Bear witness - September 2016

Pg. 4 NEWS

STEP INTO THEIR SOLES

KEHLANI IS COMING

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Press shuffle.

No skipping.

New staff share crazy socks. Pg. 8,9

Pg. 3

Pg. 15

BRANHAM HIGH SCHOOL

BEAR

WITNESS

SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

1,612

Growing Pains

Packed (School) House Branham Feels Burden of Increased Enrollment

2009

2015 2014

2012

2011

2016

2014

Influx of students strains campus resources

2010

WILL SUITER Staff Writer

long with a rise in test scores and A classroom temperatures, Branham has experienced a dramatic increase in en-

rollment, with more than 1,600 students now roaming the halls. That number might increase to 2,000 students within the next several years.

Branham has quickly shed its reputation as a second-rate school and as a second choice to Leigh for those students who live within the free zone boundary that allows them to choose between attending Branham or Leigh.

Improved test scores, a glowing Western Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation report, and a reputation for a closeknit community have drawn prospective students to choose Branham over Leigh, even to the extent of enticing students living inside the Leigh attendance boundary to attempt to transfer to Branham.

However, this increased enrollment has not come without growing pains. Increasingly crowded classrooms, having to share P.E. lockers, barely navigable hallways and longer lines for purchasing dance tickets have all been cited by students as cause for concern over Branham’s expanding student popula-

tion.

Contractractual obligations limiting class sizes has made it difficult for counselors to place students in their preferred classes. Pickup and dropoff traffic and congestion before and after school has also increased.

Students, staff, parents and administrators are all considering the issues that Branham’s increased draw has created.

Many solutions, ranging from grade-level based staggered schedules in order to reduce traffic in the halls, to construction of new portable buildings have been proposed, but no definitive plan to address the issue has been decided upon yet.

Makeup of Students by Class Level 22% 25%

27%

23% 27% 22%

26%

2009

27%

2010

20% 25%

29% 26%

23% 23%

21% 27%

26% 28%

26%

T

INSIDE

2014

Freshmen

Sophomores

Juniors

Seniors

Loma Fire

department and made the decision to dissolve Mr. Hunter’s 3rd period AP Stats class and scatter the students into Ms. Sue Seden’s classes.

The administration had to change the students’ schedules but some were taking specific classes that couldn’t allow for a schedule change.

In this case, the six students decided to do independent study in Ms. Seden’s third period IM 2 class.

“It was the best they could do with the situation,” Mr. Hunter said.

On the other hand, Ms. Seden said that she was willing to accommodate the students, and has offered with to help any students who needs catching up on the material. Mr. Hunter said that the math department’s goal this year is to promote a “fun and positive AP Stats culture” to encourage students to join as seniors.

National news................................2 International news........................ 3

25%

2013

Students teaching themselves curriculum Staff Writer

22%

2012

Split AP Stats class an awkward solution

he increased enrollment of freshmen at Branham has forced the dissolution of Mr. David Hunter’s third period AP Statistics class.

This was a solution to accommodate the freshmen in Mr. Hunter’s Integrated Math 1 classes. According to the contract that teachers make with the district, the maximum amount of students that can be in one class is 32. Mr. Hunter’s IM1 classes had over 32 students in each.

The previous solution was to hire a part-time candidate and take the extra students into two classes.

However they could not find a viable candidate in time. Because of that, the administration began to look at all class sizes of the math

28%

2011

Math migration

BY DEMI LE

26%

25%

Editorial..........................................4 Bulletin Board.................................5

20% 23%

24%

28% 28%

2016

Too big for the gym

As rallies move outside, ASB seeks other options ranham’s school population has B continuously increased because the freshmen class size increases more each

Science and Technology..................7 Science/Tech Briefs.........................7

20%

Fitzgerald Vo/Bear Witness

Staff Writer

How to help The Loma Fire is threatening Santa Cruz County, home to several teachers. Financial donations are suggested, but you can help by donating clothing, bedding and food to...

Salvation Army of Santa Cruz, Second Harvest Food Ban, SPCA of Santa Cruz County

27%

2015

BY FIORELLA CASTANEDA

Kelley Sheen/Bear Witness Smoke rises from the Loma fire Monday.

30%

year. Walking through the halls at school during breaks is frustrating since it is so crowded and many students decide to just stand in the middle of the hall way.

As of now, we have a total of 1,612 students at our school; 325 are seniors, 386 are juniors, 447 are sophomores, and 453 are freshmen.

“By 2022 we are projected to have 1850 students,” said Mrs. Cheryl Lawton, Branham’s new principal.

Our school is the biggest it’s ever been as of now, that we have reached over capacity for our large gym. Because of this, leadership has had to change the setup of our rallies from being in our large gym to the football field.

The staff and the leadership class will be trying to avoid double rally schedules for as long as they can. By having outside rallies, there are some dowsides.

Our Winter Wishes rally (formerly Spread.........................................8-9 Student Life.............................10-11

Make-a-Wish Rally) in December will most likely be too cold or raining for students to be outside.

Mrs. Shari More online Scott-Sawyer said View clips of the she is willing to work Back to School at finding scheduling solutions.

Rally “I am very flexible with how we decide to set up our rallies bhsbearwitness because I came from a triple schedule rally so having double schedule rallies isn’t a big deal work-wise,” she said.

“I am open to having outside rallies, double schedule rallies, and even night rallies. “ The two options the Ladership class has proposed has been to have an outside rally at the football game if weather permits, or having an optional night rally.

Our school will keep growing bigger and bigger, and eventually we might outgrow one side of our football stadium. At that point the school staff will need to have a meeting to reconsider other options for rallies since safety is the No. 1 concern.

Club Roundup...............................11 Sports......................................12-13

Arts & Entertainment..............14-15 The Back Page...............................16

2

BEAR WITNESS

|

SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 |

NEWS

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

“(We) will have the privilege of being able to learn about the LGBTQ+ achievements.”

Eloisa Karp, on the importance of teaching diverse history in schools

National headlines

on Monday, where both exchanged negative remarks. They answered a series of questions about topics, such as war, race, taxing, and the economy. The debate received 84 million television viewers alongside attention from the president. Trump and Clinton were criticized for interrupting the other and indirectly answering questions. The debates will continue throughout October.

and race with scores has been prominent. The new test scale differs from the previous, so test scores cannot be compared to find a difference in the new format.

California

SAT scores plunge in state

The SAT content was changed last spring, resulting in new performance, and California test takers scoring lower than the national average. Correlation between income, gender,

New York

Record ratings for debate

Candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton held their first presidential debate

South Carolina

Three injured in school shooting

Two elementary school students and one teacher were wounded in a school shooting Wednesday afternoon. The suspected shooter, whose relative was alse found dead by gunshot wounds, is currently in custody.

— Compiled by Julia Kolman

Newly enforced dress code upsets students Female students say enforcement unfairly targets their way dress LAUREN HOGAN

Student Life Editor

ranham’s new administrators are reinforcing existing dress B code policies, which some feel unfairly targets female students.

Before the beginning of the school year, it was uncommon to see students be informed that their clothing was inappropriate, and that they have to alter their style of dress. But as the 2016-2017

school year has progressed, more and more students have been dress coded for clothes that used to be worn in previous years with no questions asked.

Branham senior Madeline Trotter was just one of the students on campus who had been dress coded during the first few weeks of school.

“I was told that I needed to either button up my cardigan or change my shirt because I was showing something like an inch of my tummy,” she said.

Trotter said that she could not understand why she was dress coded. She said that she had worn that outfit to school before in previous years and said that neither administrators nor teachers had asked her to change.

In informal reporting, this confusion about why the dress code

is harsher than in previous is a feeling that many Branham students have expressed.

In a meeting with the Bear Witness staff, Principal Cheryl Lawton tried to clear the airby explaining her reasoning for her recent enforcement. She said that Branham High School had always had a dress code, but previous administrations may have chosen not to enforce it.

She continued to say that the most common articles of clothing that are being worn by students who are dress-coded are shirts that show midriff, clothing that exposes undergarments and shirts that are cut inward at the chest to expose the belly and chest area.

“We don’t need to see undergarments and midriff on both sexes,” she said.

Dress code restrictions based on typical male and female body types, according to the 2015-16 student handbook

• • •

Female Short shorts or very short skirts Low-cut, revealing or see-through tops. Tops that expose the midriff Jewelry with spikes or studs

• • • •

Unisex Hats or beanies (please remove indoors) Any item containing reference to alcohol, drugs, tobacco, or their related slogans or emblems Clothing with any sexual or violent connotation Gang-related insignias or colors

LGBT history planned for CA curriculum MICHAELA EDLIN Staff Writer

GBT history is being integratL ed into California public school standardized curriculum and will be

in textbooks by 2017 according to the California Board of Education.

Branham Hopes to soon implement LGBT history to its curriculum. This will influence future Branham students as they’re learning some of this coursework prior to high school. All underclassmen will also be affected as the most intensive curriculum will take place in the junior year of high school where students will learn of military and government discrimination based on sexuality, LGBT police riots, and the legalization of same-sex marriage

in America.

“I’m excited for this generation and all other generations to come who will have the privilege of being able to learn about the LGBTQ+ achievements,” said junior and GSA Officer Eloisa Karp when asked about the new curriculum supplement.

Senate Bill 48 took effect on Jan. 1, 2012, but it wasn’t until July that the State Board of Education adopted a new historical-science framework that includes the accomplishments of LGBT figures. This does not alter any state historical-science standards, but instead adds a more cultured and diverse look at world history.

“We can’t tell our youth that it’s OK to be yourself and expect them to treat their peers with dignity and respect

while we deny them accurate information about the historical contributions of Americans who happened to be LGBT,” said Senator Leno of San Francisco in response to the bill.

The new framework’s main goal is to boosting acceptance and awareness of the LGBT community’s History, the framework adds the achievements and struggles in comparison to contemporary standards.

The response of Branham students seems to be consistently positive. Sophomore Ten Sanchez, who is trans and queer identifying, seemed responsive to this news. He said, “...more people will understand me and the queer community. Teachers will be more open with things concerning queer people… and pronouns.”

Famous LGBT Figures in History

Michelangelo 1475-1564

Nero 37- 68 AD

Sappho 1700 BCE

Leonardo da Vinci 1451-1519

Bear Witness Editors-in-Chief Julia Kolman Kelley Sheen Managing Editor Ty Shikashio Production Editor Dylan Chubon

Oscar Wilde 1854-1900

Karl Heinrich Ulrichs 1825-1895

Ellen DeGenerous 1958-Present

Harvey Milk 1930-1978

Editors News: Cadence Trenchard Opinion: Sunanda Kottayil Science and Technology: Adam Saleh Student Life: Lauren Hogan Sports: Grace Clinton Entertainment: Sydney Uyeda Copy: Taylor Doan Online: Alex Mertens Photography: Iz Munoz

Laverne Cox 1984-Present

Candis Cayne 1971-Present Michaela Edlin/Bear Witness

•

Male Sagging pants or shorts that reveal underwear

Students support unisex bathrooms ELI SYLVAN

L

Staff Writer

incoln High School was one of the first high schools in the Bay Area to implement all-gender restrooms on their campus last April. This raises questions about whether other schools will follow suit.

Action on gender-neutral restrooms is a big step forward for the Bay Area LGBT community, especially in the midst of a North Carolina House Bill that “prohibits anti-discrimination protections for gay and transgender individuals.

Other schools in the Bay Area have no plans on making these changes immediately, according to the Del Mar ASB President David Bates.

“All the ASB presidents are freaking out about Homecoming,” so new restrooms are not currently a priority for the them, he said.

Not only does Homecoming take hours of planning and effort, but with gender-neutral and transgender rights becoming an issue about equity, the ASB is taking steps to accommodate those with specific labels. Currently, the Homecoming king and queen labels are being replaced with the gender-neutral term Homecoming Court.

Bates went on to say that CUHSD doesn’t have any plans

Staff Writers Omar Ababneh, Fiorella Castaneda, Michaela Edlin, Rosalie Gonzalez, Laura Heffernan, Derek Hogan, Demi Le, Jocelyn Pierce, Sarah Snitzer, William Suiter, Eli Sylvan, Sai Tummala, Clarabelle Walkup Adviser: Fitzgerald Vo Mission Statement The Bear Witness is committed to providing accurate, timely coverage of local and world news while connecting these events to the lives of our diverse student body.

“

(Gender neutral restrooms are) something that we definitely need to do to meet the needs of our students.

Cheryl Lawton Principal

”

on installing gender-neutral restrooms.

According to Principal Cheryl Lawton, gender-neutral bathrooms “[this is] something that we definitely need to do to meet the needs of our students.” She continued to say that money from the proposed CUHSD bond could be considered for gender-neutral restrooms. It is clear that the idea has administrative support, but more research needs to be done to see how students feel about the issue.

A recent poll at Branham High School shows that approximately 65 percent of the school is in favor of installing more gender-neutral restrooms, while the other 35 percent are against the idea.

One objection against this plan is the possibility that the restrooms will be abused by students.

They feel that a place as private as a restroom cannot be used at will responsibly by both sexes.

Contact Us Instagram: @bear_witness_ Twitter: @witnessbear Website: www.bhsbearwitness.com Phone: (408) 626-3407 Email: bhs_journalism@yahoo.com

BEAR WITNESS

|

SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 |

3

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

NEWS

“It’s so inconvenient for me.”

Bella Phan, on her experience having to share a locker

International headlines Israel

Israeli president passes away

Israel’s ninth president, Shimon Peres, passed away after suffering from a stroke.

Peres was hospitalized for two weeks before his death, and spent his last minutes on life

support. Peres was a key figure in building up Israel’s defense industry, and was one of the last surviving members of Israel’s founding generation.

Netherlands

New evidence against Russia

tions that have shown evidence that a Russian missile shot down the Malaysian Airlines back in 2014. It was reported by the investigation team that the Russian-made Buk missile was moved into eastern Ukraine from Russia. Although there have been allegations made, the Russian Military

A Dutch- led an investigation drew implica-

Locked out of lockers P.E. students sharing lockers with others

increased population students are now required to share lockers and purchase their own locks for P.E. in order to keep their belongings stored during class this includes students in sports, weight training, and the physical education class.. Additionally, if a student forgets to take out their clothes, the next student who shared that locker won’t have one to use.

P. E. teachers anticipated that the locker rooms would be impacted before the student influx, and it was a matter of time until there wouldn’t be enough lockers. Several students find it a hassle to bring their P.E clothes each day due to smaller backpack trends, students find it difficult to have fashionable bags with enough space to carry their school supplies.

“It’s so inconvenient for me because it’s extra stuff to carry around,” said sophomore Bella Phan.

Physical Education teachers said that they understand the difficulty of bringing P.E. clothes and locks each day, and that students are more likely to forget their clothes.

P.E. teacher Laura Andersson said that a renovation or addition locker room is on “the top of our wish list.”

“We are definitely working on it and trying hard to get it done but it all depends on the district office,” she said.

CAASPP DISTRICT RESULTS

ELA / Math

Branham 84% / 53%

Del Mar

61% / 28%

Leigh

74% / 62%

Prospect 76% / 50%

Westmont 73% / 54%

Average

72% / 49%

SARAH SNITZER Staff Writer

ranham students performed better or on B par with the other schools in math and outperformed all other schools in the district

in English in the latest round of online standardized tests known as the CAASPP. On the English test, 84 percent of Branham juniors met or exceeded standards, compared to 74 percent at Leigh and 76 percent at Prospect. In math, just 53 percent met or exceeded standards, on par with Prospect and Westmont, but well behind Leigh, which had 62 percent meeting or exceeding standards.

The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress, is also known as the SBAC. The standardized test is designed to assess juniors’ proficiency in English, math, and science.

It is also the new measure of school quality.

Our scores affect not only Branham’s reputation, but factors such as the value of homes in the district area.

AP Language teacher Mrs. Nancy Freschi said that a lot of preparation went into the English language test among junior classes.

“We presented the SBAC as a very valid test and made clear its importance to juniors, so they took it very seriously,” Mrs. Freschi said.

Principal Cheryl Lawton attributed the success to the common core implementation, which emphasizes language skills among all

class subjects.

Although this year’s scores show a positive trend overall, the scores also reveal a clear disparity between certain demographics: students with disabilities, Latino students, and economically disadvantaged students all scored significantly lower than the rest of the population.

There is a wide gap between Asian students, the highest-scoring population in both English and Math, and economically disadvantaged students in both categories (96 percent to 64 percent in English and 91 percent to 27 percent in Math).

The opportunity gap is a complex, nationwide issue created by a variety of barriers that prevent educational equity between students of different races and socioeconomic classes.

As a school that prides itself on being diverse and welcoming to students from all different backgrounds, Branham is taking various steps to address this issue. The school is starting programs such as AVID, which works to support less advantaged students, and QTEL (Quality Teaching for English Learners), which focuses on providing teachers with a range of teaching strategies that they can use to help students with all different needs.

“Being able to address the learning styles and needs of all different students will help (the school) provide access to the support and teaching strategies they need,” said Mrs. Lawton.

Work experience

No more teacher aides eachers are missing their teacher aides.

T Assembly Bill 1012, signed into law last year, bars students who wish to serve as teacher aides

ith the freshman population at 451 and the W sophomore class at 450, the underclassmen numbers almost reaches 1,000 students. Due to the

English scores top district, but math a struggle at BHS

On Sept. 27, Obama nominated the first United States ambassador to cuba in more than 50 years. Jeffery DeLaurentis has served as a career Foreign Service officer. DeLaurentis has yet to be confirmed by the Senate.

— Compiled by Kelley Sheen

Copy Editor

Staff Writer

Strong results on standardized test

First US ambassador to Cuba

TAYLOR DOAN

CLARABELLE WALKUP

Iz Munoz/Bear Witness Photo Illustration Students have been experiencing the inconvenience of having to pair up and share lockers.

Cuba

and in-school work experience.

In a letter to school superintendents, the School and College Legal Services of California said that students enrolled in those types of courses “were not receiving meaningful instruction,” which violates the California Constitution’s promise of equal education.

In general, teacher aides help with making copies, setting up for different class activities, and directing the class when the teacher is occupied.

Students The passing of AB 1012 takes away this extra help that most should be in teachers need in their class- a legitimate rooms. class.

AP Chemistry teacher Mrs. Nicole Trapasso said that Nicole Trapasso aides were helpful in the class- Chemistry room. Mrs. Trapasso’s TAs teacher would help set up and take down labs as well as grade assignments or tests.

Mr. Ramani Visvanathan, the AP Calculus/Integrated Math 3 teacher, said his teacher aide last year served as more of a tutor in his AP Calculus class, which was helpful when Mr. V was occupied.

“He helped out with classroom organization,” Mr. Visvanathan said. “We were able to cover the whole classroom.”

Both teachers believed teacher aides were of great assistance, but Trapasso understands the reason behind the bill.

“Students should be in a legitimate class,” she said.

Another course the bill refers to is work experience, which allows students to job shadow, take apprenticeships and receive a taste of life after high school. This is helpful for students who don’t see themselves attending college.

Supporters of AB 1012 say that students are not getting the work experience they deserve as teacher aides.

A petition on Change.org calls for the repeal of the bill, as some believe the lack of teacher aide and work experience opportunities impedes on skill development. It has 105 signatures, with its goal being 200 signatures, and will be sent to Gov. Jerry Brown once the goal is reached.

“

Finally, Kehlani What’s going on After Branham won Wild 94.9’s radio contest in May, pop star Kehlani finally makes good with a lunchtime appearance Nov. 4. Here’re some facts that we dug up.

Oakland-born She moved to L.A. to pursue her music career.

America’s Got Talent Her group finished fourth in the sixth season competition.

Grammy nominee She earned a nomination in 2016 for Best Urban Contemporary Album.

1.5 million Instagram followers @kehlani 19 age when she released her first mixtape — Staff report

”

4

BEAR WITNESS

OPINION Editorial The opinion of the Bear Witness editors

How does one measure raciness?

Sunday

|

SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 |

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

“Passing the AP exam will benefit students in college”

Tyler Pesavento, on how AP courses prepare students for the future Branham’s Dress Code

Females Targeted by Specific Dress Code Regulations S

BY EDITORIAL BOARD

tudents took to media to address the newly enforced dress code.

Branham administration has been pulling females over for shirts revealing midriff and males for wearing muscle shirts that show a large portion of the chest. A former dress code is posted on the Branham webpage, but most of the rules are not currently enforced.

Female students feel specifically targeted because they face more restrictions that single out their gender. A

Monday

Tuesday

strict dress code can objectify women by deeming their clothing as distracting. This also undermines men’s maturity levels. From a young age, female students are expected to follow a standard dress code that regulates shorts, sleeves, and necklines. How does one measure raciness?

This is started at an even earlier age when adults imply there is a right way and a wrong way to dress. A look around Branham will reveal a vast variety of body types, so no shirt fits each female the same way. All students should have the right to feel confident

Wednesday

in their clothing at school.

Since the dress code appears heavily focused on female students, Ms. Lawton is condsidering a gender neutral dress code. If this was implemented at Branham, transgender and non-binary students wouldn’t have to face the awkward question of which regulations apply to them. School-wide dress code rules would ensure simple and memorable guides that students can actually recall when dressing each morning.

Female students have been quick to mention that administration have monitored midriffs, a body part that

Thursday

Friday

most do not deem inappropriate, instead of restricting the length of shorts, amount of cleavage shown, or the width of tank top straps.

Standard regulations are essential in a high school, but the choice of clothing that administration are focusing on is compelling. The dress code is enforced to keep a professional school environment, which students will conform to in their careers. Without a clear set of rules, administration can only hope for students to rely on common sense and make their best judgment in the moment.

Saturday

Party @ Brian’s

Y TEST!!

HISTOR

Cadence Trenchard/Bear Witness

Students don’t use advisory

BY LAURA HEFFERNAN

BY CADENCE TRENCHARD

Staff Writer

News Editor

hat is the point of having W advisory? Since the beginning of the school year, students

have been debating about the usefulness of Advisory. Many students feel they’d be more productive elsewhere. Madame Garceau says that even though advisory can be useful, students need more time to work in Tutorial. Often while sitting in advisory, students can be seen working on homework and hiding it from the teacher so they won’t be told to put it away, This would be when having tutorial instead would be very useful. In reality, the student hiding the homework is being more productive than the teacher handing out bingo boards to play an icebreaker game. Madame Garceau says “There was a curriculum we’re supposed to follow so I tried my best to do that…” Even though t h e r e ’s set t u d e n t s acurr iccan be seen u l u m , working on many of homework, try- the acing to hide it tivities from the teach- are reer so they won’t petitive.

Sophom o re, Laura Emma Heffernan McCaStaff Writer r t h y, w h o prefers tutorial on Mondays, says “I don’t see much of a point [of advisory] I don’t like it at all...if we went to the teacher we want and they give us all the things they would normally give us in advisory we would be getting the same information and the help we need all at the same place.” In contrast, Ms. Cheryl Lawton thinks Advisory has great potential. Ms. Lawton says that if done properly, it prepares students

“S

”

Planned events take away necessary tutorial time rom the perspective of a perpetF ually procrastinating pupil, those 30 minutes of tutorial time are pure

Laura Heffernan/Bear Witness A September survey showed that only two of the 50 randomly selected students find advisory useful. for the future since these skills aren’t taught in regular curriculum.

Students usually don’t realize the goal of the given worksheets. There isn’t a point if nobody realizes the meaning of handouts and just throw them away. After filling out a worksheet in her advisory class, Freshman, Laura Rydquist says that she didn’t gain anything from filling it out since she didn’t know what the worksheet was for.

Many times in advisory students can be heard making comments like, “Why are we here?” or “What’s the point of this?” Non-commital answers given by teachers seem to be the same (which would be to get to know each other). However, after a few weeks students already know each other much better than they did at the beginning, which renders all these activities useless.

Many students want advisory to at least be optional. Ms. Lawton responded to this by saying that although students don’t “see the value in the program,” a team is improving the program.

Based on the advisory system Branham has right now, it would be a better use of time to replace it with tutorial so students can get the help they need.

gold. I can’t begin to count the number of times tutorial has given me the chance to finish last-minute assignments right before my second period of the day. So it’s only natural that when tutorial is canceled, I get cranky.

If used correctly, tutorial can be a great space for students to retake tests, ask questions, work on group projects or use Chromebooks. In a recent survey, all 20 Branham students questioned said they agree that tutorial is useful to some degree. Kids that have other commitments during lunch or afterschool are hard-pressed to find another time to check in with teachers. So why would the administration plan events during this sacred time?

Many students dislike the events during tutorial, some even resorting to ditching, and creating more prob-

“

A real fire or active shooter won’t conveniently wait to fall between 9:45-10:15 am.

”

lems. Rallies, of course, are much more exciting than the occasional fire drill, but over 40% of surveyed students said rallies should be optional. This would let the kids that need to study have time to work.

Even though a half an hour may not seem like much time, cancelled tutorials add up quickly: by March over four hours of prime studying time will be lost to mandatory rallies, lectures, or drills.

The problem is that there isn’t a better to time to hold these events. Rallies during class time would throw off the schedule and would be even worse than missing tutorial. Holding lunchtime events results in food deprivation. But as for practice drills, if they are always held at the same time, they become predictable. A real fire or active shooter won’t conveniently wait to fall between 9:45-10:15 am.

Since there doesn’t seem to be a more suitable time for school-wide events, I think both students and admin need to be more aware about the timing (except for surprise drills) in order to plan ahead. This could mean adding a note about an upcoming rally in Schoolloop’s daily bulletin or having teachers announce the event in class. But most of the responsibility falls on students themselves to look over the weekly schedule in advance.

If events do need to take place during tutorial, please don’t waste our time.

Are seniors prepared for college?

BY IZ MUÑOZ Photo Editor

t is senior year for me and many I others. I am constantly questioning which college I want to choose wheth-

er or not it’s reasonable for me to apply to such high ranked universities.

This question is very difficult for me to answer since I haven’t been truly interested in a specific career or interested in a school that has a great program of my liking. I am going to be the second of my family to graduate High School so I do feel a lot of pressure when it comes to making a big decision like choosing a college. Luckily, Branham offers a variety of AP College courses that in my opinion, are helpful and also very challenging as well. But that

By the numbers

62 percent of students on Twitter that think AP courses were beneficial is the point, they are helping students by preparing them for college courses in the future. I recently ran a poll on Twitter asking students if AP Courses are beneficial to them, 38% said no and 62% said yes. The responses resulted in a positive outcome. I wanted to get more opinions of other students

taking these college classes so I interviewed Branham senior, Tyler Pesavento, asking him about his opinion on the AP classes he is taking, he said “Many of the AP classes I have taken are really difficult due to the huge amounts of workloads and challenging tests. Although many of the classes are hard, passing the AP exam will benefit students in college because you will not have to take certain GE’s.”

It seems to me that many of the students are taking these classes so that they don’t have to do their GE’s in college and be more focused on what they want to major in. AP classes can be challenging but they are helping students become more organized and think more critically.

BEAR WITNESS

|

SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 |

5

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

OPINION

“It seemed like Kaepernick didn’t appreciate his country.”

Fiorella Castaneda, on the recent Colin Kaepernick controversy

Colin Kaepernick He is making the choice to kneel during the National Anthem as a way of bringing light to his views on police brutality and racial issues in the U.S.

Colin Kaepernick is exercising his right to not tolerate the oppression of black people in America. He is causing outrage, which is an important part of the change that is vital in America and the way it treats people of color.

Michaela Edlin

Kelley Sheen

He brought awareness to a big issue in the U.S. But at the same time he should have found a different way because he just seemed to have done that for publicity.

Omar Ababneh

He is exercising his right to freedom of speech (or lack thereof ), and he is drawing attention to an issue that has plagued this country for years.

Grace Clinton

His protest is justified. He is using his popularity to portray a message he believes in, and he wouldn’t be getting so much backlash if he didn’t have as high of a ranking in society.

In light of the riots and continued shootings in North Carolina, his refusal to stand was necessary. Though citizens need to show respect for the U.S., sometimes getting people talking about a brutal topic is worth all the backlash.

Cadence Trenchard

Sitting down was disrespectful because it seemed like Kaepernick didn’t appreciate his country. At the same time he does have his own opinion so he can stand up for what he believes in.

Jocelyn Pierce

Kaepernick is disrespectful to this country. If he wants to see then change he needs to be the change. Sitting down will only divide the country. I’m very disappointed in him, the 49ers, and the people who support him.

Clarabelle Walkup

The 49ers backup quarterback is receiving attention for his decision to kneel during the national anthem to protest police treatment of African Americans. Our staff weighs in.

Fiorella Castaneda

Nothing says he can’t do what he’s doing, that doesn’t mean, however, what he’s doing is right.

Americans seem to care more about a flag rather than the current situation of Black Americans in a white-dominated society. Protesting isn’t supposed to please anyone, it’s used to bring attention to a serious problem.

Demi Le

Rosalie Gonzalez

Twitter user beware

Social media platform escalates offline interactions MICHAELA EDLIN

T

Staff Writer

witter is a platform that serves a multitude of functions for the social-media savvy, especially for those who value the First Amendment, but where is line between simply stating opinions and harassing others?

Many Branham students own Twitter accounts. It is one of the many social media apps they refer to for news or social updates during their free time.

Branham senior Miranda Dawson said that she checks it “probably five times throughout the day,” which is a common case for other students on campus.

However, Twitter has recently been used in a rather concerning manner. Often the platform is used to spread drama in a seemingly inconsequential space, but usually ends with very real repercussions.

Last year during Homecoming, this occurred when the freshmen class controversially won one of the events. Nasty comments, even death threats, made by certain upperclassman individuals were directed toward Cadence Trenchard/ the freshman class on Twitter.

Bear Witness This raised tensions for the rest of Homecoming, escalating existent drama within the Branham community.

Dawson involuntarily got involved in some of this drama.

“It gave me a massive anxiety attack and I almost didn’t come to school the next day,” she said.

This is a prime example of how voicing an opinion on Twitter can lead to extremes, at times making people victims of unnecessary online harassment.

There seems to be no shortage of hate and ignorance among Twitter users, even those at

Israel Muñoz/Bear Witness At a home football game last Friday, four San Jose High students took a knee during the national anthem while the rest of the team stood.

Should they have taken a knee?

Some Branham athletes feel San Jose High players’ actions were unnecessary and unjustified CADENCE TRENCHARD News Editor

Sarah Snitzer/Bear Witness Senior Tasos Tentoglou usually opens his Twitter app during breaks.

Branham. The most important thing to keep in mind when using a social media platform, is what the results of posting something could be. Twitter is a place where names and statements are directly correlated and easily traced.

Many known figures such as Olympic gold-medalist Gabby Douglas and “Ghostbusters” actress Leslie Jones have experienced online hate via Twitter.

The hate has led to movements to end cyberbullying, and in some extreme cases, the deletion of the accounts themselves.

Twitter users have the option to report any offensive activity they experience on the platform.

Here’s some advice: If it’s not something you would say in real life without facing consequences then don’t say it in digital landscapes.

It may be easier to say harsh words through a screen, but they’re just as harshly received as in the real world.

In the weeks following Colin Kaepernick’s controversial decision to kneel during the national anthem, athletes throughout the United States have followed suit to highlight the struggles that African-Americans face when dealing with the police. But when San Jose High football players took a knee during the national anthem, some on Branham’s team became suspicious. Did the players have a legitimate reason to protest, or were they following trends without considering the ramifications?

Since the players’ motives were unclear, Branham football player and senior Matt Fernandez was left confused. He said he didn’t know if they were “doing it to just be like the pros, or if they actually had a reason” for kneeling.

“Some players had a fairly visceral reaction to San Jose High players kneeling,” he continued.

Quarterback Tyler Pesavento thought the action wasn’t “justified” because the teams aren’t located in “a community where (police-involved shootings) happens regularly.”

He also thought that the San Jose High football team didn’t “spread awareness or better the community,” unlike Kaepernick’s kneeling.

“

I feel like the people kneeling do not do anything to spread awareness or better the community.

Tyler Pesavento Branham quarterback

”

Instead of worrying about whether or not the team should have kneeled, perhaps we should look at what makes a protest a protest. According to Merriam-Webster, a protest is defined as “a complaint, objection, or display of unwillingness … to an idea or action,” implying that every protest starts with a problem. In this case, taking a knee is a public disagreement with the police treatment of African Americans. We’ll never know the exact reasoning behind the players’ decisions or if they were fully aware of the criticism they would receive. For a protest to be considered successful, it must spark change in the community, whether that entails raising wages or raising awareness. If the San Jose team was hoping to make a protest, they can’t consider it successful.

There are no plans for our team to take a knee during the national anthem.

6

Snapshots

Scenes from around the campus

www.jump2drive.com • (408) 823-3656 • 400 Reed St. Suite 130, Santa Clara, 95050

NEED DRIVER’S ED?

Junior Jackson Baker makes his pitch for students to join the Gay-Straight Alliance during Club Rush.

Taylor Doan/Bear Witness

10

WE’LL STEER YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

Taylor Doan/Bear Witness Will Suiter, Sarah Snitzer attend Senior Sunrise.

Fiorella Castaneda/Bear Witness Senior Keith Hackleman at halftime of a game.

Students seek refuge in the parking lot shade as they wait for their rides.

Iz Munoz/Bear Witness

• Free pick up and dropoff from your location.

$20 OFF

• Set up your own schedule online

On required 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training with coupon - $295 normally $315 • Use coupon code mz632922 at purchase or call us

• Learn from the experts who bring out the confidence in you.

• Driver’s ed only $10 on our site check us out on

www.jump2drive.com • (408) 823-3656 • 400 Reed St. Suite 130, Santa Clara, 95050

Taking standardized tests in December? Struggling with that one section you just don’t get? Want extra practice before taking the real thing? Here at the Elite Educational Institute of San Jose, we offer programs that help you tackle these exams.

Targeted test dates: SAT on December 3, ACT on December 10.

SAT CORE PROGRAM Sept 20 – Nov 26 (10 weeks)

ACT PREP Oct 11 – Dec 3 (8 weeks)

Each week you will take one full-length practice test and receive 4.5 hours of in-class test review and instruction.

Each week you will take one full-length practice test and receive 4 hours of inclass test review and instruction.

Test options: Class days:

SAT BOOST PROGRAM Oct 18 – Nov 26 (6 weeks) If you already taken SAT Core or have otherwise prepped for SAT on your own. Same structure as SAT Core.

Test options:

Tues–Fri, 4:00–8:00 pm Saturday, 8:30 am – 12:30 pm

Class options:

Saturday, 8:30 am – 1:00 pm Saturday, 1:30–6:00 pm

CONTACT US TODAY FOR A FREE DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND CONSULTATION!

Tues–Fri, 4:00–8:00 pm Saturday, 1:30–5:30 pm

SAT MATH II Oct 7 – Nov 25 (8 weeks) Each week you will take a full-length practice test and receive two hours of test review and instruction. Great for reviewing formulas & building speed!

Meeting days:

Tues–Fri, 4:00–8:00 pm

Elite of San Jose • 3315 Almaden Expy #24, San Jose, CA 95118 • (408) 266-3838 • sanjose@eliteprep.com

BEAR WITNESS

|

SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 |

SCIENCE&TECHNOLOGY Tech Bytes Samsung’s total recall Samsung issues a mass recall of their Note 7 phone after several reports of the lithium ion battery overheating and catching on fire. All Note 7s purchased before September 7 must be returned because of a production error, resulting in pressure build up on plates inside battery cells.

This brings positive and negative poles into contact, triggering excessive heat. Samsung and its carriers have released a set of instructions on what to do if your device is recalled.

7

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

Fact: iPhone 7 dual camera allows for 2x optical zoom.

Emojis cater to changes the times are bringing Read 9/30/16

Apple keeps political correctness in mind when creating new line of emoji

iPhone 7 alterations Apple released its iPhone 7 and 7 plus on September 14.

The most notable change to the model is that it no longer contains a headphone jack. Users will now have to use wireless headphones that connect to the phone using Bluetooth, or Apple’s provided lightning headphones. Apple will also be selling their own wireless earbuds, along with various other companies wireless headphones.

Along with the phone, Apple will provide an adapter that connects to the charging port so that users can use standard headphones with the phone.

Electric longboard Silicon Valley based tech company, Boosted, releases its new electric longboard designed to get you further, on same amount of charge seen in previous boards. The Boosted Board 2.0 offers a 12-to-14 mile range, water resistance, revamped motor architecture, and quick charging.Boosted states that while the board will not be vastly different, the changes to the boards will make the rider experience smoother and add to the feature set on premium models.

— Compiled by Adam Saleh

Science Briefs Five-second rule hoax A study by Rutgers University says that bacteria may transfer to food no matter how fast you pick it up. The popular rule is based on the statement that bacteria needs time to transfer.

Rutgers has found that bacteria can transfer in less than one second.The university tested various foods and contact times on various different surfaces and found that the food quickly became contaminated with bacteria when exposed to it. No matter how hungry you are, if your food has touched to floor do not eat it.

Space station lost Chinese scientists have lost control of their space station.

The Tiangong-1 was launched into space in 2011 and was expected to land in the Pacific Ocean at the end of this year.

At a press conference Chinese scientists explained that they have lost contact with the space station, but did not clarify what went wrong. They have admitted that they have no way of guiding the Tiangong-1 back to Earth and that it is moving too fast to predict where the debris will land.

App aids city planners Fitness app, Strava Metro, is being used to improve bike lanes and urban planning in the Bay Area. The CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) has plans to use the data from Strava Metro’s tracking function to make urban environments such as San Francisco and L.A. safer for walkers and bikers.

— Compiled by Sunanda Kottayil

SYDNEY UYEDA Staff Writer

finally released its new collection of emoji, which include

,

and

more. The update was released in early September to all qualifying

.

Emojis have gotten really popular over the course of time, with almost every

user using them in texting and emails. The new update includes

all genders, plus new

and

. It gives a variation in fami-

lies as well, which include

and

. There has been some controver-

sy over the update, as people are older phones and cause

that the update will overcrowd the .Others are

that has been able to expand both date,

and

with the update and feel people. With this new up-

is able to branch out to new families and have diverse emojis.

Translation

Apple has finally released their new collection of emoji, which include new families, the rainbow flag, and more. The update was released on September 13th to all qualifying phones. Emojis have gotten really popular over the course of time, with almost every Apple user using them in texting and emails. The new update includes all genders, plus new sports and objects. It gives a varia-

tion of relations as well, which include lesbian and gay families. There has been some controversy over the update, as people are upset that the update will overcrowd the older phones and cause bugs. Others are content with the update and feel that has been able to expand both and people. With this new update, Apple is able to branch out to new families and have diverse emojis.

Conflict between digital classrooms Students react to the use of both Google Classroom and Schoolloop WILL SUITER Staff Writer

Both students and teachers know this reason well. As students transition from writing their nightly homework and long-term projects to viewing them online using programs like Schoolloop or Google Classroom to keep track of them, the potential for forgotten deadlines and due dates increases.

Nevertheless, both teachers and students rely on these tools to assign, complete, submit and grade homework. But what is the difference?

“It wasn’t on schoolloop so I didn’t do it.”

Primarily, Google Classroom differs from Schoolloop in that it is not a gradebook, but it does allow teachers more flexibility in assigning tasks because it integrates assignment files and documents more efficiently with Google Drive, which can be used to complete work. Similarly to Schoolloop, Google Classroom allows students to submit work for grading. With Schoolloop, teachers can grade student submissions directly, allowing for an easier grading process, while scores from Google Classroom must be transferred into the Schoolloop gradebook.

While these systems certainly do

make submitting and grading work easier on teachers, inconsistency between which system is used can often be a source of frustration for students.

Having multiple teachers, some of which use Google Classroom and some of which use Schoolloop to assign homework, can lead to students more easily losing track of current assignments and due dates. “My English teacher uses both, so I don’t really know which one to check and I have missed some due dates because of it.

It is really annoying,” commented an eleventh grader, who did not wish to be named.

In a survey of 16 students, 13 preferred teachers to assign homework through Schoolloop rather than Google Classroom, and all of the students surveyed reported that if an assignment was not posted on either Schoolloop or Google Classroom and only assigned in class, they would likely forget to complete it.

As learning and technology become more intertwined, it becomes increasingly necessary to set standards to ensure that technology is used in a streamlined and consistent way that will make it more effective for both students and teachers.

CONS:

Schoolloop

-Turn in system is not as efficient as Classroom’s -The actual website is frequently under maintenence/down due to malfunctions -Schoolloop does not have an effective mode of communication besides email PROS:

-Schoolloop allows users to see their grades and school-wide announcements

CONS:

Classroom

- Conflict between turning in online vs. hard copy in class -Immature classmates overcrowd comment section with “humor” - Midnight deadline can be hard to meet for students in extracurriculars PROS:

-Communication is easier with the ability to comment on assignments

8

BEAR WITNESS

|

SEPTEMBER 30

Their Best Foot M S . B AY E R

Fuzzy socks Integrated Math 1 and 2 Favorite thing about the subject: “The students.”

MR. CABLE

Light brown socks

MS. BENDER

Bicycle socks Art 1 and 3D design Favorite thing about the subject: “I’ve found a loophole in the universe where they pay me to make art with young people.”

MR. FRAGANO

Light brown socks

Physical Education Favorite thing about the subject: “Inspire others to enjoy fitness.”

Spanish 2, Spanish for Spanish speakers “The connection that I have with the students…from the same culture.”

MS. MACKINNON

MS. MESSICK

“I don’t wear socks” Spanish 1 Favorite thing about the subject: “Just teaching the students I love them here they’re great.”

Owl socks Special education math Favorite thing about the subject: “Everything. Math is awesome.”

MR. BENJAMIN

#socks Biology, AP Biology Favorite thing about the subject: “To be able to expose students to the world they currently reside in.”

MR. GARDNIER

No crazy socks

Physical Education Favorite thing about the subject: “Playing sports.”

MS. PLANK

Koala socks

Theatre Arts Favorite thing about the subject: “It’s wonderful to teach theatre arts as an empowerment for young people to express themselves and celebrate who they are on stage”

MR. BROUILLET

Tube socks transformed into fingerless gloves English and Academic Support Favorite thing about the subject: “I enjoy thinking critically about our society and world.”

MS. HASSER

Husband’s socks

English 1 and Honors, ERWC Favorite thing about the subject: “I love literature… stories come alive.”

MS. REYES

Glow-in-the-dark socks Spanish 3 Favorite thing about the subject: “(Teaching) literature and culture- I don’t get to teach it often”

0, 2016 |

9

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

t Forward

Socks are the window We ask our new teachers and administrators to share their craziest footwear as well as their favorite part of the job.

reporting and graphics by Julia Kolman, Kelley Sheen and Dylan Chubon

MR. PONZIO

MS. SCOTT-SAWYER

Activities Director Favorite thing about your job: “Students.”

Vice Principal Favorite thing about your job: “The positive interactions with students.”

Belega running socks

Pizza socks

MR. JENSEN

Christian Hosoi (skater) socks Physical Education Favorite thing about the subject: “It gives kids a chance to be physically active during the day.”

MS. SALINAS

Brussel sprout socks. “Every day I’m brusselin.’ ” English 2 Honors, English 3, AP Lit Favorite thing about the subject: “To have the in depth conversations with students.”

MS. LAWTON

MR. KALMAN

Hiking socks

Principal Favorite thing about your job: The staff and students are fantastic here everybody is working towards a common goals”

MR. MASON

Michigan socks

Biology World and U.S. History Favorite thing about the subject: “Seeing Favorite thing about the subject: “The stustudents get it.” dents.”

MS. SEDEN

Christmas skull socks

Integrated Math 2 and AP Stats Favorite thing about the subject: “I love stats because it’s the real world.”

MS. SUMMY

Green and yellow fuzzy socks

English and world history Favorite thing about the subject: “I like teaching writing and I like introducing kids to exciting concepts.”

Fuzzy socks

MS. MURPHY

BHS-colored socks English 2 Honors Favorite thing about the subject: “That you get to reflect upon yourself and the world around you and learn from it.”

MR.TURNER

Mix-and-match socks

Trig/Pre-Calc, IM3, AP Computer Science Favorite thing about the subject: “The labs where you get to apply thing ...do things other than sitting.”

10

BEAR WITNESS

|

STUDENT LIFE

SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 |

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

“I don’t think of it as ‘this is such a big deal’ if I am racing guys twice my age.”

Buddy Chappell on feeling intimidated in his races

Racing adults not out of his league Junior student is the youngest driver in his division

ROSALIE GONZALEZ

S

Buddy Chappell/Special to The Bear Witness

Staff Writer

TOCKTON, CALIF. — The green flag drops and engines roar as 25 cars launch out in a mad frenzy towards the finish line. It’s a warm, Saturday in early September at the Delta Speedway in Stockton. The crowd erupts in cheers as the winner is announced. For some, this is just a dream; for others, it’s a surreal reality.

While most juniors at Branham are just getting their permits, Buddy Chappell is out racing the 8c wingless sprintcar in Stockton and Davis. Buddy races adult rivals, and is the only teen in the Microsprint 600 division.

“I don’t think of it as ‘this is such a big deal’ if I am racing guys twice my age,” he said. “That tells me that I can race with these guys and I’ve got some skill.”

Chappell began his racing career at 10, at the now closed Baylands San Jose Speedway. He credits her for getting him into racing.

“My grandmother got me into racing when I was around 4- to- 5 years old by watching NASCAR,” he said. “She was the one who wanted me to go fast more than anyone… I started racing five months after she died and I always think she’s looking down at me, watching me go fast.”

Watching the NASCAR races at 4, Buddy would often recite which drivers onscreen and who was involved in crashes, according to his mom Sally Chappell.

Racing is often an expensive endeavor, with sprint cars costing nearly $30,000.

The family was supportive of Buddy and brought him to races around the country. . Thanks to his military father’s deployment, they were able to pay for his vehicle.

Though Buddy has not crashed in his races, even small nicks to the car can

Rosalie Gonzalez/Bear Witness Buddy Chappell is in his race car getting ready to move his car into the starting position to begin the race. cost a fortune his mom said.

“He has a knack; he doesn’t crash,” said Mrs. Chappell, who is a trauma nurse.

“He tapped the wall - and that was a new axle for $300. The tire was $400.”

As a student at Branham, balancing school and racing has never been an issue for Chappell.

“School never gets in the way, but watching TV and playing video games does a little bit,” he said.

With races on the weekends, he is able to finish his work during the week and between events.

At the Delta Speedway race on Sept.

10, he placed 13th out of 18 racers, but said he was technically last because the

four-person crash ahead of him had crashed their vehicles.

Because he saves most of his money for college, Buddy does not have as much equipment as other competitors. He explains that he is in need of a stronger engine. Chappell has high hopes for the future such as attending a college in North Carolina and is actively looking to get sponsored. He also hopes to pursue an internship with NASCAR to help promote his name in the community.

Buddy said he plans to become a professional Nascar driver sometime in the future.

The last race is this Saturday in Stockton.

Reducing gender gap in tech jobs Night rally moves up Two students participate in summer coding academies aimed for girls DEREK HOGAN

In 1984

37%

Staff Writer

eniors Erin Rochfort and Meghna S Banerjee spent the summer in coding programs aimed at closing the gender gap in

the tech industry.

According the the tech website Cnet, men make up an average of 84.4 percent of the workforce in companies such as Google, Apple, Facebook, Cisco, Microsoft and Twitter.

There are many job openings for women in companies like Apple or Microsoft because their workforce is dominated by men.These companies are looking for women as a way to diversify and balance out their systems and are turning toward programs such as She++ and Girls Who Code to train the next workforce.

Meghna worked with a student from Westmont High School and the Stanford’s She++ program to recruit more girls from our district interested in computer science.

The Bay Area is one of many places in the United States that is flourishing in the technology world. As the tech industry grows, more people are able to find a career in the field.

The industry is huge and isn’t going anywhere. The pay’s not too shabby, either. Apple’s average salary for hardware engineers is between $84,000 and $152,000. With that pay, you would be able to rent an apartment in Hawaii for $2,000 a month or $24,000 a year, which still leaves a significant amount of money in your pocket.

As tech jobs are increasing, many experts are calling for increased female representation.

Girls Who Code is an organization that is building the largest pipeline for future female engineers in the United States. The organization initially began with only 20 women from New York in 2012 to 10,000 girls in a total of 42 states.

“When girls learn to code, they become change agents in their community,” writes Girls Who Code founder and CEO Reshma Saujani on the group’s website.

Homecoming event switched to Monday

of all computer grads were women.

The gender gap

in computing has gotten worse since the 1980s

Bear Witness archives Juniors perform their dance routine at a homecoming lunch event in 2014.

The Night Rally was moved to Monday to accommodate all students.

ALEX MERTENS Online Editor

radition has it that the HomeT coming Night Rally is held on Wednesdays. However, to avoid

Today that number has dropped to a mere

18% Rosalie Gonzalez/Bear Witness Source: Girls Who Code

potential scheduling conflicts with sports, the ASB leadership is moving this year’s night rally to Monday.

“The rally was moved to Monday night in order to allow as many students as possible to attend,” said Activities Director Shari Scott-Sawyer.

Many students have other commitments on Friday nights such as band or sports. The rally will also be taking place in the gym, unlike this year’s first rally out in the football field.

The night rally is intended to get students excited for homecoming,

where competitions and games foster friendly rivalries among the classes.

One of the main attractions of the night rally is the class skit, where students from each class put together a short show that usually consists of dancing and music resembling a story.

Each story will also correspond to the theme given to the classes. In the past this was the final event of the homecoming competition between classes.

ASB student leader Tasos Tentoglou, 12, said that having the night rally at the start of the week will make “the student body as a whole very spirited and pumped for homecoming.”

BEAR WITNESS

|

SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 |

11

BHSJOURNALISM.COM

STUDENT LIFE

“It’s very inclusive.”

Kendall Rich, junior, on homecoming changes

Club Roundup

Isrrael Munoz/Bear Witness DECA sold out of its In-N-Out stock at Club Rush.

The group is focusing efforts on fundraising.

DECA

Rules alter DECA status as club

DECA is an international organization that teaches young, aspiring business leaders skills in marketing, management and entrepreneurship in business, finance, hospitality, and much more. Last year, the club put Branham on the map by scoring several accolades at the national DECA competition in Nashville, Tenn.

However, due to changes made by its parent organization, DECA is no longer technically a club. It is now required that students participating in competitions be apart of a business elective class at their school, a class that Branham unfortunately does not have. Unable to compete in the official competitions, the club has decided to focus on innovation instead of business, by participating in hackathons and other competitions with schools who are also now unable to compete. If you are interested in joining DECA, meetings are in Room 3 on Thursdays.

Junior States of America

Affiliation change considered

There are going to be changes occurring within and between the Junior Statesmen of America and the newly created Speech and Debate Club in weeks to come. Because both clubs are similar in interests, but completely separate organizations, the possibility of eliminating one club or combining both into one single club is being considered.

Courtesy of Saucony Freshmen are encouraged to share their experiences on Instagram for a pair of shoes.

Link Crew

Shoe project to equip freshmen

Link Crew is teaming up with the nonprofit group Step into My Sole to bring shoes to all freshman students. The goal is to have freshmen share their school experiences via Instagram with the hashtag #soleofafreshmanbhs.

Most of the shoes will be donated by Saucony, a running shoe producer. More information will be available during the freshman advisory with Link Crew.

Blue Crew

Balloons to honor Dig Pink

Blue Crew has had meetings to pump up our school for our football games. During every home game, blue crew will meet at the quad at 6:15 before the varsity game starts. For the Dig pink football game, Blue Crew will have pink long balloons to hold up and cheer for the football team while supporting cancer awareness month.

Associated Student Body

Make-a-Wish name change

The annual Make-a-Wish Rally is changing its name to Winter Wishes to avoid confusion with the cancer organization. The program, in its sixth year, seeks to grant wishes, big or small, to students at Branham. The

Awards system to roll out

The ASB is rolling out a new program that awards students for participation at school events. Students will be able to earn points for activities and the chance of winning prizes such as video game systems and prom tickets.

Bear Witness Archives Seniors Jason Kim and Lauren Hogan at last year’s Night Rally. A Homecoming Court is an effort by the ASB to make the voting process open to all students.

Kings, queens and in-betweens Homecoming Court reflect top vote-getters among underclassmen, not by gender

This year’s homecoming court nominees are...

FIORELLA CASTANEDA Staff Writer

nstead of electing Homecoming kings, queens, I princes, and princesses, Branham is having open nominations for this year’s Homecoming Court,

which allows students to vote for two people regardless of gender.

According to Activities Director Shari Scott-Sawyer, the change is aimed at making students on campus feel welcome, safe and most of all, included.

The top six students nominated per underclassman class will be the class’s homecoming court, and the top 10 seniors voted will be the homecoming royalty. Some students seem surprised, but ultimately accepting of the change.

“I feel like this is a good change because it involves everyone who doesn’t identify themselves to a specific gender and it’s very inclusive,” said junior Kendall Rich. “Overall this is a better idea of voting just for two people because most of the trans students haven’t had their sex changed from boys and girls or girls to boys.”

Junior Gianna Bondi, a leadership student, agrees with the change.

“I liked the idea of open nomination because it opens up the court to the LGBT+ community and allows everyone to feel included,” she said.

She suggested that some students might be upset at the possible imbalance among genders “One gender might be excluded from winning if the top two voted people are the same gender,” she said.

Mrs. Scott-Sawyer has been working with her students in leadership to make more homecoming events gender-neutral. In the future there could be more changes.

For example, in the next couple of years the student body might decide to change Powder Puff and Male Cheer to Homecoming Flag Football, and Homecoming Cheer. “Changes will proceed if the majority of students want it to, since our events are student driven.”

Senior Court Alexander Carry David Jackson Jason Kim Josh Olsen Ryan Posey Tyler Pesavento Emily McLaughlin Hailey Rapa Kahleelah Osuna Sydney Voss

Junior Court Dustin Vu Paul Smith Gianna Bondi Helen Nguyen Mikayla Moe Natalie Earl Tori Ellis-Smith

Sophomore Court Ben Brigham Conner Ngo Jonothan Dang Julian Frank Ava Schroeder Taylor Fowler

Freshman Court Alan Vu Seth Pine Kayla Villaflor Mary Parres Megan Panopia

Removal of recycling affects SPARE CADENCE TRENCHARD News Editor

ranham’s SPARE club is curB rently restarting the recycling program running after it was can-

celled during the summer due to pests.

Although SPARE emptied recycling at the end of last year, recycling in the classrooms were left over the summer, attracting cockroaches and rodents. These pests are attracted to both paper and beverage recycling because they love to feed on liquids left in drink bottles and create nests inside the cardboard.

Custodial Supervisors Alfonso Aguilera and Moises Espinoza say the last straw was when bins were moved and cockroaches started “coming out like crazy.” Once district officials saw the mess, the custodians were to “get rid of everything.”

Mr. Aguilera mentioned that recycling needs to be taken care of daily to avoid attracting pests, but the SPARE club only does recycling once a week. Even though the club has grown since last year,

club advisor Mr. Chidester says, “There’s no way we could empty every classroom (each day).”

Performing at a professional level would take extensive shifts, rotation, and a huge increase in membership to ensure students can still help as volunteers.

Club Advisor Mr. Chidester said, “What irritated me the most was that this [cancelling the entire recycling program] was done over the summer.” SPARE only realized the issue when school began.

Most of the information regarding the recycling program was based on rumors. Both teachers and students only realized about the recycling issue after the fact.

Mr. Johanson said he “never heard it was a problem until it was gone.”

Since the beginning of the year, SPARE has been working to restart the program by ordering replacement recycling bins. With over 100 trash bins around the campus, the club is planning to disperse the new blue recycling bins from San Jose Go Green Schools Program.

SPARE takes care of more than just recycling, says SPARE President Vianna Vo. They also maintain

ship, sign up for a onetime event.

Cadence Trenchard/Bear Witness An effort is being made by the SPARE club to replace the recycling bins across campus from San Jose Go Green Schools Program.

Dent Grove, plant native species, and pick up litter around campus.

If you are interested in helping but can’t commit to official member-

SPARE club meets every Thursday at lunch in Room 36.

12

BEAR WITNESS

|

SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 |

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

SPORTS

It was 103 degrees on the turf during the Girls Field Hockey Game vs. Westmont.

FIELD HOCKEY

Branham field hockey performance trumps results

BY CLARABELLE WALKUP

B

Staff Writer

ranham Lady Bruins Field Hockey kicks the 20162017 season with tremendous enthusiasm. Although they didn’t win any games in preseason, the team is still excited to play amongst each other and do their best to beat upcoming opponents.

In the beginning of September, the team lost in close games against Willow Glen, Monta Vista, and Los Altos.

On Sept. 9 and 10, Lady Bruins participated in Leigh High School’s Longhorn Roundup Tournament where they continued improve throughout each game.

The first game against Corning, was on a patchy grass field, which caused Branham to have a disadvantage as they are used to flat turf at their home field. Branham lost 1-0.

On Saturday, the team brought a new tone to the field.

Defense played a strong game and shut down Leigh’s offensive players.

Branham’s offense attacked from the right side multiple times and had many opportunities, but ultimately couldn’t finish the job. At the end of the game, Leigh won 1-0 because the ball was passed behind the defensive line and Leigh’s forwards reached for the ball first.

Later in the day, Branham played Lynbrook and put up a serious fight. Lynbrook scored first and Branham right after. Branham was sending balls through non-stop which eventually led to a goal by Taylor Wong, sophomore. The game tied, 1-1.

In spite of the fact that Branham didn’t win any games, the score didn’t truly reflect how they played. Their overall performance was phenomenal. All players are excited to move forward in the season and are confident they will do well in upcoming games. Sophomore goalie Claire Wilbanks, considers the team’s chemistry to be “off the charts” and can tell just by watching the team play. Head Coach Tina said, “I love the girls this year. It’s more than a team it feels like a family.” With strong chemistry and 110% effort theLady Sophomores Kirstin DeMarquez and Clarabelle Walkup parry a hockey stick from the an opposing Leland player.

Bruins Field Hockey team plans for success this year.

FOOTBALL

GIRLS TENNIS

BY ELI SYLVAN

B

A

BY SAI TUMMALA

Staff Writer

ranham’s football team is now 2-2 in their season thanks to Tyler Pesavento’s last second 30 yard field goal. “Lets see what we can do.” is Isaiah Caruso’s attitude towards their season. The second string quarterback for the Branham Varsity football team, he goes on to say that the team is confident in their ability to beat San Jose High in their game.

Not only was Branham confident in beating SJ, but they were able to follow through on their positive prediction on the future as well.

Starting off with a strong lead of 7-0, Branham continued a back and forth battle with SJ, as the next score made 7-8 in SJs favor. Branham reclaimed the lead, 14-8, thanks to a 7-yard run by Jesus Ruiz. A safety made by SJ only intensified the tension of the game by marking up the score 14-10. Jon Panella intercepted a pass with four seconds left before halftime to keep Branham in the lead. A 42-yard field goal

by Pesavento increased their lead to 17-10 by the third quarter.

The teams continued this back and forth until their fourth quarter. With 5 seconds left on the clock, it was all tied up with Branham in possession of the ball. Pesavento went for the kick at 30 yards and made the field goal, buying Branham their second win of the season.

Despite the close game Branham Students were confident that they would win and they weren’t wrong.

T

Alex Mertens/Bear Witness Robbie Fox sprints with the ball in his possession.

Staff Writer

he Girls Tennis Team starts the season and year off right with their 6-1 sweep over Gunderson Early this September on the 6th.

This is only the 1st as they get ready to dominate the league with their well bonded and tight-knit team as they play game after game, and hopefully, reach CCS. “We also make sure we fit in as a family.”, responds freshman Singles One player, Jojo Chisholm when asked about the team’s bond. While underrepresented, tennis retains a very spirited attitude mainly consisting of confidence that far outweighs their fear of losing.

Tennis is considered an underdog of sport by most of its players, and while it isn’t known or supported as a popular sport like football -per sethe team, is growing in size and popularity with many students joining each year. Tennis proves to be a very competitive sport, and welcoming to many of the underclassmen looking for an enjoyable sport. Another important factor is that the Girl’s Tennis Varsity Team is comprised of four freshman, and the entire team received 8 freshman this year. Such freshman vary from their top two singles players-Jojo Chisholm and Ami Sabota-to being on the doubles range as well.

Seniors Jasmine Narkiewicz and Erica Tutton review their match after Independence, and state how their tenacity and perseverance is a common characteristic that defines the Girl’s Tennis team, and it always has been and will continue to be.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

CROSS COUNTRY

BY DEREK HOGAN

BY LAURA HEFFERNAN

Staff Writer

s the school year progresses, school sports are in full swing and the Lady Bruin Volleyball team has started off in league with a win.

The girls had their first home game against Del Mar High School, beating the Dons in three sets after a tense game.

The first set ended with 25-14 and the girls hung on in the next two sets by scores of 25-20 and 25-21 with several close calls.

The Bruins began the game with confidence and energy but when the Dons started to warm up in the second and third set things started to look tough. But the Lady Bruins were capable of keeping their composure which won them the game. “We had highs and lows, but played hard as a unit and pushed for a win,” said player Holly Hyon a Junior.

Throughout the game, the girls stayed focused on the win. Their focus paid off and due to the win, the Lady Bruins have moved up nine slots on Max Prep’s national high school girls volleyball rankings and five slots in the state of California overall.

Coming off of last years record of 14-10 with a win ratio of .576 and despite last year’s loss in the second round of CCS, the girls volleyball team is ready to give it all for their school and their pride. The future season of the Lady Bruins Volleyball team is lookin good.

Clarabelle Walkup/Bear Witness

T

Adam Saleh/Bear Witness Sydney Voss bats the ball from coming over.

Staff Writer

Adam Saleh/Bear Witness JoJo Chisolm prepares to hit the tennis ball.

he cross country team is enjoying a twoweek break after two successful races at Alum Rock Park on Sept. 8 and 15.

On Sept. 15, the team swept Independence High School winning both varsity teams, JV girls, frosh-soph boys, and both varsity reserve teams.

Led by freshman runner Evan Franco, the varsity boys are currently 2-1 in the Santa Teresa Athletic League. Franco led all runners in the league in the last two races at the 2.95 mile Alum Rock Park course, finishing with a commanding 16:04. The dominant girls team, led by Sarah MacGregor (11), Skyler Miller (10) and Emily Young (12), continues to enjoy an undefeated season, along with the frosh/soph boys and junior varsity girls.

Coach Chris Jensen said that even though he is pleased at how the season is going and how the team supports each other, there’s always room for improvement.

“People have been coming out to practice and we’ve had good results at the meets so far,” he said.

On Sept. 8, the team went up against James Lick and Leigh. The JV girls team defeated Leigh and James Lick with a perfect score of Laura Hefferman/Bear Witness 15, meaning that against those schools, all five Junior Andrew Lenz keeps up the pace with his JV athletes finished ahead of their rivals. peers at Alam Rock Park.

BEAR WITNESS

|

SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 |

13

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

SPORTS

Boys Varsity Cross Country is having a winning season so far, with its first wins in two years.

Mixed results for summer training GRACE CLINTON Sports Editor

ut of the five fall sports offered at BraO nham, four hold summer practices prior to the start of the school year.

The general purpose of these summer programs is to prepare teams for their upcoming seasons. While some teams focus on fitness, others integrate skill-building as well.

For example, both the junior varsity and varsity field hockey teams participated in a six-week Crossfit program over the summer with fitness coach P.J. Rubel at Crossfit Almaden.

The JV football team, starting mid-June, hit the field five times a week, Monday through Friday, once in the morning and again in the evening.

Fall athletes have an entire summer to prepare for their sport, whatever the preparation may be, as long as it meets regulations, while winter and spring sports do not receive that extra time as their sport begins during the

school year.

Regardless, winter and spring sports at Branham are very successful, qualifying for CCS (girls soccer and boys soccer) and scoring scholarships (Arman Sabouri - baseball). So the question is: if winter and spring sports can do so well with a limited amount of preseason practice, is the amount of time fall athletes invest in summer practice really necessary?

Let’s take a look at some statistics.

Varsity Field Hockey has a record of 0-5 while JV Field Hockey has a record of 0-3-1.

Cross country have been successful so far, with the girls at a 3-0 record and the boys at a 2-1 record. It is also the first time Boys Cross Country has won in 2 years.

The Varsity Girls also experienced success when three of them placed in the top five at a meet.

The JV football team has secured straight wins while the varsity team is 1 for 2. Varsity volleyball is 5 for 2 while JV volleyball is 10 for 1.

Finally, Branham girls tennis is 1 for 2.

Overall, the teams are doing well; however, there is not an overwhelming sense of success.

There is not a direct link between summer practice and success. Practicing during summer, although helpful and well meaning does not necessarily yield perfect results.

Fall sports could begin conditioning in August and most likely get the same results.

This being said, summer practices are a convenient platform for players to get exercise, socialize, and hone skills.

Ms. Tina Parrott, the Varsity Field Hockey head coach, said summer is essentially used “to get ready for the fall. Players should enter the season conditioned and come to tryouts in peak shape.”

Summer workouts and skill sessions are effective and benefit athletes overall; however, the amount of time could be limited so athletes have an entire summer to regroup and recharge for the upcoming season and school year.

SIZING UP OUR HOMECOMING RIVALS

STAT SHOTS | Recent games Girls Tennis Sept. 20 vs. Sobrato (l) — 2-5 Sept. 20 vs. Pioneer (w) — 5-2 Sept. 27 vs. Lincoln (l) Lincoln - Score: 5-2 Girls Volleyball Frosh/soph (sets won) Sept. 15 vs. Del Mar (w) — 2-0 Sept. 20 vs. Piedmont (w) — 2-0 Sept. 27 vs. Westmont (l) — 0-2 JV Sept. 20 vs. Piedmont (w) — 2-0 Sept. 22 vs. Evergreen (w) — 2-0 Sept. 27 vs. Westmont (w) — 2-0 Result WIN Varsity Sept. 20 vs. Piedmont (w) — 3-2 Sept. 22 vs. Evergreen (w) — 3-0 Sept. 27 vs. Westmont (w) — 3-2 Cross Country Sept. 8 @ Alum Rock (2.95 mi.) vs. James Lick, Leigh Varsity Boys Lower score is better vs. James Lick (w) — 22-38 vs. Leigh (w) — 23-33 Standout | Evan Franco (9) : 16:13 Varsity Girls vss. James Lick (w) — 18-34 vs. Leigh (w) — 25-30 Standout | Sarah MacGregor (11) : 18:32 Frosh/Soph Boys Vs. James Lick (W) (27-28) Vs. Leigh (W) (24-31) Standout | Benjamin Shoemaker (10) : 20:18 JV Girls vs. James Lick (w) — 15-43 vs. Leigh (w) — 15- INC Standout | Mikayla Dimulias (11) : 24:32

Justin Kuhns, junior Courtesy Prep2Prep

D’ante Bannard, junior Adam Saleh/ Bear Witness

BRANHAM

STATE RANK #670 SEASON RECORD 2 WINS 2 LOSSES QB STATS (#8 TANNER SCATTINI) TOTAL PASSING YARDS: 217 YARDS AVERAGE PASSING YARDS PER GAME:

LELAND

STATE RANK #860 SEASON RECORD 0 WINS 4 LOSSES QB STATS (#16 ANDREW MEEKER) TOTAL PASSING YARDS: AVERAGE PASSING YARDS PER GAME: -

Sept. 15 @ Alum Rock vs. Independence Varsity Boys vs. Independence (w) — 25-31 Standout | Evan Franco (9) : 16:04 Varsity Girls vs. Independence (w) — 15-45 Standout | Sarah MacGregor (11) : 18:36 Frosh-/Soph Boys vs. Independence (w) — 26-29 Standout | Nicholas George (10) : 19:38 JV Girls vs. Independence (w) — 15-44 Standout | Samiksha Boranna (9) : 24:32

Dig Pink week to include both girls volleyball, football games LAUREN HOGAN

Student Life Editor

reaking from its football game B roots, this year’s Dig Pink Week was originally scheduled to culmi-

nate with a volleyball game.

The plan was put into motion by Kristina Ravo, the school’s former activities director, at the end of the last school year.

The Leadership class, after realizing this, reworked the schedule so that Dig Pink Week, which lasts from Oct. 10-14, ends with a football game. According to senior Nicole Jacobs, who is organizing the events, the week also includes a volleyball game on Tuesday as part of the festivities.

“The plan is to have Dig Pink on the week of October 10-14 with the color run on Wednesday and the Dig Pink

home football game that Friday, but then have a Dig Pink volleyball game the Tuesday of the week so we can include both sports in cancer awareness.”

Dig Pink’s origins came from the Side-Out Foundation, a volleyball organization dedicated to the research and awareness of breast cancer. Fundraising efforts such as the Color Run and Dig Pink t-shirts go to Cancer CarePoint, a local cancer organization.

Adam Saleh/Bear Witness Dig Pink week, dedicated toward breast cancer awareness, will include a girls volleyball game on Tuesday. A football game is scheduled Oct. 14.

BEAR WITNESS

|

SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 |

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

“Whether it’s just in your own shower or your own car, everybody sings.”

Ms. Barbara West, choir teacher

After hiatus, faculty musical returns

‘High School Musical’ debuts in February SYDNEY UYEDA

Arts & Entertainment Editor

he annual faculty musical has been conT firmed to be a funny rendition of the hit Disney Channel movie, “High School Musi-

cal”, which was released in 2006. This will be Branham’s second time performing the musical, as they performed it eight years ago.

The director will be Branham’s new Drama Teacher, Mrs. Christina Plank, who has directed multiple musicals before.

“I’ve directed several different musicals in the past,” she said. “And sometimes they will have a few adults in them but usually in high school they’re mostly students in the musical” This is the school’s second chance at this story, and Ms. Plank said the students are excited at retelling it.

“I opened it up to the students to discuss and talk about, I also talked to the music director, and both groups were excited to do ‘High School Musical,’” she said.

Students will be able to see their teachers transform into the teenage characters we love, including Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, and much more.

The goal for Mrs. Plank is to help the teachers create a sense of community after being the lone adults in a room all day.

“When we have opportunities to have faculty in roles where they play teenagers... it’s a chance for teachers to laugh at themselves while sort of making fun of teenagers,” she said.

The faculty musical is the 11th that Branham has produced. Last year’s proposed musical, “Legally Blonde,” was canceled due to schedule conflicts.

The show will make its debut in February.

2009 | Willy Wonka

2012 | Aladdin

2011 | Sound of Music

2014 | Grease

Barbara Nishiguchi/Special to Bear Witness Branham’s previous musicals have included Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The Sound of Music, Aladdin, and Grease.

‘This is Halloween!

Choir prepares for upcoming productions JOCELYN PIERCE Staff Writer

ranham’s two choirs, Concert B Choir and Madrigals, are already preparing for their Halloween Show

in late October. Taught by Ms. Barbara West, the two choirs feature people of all grades. Anyone can make concert choir, however admission into Madrigals, the Advanced Choir, requires an audition. Choir has been hard at work since the school year started, still learning to work with each other’s voices. “(We’re) not as good as we could be yet. We’re still working on it, but so far we’ve been really good. We have a nice sound.”

At the end of the 2015-2016 school year, the choir lost quite a few seniors.

However there has been plenty of new voices this year to make up for that loss.

Ms. West says, “This year’s group is a lot younger than my last one; we lost 24 seniors. But they’ve got a lot of talent, they just have a lot of skills to make up because they’re such a younger group.”

Ms. West doesn’t doubt her groups abilities saying she has a “really hardworking group this year.” She herself has a lot of

talent. Ms. West has an undergraduate and graduate degree in voice performance, and sang opera professionally for six years before deciding to teach choir instead.

When asked why they joined choir, students all said virtually the same thing: they love to sing.

“My mom and my brothers had told me to join choir because I could make advanced choir and it’d be really fun and I’d get to learn a lot of new techniques, which I did,” said sophomore Claire Wilbanks. “I really like it and hopefully it helps me out with my future. Music is something I wanna do for forever.”

If you also share a love for singing, the choir students highly encourage you to try and join either Concert Choir or Madrigals.

“There’s a choir level for everybody,” said Ms. West. “Everybody sings. Out of all the subjects in the world, you’re gonna keep using this one throughout your life. Whether it’s just in your own shower or your own car, everybody sings.”

Mr. Hunter shares self made films SUNANDA KOTTAYIL Opinion Editor

or those of you who don’t F know Mr. Hunter, he is not just another math teacher or the

ginger guy with the ponytail. He has a deep interest in film. He’ll quote movies and then get mad when people don’t understand the reference. Mr. Hunter’s appreciation for film was solidified by the time he was 10, when he saw Pulp Fiction. He would watch movies and then analyze them with his father. “He would take me to see everything”, he says, recounting when his father took him to see the 2003 thriller Monster. This would later influence his taste in films. Horror would become his favorite genre and the genre of films he would begin to make. His proudest creation is the short N’ golei. “It’s an anagram for legion”, he says. The film is about a pos-

sessed skull (voiced by Mr. Hunter). He was also wrote and directed a parody of “Indiana Jones” and wrote a screenplay for “Sick,” a found footage movie about a plague situation.

David Hunter Math Teacher Creates films following his growing interest for movies

Jocelyn Pierce/Bear Witness Ms. West directs Branham choir practice in room 63. Their Halloween performance is set for Oct. 25.

When in doubt, improvise!

New improv nights will give students a chance to act on stage SYDNEY UYEDA

Arts & Entertainment Editor

M

rs. Christina Plank, the new drama teacher, plans to bring back “Improv Night,” where any student who attends Branham can come out and have fun and try out improv. The first show debuts Dec. 2, and a second one is planned for later in the spring semester.

Improv originates from the word improvisation, which means “to compose, utter, execute, or arrange something without previous preparation.”

This new improv show will give students who are too afraid to be in elaborate productions such as the fall and spring musicals a chance to

learn some basic improv skills.

This way, the students will be able to get comfortable onstage and not have to worry about being in one of the many huge productions on campus.

“If (they’re) in beginning acting, part of their training is in improvisation, so they will all probably learn 20-30 improv games where they get ideas from the audience and act them out on stage,” said Mrs. Plank, who has extensive background in producing shows. “In addition to that, students may be on a team… Each team does different games so that it’s not boring for the audience.”

Anyone who is interested in the show or in forming a team can see Mrs. Plank in room 72.

Improv advice Accept Information: Yes, and...

When you get a piece of information, acknowledge the information as a fact and then add to it. Keep doing this long enough, and you will have a scene full of interesting facts, objects,and relationships.

Be Specific A more vivid image opens up a rich, new world.

Adjectives accelerate scene development.

“Who, What, When, Where, How, and Why?” Ask yourself these questions before going onstage.

These will help guide the scene and make sure there’s never a dull moment

BEAR WITNESS

|

SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 |

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

The Great Ameirca Skeleton Key Rooms, although fun, are an extra $50 Fee

PRESS 1. Press shuffle 2. No skipping Payton Connelly Sophomore “Trust Issues” Drake, The Weeknd “Still Brazy” YG “5 a.m.”

Logic These songs seem to share some of the same feelings (I have) when I listen to them. They have a way of making me lose focus of everything else around me, and they have good vibes that put me in feels. These (are) songs (that) I can play over and over and not get bored of.

Sebastian Briceno Freshman “White Iverson” Post Malone “Controlla” Drake “Cold Water” Justin Bieber, DJ Snake These songs make me happy.

Noah Wong Junior “Mixtape” Chance the Rapper, Young Thug, Lil Yachty “Money Longer” Lil Uzi Vert “X” 21 Savage, Future (My playlist is)lit.

It’s hella fire. Best stuff out there. Everything here slaps. I use these songs in my pre-game for soccer.

It makes me do my best.

Cielle Summy Social Science “Controlla” Drake “Treat You Better” Shawn Mendes “Too Good” Drake, Rihanna I teach spin classes so I use these songs a lot. My taste of music is influenced by my daughter. ... And I like dance music. I have a background in dance.

Juan Fernandez Science “O, Fortuna” from the opera “Carmina Burana” Carl Orff This is a work in Latin that will wake anyone up.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” Queen A masterpiece of hard rock, ballad, and opera “Imagine” John Lennon Makes you believe that humans are still worth preserving.

— Omar Ababneh

15

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

Scares added to Great America haunt

BY SAI TUMMALA Staff Writer

he 2016 Halloween Haunt boasts a lot T of new features and attractions starting with the all new “Fear VR” and Skeleton Key

rooms as well as retaining previous ones such as mazes.

‘Fear VR’ is an all-new horror experience with the use of virtual reality powered by Oculus, the new room was a separate attraction as it requires an upcharge, and the ‘Fear VR’ experience embodies current-date technology incorporated into theme parks to be available to the general public.

Another new attraction was the five Skeleton Key Rooms (extra fee that can be purchased along with the “Fright-Lane Plus” pass for $50). The rooms took an entirely different approach with terror as you, and 5 (or less) people are locked in a room with actor(s) that give you a rollercoaster of emotions within the spectrum of general fear.

The Skeleton Key Rooms were experiences worth remembering albeit their high price.

While the rooms were ‘hit or miss’, when they did “hit” they blew the expectations out of the water. From being trapped with a mummy, witnessing “Bloody Mary,” or being stuck in a room with a Crazy Cat Guy, the rooms caught many people’s attentions and captivated us for the better part of four hours.

Alternatively the mazes definitely played on the visitor’s emotions. Some were extremely appealing to the eyes, and others played on insecurities revolving around always being followed or watched. The Mass Effect 4D experience was also a worthwhile attraction that was recently added to Great America. The 4D effects further added to the overall presentation and contrasted the theme of the Haunt.

If you want to see every part of the haunt, you would be paying around $83 plus the additional money you will be using on food etc.

If you’re a fan of jump scares and the Haunt’s trademarked immersive experience this event is for you, if not, the “Gold Striker”, “Flight Deck” and other coasters are available to ride.

Adam Saleh/Bear Witness The Great America Halloween Haunt felt alive with plenty of jump scares and actors around every corner. Overall, the makeup and costume design was professional and added to the immersion of the event.

Opinion

Hip-hop, the new music bandwagon

Branham students identify some overrated celebrities

BY GRACE CLINTON Staff Writer

We asked students and adults who they think is an overrated celebrity and why. Here is what they said:

Israel Muñoz/Bear Witness

Quality lyrics overlooked in today’s music

BY IZ MUÑOZ Staff Writer

ard bass productions and H catchy courses have taken over the music industry over

the past few years. Artists like Drake, Future, Justin Bieber and others on the Billboard Top 100, are selling millions of copies and getting thousands of streams online. Drake recently came out with one of his most played albums yet, “Views,” which hit No.1 on Billboard 100 for 9 weeks straight, passing the legend of pop, Michael Jackson. But- are people really buying the music because the product is overall well-constructed with meaningful lyrics?

Artists are being seen as celebrities rather than professionals who express their abilities through the art form of music.The music industry is not the same anymore.

Music streaming sources like Spotify and Soundcloud promote artists as if their music grants them awards. Junior Jason Segura say , “I am tired of all the promotion of artists that make mediocre music ….since they have fame, people take that as a feature that makes their music worth listening more.

It truly is sad to me because my parents would listen to old school Hip Hop which had lyrical inten-

tsional with a beat that you could enjoy.” It seems that many old artists that formed the foundation of their genres are forgotten. Pop culture is taking over the music industry by getting more money involved, rather than finding artists who truly want to promote a good message while also producing a beat that’s pleasing to the ears..

Recent artists that are blowing up today are Desiigner, Lil Yachty, and 21 Savage, whom are all members of the XXL Magazine’s “Freshman Class.” This magazine promotes top upcoming artists in the hip hop industry that are blowing up and gaining a big fan base.

If you listen to some of their music, you can’t even understand what’s being sung. Their music consists of mumbling and slurring their words over a hard trap beat. Lyrics like “I know you know my slogan, if it ain’t ‘bout guap, I’m gone” from Lil Yachty and D.R.A.M’s song “Broccoli” shows what these hyped up artists are in the music game for: money. To all aspiring musicians out there- money is not always the answer to everything.

The ability to share your music and send a meaningful message to your fan base is worth much more than making money off of nonsense lyrics with trap beats.

KIM KARDASHIAN American reality television personality, entrepreneur “She doesn’t do anything.”

“She’s useless.”

“She uses her fame for profit.”

“The only reason she is famous is because she has big boobs and a big butt.”

KANYE WEST Recording artist, songwriter, record producer, fashion designer, and entrepreneur.

“He over fantasizes everything” “He’s just stupid” “He’s flat out rude and I don’t know why people ignore this and continue to idolize him”

BEYONCÉ Singer, Songwriter, Record producer, Actress “If not for her beauty she would be long gone.”

“The media over-hypes her way too much.”

“Some of her songs have the most derogatory lyrics and profanity ever.”

“She actually has poor album sales.”

KYLIE JENNER American Reality Television Personality, Entrepreneur “All she does is take pictures.”

“Kylie always looks plastic.”

ARIANA GRANDE Singer and actress “She is annoying and not a very good singer” “She is not actually that talented”

DONALD TRUMP Politician, businessman, author, television personality “People think too highly of him” “Donald Trump because he gets too much attention”

BEAR WITNESS

|

SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 |

16

BHSBEARWITNESS.COM

the back page

Branham High School Dance Contract A list of dos and don’ts for the fun-loving student

When hands are placed on another’s body, they should be in appropriate places, such as the waist or shoulders.

Students must be in an upright positon at all times.

... don’t touch me...

Darn it ! I can’t sit down...

Branham students must bring Branham issued school ID, and guests may bring a driver’s license, DMV issued ID, or school student body ID

You may not pick up another student.

Branham has drawn up a dance contract.

This form must be filled out and turned into the main office, before purchasing a ticket.

The contracts states the kind of behavior expected, and the consequences for going against these expectations.

Sorry...

Thank you.

Have fun!

Here is my student ID. My guest has their driver’s license Student ID

No other body parts other than your feet may be on the floor.

The form also answers some of the most frequently asked question when it comes to dances such as: dance times, dress codes, ticket policies, dance policies, requirements to enter the dance, and requirements for bringing a guest.

Driver’s License

-Compiled by Kelley Sheen

Homecoming Events

A week at the Oscars: Rolling out the red carpet

Lunch Activity: Powderpuff (Freshmen vs. Seniors) on the football field.

Night Rally @7pm - Make sure to wear your homecoming shirt!

- Skit will be preforming

Tuesday Spirit Day: What not to wear to a red carpet (Crazy Day) Lunch Activity: Powderpuff (Sophomore vs. Junior) on the football field.

Wednesday Spirit Day: Class Colors

Thursday Spirit Day: Class Themes

Friday Spirit Day: Class Color

Lunch Activity: Lip Sync in the Quad

Lunch Activity: Powderpuff Finals on the football field.

Lunch Activity: Male Cheer Competition in main gym

CLASS of 2018

Bran ham

Monday Spirit Day: Pajama Day

Saturday Homecoming Dance - Tickets are $15 with ASB and $18 without - Must fill out and submit dance form before ticket purchase - Dance is from 7-11p.m. in the main gym