Inside this issue of CdS Sunrise... 6
Seniors will be taking finals early this year. Find out what is planned for the last week of school.
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Spanish and French may come from the same root, but each has its own benefits. Check out the reasons why they are both useful to know.
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YouTube can be used in many ways. See how some students are taking it to a whole different level.
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One football game offers multiple perspectives. Check out how five different students participate in their own way.
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Senior Cassius Peat committed to UCLA. Read about his plans for the future.
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 Online Sports Editor Johnny Waddell Staff Courtney Baldenegro, Lily Corona, Anita Daryanani, Kajal Dave, Tanner Kujawa, Maria Martin, Hailey Myers, Kasey Ruthardt, Joshua Staples, Patricia Stoica, Callie Waite 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
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Letter from an Editor I feel like the world is going crazy. It seems like there is some sort of turmoil in every region of the world. Russia invaded the Ukraine, Russian rebels shot down a passenger airliner, Israel and Gaza fought this summer, there was an Ebola outbreak in western Africa and most of all, the growth of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Although these four regions differ greatly, from geography to cause for conflict, they all have one thing in common: the persecution and deaths of journalists. In the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Russian-aligned Ukrainian rebels abducted, tortured and killed several journalists hoping to deter Ukrainian government from continuing their offensive. In Israel and Gaza, journalists were under the constant fear of airstrikes possibility hitting them. In Western Africa, journalists trying to educate villagers on Ebola have been stoned to death. The most disturbing deaths of journalists overseas comes from the radical Islamic group ISIS, which beheaded two American freelance journalists, James Foley and Steven Sotloff. These videos were posted on YouTube and used by ISIS as a way to show its dominance to the West. As an aspiring journalist, these deaths, especially those of Americans, scare me. Covering events in hostile regions is something that, despite the opposition from my parents, interests me. But is it all really worth it? I mean, Foley was kidnapped outside an internet cafe in Syria. He wasn’t doing anything at the time. Through his time in Syria, Foley was trying to show the world the suffering and oppression of the Syrian people. He wanted to help them gain support from the West. Instead, he was kidnapped and later killed. As one quarter of my senior year is over and I start to look toward the future, I begin to realize the risks of the career path I want to pursue. The world is a very dangerous place for journalists. Foley and Sotloff’s cases are rare, but it’s a risk journalists have to take. Do I want to risk my own life to cover other’s lives? Why is it that people and governments are afraid of journalists? Journalists are here for the greater good of the community. They bring to light unfairness and corruption that can lead to the improvement of everyday lives. But it is for that very same reason— bringing light to unfairness and corruption— why journalists are viewed so negatively overseas. They bring downfall to a government’s power and personal wealth, they expose liars, and in Syria, Iraq and Russia they expose hideous war crimes that those regimes commit against their citizens. If my future occupation can be that influential, to the point where some people would rather have me dead than do my job, then yes, sign me up.
Andrew Eversden
Corona tightens up security New security cameras installed across campus
Andrew Eversden | Managing Editor Campus safety measures underwent a major overhaul at the data it would receive with the newly-installed system. beginning of this school year with the implementation of a new “Because there are so many of them, it allows us to see all over security system. The new security system includes brand new campus,” Gallagher said. “We can only be in one place at one time.” security cameras along with more fencing and gates to keep the There are two big areas of concern regarding campus safety, campus safe. Brown said. People getting on and off campus freely and the lack of “As technology improves year after year, we have to keep up with supervision that students have at lunch. With these cameras, the it,” Principal Brent Brown said. administration has better “coverage” of the student population. Around 80 new security cameras were installed around campus, “They (the students) are grouped together (at lunch) with less both outside the building and in school hallways. The biggest supervision than they have in the classroom,” Brown said. “We have difference in these cameras is cameras that do a good job at the higher quality footage. This center of campus and cafeteria area.” helps the administration to Fencing is the second aspect to better identify people involved in new campus security. New fencing will incidents across campus. be going up by both parking lots in “Typically we are going hopes of stopping people from driving to have different stories, so it onto campus. This new fencing will confirms what occurs for us,” have “pedestrian gates” that allow Corona resource officer Amy students to walk behind the school, Gallagher said. “It’s nice that but will not be wide enough for cars to we can go back and review get through. something.” “We are trying to prevent anyone The system is not monitored from being able to drive onto our continuously by a person campus during the school day,” Brown throughout the day, but the said. “We don’t want anyone getting cameras record all day allowing behind the school.” for the administration to refer The money for these new This security camera overlooks the Rural parking lot. These cameras to their footage as needed. These allow the adminstration to better monitor student activity. additions to campus security comes cameras are found across campus, from a $75 million bond that was lining the walkways and perimeter of the school. passed by taxpayers in November 2012. Money in this bond was also “They’re pretty much everywhere,” Brown said. “We have a pretty designated toward maintenance and energy-conservation at all the good view of all the square footage throughout the whole campus.” Tempe Union high schools. Installation of these new cameras only took a few days in the “If there is new technology out there that gives us a better middle of August, with a total of 80 being installed. The school’s system, we’re all for it,” Brown said. “(This is) something we need on a computer server also was upgraded in order to handle all the new continuous basis.” s
New cameras line the perimeter of the school, along with the halls around campus. In total, 80 cameras were installed. Photos by Courtney Baldenegro
October 2014 | 3
Aztec Achievements 18 seniors compete for National Merit Scholarship Juliana Edwards | Staff Writer Out of the 47 students in Tempe Union High School District that qualified, Corona del Sol had 18 seniors competing for the 60th Annual National Merit Scholarship awards offered next spring. TUHSD has more semifinalists than any other school district in the state. “I took the SAT this past January and to apply for the Merit Scholarship, I just had to mention that I would like to be considered,” finalist Laura Belmont said. “I had to be in the top 99 percentile in the
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2014 Finalists
Makenna Autrey Jinoh Lee Laura Belmont Joanne Lee Jena Chalmers Eric Lin Michelle Chiang John Patterson Rebecca Ericson Kayleigh Porritt Brett Erspamer Atreya Tadepalli Nicole Holly Marina Tian Niharika Jain Max Yang Alexander Jing Angela Zhang
state when I took the PSAT.” A merit scholarship is awarded to those who have a phenomenal academic record throughout high school, demonstrate leadership abilities, participate in community activities as well as school activities, are recommended by the school principal, write an essay and earn superb SAT scores that confirms the student’s previous performance on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. s
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Early finals for seniors Early finals provide more time to determine graduation status Hailey Myers | Staff Writer Seniors are having mixed emotions about the plan for early senior finals in the spring. Administration has been toying with the idea since last year but this year it is officially going into effect. All students will be on a special schedule allowing for extending periods for testing on Thursday and Friday, although seniors will be the only ones taking finals. Seniors will still be required to come back on campus Monday through Wednesday before graduation to complete scheduled senior activities such as returning books, cleaning out lockers, and graduation practice. “We don’t like telling kids the day of graduation or the day before that they didn’t make it,” Principal Brent Brown said. “We think that this probably isn’t the best way to do it. It’s not fair; it’s what we’ve done, but we think this is a better way of
dealing with it and giving it a little more leeway time especially for the families.” With that being said, the question that arises is what do teachers and students do if they have or are in mixed classes such as a pre-calculus or foreign language or even an elective class? “That class continues,” Brown said. The seniors will take the final early and the rest of the class at the normal time. “I plan on giving my students the option as seniors to take it either of the days,” math teacher Pat Reed said. Teachers seem to be struggling with the desires of administration. “I would rather give all the student finals the same time as I have all levels of students in my classes,” health teacher Scott Mason said. With teachers now needing to adapt
Photo Illustration by Carson Pyatt
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to this, the students also have mixed emotions, especially because seniors’ schedules can vary dramatically from student to student. Senior Shaye Busse is in all AP classes with one honors class and is a spring season athlete. “With AP tests, you have to study earlier for both AP tests and finals, so it makes it more difficult because the test will be around the same time,” Busse said. “You would have to study for finals during the AP tests and I don’t think that is ideal. Being an in-season athlete is something I have always had to work with. I will just have to work with it and study whenever I can.” Diego Parra, a student in DECA and track athlete, seems to agree with Busse in some ways. “I need more time to study and if they are early, then I don’t like it,” Parra said. “Track will for sure get in the way. I already have a hard time balancing between school and sports as it is and DECA will not help because it keeps me just as busy as if I had a full schedule.” Senior Cassie Marino, who has a full schedule, has a completely different opinion. “I like how we are having early finals because were able to kind of have that last week of rest and also so we can kind of just get it out of the way,” Marino said. East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT) student and senior Maddie Heywood agrees. “I think it’s cool that we can finish early so we can focus on graduation instead of finals and be stressing about it,” Heywood said. “I will probably have to take some time off from EVIT and focus on graduation and finals but overall I am happy about it.” s
Reviving the Garden Anita Daryanani | Staff Writer Behind Corona exists an exotic, lush, thriving atmosphere, also known as the school garden. Being nearly lifeless and barren in the past, two Corona clubs this year, Corona Grows and Ecology (Eco) Club, share one common goal: to revive it. “The purpose of the garden is to make [it] possible for the entire student population to experience a connection with the earth, whether it be by gardening, or doing class experiments,” Eduarda Schroder a parent volunteer said. Schroder has been running Corona Grows with chemistry teacher Charlene Johnson, the club’s sponsor. Corona Grows has been maintaining the garden recently, having built picnic tables and planted various flowers and vegetables. Its members are currently in the process of cleaning the greenhouse as well, in order to make it more useful to the garden. To repair it, the club plans on fundraising throughout the year. Another club involved with the garden is Eco Club, with senior president Madi Margolis. “Eco Club was created to promote sustainability and raise environmental awareness around school, contributing to a greener community,” Margolis said. “We want to make Corona a more eco-friendly campus, while showing the
importance of local farming and having a smaller carbon footprint.” A new club this school year, Eco Club has an abundance of goals for the garden. One of the major projects the club is focusing on is creating and harvesting a “Mini Farm” in the future. Margolis hopes that with this project, an organic farmers’ market concept will arise in autumn, with the proceeds furthering other environmental ventures. The club hopes to replace the current soil with fresh, organic soil in which seasonal vegetables will be planted. Composting will also be a major aspect of the club as well as facilitating the school’s recycle system. Outside of campus, Eco Club plans on taking part in community projects, such as maintaining local landscaping. Both of these clubs are blooming with fresh ideas and are planting a seed to a better garden. Anyone interested in either club can stop by Corona Grows in E098 after school every Thursday. However, when the weather cools down, the meetings will take place in the garden. Eco Club meets every other Tuesday in E088 after school. “The garden is a place where everyone is welcome to participate and enjoy the outdoors,” Schroder said. s
(From left to right) Junior Tanner Kujawa, seniors Madi Margolis, Tara Margolis, Shannon O’Brien and Biology teacher Courtney Battista of the Eco Club, take care of the greenhouse. Photo by Anita Daryanani
October 2014 | 7
French vs. Spanish
Français
When considering learning a foreign language, many people overlook French. Living in Arizona, it may seem as though learning Spanish would be the most useful language to know. However, there many benefits from learning French that truly makes it a great idea to consider. Learning a new language may not come naturally to everyone. As with learning any new language, French requires a decent amount of work to be able to comprehend and speak the language fluently. Many English words are derived from words in the French language, which makes them easy to remember. A good example of this is the phrase ‘déjà vu’. In English, we recognize that this means a feeling like you’ve experienced something before. This is because in French, “déjà vu’” means “already seen.” French is also just a fun language to learn. It is very entertaining to hear yourself speak with a French accent and learn the differences in pronunciation between English and French. One of the best things about taking French in high school is that it is not a language that is commonly spoken in the United States. This gives you ample opportunity to show off your unique French-speaking skills and impress friends and family. It is also a good idea to learn French if you have an interest in traveling. There are 39 French speaking countries around the globe. In the countries that are classified as French speaking, French is either the native language, or it is the language that is regularly used. These countries range from France to Canada, even all the way to Haiti and Algeria. One of the most interesting things about learning French
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Brenna Bochenek | Life & Times Editor is getting to study the Francophone culture. You can take your knowledge of the French culture and apply it to American life. I enjoy listening to French music and trying French foods that I’ve been learning about in class. For instance, I was introduced to a French pastry called a palmier during French class, it is similar to a croissant but it is heart-shaped and coated in sugar. It has easily become one of my favorite treats. Having a knowledge of the French language can also be useful in school. In English class, it is often easy to connect French words to words that are derived from French and use that knowledge to remember the definition. A good example of this is the word overt, which means “open to view or knowledge.” The French word ouvre means “open,” which makes it easy to connect the two definitions and remember your vocabulary. It is also helpful to be able to connect French to literature. If you’re reading Les Miserables or A Tale of Two Cities you can use French to make inferences and connections to the text. Take Les Miserables for example, the title “the miserable ones.” You can use this knowledge to predict that the story will have to do with a large amount of suffering. Even though French might not be the most obvious choice for learning a foreign language in Arizona, it is still a great avenue that I think people should pursue. If you let it, French can be your ticket to exploring new lands and trying new things that you never would have imagined otherwise.s
French has more cognates with English and it helps you learn more about the English language.
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RFrench teacher Randall Nissly Photo by Maria Martin
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Español “
With the way the the population in the United States is changing, it’s going to be a huge part of our culture in the next 15 years.
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RSpanish teacher Ben Maxfield Carson Pyatt | Online Editor-in-Chief Look at the following words: hola, adios, por favor, gracias. Do you know what those mean? I’m assuming 90 percent of you do because those are some of the most commonly known Spanish words. Spanish, second to English, is the most prominently spoken language in the United States and particularly in the area we live in. Spanish is an incredible language for many different reasons. The best thing about Spanish is that it gives people an opportunity to communicate with a larger community of people. Yes, any language does this, but Spanish is great to know in Arizona because it is so commonly used. As our state shares a border with a Spanish-speaking country, knowing the language can help a person immensely. Arizona is culturally diverse and a large number of people here speak Spanish. For this reason, learning Spanish is something worth considering. Many jobs here often pay bilingual employees more than those who speak only one language. Many people who live here speak primarily Spanish, so knowing at least a rudimentary concept of the language is helpful in many different situations, such as asking for help or wanting to buy something. Spanish is used frequently in Arizona and you never know when you’re going to need it -- learning it will prepare you for when you do. Another great thing about the Spanish language is that it is relatively easy to learn. Sure, learning a language is not a walk in the park for many people, but Spanish is one of the easiest languages to learn. I find it enjoyable to learn, as I know that I will be using it in real life. The alphabet is similar to the English
alphabet, making many of the words easy to remember and pronounce. There are numerous Spanish words that are practically the same in English, such as delicious and delicioso. Languages in general are difficult to master but Spanish is overall one of the simplest languages to pick up. My favorite thing about learning Spanish is learning about the culture that comes with it. The Spanish culture is so interesting and full of incredible holidays, rituals, beliefs, and cities. The culture of Spanish speaking people is so diverse; people in Spain do certain things completely differently than people in Mexico, such as pronouncing different words or celebrating different holidays. Holidays in Spanish- speaking countries are fun and fascinating. OK, we Americans “celebrate” Cinco de Mayo, but do most people know why? Not really. Holidays offer rich food and fantastic music. My guilty pleasure is Spanish music. That sounds lame, but Spanish music is so catchy and fun to sing along to- if you Photo by Maria Martin don’t believe me, go listen to La Camisa Negra by Juanes. All languages have numerous redeeming qualities and I do not think that Spanish is better or more important than any other language. Each language is unique and holds its own importance in today’s world. However, I do believe that Spanish is important to know and understand, and not only because it is so common in Arizona. It is important because Spanish language and culture offers incredible history and diversity, and learning it can turn you into a worldlier individual. s
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5 fun festivities for fall Kasey Ruthardt | Staff Writer Fall in Arizona is the time of year where you can enjoy fun, outdoor activities with the whole family. Sometimes though, it’s hard to make a decision on what exciting event to attend. You might not even know about all the activities we have here in Arizona. During your spare time while you’re just sitting at home trying to decide what to do, you can consult this list of great fall activites. You might even be able to complete all five over the course of the fall.
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Mother Nature’s Farm is a pumpkin patch located in Gilbert. The farm had a wide variety of pumpkins to meet fall demands. Photos By Courtney Baldenegro
Now through Nov. 2, the Arizona State Fair will be here. The State Fair is a great mix of rides, food, games and live entertainment from many bands. This year you can expect to see Justin Moore, Sublime with Rome, Darius Rucker, Weezer, Wiz Khalifa, Fifth Harmony, Colbie Caillat, Josh Turner and many more performers. The fair entrances are located at 19th Av. and Monte Vista, 19th Av. and Encanto , 20th Av. and Encanto (discounted parking). State Fair tckets range from $5 to $10. The fair is closed on Mondays and tuesdays so it is a good idea to check the fair’s website to see the hours on the day you plan to go. Grab your friends and family and have a great time enjoying the many things the fair has to offer this fall. If you’re looking to put a little fear into your fall, you should check out the many different haunted houses featured in Phoenix this October. One is the 13th Floor which has two parts to it. The first part is surviving to the 13th floor of the building. If you are brave enough to make it through, the next part is a Zombieland haunted house. If you want to combine the spirit of Halloween and mini-golf, then you could visit Golfland Fright Nights. They have a maze called “The Gauntlet Haunted House” that is said to be pretty terrifying. This attraction runs now through Nov. 2. Prices range from $24.99 to $28.99 depending on the day you go.
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One of the fun and entertaining things you can do this fall is visit Rawhide Western Town and Steakhouse. Around the time of Halloween, the miniature western theme park turns into a ghoulish town full of fun activities for the whole family to enjoy. There are small productions put on for children that include little monsters and even a headless horseman who rides around on his horse. The steakhouse at Rawhide would also make an ideal place for an easy, cute date night. Rawhide is open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and prices vary depending on what attractions you would like to experience. During the summer, if you want to enjoy a nice hike up South Mountain you have to wake up at 5 in the morning to beat the heat. In the fall however, the temperature starts to cool off enough to where you can hike anytime during the day. It’s the perfect opportunity to get some fresh air and exercise. San Juan Road is an entrance to the mountain, but on the fourth Sunday of every month they have Silent Sunday so that road is closed. It’s also free and is something you can do with friends or family. One of the best-known symbols for fall is the pumpkin. People love going out and picking pumpkins in big pumpkin patches with family and then going home and carving them. Phoenix has many different pumpkin patches you can visit and most of them also have hayrides that you can enjoy. For MacDonald’s Ranch which is located in Scottsdale, the prices are $10 per person.
Ways to have a spooktacular Halloween Lily Corona | Staff Writer It's fall again, and we all know what that means. It's the season of pumpkin-everything and cavities of all sizes. Although everyone knows that Halloween is renowned for its free candy, many high school students believe that they're too old for trick or treating. Despite old traditions, there are still things teenagers can do to have fun on Halloween. A fun idea would be to throw a Halloween party. Lay out some spooky snacks and turn up some music while you do the monster mash. Socialize with people and ask about their costumes. Are they homemade? Who has the best one? Have a costume contest. Host a movie marathon. Invite your closest friends over and watch some of your favorite horror movies. If horror isn't your style, aim for comedies taking place at Halloween time, like Hocus Pocus. Lay down with a bowl of candy and let the fun begin. A few fun pranks never hurt anyone, especially on Halloween. Have a prank war. Gather up some friends or family, divide yourselves into pairs, and set up some ground rules. The pair of pranksters to get the most scares before midnight wins everyone's Halloween candy. Hand out candy at home. It might seem a little plain, but you get to check out kids’ costumes. Discuss which costumes work and which ones don't. Plus, there aren't many things in this world that are better than seeing a kid's face when they get free candy. Dress up and scare the neighborhood kids. Experiment with makeup and nail polish and lay on the ground and pretend to be dead. Reach out for kids ankles as they walk up to get some candy. Dress in as dark of clothes as y0u'd like. Halloween is a night to express yourself in an entirely opposite way of everyday life. Do something fun with ideas you're normally too scared to try. There is no reason whatsoever that anyone should be bored this Halloween. Being a high school student, there's only a few more years before you're a full-fledged adult, so enjoy being a kid while you can. s
Halloween decorations on sale at Mother Nature’s Farm in Gilbert. Photo By Courtney Baldenegro
October 2014 | 11
Channeling Creativity
YouTube used as outlet for expression, hobbies Tanner Kujawa | Staff Writer In 2005, three PayPal employees, Jawed Karim, Chad Hurley and Steve Chen, beta tested the early versions of YouTube. Within a year and a half, YouTube was thrust into the spotlight. In 2006, the search engine giant, Google, purchased YouTube for $1.65 billion. It soon became a very popular new site that Heffernan and Tanquary pose with their beauty supplies. Both of the allowed users to upload YouTubers feature makeup tutorials among other videos on their and share videos they channels. Photo by Courtney Baldenegro created on the Internet to millions of other people. Today, YouTube is the No. 1 video sharing site in the world, and it has a lot of positive social impact on society. “YouTubers,” or people who share videos on the site, can be put into various categories. They can be anything from daily vloggers, people who document their day-to-day life, to gamers, to advice bloggers; pretty much anything goes on YouTube. Through YouTube, people can express themselves in ways that Brenna Bochenek | Life and Times Editor were not possible a decade ago. To help reinforce the topics we learned about in Senior Catherine Heffernan and history, the student teacher in my history class last junior Mackenzie Tanquary both use year showed us CrashCourse history videos. These YouTube as an outlet of expression videos are made by the quick-witted John Green, on their beauty vlog channels. whose funny and sarcastic approach to history Heffernan started her channel makes learning fun. Green uses cool animation over three years ago, during her and funny jokes to make quick videos that give freshman year. Now, she has almost you a basic overview of an important person or 20,000 subscribers and about 2.5 event in history. My class used CrashCourse videos million total views on her makeup to learn about the French Revolution, The Atlantic and beauty channel. Slave trade, and many more key historical events. I thought it was a great way to be entertained while learning important information.
I Use YouTube for...
Learning
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“It’s definitely a weird feeling to have videos of yourself on the Internet just talking about makeup and hair and having people actually watch them and like them,” Heffernan said. YouTube is a hobby of hers that she enjoys working on in her free time. Also, YouTube is helping Heffernan plan for the future through money that she makes on the ads at the beginning of her videos. “I make videos because they can be helpful to people and they are really fun to make,” Heffernan said. “Plus, it is currently helping me save up for college.” YouTube has allowed Heffernan to connect with other people and her subscribers through the Internet, and she has created many lasting relationships. “I would say it (YouTube) has had a very positive impact on my life because of all the love I receive from my online friends,” Heffernan said. Tanquary has had a similar experience in her time as a “YouTuber.” With more than 3,200 subscribers and about 221,000 total views, Tanquary gets to connect with a lot of people with her videos. She partnered with StyleHaul, the largest original video destination for fashion, beauty and lifestyle content, in April of 2013. “My channel really proves to me that hard work pays off. It’s so crazy to think that so many people have watched something that I created,” Tanquary said. Also being a beauty vlogger,
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R Mackenzie Tanquary
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(YouTube) has had a very positive impact on my life.
I Use YouTube for...
Music
story continued from page 12 Tanquary makes beauty and fashion content, along with some lifestyle videos. She tries to upload at least once a week to keep her content fresh and her subscribers interested. “I make videos because it’s really fun to be in front of the camera,” Tanquary said. “I love makeup and fashion and sharing my tips and tricks with other people.” Along with Heffernan, Tanquary has made many friends through YouTube. Also, as well as being a YouTuber, Tanquary loves to watch other people’s videos. “Through YouTube, I have made so many online friends,” Tanquary said. “I also watch other channels to get tips for my own life and I really like that side of it. Without starting my own YouTube channel, I probably would have never gotten so into watching other people’s content.” YouTube, a playground of expression, allows millions, including Corona students, to share their videos to the public. For most, it is an outlet that many people don’t get to have. Whether you’re watching a video or you’re the one behind the camera, the site allows people to immerse themselves in what they love. YouTube has wonderfully affected society by creating welcoming online communities in which people can feel free to express themselves openly. “YouTube has definitely changed my life for the better,” Tanquary said. s
I Use YouTube for... Kajal Dave | Copy Editor
Homework
It’s happened to everyone. A student gets home, takes out his or her notebook and math textbook and then forgets all the material that was covered. Occasionally, the textbook can help. But when it comes to more complicated concepts, it hinders more than helps. Parents aren’t a great resource either because most don’t exactly remember theorems. In the past, a student would be doomed but now we have YouTube. Math is not what comes mind when YouTube is brought up, but there are plenty of channels that teach lessons. Yourteachermathhelp is exactly what it sounds like. Teachers stand in front of a whiteboard and teach math lessons. Another valuable resource is TED Talks. Short educational lectures that range
from experiments with semi-intelligent slime mold to linguistics. But TED Talks also help students gain a deeper understanding of math concepts and how they are applied. Khan Academy got its start on YouTube, and now has its own website. It’s the most popular resource for math videos. “They are very thorough,” junior Jeeyoon Kim said. “They don’t assume you know something and they go through each step.” YouTube is full of videos that can teach without being unbearably boring. Engaging teachers, graphics and the ability to go over the same example more than once helps students learn at a pace that suits them. Nothing can replace an actual teacher, but YouTube videos are valuable learning aids.
Nikki Hinshaw | News Editor YouTube has allowed major figures in music as well as students at Corona to express their creativity and create awareness of their talents. Juniors Savannah Johnston and Jacob Quintana, or JDEF, as he is called when rapping, are two musicians who have utilized YouTube as a platform to share their music and grow in their field. “I use YouTube as a way to reach millions of people easily,” Johnston said. “It’s such a greater platform for any kind of personal expression and I happen to use it to post videos with music content.” Johnston and Quintana have used YouTube for multiple years to post videos of them singing and rapping individually, as well as feature their collaborations as artists. “I’ve benefited from using YouTube mostly in finding these other artists that are looking for collaborations,” Quintana said. “There’s a large presence of amateur producers and other artists who like to work with people they met or saw online.” Johnston has also recently introduced YouTube as an outlet to showcase her band, ViceVersa. “The band I’m in has an account and utilizes YouTube for posting music videos from gigs and I have my own account for music as well,” Johnston said. Well-known musicians such as Justin Bieber and Cody Simpson were initially scouted due to YouTube videos exploiting their talents, proving that YouTube can be a positive source for expression within music and can lead to success.
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Ahead of the game Junior Austin Hornbaker will graduate in 2015 with an associate’s degree Zein Sy | Clubs Editor Graduating in your junior year is an impressive accomplishment. “This semester I have marching band in the morning, classes at Graduating in your junior year with two years of college complete Corona, then attending Physics 2 at Chandler-Gilbert Community is even more so. Corona students are able to receive an AGEC-A College in the afternoon,” Hornbaker said. Certificate if they complete 35 specific credits that range from Hornbaker has also participated as a mentor for Minitown, Advanced Composition a middle school to Honors Advanced camp that promotes Biology. acceptance and This year Corona teamwork in the field. junior Austin Hornbaker However, is it will be graduating with worthwhile to devote the class of 2015 with his your time toward this AGEC-A Certificate and achievement? his Associate degree in “The AGEC Science. Certificate is certainly According to a program students Hornbaker, planning for should explore.” this achievement wasn’t guidance counselor much of an issue. Angela Carter “When I heard about said. “It’s not for the AGEC program, it everyone however, sounded like something and students should I could do,” Hornbaker fully investigate said. “The great thing whether their chosen (about the program) is major would benefit that most of the classes from receiving this are offered at Corona, certificate. With the it just comes down to cost of attending a choosing the specific university rising every classes it requires.” year, this is a way to try In addition to and effectively lower the AGEC classes, the overall cost of attendance of a public receiving a degree.” speaking class and But how does Photo Illustration by Callie Waite and Patrick Dietz it feel to be leaving completion of 60 college credits will allow Corona after only three students to graduate high school with an Associates Degree—the years? equivalent of attending two years of college. “Graduating early is bittersweet,” Hornbaker said. “ I’ll miss a year “The hardest class I had to take would probably be AP Calculus,” of hanging out with my friends that I’ve known since middle school, Hornbaker said. “Any class is doable, but success depends on your leading the track team and being section leader for the drum line; level of commitment.” but I’ll make new friends and join the college track team and drum While attending these classes Hornbaker also remains active in corps instead, right now I’m just crossing my fingers and hoping it extracurricular activities and attends community college courses. pays off later.” s
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1 game, 5 views FOOTBALL PLAYER Johnny Waddell | Sports Editor Thoughts running through my head; how am I going to do? Is my line ready? How am I going to handle this huge defensive tackle? What do we have to do to win? Butterflies in my stomach and I can’t think straight. Walk in the locker room, put on my headphones and drown out everything but my pre-game playlist. I lay my pads, jersey, and shoes down to make the outline of a body, a habit I developed my sophomore year. Same routine every single Friday, put my clothes on the same, right sock first then left, pads, leggings, always that order. Walk out to the field hand in hand with sophomore Matt Fick every time. Click clack, click clack go the cleats on the cement walking out to Hascall Henshaw Stadium. “We ready” by Archie Eversole starts blaring through the speakers as we walk into the stadium and I lead my line into the team room as the skill position players go out onto the field to warm up. Head down arms in my lap, drowning in my thoughts, sweating because I am so nervous. Out to the field, hear the fans screming, get on the sideline, watch my captains at the coin flip, always greet them on the 50 yard line, chest
Players, fans, photographers, student aids, band members. Five Sunrise staff members provide their perspectives from different angles of a football game.
bumps and high fives. Game starts, my hearts jumping out of my chest, I black out, I can never remember anything about the games except the final score. s
Senior Johnny Waddell (52) snaps the ball to the quarterback. He is the starting center on this year’s football team. Photo by Maria Martin
BAND MEMBER Josh Staples | Staff Writer
I walk into the percussion room, sticks of themselves. With each stand tune and in one hand, water bottle in the other. My cadence I play I enjoy myself, but I can’t help shirt has the vibrant colors of the man and but feel nervous about performing the show woman dancing the that I’ve rehearsed for tango. I pick up my countless hours. Before carrier and sling it over I even know it, it’s my body; my drum is not halftime. Showtime. I slow to come. Walking put on my super suit and out to the field, I, as well get myself in the zone. as the rest of the drum As Band Director, line, am prepping for the David Duplessis always performance to come. says, “When you’re in During warm ups, my uniform, you’re a better mind goes blank. There version of yourself.” is no football field, there Warm-ups behind is no student section, the bleachers only there isn’t even a football seconds before the game. Right now it’s only show are invigorating me, my drum, the music and then calming. I’m playing and all my We begin the march fellow musicians doing around the track that the same. will leave us on the As we sit down Sophomore Josh Staples plays the drums visitors side of the field, during the halftime production of a preparing to march on in the stands there is football game. Staples has been a part of to perform. As I walk laughter, dancing and the drumline since his freshman year. onto the field, I see pretty much the usual band making fools out Photo by Maria Martin the crowded stands of
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yellow, orange and white and I completely forget that majority of them are here to see a football game being played, and that we are just halftime entertainment. Because for me, this is my game. And when we perform at competitions, we play to win. Five...six...five six seven eight and it begins. With every note I play, every step I take, I see my fellow classmates and musicians around me doing the same. I hear the bass drums behind me, I see the colorful flags waving around me and I feel so grateful to be part of something so much bigger than myself, and that I get to experience that feeling with 180 of my peers. Suddenly, the show is over. Sweat is dripping down all our faces and the combined sound of deep breathing throughout the entire band could be a note within itself. The fight song is played and we return to the stands, playing more stand tunes and cadences, just with less enthusiasm. I set my drum back up in the stands, inhale whatever is remaining in my water bottle, and then fully come to the realization that there is indeed a football game being played. s
STUDENT AID Hailey Myers | Staff Writer
As I arrive at Corona, my heart is racing and my mind is running pack of bottles and say a little prayer for the players. As I’m watching the game I’m looking for the points of impact, the way the boys are a million miles an hour. The questions such as “Are all the water tackled to the ground, and the way and speed of how they get off the coolers filled? Which athletes need taping, stretching, or any other ground. I’m listening for people calling my name for water or for a help? Why is Mason (the head trainer) yelling?” fill my head as I walk trainer and I’m ready to run anywhere necessary. When a player goes into the chaotic training room, set my stuff down and get ready to down on the field and is unable to come off, I’m first to react and do whatever needs to be done. I hear, “Hailey get over here. We need run out to the field with Mason closely by my side. I’m replaying the help taping” as I run over to the taping counter and see the team play in my head and thinking of the first focusing in on the game they are about questions to ask when I get out to the to pour their hearts into. I’m there for player. I’m there to comfort the player one reason and one reason only, it’s to and let them know they are going to be do everything in my power to help my okay, while also helping Mason. Once team play to the best of their ability. As the team lines up and walks out handthe player leaves the field, Mason and in-hand, I help grab all the last-minute I assess the injury and find the fastest, necessities and my kit and I’m out the safest fix to get the player back on the door on the cart heading down to the field. stadium. When I arrive in the stadium, This continues throughout the entire music is blaring and the team is on the game. No time for day dreaming, my focus must be on the field at all times field warming up. I race over to help fill with my ears open for anyone who may bottles and set up the medical table. need me. My job is to be the team’s The stands fill up, the boys are getting Senior Hailey Myers attends to a player during a football support and care no matter who they are. excited and I am not slow to follow. game. Student aids are expected to help injured athletes We as student aids are part of the team. The game starts and I go to my We win together and we lose together. s assigned place on the field with my six- druing their sports seasons. Photo by Maria Martin
SPECTATOR
Kasey Ruthardt | Staff Writer
People go to the Corona games for many different reasons. My reason is to watch my team win from the stands. At the beginning of the game everyone in the crowd is pumped up and ready to see the team reach a victory. No one can sit down or stand still as we’re listening to the national anthem and yelling our pregame chants. Finally, it’s time for kick off and everyone stands up in his or her seats watching as the ball flies through the air. The crowd goes wild with excitement. Halfway through the game, even if our team is down and people are getting antsy, everyone stays hopeful. Seniors lead us through a halftime ritual and we get pumped again. It all boils down to the last 11 minutes of the game when the nail-biting starts. All questions about the outcome of the game go unanswered until the clock runs out. Another game of the season completed. Then everyone gets up and leaves, congratulating the boys on playing a good game. s
The student section gathers for this year’s Homecoming game. The theme of the Homecoming game is always an orange-out. Photo by Maria Martin
PHOTOGRAPHER Maria Martin | Staff Photographer The Friday football game is an event the majority of the school attends. Whether it’s to socialize, cheer on a player, play in the band or take photos. I was there to take photos for the CdS newspaper. I have to get there early trying to avoid the crowds of people and instead of waiting in line to go up to the bleachers I walk straight to the fence and flash my press pass to the waiting security guard. As I get to the edge of the field line I grab my camera and fix the settings. I snap a couple of photos to make sure my settings are just right. Then the fun begins. I have to follow the ball, which means
I have to walk back and forth behind the players trying to hurry to the other side and making sure I am out of the way. When I look through the camera it feels like everything is in slow-motion. I always take photos of the crowd; it so cool to see all the orange and their faces when they cheer. Towards the end of the game is when I get the best photos, especially if the game is tied. I can never get enough photos; my favorites are when you can see the players faces. The best photos, however, are when we score touchdowns and we are celebrating. s
October 2014 | 17
Football team embraces student manager
Katelyn Stys | Online Managing Editor
Corona’s football team is comprised of more than 50 hard working athletes and one student, Alex Shamah, who just wants to be “one of the guys.” Shamah is a senior who has always loved football. This season, he has the opportunity to be a part of something huge and stand on the sidelines at each game. As the team manager, Shamah is able to hang out alongside the fellow players daily and loves to encourage them. Shamah, who has Down Syndrome, has deemed many of the players on the team his friends this year. “I love football,” Shamah said. “I love my buddies.” Shamah hands out water to the boys and also loves to repeat everything Coach Cory Nenaber says, just to make sure the other boys hear it. Nenaber is Shamah’s hero and he looks up to him greatly. “Before this year there was great apprehension from other head coaches to even let him be on the side lines with the team,” Shamah’s mother, Lisa Shamah said. “Coach Nenaber knows that to change the life of many you often have to start with just the life of one. I hope others will learn from his outstanding example.” The players and coaches alike love Alex as they include them and genuinely love having him as a part of their team. “I love the fact that Alex is a part of the football program,” Nenaber said. “He is a tremendous Aztec and loves to support and be
a part of our football program.” Alex’s favorite thing about being a part of this year’s team is that his fellow teammates treat him just like anybody else. Although there may be some limitations, he loves football just like they do and he wants to be a part of Corona in any way that he can. “These young men have such heart and soul that often when I see them scoop him into the circle, I cry,” Lisa Shamah said. “He just wants to be a part of something bigger than himself.” Alex wears a number 99 jersey he was given by the team. He wears it to all of the games when he stands alongside the boys. s
(Top right) Alex Shamah poses for a picture at the Corona-Brophy football game; (Left) Shamah stands with senior Haley Langille as she puts her arm around him; (bottom right) Shamah walks on to the field with the Corona players before the game. Photos by Maria Martin
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October 2014 | 19
Girl on the Gridiron
Hailey Myers | Staff Writer
S
enior Haley Langille is the only girl to be on Corona’s varsity football team in years. She is a year-round athlete and a dedicated one at that. Langille’s desire to play football starts back to her close relationship with her brother. “My brother (Brennan) got me into football because he knew I could play and said why not play on the high school team,” Langille said. “When I got out there, I liked it and just kept playing.” Langille started playing football her freshman year and has played every year since except her junior year. “I didn’t play junior year because I was playing club softball and was trying really hard to focus on softball,” Langille said. “But when I injured my shoulder, I realized softball was just too much, so I didn’t do club this year. Then this year since I wasn’t playing club softball I just decided I was going to play football because it was my senior year.” Being the only girl in a male-dominated sport can have its challenges. “It has its pros and cons,” Langille said. “I like it because you can tell that the guys look out for me, but there are times where I kind of feel like an outsider because I don’t want to necessarily talk about what all the guys are talking about. But I love all those guys like my brothers.” Langille said she has only noticed a small difference in how she is treated by players and coaches. “There are differences, of course, like people just seem to look out for me,” she said. “I mean I still get (hit) and they still go hard on me, but especially with the coaches, they always make sure that I feel important. Make sure that I know that I am cared about and on the team like everyone else.” Offensive line coach Sean Thornton said it’s critical to teamwork that no player be treated differently. “As part of the football team everybody has to be treated the same,” Thornton said. “I think one of the best things about her is that she understands that and she wouldn’t want it any other way. She wouldn’t want any special treatment.”
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“
As part of the football team, everybody has to be treated the same. I think one of the best things about her is that she understands that and she wouldn’t want it any other way.
“
Senior Haley Langille tackles gender conventions by playing varsity football
R Coach Sean Thornton
Senior Matt Asta holds the ball for Langille to kick in a game against Dobson High School. Langille has been the team’s kicker since the Aztecs played Skyline. Photo by Max Butler.
“She is a phenomenal athlete, she really is a great athlete. Her football
IQ is very high and hopefully we can get her on the scoreboard and have her kick a couple extra points this week. RCoach Cory Nenaber
”
story continued from page 20 The football team goes to camp every summer before the season for four days to bond and start working toward becoming a great family. “I had fun at camp,” Haley said. “I really got to see my friendships with the guys that were already there just becoming stronger because I was always with them and hanging out with them in the gym. The only time I wasn’t around them was at night. And I think it just gave people a chance to see me as my own person without my brother.” Camp gave Langille the opportunity to earn the respect of the team outside of the shadow of her brother. “I think just her heart and her dedication to being the best athlete that she can be is really commendable for her,” Thornton said. “I mean you watch her and she just works really, really hard to be the best that she can and she doesn’t just settle to be part of the team. She is really trying to make sure she gets out on the field and does anything she can to get out there.” Langille is a year round athlete but she doesn’t let that scare her out of playing football. “I’m being looked at by basketball by junior colleges,” Langille said. “I choose to play football because it gets me in shape for basketball season and I go in there with a more aggressive mentality more of a ‘let’s get it’ done kind of mindset than I would if I wasn’t playing football. I just love it and I didn’t get hurt for two years so I figured it’s my senior year so I might as well just play and enjoy myself.” Head coach Cory Nenaber thinks highly of Langille and doesn’t treat her any differently than the boys. “She is a phenomenal athlete,” Nenaber said. “She really is a great athlete. Her football IQ is very high and hopefully we can get her on the scoreboard and have her kick a couple extra points Senior Haley Langille takes a break during practice. Langille is the starting kicker on the varsity team. Photo by Maria Martin this week. I’m just proud of her she’s hung in there and done everything we’ve asked her to and I’m proud of her.” s
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Taylor talks “Odd Couple”
Drama teacher Nick Taylor explains the unique casting process for Corona’s next play Anita Daryanari and Tanner Kujawa Q: What is “The Odd Couple” about? A: “We’re doing two versions of “The Odd Couple.” We’re doing the male version that Neil Simon wrote in the 1960s, and then we’re doing the female version that he wrote 20 years later. The premise of both versions is the same. The lead character is kicked out by either their husband or wife, depending on which one (version), because they are so obnoxious, and that person is an anal-retentive neat freak. Their best friend agrees to take them in and let them live with them, but their best friend happens to be world’s biggest slob. It’s all about what happens as they attempt to live together. It just kind of follows their adventure.” Q: How does doing both a male and female cast differ from previous Corona productions? A: “This is the first time that we are doing a show that has two different casts. The script is essentially the same (in both versions), but why Neil Simon re-wrote the script in the ‘80s is because female actresses were complaining that there weren’t enough
great roles for women. The women always have roles as just a love interest or the secretary or the waitress. So Neil Simon re-wrote this play specifically for women to have large roles. It’s the first time that we are doing something like that back-to-back, where we are seeing both casts. The students will have an opportunity not only to see a really funny play, but also to really understand the social commentary of the importance of getting roles for women in theater. It’s really important for us to have our female students really have strong female roles.” Q: Does having two separate casts prove to be more difficult than having just one? What do you hope comes out of this show? A: “I think that anytime we do something different it’s going to have its own set of challenges, but on the whole, we’re really looking at it as a benefit. It gives the two different casts the opportunity to really watch each other and learn from each other. Even though it provides some additional challenges, it will be a net benefit making both casts stronger.” s
Bonfire to support charity Nikki Hinshaw | News Editor On Oct. 30, Corona will hold its annual bonfire from 6-9 pm, which is expected to house an abundance of new attractions with the goal of supporting charity. The Bonfire precedes the last football game of the regular season and is accompanied by spirit week. “We generally are there to have fun, raise spirit and this year we are collecting cans for charity,” Student Council sponsor Ben Forbes said. To achieve this goal, the entry fee will be either 10 cans or 10 dollars. All of the proceeds will go to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a nonprofit organization that helps feed, clothe and house
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people around Arizona. With a donation, students can take advantage of the various booths, rides and the warmth provided by the large bonfire that will be lit. “(It will be) about the same as last year, but more,” Forbes said. “(It will have) fun bouncy rides and slides and a dunk tank; things like that.” Some rides to expect include a bungee run, hamster balls, an obstacle course and a mechanical bull. Besides the attractions, clubs and organizations across campus will set up booths selling food or products to raise money for their club. s
Last in Line
Sophomore Erica Ronda last of three Corona sisters to dominate Aztec volleyball Johnny Waddell | Sports Editor Sophomores playing a big role on varsity sports in high school are usually a hard thing to come by. Erica Ronda is a sophomore on the Corona del Sol varsity girls volleyball team. She was also on the varsity team as a freshman. Ronda is the last in line of her family to play volleyball at the varsity level for Corona, with her two older sisters coming before her. “It’s really nice and helpful,” Ronda said. “I love being able to get advice from any of them, I grew up around it and learned to love it very quickly. I remember when I was younger I used to always copy the hitting motion one of my sisters would do and that helped me learn the mechanics quickly.” Coming from a family that has had two older siblings play a sport at a high level, the youngest of the family is usually the best and most experienced of the group. “I don’t feel any pressure to be better than them because I started a lot earlier than my sisters,” Ronda said. “We are totally different players, so it’s hard to even compare us.” Ronda has been playing the sport since she was 10 years old, after she finally convinced her parents to let her try out for a club team. She has now been playing club volleyball for four years, and last year was
an outside hitter for Club One’s 16-1’s team (first team 16 year olds) last year. “I’ve been around volleyball for as long as I can remember,” Ronda said. “I used to go to all of my sisters’ club tournaments and high school games, but a lot of the time I would just pass to myself outside of the gym rather than actually watch the game.” After watching her sisters play the sport, Ronda fell in love with the game. “After going to all their sporting events, I really wanted to start playing myself,” Ronda said. “I nagged at my parents about playing club for a while and when I was 10 they allowed me to try out, so I have been playing club since about 2010.” When she was younger, Ronda always carried around a volleyball, constantly ready for a game to break out. “I loved that no matter where we went for family vacation, I could always carry a volleyball with me,” Ronda said. “I had a whole team of people ready to play with Ronda serves the ball in a match versus Hamilton. me at a moments notice.” The Aztecs lost, 3-0. photo by maria martin When asked about Ronda, senior teammate Allyson Seall spoke highly of the down,” MacMurtrie said. “She’s always sophomore outside hitter. looking to get better, even as a sophomore, “She’s a great all-around athlete with she shows tremendous leadership on the a strong work ethic and she brings great court.” energy to the court,” Ronda is a passionate volleyball player Seall said. and is known by her teammates as a big Senior team player. teammate Amanda “I love everything about volleyball, it’s MacMurtrie also such a fun and competitive sport and it’s said great things so addicting,” Ronda said. “I love the team about Ronda. mentality. Volleyball requires so many “She’s always different skills and is very dynamic. My team working really hard goal for the season is for us to make it into and to the best of the state tournament, and play as well as we her ability and she can as a team.” s never brings anyone Ronda watches the ball and prepares to hit it. She has been playing volleyball since she was 10 years old. photo by maria martin
October 2014 | 23
Peat commits to UCLA Andrew Eversden | Managing Editor
Senior football standout Cassius Peat announced via his twitter page Oct. 13 that he verbally committed to play at University of California-Los Angeles next year. Peat, who had offers from some of the top football programs in the country, said UCLA is just a great fit for him. “We (Peat and his family) felt very comfortable with the surrounding area,” Peat said. “(UCLA) also has great coaches there and I really like the head coach (Jim Mora).” Before committing to UCLA, Peat’s top schools were Texas A&M, Michigan State, Arizona State, Oklahoma and Oregon. Peat visited all these schools but after visiting UCLA the last weekend of fall break, none of the schools could compete with what UCLA had to offer. “I wanted to go somewhere where I was comfortable with the setting, coaches, campus and players,” Peat said. “I felt like UCLA had all those things.”
Cassius follows a long line of Peats who have had success in high school and gone on to play in college. Peat’s father played for the Oakland Raiders and Arizona Cardinals, his oldest brother Todd Peat played at Nebraska before transferring to junior college and his brother Andrus Peat is a Stanford offensive lineman who is projected to be a top-10 pick in next year’s NFL draft. Cassius Peat hopes to live up to the success of his brothers and father while he attends UCLA. “There’s definitely expectations, but I don’t feel pressure,” Peat said. “I just go out, play and good things happen.” With football excellence running in his family, Peat has lofty goals for himself on the college level. “I want to be an All-American,” Peat said. “Hopefully, I’ll make it to the next level.” Not only does Peat excel on the football field, he also has had lots of success on the basketball One of the court. During his aspects Peat liked basketball career most about the at Corona, he has university was its won three state location in Los championships. If Angeles. The city the team four-peats has a lot to offer him this season, he will when he isn’t in class be only the second or on the football player ever in largefield. school high school “You can’t really basketball to win beat the location. four state titles. The There’s so much first was former stuff to do in L.A.,” Duke star and Peat said. “Lakers’ current Milwaukee games, Dodgers’ Bucks forward Jabari games, go to the Parker. beach, you can “It’s definitely literally do anything an honor,” Peat said. you want.” Peat talks with a coach during a varsity football game. He chose UCLA over some of the country’s other “I said my freshman On Oct. 8, after top programs. Photo by Maria Martin year I wanted to do touring the UCLA that and I’m on pace facilities, Peat had to do it.” dinner with the UCLA coaching staff and starting quarterback Brett Peat has been playing basketball since he was 3 years old and Hundley, a Chandler High graduate. However, Peat said this meeting started playing organized football his freshman year. Although he wasn’t what convinced him to go to UCLA. has been playing basketball much longer than football, he believes “I wanted to commit Sunday (before the dinner) after I did all his best opportunity for success lies on the football field. the touring with my parents,” Peat said. “(The dinner) was kind of the “I think it will be better for me long term,” Peat said. “I think I can cherry on top.” go farther with football than basketball.” Peat is going to UCLA as an outside linebacker and has been Although Peat is attending on scholarship for football, he labeled a four-star recruit by 247sports. This season Peat has four recognizes the importance of getting an education, especially at a sacks and 39 tackles at outside linebacker. In UCLA’s 3-4 defense, Peat school like a prestigious school like UCLA. believes he will excel. “I want to get my degree, that’s number one,” Peat said. “You can’t “I felt like that scheme fit me the best,” Peat said. “If I want to play beat a UCLA education. I want to do that first and foremost.” s at the next level, I feel like (that defense) is best for my position.”
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