Sunrise Newspaper by Corona del Sol Sunrise

Wednesday, August 2011 Vol. 34 No. 1 Corona del Sol High School Tempe, AZ Visit online at: cdssunrise.com

SUNRISE

newspaper

THE YEAR OF CHANGE

New season, new coach AUDREY WHEELESS Sports Editor

A new team, led by a new coach, is about to hit the ďŹ eld and is ready to make a mark. Coach Tom Joseph and the Aztecs are hoping to improve upon their previous 1-10 record and have come to the ďŹ eld with a hunger for the championship.

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2 • Mini-Mag

August 2011 • CdS Sunrise

Introducing Corona’s newest teachers • Kiel Warren: English

JACQUI MARZOCCA Managaing Editor

• Megan Knight: Art

Q – Why do you teach fine arts? A – It is my passion. I fell in love with the arts at a young age, but my high school teacher really put a drive in me to share my passion with others. My goal in teaching is to show my students this same passion. They do not have to be amazing artists but to have an understanding of the arts.

Q – Where did you teach at before coming to Corona del Sol? A – McClintock High School Q – What do you like best about Corona so far? A – The kids are great – really fun. The first week has gone by really well.

• Emily Falkner: English

• Thomas Joseph: P.E. Q – How many years have you been teaching? A – I’ve been teaching for 30 years. Q – What is one thing most students don’t know about you? A – The thing most people don’t know about me is that I love to cook.

Q - Why do you like to teach? A - I love working with kids and its always something that is changing. You can always find ways to be a better teacher so it never seems boring and you get to meet so many people every year.

• Jennifer Lopez: Spanish

• Thomas Bogle: Business

Q – What do you like best about Corona so far? A – I like the students. They are super respectful and fun. I’m having a good time. Q – Why do you like to teach? A - I just have a love for Spanish and I want to share that love. TEACHER PHOTOS BY SIERRA CRESPIN

New attendance, grading program debuts at CdS STEPHANIE DAYTON Opinions Editor

A new grading and attendance system is one of the many changes at Corona del Sol this year. This summer the Tempe Union High School District (TUHSD) purchased this new system to help with maintaining student information, grades and schedule information. The district did a test over the past few years to decide which system is better: Genesis or Easy Grade Pro. It was decided that Easy Grade Pro was out-dated with its limited ability, while the Genesis system is flexible and modifiable. “This new system is

supposed to be user friendly for one student here they will be able everybody,” Principal Brent Brown to view all of the children’s grades said. without having to go to multiple TUHSD wasn’t the first to get pages to find the link to their grades. this system. The Kyrene District “It’s like one stop shopping for and has already been working with parents, they can find everything this system for a few years and they need right there,” Social parents of students there love the Studies teacher Darren Ridge said. system. “I have kids whose middle school used the system and I love it. It’s so easy and everything is right there for you,” Social Studies teacher Leah Fleming said. Once the system is up and running perfectly, teachers can start LUKE FRAMPTON inputting grades. This system will be Darren Ridge using the new Genesis available to parents and students at system. He really likes using the proCorona. If parents have more than gram.

Q – What college did you attend? A – I got my undergraduate and graduate degrees at Arizona State University. Q – What do you like best about Corona so far? A - Right now the thing I like best is the energy of the students; they are excited to be here.

Ellen Hopkins to visit Corona ASADA NJUGUNA Life & Times Editor

Mark your calendars Aztecs: best selling author Ellen Hopkins will be visiting Corona. She is best known for her first book Crank (2004), as well as Burned (2006), Glass (2007) and Impulse (2008). On Sept. 27 she will be in Lecture Hall B during fourth and fifth periods. “We are very lucky to have her coming because she’s one of the top-selling writers in teen fiction,” teacher-librarian Brandy Walker said. Twenty-five copies of Hopkins’ new book Perfect will be on sale at a discount in the library starting Sept. 13. She will also be signing any of her books for free.

New meal options in cafeteria spark feedback “There isn’t enough peach tea,” sophomore Kayla Baker said. “Even though I have fourth lunch, by the time I get there, it’s always gone. I With enormous class sizes, a different grading system and a new really miss the fountain sodas too.” Other students, in spite of the recent adaptations, find the different principal, it is undeniable that Corona del Sol has undergone a vast menu options quite easy to swallow. number of changes since last year. But perhaps the greatest change of all, “I really like the fries because they’re not as greasy as last year,” a change that will affect the minds, bodies and bellies of Corona students, sophomore Cashawn Brown said. “They’re so good.” is the new cafeteria menu. Although the opinions are as diverse as the foods they describe, Chavez “We have a lot more variety this year,” Cafeteria Head Smitty Chavez maintains that the new menu is a great improvement. said. “We now have two more combo meals for students to choose from. “The prices this year are much lower than last year. The prices are The meals offer healthier options such as raisins and more fiber.” awesome for what we give them,” Chavez said. “I agree 100 percent that While the administration embraces the new menu, the deciding factor in its success depends on whether these changes are something Corona this menu is easier, offers more choices and is better for the health of Corona students than before.” students can stomach. JOSH AMBRE Copy Editor

Mini-Mag • 3

August 2011 • CdS Sunrise

football games hAVE NEW uniform Student Council gave each home game a theme to promote school spirit in stands

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1 2 3

In numerical order: Lilly Berkley, Sierra Crespin, Grady Douglas, Jacqui Marzocca, Principal Brent Brown. Photos by Patrick Buck

4 5

AUDREY WHEELESS Sports Editor

We’re kicking off the season in camouflage! Sport your camo outfits, eye black or anything representing the military. Turn warm Friday nights into a beach party! Wear goggles, tank tops, appropriately covered swimsuits, swim trunks and anything that reminds you of the beach! Show the Desert Vista Thunder who’s boss by getting your toga on! Represent Greek mythology in “Zeus Attire” (the God of thunder) and get ready to rain on DV! At this game, Corona will host it’s own epic Twilight battle. Show up in vampire attire as we take on the Wolves. Set the tone by wearing fake blood, capes, vampire teeth and anything red or black. The last home game is the Homecoming game, and it’s going to be an orange out. Face paint, Corona gear and school spirit are encouraged.

Joseph brings new energy to football team AUDREY WHEELESS Sports Editor

Corona del Sol has seen all kinds of football in its past years. Ending the 2010 season with a season record of 1-10 and a new coach after 23 years, it is fair to say the Aztecs faced many challenges in 2010. Coach Zamenski will not continue to coach this upcoming season, leaving the team with a new coach for the second year in a row and more change. However, change often comes with opportunity. As the saying goes, “when one door closes, another door opens.” In this case, that door is Tom Joseph. Joseph is the new varsity head coach for the 2011 season. Though, this is not to suggest this is his first time at the rodeo. He has been coaching football for 30 years. Prior to coaching at Corona, he coached at Mesa Mountain View for nine years, and before that, at Marcos de Niza for six years. Joseph has a very well known reputation among players and those involved in the high school football community for being a great coach with a hard work ethic, which has produced many successful teams in the past. Despite Joseph’s distinguished past, students have had quite the roller coaster ride of football seasons

in the past few years. With both successful and challenging seasons, it’s hard to say where the team really stands. Some students may find themselves questioning what should be expected for the season, and if it will be any different than last season. “Students should be excited because we have a team that will play hard for four quarters and bring excitement to the field,” Joseph said. “We’re trying to win football games and we’re trying to win state and if I’m not trying to do that then I don’t know why I’m here.” Particular players that will hopefully bring the Aztecs the state championship are senior linemen Andres Peat and Avery Moss, running backs senior Dominic Mercurio and junior James Contes, and senior linebackers Zack Hamm and Josh Riedell. Both Hamm and Mercurio have spent three years in their varsity jersey and have gone through three different coaches: Venturo, Zamenski, and now Joseph. All three have very different coaching techniques. Some of these have proved to be more effective than others, which leaves coach Joseph in the hot seat to see where this season will take them. “The new coaching strategy is a lot harder than

any other coaches we’ve ever had and way more disciplined,” Mercurio said. “We actually work out in the weight room and there’s no more conditioning at the end of practice; the whole practice is conditioning.” There seems to be a very different vibe for the upcoming season and with this, big changes. “I know what I like to do and I want to teach these young men great work ethic and a sense of pride. They should be proud to be an Aztec and that’ll make them work hard,” Joseph said. Hamm agrees with the new methods Coach Joseph has used on the team. “I think it’s going to be a lot better than last season. I’m going in with high hopes and the coaches have high expectations for us. We’re not the same team we were last year and we’re going to have a better season,” Hamm said. Joseph predicts that Basha, the team’s first game, will be the hardest game because the Aztecs will have to be mentally and physically ready. “Football sets the tone for the entire school year,” Joseph said. “The year goes as football goes, which is great.”

4 • Mini-Mag

The Sunrise ...with principal Brent Brown

August 2011 • CdS Sunrise

This is the start of a new feature, and every issue there will be a different interesting person on campus dishing out answers to our seven questions. PRELSIE HIRSCH Editor-in-Chief

know people would think I’m pretty crazy if I told you this, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say I’m into the Bachelor and Bachelorette.

Q: Why did you decide to switch to Corona? A: Because Corona is a fantastic school. I think another reason was I was ready to become a principal, I had been an assistant principal for eight years (at Marcos de Niza.) Corona was my first choice of any one that opened. I applied and, fortunately I got it. Q: Do you have any big plans for Corona? A: Oh, I have big plans. My focus is going to be on school improvement and academic achievement. It won’t be solved this year, but we can put a dent in it, and a big dent in it next year. Q: What

Q: What do you do in your free time? A: Before I became a principal, because I have no free time now, I was into landscaping quite a bit. I can build anything from the ground up. I’m a Boise State Bronco fan; that’s how I got into that and that’s where I got my teaching certificate. I’m really into bike racing; I don’t do it, but I love to watch it. Q: Where did you go to high school? A: I grew up, well, my wife and I grew up in a little town Ontario, Oregon, right outside of Boise, Idaho. We grew up in the same neighborhood and were born in the same month. We kind of grew up together; at 14 both of our families moved in the same month. And then five years later, our families moved back to the same area, and we met.

is something your students

probably don’t know about you?

A: Oh, if they only knew me (laughing.) I think they think, “Oh, he’s pretty serious, he’s pretty dry,” I’m not that. I have a different personality; I think if they could see that they would think I’m pretty funny. Q: What’s your favorite TV show? A: I don’t watch TV, I’m into weird programs. People would be surprised I occasionally watch the UFC, or Tour de France and I love college football. You

PATRICK BUCK PATRICK BUCK

Q: How did you get into teaching? A: When I went to college, people are going to think this is pretty funny, but I was going to be a weatherman. I studied meteorology for a couple of years, and my uncle who is a weatherman talked me out of it because he said, “You know you won’t have a job when you get out of college.” So I took his advice, and I decided to pursue something else, I had taken Spanish all along, so I made it my major and decided to go into the FBI. Didn’t really workout; they only take the top 1 percent of recruits, and I was in the top 2 percent. So I went back for a year to Boise State and got my teaching certificate and became a teacher. Looking back it just all works out for a reason.

New key system promotes safety on campus TAYLOR BEESE Staff Writer

During the summer some changes have occurred at Corona, one of the most prominent being that the entire school has a new security system. “The district is putting all schools on a new security system that includes re-keying the whole building,” Principal Brent Brown said. “It’s an effort to prevent theft of public assets and tax payer money.” Over the past few years, Corona has had a problem

with theft and the new system will stop unauthorized persons from gaining access to the building. Last year, expensive computer equipment was stolen from the campus by a student. “In case of a threat or a lockdown, the card scanners will prevent people from getting in,” Brown said. Along with every door in and around the building, there is an addition of an identification card with a small microchip in it.

“I like the card because it tracks who has been in and out of the building,” psychology teacher Joseph Maisel said. The faculty will use their identification swipe card to get into the building and their key to get into classrooms during school hours. “I think it’s a great way to stop things from disappearing out of this library as well as the vandalism that has been going on,” librarian Gail Finney said.

A Letter from the Editor

Dear students and staff, Welcome eager new freshmen, proud seniors, optimistic new teachers and everyone in between to a brand new school year! My name is Preslie Hirsch, the editor-in-chief of the Sunrise. I’m looking forward to this school year for a variety of reasons. As a senior, I am so excited to live this year to the fullest with my friends, have all the privileges (and responsibilities) that come with growing up, and figuring out what direction I will go in after I, and my classmates, depart from the campus we’ve come to appreciate in the past four years. During my high school newspaper career, the paper has done a lot of different things, and this coming year we’re changing it up a little, again. In addition to a completely redesigned front page and new enthusiastic staff, each issue we are striving to provide you with hard news, interesting stories, captivating photos, features you love and ones you haven’t seen before, and of course all the sports and

athletes you’re craving to know about. I’m proud to say we’re now on a consistent circulation, and finding more ways to get you all the news. The last Wednesday of each month our publication will be delivered to your classrooms. To see all the news in between that time, I encourage you to check out our website! Our staff is always

updating our internet publication: www.cdssunrise. com, containing all the newspaper content, as well as breaking news and features that don’t run in the paper. You can also vote in our poll, watch video stories and get every sports score. And, we would appreciate your emails to staff@cdssunrise.com with your suggestions for the paper or website. In the midst of starting a new school year, the Sunrise staff decided to put this together, what we call a “mini-mag,” a four-page publication of things we thought the readers deserved to know before our first full issue coming out in late September. I hope you enjoy you the little snapshot of the 2011-2012 Sunrise, and we look forward to producing the future issues for your enjoyment. We hope everyone is off to a great, and cool school year! Sincerely,

Preslie Hirsch and the Sunrise staff