ARROW Issue 2 by RHS ARROW

Volume

1, Issue

ARROW Renton High School | 400 South 2nd Street | Renton, WA 98057

Crouching, senior Heidi Saechao re-touches the walls of the 3rd floor girls’ bathroom mural. Saechao met some Art Club members after school last Thursday to paint over graffiti scrawled on the graffiti-themed artwork. “I think it is a way of expressing one’s self,” Saechao said, complimenting the original art. “Even though I’ve never met the artists or never will, the art work they did is a legacy to the school and it should stay that way.” The bathrooms were first painted in 2005 and 2006. Since then, anonymous vandals have been adding to the art, and in some cases defacing it. ................. cont. on page 2

NEWS

Senior Joel Cabrera and Junior Anthony Martinez have some fun with their tunes in the Commons

The Junior class senate meeting discussing the new upcoming events.

Charissa Gunn photo

The Culinary Arts class prepares food for the staff meeting to serve like a catering service.

BEATS ART CLUB

Jamaica Atal photo

SECURITY

Michael Saechao photo

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY

LATIN STUDENT UNION

Cont. from Page 1: Security Cracks Art Club Retouches Down On Student Girls’ Bathroom Identification | Tuan Chau | Alexis Lagonoy

Holiday Spirit Inspires National Honor Society | Shadika Kazi

LSU Encourages Culture in the School | Shayna Tidwell

|Art Editor Art Club aims to maintain the current bathroom murals and add artwork to bathrooms without them. They partake in a wide array of activities. “I made them do some painting and create a tea pot,” Art Club adviser Paulette Manson said, recalling past activities. “Yesterday was chaotic. Some students were throwing on the electric pottery wheel, but even though it is crazy there’s still a lot of fun.” Maybe more than the art itself, Manson enjoys the students. “Because I’m insane. It’s fun to work with a smaller group of students.” Art Club meets ever every Tuesday and Thursday in Room 130 after school until 3:30pm.

| General Staff Everyone was silent, focusing on what their officers had to say about upcoming events. In December there are a total of 18 days where members have opportunities to help our community. There were 30 NHS members present on the November 21 meeting. It was the last meeting before Thanksgiving break in Jeff Heft’s room, room 311. “I like to volunteer. Around Christmas, there are always a lot of volunteer opportunities like Jingle Bell Run and the Salvation Army Toy N’ Joy,” President Misa Yoshioka said. Their upcoming events in December include Winter Fest at the Ice Arena, Salvation Army, Westlake Carousel, and Jingle Bell Run.

| Copy Editor The Latin Student Union is one busy club. They are pretty new and this means that they have to start from the ground up to build a thriving club. In previous years, they have participated in Multicultural Week to help educate students about the Latin culture and its traditions. Recently several members of this club participated in a Latino Student Conference, called CASHE, held at Washington State University. This was an event to help Latino Students who want to apply to college while providing them with a social opportunity to meet other Latino students their age. “It was great and really fun, I got to meet new people and it was very inspirational,” Senior Alejandra Sanchez said. Currently, LSU is planning to host a dance for the students. They plan to teach Salsa, Cumbia or other Latin dances. Meetings are on Tuesdays at 2:15 in Shannon Welch’s classroom. Stop by and get involved!

| Sports Co-editor There are even bigger consequences this year for tardies. People are coming to realize that this could result in after school detention, Saturday school or suspension. When asked to do so, if a student does not have their ID to show, they will be given detention with no questions asked from the administrators. Eventhough this new policy is being enforced, there are still students who ditch a class or even the whole day. “They’re usually found at Tony’s Teriyaki,” Security Guard Earl Cheatham said. Thanks to the tight hallway security, less students are late to class. After every first bell a staff member is heard hollering. “Let’s get to class everyone” Assistant Principal Ed Crow would say. After every late bell our own principal, Mr. Pattenaude, to roam the halls ready to give detention to anyone else remaining outside of a classroom. All of this haste to prevent distractions of students coming in late to class. As well as keeping our campus safe of nonRenton high school students.

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Vy Huynh photo

For use in future plays, a group of students in stage tech are building a flat.

Mixed chorus singing “All Through the Night” at the Winter Choral Concert.

Johnny Huynh photo

COUNSELING OFFICE

CHESS CLUB

Warm Greetings Brought to you by the Knight

Inside the mind of Chess Club MIA Leaves Possibility of Vice President Vincent Warren Revival Imminent

Freshman Selected to Participate in Inaugural Ball

| Luther Hughes | Features Editor In the back room of the counseling office lurks a registration secretary with a secret passion. When entering her room, the first thing you see, besides seeing a big smile, is the beautiful sunrise. Little do students know, Rosetta Knight has another passion besides helping her students. “I have a web site and another that I’m working on now,” she said. She writes and sells greeting cards on her website. One day, she hopes to go back to school to get a degree in business. Don’t worry, she won’t be leaving us...she’s just adding something extra into her busy life of taking care of her students.

| Jennifer Nguyen | Advertising Manager Chess is viewed as simply just a board game, but in many cases people will disagree. This board game consists of math, decision making and risk taking skills. Our school’s chess club usually met on Fridays after school for about an hour or so at the end of the science hallway in Stephanie Norton’s classroom, Room 323. But recently the club has vanished. You can make chess club happen again by asking Ms. Norton to become the advisor again. She is still interested in rebuilding this club back up. Her schedule is as lenient as you want her to be. Just let her know the day, time and where you’re meetings will be held at. Statistics have proven that those in chess build better skills in every field of mind. If you love board games and want a challenge, find a few friends and come talk to Stephanie Norton. It’s a great way to maintain good focus and achieve higher education. Just try it and you may open your mind to new ideas and build up a new passion. Challenge yourself to try something new.

| Marco Gastelum | General Staff Seth Jinka will see Barack Obama at his presidential inauguration this coming Jan. 20, 2009 as he will witness the introduction of our next president to the nation. He is one of few students selected from across the nation to take part in the Presidential Youth Inaugural Conference, giving students a deeper look at the history behind the electoral process and presidential inauguration. “It feels awesome that I get to go the presidential inauguration,” Freshman Seth Jinka said. He was given this opportunity when nominated in the 7th grade by his teacher Michelle Olander to attend the National Young Leaders Conference, a convention meant to train students to become great leaders. “I think it was because I was one of the better ones. I stood out from the rest,” he said about the selection process. Seth will have the opportunity to meet former White House officials such as Colin Powell and Al Gore during his stay in Washington D.C., making this a remarkable experience for Seth.

SPEECH & DEBATE

| Sinear Sadang | Lessons Co-editor Who: Vincent Warren, Speech and Debate Vice President Grade: 11 Q: Is debate a class or a club? A: “Club. There are similarities but as far as both time spent and rewards, the class is much less.” Q: What’s it’s like for you? A: “It takes a good deal of time, but it’s really rewarding. Presentations in class become cakewalk, along with anything else like that. Oh! There’s a bit of sleep deprivation if you do both Speech and Debate.” Q:How do you feel during events or tournaments? A: “Tired. Very, very tired. There are some breaks in between rounds, and that’s the time you can either use to practice or nap. Sometimes I nap, sometimes I practice.” If you do Speech and Debate, it’s pretty hard but it is really fun and you keep busy. Speech and Debate meets every Tuesday in Mrs. Buchan’s room 345. Come see the fun and practice. It’s not too late to compete!

OBAMA

FEATURES

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I NEED MY CELL PHONE 24/7

7 Days Of Torture Without A Buddy

7 Good Reasons To Get Your Cell Out | Jennifer Nguyen | Advertising Manager 1. Planner: Using the calendar function as a planner is more convenient than carrying a planner around; you’ll never lose or forget it! 2. Calculator: The calculator function is useful for adding up the prices at the RHS Express or figuring out test scores. 3. Reminders: Writing down quick notes in your note pad is useful when you don’t have a pen, pencil, or paper.

4. Notify: Use your phone to ask or tell your parents about something important, especially emergency situations. 5. Note taking: When the teacher is moving too fast, take a quick picture of the white board notes with your cell phone. 6. Photography: Capture your high school experience with funny candid shots. 7. Timing: Time project presentations with the handy stopwatch/ timer function.

Vy Huynh photo

Texting In Class

Guys Girls Don’t text in class 21% 11% Text in class 74% 88% Multiple times a day 63% 68% About once a day 9% 4% 1-4 times a week 15% 5% Rarely text 13% 11% Never got caught 67% 48% Caught 1-5 times 32% 39% Caught 6-10 times 0% 1% Caught 11+ times 1% 0% 211 surveys were distributed the week of Dec. 1-5, 2008. Our margin of error is 6.12%.

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A FREE AFTERSCHOOL DROP-IN

HOURS: 2-5pm Mon-Fri

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| Angel Luton | News Editor The luxury of having a cell phone has become typical in today’s times. Many of us have become accustomed to having that little piece of technology in our pocket. The real question is: What happens when a cell phone addict goes a week without their phone? I volunteered. Day 1: I thought I could do this, but I am constantly reaching toward my empty pocket. Day 2: I feel like a loser. I want to hang out with my friends, but my numbers are in my phone (which I hid and vowed not to touch). Day 3: I feel like my grandmother; I have resorted buying a phone book, so I can finally call people. Wahoo. Day 4: I miss my phone and all, but it’s nice just to sit here and relax. I never realized how much time I spend texting and talking on my phone. I started a new book and to my surprise, I really like it. Day 5: My siblings are fighting loudly. Normally, I would get annoyed and try to leave, but this time, I stayed until it turned into a mini smack down. It’s really entertaining to watch, but I still wish I could text. Day 6: Two days left! Now that it’s getting closer, I’m counting down the days. I was at the mall today and I didn’t know what size a friend of mine was. I had no idea where to find a pay phone! Day 7: I am getting annoyed with finding the home phone. In my opinion, whoever created cordless phones was really mean. Day 8: I got my phone! After impatiently waiting for it to charge, I discovered 30 missed texts and 15 missed calls. I guess I forgot to tell some people that I was going without my phone. Oops, sorry! I have sent more texts than I can count. P.S. I suppose that I could do this again; although it’s an inconvenience- like going camping. You can live without washing your hair for a couple days, but who wants to do that?

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163 THINGS KEEPING US AWAKE

|Vy Huynh |Co-Editor in Chief

1. TALKING TO BOYFRIEND/ GIRLFRIEND 2. TEXTING BOYFRIEND/ GIRLFRIEND 3. BOYFRIEND/GIRLFRIEND CALLING 4. MY GIRL/ MY GUY 5. SEXY GIRLS/ SEXY GUYS 6. RELATIONSHIP ANXIETY 7. PERSONAL PROBLEMS 8. A CRUSH/ PERSON I LIKE 9. A GUY I MET IN OLYMPIA 10. FRIENDS CALLING 11. CALLING FRIENDS 12. TALKING TO FAMILY 13. EATING DINNER 14. EMPTY STOMACH 15. CHEWING GUM 16. LITTLE BROTHER COMPLAINING 17. LITTLE SISTER COMPLAINING 18. NOISY NEIGHBORS 19. CARS GOING BY 20. TRAIN OVER TRACKS 21. NEW TEXT MESSAGE 22. COUGHING 23. SNEEZING 24. SORE THROAT 25. ARGUMENTS 26. DRAMA 27. THINKING 28. NEW PUPPY 29. DOG JUMPS 30. CAT LEAPS 31. CLEANING MY ROOM 32. PRAYER/BIBLE 33. GOD 34. NOT SLEEPY YET 35. INTERNAL CLOCK 36. INSOMNIA 37. STRETCHING 38. CHURCH 39. JOB/WORK 40. POKÉMON 41. ALL PRO 99 42. NCAA 09 43. MADDEN 09 44. FABLE II 45. KINGDOM HEARTS 46. NBA 2K9 47. DEFJAM FIGHT FOR NY

48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87. 88. 89. 90. 91. 92. 93. 94. 95. 96. 97.

MAPLESTORY AGE OF ENEMIES II INITIAL D CALL OF DUTY 4 WORLD OF WARCRAFT FALLOUT 3 GEARS OF WAR SMACKDOWN VS RAW 2008 ELDERSCROLL 3: MORROWIND SMASH BROTHERS BRAWL COUNTERSTRIKE ANIMAL CROSSING BAKING COFFEE TEA MONSTER REDBULL CAKE COOKIES CANDY PAINTING DRAWING BASKETBALL GAMES FOOTBALL GAMES PARTYING BIRTHDAYS DRINKING SMOKING BASKETBALL HAIR STRAIGHTENING WASHING HAIR STYLING HAIR PICKING OUT CLOTHES I-POD MUSIC GOING OUT TO EAT UPDATING I-POD ANNOTATING/ANALYZING READINGS RESEARCH PAPERS ONLINE CLASSES CALCULUS LIT PARAGRAPHS FINAL DRAFTS APUSH NOTES LANGUAGE ARTS AP GOVERNMENT BIOLOGY 3-4 JAMES BOUTIN’S HW PROJECT DUE PAPER DUE COLLEGE PAPERS

98. SCHOLARSHIPS 99. PEOPLE ASKING ME FOR HELP 100. LATE START 101. CLASH OF KINGS 102. STORM OF SWORDS 103. FEAST FOR CROWS 104. TWILIGHT BOOK SERIES 105. CHANNEL FLIPPING 106. DEXTER 107. METALOCALYPSE 108. GOSSIP GIRL 109. HOUSE 110. FRINGE 111. ESPN 112. SPORTSCENTER 113. RUN’S HOUSE 114. ONE TREE HILL 115. SMALLVILLE 116. PRIVILEGED 117. PARIS HILTON’S MY NEW BFF 118. REAL CHANCE OF LOVE 119. THE OBLONGS 120. THE HILLS 121. FAMILY GUY 122. TOM & JERRY @ 11 OR @ 4 IN THE MORNING 123. C.S.I. MIAMI 124. C.S.I 125. GREY’S ANATOMY 126. FOOD NETWORK 127. INDIAN SOAP OPERAS 128. SPANISH SOAP OPERAS 129. JAPANESE DRAMAS 130. NICK @ NITE 131. THE OFFICE 132. SUPERNATURAL 133. LIFE OF RYAN 134. TRUE LIFE 135. HALF AND HALF 136. LAW & ORDER 137. BROTHERS TO BRUTHA 138. HOUSE OF PAYNE 139. PRISON BREAK 140. KEYSHIA COLE: THE WAY IT IS 141. NCIS 142. ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTS 143. BAD GIRLS CLUB 144. DISNEY CHANNEL MOVIES

145. THAT 70’S SHOW 146. GEORGE LOPEZ 147. SOUTHPARK 148. MTV JAMS 149. PICK UP ARTIST 150. SCREAM QUEENS 151. FRESH PRINCE 152. I LOVE LUCY 153. HBO MOVIES 154. MANSWERS 155. ONLINE SHOPPING 156. CHECKING EMAIL 157. MYSPACE FRIEND UPDATES 158. FACEBOOK NEWSFEED 159. AIM 160. MSN 161. READING BLOGS 162. NFL.COM 163. NICEKICKS.COM

[Some] Contributors: Angeli Solano Devin Garay Eden Haile Dorothy Dualeh Edgar Retes Keelan Buss Brenda Jackson Jenny Du Joanne Bie Alex Castro Devonte Lowe Johnny Huynh Louis Brown Angelique Major Darozyl Touch Sean Fry Kayla Williamson Lindsay Dacuan Justin Caoagdan Meykia Smith Daniel Quiroz Misa Yoshioka

Nathan Guy Christina Hay Michelle Orozc Shakara Thomas Taji Gray Jermey Edmonson Tamthy Le Alison Campbell Tiana Gibson Theo Dalit Vanessa O’Francia Tram Nguyen Vanessa Tran Tiffany Flenaugh Linet Madeja Otis Stevenson Paul Bicerro Katesha Mitchell Endelnay Badargyio Samara Hoolahan Darleen Ly

REVIEWING THE CROWD | VAMPIRES-LOVERS AT MIDNIGHT MOVIE

TWILIGHT AT TWILIGHT | Shayna Tidwell | Copy Editor A gloomy, cold, and rainy night led Twilight fans and their tag-alongs toward the light of the new Regal Cinema at the Landing for the premier showing at midnight. Everyone, and I mean everyone, was in place: Of course the teenage girls were there and had been holding their places in line for hours. The girls’ main

topic of gossip and conversation was obsessing about Edward’s looks and the controversy about his chest hair. Their conversations were abruptly cut short when the usher started letting people into the theater. Accompanying the tween and teenage girls were mothers, excitedly chatting amongst themselves. Surprisingly, middle-aged men were in attendance. Some were wearing homemade “Team Edward”

t-shirts, while others looked like their primary interest would be refilling the popcorn and holding the muddy bears. Even more shocking was the number of older people there, considering that they don’t normally go out after dark. They used most of their time to comment on the teenagers’ behavior and the bad reviews the movie had previously gotten.

Charissa Gunn photo

OPINIONS

Thumbs Up to:

Enforcing the policy of having your ID card on you when asked by the staff. This policy ensures our school’s safety and tests the responsibility of students. Having your ID with you is also easier for any official in the real world who questions your identity or inquires for any reason.

Thumbs Up to:

The privilege to wear hats during school. Some schools forbid it, but our teachers don’t mind. Students have the freedom to wear the headgear that expresses them and it is appreciated. No argument is given when asked to remove for a respectful moment.

Thumbs Up to: Teachers who consider SSR (Sustained Silent Reading) as a grade for their class. The main benefit to this is that it’s an easy way to make up points while promoting individual reading. Since SSR happens all throughout the school, everyone is able to take a peaceful moment to just read.

Thumbs Down to: Not having chairs and tables set out in the Commons before and after school. Their disappearance takes away students’ opportunity to work or relax outside of the school day. Without any other place available, it is difficult to find a comfortable location to use up waiting time.

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Grief’s Expiration Date

Grief. It’s generally brought on by a loss of someone you knew. But it doesn’t matter whether you were close or semi-acquaintances, the moment you come to realize that the person who you used to see isn’t there anymore, it hurts. Yet the consequences of grief can come about in many ways, since its effects are distinct from person to person. There are established stages to grief, though you may recognize some of them to be apparent in other life troubles. According to psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, the 5 stages of grief are: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. Most of the beginning phases are obvious to distinguish. Though this mainly applies to the spectators around you. I mean, you aren’t going to be thinking about how you’re on the 2nd stage of grief while you’re raging mad. [Since no one is keeping track, it is also likely for you to go out of order or repeat steps. But it doesn’t matter since your grief path is unique to you as a person.] As you get closer to the middle and end stages, it becomes difficult to perceive whether you’re at or over a specific point. This is when your internal instincts have to take over. You have to become conscious of your own state; in order to come to a realization of the impression death has left on your life. Though it is challenging to rile up the motivation to get there, it will be worth it. If you think about it, our departed comrade wouldn’t want us to stay in such a condition that was causing negativity to ourselves and those around us. The time that it takes for someone to overcome each of these stages and reside peacefully in “Acceptance” is mainly based on the type of person that you are. Some are able to bounce back into their old state of life quickly, while others will go about on their own pace. Leaving this column, the important thing to remember is to think about is how a death can make a huge impact on your life, but you should not let it affect you in a way that would make the deceased disapprove. Instead, try to live your life in a way that pays tribute to that person, while being at peace with your own.

Tuan Chau art

* This survey was based on the votes of our editorial board. Answers do not represent the opinion of RHS.

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Michael Saechao wants to be Korean...........................................................Photography Editor Lanea Scheeler made cupcakes.....................................................................Photography Associate Marco Gastelum is feeling neutral.................................................................Photography General Staff Luther Hughes is secretly tha Business..........................................................Features Editor Jermey Edmonson is never Benji, just Boojie.....................................................A & E Editor Timothy Ho is procrastinating too much........................................................Opinions Editor Shadika Kazi needs a new cell phone.............................................................Opinions General Staff Chris Denesha is feeling cheerful, excited, and happy.................................Portraits Editor Alexandria Davis is excited beyond all reason for Christmas.....................Perspectives Editor, Business Manager Theo Dalit is hungry...........................................................................................Perspectives Associate

S P E C I A L Christian Martin is excited for his birthday tattoo.......................................Play Hard Editor Alexis Lagonoy wants to go home and eat and sleep and rest!.................Play Hard Editor THANKS: Sandra Luna is having mixed feelings about someone................................Play Hard Associate Tino Aquino taking shortcuts and getting cut short...........................................Play Hard General Staff Spencer Quincy Robinson is looking for good and new talent.................................Lessons Editor Sadang wants to dye her hair...again...................................................Lessons Editor, Art Staff Misa Sinear Jennifer Nguyen can’t wait until break.........................................................NUM83R5 Editor, Advertising Manager Leah Estrella wants to steal Edward from Bella.............................................PR Representative, NUM83R5 General Staff Johnny

Hilina Haile is naughty but nice.......................................................................PR Representative Derek Smith is preparing an on-land synchronized swimming routine....Adviser

D e n i a l: “This can’t be happening…” A n g e r: “Why did this happened? Who is to blame?” B a r g a i n i n g: “Make this not happen, and in return I will ____.” D e p r e s s i o n: “I’m too sad to do anything.” A c c e p t a n c e: “I’m at peace with what is going to happen / has happened.” Obituaries ARROW observes and memorializes deceased students with exception to self-induced deaths, including suicides, drug overdoses and drunk driving. We understand that special situations and circumstances arise, and ARROW editors examine each case critically and thoughtfully before deciding how to best honor a life in the publication. We refrain from publishing a piece if a family member requests.

CORRECTIONS

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Vy Huynh is wearing her and sailor’s cuddleboat smittens..........................Editor in Chief Jimmy Phillips is feeling like a new man.......................................................Editor in Chief Vivian Hoang really needs to do her laundry...............................................Managing Editor Shayna Tidwell eats cupcakes with sprinkles...............................................Copy Editor Katesha Mitchell is nature’s divine child.......................................................Copy Editing General Staff Tuan Chau is afraid to wrestle in his first match.............................................Art Editor Otoha Miyaji is excited for my first American Christmas.............................Art Editing Associate Deandre Johnson feels blessed today..........................................................Art Editing General Staff Angel Luton is finished with Christmas shopping...YAY!..............................News Editor Charissa Gunn is excited to go snowboarding.............................................Photography Editor

Stages of Grief [As proposed by Dr. Kübler-Ross]

Much of the good of this publication is provided by faculty and students; it’s errors have been furnished exclusively by ARROW staff members. We apologize for the following: our zip code is 98057, not 98055, as stated on the front cover; Christopher Robinson was born on March 18, 1993, not March 18, 1991, as quoted in “9th Grade Aspiring Star”; several advertisements did not print as clearly as we hoped; the byline for “Women Talk Too Much & Men Don’t Listen Enough,” on page 8, was incorrect. It should have read “Shadika Kazi & Russell Golam ” not just “Shadika Kazi.” This amounts to plagiarism. FINE PRINT

ARROW is an open forum produced by the many spouses of this publication who love to take walks and have discussions about their emotions while playing Bunny Bunny, a game the adviser has yet to clarify as scary or amusing. Amazingly enough, they all go to Renton High School at 400 S. 2nd St., Renton, WA, 98057. The phone number is 206.579.6398. ARROW is printed quarterly by Pacific Publishing Company in Seattle, Washington. Word processing, graphics and layouts are created on Microsoft Office 2007 and Adobe Creative Suite 3 programs. ARROW has a publication of 2000 papers/copies, etc.

The staff welcomes letters to the editor and will publish letters which meet the standard of good taste, as space permits. Letters must be signed. ARROW reserves the right to edit letters, though every attempt will be made to preserve original content.

Unsigned editorials and editorial cartoons represent the majority view of ARROW editorial board and do not represent the views of the Renton School District. Opinions, commentaries, satires, and perspectives are the views of the writers and artists, not the Renton School District or ARROW editorial board ARROW is financed by advertising revenues based on size-determined rates. These range from $20-$80.

PORTR

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Governed by the Governess

| Hilina Haile | Portraits Staff I was born in Greenville House, Ethiopia, and as a child I had a governess, a woman who taught me academics and how to be lady-like. First daughter to my parents and grandparents, I have always known my family has high expectations, and I have always known my own insecurity. Children often attempt to conform to stereotype. “Nobility” was the stereotype that became my reality. Every day after

school, I would go home and retreat to a room with my governess to learn her so-called ‘necessary life skills,’ like hosting an afternoon tea or dinner party. My motive was to get rid of her by torment, so one day I came up with a idea of sticking a pin under her chair. My plan went well until my little brother snitched, and it was more manner lessons for me. After that, the only thing I could do was go under the table and refuse to

come out during lesson time. But that didn’t work, and I ended up learning everything from how to sit, walk, and talk like a “lady.” My mom and governess were happy with my progress, and I told myself there was nothing wrong with knowing the proper way to act. When my parents told me we were moving to America, I was excited. I could escape my governess and see if the stories I heard about America were true – that

people found money on the ground and could get free food everywhere. After a 16 hour flight from a small town in Africa, I arrived at a place that looked like heaven: Times Square in New York City. At American school, there was so much I did not understand. And I found the thing I loved most: individuality. In America, people don’t care if you sit straight or walk right so long as you are bold and confident.

Singing a New National Anthem | Theodore Dalit | Perspectives Associate Ah Le was born in Thailand on July 1st, 1994. He lived there for 14 years, then moved to the US on May 28, 2008 on account of his parents wanting to move to Washington. His family consists of four sisters, two older brothers and one younger brother. He has difficulty speaking English but is willing to learn. Le is a bright kid who wants to learn new things and especially favors running. He really likes it in America but doesn’t like the people much due to his traumatic past. Le grew up in Thailand, but at one time he lived on the streets. He was also a refugee at the time. Growing up on the streets, it scarred

him greatly because of the intimidating people that he bumped into day by day. Even now, he still fears intertcting comfortably with people because of his past. Now that Le and his family have relocated to America, their lives have improved greatly. They are much happier than they used to be back in Thailand. Even though they have little money and barely speak English they are living happily. Now that Le has settled down here, he has experienced a lot of new things. He found a passion for music and especially enjoys singing for the choir Ah Le is gradually but surely learning how to blend in.

Q & A: Recent Shift in Locale Reveals Insight | Sandra Luna |Sports Staff

Rosmel Salgado Q:How old are you? A: 15 Q: What grade are you in? A: 9th Grade

Q: What country are you from? A: Cuba Q: When did you come to America? A: March 2008 Q: Why did you move here? A: Because my parents live here Q: How old were you when you moved here? A: 14 Q: How did you get here? A: Airplane Trip (Cuba to Miami to Carolina to Seattle)

Q: What was the journey like? A: It was boring because it was 6 hours long Q: What is the biggest difference between America and where you’re from? A: In Cuba you had more freedom than here.

Authority

RENTON HIGH SCHOOL Surname RICE

Surname LAOANG

Given Name ALEX

Given Name ATHENA

Grade 9

Grade 12

Visited Country CANADA

Visited Country ITALY

“There was actual street performers. I’ve never seen any here and the architecture is way different.”

"Everywhere you go, your house you se

Authority

RENTON HIGH SCHOOL Surname BAUTISTA

Surname TRAN

Given Name CINDY

Given Name LUAN

Grade 12

Visited Country AUSTRAILIA

Visited Country VIETNAM

"It was really clean, like there was no garbage in the streets or anything!"

"People don't dr Traffic is dangerous- th

Authority

RENTON HIGH SCHOOL Surname NGUYEN

Surname FARAH

Given Name LINH

Given Name MAHAD

Grade 9

Grade 10

Visited Country SOUTH KOREA

Visited Country CANADA

“People dressed very mis-matched and random. And the people danced differently. They barely moved there body but theres a lot of hand movements”

"The black popu when I was there everyb

Authority

RENTON HIGH SCHOOL Surname LOUANGSYYOTHA

Surname SCMALING

Given Name JIMMY

Given Name MEAGAN

Grade 11

Grade 12

Visited Country LAOS

Visited Country ITALY

"They ate different things and their lifestyle was different they didn't waste anything"

"The art is re it was s

RAITS Authority

RENTON HIGH SCHOOL

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Making the Mark

| Vivian Hoang | Managing Editor Authority

RENTON HIGH SCHOOL Surname DELATORRE Given Name BRIAN Grade 9 Visited Country MEXICO

, if you look outside ee historic places"

“The freeways are very different. No cement and there are way more rocks. The food was different too. The types of cultures of food.”

Authority

RENTON HIGH SCHOOL

RENTON HIGH SCHOOL Surname WU

| Angel Luton | News Editor

Grade 10 Visited Country CHINA

“The populations, there's thousands of asians everywhere!” Authority

Authority

RENTON HIGH SCHOOL

RENTON HIGH SCHOOL Surname LESKOVETS Given Name NAZAR Grade 9 Visited Country UKRAINE

ulation was low, body was looking at me."

“Everything is very poor compared to here. The streets are different. it was not cemented. There was only gravel or sand.”

Authority

RENTON HIGH SCHOOL

eally detailed, so rich"

Villanueva moved to the US for better educational opportunities having experienced many hardships at home. Since Rota is generally unfamiliar to many people, its economy can’t survive solely on tourism, keeping her from many opportunities. She also mentions that her mother felt it was better to move to the US because tuition would be cheaper if she came here for college. “The biggest differences I noticed about America were the weather, the population, and the critters,” she said. “We only have stray dogs and cats in Rota and Guam.” “There’s a really diverse population here. I’m used seeing familiar faces everywhere I go because everyone knew each other in Rota.” Villanueva made sacrifices of being away from her home and family in order to pursue her dreams.

Starting Anew with a Different View

Given Name JIMMY

rive a lot of cars. hey'll like run you over"

On an island northeast of Guam, full of coconut trees and tropical flowers is Rota, where Sherlyn Villanueva resided for a considerable amount of her life. Born on September 15, 1991, Villanueva received the majority of her schooling on Rota, and by her sophomore year she began attending school on the island of Guam while staying in an apartment with her sister and cousins and flying back and forth to her home on Rota for the weekends. “Rota and Guam are generally close. It just took fifteen to thirty minutes by plane.” she said. “The flight to the US however, was very, very, very long. I loved the flight going to Atlanta from Japan. They served good sushi and desserts and I could choose what movie or show to watch.”

RENTON HIGH SCHOOL Surname LUCUS GivEN Name ROSA Grade 9 Visited Country MEXICO

“Every one walks more and not as many people drive. Compared to here where basically every one who can or is able to drive own a car and drive every where.”

V a n e s s a Kimanga grew up in Kenya, but was born in America. Vanessa left when she was only a small child and spent her whole life in Kenya, taking time to come visit her family here in America. “If I could live anywhere, I would want to live back home; that’s the only choice,” she said. She came to America after graduating high school in Kenya. “I wanted to pursue a higher study than back in Kenya. There are universities, but there is not as many as there is here.” “I figured I lived my life in that country, and I was given the choice to live in a new

country and given the opportunity to see the world in a different view.” “I didn’t really travel that much, but in Kenya there are a lot of different places. You can go to Masaai Mara- it’s a reservation. It’s not a big deal- it’s like going to Canada from Seattle. But to others it’s really huge if you haven’t been there.” Comparing Kenya to the US, she said, “We have become more westernized. America still has bigger malls and all, but it’s just the same- except smaller towns.” Instead of going to universities there, Vanessa chose to come back to her place of birth.

Making the Best of My Foreign Country, the United States | Otoha Miyaji | Art Associate Do you want to go to foreign country? If you want to go there, I think everyone would enjoy staying. Here are 3 steps to help your foreign country experience. 1 Trying everything you faced. When you go to a foreign country you may face many interesting events, food, festivals and so on. If it’s scary or things you don’t feel like to doing, you should always try them! Don’t be reluctant, just do it! What’s not be tried cannot be done. 2 Enjoying culture shock You may feel culture shock in every situation like food, the national character, lifestyle etc… It may even make you uncomfortable, but don’t take it in a negative way. Feeling different is natural. You should enjoy their culture. I am an exchange student from Japan and I feel culture shock in various

situations. When I got here, I was surprised by the huge public roads with many cars. It’s like our freeway. In addition, I was surprised that American people are allowed to drive when they turn 15 years old, because in my country, you can only get driver’s license after turning 18 years old. 3 Learning a few words before you go. It is a precious experience to go to a foreign country, but only if you can make it that way. If you have an opportunity to go to another country, please take it, and remember the 3 steps, have a sweet time.

PERSPECTIVES

Staying one call away |Sandra Luna |Sports Associate

Charissa Gunn photo

SAID HEARD

| SANTA AND THE SPOILED BRAT

Santa Has No Tolerance for Bratty Kids

|Vy Huynh-Co-Editor-in-Chief |Tino Aquino-Sports Staff

Said

Heard

Kid: SANTA! Gimme a candy cane! Where’s my CANDY CANE?!

Santa: Oh jeez…it’s another weightchallenged, germ-ridden kid.

Kid: Pick me up!

Santa: My knee! Keep your sticky little fingers outta my beard! Santa: Blah blah blah…don’t really care. Your name is Spoiled Brat to me. Look at you getting all up in my candy cane stash.

Kid: My name’s Nathaniel. Kid: I’ve been awesomely good this year…so super good – more than last year! I promise, ask my mommy.

Kid: I know I’m on your Nice List. I haven’t been naughty once! You can even check it.

Santa: Prepare for an extremely long and unreasonable list of gifts that no one in their right mind would buy for any kid ever. Santa: No need to check the list. This descendant of demons is not even getting coal this year, let alone toys. Did he really just put five candy canes in his mouth? How did this become my life?

Santa: Nathaniel, little boys who eat handfuls of Santa’s candy canes without asking might just end up on my Naughty List.

Kid: Yes! I’m on the Nice List and Santa is giving me many handfuls of candy canes for Christmas!

Kid: Santa, I love when my mommy takes me to see you while she goes shopping.

Santa: Like I need a reminder that my existence has been reduced to wearing a white wig and a fat suit in the middle of Sears.

Come join us! Landing Area Renton 719 10th St Renton WA 98055 Hours: 11am - 10pm (Sun-Thurs) 11am - 11pm (Fri- Sat)

Have you ever had and issue that made you think that the world has come to an end with no one to run too? Thinking you’re by yourself on what’s been bugging you so bad but then you realized that the people you try to run to aren‘t there for you like they promised. I know that many of you like me has had a problem and thought that there’s no one to run to but there’s always at least one person in the world that will never turn their back at you. I started to have many issues going on in life some of them had to do with school, my parents, and also my ex boyfriend. I was struggling with school about what I wanted to accomplish this year and going to many of the school’s events. Also I was struggling on how I was going to do it to be able to graduate with the rest of my classmates. My parents started to have many

arguments about me. My mom understands me very well and my dad didn’t. Other problems I would of have would have been problems with my ex boyfriend he would always get mad at me for the stupid little reasons. With everything that was happening to me, I did not know who to tell because I was starting to not trust anyone anymore. At this time I was feeling really horrible and I wanted to give up but then it hit me that my friend in California was the only one that had always been there for me since we were babies. She was someone that I could run too or just call and she would always be there for me no matter how far apart we were from each other. I called her and she helped me out and the last thing she said to me “ I’m here for you and your not just my Best Friend no matter how hard it gets in life I’m always a person you could run to.”

Procrastination is havoc on homework | Shadika Kazi | General Staff It’s very natural for teens to forget to do their homework. Most teens are increasingly lazy and apathetic about their studies. High school is a whole different game for a lot of students. Students generally have many different teachers and subjects to deal with, they also have many different assignments and exams to work on. Last year I was so bored of homework I just stopped doing it and got bad grades. This year I’m actually doing it. It’s so boring it makes me fall sleep. And in the morning I realize I hadn’t finished my homework, so then you know what happens a “big zero”. I try to pay attention in class but sometimes I just dream about playing sports or doing something with my boyfriend. We do our work at school so why doing it again at home? It’s not like homework is life, you might have free time and go

to sleep ,I often do this for 2 hours of the day. I sit and look at the wall or T.V. That’s when you must stand and say I must get something done. But you end up doing something else instead. Like watching your favorite True Jackson VP show and thinking, should I do homework or leave it for tomorrow?

Charissa Gunn photo

12 17 08 ARROW 12345678910111213141516 WHAT IT FEELS LIKE

| DRIVE TO CANADA | ONE PERSPECTIVE

Driving to Canada Helps When Stress Overtakes, Drive

| Charissa Gunn | Photography Editor I drove to Canada. Why? Well, mostly for the purpose of traveling. To me traveling is the most relaxing activity that one could do. Most people think that it’s stressful with everything that could go wrong but the possibility of anything happening thrills me. Adventure gives me an adrenaline rush that I can’t live without. So a road trip sounds fun! But is it really? When I was driving there were a lot of things to talk about. Going with a good friend of mine that I haven’t seen in a long time, we found there was a lot of catching up to do. Unless you like your alone time, I advise you to bring someone along with you because you will be extremely lonely. We drove about 2 hours to Canada only to realize that we didn’t know what to do when we got to our destination. There are lots of things to do in Canada with a lot of time and a clear day. We had neither. So we went to Starbucks, which is ironic because we were in a different country and still were following our American ways. Our intentions for going to Canada were to go hiking but the weather did not agree with us, so we ended up with a Starbucks latte and lunch from a little random café. Some may call this trip pointless but I see it differently. I was able to step away from the chaos of my own life. I was able to get away and not think about what I had to do next. I could clear my mind to get ready for the next set of stresses. To me, it was a very much needed pointless yet peaceful trip.

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Things To Know Before Going:

• If you get impatient in cars road trips are not for you. • To get to Vancouver it takes one and a half tank of gas. • You now need a passport or birth certificate to cross the border. • To get through the border into Canada it takes about 2 minutes • To get through the border into the US it takes about 2 hours. • It takes approximately two hours to get to the border. • Many places close to the border will not sell American 19-year-olds alcohol even though that is their drinking age. So if that is your purpose for the trip, forget it. • You cannot bring fruits and many other foods back and forth through countries. • If you go in late December through February then make sure you have 4-wheel-drive. It Charissa Gunn photo snows.

ARROW

Underclassmen Apply Now! See room 305!

PLAY HARD Angel Luton photo

Christian Martin photo

Wrestlers get ready for their warm up, beginning with stances.

Varsity girls B-Ball discussing their game plan during a time-out.

Lanea Scheeler photo

Boys Varsity basketball players getting a talk from Coach Comer for their first league game against the Kennedy Lancers. Vivian Hoang photo

Michael Saechao photo

Senior Captain Victoria Fernandez leading gymnasts in running warm-ups before the meet. Boys Swimming

From 50th to 5th

| Sinear Sadang | Lessons Co-Editor The perfect workout while in your bathing suit: swim 50 meters in a duration of 50 seconds. This is the goal of the boys swim team during their traditional 50s day. Only getting rest from what is left over of the 50 seconds, they do this 50 times. This drill requires the swimmers to stay consistent for a period of time. Being one of the most difficult workouts on the team, they don’t go home empty handed. A shirt with the words “I survived 50’s day” represents their hard work and dedication. “Most people see the workout as a bad thing, but it is actually one of the hardest, yet fastest workout the team does, it is over before you know it,” Captain Nam Hoang said. While the size of RHS boys swim team continues growing, they are looking to improve their race. This year they are looking to move up from their #6th ranking in the league. Senior Jan Ramos said “We’re not the biggest or fastest team out there, but we’re very consistent. You could say we make it look good.”

Jan Ramos taking a quick “water” break.

Boys Basketball

The Brand New Look

| Christian Martin | Sports Editor Although this year’s team has made it to the state playoffs consecutive years, this year seems to be different for the players. With a whole new look to the roster this year, it feels as if this season will be even more successful. “State championship is possible, as long as we work together as a team.” Senior Captain Joseph Holifield said. After a devastating 1 point loss to the #3 Bellevue Wolverines last year, they realized that it would have been a win with better chemistry. “In the beginning of the season, practice was hard because people slacked off. But now we are starting to build chemistry.” Senior Captain Derek Lowe said. All the players look up to the coaches, especially Coach Comer. He is highly respected and the players feel that they need to listen to him in order to get to the state championship. “Our competition for us this year is Foster and Mt. Ranier.” Junior Joseph Powell said. As this season proceeds, the players will learn to work with each other to bring home a state title.

Wrestling

Gymnastics

Champs Trained 6 Progression Perfection Minutes at a Time | Angel Luton | News Editor The practice room above the gym was filled with the incredibly noticeable mist of sweat that turned into little rain drops falling from the wrestlers foreheads above the observant, fixated eyes. The amount of people that tried out this season was incredible which will lead to a successful sesason. Practice started Nov. 17 with coach Keith Eager. “I think he is a good coach, he knows what he is talking about and he is all about making wrestling as fun as possible yet still doin’ what you got to do.” Junior Angel Rodriguez said. To be in wrestling takes a lot. One of the biggest requirements is that you must be able to control your weight to make sure you can make your weight class. Needing to watch your fat content and energy level can be difficult. This underappreciated sport can lead to a successful career in the future such as UFC (Ultimate Fighting Competition). There is no doubt that our strong and determined wrestlers are going far this season.

before

| Jennifer Nguyen | Ads Manager With the four prime events; the bars, floor, beam, and vault, gymnastics has been said to be one of the most difficult sports to perform. But a majority of the girls this year are all around players, meaning they are performing in all events. Now that gymnastics has started we’ll gradually see how these girls prosper. Almost twice as many girls joined the team this year than last year. We’ll see who is willing to commit their time to this sport and who will leave. “There’s a bigger team this year than there was last year. And there are a lot of energetic people so it’s fun.” Captain Victoria Fernandez said. “Cause you’re hot then you’re cold, you’re yes then you’re no, you’re in then you’re out, you’re up then you’re down..” the gymnasts sing the chorus to “Hot N Cold” by Katy Perry in unison. Just like any other sport it’s all about high concentration to perfect what they are learning because its progression before perfection. No gymnast is a perfect gymnast. There’s always something to perfect.

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VARSITY B-BALL TRANSFERS

Name: Grade:

Taylor Williams Junior

Tyler Williams Junior

Nathan Guy Sophomore

Adam Chisolm Senior

Question #1: How are you planning to help out the team this year to get to state?

By encouraging each other and stay- Come with a lot of aggression, en- By playing as hard as I can and to Basically, do what the coach asks ing positive. (Laughing) Personally courage the team and myself. Basi- never give up. Also, doing and play- me to do. Im not trying to do more by working harder in the games. I cally do good and try my hardest. ing my part in the team. than what im expected to do. dont know!

Question #2: To you, what seem to the biggest thing that the team needs to work on together?

Playing together as a team and not Basically work as one and work to- Working as a team and not as one. Communication and getting used to being selfish. How much dedication gether. There’s no “I” in team and And talking on the court and also each other. we all have as a team on playing they don’t understand that. And we finishing it up. (Laughing) I don’t basketball. need to improve to work as one. know what else.

Question #3: What’s the difference between Renton and your last school?

Question #4: What areas are you trying to improve on this year?

The girls are different and I have to get used to it. Like over at Sammamish we had a warm up CD , we had team dinners before games, and we had to dress up professional and over here we don’t do that.

Last year my coach was a girl and We moved down here because Basketball here is more fast paced she was way calmer and was more there’s better competition and better and I have more freedom. In my old like a mom. And over here the players. The coaches coach better school, basketball was a slow pace. coach is different and he screams and give you more information. and actually yells at you, he’s aggressive.

Doing a lot of more running to be in Basically, work on my attitude and Absorb all the information I can from shape. I have also been working on watch my mouth because I may be the coach, learn from my mistakes my shooting a mediocre. and work on my weakness.

Scoring!!!

LESSONS

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What Students Don’t Know About Teachers First Heartbreak | Tuan Chau | Art Editor

Geof Newing

When: 8th grade, Junior High. Q: The break up day. A: It happened in the band room. As usual, I was the first one in class sitting in the back row, waiting and excited to see my girlfriend. The classroom was big and the seats are just like Mrs. Diaz’s room. Well, the room wasn’t as nice as her classroom but the seats are on stairs. I still remember that day now. The classroom was really loud because some of my classmates were talking and some were practicing their instruments before the teacher came in. My girlfriend came into the door and right away our eyes met but surprisingly she turned around and sat with another guy in the front row. After a few seconds, she decided to turn around and shrug, and then said, “He plays the clarinet better than you do.” I was really shocked after what I’d heard. She dumped me for a 1st chair in the band. She just wanted to go out with the most popular band player. Right away, I made a decision to never start a relationship with another band girl again, because they are too high maintenance. Q: Did you cry? A: No, I didn’t cry, I didn’t shed a tear over that woman. A man has to be tough. When she left me for someone else, I moved on. Q: Do you want to go back in time to change anything about the break up? A: I’m not going back in time to go out with her because I turned out okay. I learned that if a relationship doesn’t work out then you can find another one. There are a lot of women out there. Life is too short to cry over spilled milk, it’s time to move on. People cry over a glass of milk that got spilled but I just got up and got another one. Charissa Gunn photo

Shannon Welch

When: Last year of college. Q: The break up day. A: He had to move back to Chile. It was really hard to maintain a long distance relationship so we decided to break up. Ultimately, I couldn’t leave because I wanted to finish school. I didn’t want to leave my family, and he couldn’t come back here because it was right after 9/11 and no visas were allowed anymore. It was raining hard outside. I drove him to the Seattle airport, and we walked in after I parked my car in the parking lot. We looked around for the entrance of the flight and after a few minutes, we found it. Even though we saw everyone around rushing in through the detective

door, he seemed as though he didn’t care. During that time his eyes never left my eyes; I could see that he was crying as well. In the last few minutes, we talked about everything. The great times we had together, and how much each of us was going to miss one another. He hugged me for the last time and rushed through the detective door because it was the last minute. I could see water in his eyes, when he turned around to blow a kiss and say “be happy.” I wanted to cry even more when I had heard what he said but I held in my tears because I knew he didn’t want to see me cry anymore. Q: Did you try to do anything to change that? A: On my vacation I went to Chile, but it didn’t work out between us so we decided to break up. Q: Did you cry? A: Yes, I cried for weeks. Q: Did you miss him?

When: College Q: The break up day. A: In my last year I decided to move to Spokane and he lived in Seattle. It was a long distance relationship, so I felt like we couldn’t fulfill our relationship. I knew a long distance relationship would be hard, he also wanted to take the next step but I couldn’t. This was because on Valentine’s Day in 2005, I spent my time at home working on my master thesis. My boyfriend was going out to socialize with my cousin, then a week later I found out that he betrayed my trust. After that I knew we could not work it out. When we got back together I realized he was not the one, so we grew apart but we are still good friends. It was the first week of July 2006, when I moved back to Seattle from Spokane. I remember it was in the evening, even though the day was warm but my heart was cold. I called him on the phone, and said “We need to talk,” so I drove my car to his house. I went in his house and we started talking in the living room. I knew I had to start out harsh, so he wouldn’t try to get back with me. I told him that our relationship is not going to work out if we still stay together. He started to make up reasons why we needed to stay together. In my mind I had made a decision, so I said “It’s over” and walked out the door. When I headed toward the door, he leaned into me and tried to have a good bye kiss, but I turned away and walked out the door. Q: Did you cry? A: Yes, I wept a little. But when I am upset I put all my attention into my work. Q: Do you want to go back in time to change anything about the break up? A: No, because I learned from that relationship what I was really looking for.

A: I missed him a lot; we still continue to correspond through e-mail and on the phone. Q: If you could would you want to change your decision? A: No, because I learned what I needed to learn. The person I am now isn’t what he wants anymore. We both have changed and are different people now than we were back then. The progress is always moving forward not backwards. I’m sure that he changed as well. Well, I don’t know for sure because I haven’t seen him lately, so I can’t say that he’s changed and I’m the same person. But throughout this relationship, he helped me grow in experience and as a person as well.

Equations for Life

4 Things You Can Do B4 You Snore in Class | Otoha Miyaji | Art Staff Most students have classes they think are not interesting. If you face those classes what do you do? Sleep? Send a text message? I’ll give you hints on how to get over those uninteresting classes. 1. Connect your life to what you learn. It’s hard for you to think about this boring lecture, but if you can connect it to your life, it will be more exciting and you’ll be more willing to study it. 2. Don’t look at the clock- If you do, you may feel that class is longer than it really is.

You may feel the class is shorter if you don’t pay attention to the time. 3. Daydream- Time passes faster if you daydream. You can do it anytime, anywhere. •If you could go somewhere •If you were locked in the school… •If you were a very beautiful woman or handsome man… •The funniest thing you ever did… 4. Let’s doodle- You usually have pens and pieces of paper in class. Doodle anything you want to take up your time.

Lurline Antes

• Scribble a teacher’s face. (You have to pay attention to him or her not to be caught) •Add cute doodles to your notes. •Make imaginary creatures. •Doodle what you want to wear. Classes that you find dull will give you a hard time. But sometimes you need to listen carefully to your teachers because it’ll be beneficial to you in the long run. If you end up having a hard time doing well in a class it’s probably your fault.

|Alexis Lagonoy, Jennifer Nguyen | Sports Editor, NUM83R5 Editor • Obama + Presidency = Change • Ukulele + Same song = Broken record • Music + Headphones = Freedom of Mind • Students + Cell Phones = Texting in class • Planner + Homework = Organization • Friend + Family = Support

Vocabulary

Djugalaw adj. [Ju-Ga-La]: 1. Stupid, i.e. “What she did was djugalaw, she should not have done that!”

NUM83R5

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EMPTY SEATS, UNFILLED ROOMS 2009 Enrollment - 12th Grade: - 11th Grade: - 10th Grade: - 9th Grade:

193 271 276 448

Information based on credits.

Av. Friday Tardies - Sept. 2007: - Oct. 2007: - Nov. 2007: - Sept. 2008: - Oct. 2008: - Nov. 2008:

103.6 119 103.6 129 117.7 83

Av. Tardies Mon. - Fri. - Sept. 2007: - Oct. 2007: - Nov. 2007: - Sept. 2008: - Oct. 2008: - Nov. 2008:

93.7 97.4 90.7 85 80.5 73.5

Michael Saechao photo

One of the best ways to stay in school and stay on time is to get involved. A few tips for the occasionally or perpetually tardy or absent student: Stay busy, but don’t overbook. Part-time jobs, sports, clubs, and homework - it can take a toll. | Remember that three tardies equal one absence. | Attend college fairs. | Stay in contact with your counselor. | Know your credits, rank, GPA. | Find an adult mentor in the building. | If you’re a freshman, stay in contact with your Link Leader and a few positive upperclassman role models. | Say it again and again: Senioritis is a myth. | Plan study time in the library. | Join or create a study group. | Get an agenda or planner and use it. | Build a good repoire with your teachers.

20072008 Drop Out Figures 134 137 112 71

271

student work posters on the 3rd floor

Cars in the student parking lot

4-door

20+ Absences for school year - 12th Grade: - 11th Grade: - 10th Grade: - 9th Grade:

Friday Nov. 21

7:50-8:05 am

2-door

3-door

junior playing Leech on his Nintendo DS

battles won

butterfly posters outside LA teacher Athena Nadeau’s room

494

lockers on the 3rd floor

banana peel on a railing

trophies in the case outside the main office

garbage cans in the commons

lunch tables

pictures hanging outside the art room

Statistics gathered by ARROW staff members walking the halls, looking and counting.

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VICTOR ZHANG 10.01.90 - 10.31.08

Victor Zhang, admitted to the hospital on Oct. 30 for high blood pressure between the right side of his heart and lungs, showed no symptoms of Pulmonary Hypertension until about a month before he passed. Friends and family gathered on Nov. 2 for a candlelight service in the student parking lot.

REMEMBRANCE | TRIBUTE

Gold’s Quote Biciero’s I-5 of the Week Bike Ride

photos courtesy of David Zhang

“Every day last year I would put a ‘Quote of the Week’ up on the board, but since no one ever paid attention, I stopped after only a couple weeks,” science teacher Jim Gold said. “Once I quit, Victor came in the class and said, ‘Mr. Gold where did your quote go?’ This made me realize that Victor was the only one who actually paid attention to the quotes I put up.” Victor was in a lot of Gold’s classes starting from 9th grade advisory and continuing through 12th grade, and then as 6th period TA. “I have never felt so close to any student before,” Gold said, recalling the shock he felt when he first heard of Victor’s death. “I got a phone call from Mr. Winmill informing me that Victor had passed.”

“Well, it wasn’t so much a memory but more like a future plan,” senior Paul Biciero said, starting a story. “Me and Johnny were both talking about how, in the future all of us buddies would have motorcycles and ride down I-5.” He recalled that Johnny and him were talking about dressing up Victor in a tight leather M-cross suit and putting padding on him since he’s so skinny, and making him look like a girl. “It was so funny telling Victor about that plan. We also planned on putting hair attachments on him while he wore the helmet so that it would ‘flow in the air’ while he rode down I-5.” It was maybe three weeks before Victor passed that Biciero told him about the plan.

Meyer’s junk Food Feast “Last year during an AP study session everyone brought so much junk food, and I remember everything being gone except one Twinkie,” history teacher Jennifer Meyer said. “Victor looked at me and said he couldn’t even finish it. It seemed like he was a kid again.” In Meyer’s eyes Victor showed true intellect in addition to childlike spirit. She remembers the moment she heard of his passing. “I found out about Victor on the staircase by the library. Jennifer O’Roarty told me and at that moment I felt profoundly sad - so sad that we lost someone so good,” Meyer said. “Victor embraced everything to the fullest, and he lived life to the fullest.”

articles by Jimmy Phillips III