CdS Sunrise February Issue

CdS Sunrise

Corona del Sol High School | Tempe, AZ | Vol. 37, No. 2

February 2015

Comp Gov 4-peats

Comp Gov took first place at state and will proceed to the national competition held in Washington D.C. in April.

Story by Carson Pyatt on page 7

Inside this issue of CdS Sunrise...

4

A mandatory civics test is part of the graduation requirements for the class of 2017.

Check out a few sample questions to see if you’re ready.

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The AzMerit test will be administered this spring in place of AIMS. Find out what to look for on this new test.

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2015 has many things to look forward to.

Check out a timeline of important events.

Books vs. Movies is a timeless debate. Take a look at both sides and decide for yourself.

Freshman Marvin Bagley III is receiving national attention. Read about what brought him to Corona.

Corona del Sol Sunrise Staff Editor-in-Chief Aashini Choksi Online Editor-in-Chief Carson Pyatt Managing Editor Andrew Eversden Online Managing Editor Katelyn Stys

News Editor Nikki Hinshaw Opinions Editor Megan Marples Life & Times Editor Brenna Bochenek Sports Editor Johnny Waddell Clubs Editor Zein Sy Photo Editor Max Butler Graphics Editor Patrick Dietz Social Media Editor Katelyn Stys Business Manager Patrick Dietz

Online Sports Editor Johnny Waddell Staff Courtney Baldenegro, Lily Corona, Anita Daryanani, Kajal Dave, Juliana Edwards, Tanner Kujawa, Maria Martin, Hailey Myers, Kasey Ruthardt, Joshua Staples, Patricia Stoica Cartoonist Lindsi Kerrigan Adviser Kris Urban

The Sunrise is an open forum for student expression and welcomes letters on all matters.

The staff reserves the right to edit as required. All materials submitted for publication must be signed. Views and opinions contained herein are those of the author and not considered to be the opinions of the staff, adviser, administration or the Tempe Union High School District. Unsigned editorials reflect the views of the editorial reflect the views of the editorial board. Some material courtesy of American Society of Newspaper Editors/MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service.

Corona del Sol High School | 1001 E. Knox Road | Tempe, AZ 85284

2 | February 2015

Letter from an Editor

One of the most cliché, yet true, sentences students are told in high school is “hard work pays off.” I know that every time a teacher or parent says that, you just roll your eyes and nod your head, but maybe you need to hear it from a fellow student.

So I’m here to tell you that hard work pays off. Roll your eyes all you want, just don’t stop reading.

Hard work pays off. But there should be an asterisk after that sentence. The asterisk should read: “as long as you have a rational goal in mind.”

My last three-and-a-half years of high school have been nothing but years of stress: stressing over classes, over athletics and over a plethora of other things that ultimately aren’t important in the grand scheme of things.

When I reflect on the past few years I realize why I stressed out so much: I worked extremely hard looking for success that I hadn’t defined. This led to days and weeks full of constant disappointment and frustration. But looking back I’ve realized that had I set a goal, both athletically and academically, I wouldn’t have been nearly as stressed out over the last few years.

My question to driven students who are in the same position I was is this: what is your ultimate goal you hope to achieve by the end of high school? You won’t feel like your hard work is paying off until you realize what you are trying to achieve. And even if you don’t achieve your ultimate goal, hard work will open doors that you may not have expected to open.

Don’t let yourself get so frustrated that you give up on yourself. You will only get out what you put in. If you get lazy, you won’t obtain your goals. I’ve realized over the course of my four years at Corona that high school is a place to discover what you are passionate about; to discover who you are. It isn’t the “big leagues” or the real world. It’s a stepping stone to bigger and better things. However, to move on to these bigger and better things, you have to work hard.

Andrew Eversden Correction The article, “Family Pressures Peak During Holidays” that was printed in the December Issue of Sunrise included an error. Jansen’s father did not move to Holland; he had previously lived in Holland and Jansen moved from Holland to the United States.

In addition, Amberlie Schumann’s name was misspelled.

Junior seeks DECA state officer position Juliana Edwards | Staff Writer By engaging himself in DECA and competing at district and state-level conferences, junior Dusttin Bowerman has been inspired to run for state officer for the next school year. To be a state officer, one needs to be a leader in the DECA community, help organize events, attend national meetings and partake in their officer roles.

DECA stands for Distributive Education Clubs of America; it’s a business club that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges throughout the country.

“Everyone who’s running for office has to run for the representative position,” Bowerman said. “I’ll get to go to different schools, talk about DECA, try to recruit students and get them interested in DECA.” The process involved with applying for an officer position includes the completion of various types of paperwork, studying for tests and preparing for interviews with the DECA state director that took place in January.

Ten students were elected as a candidate to continue in the election process, Bowerman being one of them. They will later be sent to an emerging leadership summit and work together to determine who earns what position.

“I felt really happy after it was all done,” Bowerman said. “I was confident all the way through and I felt like I made it through even though it didn’t start yet.”

Bowerman had no intentions in running for a state officer

position in the first place until he attended DECAlympics, a leadership camp made specifically for DECA officers to represent their school. The camp had many workshops pertaining to specific officer positions and Bowerman took an interest in attending the Bowerman president workshop.

“I was able to talk with the president of Arizona DECA, Amanda Alibrandi, after her president workshop and she gave me a lot of advice on how to run for officer and what she does as an officer. I’m the treasurer for Corona DECA, but I wanted to attend her workshop.”

Bowerman wasn’t interested in running for a state position other than for a position for Corona DECA, but attending DECAlympics is what inspired Bowerman to run for office. Bowerman will have to give a speech at the state conference held in March for his election.

“I had two initial reactions,” DECA advisor Mike Lohmann said.

“First, I thought it was fantastic. It would be awesome to have a Corona student as a state officer because it’s been many years since we’ve had a state officer from Corona. It takes a lot of leadership and responsibility. My second reaction was skepticism because he came back from a DECA leadership conference, excited and had a bunch of great ideas, but I wasn’t sure he knew what he was getting himself into. Everything is easier said than done. I sat down with him and told him he has my full support and we’re going to do this the right way.” s

DECA competes in stock market game

Zein Sy | Clubs Editor

DECA’s stock market game is a national competition in which students must invest imaginary money into the stock market with the ultimate goal of making the most for their dollar. The teams that make the most money relative to their investments go up in the rankings.

“There are approximately 1,600 teams in the western region, competing in the DECA stock market game and the top 25 in our region qualify for the DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC),” DECA adviser Mike Lohmann said.

The competition started in October and ended on Dec. 12. Corona had 33 teams participate in the game, with the team comprised of seniors Kyle Coggins, Christian Broadus and Sophie Fogelson placing in fifth place in the region. Broadus will not be participating in Nationals, but senior Chloe Carstens will fill his spot.

The many teams at Corona used various strategies to determine the best use for their

“money” from in-depth research to straight up guessing. Some had notably better results than others.

“There’s a wide range of strategies the kids have been using and I don’t know if it’s a coincidence, but the team that guessed without much research is the one that’s doing the best right now,” Lohmann said.

Coggin’s team had invested money into what they believed to be Kirkland, Costco’s in-house brand, but turned out to be a decor company called Kirkland’s, which ended up doing remarkably well in the game.

“It’s a funny story,” Lohmann said. “Kyle told me that on the day that they were picking stocks he had a Kirkland brand water bottle, so he decided to invest in Kirkland and that’s the stock that’s done the best for them.”

Now that they are eligible for Nationals, the team has a lot of work and planning ahead of them in the future as they prepare for the national competition.

“They are required to write an 11page paper that explains the investment strategies they used to chose the investment strategies they made,” Lohmann said. “So they are going to have to explain their strategies to a judge and write about it, which will be interesting to see.”

That being said, the team is pleased with its position and eagerly awaits their chance to participate in Nationals, an event that has been a goal for them since their first year.

“It’s been our dream since freshman year to go to nationals,” senior Chloe Carstens said.

The team feels that many different factors affected their success in the stock market game, but that their adviser, Mr. Lohmann, was one of the biggest.

“We’re really privileged to have a good teacher like Mr. Lohmann to help us out,” senior Sophie Fogelson said. “We owe a lot of our success to his help.” s

February 2015 | 3

Civics test required to graduate Nikki Hinshaw | News Editor Students across Arizona will soon have to test their knowledge citizenship and questions range from “how many senators are of American history in order to adequately prepare themselves to there,” to “who was the president serving during World War I?” make the most informed decisions about the nation's future. On “There are tons of free, online resources including flash cards Jan. 15, Gov. Doug Ducey passed a bill that made Arizona the first and other easy-to-use teaching materials at USCIS.gov, but when state to require a civics test to be taken, and passed, by students and how teachers present and teach the materials is up to them,” part of class 2017 and beyond before granting graduation. Ducey, Stone said. along with members of Arizona's legislature, made passing this bill Adams feels that Corona's required Social Studies classes will a top priority, helping to kick start the nationwide civics education be able to prepare students for the test, along with some special movement led by the Joe Foss Institute. attention to the topic of civics.

“The Joe Foss Institute created the Civics Education Initiative “If you have looked at the questions for the test, you will see in the spring of 2014,” Executive Director of the Civics Education that they come from US History, government and some geography,” Initiative, Sam Stone, Adams said. “By taking these classes, students should said. “Since 2002, the be prepared to take the test. With that said, we will Joe Foss Institute has probably have to do some review to prepare students been dedicated to for the test.” educating students In addition to the material being covered through on the importance of students’ required classes, the requirement to pass civics, patriotism and the test is only 60 percent, which is the same as the the unique freedoms U.S. Citizenship Test. Students will have an unlimited our nation was number of attempts to pass, and are allowed to take it founded on.” from eighth grade on. However, how this online test will Arizona be administered is not clear yet. education has “I suppose we will have to wait to see what the ignored subjects Governor, Legislature and Superintendent of Education such as civics in favor decide they want us to do,” Adams said. of the STEM movement that started in 2006. Science, Technology, Corona's class of 2017 will be the first class expected to pass the Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) has been the primary focus of civics test before graduation. Whether the test will really benefit Arizona schools, which has prevented students from developing in students and the community is up for debate. other educational areas that could help foster positive citizens.

“I see it as a step in the right direction, but will just another test “Civics education has been pushed aside in favor of STEM,” Stone increase participation and understanding of our government? “ said. “We've said from day one, we want this to be just the Adams questioned. first, concrete step in a renewal of civics education across “My hope is that the country.” this is a first step Civics is the study of the rights and duties people to increasing the have as citizens. America has placed an emphasis on a significance of civic democratic political system in which the citizens are able education.” to make decisions about how they want to be governed.

With Arizona Without proper civics education, citizens lose the ability starting the to make informed choices considering the government. movement, the Joe “When this country was founded, one of the founding Foss Institute and principles was the need for an educated electorate in Civics Education this democratic republic so the people would be able to Initiative hopes that govern themselves,” Government teacher Lisa Adams the entire nation will said. “I believe that this lack of civic education has led to recognize this test by Flickr Commons a lack of civic engagement. People don't pay attention to the 250th anniversary of the Constitution in 2017. who is (governing us) and how we are being governed.”

“Our form of government requires informed participation,” In order to prepare students to take this test and learn Stone said. “Young people who know how it works, and why, can information about their role in the government, multiple resources change the country, even the world. It's happened before. But kids will be available. The test will consist of questions from the who don't know basic civics don't have the foundation to do that.” s United States Citizenship Test that is given to people applying for

Which is a right or freedom from the First Amendment?

A) Right to vote B) Right to avoid taxes C) Right to free exercise of religion D) Right to bear arms

Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general.

What war was he in?

A) World War II B) World War I C) Civil War

4 | February 2015

Viewpoint: civics test Zein Sy | Clubs Editor

Civics should not be enforced through a test

Being a natural born American citizen is something to be proud of. It means you were born into a country where, for better or worse, you are allowed a wider range of freedom and liberty than many other places in the world. Shouldn’t it be equally important for citizens to show their due respect by being educated in the history of our nation?

This is the goal of the Foss Institute, whose civics based test will be required for all high school students to graduate in Arizona starting with the 2016-2017 school year. It is also the institutes hope to set this standard in all 50 states.

It is hard to explain just how important it is for citizens to be well educated in the history of their country. To its citizens, America is not just the place where they live, but also a part of who they are as a person. One of the best ways to support our country is to be educated in its history and make informed decisions based on that knowledge.

High school is the last step toward personal independence, something that has been one of the ultimate goals of our country since the beginnings of the revolution. As students transition into adult life they may need to make decisions that impact the people and places around them. Some people will have a major effect on how our country develops and being able to make wise decisions and being civically responsible is a great way to support our way of life.

For these reasons, a civics test is a noble attempt to educate students in all aspects of our history and what it takes to be a good citizen. Unfortunately, it’s far from being the best way to do it.

Something as important as civics should not be relegated to a simple 100 question multiple-choice test. The civics test seems more like a halfhearted attempt to raise graduation requirements than a tool to assess knowledge. The test seems to be nothing more than a memorization exercise, especially considering students are allowed to take it multiple times.

To top it off, the civics test is comprised of questions that seem a little too simple to create any real challenge. In most cases, questions are just random bits of trivia about American history and government. In some ways this is good because it makes success more achievable and makes the test very straightforward, but it fails to instill any real sense of accomplishment or achievement.

If the Foss Institute is trying to encourage students to become better citizens, their efforts may need to be redoubled.

A better alternative would involve enhancing history curriculum with citizenship based lectures and activities, rather than forcing it all into to a single semester government class.

Better integration of civics concepts in history classes would provide a superior learning experience to the proposed test.

By slowly presenting the idea to students they will develop the skills required to be a good citizen as they grow older and find ways to apply those skills and find out what works and what doesn’t.

The new civics test has good intentions of helping students reach a better understanding of what it means to be an American citizen; however, those good intentions result in a solution that is in need of some adjustments and a widened scope. For now, though, this civics test is a step forward for those who believe that citizenship has a place at the table in the field of academics. s

28 Years February 2015 | 5

AzMerit replaces AIMS

Tanner Kujawa | Staff Writer

Every upperclassman can remember the dread that filled them Simple skills such as critical reading and annotating texts, which when they thought about having to take the Arizona’s Instrument to most teachers incorporate into their lessons, will be showcased on Measure Standards exam, or in another word, AIMS. The AIMS test this exam. Students enrolled in qualifying courses will be taking was used to evaluate students and schools based on standardized the English-Language Arts and Mathematics AzMerit tests, while exams in reading, writing, science and mathematics. AIMS was also sophomores will also continue as normal to take Science AIMS. used to determine whether a student could graduate from high “My advice to students is to pay attention to what is going on in school; if they couldn’t pass, they couldn’t graduate. each of their classes,” Brown said. “Teachers are using strategies to We have all heard rumors that the Arizona State Board of prepare students for the rigor of the test. Teachers have been using Education would be taking away the AIMS test and implementing literary elements such as ‘close reading,’ ‘annotation of text,’ and a new one. The board has now decided on a new test called the ‘higher-order questioning’ to prepare students better. Teachers have AzMerit - Arizona’s Measurement of Educational Readiness to Inform also begun teaching deeper in their subject matter with many of the Teaching, and it is said to be more difficult than the AIMS. Also, the topics.” new system will offer tests at the end of six required high school In the past, if students exceeded on all four of their AIMS exams, courses: English language and literacy for 9th, 10th and 11th grades, they could potentially receive a scholarship to in-state universities along with Algebra 1, Algebra 2 and Geometry. That’s right, 9th, 10th if certain other requirements were met and students were offered and 11th grade students enrolled in these “AIMS Incentives” through Corona by classes will be taking these tests. exceeding on at least two. Administration “From what I understand, this test will is still in the planning stages of whether be much more difficult than the AIMS Select all equivalent expressions to such incentives will be offered through test we are used to taking,” Principal Brent the AzMerit exam.

(3a+9)(3a-9) Brown said. “This test will test students on “I have not been notified of 2 the Arizona College and Career Readiness scholarship opportunities that will be 6a -18 Standards (AzCCRS) which are much more offered,” Brown said. “I do not have that 6a2 -81 rigorous. Some of the questions students information at this time.” will be answering on the AzMerit Test will Each year, the state of Arizona has 2 9a -54a-81 be very difficult to answer as there will awarded schools a letter grade based on be questions which will have many parts student performance, improvement on 9a2-81 to them. The questions themselves will statewide-standardized tests, bilingual (3a)2-92 require higher-level thinking.” kids’ improvement in English and on the The AzMerit test differs from AIMS schools’ graduation rate. The Arizona 2 6a +12a-12a-18 in a number of ways. For one, the exam is State Board of Education has also aligned to the current standards required approved a plan for schools to add scores by the Arizona State Department of Education. Students taking on tests like the ACT into the grading formula. However, with the high school level English and Math courses are now going to be introduction of the AzMerit test, the head of the Arizona Senate required to take end-of-course assessments to make sure that they Education Committee and the Education Board have proposed are on track for college. High school students graduating after Dec. suspending school letter grades for a year or two, until possible 31, 2016, will not have to pass the AIMS tests in order to graduate. problems with the new test are worked out.

Students will not be required to pass end-of-course assessments for Many students aren’t too happy about this new test, and graduation, but they still must earn the minimum number of English feel that it is unfair that they have to take a harder test than the and Mathematics credits in order to graduate. The AzMerit test is upperclassmen. computerized, which will offer both advantages and disadvantages “We (students) haven’t seen how it’s (the test) going to be to students. presented, so I have some questions regarding timing,” sophomore “These new exams will offer computer-based tools, which Tony Taitano said. will better measure students’ mastery of the standards including Although students can’t quite see yet what this test has to offer, problem solving and critical-thinking skills,” Jennifer Johnson, administration believes that standardized tests are a vital source for Deputy Superintendent of Programs and Policy for the Arizona information.

Department of Education, said in a letter to parents regarding the “I believe having a standardized test that is common for all test. “Paper-based exams will be available for schools that are not schools, in all states is very beneficial to know how our students ready to take the exam via computer. Student test scores will be compare with others,” Brown said. “With the AIMS test, we found out comparable regardless of the testing format.” how our school compared with other schools within the state in the However, students shouldn’t worry because teachers have been areas of reading, writing, math, and science. With the AzMerit test, preparing them all year for the skills necessary to excel on this test. this will continue.” s

Test Your Knowledge

6 | February 2015

Comp Gov conquers state Carson Pyatt | Online Editor-in-Chief As Alison Rund sat down with CdS Sunrise to discuss the task of taking over Competition Government in August of 2014, she felt very confident in her program’s ability to qualify for nationals for the fourth year in a row.

“They (Comp Gov) are enthusiastic, engaged and ready to work,” Rund said in August. “(They have) extremely high potential to make it to D.C.” Competition Government met its potential, as it took home a first place victory at the state competition on Jan. 17 for the fourth consecutive year, earning the opportunity to advance to the national competition.

“I’m so proud, I’m so relieved because it was a lot of pressure (thinking) ‘Are they going to four-peat, are they going to win again with a first -year teacher’ so I’m very proud of them,” Rund said.

Competition Government worked for countless hours preparing for state, perfecting their speeches and meeting with various mentors to better prepare them for competition. The members gave up almost all of their Thanksgiving and winter breaks to get themselves ready. “(We had) lots of practice every day in class, after school, at coffee houses, at people’s houses, everywhere,” senior Evan Solomon said. “Sometimes it would be just us and our unit; sometimes if people in the unit were busy it would be just parts of the unit.

Other times it would be with other units to practice rebuttal, and sometimes we would meet with alum or other coaches to work on stuff.”

After hours upon hours of debating, writing, re-writing, and preparing, the team was ready to take on state.

“We all felt pretty solid,” Solomon said.

“We had won district, and just the amount of growth we saw from the beginning of winter break up until state was a lot.

We were all pretty confident going into state.”

The day of the competition was long one, with members

arriving at Corona at 6 a.m. Despite the confidence, there were expected nerves among the group, as the pressure to four-peat was a weight on their shoulders. For Rund, the pressure was mainly to succeed just as her former teacher and Comp Gov leader for over 20 years, Tim Smith, had done.

“Of course (I felt pressure),” Rund said. “He was my teacher, so to take on from the master was a lot of pressure, but at the same time it was an honor to be the one chosen to take over, so, while it was a lot of pressure, I knew that I was put in a good position and had guidance from so many other people that it was going to be just fine.”

The competition consisted of six different units giving a fourminute speech, followed by a six-minute period of answering questions about an assigned topic. The beginning of the competition offered no clear feedback from the judges regarding the scoring of the units, but by the end of the day the outlook was positive. The second place team was announced prior to announcing the winner, and Hamilton’s name was called. This left Corona’s team confident its first place finish, which was then announced.

Having secured a spot in the national competition, the team is prepared to work harder than ever to perform well in D.C. “Now we start all over,” Rund said. “Now we get all new questions and have to write all new speeches. They will start outlining their speeches, meeting with content experts, working on writing their speeches.”

The team will begin working on their newly assigned topics, continue to meet with alumni and other mentors, and begin to fundraise for the trip.

“Overall, we like the questions,” Solomon said. “They are much more in depth and difficult, so we have to do much more research and much more work with the questions.

It will take a lot more preparing, but we do have three months. We are all feeling pretty good.” s

The Comp Gov team poses for a picture after their win at the state competiton on Jan. 17. The team will be competing in nationals at George Mason University. Photo courtesy of Jane Morgan

February 2015 | 7

Movies you didn’t know were filmed in Arizona Lily Corona | Staff Writer Generally when people think of Arizona they think of the sun, the heat and sometimes even cowboys riding horses. They don’t think of silver screens or movie sets. That’s left to California, right? Wrong. Some movies, like Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, took place in California but were filmed in Arizona. Regardless of its stereotypes, Arizona has played a larger role in movie history than anyone would ever expect.

Casablanca (Flagstaff - 1942)

1942’s Casablanca is set during WWII in Africa. The most jive place to be in Casablanca was Rick’s Café, owned by Rick Blaine, an American expatriate. A regular at his café entrusts Rick to transport documents for him, although Rick has other plans for the documents. Before selling them, he is arrested for killing couriers. He runs into a past lover, and everything seems to keep taking unexpected turns.

Planet of the Apes (Lake Powell - 1968) Originally filmed in 1968, Planet of the Apes is a movie many consider to be a classic. When a crew of four crash land their spaceship on a distant planet, they are shocked to see what they find. After landing, they decide to roam this unknown planet, they discover apes. Not just any apes, but an intelligent civilization of apes. The apes are not only the superior race on this planet, but the humans are actually enslaved, oppressed and sometimes even used as game on this planet.

Star Wars IV: A New Hope (Yuma - 1977) and VI: Return of the Jedi (Yuma - 1983)

The release of The Star Wars saga movies were a turning point in movie history. Two of the six films were filmed in the Grand Canyon state. Episode IV: A New Hope, and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. This famous saga is about Luke Skywalker, a young boy practically destined to become a Jedi knight, a type of warrior who were once many in quantity, but now had but three in existence. The saga follows Luke and his fellow comrades on his adventures through space.

The Karate Kid (Sedona - 1984)

Daniel and his mother move from New Jersey to California

8 | February 2015

for his mother’s new job. It doesn’t take long for Daniel to realize that he won’t fit in with the kids his age. He manages to smooth talk his way out of a few fights, but when a local gang of kids from a local karate school try to attack him, he catches the attention of Mr. Miyagi, a maintenance man in his apartment building. Mr. Miyagi saves him from the gang of teenagers and takes Daniel under his wing and teaches him the ways of life in peculiar ways, but in effective ways.

Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (Multiple Locations 1989)

Bill S. Preston and Ted Theodore Logan dream of impacting the world through music. The only problemthey’re bound to fail their high school history class. If the duo fails, then they will be separated and will never form the band that shapes society in the future. In order to ensure the perfect future, a man named Rufus travels back in time in a time machine disguised as a phone booth to help Bill and Ted learn history in order to make their report excellent.

Historical figures like Mozart, Napoleon, and many more join them on this most excellent adventure to pass their history class.

Thelma and Louise (Grand Canyon - 1991)

It starts out with a housewife stuck in the kitchen and a waitress at a diner, both living the same everyday life and getting bored – fast. Two best friends, Thelma and Louise decide to break free of their normal routines and take a weekend off to get away. But soon their weekend break takes an unexpected turn when Louise shoots a man who threatened to rape Thelma. After realizing that their lives will never be the same, they decide to head for Mexico in their 1996 thunderbird. While on the road, they are soon chased by American police.

Wayne’s World (Mesa - 1992)

Wayne and Garth are two guys who seem to try many jobs, but nothing seems to work. Wayne even has a collection of nametags from his various jobs. The one thing that is going right is “Wayne’s World,” their popular public access TV show.

Word of Wayne’s World catches on to a big time TV network producer, who decides that he wants Wayne and Garth on his network. Along the way, Wayne finds love in an attractive bass guitarist, Cassandra Wong. Once the TV producer realizes this, he threatens to steal her away unless Wayne makes his show number one on his network

Roswell (Bisbee - 1994)

This movie premiered in 1994 and is based off of the events that happened in Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947, where an unidentified object fell from the sky and crash-landed.

Many believe that this was an aircraft from an extra-terrestrial world. In this movie, a military general comes to his 30-year reunion for a military nuclear bomb unit. While looking back on the suspected alien crash, he attempts to put the pieces together himself, for his superiors convinced him that they had dealt with nothing but an unsuccessful weather balloon.

Forrest Gump (Flagstaff - 1994)

He is rescued by a member of the Comanche tribe, Tonto, and teams up with him in order to find the outlaw and defeat him. On the way, their friendship becomes a bond and they make various discoveries about themselves, each other, and different cultures.

Gravity (Lake Powell - 2013)

Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a specialist on her very first space mission to repair a panel on the hubble space telescope. She is accompanied by Matt Kowalski (Gorge Clooney), a veteran commander on his last space mission before his retirement. While on a spacewalk, they are informed of a field of debris hurdling toward them. Tethered only to each other, they drift through space in an attempt to make it to the nearest space station. Along the way, they learn more about each other, and even more about themselves.

From 1942’s Casablanca to 2013’s Gravity, it’s not hard to tell how big of an influence Arizona has truly had on the movie industry. You wouldn’t expect Hollywood hits to be filmed in Arizona, but many of them were. This proves that we’re more than just a big canyon, we’re a state that’s potential is taken for granted. s

Forrest Gump is about a man named Forrest played by Tom Hanks.. Gump wasn’t the brightest crayon in the box. In fact, he lacked common sense and the ability to comprehend anything other than emotion. After being sheltered the majority of his life by his mother, he is sent out into the world to pick what he wants to do in life. As a result, he joins the United States Army and befriends his fellow soldiers.

Throughout the film, Jenny, a romantic interest from his childhood, has messed up her life and Gump tries to help her get it back.

The Shawshank Redemption (Yuma 1994)

Set in 1947, Andy Dufresne, a banker is convicted of murder of his wife and her lover. He is sentenced to life in Shawshank prison, where many bet that he would be the first to have a mental breakdown, they are disappointed. Although Dufresne has always pled not guilty, his tough demeanor led no one to believe him. After about a month in prison, Andy initiates a mutual relationship of human decency with a fellow inmate, Red. Their friendship grows throughout the movie and they even take a few unexpected adventures together.

The Lone Ranger (Canyon de Chelly 2013)

A remake of The Lone Ranger that premiered in 1949, 2013’s The Lone Ranger is a tale about a man named John Reid, who is left for dead after his group was ambushed by an outlaw.

February 2015 | 9

Ridge continues battle with leukemia Katelyn Stys | Online Managing Editor

T

hroughout his senior year, Ridge Vanderbur has fought after a few months. For Ridge, however, this is not the case. hard to battle Acute Myeloid Leukemia, or “Bloodstream “His closest friends still come as often as they can and he still Cancer” as he refers to it. After being diagnosed just gets cards and messages on his Facebook page (Ridge’s Rocky Road before school began in August, Vanderbur has gone through three with Bloodstream Cancer),” Brenda Vanderbur said. intensive rounds of chemotherapy and is working on completing During Corona’s bonfire in October, students also had the the fourth. opportunity to pose for a photo taken by “Team Ridge” with a The fourth round of chemo has been the hardest. Ridge has whiteboard they could write a message on. All these photos had to spend 27 days in the Intensive Care Unit due to the several were sent to Ridge to show him the loving support the Aztecs are strokes he had, which has caused him to suffer temporary paralysis. showing.

After leaving the ICU, Vanderbur spent time on the 7th floor of “The pictures the kids took at the bonfire were a great Phoenix Children’s Hospital with his usual nurses. distraction on a difficult day as I had saved them for when I “(Ridge) is now in heart failure and due to the drugs they thought he could really use a boost,” Brenda Vanderbur said. have to give him to get his heart pumping, he his back in ICU,” his Another fundraiser taking place to support Vanderbur includes mother, Brenda Vanderbur, said. the Make-A-Wish coffee sales every morning in the breezeway.

The time remaining in the ICU in still unknown but the Students can purchase a hot cup of coffee or hot chocolate 7-7:15 Vanderburs are hopeful it will be short. Ridge has been trying to a.m. every day for only $2. stay positive through this difficult time in the hospital.

If you need another idea to send support, positive thoughts “He (has been) very positive and upbeat (that’s his normal and lots of prayers are all the Vanderburs ask for. This is what has personality) until the end of helped the family stay positive and hopeful throughout this the fourth round, which is whole journey. s when all of the difficulties took place,” Brenda Vanderbur said.

For Ridge’s future goals, he is still set on walking at graduation.

“Graduation is still very important to Ridge,” Brenda Vanderbur said. “We talk all the time about getting out of here and wearing that orange gown in May.” The Vanderburs have made walking at graduation a symbol that Ridge will be out of the hospital, hopefully soon, even when Photos courtesy of Brenda Vanderbur he feels it will never end.

Clockwise from left: Team Ridge Ridge has been taking online school to keep up made this blanket out of local fire with all his classes. department T-shirts for senior “The goal of coming back to school for a couple of Ridge Vanderbur to have while classes during the last quarter is looking unrealistic in the hospital during his fourth at this point; however, walking in May is still very round of chemotherapy. Ridge sits with his dog on the roof of realistic,” Brenda Vanderbur said. “I can’t tell you how the hospital. Anika Hatch (left) thankful we are that he’s being allowed to walk.” and Alicia Villalobos (right) take a As far as the community’s role in Ridge’s photo for Ridge at Bonfire. process, they have tried to help in any way possible.

Doctors previously warned the family that based on experience, friends and support often fades away Photo courtesy of Dede Carrera

10 | February 2015

Popular substitutes: Mrs. Ihns Juliana Edwards | Staff Writer Pam Ihns is known to be one of the most popular subs on campus. Most teachers, as well as students, enjoy having her as a sub because she knows how to get the work done and knows how to have fun.

“Mrs. Ihns is really cool,” freshman Juan Estrada said. “She gets right into the lesson and then lets us have free time afterwards if we are finished.”

Ihns has been a substitute teacher at Corona for seven years.

She loves the students and interacting with them.

“I love my job,” Ihns said. “I think Corona is the best school and I get to be with the best students and teachers.”

Ihns’s previous job was sales managing. She decided to switch jobs to a substitute teacher because the hours were more flexible and her sales management job wanted to relocate her to California. She took a break to be with her kids before she started subbing.

“I love Mrs. Ihns,” English teacher Karyn Dempsey said. “She is the only sub that is a lot like me and finds ways to execute the lesson plan and have fun at the same time. So it’s a perfect combo.”

About 75 percent of Ihns’s subbing comes from first-come

first serve requests from teachers.

She doesn’t choose based on favoritism, but more on availability.

“Mrs. Ihns has a Ihns wonderful personality,” junior Isabella Hulsizer said. “Unlike some subs, she actually teaches and we enjoy her.”

Although Ihns loves her job, she doesn’t deny there are challenges.

“The hardest thing about subbing would have to be getting the students to listen and that’s when I have to be stern, but other than that, I have a great time.” Ihns said. s

February 2015 | 11

Behind the scenes with Corona’s staff

Megan Marples | Opinions Editor

Many faculty and students have been at Corona for a number of years yet are unaware of the ‘Secret Society’ of staff that are the glue that holds this school together. This group of people are all around Corona working hard to make this school a success. Their presence often goes unnoticed. However, their absence would be felt by the entire Corona community. This outstanding group of individuals encompasses the following departments: Security, Cafeteria Staff, Bookstore Employees, Front Office and Maintenance. The support staff are all dedicated to Corona and enjoy their jobs. Upon getting to know them as individuals, it’s revealed they each have fascinating stories to tell. So much knowledge was shared that it cannot be contained in one issue. This publication is highlighting Security and Cafeteria Staff.

Security

Security has the difficult job of making sure Corona is a safe environment for everyone. In addition, some security guards take on extra responsibilities to ensure Corona is a great place to be.

Justin Garman is a part-time security guard who also coaches football and basketball at Corona.

“I was interested in coaching at a high school level and my grandma (Jean Martorana) used to teach here,” Garman said Garman is also a substitute teacher when needed. So far his favorite class to substitute is Film Study since he enjoys movies. He is currently working towards getting a master’s degree in education.

Garman’s goal is to teach math at Corona.

Nina Posey, another security guard at Corona, displays an

“This is the training ground for life. If you can’t make it here, you’re not going to make it out there.” R Dan Rife 12 | February 2015

infectiously positive personality. Being the only female security guard, Posey revealed the security staff faces unique challenges with their jobs.

If there is a conflict or a reason to have to enter the girl’s bathroom, she is the only security guard who can do so.

“I think it puts a little bit of pressure on the guys too sometimes. (If there is a situation in the girl’s restroom) they have to call somebody else to go do it, and that’s always hard.

They always have to wait for somebody,” Posey said.

“We’re the people nobody thinks about, but if we weren’t here, who’s going to feed all of these kids?”

Cafeteria Staff The Cafeteria Staff cook R Barbara Jenson

all morning in the kitchen to guarantee Corona students have a nutritious meal when lunchtime rolls around. Due to the large Corona population, making sure there is enough food prepared can be a challenge. In addition to making lunches, they also restock the vending machines.

Idalia Valenzuela, a cafeteria staff member, is in charge of restocking the vending machines in the breezeway.

“I do it every day and it’s a lot of work. I do it in the morning. I try to beat the time when the bell rings,” Valenzuela said.

Many of the cafeteria staff work second jobs as well. Valenzuela works evenings at a pharmacy warehouse to support her family.

Carrie Ulibarri, another cafeteria employee, spends her free time pursuing her passion.

Ulibarri worked as a florist in New Mexico for 13 years. She got a job at Corona because she wanted a different schedule. As a florist she worked holidays, and she wanted a job where she got holidays off. She is still a professional florist working part time. Ulibarri says that she mainly does weddings and Christmas wreaths. s

Look for stories on the bookstore and front office staff in the April issue.

“The DUFF” cast on high school, stereotypes Brenna Bochenek | Life and Times Editor In CBS Film’s newest comedy, The DUFF, high school senior Bianca (Mae Whitman) finds her seemingly perfect year destroyed when she discovers how her peers really view her. Bianca is considered the DUFF (designated ugly fat friend) of her group of prettier, more popular friends. In the hopes of salvaging her image in the eyes of the student body, Bianca recruits a popular jock named Wesley (Robbie Amell) to help her reinvent herself enough to change her reputation and win the approval of mean girl, Madison (Bella Thorne).

The cast describe this comedy film as having a classic, Breakfast Club type feel, as you watch the characters find themselves and break the boundaries of their stereotypes.

“At the beginning, everybody has got their stereotype, and then you get to watch them go on this journey and see what they turn into at the end of the movie,” Amell said. “And we get to have a lot of laughs along the way.”

One of the aspects of the film that Thorne liked the most was the dialogue.

“I really favor the dialogue,” Thorne said. “It’s really, really funny.”

In fact, some of the comedic dialogue came straight from the actors themselves.

“From day one, they were really open to us changing lines,” Amell said.

The cast enjoyed the opportunity to make each other genuinely laugh on camera and bring their own comedic ideas to the film.

“It allowed for us to really bring some of ourselves,” Whitman said. “And anytime I could genuinely make (Amell) laugh or anything was the best thing ever for me. I was constantly striving for that.”

However, the main motivation behind making this film was not just for laughs, but to convey the idea that life does indeed go on after high school. Using her experiences with being bullied in high school, Whitman wanted to work on a film that showcased something that many people go through.

“A big reason why I was drawn to doing this movie was to communicate that a lot of people go through this, and that I certainly had,” Whitman said. “I wanted to use my experience to make people feel less alone and that it gets better after school. It definitely gets better.”

The DUFF is based on a book of the same name by author Kody Keplinger, but the film does have some significant differences from the book.

“The book is a little edgier, and racier, a little darker but they both have the same themes and ideas and tell it in a fun, cool way,” Amell said. “It says something really amazing about (Keplinger), having written the book at 17 and have it be so well received and so well liked.”

One of the main ideas that this film conveys is about the importance of looking beyond stereotypes and viewing every individual with the same amount of value and importance.

“The whole point of this movie is exposing

From left to right, Bianca Santos, Skylar Samuels, Robbie Amell, Mae Whitman, and Bella Thorne. photo courtesy of

CBS Films. stereotypes and how thin they are and how not real they are,” Thorne said. “It’s a statement about how layered and complex every single person is, regardless of the labels that people try to put on them.”

A major reason why the cast was drawn to this film was that The DUFF is a film that differs from the typical high school comedy.

“It was super refreshing to read a teen comedy script that grasps what it’s like to be in high school,” Amell said. “Everybody is trying to find their own way and figure out who they are and it was nice to see that in something that actually turned out to be so funny.”

The film does not follow the usual plot of teen films - it still keeps the same ideas about life in high school that have been portrayed in movies for many years.

“These are problems that people had decades ago, and these are problems that people will have decades from now,” Amell said.

“Everybody is trying to find out who they are and what they want to be and some people will get in your way, and some people will help you through it.”

This film also does not follow the predictable plot lines that usually dominate teen films.

“It’s a bit of a spoiler, but the guy that Bianca ends up with isn’t who she wanted to be with from the beginning,” Amell said. “It’s really the relationship that these people build and come to find within each other throughout the movie.”

The DUFF also conveys the message that you shouldn’t change who you are just to fit in.

“I think that’s what’s really cool (about this movie) because often times it’s about the big makeover or whatever and it’s not. The big reveal here is her realizing I don’t need this, I don’t have to feel that way,” Whitman said. “It’s more illuminating (about) the process of what makes people feel like they need to change than anybody actually changing.”

The DUFF is in theaters everywhere on Feb. 20. s

February 2015 | 13

Things to look forward to in 2015

Brenna Bochenek | Life and Times Editor

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

What: Following the retirement of ‘Late Show’ host David Letterman, the CBS show will be taken over by Stephen Colbert.

Colbert’s former Comedy Central show, The Colbert Report, ended in 2014.

Expected: Sept. 2015

Avengers: Age of Ultron

What: The next release in Marvel’s cinematic universe will be Avengers: Age of Ultron. The iconic superhero movie will feature all of the members of the Avengers team as they fight to take down the villainous Ultron (James Spader).

This film will also feature new characters such as Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen).

Expected: May 2015

Apple Watch

Flickr Commons

Sony SmartEyeglass Attach

What: A tech attachment created by Sony that turns regular eyeglasses into “smart eyeglasses”. This type of headwear can connect to your phone and access WiFi, Bluetooth and social media, while projecting the content onto the glass of your eyewear.

Expected: 2015

What: The newest technology released by Apple will be the Apple Watch, which will be able to do so much more than just tell the time. The watch can send texts, emails and even make calls. One of the watch’s most notable features is its new Activity App. The Activity App is designed to assist you when you doing various forms of exercise. The Activity App can calculate how many calories you’ve burned, record how long you’ve been exercising, measure your heart rate, measure how many steps you’ve taken and is equipped with WiFi and GPS. This new Apple product can also display the weather, send you notifications, give you directions and play music.

Expected: March 2015

The Longest Reigning Monarch

The Oscars

What: The 87th Academy Awards will be hosted by Neil Patrick Harris. This awards show is also known as “movie’s biggest night” as top honors are awarded to the best films of this awards season.

When: Feb. 22, 2015

Fury 325

What: Fury 325 is a world record breaking roller coaster that has been built at Carowinds amusement park, located in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Fury 325 is the world’s tallest and fastest giga coaster, meaning a roller coaster that is built for its height and speed. Fury 325 has a track that is 6, 602 feet long and reaches a maximum speed of 95 mph.

Expected: Spring 2015

Who: Queen Elizabeth II is set to become the longest reigning monarch in British history. She will overtake Queen Victoria in September when Queen Elizabeth II will have been queen for more than 23,226 days, 16 hours and 23 minutes (the length of Queen Victoria’s reign).

When: Sept 9, 2015

14 | February 2015

What: The epic conclusion to the Hunger Games saga.

This film will finally give fans a look at some of the most highly anticipated scenes from the novel by Suzanne Collins, including the conclusion to the violent rebellion against The Capitol.

Expected: Nov. 2015

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens What: The next installation of the Star Wars saga. This film will be set 30 years after the last movie, Star Wars: Episode VI - The Return of the Jedi, which was released in 1983. Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill will reprise their roles as the classis characters that we all know and love, in addition to new faces to the saga, Domhnall Gleeson, Adam Driver and Lupita Nyong’o.

Expected: Dec. 2015

Will you be my Valentine?

Lily Corona | Staff Writer It’s February and you know what that means, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. A day for affection, a day for friendship—a day for just plain love. Many misconceive this holiday as a day for big corporate companies to make more money, these people are wrong. The purpose of Valentine’s Day is to show affection, to show how much someone truly means to you. This doesn’t mean you have to spend money at Hallmark or at a florist stand.

The best gifts are the handmade gifts. Doing something yourself shows your valentine that they mean enough for you to take the time out of your day to make something that makes them smile. Valentine’s day is an opportunity for everyone to show his or her affection and love for each other, even if they’re not in a relationship.

To people in a relationship, this is a day dedicated to showing you care, a set

date for just the two of you. To people who are single, this is a day to celebrate your friends and the bond you have with them. Valentine’s Day isn’t a day of romanticism, it’s a day of intimacy. Intimacy is defined as a close familiarity or closeness.

Take time to be intimate with your friends, to really show your friends what they mean to you. Don’t be intimidated by stereotypes of “the day for lovers,” it’s also a day for friends. Of course, you should be showing your friends or significant other Cartoon by Lindsi Kerrigan appreciation every day of the that will mark your future. You don’t have year, but sometimes we get wrapped to spend money you don’t have to have a up in the busy everyday life that is high significant other. Valentine’s Day is a holiday school. for everyone. Don’t ignore it and leave it in Valentine’s Day is a reminder for us to show appreciation for one another; it’s a day the dark. Celebrate it. s

Sweeping up trouble

Sweep may be more harmful than helpful to students Zein Sy | Clubs Editor Let’s face it; you probably don’t like waking up for school any more than other students. A surefire way to ruin your day even further is to hear the late bell just as you leave your car. Unless you happen to be a master of stealth, you’re probably going to be spending your first hour staring at a wall in sweep.

Sweep was implemented to ensure that students would get to class on time, as well as a way to prevent interruptions in the classroom. Students who are late to their first period classes are to be sent to the sweep room for the entirety of the hour. Rather than have the students do something worthwhile while they wait, they are instead prompted to sit up straight and look forward. No sleeping, no talking, no work. This would be perfectly fine if it weren’t for the latter rule. By depriving students the right to work, sweep only serves to waste time. School, for better or worse, is a place of learning; without that, sweep is practically a jail. This is a sentiment that I don’t exclusively share.

While some agree that sweep is effective at preventing late students from entering class, it’s punishments will only hurt those who care about missing class. Once a student realizes they’re

late, it only serves to encourage them to ditch first period. Better to be absent than waste your time, right? For those who aren’t so fond of ditching, sweep can severely hurt your grades if you miss a critical lecture or lesson. Very counter productive for a school to have a punishment that makes learning harder. At the very least, punishments shouldn’t cut into school time. Most teachers have a tardy policy of their own implemented to encourage students to get to class on time. These systems allow the student to still attend class at the cost of a few points. This deters students from being late, but doesn’t waste valuable time. Sweep actually increases your workload since you must return to your class to find out what happened and may cripple your knowledge in class.

One of the greatest aspects of sweep is that it only occurs during first hour making it useless for any other period of time. Adding a mandatory school tardy policy is a simpler affair than having security guards “sweep” students. At the very least, being in sweep shouldn’t prevent students from doing their work. What’s the point of school, if you’re not learning? Don’t believe me? Spend an hour in sweep, and then come talk to me about it. I have a feeling you’ll agree. s

February 2015 | 15

Books vs. Movies Kajal Dave

Anita Daryanani

Copy Editor

Staff Writer

Book to movie adaptations have been dominating Hollywood for some time now. It’s become inevitable for any bestseller to get a movie. And for book lovers, it has become a pain.

When I heard that the first Percy Jackson and the Olympians book, The Lightning Thief, was to be made into a movie, I was bouncing out of my seat. One of my favorite series was going to be transformed into movies. I had high expectations, imagining the success of Harry Potter. If you’ve seen The Lightning Thief, you probably know my hopes and dreams were utterly crushed. That movie was a horrible representation of a fun and smart book series.

The trend continued. More books were made into movies, and I watched in horror as some of the best stories I had Photo by Megan Marples ever read were butchered. City of Bones, Divergent, even Vampire Academy were pretty good books until Hollywood got its claws on the material.

I’ll admit movies don’t always mess up a book series. The Hunger Games is being handled pretty well, and Ender’s Game kept the integrity of the novel. But the movies never equal the books.

Books hold emotion, images and thoughts that cannot be expressed in visual form. Movies are great, but I’ve always found books to be deeper. In writing, an author can put in nuances and all sorts of techniques to capture the reader.

If you can’t tell, I’m a reader. I love the feeling of picking up a novel and getting lost in words, and I can’t achieve that feeling with a movie. A lot of what makes a book special is lost when it’s turned into a movie. Diverse characters are filed down so that a director can put a big name in. Movies have to move faster than books, so the gradual plot development is cut apart and messily glued back together to fit an onscreen adaptation. I’m looking at you, Jurassic Park.

There’s a reason a book has sold. It’s good material. On the surface, it seems to be good sense to use a popular story. But if directors cannot tell that story, the movie ends up flopping. What both audiences and the film industry need to understand is that there is a huge difference between the pace of a novel and the pace of a film. No one seems to get that in the process of making an entertaining movie, a lot of material must be cut out.

That’s why I think books are better than movies. In writing, there’s almost always some way to insert a detail. Writers of novels are not constricted by time limits. There is so much more material and depth in a book than in two hours of watching a screen. If the writing is good, nothing is lost in a book. There’s a complete story that can be taken anywhere and explored anytime.

16 | February 2015

Grab some popcorn, take a seat, and rewind. With the innumerable enjoyable aspects of movie watching, it’s no surprise that it’s been one of society’s top pastimes for years. Kajal may not be on the same page as me for this particular topic, insisting that that the book-versions are better than their visual representations. However, my thoughts are set and I have yet to cast my opinion on movies. It’s a novel idea to check out my cover on this before checking out another book from the library.

One of the most prominent reasons as to why I have the strong preference of movies to books is time. In the time it would take to finish reading an entire text, assuming that I don’t fall asleep throughout my attempts out of boredom, I could have probably watched and even rewatched the film multiple times. Movies serve as the perfect substitution when wanting to ascertain the plot of a story yet you don’t have the free time to spend staring at endless pages and paragraphs of language. My eyes simply just glaze over. Even if a book is somewhat bearable to skim, I have a life. I have other things to accomplish in a day of my junior year- studying, sleeping, and squeezing in space to spend time with friends. Just doing those basic functions is tiring and a struggle to maintain. Films strategically incorporate the major points from the novel because not every single, minor detail is needed to know. In the time it would take to read the description of a scene, a movie can portray that in a second. Thus, movies adeptly bottle up information and present it in a concise manner.

Aside from overall convenience, movies are fun to watch in general.

Movie graphics are astounding; they are visually appealing and really help me picture the plot and scenery in a way that would be impossible to do on my own. When James Dashner’s The Maze Runner was released as a film, I was thrilled. Being able to actually see the overwhelming maze and bestial creatures the author wanted to depict was a remarkable feature. As another example, the effect that horror plots have on the audience are far more effective due to the added music, special effects and sceneries. It’s difficult to read a scary story and react as spooked out as through a visual form.

In addition, movie watching can be a social thing. No one gathers their friends and hangs out at a reading party. Instead, people can meet up at a theater or simply at any television source to laugh, cry, and even scream together. Whereas reading books is an individual activity, screening events can involve several people.

Though I believe that I am on a role with the reasons I have developed, I do not want to cause further drama between Kajal and I. You should’ve scene this coming-- books or movies, the final decision is up to you: Which do you prefer?

No license to ride needed.

Get a free transit pass.

If you live in Tempe you can ride transit for free. To get a youth transit pass, stop by the Tempe Transit Store at 200 E. Fifth St. For a list of required paperwork, visit www.tempe.gov/youthpass or call 480-858-2350.

bus 路 bike 路 walk 路 rail February 2015 | 17

Soaring above the competition

Freshman superstar Marvin Bagley III rises above the rest on the court

H

Andrew Eversden | Managing Editor

e’s the top freshman in the country. He could possibly be the best player Arizona has ever produced. Sierra Canyon’s head coach Tyrone Nichols told azcentral’s Richard Obert that University of Arizona head coach Sean Miller said he was the top freshman he’s seen in 20 years.

These are just some of the things that have been written about 6-foot 10-inch freshman phenom Marvin Bagley III, who has already picked up a scholarship offer from the University of Arizona, one of the nation’s top college basketball programs.

Bagley stays humble when talking about how his skill has already gained him national attention.

“It’s an honor being able to do what I do and have people acknowledge me for that,” Bagley said. “I just have to stay humble; can’t let it get to my head.”

Family History Bagley comes from a long lineage of athletic success in both basketball and football. His grandfather, Joe Caldewell, was a standout at Arizona State in the early 1960s. Caldwell went on to be selected second overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 1964 NBA draft and became a two-time NBA all-star.

Bagley’s father, Marvin Bagley Jr., played arena football for the Rattlers and had a brief NFL stint with the New Orleans Saints. He also played college basketball at North Carolina A&T. Despite having a family history of success at the professional level, Bagley III says he doesn’t feel any pressure.

“Basketball is what I love to do. I don’t feel pressure at all,” Bagley said. “I want to have fun doing it.”

18 | February 2015

Bagley goes up for a layup against Skyline. The Aztecs won, 84-48. Photos by Zi Yang Lai

Bagley prepares to toss a t-shirt to the crowd after being introduced. Photo by Zi Yang Lai

Path to Corona Bagley has been on a path towards basketball success since he was a toddler.

“My parents tell me that ever since I was younger I’ve had a basketball in my hand, shooting on the ‘little tikes’ hoops,” Bagley said.

Bagley hasn’t solely focused on the hardwood his entire life, as he was playing football and basketball until he started middle school. It was his sixth grade year that Bagley started to focus on basketball.

Bagley stares down a defender after a dunk. Bagley says his favorite part about dunking is the crowds reaction. Photo by Zi Yang Lai

He dropped football and started training harder for the basketball court, what proved to be his first love.

“I’ve had it (a love for basketball) my whole life,” Bagley said. “Sixth grade was when I started realizing I can focus on this sport and be good at it.”

After dominating middle school basketball, it was time to move on to the high school stage. He attended his first Corona game last year, while the Aztecs were on the path to their third straight state championship. The Aztecs were facing Gilbert Perry and the environment was hostile, as a very good Perry team, led by freshman star Markus Howard, looked to upset the Aztecs.

“I chose Corona because of the environment when I came to a game,” Bagley said. “The fans were into it and it was a place I thought I’d fit in.”

Corona Basketball This led to Bagley’s enrollment in Corona, strengthening the Aztecs’ bid for their fourth straight championship. Corona head coach Sam Duane Jr. said he

Bagley throws down a dunk against Chandler. The Aztecs dunked 2o times in the game. Photo by Zi Yang Lai

had never seen Bagley play before Bagley showed up at Corona practice.

“We had heard about him,” Duane said.

“But when I first saw him play I knew he was legitimate. After the first summer practice we knew he was going to be a big part of what we do.”

After graduating center Connor MacDougall, the Aztecs were heading into this season without a key big man in the post. With the addition of Bagley, the offense was able to run with a solid presence in the post, a presence they didn’t think they would have going into the season.

“Last year, we didn’t have a true post (due to MacDougall’s injuries),” Duane said. “(Bagley) has allowed us to have a post. We run a lot of sets to him.”

Having Bagley in the post opens the Aztec offense up because as opposing defenses try to defend him down low. It frees up hot shooters like Dane Kuiper, Alex Barcello and Tyrell Henderson outside.

Defensively, Bagley’s size makes it difficult for opponents to get an easy inside shot and rebound.

“He rebounds and starts the break for us,” Duane said. “He does a lot of things for us.”

Continued on page 20

February 2015 | 19

“

It’s an honor being able to do what I do and have people acknowledge

me for that.

RBagley

“

Continued from page 19

Of course, Corona fans’ favorite part of his game is his ability to throw down an emphatic dunk over defenders. Many of his slams cause momentum shifts in the Aztecs’ favor.

“He really feels the energy in the gym and our guys feed off of it,” Duane said.

Motivation Bagley draws his motivation to play basketball from his family, who have consistently put him in the right places for success.

“They’ve taken me traveling with different teams and made sure I was in the right situation to play,” Bagley said.

Bagley’s father has played a huge role in his basketball career, pushing him to work hard on the court. Bagley credits him with teaching him the sport of basketball. When Bagley was younger, his father would take him to gym to shoot around, practicing jump shots and layups, while also teaching him the finer points of the game.

“He’s been a big part of what I’m doing,” Bagley said. “If I didn’t have him, I don’t know where I would be.”

Being raised in a Christian household has taught Bagley to be a humble person both on and off the court. The greatest lesson he says his upbringing taught him was to be humble.

“My parents have been telling me since I was younger that if you stay humble more things will happen for you,” Bagley said. “If you just stay humble and trust God, things will fall into place.”

NBA players have also influenced Bagley’s play, specifically Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant, his favorite player.

“I like watching NBA players to see what they do, so I can try to take stuff from their game and put it into my game,” Bagley said.

The Future The notoriety that Bagley has gained so young certainly has set him up for a bright basketball future.

He has tried out for the junior Team USA basketball team, an experience that Bagley will never forget.

“There were a lot of great players telling me how they’ve improved to where they are now,” Bagley said. “The coaches are great.

They want to teach everyone who comes to the camp about the game of basketball.”

20 | February 2015

He has already received offers from University of Arizona, UCLA, Arizona State, New Mexico and defending national champions Connecticut. Bagley says he plans to go to college to get a degree and hopes his career will take him to the NBA. Wherever his career may take him, Duane says he will be successful just because of the type of person he is on and off the floor.

“His biggest strength is the type of person he is,” Duane said. “He’s very talented. The sky is the limit for him.” s

(Top left) Bagley goes up for a layup over a Skyline defender. (Above) Bagley throws down a two-handed dunk against Chandler. Photos by Zi Yang Lai

Cheer takes 2nd at Cactus Cup Aashini Choksi | Editor-in-Chief Cheerleaders are always there to support the achievements of other sports, but cheer itself is highly accomplished, which often goes unnoticed. CdS varsity cheer took second place at the Cactus Cup competition held at Shadow Mountain high school on Jan. 17.

Hosted by the Universal Cheer Association (UCA), the Cactus Cup is an opportunity for various teams around the valley to showcase their talents.

Although cheer performs at varsity basketball games as well as school assemblies, they put together a more rigorous routine for the competition. “(Our routine) is similar to what we did in the first assembly but it involves a cheer and multiple different stunting progressions and tumbling,” senior co-captain Aly Winter said. “It’s a lot longer than what we do at assemblies. It’s harder and more strenuous.”

Like any sport, cheer requires endurance and dedication, especially in the few weeks leading up to a competition.

“We have practices usually four to five days a week and we just go over our competition routine,” Winter said. “We’ve had this competition routine for three months now, so we do it piece by piece and put it all together.”

These demanding performances can take a toll on the

Varsity girls cheer after their second place finish at the Cactus Cup. The team looks to place at its state competition on Feb. 21. Photo Courtesy of Margie DiCesare

cheerleaders but the teams keeps a positive outlook.

“Practices are really hard,” Winter said. “You get really tired quickly…they are tough practices. It’s hard when we don’t hit our stunts and we get frustrated but usually we can pull it together.”

The next competition will be the AZ State competition held on February 21.

“We’re hoping to do really well and place in our next competition,” Winter said. s

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Sunrise Media Opportunities Help Wanted. Sunrise Media (Sunrise

newsmagazine and cdssunrise.com) is looking for hard-working and committed individuals to join the program. Opportunities are available for strong writers, photographers, graphics designers, artists and business managers. If you think this might be the right opportunity for you, sign up for one of the classes below. If you need more information, feel free to speak with adviser Mrs. Urban in E225 or talk to a current student on staff (see page 2).

Journalism 1-2

Students learn all facets of journalism production including law and ethics, interviewing, news and feature writing, layout and design, photojournalism and multimedia journalism. After successful completion of Journalism 1-2, students can join the Sunrise staff as a staff writer and/or photographer. Register for HI62.

Sports Journalism 1-2 (NEW!)

Students will learn to cover all sports offered at Corona del Sol in a live learning lab opportunity offered by the Sunrise newsmagazine and cdssunrise.com. After successful completion of Sports Journalism, students can join the Sunrise staff as a sports writer and/or photographer.

Register for EN81.

Journalism 3-8

Students work in a laboratory setting to produce the Sunrise newsmagazine and cdssunrise.com. Students have the opportunity to apply for editor positions. Students in Journalism 5-6 or 7-8 can earn dual enrollment credit.

Instructor approval required for registration.

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10 reasons to take Journalism

• Learn real-world job skills • Great way to get involved • Improve communication skills • Earn CTE/practical art credit • Learn industry-standard technology • Looks great on a resume • Leadership opportunities • Great place to make friends • Travel opportunities • Opportunity to participate in contests

Taking down the competition Senior Matt Churchill displays what it means to be an Aztec wrestler Hailey Myers | Staff Writer After four long, hard years of morning and night practices, weekend tournaments, weight cutting and painful injuries, Matt Churchill has been the ultimate wrestler for the CdS wrestling team as a four-year letterman. Churchill is now part of the 100 win club, something that not many wresters at Corona have been apart of.

Being part of that club and a four-year letter requires more work put into it than many think.

“Being a four-year letterman makes me think about all the hard work people don’t see that goes into it and how much time outside of practice goes into it,” Churchill said. “It’s a lot of work. The only pressure from the four-year letter is I feel like I have something to live up to.”

Being part of a team means everyone pulling their weight and fulfilling their role. Coach Jim Martinez has been coaching Churchill for four years now and wants Churchill to succeed.

“Matt’s role on the team is to be the best wrestler he can possibly be,” Martinez said. “If Matt can make as many small improvements to his game as possible, he could put himself in a position where he could end his career on a really really high note.”

Martinez has high expectations for Churchill and has a lot of belief in Churchill’s talent and ability.

“I’ve enjoyed coaching Matt,” Martinez said.

“There have been struggles because most of Matt’s issues are internal.

He sometimes doesn’t believe in himself as much as I believe in him. If I could get him to believe the things I see he would be All State.”

With wresting requiring so much hard work and effort, many would wonder why would someone stick with it for so long.

“I stick with it because its fun most of the time, but I’m pretty good at it,” Churchill said although he doesn’t plan to wrestle at the next level. “My teammates and Coach Martinez are my role models and keep me going.”

Martinez is the head of the Corona wresting program and has figured out the strengths and weaknesses of the team and has great plans for the rest of the season.

“Our strength is just our talent, our weakness is we tend to rely on our talent more than our effort, sometimes,” Martinez said. “With good effort and all that technique we have great possibilities.”

Wrestling is a hard sport to predict, knowing that just having an off day can completely change rankings, but it goes the same with a good day.

“It’s really difficult to gauge how we will do because we are a good dual meet team,” Martinez said. “But we need some of the wrestlers to step up to be a good tournament team which is how we rate ourselves at the end of the year. It may take four or five wrestlers to have the tournament of their lives to put us in a position to be in the top 10 in the state. I think we can do it but it’s going to take a lot of work.”

A good coach sees the athlete and does what he can to bring out all the potential of the athlete. A great coach brings out the potential with his belief and gratitude of his athlete.

“Matt has always been a leader on the team he works hard everyday and tries to lead by example and he puts forth a good effort,” Martinez said. “He is one of many people we look to as a role for your wrestlers to imitate and we are grateful for what he has given to the team so far this year.” s

“It’s a lot of work. The only pressure I feel from the four-year letter is I feel like I have something to live up to” RMatt Churchill

Senior Matt Churchill double legs his opponent from Mesquite. He is a four-year varsity wrestler. Photo by Maria Martin.

February 2015 | 23

Leilani Peat looks to continue family’s athletic success Hailey Myers | Staff Writer Two years as a starter on varsity is an accomplishment and sophomore Leilani Peat has taken her accomplishment in full stride. Peat is the younger sister of many Peats who have made their mark in the sports world, and she is working hard to keep it going with on the court as she continues to improve.

“It feels great being a starter on varsity for the second year in a row,” Peat said. “It’s a ton of fun; I’m really glad I got to do it. I was even kind of surprised I got to last year being a freshman but very excited to be able to start again.”

A great family legacy has its own pressures, but Leilani has learned to work with them and use them to her own advantage.

“I feel a small amount of pressure from my last name because my brothers are all so successful and they are all great and I just want to try and live up to them,” Peat said.

“But they themselves do not put pressure on me; they just try to help me and encourage me.”

Peat may be quiet at school, but on the court she is an entirely different person, and being quiet doesn’t mean any less for her role.

“There are a lot of pieces to her role,” girls head coach Andy Strom said. “One of the things she does that we rely on the most is rebounding. But she also scores quite a few points for us. She is becoming a team leader also, which is great as a sophomore but on the court she really is our main rebounder.”

To be a good leader you must be willing to try new things and to improve and Strom can’t seem to agree more.

“I love coaching her,” Strom said. “She listens and she is good at doing what we ask her to do all the time. She is just a nice girl, too. She is really looking to improve all the

24 | February 2015

Peat goes up for a layup against Gilbert. She already has interest from Colorado and UCLA for basketball. Photo by Max Butler

time and so she tries different things. She is really a pleasure to coach and it’s awesome.”

With a great leader comes great success.

After a slow start, the Lady Aztecs are shooting high this year.

“We had some injury issues early in the season so we are now just putting ourselves together,” Strom said. “I think we have a chance to be really good a month from now which is when the tournament starts, and I think we will do well there, so I have high expectations. We just dealt with a lot of ineligible and injury issues in the beginning.

I think we are starting to put it together to become great.”

Every team has its strengths and weaknesses and girls basketball is no exception.

“I would say our strengths are our guards and Leilani,” Strom said. “And our weakness is that we aren’t a really big team so we have to rely on Leilani to do a lot of

the rebounding, but that hurts us as well because we need other girls rebounding.”

Peat has been playing for many years and has fallen in love with the sport, so it makes sense to say she wants to continue as her family has done.

“I’m hoping to go as far as I can with basketball, hopefully into college,” Peat said.

Being that Peat is only a sophomore she has plenty of time to grow into the exact player she wants to be and go exactly where she wants to.

“She is awesome,” Strom said. “She’s a really really good girl to coach. From her freshman year to her sophomore year she has made such an improvement, which is really paying off because she is now having a few colleges look at her too. I think she has the capability to play at a D1 school for sure. The other night at the Hamilton game, Colorado came and watched her and UCLA is looking at her, too.” s