It was impossible not to have fun!” “Everyone had a great time dancing and eating the delicious food! The baked goods sold really brought the evening together!” senior Rebecca Smith said. The dance instructor and band were extremely supportive and enthusiastic. The NHS did a great job organizing the event lead by co-presidents Photo Courtesy of Francis Damian Shoshanna Smith and Ryley Bur- Geena Damian and fellow National Honor Society members serve ton-Tauzer. Guest speaker, Betty food during the St. Vincent de Paul benefit dinner
Things that bug Cameron Wallace and Kyle Viña Victoria Moroni Reporter’
“Sarie followed her passion which was education. She wanted to help children and adults succeed and that is how she would make the world a better place. Her gift was from the heart. She knew that education is a life long changing event that last a life time. Sarie was not only a teacher but a role model. We will miss her.”Kenny Richards, NHUHSD Superintendent
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A few weeks ago, a representative of the video contest “Things that Bug Me” came to the HROP Video Production class to invite the students to participate in it. This Youth Entrepreneurship Program was sponsored by the Business & Entrepreneurship Center at Shasta College, the California Small Business Development Center, and Decade of Difference. The theme of the contest was, as the name says, about things that bug you, and the assignment was to make a sixty to ninety second video presentation and upload it to YouTube. Senior Kyle Viña and junior Cameron Wallace, two students from Arcata High, wanted to participate
in this project. “We knew that not chance to win” Wallace said. They waiting to cross. They filmed down many people would enter the con- made a video about cars that do not below the school on Alliance Road, test, so we thought we had a good stop at crosswalks when someone is and some funny things happened during the recording. “We made a few cars stop, and one lady was really angry” Wallace said. “It took two days to finish the video: one to film and one to edit.” They sent it to the judges on October 18th. The result of the contest was revealed a couple of weeks after, and like they thought, they won the competition. The prizes were an array of gift cards to various local shops, like Los Bagels, Coming Attractions Theatres, Ultimate Yogurt, Big Pete’s Pizzeria, Ramone’s and Bon Boniere. “We plan to split up and enjoy them with friends” Viña and Wallace agreed. Forrest Lewis/PEPPERBOX
Cameron Wallace and Kyle Viña wait for cars to stop at the crosswalk
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NEWS
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The rise and fall of Occupy rcata A Toby Shao
An inside look at the movement rooted in anarchy
Editor-in-Chief
At a glance ARCATA, Calif.- From Occupy Arcata’s birth in mid-October to the crackdown outside the city hall on Nov. 16, the Occupy Arcata movement dodged police disbandment many times, adopted a “Good Neighbor” policy, and drafted and passed a city resolution to get Occupy Arcata the city’s partial support. No single war, company, or practice can be pinpointed as the focus of the Occupy movement. It appears uniformly perplexing from the outside. Yet how do Occupiers keep any sort of focus in their movement? “The goal of this movement is to create a society where every single person has a voice,” said Falstaff. Organizers of the Occupy Arcata movement claim to have rules governing the behavior of protestors. “Even if we support the legalization of marijuana, it doesn’t mean we have to be out here smoking pot and getting high constantly,” said general assembly moderator Falstaff Tarien Du’Mara. “The biggest threat to our movement is people that decide to come here, drink, and smoke tons and tons of weed. It makes us the laughing stock of the community,” Falstaff said. Despite Falstaff’s claims, protestors on the scene experience a different side of the movement. “I went to Occupy Arcata and Occupy Humboldt excited for political protest,” said Humboldt State University student and Arcata High alumnus Solomon Clark, “but it turned out to be just a bunch of people smoking pot, so I left.”
Hannah Luu/ PEPPERBOX
Occupiers protested “in tent”ly in front of the city hall for 18 days.
Despite the general distain for hierarchy, pragmatic leaders have had to take up leadership positions to
Billy Miller/PEPPERBOX
Gandalf?A man by the name of “Falstaff” has identified himself as one of the main leaders in Arcata. avoid the movement’s demise. “I basically run things around here.” Falstaff said. Members come to decisions in General Assembly (GA), where each member votes on the policies, and the division of labor and specialization. De-facto leaders include members of the Arcata street community, such as “Si-
lic works, and parks, to work cooperatively with Occupy Arcata and Occupy Humboldt, while also protecting the general wellbeing of all residents and visitors in Arcata.” A majority support for public restrooms and regulation of the bars on the plaza held by Occupy Arcata is largely aligned to Mayor Susan Ornelas’ standings issued in city council meetings. “I have been talking to local businesses, trying to get their support,” said Tillison. “I hope they can realize that they are also a part of the 99 percent and that we have shared interests.” “Many who oppose us essentially argue that if you’re intelligent and good looking, you won’t have a problem finding a job, but if you’re stupid and ugly, then you don’t deserve to be alive.” Falstaff said, “That’s what they’re saying.” Falstaff is a graduate of Everest College in SF, and has long been a
lent Bob” and Falstaff, and experienced protestors such as Patricia Tillison. “The problem is that we have no structure,” Rex Regum, a member of Occupy Arcata, said in reference to a major disagreement between members of the movement. “There is a fundamental division between the experienced protester and the long-time members of the street community.” Establishment: Oct. 16-27 Following a demonstration on the plaza by college students of “Occupy Humboldt,” and sit-ins at Wells Fargo and Chase banks, the first tents and canopies were erected on the southeast corner of the plaza in a 24-hour occupation on Oct. 16th, From then on, Arcata city demonstrations have been referred to “Occupy Arcata,” separate from “Occupy Humboldt.” The city of Arcata supported the movement by proposing Resolution 112-26, which was eventually Andrew “Commie” Schneider passed Nov. 1, which instructs “city stands in charge of Public Reladepartments, including police, pub- tions of Occupy Arcata.
The PB part of the Arcata Street community, and volunteers at the Endeavour. Inner conflict : Oct. 27 As tents stood at the center of the plaza on Oct. 27, the words “Occupy Arcata” brought eye-rolls to an onlooker’s face. “I don’t think its going to do anything,” a bystander, Mark Schultz, said, “I support their cause, but I feel that their voice falls on deaf ears.” Altercation broke out between Tillison and other members of Occupy Arcata during General Assembly, the occupiers stood tightly packed in a circle in the center of the plaza silently watching. “You don’t need to be doing everything! You’re not the only one working for this movement!” another member said. “Don’t you see that I’m doing this for us?” Tillison exclaimed. “I’ve been trying to get the support of the local businesses. I’m doing all of this for us!” Pepperbox reporters were quickly beckoned away from the conflict by Occupy members. “But at the same time, I think we have been unfair to her,” Regum said. “However, she is making major mistakes for her defense,” he said. “If we aren’t able to resolve these issues, I doubt that Occupy Arcata will survive.” Protesting Oct. 29 – Nov. 16 Occupy Arcata agreed to move to the front lawn of the City Hall, where they laid hay to protect the
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NEWS
grass. “There’s no way we would have survived Monday Night (Halloween),” said Andrew Schneider, self identified as Occupy Arcata’s informal publicity manager. “We generally have a good relationship with the City and the Police department. We are open to make compromises for the survival of our cause.” Occupy Arcata members are protesting everything from the lack of public rest rooms, to corporate personhood worldwide. While many members that the Pepperbox surveyed are supportive of the Democratic Party and the Green Party, anarchist members have stated support for complete reform of U.S. government, and single-party systems. “This is one of the most beautiful places I have ever lived,” said a man self identified as the “Mushroom Guru”, who works to provide Reishi mushroom soup to all Occupy Arcata members. “If you’re from Kansas like me, this is paradise. Arcata should really set precedent for the rest of the world.”
events. Since the second raid of Occupy Eureka by the Eureka Police Department at approximately 4:30 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 14, members of Occupy Arcata declared their support of Occupy Eureka. In a Humboldt Occupier Action Alert statement, “Participants of both the Occupy Arcata and Occupy Humboldt movements have vowed to support the Occupy Eureka protesters... we ask you to join us at the Occupy Eureka site.” Protesters from Occupy
page 7 house. On Nov. 16th, two days after Eureka and other Occupy evictions, Arcata Police chief Tom Chapman issued an eviction notice ordering “an end to the encampment portion of the movement” citing illegal camping, open smoking of marijuana, and lack of public sanitation.
“Uniting under one banner” Nov. 16- Present Since eviction of the city hall Occupy site, a team of Pepperbox reporters visited Falstaff at Indianola mobile park (see front cover). He reflected on what he sees as Mayor Ornelas’s sudden change in attitude toward the movement. “She came out of the city hall last week and started furiously harassing us,” Falstaff recounted. “It was great to see the look on Tom Chapman’s face when he came out of the police department expecting to resolve a public disturbance, and to find his own mayor harassing the Occupiers.” Falstaff stated the movement’s intentions to join with Occupy HumCrackdown week Nov. 14 – 19 boldt. “Our goal is to unite under They knew it was coming. one banner, instead of having Oc“After high profile evictions of occupy this and Occupy that,” Falstaff cupy camps in New York, Eureka, said. Hannah Luu/ Pepperbox Portland, Oakland, and other citThe first combined General Asies, members of the community in Nov. 16 2011, end of the City Hall sembly was held at the Kate BuArcata have come by to show their encampment. channon room at HSU to decide on support for Occupy Arcata,” wrote the future of the movement. man identified as “Forest Defender” Arcata and Occupy Humboldt tore “Eureka is the real battleground” an on a blog recording Occupy Arcata down fences surrounding court- occupier said.
Toby Shao/ PEPPERBOX
Occupiers from Arcata, Eureka, and Humboldt State University have now “united under one banner” becoming “Occupy Humboldt” during the General Assembly.
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Girl effect: The clock is ticking Forrest Lewis
News Editor
The Girl Effect is a revolutionary movement branching from a simple concept: The world is a mess. Its solution is even simpler: A girl. It was founded three years ago by the Nike Foundation, the NoVo Foundation, the United Nations Foundation, and the Coalition for Adolescent Girls. The Girl Effect program gives money to poverty-stricken young girls in developing nations to keep them in school. With the current situation, a girl living in a third world country is often considered to be a woman when she turns twelve years old. She can face marriage by the age of fourteen, and sometimes pregnancy by age fifteen. If she survives childbirth, which happens to be the leading cause of death among fifteen to
can become a local business owner, supplying clean water to her community. She can gain respect for women in her society, helping others follow the same path and have the same opportunities as she did. Finally, the entire village benefits from the peace, lower HIV rates, lower infant mortality rates, education, commerce, sanitation, and stability that results and the economy of the entire country improves. The evidence is unquestionable. Women reinvest ninety percent of their income into their families, compared to only thirty to forty percent for men. An educated girl in a developing country marries, on average, four years later and has 2.2 fewer children. It is clear: the revolution will be led by a twelve-year-old girl.
“We want to bring awareness to our community.” --Girl Effect Vice President
know about it” Johnson said. “It’s a different problem.” The Girl Effect club hosts meetings on Tuesdays at lunch in room 207 led by President Sydney Johnson, Vice President Sarah Bradbury, Treasurer Jamie Maher, Secretary Hannah Goldan, and Advisor Susan Clark-Luera. “Everyone is welcome to come to the meetings,” Clark-Luera said. “What started with a small group of four or five students has already tripled in size.” The club is slightly deficient in male attendance, which members would like to see increase in the near future. “Everyone should join the Girl Effect project!” announced Bradbury. The meetings focus on the club’s general goals: to educate and to fundraise. “We want to bring awareness to our community about this growing problem” Bradbury said. Sydney Johnson and the rest of the Girl Effect club would like to see large events such as dances or dinners to raise money for this cause, but first the club must raise money through small fundraisers. The
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Three years since its creation in 2008, the Girl Effect has spread quickly to philanthropists around the globe. One such supporter is Sydney Johnson, a junior at Arcata High School. Johnson heard about the Girl Effect during a thirty day challenge in her local youth group. “I went on the Girl Effect’s website and was really intrigued” Johnson said. “It motivated me.” Johnson immediately took action, starting a Girl Effect club on campus aimed to educate the masses about the current situation. “Most people don’t
NEWS
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Health rights: Are teens educated today?
club held a car wash and bake sale on November 13 in Arcata in which they raised several hundred dollars. “Our first event was extremely successful” Johnson said. “We raised several hundred dollars.” Johnson would like to invest the money in girl effect bracelets. The club members could wear them to educate others, and could also sell them to make profit. Johnson plans on buying them in the near future. Advisor Susan Clark-Luera is extremely proud of the initiative that Johnson and all the other girl Effect club members have taken so far. “They’re the ones doing all the work,” Clark-Luera said. “I really cannot take any credit for anything they’ve done. I just watch and occasionally contribute a piece of advice.” The club is well on their way to raising significant fund and changing the world – one girl at a time. More information and testimonials can be found at www.girleffect.org.
Sarah Bradbury
nineteen year old females worldwide, the woman may be forced to sell her body to support her newly found family, making herself vulnerable to terminal diseases such as HIV. This fate affects nearly 50 million females worldwide. The good news - the Girl Effect offers a solution. If at age twelve, this same young girl is offered a loan, she can stay in school, protected from the problems around her. She can visit a doctor regularly, shielding herself from harmful sicknesses. She
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Photo Courtesy of Sarah Bradbury
Girl Effect Club President Sydney Johnson and Vice President Sarah Bradbury try to create awareness of this growing problem.
Zoe Tinseth
Reporter
Teens learn new things everyday. They get educated in math, science, English, and social skills daily, but do they know their own health rights? Most teens you ask would say no. In California teens have the rights to privacy and reproductive health care. According to state law, if you are under eighteen, you have the right to birth control, including emergency contraception, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy testing and prenatal care, abortion services, and HIV/AIDS testing. Teens have the right to all of these services confidentially - they don’t need anyone’s permission but their own, and their doctor or clinic cannot tell anyone why the teen was there without their permission. Every teen under eighteen has the right to leave the school for any reproductive health appointment and the administration must excuse their absence and maintain confidentiality. Arcata High School’s principle, Dave Navarre, addressed this specific right. “That is correct,” said Navarre, “but we would encourage students to make a connection on campus, with either the school nurse or an administrator.” He hopes that if a connection was made students would be able to take care of their needs while not having to worry about any repercussions. He also believes on campus, miscommunications that could occur, such as the administration calling a students parent about their “cut,” would be avoided. Navarre thinks that it is very important for teens to be educated not only in their health rights but in their reproductive health as well. Norma Watson, Arcata High School’s full-time nurse,
agrees with Navarre. “That is what high school is about. It is about education, teaching kids to take care of themselves. They need the correct information to not just help themselves but their friends as well,” Watson said. There is, however, a local program though that dedicates themselves to just that, educating teenagers and our community in general. Spare Change is a local teen theatre troupe that educates our community, specifically teenagers, by performing educational skits in high schools and teaching in middle schools throughout Humboldt County. Spare Change focuses on educating teenagers in reproductive
health, health rights, and touches on subjects like body image, eating disorders, drug and alcohol use prevention, abstinence, suicide prevention, and healthy relationships. Spare Change strives to better the physical and mental health of our community. “I definitely appreciate their message,” Navarre said, “and it’s teen oriented so it’s a great way to present the information.” Four students at Arcata High are involved in Spare Change. Sonja Goestch-Avila, a senior at Arcata High, has been involved in the program for two years. Sonja joined Spare Change because she loves theatre, teaching, and is passionate about spreading awareness through-
out her community. She believes that a teen being educated is very important. “Reproductive health information is basic health information that is crucial to teens,” Goestch-Avila said. “We teens have the right to know our options to make responsible decisions.” She believes that Spare Change is important because as Navarre said, it is teen oriented and all the peer educators can relate to the youth of Humboldt County. Every one involved is professionally trained in the subjects they teach and Spare Change can be used as a resource for information. Sonja also believes that Spare Change not only benefits the community, but also benefits those involved in the actual program. She says that she has gained much from the program. “I’ve learned how to work well in a large group, gained listening skills, found out how to use empathy as a tool, and improved my public speaking skills” Goestch-Avila said. “I also feel comfortable talking about subjects that most people find uncomfortable.” She believes that Spare Change has a positive message that truly educates the teens and the community of Humboldt County. Nurse Watson believes that we are lucky to have a program like Spare Change in our community. Though Arcata High only offers one semester of health, there are many ways that teens can get the educated in the way that they need, from going to the school nurse, or attending an always entertaining and educational Spare Change performance. Arcata also has the Open Door Teen Clinic from 3:00-5:00 p.m. every Monday. The Teen Clinic offers free health care and education. Teens should be educated, for themselves, their friends, and a better community.
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The PB
Car wars: The parking menace
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Annie Ewald
FEATURE
The PB
and due to a car accident in the Arcata High parking lot, I paid $2,200 in damages,” Zoe Varner said, after a recent collision in the AHS parking lot. She is one of the many who have gotten into fender benders upon entering or exiting campus. “The parking lot was built so long ago, that not many kids were driving then,” Watson said. The parking lot was not constructed around the idea that children would be driving mid way through their sophomore year, as it didn’t used to always be that way. National statistics have shown in 2010 in 16-year-olds have higher crash rates than drivers of any other age. They architectural design of the parking lot is poorly developed without adding teenage drivers into the mess.
Hannah Luu/PEPPERBOX
A line of cars builds up on M St. after leaving the AHS parking lot
What can the administration do to change this? Principal Dave Navarre said, “We are limited, but we’re looking into it.” It is clear that a new parking lot may be needed, but many other projects have priority. With such a small amount of space, constructing a new parking lot would take lots of time and funding. Besides the parking lot having issues, the location of it on the end of a street also plays a big role in the chaos. Watson remembered that when Arcata High was originally built, 16th street did not come to a dead end. This gave parents another way to exit AHS. “The pool parking lot needs to lose the barriers so there can be an entrance and we can have two exits, one to north town and one down to alliance,” senior Jimmy Lucchesi said. This is another way the flow of the AHS parking also causes problems. If there was more than one exit, or entrance there would be less congestion. Many students have to rush to work or sports after school. “I have places to be. People should just let me go first,” Ashley Moore said, who currently has an after school job. Lack of time causes much frustration and often road rage between parents and students. “I think kids aren’t very respectful, they aren’t aware of their surroundings. There needs to be a place for pedestrians,” said Jill Kernel, parent of two AHS
students. She has experienced much of the chaos while picking her children up from school. When driving through, often times during lunch, there are many people hanging out around their cars or under the trees. Among this crowd of people, there are also those who stand in the middle of the road. Pedestrians make it hard for cars to go through the parking lot safely, as they have to dodge people that won’t move out of the way. “It can be scary for us parents because we are worried that we may hit a kid who wanders out in front of the cars without looking,” Katy Levesque said. It is unsafe to the people driving, and the people chatting outside. There are many designated areas for conversations to take place that don’t include in the middle of traffic. “It is annoying how the freshmen walk in front of my car,” Tommy Grubb said. “There are lots of things that could be changed around the AHS campus, and the parking lot is one of them,” junior Gwyn Caughey said. The road rage, mini fender benders, and loitering in the middle of the street are among the list of reasons why change is needed. Currently the school is extremely busy with numberous other projects at hand and it is extremely difficult to attend to all of them, but it is most definitely a substantial disturbance for the parents, students and faculty that must be fixed as soon as possible.
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Don’t tweet all the small stuff Petey Levesque Reporter
Reporter
Upon entering Arcata High School, students, parents, and teachers are graced by the presence of lovely sea gulls, foggy skies, and most prominent: the early morning traffic jam. “The parking lot at AHS has become nothing short of chaos,” stated Felicia Watson, ASB President at Arcata High. Parents that drop their kids off in the front of the school in the morning are often stopped for up to 10 minutes waiting to get out of the lot. Traffic has been known to cause students to be late to class as they are often stuck in the traffic jam as well. “There is only one way in, and one way out,” stated Norma Watson, school nurse. There is no flow of traffic because there is only one entrance. Traffic is causing much confusion and road rage among teen and adult drivers. Since the students are inexperienced and often in a hurry, they come close to causing accidents. “I spent $2,500 dollars on my car
thursday, december 8, 2011
Trends (#) come and go. Most recently: the use of Twitter by many high school students has been quite popular. Social networking sites are all the rage until a new one comes along, or people lose interest. What is really happening on Twitter? Why are people logging on? Complaints about Facebook have been more common recently, and the admiration for Twitter is on the rise. Ironically many students post on Facebook, “Just got a Twitter, follow me @. . .”. Now it seems students are using one social networking site to migrate to another. Facebook and Twitter have some similar qualities, but for two social networking systems they are quite different. Twitter is most commonly viewable by the public; anyone can make an account and look at anyone’s page and recent tweets. Deep in the account settings is a box that can be selected so it is possible to approve followers before they can see your tweets. The information that people post on these sites is drastically diverse. Since Facebook and Twitter offer different, online social networking fiends may find Twitter more for their liking. Hashtags (#) are used on Twitter so that people can post tweets that go along with a trend. Users can click on these hashtags to find all of the tweets by all Twitter users. Many of the trends that are circling through high schools are somewhat racist and homophobic. #TheFunnySexist is a common trend that people can post sexist comments or jokes. They can often be offensive to some people. Twitter fanatics are updating their status as often as every couple of minutes.The content of what tweet-
ers are posting is quite mediocre a large portion of the time. Twitter only gives 140 characters for each status, so people have to be quite brief with their updates. Most of what average students are tweeting is not very fascinating at all.
“I think everyone wants to know what I’m doing” --AHS Senior Kelsey Thompson
When Twitter was first created in 2006, celebrities took advantage of the opportunity to connect with fans. This was a way for them to let their admirers know what was going on in their lives without the paparazzi. “I use Twitter because I like to follow celebrities.” senior Tommy Grubb said. In the last half of a decade average people started to believe that they were exceptionally essential and admirable. In Arcata High School’s world, Twitter is basically a popularity contest. The more followers you have, the more superior you are. Some people seem to want to talk about themselves and hope people care. “I think everyone wants to know what I’m doing,” senior Kelsey Thompson confessed. Clearly enough people do because they are logging on to view the recent tweets. “Ahh..I love Twitter” junior Pearse Narum claimed. “I’m really cool, and I’m just tryna be seen.” While some male students have begun to use Twitter, the larger proportion of Arcata High School students who tweet are female. The majority of their tweets are regarding drama
or direct comments about what will soak up all of the drama. they dislike. Since girls typically Funny celebrity tweets: wouldn’t follow girls they didn’t #Guy Code: never make eye conlike, then there is no concern for tact with another man while eating other girls finding out what they are a banana. –Will Farrell publically announcing about them. #Sexiestmanalive Justin Bieber, “I talk smack on Twitter because who else? <3 –Justin Bieber not a lot of people have Twitter,” Tweets that could get you in senior Kambria Larson admitted. trouble: Although this may be true now, #TheFunnySexist: If a tree falls on when more and more people bea woman and there is no one around come members to Twitter, the luxto hear her, what is a tree doing in ury of it may wear off. the kitchen? Access to Twitter is universal. Col#TheFunnySexist: I have blue eyes. leges, parents, administrators and I got them from my father. My employers all have the capability to mother has black eyes. She also got make accounts and view anyone’s them from my father. profile they wish as long as the user does not block their account. When Funny celebrity tweets that people post inappropriate pictures could get you in trouble: or dialog they could potentially be i woke up to tons of kisses from my dog even though i forgot his birthdestroying their future. The reasons to have a Twitter vary day yesterday. reason #328 why a from person to person. It is a choice dog is better than a girlfriend. to have a Twitter, not an obligation. -Daniel Tosh Some use Twitter because they are extremelyself-interested orbecausetheyobsess over finding the latest trends. Often people create a Twitter because they are bored in class and just want to read friend’s and acquaintance’stweets. With any online site, caution is recommended. Most social networking sites are similar in quite a few ways. New ones are created constantly in the hope of attracting many new users. Some choose to reZoe Tinseth/PEPPERBOX frain from social networking for whatev- Students use hashtag symbols during conversaer reason, and others tions to indicate a trend.
thursday, decembeard 8, 2011
FEATURE
page 12
No Shave November: Forrest Lewis News Editor
&
Gregory Arena Contributing Pundit
“This, then is the mark of the man, the beard…It is therefore unholy to desecrate the symbol of manhood: hairiness.” – St. Clement of Alexandria before convicted of hair-esy in 271 AD No Shave November is more than just a hair-larious custom. It is cutting-edge journalism. It is described by Urban Dictionary (A completely credible source) as, “The month of November in which you don’t shave any hair of your body but instead you grow more bestial, brutish, and manly.” Comb to think about it, I could not imagine a more suitable definition that could razor awareness of the world. While many participate annually in this remarkable act of manliness, few are aware of the true origins of this tradition and its superfacial roots. Extensive research on the subject of No Shave November revealed a plethora of websites, blogs, images, cartoons, and videos. One false
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source claims that No Shave November has been around since the Civil War, when Abraham Lincoln made his famous speech: “The Gettysbeard Address.” The most common explanation for this shave-less month is actually quite hair-raising. As many of you probably know, October is breast cancer awareness month. In 2003 in Melbourne, Australia, an idea sprouted in the minds and on the faces of a daring group of young men who wanted a month purely dedicated to male-related issues around the globe. They therefore began a movement they called “Movember,” in which they let their mustaches grow free for thirty days to raise awareness for prostate and testicular cancers. Their campaign was extremely successful, quickly crossing the Pacific Ocean where it has been dis-blade as a “testi”mony by college students throughout the United States. “Mo Bros,” as these mustache-bearing men began to call themselves, raise funds for the Prostate Cancer Foundation and Livestrong, which in turn attempt to find cures to these devastating illnesses that affect 1 in 6 men in their lifetime. “Movember” was a revolution-
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ary idea at the time, but it was not enough. Men craved to get rid of their razor altogether, abandoning the idea of the solo mustache and reviving the concept of full blown facial hair to welcome in the winter
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aware until this year that I was, in fact, fighting for a cause as I strutted my mane (although I’ve had trouble surpassing the peach fuzz stage in previous years). I cannot explain what compelled me to take part in
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thursday, decembeard 8, 2011
FEATURE
Ready ... set ... grow!
page 13
On October 31, 2011 at approximately 11:59 P.M., I retired my Gillette Mach 3 Turbo Razor into the dark confines of the bathroom cabinet. months. Thus, No Shave November was born, bearing a set of rules that could rival those of Fight Club:
such activities, but I mustache you a question: who doesn’t love beards? Besides girlfriends, pogonophobiacs*, and the Texas Rangers (who 1. Do not shave in November simply fear them). 2. Do NOT shave in November The average man spends 201,000 minutes of his life shaving. So why There was only one way to truly not eliminate 16, 881 of those by understand the epicness of this exhibiting your manliness for only ritual. On October 31, 2011 at ap- one month of the year? proximately 11:59 P.M., I retired To clairify any fuzz around this ismy Gillette Mach 3 Turbo Razor sue, I interviewed a series of cominto the dark confines of the bath- munity members throughout Noroom cabinet. While this marks vember on their experiences with my 9th annual participation in No the current month. The redhead, Shave November since its invention who I initially thought would give in 2003, I must admit that I was un-
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Day 31
Reid Kernen enjoys growing beards be- Nathan Hemmingsen: No Shave No-ever guy. cause they make him look 18.
excellent insight on this event, proved to be a “red-hairing” and “gingerly” brushed me off. The Rastafarian hippie on the Arcata Plaza told me that he “dreaded” ever taking part in the task while the 80’s rockstar politely told me he would “mullet” over. The antique dealer announced that the No Shave November tradition was a family “hairloom.” I attempted to query James
Earl Peters withdrew from the competition early due to extenuating circumstances.
vember so I hopped on the mustache express.” An anonymous student, who may or may not be the contributing pundit of this article, added,“At first I wasn’t a fan of No Shave November…but now it’s growing on me.” Nathan Hemmingsen, a senior notorious for his manly beard, is more of a No Shave No-ever type guy. “I enjoy it and the ladies love it” said Hemmingsen regarding his facial hair. No Shave November is not purely a masculine tradition. “I went all last November without “At first I wasn’t a fan of shaving,” said junior Sage Fanucchi. Speak- Lorenzo found his beard You “Mustache Matt” rather itchy. about his experience. No Shave November...but ing of which, this reminds me of a tragedy that happened to a stingy woman named Penny who had much facial hair. Finally when she was 40, now it’s growing on me.” she went at her whiskers with a razor, cut her-- Anonymous student who may self badly, and proceeded to bleed to death. She or may not be the contributing was cremated and put into a vase with the motto pundit of the article etched: A Penny Shaved is a Penny Urned. November flew by - it was hair today and gone tomorrow. At one point my 6th period teachWashington on the facial hair he was sporting, er started yelling at me for my facial hair, but but he told me he “must-dash” and ran away. luckily I was shaved by the bell. But gentleMany students have their own reasons for not men, don’t bring out your razor too soon. Beshaving. Junior Kasey Cather confessed, “I’ve sides, Decembeard has arrived and Manuary and Februhairy will be hair soon. Keep it going and always wanted to be a man!” Senior Mathew Nelson went retro and grew out remember…shave the best for last. Zeke plans to let his sideEli is only a Sophomore. only his mustache, declaring “Rich Macey told burns grow. *Pogonophobia – n. Having or possessing an me that Movember was the new No-Shave Noabnomal fear of beards and/or facial hair
thursday, december 8, 2011
FEATURE
page 14
I barely finished this article... Kristyn Payne
Reporter’s Title
Today’s youth face a terrible dilemma. Much as the black plague desecrated two-thirds of Medieval Europe, leaving nothing but horror and death in its wake, a disease of behavior has manifested itself into the young and innocent minds of many Arcata High students. It is diagnosed by many names: Priority Deficiency, Anti-Homework Flu, Senioritis, the Andrei Khmelnitski Complex, but most familiarly known as procrastination. What is to be done? How are we to save ourselves from this epidemic? As a senior, I know full well the feeling. It’s a Tuesday night and I should definitely study for that map test tomorrow. Focus. Map test. Map test. Nap test. Nap test. Nap rest. Nap rest. I should really go take a nap so I can full focus on my studying later. I wake up at 6:00 P.M. I still have plenty of time. I’ll check my Facebook for anything new –Holy crap! When did it turn nine? What was I possibly looking at for three hours? When did I get to YouTube? I’ll just go to sleep now and wake up early to study for the Map test. Two days later. Hm. I
failed my map test. Shoot. In my opinion, there are two types of procrastinators; those who feel overwhelmed and those who would just rather be doing something else. Those first mentioned are those who do not understand how they can possibly complete all that is on their plate and decide it is simply easier not to do anything at all. It seems like that History Day project is going to take forever to complete, especially when there is so much other homework weighing down the good ol’ backpack. You know what is a whole lot easier than finishing a soul-crushing amount of academic work? Doing nothing, nothing at all. AP students strive for efficiency by trying to get the best grades for the least amount of effort, changing the meaning of “AP” from “Advanced Placement” to “Advanced Procrastinator.” On certain days of the year, AP classes residing in the first half of the day are unusually barren, while the absent students flood on to the campus at 12:25 p.m. There are many theoretical explanations as to why this happens. It may be that when Mars is at certain position in reference to Venus and therefore the gravitational aura of the universe
Nadia Al-Yagout/PEPPERBOX
Senior Kim-Thu Pham has a stress attack from all her homework
directly affects the AP students of Arcata High School, making them ill for half of a school day. These days happen to coincide with essay and project due dates. Now, the mass majority of procrastination is much simpler than planet alignments. Procrastinators would just rather be doing something else. Yes, that essay on that one book you were forced to read in class is infinitely interesting, but come on, there’s an entire season of Glee on Netflix! We seek immediate satisfaction and lack the willpower to prioritize for longterm goals. We are young, care free, and are cursed with short attention spans. We are defenseless against the mass amount of entertainment options. It’s like throwing a grenade into a retirement home; there’s no
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escaping. Now, what would be the remedy? It’s simple. Step one: set goals. That weird little book thing the school hands out to you at the beginning of the school year is called a planner. You use them to plan. Step two: use time to your advantage instead of wasting it. Put in some effort. You are procrastinating because you aren’t getting work done. You aren’t getting work done because you aren’t taking the time to do it. Step three: Cut out the distractions. Turn off your computer when you’re doing your homework, turn off your phone, and just get it done. If you really can’t do this, coast through life on your good looks. If you unfortunately don’t happen to be that attractive, then just practice good work habits.
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thursday, december 8, 2011
OPINION
DJ Ryan “Robo” Robie: Carrots and cussing
page 15
Colin Swenson
versity, a private school in Salem, Oregon with about 2,500 students. Art Director I, like many, was worried that all Ahhh Ryan Robie, what a won- the wonderful qualities that make derful man. For those of you who Ryan so unique would have gone didn’t have the pleasure of knowing with the woodwinds. As my Skype Ryan, some background informa- call with Ryan rang, I waited, hands tion would make this article more clasped. A familiar face solidified in agreeable, and for those of you who front of me. Ryan sat clad in a Los do, a quick recap: Bagels hat, drinking a bottle of carRyan loves carrots. rot juice, and eating his own blend of organic trail mix out of a TupperRyan loves Tupperware. ware container. He greeted me with Ryan is always late. Ryan’s use of profanity is com- expletives. I sighed. parable to the number of times the Ryan is doing well at college. He is word Ryan is used in this article. continuing his journalistic interests (being an ex-Pepperboxer) with his Ryan plays the flute. current employment as an “event Ryan doesn’t care... ever. Ryan cares about sustainable liv- photographer” at the Willamette Collegian, a weekly paper compaing. rable to The North Coast Journal. Ryan supports local businesses. Now, Ryan is at Willamette Uni- His dorm room in Terra House is roughly eighty feet away, by his estimation, from an active railroad, where trains pass by every couple hours and blow their whistle at all hours of the day. Excluding a brief jam session with a Gorillaz song (if your name is Carol Jacobson please skip to the next sentence at Ryan’s request) Ryan has not practiced playing his flute in roughly five months. However, he does hope to start practicing on a “semi-regular basis,” whenever he is not “taking a siesta,” “eating,” or “drinking chilled, carbonated beverages.” Ryan’s attitude on deadlines and punctuality has not changed, and as a result of this, his daily breakfast and regular lunch consists of his own blend of trail mix because he is always
Photo Courtesy Ryan Robie
Ryan Robie (right) has found new passion in college life as a radio DJ with his co-DJ, “DJ Blackbeardy.” (center) too late to class for a meal. Ryan room (that was once a closet) with also estimates he is roughly one “MAKE DAT $” spray painted in month behind on his online Span- gold on the walls. ish class. Ryan wishes he had paid “The first week I had no [BLEEP]ing more attention in English and ad- idea how to work [BLEEP] and vises his high school peers to learn couldn’t figure out how to un-mute from his mistakes, saying that he is the in-studio mics (...press the mute now being forced to write essays button, fyi, derp) until the very end with “footnotes,” “bibliographies,” of the show where I mumbled some and “sentences.” incoherent [BLEEP] before peacing Ryan also has a weekly radio show the [BLEEP] out.” Ryan wrote via throughWillamette, something that email. Now that the duo know how he has wanted to do since middle toproperlyoperatetheirequipment, school, when his deep soothing their show is generally successful voice seemed even deeper when and always entertaining. The pair compared to his peers. tend to spin an eclectic mixture of “The idea that I could be like a alternative rock, classic rock, claswhite Morgan Freeman who goes sical, hip hop, electronic, jazz, to a liberal arts school on the west swearing, or really whatever they coast and digests a copious amount feel like. Music is interspersed with ofcarrot-relatedfoodthatbroadcasts comments, swearing, and rants by chill tunage for a select audience on the two DJ’s that generally end in a a Tuesday has always been appeal- very entertaining way and contribing to me,” Ryan said. “Wouldn’t ute to the show’s laid back feel. you want to be a bogus musical god Ryan is enjoying college life, and for an hour every week?” although he may miss Arcata, we Every Tuesday at 3:30 “DJ Robo,” will never know for sure because with partner the mysterious “Black- my interview with him got cut short beardy” climb three flights of stairs when he realized that he was late for to their recording studio, a small a meeting with the Peace Corps.
I’m too tired to write a real headline for this Lily Hebert Reporter
You’re sitting on a cloud chatting it up with Mary Poppins. Then, BAM! Reality sets in. Your head falls back and eyes pop open. Yup, you’re in class and your mental capacity is at about two percent. Uuugh! We all know sleepiness is an academic problem, but could chronic sleep deprivation be stunting our growth or brain development? Sleep deprivation may actually be putting teens at risk for cognitive and emotional problems, accidents, and psychopathology.Teenagers already have enough emotional problems; and some sleep experts go so far as to say that early high-school starting times are tantamount to abuse and yes, it is proven that to affect school performance. Also, more than 100,000 car accidents are caused by drowsiness each year, more than half of these include teenagers. That’s pretty serious. Studies on sleep have proven that a teenager’s internal biological clock is wired to go to bed late and wake up late. This phenomenon is caused by a hormone called melatonin
which is produced at a later time of day than in any other stage in your life. Makes sense right? “Almost all teen-agers, as they reach puberty, become walking zombies because they are getting far too little sleep,” said Cornell University psychologist and sleep expert James B. Maas. “They expect too much out of us for the little time that we sleep” Emily Hoovin said. I’ll admit it; I press the snooze button on my alarm a minimum of five times every morning. Then by the time I get to school the basis of the majority of the conversations I have, include the phrase “I’m tired” if the whole conversation isn’t all about that fact. Maas went on to say that “…the overwhelming drive to sleep replaces any chance of alertness, cognition, memory or understanding.” When you think about it, how many of us aren’t at school daydreaming simply about closing our eyes for a couple more hours? Sadly I’m not listening to the teacher. Though for me, a student who doesn’t have the highest GPA in the world this might just sound like some sort of excuse
Zoe Tinseth/ PEPPERBOX
Senior Luis Bressoud falls asleep on his English textbook after staying up all night studying for his vigorous Advanced Placement tests.
to slack off. It’s not! Has anybody else sat there in math, bio, economics or, whatever the class, telling yourself that you’d better pay attention but instead found yourself harnessing the pure joy of closing your eyes? Then the teacher taps on your desk: “This is not nap time” they say. Almost every single day I come home and take a nap, and still I’m not fully rested. Then most of us have homework after school as well. We’re already about to fall over at school and then we have to come home and do homework?The system wants us to be learning more constantly and we’re not exactly objecting to it, but wouldn’t it make more sense for us to be well rested
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so that we’re paying attention to the teacher instead of nodding off every few minutes? Sleep deprivation is often caused by the high number of distractions and stresses in students’ daily lives. I can barely focus on this article to be perfectly honest. If we had a sufficient amount of sleep every night, the whole world would not only be safer but a happier place. I strongly believe that if students got more sleep, the school would see the general GPA go up. Plus we’d have a healthier student body. Someday I hope that this basic fact might be widely known and maybe school will start at 10:00 a.m. and not 8:00 a.m. for a healthy amount of shut eye.
AIBT
Jerry Paul Classic
nual
FEATURE
The 44 thA n
thursday, december 8, 2011
page 16
Arcata Invitational Basketball Tournament
Coach Bob Wallace • 2
Teams • 3-6
Arcata High Varsity Boys • 7
Bracket • 8
thursday, december 8, 2011
AIBT
page 2
Bob Wallace takes over as new head coach Thomas Witzel
Managing Editor “Diagonal! Go sprint! Hit the halfcourt line and slide! Get low! Let’s go, make yourselves better!!” Thirteen players got low and slid the lines. Coach Wallace stood above them shouting encouraging words to the players. However, Wallace was not in the same position last year, due to the many changes that have taken place over the past few months. The school year started out with THRIVE and Measure Q in effect, and a new principal leading the charge. However, one change that might have slipped by under the radar was the hiring of Bob Wallace as the new varsity boys basketball coach. The team ended the 2010-2011 season as league champions with a 23-7 record and a sections for the fourth year in a row. With seven players planning on returning the next year, the future of the program was set. However, one day, Coach Eric Vollmers brought his returners into his room at lunch and announced he would not be coaching next year. “It is time,” Vollmers told them. “I’ve got some big projects going on, and it’s just time.” The position was vacant and needed to be filled quickly, so the decision was made to hire Bob Wallace as the
new varsity coach. “I interviewed for the job because I felt I could help out this program and these boys,” Wallace said. “It’s going to be a nice test to see if I can coach and help create a successful team at this level.” Wallace grew up in New York and attended the University of Buffalo. His sport career goes back just as far. “I was a baseball, soccer and basketball player in high school, but didn’t play anything in college. After school, my wife and I tried to find a nice place to settle down and start a family. We found Humboldt and never left.” After arriving in Humboldt he started up his coaching career. Although he’s currently coaching boys’ basketball, he’s also delved into baseball and girls’ basketball. “I started out in girls’ basketball at Mack and worked my way up to girls’ varsity coach. After around six years, I started coaching basketball at Pacific Union and ultimately made my way up to this new job. I’ve been coaching baseball on the side the entire time too.” Bob Wallace balances coaching with the job of project director of the THRIVE grant. “It’s all about being efficient with your time,” Wallace said. “It’s a lot like being a student again; you just
have to manage your time well.” Puzz, the Principal’s secretary, expeWallace also plans on making some rienced Wallace’s intensity when she big changes to the program. was a student athlete at McKinleyville “[Eric] Vollmers was a great offen- High. sive coach, but we just do things dif- “I remember loving having two drinkferently. Vollmers was good at teach- ing fountains in the Mack gym, one ing the half-court offense, and I like on each side of the court,” Puzz said. my teams to get out and run, try and “Because then you didn’t have to hold get a fast break. The easiest points you your puke in till you got to the other can score are uncontested lay-ups.You side, you could just do it on both!” can expect to see the team in fantastic Although the Tigers will be reppin’ a shape.” new look this coming season, Wallace Practices include two to two and a has no intent of dropping off in suchalf hours of extremely intense work. cess. He’s going to push his team and Conditioning involves a seven minute help create a good program for years continuous run around the gym, with to come. sprints and defensive slides thrown in, “That’s what I expect from my team,” followed by up and back sprints until he said.“Great people on the court and someone makes a free throw. great young adults off it as well.” “They’re hard, but they’re purposeful,” senior Justin Heidrick said about Wallace’s practices. “He makes you work hard, but he has a bigger plan in mind.” According to former athletes who havebeencoached by Wallace, that’s Toby Shao/PEPPERBOX how he’s always Coach Bob Wallace pushes his players with rigorbeen. Monica ous conditioning drills.
Arcata High’s sixth men lead the crowd Kasey Cather Reporter
Sixth man: the first member of the team to be subbed in off the bench who usually has the same amount of playing time and points as a starter. Arcata High’s Sixth Man: a group of students who wish they could be on the team but instead are number one fans. The sixth men are always the first people you hear when you walk into the gym for a basketball game. “They are the ones that lead the crowd,” varsity basketball player Matt Gulley said. They are always loud and decked-out in over-the-top tiger gear. Being a sixth man requires some se-
rious endurance: you have to show up at all of the basketball games, be ready to cheer loudly, have the lung capacity to yell, and the mental mindset to take some smack from the opposing team’s fans. “It takes a lot of work and passion to be part of the sixth men - it’s not something to joke around about,”sixth man Ryan Ennes said. Controversy arose last year when female Taylor Gleave joined the Sixth Man group. “I’m just one of the dudes,” said Gleave. “I am just as good of a sixth man as any of the guys.” While Gleave is consistently cheering at the games, some believe that the Sixth Man group
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should be limited to just the male fan base. “It’s the sixth men. As a player, I like having all the boys there yelling,” said two-year varsity basketball player Will Taylor. Fans will have to wait until the season starts to see if Gleave is allowed to sit in the front row as a sixth (wo)man. Female involvement isn’t the only issue the Sixth Man group needs to resolve. In past years, parents and school administration have expressed concerns for the sometimes negative conduct of the crew. “The sixth men are great supporters as long as they are positively cheering. I do not advocate degrading and taunting of the other
team,” said Arcata High’s Dean of Students, Tahnia Campbell. But some argue that Arcata High’s Sixth Men are actually quite positive with respect to the fans of other schools. “The environment at our home games is usually more positive compared to the other team’s courts,” said avid basketball fan Joe Mayer. Sixth Men and Players alike argue that the fan base helps the team play better. “We are pretty much why the team wins,” Ennes said. “It’s not the same without the fan base,” four-year varsity player Tom Witzel said.
thursday, december 8, 2011
AIBT
The PB
page 3
Arcata Tigers ROSTER # Name Position Height Grade
Arcata High School Information City: Arcata Total Enrollment: 809 Mascot: Tigers Colors: Orange, Black League: Humboldt-Del Norte Section: North Coast CIF Division: 4 Last year’s record: 22-8-0 Last year won AIBT: 2008
10 Latrell Wilson G 6’3” 11 11 Jim Thomas G 5’11” 11 Feature athlete: 12 Tom Witzel F/C 6’7” 12 #24 Justin Heidrick 15 Tommy Grubb G 5’10” 12 23 Andy Beronilla G 6’0” 11 Favorite pump-up song: 24 Justin Heidrick G/F 6’3” 12 “X’ gon’ give it to ya’” by DMX 30 Hawken Ritter G 6’0” 11 Favorite pre-game food: 31 Jim Lucchesi F 6’4” 12 PB&J and a smoothie 32 Matt Gulley G/F 6’3” 12 Favorite thing about AIBT: 33 Cameron Wallace F 6’4” 11 “The excitement and how many 40 Will Taylor G 6’4” 11 fans come out to watch” 42 Aleric Stone F 6’1” 11 College plans: 44 Andrew DeHart F 6’1” 11 play basketball in college 55 Geoff Gambrell F/C 6’6” 12
McKinleyville Panthers Feature athlete: #14 Christian Enos
McKinleyville School Information
Favorite pump-up song: “I Think They Like Me” by Dem Franchize Boyz Favorite pre-game food: Subway sandwich Favorite thing about AIBT: “Playing out of area teams” College plans: play basketball at a CSU or a private college
City: McKinleyville Total Enrollment: 618 Colors: Red, Black League: Humboldt-Del Norte Section: North Coast CIF Division: 4 Last year’s record: 14-14-0 Last year won AIBT: 2nd Place in 2001
ROSTER
Name # Parker Farris 10 Christian Enos 14 Tyler Henderson 21 Cody Bates 22 About the coaches: Nick Koury and Jon Willcox Nick Moran 20 Nick Koury is 22 years old. He has been an assistant at McKinleyville High for three years, two at 12 the frosh level and last year as the varsity assistant. In addition to assisting at Mack, he has assisted Juston Frazier Joshua Willcox 25 at HSU on the men’s basketball team. He is currently a student at HSU majoring in youth sports McLean Johnson 33 recreation. Ross Nickols 23 Jon Willcox has coached the past three years as the Mack boys’ JV head coach. Prior to that he Andrew Nickols 41 coached Mack boys’ frosh and various boys’ and girls’ elementary and middle school teams. He is Ashton Pomrehn 34 an HSU graduate (1985) with a BS in Wildlife Management and currently has two sons playing for Thomas Noonan 15 MHS and MMS.
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thursday, december 8, 2011
AIBT
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Franklin Wildcats
City: Elk Grove Total Enrollment: 2760 Colors: Purple, Black, Silver League: Delta Valley Conference Section: Sac-Joaquin CIF Division: 1 Last year’s record: 25-7-0 Last year won AIBT: 2010
About the coach: Jesse Formaker
AIBT
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# Name Pos Yr Ht 1 Shikabe Aziz G Sr. 5-10 4 Victor Rustin F Jr. 6-2 5 Arieas Toney G, F Sr. 6-2 10 Marcus Smith G Sr. 5-3 11 Maurice Jordan G Sr. 5-11 13 Angelo Bell-Lytell F Jr. 5-11 14 Theo Johnson W, F Sr. 6-6 15 Fessal Aziz G Jr. 5-9 21 Kyle Ford G Sr. 5-10 23 Darin Johnson G Jr. 6-3 24 Dionte Young W, F Jr. 6-1 25 Kelton Newman (C) W, F Sr. 6-1
ROSTER Anderson School Information City: Anderson Total Enrollment: 699 Colors: Blue, Gold League: Northern Athletic Section: Northern CIF Division: 4 Last year’s record: 12-16-0 Last year won AIBT: Consolation in 2000
Piner Prospectors City: Santa Rosa Total Enrollment: 1054 Colors: Maroon, Gold, White League: North Bay Section: North Coast CIF Division: 3 Last year’s record: 9-16-0 Last year won AIBT: 2007 About the coach: Mike Erickson
Feature athlete: #25 Garrett Greenhaw Favorite pump-up song: some 300 Violin Orchestra song Favorite pre-game drink: water Favorite thing about AIBT: “It’s a fun tournament, the people are really friendly” College plans: play basketball at a four-year college on the west coast
Larry Newman first coached high school basketball in 1969. Since then, he has coached both girls’ and boys’ high school basketball as well as college-level men’s and women’s basketball. He was named the California High School Coach of the Year in 1986 when his girls team at Anderson High School won the Division II state championship. This is his fourth year as the varsity boys’ coach at Anderson.
Red Bluff Spartans ROSTER
ROSTER
Piner High School Information
# Name Pos Yr Ht Wt 0 Brandon Prettyman G, W Jr. 5-11 180 1 Jason Cruickshank F, W Jr. 6-2 165 2 Harrison Garr C, P Jr. 6-4 185 3 Angelo Allegretto F, P Jr. 6-0 210 11 Anthony Mogni G, W Sr. 5-11 145 20 Dominic Allegretto G Sr. 5-8 195 21 Jacob Booker C, F Sr. 6-3 23 T. J. Frisbie G Sr. 5-8 150 25 Garrett Greenhaw (C) F, W, PSr. 6-3 165 30 Cory Silva P, F Sr. 5-11 170
About the coach: Larry Newman
Jesse Formaker is a Social Science teacher at Franklin, teaching AP US Government, AP Comparative Government, Economics, and Sports Psychology. This is his sixth year teaching at Franklin and fifth year coaching varsity basketball. Before coaching at Franklin, he taught and coached at Hayward High School for five years. Under his coaching, Franklin has averaged 25 wins each season and won three straight league championships in the past three years.
# Player Pos Ht Yr 11 Cameron Eisenhauer F 5’11 12 12 Abel Feshashion G 5’10 11 13 Satnam Singh F 5’9 12 14 Preet Metla G 5’7 12 15 Andres Oseguera G 5’10 11 21 Ivan Mendoza C 6’2 12 22 Brandon Mills G 5’8 12 23 Skyler Ramos G 6’0 12 24 Kevin Camp F 6’1 12 25 Asante Van Dyke F 5’10 11 31 Lawrence Whitt Jr. C 6’5 12 32 Natu Hezchias F 6’1 11 34 Marquisse Camp G 5’11 11
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nderson Cubs
ROSTER Franklin High School Information
thursday, december 8, 2011
Feature athlete: #23 Skyler Ramos Favorite pump-up song: “Rack City” by Tyga Favorite pre-game food: a banana and an apple Favorite thing about AIBT: “The 3-pt and dunk contest” College plans: play basketball at a 2-year college
Mike Erickson is a teacher and coach at Piner High. This is his 21st year as Piner’s basketball coach.
Red Bluff School Information City: Red Bluff Total Enrollment: 1592 Colors: Green, Gold League: Eastern-South Section: Northern CIF Division: 2 Last year’s record: 9-18-0 Last year won AIBT: 2nd in 2006 About the coach: Stan Twitchell
# Name Grade Pos. Height 3 Evan Sinclair 11 G 5’10” 4 Conner Ross 11 G 5’10” 5 Taylor Blaser 12 G 6’0” 15 Lucas Burns 11 P 6’5” 20 Curtis Twitchell 10 W 6’2” 21 Mitch Robison 12 W 6’1” 22 Mike Nichols 11 G 5’9” 23 Michael Gonzales 12 G 5’11” 24 Jake Avila 12 G 5’10” 32 Garrett Sandow 11 W 6’0” 33 Erick Fulk 11 P 6’0” 34 Jonah McInnis 12 W 6’2’’
COACHES: Stan Twitchell Andy Redfield STATS:: Dominick Lightfoot Wade DeLacruz
Stan Twitchell is in his 21st year as a head basketball coach, 12 of which have been at Red Bluff. He was a student teacher at Arcata High in 1992 and played basketball for Humboldt State from 1987-91.
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thursday, december 8, 2011
AIBT
The PB
Fortuna Huskies ROSTER
Fortuna High School Information City: Fortuna Total Enrollment: 799 Colors: Blue, White League: Humboldt-Del Norte Section: North Coast CIF Division: 4 Last year’s record: 8-17-0 Last year won AIBT: 2002
Name # Year Jordan Franks 3 Jr. Justin Claus 5 So. Nathan O’Kelley 10 Jr. Nate Ambrosini 11 So. Jamie McCrigler 12 So. Max Betts 15 So. Kevin Bocek 20 Sr. 6’1” Kyle Wiegman 21 Jr. Tyrel Chamberlain 22 Sr. Brady Shaha 23 Sr. Ryan Gilroy 33 So.
Height 6’1” 6’0” 5’9” 6’3” 6’1” 6’0” 6’1” 6’2” 6’3” 6’2”
Feature athlete: #11 Nate Ambrosini Favorite pump-up song: “Youth of the Nation” by P.O.D. Favorite pre-game food: Wheaties Favorite thing about AIBT: “It’s a competitive tournament” College plans: play basketball at a UC or D1 university
About the coach: Joe Rice This is Joe Rice’s third year as varsity head coach of Fortuna High, although he has been involved with FUHS basketball for the past six years. He has two sons who have graduated from FUHS and a daughter who is currently a junior.
EUREKA LOGGERS ROSTER
Eureka High School Information City: Eureka Total Enrollment: 1354 Colors: Red, Green League: Humboldt-Del Norte Section: North Coast CIF Division: 3 Last year’s record: 9-14-0 Last year won AIBT: 2006 About the coach: Bob Robertson
# Name Pos Yr Ht 5 Mitchell Hash G Sr. 6-6 10 Casey McKenzie G Sr. 5-7 11 Elias Roberto G Jr. 5-10 12 Cameron Smith G Sr. 6-0 14 Eli Savage F, C So. 6-7 21 Greg Jackson G, F Sr. 6-2 23 Alexis Robinson G So. 6-3 24 Marcus Finney G Fr. 5-10 31 Ardeep Singh G Sr. 6-2 32 Ryan Hulbert F Sr. 6-6 33 Mandeep Singh F, C Sr. 6-7 34 Bryce Patton G Sr. 6-0 41 Bryce Rose G, F Jr. 6-7 55 Nate Madsen F, C Jr. 6-5
Feature athlete: #5 Mitch Hash Favorite pump-up song: “Lose Yourself” by Eminem Favorite pre-game food: Tiger’s Milk energy bar Favorite thing about AIBT: “First local games...see the local competition” College plans: play basketball at CR or a D2 college
Bob Robertson played basketball at Humboldt State University for two years and coached there for five years. He has coached all ages locally in AAU basketball and school basketball over the past twelve years, both girls and boys and is currently in his first year as coach at Eureka High School.
The PB
thursday, december 8, 2011
AIBT
page 7
AHS ballers courting on and off the court ThomasManaging WitzelEditor
have the solution. You see, we have athletic men on campus that are sinWe get it. It’s nice to see new fac- gle and looking for love. So without es. But is it really appropriate to go further ado, I would like to present completely crazy when new players the dating profiles of the returning players for the Arcata High School arrive on campus? Each year, during the first weeks varsity boys basketball team. of December, girls go bananas over Jim “Thunder Thighs” Luchessi the fact that “The AIBT boys are coming… OMG yippee!!!” However, girls have completely overlooked the fact that there are already hunks on campus. How come Tommy Grubb, senior and professional body builder, who has been attending AHS for four years, gets overlooked because Chucks Irogue- A delicate, gentle man whose sharp features make him a stunning specibea is on campus for three days? “They should stop paying atten- men. If you decide to look into Jimtion to them and start paying atten- my, you won’t have to worry about tion to me!” the stud Grubb said. “It money, because he is extremely doesn’t bother me a whole lot, but it stingy about spending. So much so, that he was recently seen dumpster does enough.” The real question that emerges diving, claiming, “I saw a shiny! is why them over us? Arcata High I saw a shiny!” However, Jimmy School has been known for having is as hardworking and sensitive as the best basketball program in the they come, and he will make a great H-DN area for the past five years, boyfriend. so why do the girls love the other Best Feature: “Definitely my kneeboys so much? I asked around for caps. Yup, my knee-caps.” Hobbies: Turtle breeding and deck insight on their opinions. “It’s because they’re so big, swabbing strong, athletic and muscular. Their First date meal: Cold spaghetti O’s hunks,” said female junior Taylor and grape juice Borges, renowned AIBT-boy lover. Geoff “Chubby Chaser” Gambrel “Because their tall and can dunk,” added Maddy Kinder. Lia Nelson also put in her two cents, stating “The AIBT boys have a mysterious aura about them that is attractive.” At the end of the day, who knows? All that is proven is that when December 8th rolls around, long time A well to do gentleman who has hotties will be overlooked for a beautiful blue eyes. Although he few days, and the spotlight will be may seem tall and tough, Geoff is just a big softy, who loves to snugturned onto the visiting boys. However, for those ladies out gle. If you choose to go with Geoff, there who are looking for a long, expect to be entertained, because he meaningful relationship, I believe I is a humorous fellow.
Best Feature: “My beautiful blue ian, so probably dirt with a side of eyes” bark” Hobbies: Gum chewing and frog Matthew “Swag-a-holic” Gulley taming First date meal: Spaghetti and fine mineral water Will “Sensitive Lover” Taylor
Gulley will truly “teach you how to dougie.” This kid has the fattest, most squeezable cheeks on the planet, and any girl or grandma What can be said about this Greek would love to give them a little God? His outer appearances are a pinch. His macho manner is covten and his inner are an eleven. He ered by his glowing smile, which is is one of the few people that I per- exhibited at almost every turn. He’s sonally consider flawless. If you very lovable, and resembles a large choose to go with Will, you can ex- teddy bear. pect a shy man who is good at any- Best Feature: “My cuteness… Teehee!” thing he tries. Hobbies: Heart Melting and loving Best Feature: “My everything” Hobbies: Dog fighting and Quarter- First date meal: Whatever she decides to make herself backing First date meal: “I don’t care. Prob- Thomas “The Troll” Grubb ably Chinese.” Justin “The Rainmaker” Heidrick
Tommy Grubb has been known for several years as being the most senThe Coach Robbie of the student sitive guy around. If you ladies have body. Never a frown on his face, he a problem, you will most definitely can really light up a room, and his get a warm welcome and a great aura glows. And as if that wasn’t pair of ears to listen and help you enough, the cherry on top comes any way he can. from the forty hours he puts in Best Feature: “My Luscious Alfalweekly at the gym, giving him ri- fa” diculous muscles. All around, this Hobbies: Long walks on the beach kid is a catch. and knitting Best Feature: “My swag” First date meal: Whatever my angel Hobbies: Stacking money and get- wants! Tom “The Italian Stallion” Witzel tin’ riches First date meal: “I’m a vegetar- (Sorry ladies, I’m taken)
AIBT
The PB
thursday, december 8, 2011
AIBT
Fall sports wrap up
page 17
XC girls sweep sections
Photo Courtesy of Jennifer Heidmann
The girls’ cross country team won first place at NCS sections and placed ninth in state out of twenty-four teams.
Photo Courtesy of Jennifer Heidmann
The girls’ cross country team huddle and motivate each other before they compete at state.
Other AHS fall sports
Photo Courtesy of Roxanne Moore
The boys’ cross country team begins their last league meet hosted by Fortuna.
Soccer
Girls’ Varsity: The varsity girls’ soccer team tied for 1st in Football league, finishing the season 12-1-1 in league, 13-6-2 overVarsity: The varsity football team ended the season 2-5-0 all. MVP went to Aedan Stranahan, most inspirational was in league, with a 4-6-0 overall record and made it to the Ryley Burton-Tauzer and most improved was Olivia Reynfirst round of sections. Team MVP was Aleric Stone, with olds. most inspirational and most improved going to Andrew DeHart and Tyus Fennel-Bryson, respectively. Boys’ Varsity: The varsity boys soccer team went undefeated in league, taking first place and making it to the first round of sections. Junior Varsity: The junior varsity football ended a building year with Joseph Mayer was named team MVP, Aidan Carroll was awarded a 0-8-0 overall record. Team MVP was Connor Cox, with the most in- most inspirational, and Forrest Lewis received most improved. spirational and most improved going to Ethan Bush and Josiah Ennis respectively. Boys’ Junior Varsity: The junior varsity boys soccer team had a good season ending 3-2-5 and earning 2nd place in league. Varsity: The varsity volleyball team finished their undefeated season in league with a sections game. Team MVP Golf was Jennifer Phillips, most inspirational went to Lauren Varsity: Girls’ golf had a strong year, earning 3rd place in McCoy and Gillen Martin was named most improved. league, along with a 3rd place in sections. Brittney Bisgrove was named team MVP, Kaylee Gorge was awarded most inJunior Varsity: The junior varsity volleyball team ended their sea- spirational, and Casey Aveggio was named most improved. son undefeated and in league. Kayla Reed was named MVP, Mariah Lewis was named most inspirational, and Sarah Fields was named Cheer Varsity: Carli McKenny was named MVP, Karah Lemster most improved. was awarded most inspirational, and Felicia Watson was Tennis named most improved. Varsity: The girls’ tennis team finished 5th in league. Geena Junior Varsity: Dayna Naish was named MVP, Chloe Damian was named MVP, Stacy Han was awarded most inspiMaskill was awarded most inspirational, and Ashlee Muillo was rational, and Hannah Matthews was named most improved. named most improved.
thursday, december 8, 2011
SPORTS
page 18
The PB
Three Arcata seniors sign
Photo courtesy of Thomas Witzel
Senior swimmer Erin McNulty signed with the University of Hawai’i on November 15. She started swimming at age nine and has competed in the junior olympics for the past six years. She also joined former Olympians at the International Grand Prix meet in Santa Clara last spring.
Brittney Bisgrove is joined by her father, mother, and sister while she signs her scholarship National Letter of Intent to play golf at Dixie State College of Utah. Her signing ceremony was attended by over 50 people. In the following speech, she thanked many members of her family and the staff at Arcata High.
Four-year varsity basketball player Thomas Witzel signed to play for Humboldt State University next year. During his time at Arcata High School, he not only performed on the court but off of it as well, completing a rigorous academic schedule filled with multiple Advanced Placement courses.
Wrestling: Not for the faint of heart Andrei Khmelnitski
ing an hour long pummeling from freshman, sarcastically said to me, many a strong man (and woman), I “Oh, you’re going to love Iron The idea of joining wrestling first was ready to quit. I looked up to the Mans.” Suffice to say, I didn’t. came to me because Toby Shao clock in dismay and realized that I “Iron mans” are nonstop wrestling, somehow managed to convince was less than halfway done. Coach all out, for twenty minutes and are me it was a good idea. Otherwise, Floyd suddenly blurt out: “Iron very, very, very tiring - especially if this is your first practice. And I doubt I would have even given Mans.” My training partner Thomas, a the people you are going up against wrestling a second glance. A bunch of guys in unitards trying to pull moves on each other really didn’t sound like my cup of tea, to say the least. Toby dragged me to the first wrestling meeting, though, and I realized that I was a little bit wrong about wrestling. First off, it wasn’t just guys in one-pieces, it was also girls, a fact that took me by surprise. In my mind it seemed like a very manly sport, indeed. I mean, what kind of guy gets beat by a girl? Two weeks from that day, I would find out that I was that kind of guy. I came to my first day of practice thinking I was mentally and physiToby Shao/PEPPERBOX cally ready. I wasn’t. After receiv- Andrei Khmelnitski rests briefly in between intense wrestling matchAudio/Visual Editor
have had at least a year of wrestling practice under their belt. During one of my bouts, I took an elbow to the chin and chipped my tooth. I was done, or should I say, my body was done, and there was still about forty minutes left of practice. I dragged myself through some more exercises and after about a half hour, I couldn’t take anymore. I sat out for the final torture: bear crawls. If you don’t know what these are, I won’t explain it, but if you do, you know what’s up. I ended my first day of wrestling practice with my tooth chipped (twice), a hyper extended elbow (maybe not, but it sure felt like it), and a cut hand. I learned wrestling is not a sport for the faint of heart, or the weak of mind. You have to want to be able to achieve in high school wrestling, something that I will hopefully learn over the course of this upcoming season.
thursday, december 8, 2011
OPINION
Should students evaluate teachers? Kim-ThuWeb Pham Editor
Toby Shao/PEPPERBOX
Photo courtesy of Erin McNulty
The PB
Imagine the masses without a say in government, the absence of right to petition, and a tyranny of the minority. What you are picturing is the education system’s current teacher evaluation policies. The teacher evaluation system in public schools directly conflicts with fundamental American values, ignoring the voices of the students. 99.8% of public schools use principals’ classroom observations as the primary source of data for teacher evaluation, according to a study done by the National School Boards Association. At Arcata High, teachers are observed by the principal for job performance and THRIVE mentors for collegial observations. Both use the district’s Certified Teacher Summary Evaluation which is based off the California teaching standards. Teachers are evaluated for how well they “engage and support all students in learning, create an environment for student learning, organize content knowledge for students,designlearningexperiences for all students, and asses student learning.” In short, teachers are assessed on how they affect students. Ironically, student learning is the focus of observations yet students are not seen as valid sources of formal evaluation. Their opinions are regarded, at most, as ways to receive casual feedback. Teachers are “encouraged to use student evaluations on a yearly basis” in their contracts as “an aid to their professional growth.” Student surveys are
not considered a part of the formal evaluation process. When asked about the possibility of student feedback being used in THRIVE, program founder Bob Wallace said, “Student evaluations were briefly touched upon, but are not a part of the grant. As an actual evaluation tool it doesn’t seem effective in K12 education.” What students are seeing in education today is a blatant disregard of their feedback as an important factor intheteacher evaluationprocess. The voices of students, the majority of the population in the education system, are being disrespected by adults. Statistically, student evaluations would provide a more accurate measure of teacher effectiveness. Evaluators, such as the principal and colleagues, are present in classrooms for less than one percent of the school year while students are present in classrooms for the entire school year. An evaluator can observe a teacher’s performance for one day but students can, and do, observe their teachers every day which allows them to notice patterns and areas for improvement more effectively than evaluators. They are also directly affected by a teacher’s effectiveness while an evaluator sits in the background as an observer. Logically, students can provide a better analysis of a teacher’s ability. If students’ could be such a strong source of feedback, why are they not part of the formal process? Researchers,administrators,andteachers offer a series of arguments:
1. The undeniable biological argument: students’ brains are undeveloped. The state of the prefrontal cortex determines how well an individual is able to make judgments, but it does not fully develop until a person is 25. Teens minds are governed by the amygdala which drives emotional reactions. As emotional thinkers, high school students are more likely to make decisions based on the emotional appeal of an option instead of its logical appeal. Therefore, students mayevaluateteachersbasedonhow much personal appeal they have instead of how strong their teaching habits are. Professor Ceci from the Psychology Department at Cornell University “[modulated] the tone of his voice more and [used] more hand gestures while speaking” in his spring courses. His student ratings consequently rose, although he had not changed any other aspects of the course. 2. Students can be extremely biased. Their evaluations can be influenced by personal factors such as their grade in the class, what their peers say about the teacher, or how easy the class is. 3. Teachers do not expect students to take the evaluations seriously and feel that students’ evaluations would not reflect their teaching practices. Adults do not think students care enough about their educations to provide proper feedback. For example, many students participated in the walk-out to protest teacher layoffs last year, but many admitted to walking out just because they wanted to skip class.
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The underlying issue seems to be a general distrust of students’ ability to evaluate their teachers fairly and accurately. However, students have not been given the chance to demonstrate their ability because adults are not taking them seriously. Instead, students who want to voice their opinions have had to resort to online sites, such as Ratemyteachers.com. Here are some examples:
“He is one of the best teachers at the school. He is very clear, and is a cool person to deal with.” “That woman is on something.” “Sweetest, most helpful teacher.” “Can’t even take advice from students without rolling his eyes.” “So funny. So loud.”
The negative content of such sites has dissuaded teachers from allowing students to have some control over their careers through evaluations. The criteria for online teacher ratings such as “easiness” and “popularity”are unprofessional and falsely represent students’ ability to critique their teachers. Student feedback could be extremely helpful in the professional evaluation process. It is essential for teachers to trust their students to put effort and honesty into their evaluations and necessary for students to trust teachers and administrators to sincerely consider their feedback. English teacher Sue Buscher said, “We’re not teaching unless students say they are learning. It’s a reflective process. Students should be able to say: ‘This is how well you educated me.’”
“An evaluator can observe a teacher’s performance for one day but students can, and do, observe their teachers every day which allows them to notice patterns and areas for improvement more effectively.”
thursday, december 8, 2011
OPINION
page 20
The PB
R-E-S-P-E-C-T Francis Zierer
Opinion Editor
As you hopefully know, dear reader, the population of the world recently breached the 7,000,000,000 mark, according to the United Nations. Seven billion. It’s strange to think that only 51 years ago, in 1960, there were but three billion souls on this floating rock we call Earth. The population has more than doubled in 51 years. I’m sure you can do that math, but I feel this is the kind of fact worth repeating (the human population of the Earth has more than doubled in 51 years!). While that fact has innumerable implications to both humanity and the rest of the planet, I only actually want to focus on one from these multitudes. I’m not going to talk about any person in particular. What interests me today is not you, the person sitting next to you, or indeed myself. What interests me today is the concept of the individual. The most interesting thing about there being 7,000,000,000 people in the world is not to me the sheer size of our population, but that fact that 7,000,000,000 individuals exist. That is 7,000,000,000 points of view, 7,000,000,000 different priorities, 7,000,000,000 unique and beautiful people. How we as a species function, with so many of us, I have no idea. There is such potential for conflicts, for violence. But why? Why is one person so much more important than another that they have the right to impede on their life and suppress their opinion if only to strengthen and cushion their own? Take the Crusades, for example, an elongated series
of wars with taking back land as the basic goal. What right did the Christians have to murder and pillage the people of the “Holy Land”? Just because it was their land, once? What is ownership? Many conflicts in the world throughout the past, the present day, and probably the future are based in the concept of ownership. But what makes something belong to one person over another? In the animal kingdom, ownership usually applies to territory, or food, something necessary for sustaining life. On a large scale, humanity’s conflicts are usually pretty similar. The Crusades were about taking back land that once belonged to the Christians, that they thought still belonged to them. But what claim did they have? Had they not given it up? I feel as if they had. I think it was childish of them to try to take back what they no longer owned. You cannot knowingly leave a $5 bill on the sidewalk, walk away, and come back a few days later, expecting whoever has picked it up to give it back to you. That is not how the world works, and it is immature to think that it is. But I am not here to bash religion! This is just an example. But back to my original point. Is it not amazing that we as a species have not yet made ourselves extinct, when we are so conflict-obsessed? If someone takes something that you did not specifically mark as yours, is the conflict, however violent or non-violent it might be, worth it? Life is too short to waste fighting. Which leads me to my next point: life is short. With the current way the human body works, and current medi-
cal technology, a long life can be about 100 years. The Earth itself is 4.54 billion years old. That means that a long human life is about one 45,400,000th of the time Earth has been around. The Earth is not going to die any time soon, but you are. So why fight? Why cause unhappiness? You are not important. I am not important. But what is important is humanity. We are a part of a very complex and evolved worldwide ecosystem. We are not meant to pursue simply our own self interest.
You can call me Aretha Francis.
thursday, december 8, 2011
OPINION
The PB
SAT: Stupid Aggravating Test Andrei Khmelnitski Audio/Visual Editor
We are meant to pursue the interest of our species. That, I believe, is the best use of our time on this planet. Why become a corporate executive when the only thing you are perpetuating is our economy? Is it so essential that that survives? It is your responsibility as an individual and a member of the 7,000,000,000 to perpetuate the human race. That is my point. The world is in the palm of your hand, if you prefer cliche.
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s SAT season-that awful time of year. You might think that the SAT runs all year round, so technically it’s always SAT season. No no… it’s senior SAT season, meaning “Oh no I have to do good on these SATs or I’m not getting into college” season. My entire educational career (from preschool to high school) is being evaluated by one single test lasting about five hours... on a Saturday... at 7 a.m. in the morning. It’s about as fun as it sounds. One single test on one single day is in no way able to judge how good of a student I am, and this, let me tell you, is a simple fact. Maybe I’m having a bad day, maybe I didn’t get enough to eat for breakfast, who knows; there is no limit to the reasons the day I decided to take the SATs is a bad day to take the SAT. Notice that I use the word “decide” tentatively because I
really don’t have the power to decide anything about taking the SAT other than which one of the eight or so Saturdays out of the year I want to waste taking it. Back to my previous point though: SATs are not a fair judgement of someone’s scholarly abilities. As Albert Einstein once said, “If you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life being stupid.” I feel this same principle rings very true with the SAT. If I’m a science prodigy (not saying I am), that skill will not be reflected in the least on the SAT, because, guess what, there isn’t even a science section on the SATs. Even though I might be a genius that could one day cure cancer (not saying I am) that doesn’t really mean I’m going to get a good score on the SATs. Even worse, what if I am an incredible musician (and I’m definitely not)? The SAT has absolutely no way to represent musical talent in the scoring system.
This leads me to my other issue: people that spend their entire academic life preparing for the SAT. It follows reason that if the SATs are such a big deciding factor in people getting into universities, rivaling even GPA, that ALL high schools should offer classes in preparing students for the SAT. This if far from true though. Barely any schools offer this essential course, and most importantly for me, AHS doesn’t offer this course. How am I supposed to go up against some kid from So Cal that has spent 4 years preparing for the SAT? That’s like taking the AP Bio test without taking AP Bio. Who do you think is going to get a better grade? Not me, and that doesn’t feel good. No matter how hard I prep, how well I do in school, how good my grades are, I will never do as well on the SAT as someone who has taken prep classes. This might not be true, but this is how it feels, and that’s just me. I’m a middle class individual that can afford for myself basic preparatory materials, have internet access, and go to a school that does a relatively good job of preparing me. I can’t even imagine how taking the SAT would feel if these basic com-
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modities were denied to me because for economic reason. You know what’s just the worse part of this all? The idea that I have to pay fifty dollars to the College Board Corporation so I can have the right to even take this test. This test that is required for entrance to most every university, this test that I have to take on the terms of the College Board seeing as they pick out the test date, this test that I don’t even want to take, I have to pay for. That’s like having to pay for the paper you’re taking a math test on; all it does is add insult to injury. The College Board claims to be a nonprofit organization and either this simply isn’t true, or they are an incredibly wasteful organization. Where does my fifty dollars go? The way I figure it the absolute maximum it costs College Board for me to take the SAT Reasoning Test is seventeen dollars. Which begs the very important question why am I/we paying fifty dollars? An even better question is why does it cost twenty five dollars to take it late? Does it really cost the fine people at College Board thirty dollars extra for me to take the test late? A lot of money is being made by someone somewhere.
Colin Swenson/PEPPERBOX Colin Swenson/ PEPPERBOX
thursday, december 7, 2011
OPINION
page 22
Teen drinking: Is being wasted fun? Zoe Tinseth Reporter
Keg stands, beer pong, shots, shots, shots! A stereotypical high school party, am I right? So many teens in high school strive to get drunk, wasted, shmammered, faded, gone, but why is that “cool?” Is getting so drunk that you can’t walk “cool?” Is making a fool of yourself in front of a bunch of people “cool?” Is throwing up on your self “cool?” Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against alcohol and partying. I actually think the drinking age should be lowered to 18. The purpose of this article is not to say that teens shouldn’t touch alcohol because truth be told, this article isn’t going to stop drinking. No way. But there is a fine line between having fun and acting stupid. A few weeks ago, I found myself at a good friend’s get-together; it started out nice with just some friends at his house hanging out and listening to music, enjoying themselves. The owner of the house didn’t have to worry about anything getting broken, destroyed, or stolen… yet. As the night went on, more people arrived. That was fine, the owner was expecting more people, but as the night progressed the house got more and more crowded; I started to people-watch. The first thing I noticed was many people thought that yelling was a good way to speak, (it isn’t). Often yelling something about alcohol, drugs, or how drunk they were in their slurred, ridiculous-sounding tones. Second, as I was being pushed around in the crowded kitchen I set my hand down to stable myself on the counter. As I brought my hand away from the counter it was dripping and sticky from what one of the guests had spilled and not had enough courtesy to clean up. I was baffled. It’s re-
spectful and necessary to clean up what you spill, especially if you are a guest. That wasn’t all that wasn’t being cleaned up though; there was trash all over the house that people had just discarded. They had not even looked to find the trash can or recycling, which if you ask me, were in plain view. The third thing I saw was many people stumbling around, not able to stand up or walk properly. Their judgment seemed impaired because they commonly seemed to step in other people’s personal space while walking or attempting to stable themselves. At this point I was feeling sorry for some of them. Then I turned around and found myself face to face with a couple getting much too intimate in a room with twenty plus people in it. That’s when I felt myself feeling no longer sorrowful, but disgusted. Why were all those people making complete and total fools of themselves? Is that the “cool” thing to do nowadays because I don’t think it’s “cool” at all. Alcohol is not bad in my opinion. I think that teen drinking can be a very big problem but if teens learned to stop abusing
alcohol then it wouldn’t be. I myself believe the drinking age in the United States should be lowered to 18 because I think that teens should be exposed to alcohol at a younger age. I believe if the law changed, not as many teens would abuse alcohol. Alcohol would no longer be the “forbidden fruit” that everyone wants a piece of. I’m not saying that all teens abuse alcohol, because I know a lot of teens don’t drink at all, and I know a lot of teens do without abusing it. They make sure they have a place to stay, a designated driver who is looking out for them, they clean up their messes, they can walk properly, and last of all if they want to get frisky with someone, they aren’t going to do it in front of an audience. Alcohol is a drug and when it comes down to it, if you make the decision to use that drug, responsibilities come with the decision. A fun party doesn’t have to include 100 wasted people, trashing the house they are in. Aren’t parties about having fun out with your friends? Can’t you have fun while still being respectful, responsible, and not looking
Zoe Tinseth/PEPPERBOX
Aidan Sanborn-Peterson acts out the not-fun aspect of being wasted
The PB
like a fool in front of everyone? If we all looked out for one another when partying and drinking, no one would have to worry about their house getting destroyed, or anyone making stupid decisions. At the party I mentioned before, when it came time for the owner to get everyone out, since they had been disrespecting him and his property, no one left. The owner asked everyone more then ten times to leave his house, and nobody did. That is incredibly disrespectful and even, if not especially, when under the influence, it is ridiculously rude behavior. Partying can be a lot of fun and everyone goes through the stage where “parties are the coolest and getting drunk is the best.” If you are a teen you know that every weekend teens strive to drink and get drunk, some teens even drink multiple times per weekend. That makes me sad for my generation; you should be able to have just as much fun with your friends when you are sober as when you are drunk. If you “have” to drink every weekend, how is that different than an addiction? I challenge everyone at Arcata High and in the community to not drink for one weekend and see how it makes you feel. You might be surprised. Though I don’t think many people will take up my challenge, I still hope that my article made you think. As I said before, partying and drinking doesn’t have to be a problem and I’m not against it. I just hope that more teens become aware that abusing alcohol isn’t “cool” and when you do you will more then likely make a fool of yourself in public. So come on everyone, if you choose to drink, drink responsibly and please, please start looking out for each other.
The PB
thursday, december 8, 2011
OPINION
Grinding: It’s revolting HannahPhoto LuuManager
shares a similar view. “There is lots of other great dancing without all that inappropriate rubbing,” said Ms. Wozniak. In contrast to the administration, Arcata High students views’ on grinding is very diverse. Colleen Epperly, Arcata High junior, thinks that “It [grinding] is not a big deal. It could be a lot worst; they could actually be having sex.” Lia Nelson has a feminist stance on the issue of grinding. “The display of women’s sexuality is often frowned upon by the social media because women are supposed to fill a certain role in the household. Grinding is a form of sexual expression that should not be repressed. It is completely natural,” Nelson said. Surprisingly, a large amount of students are not ok with grinding. Some students that have definitely
grinded at dances described it as “gross” and “revolting.” This was very strange. In my opinion, students should not be dancing like this; there are parent and teacher chaperones at the dance. Beyond that, many students chose not to attend dances because grinding is somewhat offensive. People go to dances to have a good time. They do not go to see students’ expressing their affection for each other by awkwardly rubbing their bodies together. Joseph Mayer, Arcata High senior, expands upon the issue of grinding. “It is kinda like weird. It doesn’t offend me if you’re not too into it,” Mayer explained. However, Arcata High has slowly made stricter rules regarding grinding. It is now read in the bulletin that grinding is not acceptable for school
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dances. Four years ago, grinding was simply a part of dances, it was not a controversy. Even with these new regulations, people still get down at dances. In general, teenagers will break any rule, it is an innate part of being a teen. You gotta defy the man. However, I urge students to think about this. Someday you may look back at your high school dances and want to cry over how revolting dancing was. At your future wedding, I can only hope you do not grind your butt into your new husband in front of hundreds of loved ones. When you tell your grandchildren about what life was like in your day, you will realize they might grind at their own high school dances. Your own kids may inappropriately dance with the opposite sex in front of adults. And that is simply not ok.
Attention Arcata High students: you are not in a Snoop Dogg music video. You do not need to show the world you can dance like Nicki Minaj. It is totally unnecessary. Less than a decade ago school dances were a collection of teenagers nervously SLOW DANCING. Now, if you were to go to a high school dance, you would be immediately greeted by some song chanting “ale-ale-Alejandro.” The singer obviously has a speech impediment. The next thing you might notice is an obscene form of dancing. Commonly referred to as “grinding” or “Getting down,” this dance style may make you walk out the door and throw up. Risqué dancing styles have developed through the ages. It was once called “the bump,” then it was “freaking,” and now it is “grinding.” For those of you not familiar with grinding, Arcata High senior Jack Brown offers a comical description. Brown describes grinding as, “Vertical expression of the horizontal intention.” Jack has basically summed up what grinding is. When girls literally form a right angle from bending over and slowly rub their butts into a guy’s lower half. You do not imagine little unicorns and rainbows. You are clearly given an impression that these kids are almost having sex, but with clothes. The majority of Arcata High’s administration is vehemently opposed to dirty dancing. Assistant principal Ms. Wood says, “Whenever I see it [grinding] I ask kids to step apart. Hannah Luu/ PEPPERBOX Hannah Luu/ PEPPERBOX It’s inappropriate.” Talon Ridinger and Aria Deosil demonstrate a less Lia Nelson, Abi Anderson, and Raya West-Powers Geometry professor Ms. Wozniak sexual form of “getting down.” demonstrate the commonly observed “grinding.”
thursday, december 8, 2011
OPINION
page 24
The PB
Occupying Corporate Wall Street: Shea Hamilton Reporter
CNN, The New York Times, FOX news, and other news corporations have reported insurgency violence, attacks on police officers, and unidentified threats from the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement. Yet it is these mass media corporations, each making billions of dollars of revenue per year, which are among the targets of protest, and are threatened by the movement. Domestic news agencies report that the protesters are ‘overstaying their welcome,’ portraying them as obnoxious and unorganized. Unless a person reads alternative or foreign news sources, it can be hard to understand the movement. It is a people’s uprising, to, in the words of the OWS website, “Resist austerity, rebuild our economy, and reclaim our democracy.” One of the most prevalent accusations towards the movement is that it lacks a concise goal. The common slogan of OWS is “We are the ninety-nine percent,” a reference to the extreme economic gap between the rich and the poor in our nation and contempt for the fact that the U.S. government still provides billions in bailouts to Wall Street to aid failing banks and bankrupt corporations. Naomi Wolf of The Guardian reports that the desires of OWS protesters are “To get money out of politics, … [to] reform the banking system to prevent fraud and manipulation” and to draft laws against corruption in Congress. Yet beyond the obvious economic themed messages, curious observers of the protest note signs ranging from a broad statement “Greed is bad,” to anti-war and anti-nuclear energy ideologies, there are even specific issues like a protest of the Keystone
XL Pipeline. Some see this range of protest as weakness and disunity, but the multitude of different beliefs present an American populace that is informed and politically active. These signs do not detract from the movement, they are not a sign of disunity, they are simple words existing to make people think, to make people question what is going wrong in this society. Still, the assembly of protesters
of capitalism (e.g. shareholders and consumers) should be used against it, such as the boycott of buying products. Sachs depicts the protestors as the new progressives, becoming this generation’s leaders and politicians through free social media, such as social networking sites and blogs. An October survey by Quinnipac University of New York City residents, residing in the birthplace of
protesters over-reaching their first amendment. The Guardian reports that the Department of Homeland Security was involved in “an 18mayor conference call, advising mayors on ‘how to suppress’ Occupy protesters.” DHS’s participation in the clearing of protesters shows the U.S. government views the protesters at the level of terrorist threat. It may appear to the public that the demonstrators are jobless young people, but many professionals, political parties and even labor unions have joined the movement. Parties backing the movement like the Green Party are able to lobby and use their resources to aid the movement. The existence of labor unions at the protests is especially important for OWS; it means that the movement has the support of the people, the workers who are the “back-bone” of this country. Many conservatives across the naagainst the Wall Street elite brings the movement, showed that while tion frown on the protests that are to mind the idea of a school of small many did not believe the movement littering, harming business, and defish uniting to fend off a larger adequately represented the popu- beautifying cities. But the protespredator. In such a scenario, unity lace, 72 percent believed the pro- tors are not out there being ‘a nuiremains the most important factor. testers should be allowed to stay. sance’ for the hell of it. Rather than In order to maintain the strength of However, NYC on November 15th, blaming the people who are angry the movement, protestors should Zuccotti Park, the location of the at Wall Street, blame Wall Street balance focus on issues that are less original protest, was cleared out by for making people angry in the first well-known with universally held the NYPD. The response by protest- place. Conservatives are taxed the goals of the movement. ers in NYC was to re-band through- same as liberals, the same burden Capitalism is the Root of the Prob- out the city, taking their protest to of corporate greed is placed on their lem the streets as thousands arrived to backs. Jeffrey D. Sachs provided a con- assist in the movement. As pioneers of misinformation, crete summary to the movement’s The removals were not limited to corporate media ignores or downissue of having too vague of goals. NYC, across the nation police in plays aggressive action by police In his New York Times article, Sachs riot gear removed OWS from Oc- towards protesters, including forced promotes the creation of a public cupy sites - in many instances using removals of occupations in areas policy platform for the movement force and brutality. The Guardian, a such as Oakland and Berkeley, Calwith an agenda to “Tax the rich, end UK newspaper, calls the removals a ifornia. the wars and restore honest and ef- “…coordinated crackdown against In such reports, tame words are fective government for all.” He also peaceful OWS protesters…” and used, such as “nudge” in place of suggests that because capitalism is the removals were not just the ac- “ram,” and the general focus is disthe root of the problem, then agents tions of police taking action against tracted away from people hurt
It may appear to the public that the demonstrators are jobless young people, but many professionals, political parties, and even labor unions have joined the movement.
The PB
thursday, december 8, 2011
OPINION
page 25
The misrepresented movement
during the police’s harassment of the protestors. Most of the incidents would not be reported if not for videos, recorded by witnesses, going viral. Reasons used for the arrest of protestors include trespassing on private property, or stepping outside of allotted boundaries of the protest. Police in some areas have become more hostile, arming themselves in riot gear, while using batons, pepper-spray and tear gas. Police brutality has even been protested by military veterans who have joined the movement to protect the protestors. On the other hand, there have been cases reported in which canisters of tear gas were thrown back at the cops along with projectiles like shards of glass. But when demonstrators did become violent, they got the full attention of the media. Those most disruptive and destructive members of the protest do not represent the views of the movement as whole, but unfortunately give it a bad name. There is a sense of apathy and defeatism ingrained in our culture, belief that real change cannot be achieved. Watching the news one may think that camping out in a roiling mass of civil fury is not enough. Why stand chanting, when you could be throwing Molotov cocktails and making Wall Street burn for its actions? Is it wrong to want revenge on institutions that have ruined so many lives? Yet unlike the revolutions of old, we are too dependent on the very companies that oppress us, we rely on them for our credit cards, our consumer products, our communication, our transportation, almost everything that this society is. Also, why advocate violence when there are peaceful ways to
change the system? People in countries around the world are rising in protest of the greed of corporations and the vastly wealthy. In the Arab world a mass of dem-
and Egypt, a civil war in Libya and civil uprisings in Bahrain, Syria and Yemen. These occurrences and the protests of nations throughout the Middle East and North Africa have
Yet unlike the revolutions of old, we are too dependent on the very companies that oppress us, we rely on them for credit cards... almost everything that this society is. onstrations and protests beginning come to be known as The Arab in December of 2010, have esca- Spring, they chant a similar meslated into revolutions in Tunisia sage against oppression.
Hundreds of arrests have been made, a majority of them from the western world, peaceful protesters willing to make sacrifices for what they believe in and to encourage others to do the same. One of many ideologies put forth by demonstrators is “A revolution starts with words;” this is very appropriate in that this movement is widely exercising the freedom of guaranteed to U.S. citizens in the Constitution. With its chants, slogans, signs and free media, OWS is an uprising of people agitating for a change in the system. Through the use of modern technology, lobbying, letters to congress and civil disobedience on a massive scale, a strong Occupy Wall Street is taking the voice of the public to the next level, ready to return the power to the people.
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thursday, december 8, 2011
OPINION
The PB
Something to Bring to Your Next Tea Party! Gregory Arena
contributing pundit
thursday, december 21, 2011
OPINION
The PB
page 27
Adventures in Valley West
Brian Then
stroller that we find and walk up to people saying, “Damn my baby is so sexy!” And you’ll say something funny, and they’ll laughing their butts off. You will often fall on the ground laughing. There is also a park that we could go to. They have some poles that you hold on to and spin in circles, if you let someone spin you as fast as they can you’ll try and walk but fall as soon as you take one step. We do wrestle, which is fun sometimes but not everyone likes it. We walk around town and walk up to people and say “Hey, I’m following you, I like fried chicken.” Then we will run off erupting in an evil cackle. Some people will laugh with us when we do that to them. Valley West sounds boring, but it is much more fun then everyone thinks. I think I come up with the best ideas, try them with me!
Reporter
Valley West is not that exciting, but I can make it exciting. When you’re stuck in Valley West and there is nothing to do, then come hangout with me, and I’ll make your day! We’ll take the handicap scooter in Ray’s Food Place around the store and ask people, “Hey how do you like my ride. It’s sexy right?” or you can ride up to a random lady and ask: “Hey want to go for a ride?” Just messing around of course. We could go to my tree fort, that got torn up by some random mean people, but it’s still fun. If you’re small enough then you can get in the baby seat in a cart and I’ll push you around and ask people if they think I have a sexy kid. It sounds a little crazy, but trust me when you’re doing it you won’t be able to stop laughing. I’ll push you in a
Colin Swenson/ PEPPERBOX
Should freshmen be able to take shop classes?
Taylor Bennion Reporter
In the years I have spent here at Arcata High, I have enrolled in at least three shop classes including Wood, Auto and Metal Shops. All of these classes have some degree of danger, but all are open to freshmen except auto shop, which in my opinion is one of the safer classes of the three due to the lack of saw blades and red hot metal. Now, why would a class with perceivably less threats be closed to freshmen but open to everyone else? My opinion is that all shop classes should be off limits to freshmen. Freshmen are essentially dangerous 8th graders with inflated egos who have little to no regard for the safety
and well being of others. Perhaps instead there could be a
class open to freshmen that covers be in a safe environment where they safety instructions, allowing them to cannot inflict injury on each other. Onceastudenthaspassedthisthreeweek training period they would be allowed to integrate into the normal shop classes. The class would be closely monitored by guards so as to assure that the inmates… I mean students…. would keep in line and finish their book work. Electrical fences would also segregate them from the rest of the population so as to ensure the safety of students and staff. In this way, there would be fewer opportunities for anything to go wrong and in turn everyone would live happily ever after. This is only a rough idea of what could be done, but I feel that Sarah Fraga/ PEPPERBOX it could be the start of something James Amelung and Drew McFarland demonstrate woodshop danger. beautiful.
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thursday, december 8, 2011
A&E
The PB
Anne Bown-Crawford creates the state Shea Hamilton Reporter Whether you’re stereotypically the creative “right-sided” type, or you’ve got a logical “left-sided” brain, there are arts education reforms headed your way. As of May 2011, California has become one of five states participating in the National Endowment for the Arts’ (NEA) Education Leadership Institute aimed towards advancing arts education. Arcata High School art teacher, and Arcata Arts Institute director, Anne Bown-Crawford (ABC) is one of many involved in our state’s reform movement, dubbed ‘Create the State,’ by the California Arts Council. The challenge for arts education reform in California, written in the jargon of arts educators, is to “Ensure [that] each student reaches his or her full potential by broadening California’s educational vision, policy, and practices to promote innovation, economic development, and creativity.” Budget cuts in education have put arts instruction at odds with the more favored sports programs and “the essentials” like math and science. Increasingly, arts education has been isolated to institutions of private education and wealthier public schools that are able to afford the expenses. Such degradation of the arts may be less evident in our area, due to the presence community support and the strength of AAI. However, this does not mean that the problem does not exist, “…Many arts programs are being cut because they are ‘frills,’” stated ABC, and there are many that would agree with the term “frills.” It is a common stereotype that in schools, the arts are the easy option for required electives, and not to be taken too seriously. However, there
appears to be a correlation between the arts and the social development of students. Areas that cannot afford arts programs see a higher rate of bullying and drop-outs which can result in increased crime. According to Alma Robinson, Executive Director of California Lawyers for the Arts, “Lack of access to arts programs in schools is a signal for poor educational outcomes and greater involvement with the criminal justice system.” The education system is undergoing revisions such as ways to improveteaching and testing methods beyond the questionably successful “bubble-test” system. This is where aspects of robust learning are coming into play, a concept in which students build upon their own preexisting knowledge to grasp newer, more complex knowledge and skills. In accordance with robust learning, the arts, while they may not be teaching particular facts, provide the foundations for learning that allow students to improve their comprehension for further education. A 2008 report on Arts and Cognition by The Dana Consortium revealed studies concluding that participation in the arts by youth can
lead to greater motivation and attention-span, manipulation of long and short-term memory, and a better grasp of language, among other benefits. The arts are also viewed as having the ability to reduce stress in individuals, along with helping them develop their mental coherency and comprehension. NEA describes those participating in the Education Leadership Institute as “teams of school leaders, legislators, policymakers, educators, professional artists, consultants, and scholars.” These people are part of a (non-partisan) political movement,sponsoredbytheDepartment of Education, garnered towards creating public education reform policy. “This is high-maintenance, high-profile work,” ABC said, regarding Create the State, “those involved are sacrificing their time in order to affect change in the public education system.” Their goal is “to create overall ‘public will’ to keep the arts strong in the schools, thus educating more creative, innovative thinkers,” explained ABC. The movement has the support of both, State Superintendent of schools, Tom Torlakson and Governor Jerry Brown. “It’s a favorable window of
Photo Courtesy of Anne Brown-Crawford
Anne Bown-Crawford and the California Create the State team in Chicago at the NEA’s Education Leadership Institute.
time that we feel compelled to take full advantage of right now,” ABC said. In efforts to implement public education reform, Create the State will be having ‘Listening Tours’ throughout California. These will be sessions in which participants are free to pose questions, concerns, and opinions regarding the efforts. Community members who wish to support a core reform for the arts can vote for pro-arts school board members and legislative representatives, by supporting existing arts programs by attending events, helping to fund programs and participating in programs. The arts are not some icing on the cake of society. They can be found at the starts of revolution or in recording primitive ways of living. Be it through charcoal scratching on stone, spray paint on urban cement, to oil paintings and photography, from chants and animal skin drums to piano and electric guitar, the arts are at the core of human nature. The arts resonate. Even the twits who claim to be completely un-artistic will have a song that holds a special place in their heart. The arts always survive; integrating into most all aspects of society. ABC is able to teach the arts to high school students while supporting the arts within the community as well as throughout the state. When asked her motivation, ABC said “I do this because I have invested three decades in teaching and designing effective educational programs. I have had the privilege to see how well the arts can prepare students to set goals for their future and realize those goals. And those goals do not need to be centered around the arts - but by becoming creative, thoughtful thinkers students can be successful where ever they launch.”
thursday, December 8, 2011
A&E
The PB
Madrigal choir: Caroling with Carol Amber Yates Reporter
In 2009, 60 members of the Arcata High School Orchestra performed at Carnegie Hall. Not a single word or picture was devoted to this progam in the yearbook. In 2010, the Madrigal Choir visited Italy, and was stuck for a week
Again, not a word in the yearbook. Why is there such a lack of presence of these music programs in the school? “I think people who have their own set of interests, such as sports, they tend to not have anything else in their peripheral vision,” said Carol Jacobson, music teacher at Arcata
Kimber Peterson/PEPPERBOX
Madrigal Choir teacher Carol Jacobson conducts a carol during class
because of the Icelandic volcano.
High School. The Madrigal choir is scheduled to sing at nursing homes, service clubs, and Arts Arcata in addition to the winter concert on Dec. 14 at 7:00 p.m. at the Van Duzer Theater. They are currently auditioning to sing at the Notre Dame theatre. “Our music is different than it was in past years, we sing both classical and contemporary,”said senior Ann Anderson. “I’m am proud that we can have such a top-level ensamble on campus,” Jacobson said. “The level of acheivement is excellent, some repitoir even comparable to many college level choral programs.” Carol speculates that the madgrigal choir has been with Arcata high since the 1950s, but no one really knows. Unlike a marching band, or a Doo-Wop club, the classical Madgrigal choir has not died with the times. Carol attrributes this survival with strict adherence to tradition. “The quality of the choir varies from year. Some years are building years, and some years we have a majority of seniors that have all been in the choir for up to three years,” Jacobson said. “Of course you’re going to see some difference
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in quality.” “Carol has a lot of experience,” junior Linden Grey-Reneburg, two year Madrigal member, said. “She has really high standards, and she is very strict. But it doesn’t bother us. because it allows us to push ourselves and do our very best.” Many social parallels can be found betwen the Madrigal choir and sports at this school. Members need extensive voice training and teamlike coordination to get songs just right.
“If they didn’t have to sing, I would duct tape some peoples’ mouths -Arcata
High School Choir teacher Carol Jacobson
“The most frustrating part is when people don’t learn their music, when they don’t focus,” Jacobson said. “I swear, if they didn’t have to sing, I would duct tape some peoples’ mouths.” For more information on how to book the madrigal choir for your winter gathering contact Carol Jacobson at 707-825-2400
thursday, december 8, 2011
A&E
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An interview with Children of the Sun Sarah Fraga
A&E Editor
Chase Larue from Southern California, Surya Sardonicus from New Hampshire, and Drew Mohr from Vermont, are the talented local band members from Children of the Sun, who met by means of frisbee, funk bands, and sauce. Wanting to share with Pepperbox readers just how amazing these three musicians are, I emailed them, hoping to set up an interview. They replied within the week and were glad to do an interview. I walked into the Jacoby Storehouse on a chilly Tuesday night, on the lookout for long hair and possibly a beard or two. I spotted the two musicians sitting at the window table under the neon Bon Boniere sign. In between bites of ice cream and conversation topics that I wish I could put in this article, but are too unrelated and/or school inappropriate, I had a wonderful and interesting interview with Chase Larue and Surya Sardonicus. (Unfortunately Drew, (bassist/vocals) was unable to make the interview because he ‘jumped into a jam squadron at Three Foods’. They suggested we yell out questions to him while he was on stage, but decided that that might be a little distracting.) PB: For those who haven’t heard you before, how would you describe your sound? Surya (drums/vocals): I have two phrases that I usually use. One is rock-jazz-funk-soul-blues. One is neuroplastic jazz. The jazz we play, it’s all-encompassing styles. Neuroplastic jazz is jazz that can adapt to change in the environment. Chase (guitar/vocals): It’s important for us when we’re thinking and socializing with music that we don’t keep styles off limits. Really, just to
keep everything open and whatever comes out to be harmonious. Surrealist rendering of rock n roll. PB: What musicians influence your music? Chase: Big one right off the bat, that got me playing guitar, Jimi Hendrix. He’s the dude. I was just shocked when I first listened to “Are You Experienced?” The cool thing was my parents were totally down to support me doing whatever I wanted to do, so music just fell right into that. I started exploring the intensity of ACDC and that fast rocking of Led Zeppelin. Also, I got my influence from the oldie stations. And Tom Morelo, big influence, note that. Surya: First band that got me started was Led Zeppelin. John Bonham. That guy’s beast on the drum set. He just made that big thunder sound. Just like a force of nature, that was a really cool idea to me. So I jumped on a drum set. I mean I listened to a lot of oldies that my parents listened to. My mom’s mom was a classical pianist so I heard lot of classical music from her. There were musical instruments all throughout my life, but after I listened to Zeppelin, that’s when I really just wanted to play drums. Then after that I explored jazz, and funk, and soul music. PB: Were you in any bands in high school? Chase: Definitely. I had jam squadrons in high school. We tried putting together like a ska horn session at one point. There was a whole ska kick at our school. It didn’t turn out too tight but it was fun, a good experience. Also, big thing, I was really intrigued in the recording process. So I was always trying to re-create what I heard or what I was trying to hear through recording. One time I had to do a recording session with a
cast on, with this dude named John Legend. Really good singer. It was part of a high school program. PB: What was the last song that made you cry? Chase: I forget which song it was... It was a Janice Joplin tune at the Monterey pop festival. That was one of them. I just listened Stairway to Heaven yesterday--made me cry. Which is kind of weird ‘cause I’ve been desentized to that song because I’ve heard it so much. Surya: Last song that made me cry was Neil Young, “Old Man.” PB: For Drew who’s not here, how would you describe him? Chase: He fits into many different situations, very malleable with his approach with how he plays music. He’s rock solid too, he’s got great rhythmatic integrity with bass. He’s bass man. Surya: He’s a sweetheart, very nice. PB: The only time I’ve heard you play is the North County fair. Are you guys gonna play more under 21 shows? Chase: We’ve played at the [Arcata] Playhouse and we can try to play at
Blondie’s more. Maybe we could get more into the house party scene too. PB: If someone wanted to buy your CD, how could they do that? Surya: Just sold the last one. We have to get some more first, but email us with your address, or come to a show. PB: Do you believe in aliens? Surya: Yes. fundamental reason: because aliens live in outer space. We live in outer space. So, we’re the aliens Chase: Have you gotten the cookies from them? I eat the cookies. Surya: You better get yourself checked out man. Those might be funny cookies. PB: Are you striving to become a big famous band, or just keeping it local? Surya: Striving to keep playing music that I love to make. And if people want to come out and hear us, that’s cool with me. Listen to Children of the Sun on Facebook and email them at childrenofthesunbooking@gmail.com to get their upcoming album.
Sarah Frage/PEPPERBOX
Band members Chase Larue and Surya Sardonicus pose for a picture
The PB
thursday, december 8, 2011
A&E
Horrible bloody films
Amber Yates-Smith Reporter
Horror movies follow a formula so generic and predictable that the new generation seems rather disenchanted. We watch and hope to be shocked by something we’ve never seen before, but the movies are always the same. There’s a girl, sometimes she’s blonde, sometimes she’s a brunette, but she’s always stupid. It’s a typical Saturday night, and the stupid girl is leaving the party and saying goodbye to all of her friends. “Hey, do you need a ride?” someone inquires. After a few seconds of contemplation she decides that she would rather walk home alone. What creature will she encounter on her solitary walk home, a zombie, a werewolf, or the most cliché creature of all, a vampire? For the sake of argument, let’s say she does meet a vampire what does she do? Well, if this is like every other vampire movie in the world she will no doubt run away and get eaten or fall in love with the vampire. Before Hollywood convinced us that vampires are broody, misunderstood teenage boys they were portrayed as actual monsters. What happened to kick butt girl’s wielding stakes with a dose of girl power? It went right out of style with big hair and shoulder pads. We know the formula like the back of our hands by now but how would we actually survive? I have seen enough movies to know how to handle vampires, you just do exactly to opposite of what you see in the vampire flicks. Step 1- Identify When encountering a vampire, it probably smart to actually take a moment to identify what type of vampire it is. While running may seem like a good idea to the stupid
girl, we all know that a chance of out running a super strong blood sucking creature seems slim. If it is a Twilight vampire there is really nothing to worry about. The only way Edward could kill anyone is if they were blinded by the sparkles from his pasty white chest. If it’s a “real” vampire that exists only in the memories, chances are I would be munched on. Step 2- Attire Girls in movies are always wearing mini skirts; a sign that says “Eat Me.” If I was a vampire, I would eat them too. What you’re wearing is a very good indication of weather or not you are going to survive. If you’re wearing jogging pants, a loose shirt, and a garlic necklace with a stake tucked you have a pretty good chance of survival. Step 3- Distraction If I was going up against a vampire, I would go down swinging. Why is that no one ever tries to distract it. There’s no harm in just trying to strike up a conversation. Discuss the effect hair products have on the taste of blood, or if they ever get bed head from sleeping in a coffin. Vampires have enormous egos, play to their vanity to keep them occupied because if Hollywood is to be believed the only thing a vampire likes more than blood is talking about themselves. Step 3- Kill it Once the vampire is distracted, its time to find a weapon and stab it through the heart. Ideally you would already have a stake or a water bottle full of holy water, but if not, there is nothing left to do except flirt for your life. Since the beginning of time sex appeal has been a woman’s greatest weapon against the forces or darkness (aka men)
that does not change in relation to vampires. Vampires have a habit of falling in love with their prey, so bat your eyelashes and flaunt assets and maybe, just maybe, you will live to see the morning. So maybe these steps prove that the predictable vampire movies of the world are actually worth something. If you combine the movie log-
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ic with the common sense that stupid girls lack, you can actually kill a vampire. Whether the vampires are blood sucking fiends or broody teenage boys with perfect hair, we all know that the stupid blond-girl always dies and the fact that we still watch these movies knowing that shows that the new generation really just doesn’t care.
thursday, december 8, 2011
A&E
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Kimber Peterson Reporter
The PB