CC Spin, 2015

–Page 9

Is a dress code a necessity or nuisance?

–Page 7

2016 elections spark student interest –Page 2

NEWS

viewpoint

ATHLETICS

Water polo needs support to thrive

NEWS

Nov 2015

Students discover a new way to get around campus –Page 5

CC Spin Nov 2015

Volume 9 Issue 1

News & Views From Contra Costa County High Schools

Peter Pan Foundation inspires talent Student grades on the

rise, jobs on the decline

By EMMA SKOW Clayton Valley Charter High School

NEVERLAND IN CONTRA COSTA Leslie Noel, center, and cast members, including sophomore Amelie Beresford-Wood from Acalanes, left, celebrate after a show in the 2015 Wish Upon a Star production. Photo from Amelie Beresford-Wood, Acalanes High School. See story, page 3.

San Ramon Valley district planning for a growing student population

By INGRID LAM California High School

By the way populations are shooting up everywhere, it is no wonder that the threat of potential overcrowding is now hitting close to home, as Cal High looks to exceed 3,200 students within five years.

The San Ramon Valley Unified School District projects that California High School, which currently has 2,671 students will exceed the 3,000 student mark by 2019, while Dougherty Valley High, which has 2,879 students, will have more than 3,000 students by next year, as per a presentation given at a school board meeting.

Within five years, California High School will be approximately 500 students over our current carrying capacity, while Dougherty Valley will gain approximately 1,000 students, 700 over its current carrying capacity.

Exceeding capacities by such large amounts will leave the schools unequipped to handle all of the students.

To deal with the projected enrollment, California High may have to add as many as 18 new classrooms before 2021, and Dougherty may have to add as many as 24 new classrooms. Although no decisions have been made yet, the construction of new classrooms at California High could start as early as this summer, with the addition of as many as 18 portables behind the main building on the basketball courts. At Dougherty, two classrooms have already been added.

Paloma Maiorano, a sophomore at California High, said, “If Cal High is going to go over 3,000 students, it needs to make some major changes to the system. It doesn’t seem ready to take in so many students - we already don’t have a lot of space. My group of friends

and I sit on the dirty cement during lunch because there aren’t enough tables.”

The district report estimates that a little more than $15 million will be needed to accommodate the new students throughout the district. A projected $2.85 million will be needed to fund the addition of classrooms at Cal alone. But the projected/potential revenues and funding amounts to an estimated at $12 million, leaving a sizable gap of approximately $3 million, according to a district report.

“In the past, the state has provided funding for districts, but that option has ‘dried up,’ for school districts, and the problem here is finding long term funding for a school district as it relates to its property,” said Elizabeth Graswich, director of communications & community relations.

It is not yet known how they will resolve the funding issues.

“The board asked staff to go back and get more information,” Graswich said.

“Dougherty Valley is really our area where we’re seeing the largest growth,” Graswich added. California is showing the second largest growth in the district, with Monte Vista a distant third, and San Ramon Valley fourth. Dougherty Valley is expected to max out at 3,832 students, California with 3,277 students, Monte Vista with 2,635, and San Ramon Valley with 2,061, by 2021.

The district is looking at a number of internal options and solutions to deal with enrollment peaks. Several potential options are: multi-track year-round schedules at Dougherty Valley, multiple/full lunch periods, and See OVERCROWDING

Page 4

Students at Clayton Valley Charter High School are seeing increased success in the classroom but not in the workplace.

The question becomes: Is it a lack of time, laziness, or stress?

Over the past 20-plus years, the number of students with jobs has significantly declined.

In the 1980s and ’90s a larger percentage of high school students had a job than today–whether it was mowing their neighbor’s lawn, working as a clerk at the grocery store, or scooping ice cream.

While it was typical to have a job during that time period, today most students are unemployed and only know a handful of peers who work.

Casey Cline, who graduated from Clayton Valley in 1990 said, “It was very common for students to have jobs while I was in high school.”

Fifteen years ago, 35 percent of students had jobs in high school, compared with today’s 16 percent.

When asked why they don’t have jobs, most students said they don’t have enough time with the pressure of grades and extracurricular activities needed to get into a good college.

Alyssa Dern, a freshman at Clayton Valley said, “Getting a job almost feels unrealistic because of the pressures of academics and sports.”

However, there are students who can do it all.

Andrew Cummings is a junior at Clayton Valley who maintains good grades, is in the school

marching band as well as three bands outside of school, and works 22 to 25 hours per week at a local Taco Bell.

Trying to do it all is a balancing act that can mean giving up some of your social life, and this is something many students are just not willing to do.

For those students who do have jobs, why do they make it a priority? Is it to buy a car? To pay for college? To help out around the house? Or is it just to save up some fun money?

The majority of students with jobs feel that it is a privilege and not a burden to be employed. They can earn and save money, which they value because of the hard work that was required. Jobs can make an impact in a teen’s life by showing them the value of a dollar, hard work, and how to save.

Now that most teens don’t have jobs, they run the risk of not knowing how to provide for themselves when finally granted independence. Unfortunately, most high schools don’t have classes that educate students on how to pay taxes, pay their bills, or manage their income. Many Clayton Valley students have found a happy medium in a summer job.

Summer employment gives them the experience and the money they need while not overcrowding schedules.

Sophomore Tyler Ellis worked as a lifeguard last summer and said it was great that he didn’t have to worry about falling behind in school while he worked: “It was nice that I didn’t have to worry about school with a summer job,” Ellis said.

Homework policy change has small effect on students

By FATIMA ALI Monte Vista High School

San Ramon Valley Unified School District has adopted a new homework policy, but it has had little to no effect for most of students at Monte Vista High School.

The district released its new homework policy this past summer, which aims to “develop a more effective system for communicating and implementing the policy,”according to the district website.

The school board announced its new policy on June 23.

In addition to adopting common core standards, the homework policy

aims to “limit the overall volume of homework” and “eliminate homework over breaks.”

Although the homework policy limits homework and weekly workload, it doesn’t apply to Advanced Placement or Honors’ courses.

Teachers have been trying to implement the new policy in their classes. However, some teachers find that it doesn’t affect their curriculum.

Stephen Brooks, freshman and sophomore English teacher, usually assigns a reasonable amount of homework, so the homework policy hasn’t changed his classwork much.

See HOMEWORK Page

2

Arizona university unleashes big guns on Acalanes

By MADDIE McDONAGH Acalanes High School

Over the summer, the refinishing of the Acalanes Big Gym floor was interrupted by a copyright infringement cease and desist letter from University of Arizona, asking Acalanes to change its block “A” logo because it appeared too similar to the University’s own logo.

Acalanes was scheduled to paint the block “A” logo in the center of the new gym floor on July 7, during the gym’s first renovation in 19 years. But due to the cease-and-desist letter issued in mid-June, Acalanes was forced to choose a new design for its logo.

Many in the Acalanes community felt that the cease-and-desist letter was unnecessary.

“I think that it was a little over the top.

We’re just a small high school. It’s not like we were trying to sell a ton of stuff with our logo.

It was just for school spirit,” sophomore Maggie Curless said.

Acalanes is not the only high school that has received cease-and-desist orders from University of Arizona regarding the block “A.” Jonathan Alder High School in Ohio and Appomattox County High School in Virginia both have been asked to change their similar block “A” logos as well.

“Acalanes Boosters thought the cease and desist was ridiculous. How did the University of Arizona even know that we were using a similar‘A’?”Acalanes Boosters President Robert McKendell said.

“This put the district, administration, and Boosters in a tough position," McKendell explained. "The District had a deadline that the gym floor renovation had to be completed by and they were not going to chance that date.”

Acalanes had to act quickly in order to try to comply with the cease-and-desist before the set date that the gym floor was to be painted.

On July 7, the contracted artist who painted the graphic on the outside of the large gym,

Kurt Godula, prepared two possible designs for the Acalanes Union High School District Board, Acalanes’ administration and Boosters to evaluate. The two alternative logos were relatively drastic changes from the original block A logo.

When McKendell shared them with parents and students, the two new designs garnered overwhelmingly negative reviews.

Due to the unenthusiastic feedback, Associate Superintendent Chris Learned, Principal Allison Silvestri, McKendell, and Godula held a conference to discuss some alternate designs to the two proposed ones.

“We all agreed that a slight modification of the existing block ‘A’ would be ideal. Just change the ‘A’ enough to satisfy the district attorney without shocking the students and parents of the Acalanes community,” McKendell said.

Godula promptly created the new block “A”and received much more positive feedback.

The new yet familiar Acalanes “A” was painted in the center of the Big Gym floor shortly after.

The total cost of the gym renovation was $45,000, including the new graphic on the outside of the gym and the floor refinishing.

The project was funded primarily by the Acalanes Parents Club, Acalanes Boosters and Acalanes itself. The graphic on the outside of the gym is scheduled to be modified to match the new gym floor A logo in the near future.

Acalanes students are responding well to the new gym floor design.

“I like how it’s still different but just a minor part of it is altered so it maintains its authenticity,” sophomore Lexi Fraser said.

News

2 November 2015

CC Spin

Class of 2016 anticipates presidential election

By TOMMY VO

Clayton Valley Charter High School

In next year’s presidential election, most students of the Class of 2016 will be able to cast their vote for president of the United States. As seniors they will soon receive the opportunity to participate in American democracy.

After they walk the stage at graduation, many new responsibilities will be placed upon them, including the responsibility of voting.

While currently not eligible to vote, they can take advantage of the time they have left to understand their responsibilities and

learn how to handle them.

The process of determining the next president has already begun. Popular names such Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are constantly mentioned in the media.

There is one candidate who is garnering growing support from students at Clayton Valley: Bernie Sanders.

Sanders, the Vermont Senator running for the Democratic nomination, is running neck-in-neck with Clinton in the first two primary states, New Hampshire and Iowa.

His platform is receiving the support of many progressives.

His campaign aims to address prevalent issues such as the corrupt influence

of money in politics, police brutality and the high cost of college tuition—issues that seem to be left unaddressed by other candidates. Many progressive Americans say they “Feel the Bern.”

Future voter and Clayton Valley senior Nastassia Coleman believes Sanders is the right candidate to represent American democracy.

“He deals with topics that are relevant to us students, like helping with tuition costs,” she said. “He is against political corruption, and he has been a long time fighter for civil rights. He even marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. He would do great things for this country.”

FUTURE VOTERS (from far left) Senior Nastassia Coleman reps her candidate of choice, Bernie Sanders.

Government teacher at Clayton Valley, Sayed Anwar, delivers lecture to aspiring future voter Pablo Hernandez in an early Monday morning class. Senior and future voter Malcolm Pratt, hopes to elect a candidate that represents his conservative values. Photos by Tommy Vo, Clayton Valley Charter High School.

On the other side of the spectrum, some students hope to find candidates that represent their own conservative values. Marco Rubio, the Florida senator running for the Republican nomination, is one candidate that is receiving some support from students.

“I am very excited for this upcoming election,” senior Malcolm Pratt said. “However, I don’t respect Donald Trump as the front runner of the Republican Party. He’s not the type of person who should lead this country. I’m more of a Marco Rubio kind of guy. I feel like he better represents the conservative values of the Republican Party.”

As future voters, students can now educate themselves on the current state of their country. They can still question what impact each candidate will have on their own future. Will they address the problem oftuition costs and other issues that are relevant to today’s youth?

Sayed Anwar, AP Government teacher at Clayton Valley, gives this advice to seniors in regard to the upcoming election: “They should make sure they do their homework, to make sure they do research on every candidate, and see what they’re going to do for the country. They should also see what they believe themselves.”

This academic year is the chance,for current high school seniors to become welleducated citizens capable of forming their own opinions.

Northgate debuts sports medicine facility on campus

By OLIVIA MORROW & ERIKA HALL Northgate High School

SONGBIRDS Clayton Valley Show Choir singers belt their hearts out in the ballad “Children Will Listen” at Washington, D.C. Heritage Festival. Photo by Maddie Simbirdi, Clayton Valley Charter High School

Choir wins second triple gold

By MADDIE SIMBIRDI Clayton Valley Charter High School

The Clayton Valley choirs are under pressure to keep bringing back the gold. Last spring, Clayton Valley’s three choirs performed at the Washington, D.C. Heritage Festival. Each choir earned the Gold Award, which is the highest and most prestigious award you can win.

Under the direction of Choir Director Elizabeth Emigh, Clayton Valley’s choirs face the task of living up to those high standards this year.

Seniors from the graduating class of 2015 left a gaping hole to fill this year. More than 20 seniors, four-year choir veterans, had to say their goodbyes to Mrs. Emigh and their fellow classmates. Show Choir and Women’s Ensemble suffered the most from the depletions. The third choir is the Concert Choir.

This year’s Choir president, senior Daniel Jones, shared his anticipation for this year, “I think every year losing our seniors is tough, but I think last year’s juniors are definitely going to fill into those big shoes.”

Vice President Angelina Harris explained that the graduation of last year’s council members has been difficult because of the loss of the seniors who took on leadership roles. “Once we all get situated and realize that we do have to take those roles now, I think it will work out for the best.”

In the first three weeks of school, the council was quite productive. They planned the choir’s first event

of the school year, the renowned Choir Luau. The event was a large success, attracting more than 100 listeners.

The Choir Council also helped to arrange Show Choir’s engagement to sing the national anthem at an A’s vs. Angels game. The council is composed of the student leaders who oversee all three choirs and plan for future events.

Choir President Jones has been working closely with Mrs. Emigh on his goal to add excitement and life to the choir. He hopes to “bring the choir together more as a cohesive family and succeed altogether as a choir.”

The Clayton Valley choirs will begin preparing repertoire for their annual national competition tour which will be held in Seattle this year.

The climax of the choir year is always the tour in the second semester. For some students, the three-day trip will be their first time visiting Seattle. For others, it will be their first time performing at a national competition.

For most students, this will be their first time doing both.

Freshman Katlyn Westburry states that choir tour is “the thing she is most looking forward to this year.”

Despite the excitement of going on tour, the pressure of getting triple gold remains. Many choir members insist they are confident the choirs can repeat their success this year. Mrs. Emigh looks at the pressure differently, explaining instead that “it’s more about the expectation that [her] groups do their absolute best.”

Schools wrestle with new homework policy From HOMEWORK Page

1

Prior to the new policy, Brooks said that he already used to give the 30-minute limit amount of homework each night.

He said he is uncertain about the weekend policy because he feels that if he doesn’t give as much homework during the weekdays he should be able to make up for it by giving homework on the weekend.

The new homework policy hasn’t affected a lot of students. Upperclassmen who are taking more Advanced Placement, or weighted classes, aren’t affected by the policy because it doesn’t apply to those classes.

However, they feel that even in their regular classes, they’re getting

the same amount of homework or sometimes even more than in their weighted classes.

“The two classes that I have that actually have to obey that rule, one of them doesn’t, plus I have more homework in that class, and the other one is fine,” senior Gwen Little said.

Monte Vista High School principal Dr. Kevin Ahern believes homework should be meaningful rather than for busy work.

“I think the most important thing that comes out of this is that dialogue–what is an appropriate amount of homework?” Ahern said.

“If it’s too loose, then anybody can do whatever, but if it’s too tight, then creativity will be stifled, so you have to hit between those two.”

Ahern emphasized that he wants student feedback, and that he wants to ensure students communicate with teachers effectively about their workload.

“The best thing would be to build a positive relationship with your teacher and talk about the homework assigned,” Ahern said.

MCT (c) 2015

Nestled alongside the aquatic center at Northgate High School, a new sports medicine building is home to 180 eager students who are learning to practice physical therapy.

Northgate sports medicine, a nationally acclaimed program, has been waiting for this facility for years. Before the building was built, sports med classes had to be held in a makeshift classroom in the cafeteria.

The sports medicine building is part of the $7 million aquatic center and sports complex at Northgate.

“The building makes (sports medicine) seem more professional,” said senior Scout Carlson, in her second year of the program. “We have a classroom and better equipment.

We’re also gaining more respect as a program, and it feels more official now that the building is here.”

Walking inside the building reveals a spacious double classroom.

One side of the room is dedicated to classroom learning, and the other side is for hands-on learning, with exam tables, ice machines, human skeletons, and physical therapy equipment.

One afternoon in September, students were busy working on various tape jobs. The first year students were diligently taping the second year student’s ankles and wrists. They were taping for turf toe, sprained ankles and injured wrists, explained Rachel D’Lima, who is a second-year student. She was preparing the water jugs and bottles for after-school sports as part of her assignment for the day.

D’Lima is pleased with the move from the cafeteria to a beautiful new facility.

“We have first-hand access to tape and tables,” D’Lima said. “The classroom is right next door to our actual working area, and it’s way bigger and more isolated. The other classroom was really distracting.”

Thousands of students have passed through Northgate’s sports medicine program. Riley Barnes, a 2014 Northgate graduate, is currently a sophomore at Northern Arizona University. Because of sports medicine, Barnes has found his passion in physical health and wellness, as well as biology.

“Sports medicine inspired me to go into a health profession, whereas before the course I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life,” Barnes said. As a (first year student), the course structure and content lit a fire that kick-started my passion for not only human health and wellness but got me interested in biology as an entire field.

“As a football trainer I got experience that has kept me three steps

“Sports medicine inspired me to go into a health profession, whereas before the course I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life,” Barnes said. ahead of all of my fellow peers in college,”Barnes said. “I am a sophomore at (Northern Arizona) as a biology major, and I plan to go on to med school to become either an orthopedic surgeon or a physiatrist, both of which work heavily with athletic populations and individual health and wellness. If I hadn’t taken the course I would have never found my passion and I would have never found the determination to maintain a 4.0 in college.”

Glenn Barker, teacher and head of the sports medicine program, has been teaching sports medicine at Northgate for 27 years. He owns and runs a physical therapy private practice in the mornings before going to Northgate. Besides teaching sports medicine at Northgate, he teaches at Diablo Valley College.

Sports medicine at Northgate is part of the Regional Occupation Program (ROP), and is supported by the Contra Costa County Office of Education.

Barker is ecstatic that he is finally able to teach in a room that gives his students more resources to learn.

“We are able to offer physical therapy for athletes,” said Barker.

“Students will be able to make appointments to get physical therapy, and it will be a great environment for all students.”

The room also features TV’s and oversized white boards for academic instruction.

Barker oversees the trainers, who work at almost every Northgate sports event played at Northgate or away.

The Northgate program is known nationally for its dedication to concussion evaluation and diagnosis. And in 2013, the program was awarded the National Safe Sports School Award, commemorated with a visit from now retired local Congressmen George Miller. Miller was the author of the Protecting Student Athletes from Concussions Act, which created guidelines on handling concussions in sports.

On the far side of the sports medicine room there are signed football jerseys. Barker wants to introduce new jerseys for every season.

During the fall, football jerseys will be displayed, and once the football season finishes, a new sport will be recognized. Every season, a different sport will be in the spotlight.

3

News

CC Spin

November 2015

McHale still strong despite spinal muscular atrophy

By CHRIS BORTOLON & MADDIE DAILEY Monte Vista High School

No illness can stop the kid in the speeding green wheelchair and his canine companion.

Monte Vista High School student Danny McHale was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy as a toddler when his parents noticed that their son was not reaching milestones typical of toddlers his age.

After some tests, a neurologist concluded that Danny was born with the hereditary condition, and that he would never be able to gain full function of his muscles. Doctors also projected that he had only three to six months to live.

Clearly, and fortunately, those doctors were very wrong. Several clinical trials have allowed Danny to keep rolling full steam ahead for the past 15 years.

Now a sophomore, McHale attends high school like any student. His favorite class is math and he loves attending Monte Vista football games decked out in spirit apparel.

Trotting by McHale's side throughout the day is Lake, a companion dog. Lake goes anywhere Danny goes and provides help whenever he can. Specially trained, Lake can do things like open doors and retrieve items.

Another aspect of McHale’s life is Lisa Limesand, his school day aide.

Lisa began her career in the district as a substitute teacher. After working with students with disabilities, she found that this was the right path for her to follow. While bouncing from school to school helping where she could, she came across McHale.

After filling in the open position with him for some time, her stay was no longer temporary as she immediately made a connection with the McHale family. Since McHale was in 7th grade, Lisa has helped him manage his school work throughout the day.

Danny has a large community that surrounds him, with friends providing him with support and good times as well.

Sophomore Sydney Parker has known McHale since 6th grade and has been active in working with him and his family for fundraising events.

“I usually volunteer at the annual home run derby, bake sales, and the concert for a cure,” Sydney said.

Others close friends of McHale have known him for longer. Sophomore Hannah Doris has played a major role in fundraising for Danny’s condition and in his life as a friend.

“Danny is really an inspiration because the whole time I’ve known him he has never

once complained about his condition,” Hannah said.

McHale’s spirit is not only felt by his fellow peers. His vitality extends into the local community and global family of people living with SMA. In 2001, his mother began a fundraising campaign known as “Concert for a Cure.”

What started as a small backyard event has grown into a major fundraiser held at the Diablo Country Club. All funds raised by this event and other fundraisers are donated to research to end SMA. Two of McHale’s friends have done the bulk of the fundraising for SMA: Doris and Brady Martin.

Hannah spoke of the $10,000 they have raised on their own. Brady also explained events they organize, including a home run derby, a car wash, and bake sales, contibute to the fundraising goals.

In addition to his mother’s organization and other acts of fundraising, McHale has also been the inspiration for and creator of a club at Monte Vista.

This club brings awareness and fundraising for SMA to the Monte Vista campus.

Like the “Concert for a Cure” events, the Cure SMA club strives to raise money for medical research through various fundraising activities.

DANNY McHALE watches from the sideline before the first Monte Vista home football game, ready to cheer on his team.

McHale was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy at a very young age but the disease has not slowed his enthusiasm for life. Photo by Chris Bortolon, Monte Vista High School.

A club to combat negative stereotypes of feminism STAFF REPORT Clayton Valley Charter High School

What do Beyoncé, Amy Poehler, and Aziz Anasri all have in common? They are feminists, of course!

With iconic celebrities advocating for feminism, many students at Clayton Valley have misconceptions about what it means to be a feminist. In order to raise awareness about feminism, the Feminist Club was created last winter by seniors Ana Camaddo, Celine Herrera, Maria Miranda, and Fatima Opeyany.

Feminism is the multi-disciplinary approach to the equality of gender, usually understood through social theories and activist protests.

Perhaps the most famous act of feminism is the Women’s Suffrage Act of 1920, when women in America were granted the right to vote. Feminism didn’t occur just in America, but it is a movement that has happened all over the world at different times. According to one of the club founders, Ana Camaddo, “Feminism is the belief that people are equal, regardless of their gender.”

It’s a simple and straightforward goal. However, many people think that feminism is about women dominating men through their accomplishments.

“People are confused with examples of extremist views and the idea that one feminist defines all feminists,” said Maria Miranda, a co-president of the club. Because of such confusion, feminism sometimes gets a negative reputation.

This year, the members of Feminist club look forward to raising awareness about feminism.

“I’m most excited about spreading the ideas of equality across my school,” said Fatima Opeyany. “As a senior, I find pride in the fact that I can make a positive difference in the lives of others. It makes me really happy to know I helped someone out there feel comfortable in their own skin.”

While feminism has had a heavy impact on the world at different times throughout history, the Feminist Club at Clayton Valley hopes to make a difference in changing how some in the school and the community cling to a negative stigma about it.

WE ARE NOT A STEREOTYPE: The Feminist Club at Clayton Valley Charter High School is pumped for a presentation led by president Fatima Opeyany and publicist Susan Nader. Staff photo, Clayton Valley Charter High School.

Peter Pan Foundation inspires talent, confidence shows a year, members also put on an “array of performances, including flash mobs, concerts, and small-stage productions at local venues,” according to the foundation’s website.

The foundation is a popular program among Acalanes High School students hoping to amplify their creativity and natural abilities.

Sophomore Amelie Beresford-Wood joined the foundation when she was 12 after being inspired by one of her own experiences.

“I started PPF because I [went] to go see Hairspray one summer,” Beresford-Wood said.

“I thought ‘This is really fun.’ I chose theater because I wanted to do something with my voice that wasn’t just singing in a chorus.”

Noel was involved with musical theater at a young age, but at 17 her promising Broadway career was jeopardized due to a nervous system disorder that paralyzed half her face and body. Noel uses her past life experiences to inspire her students.

“Having nearly died in a hospital, I know how those moments feel when you just don’t know if you can go on, but I also know the power of a smile; of a laugh; of a friend. I know the power of ‘yourself,’” Noel said in her biography on the foundation’s website.

However, her miraculous comeback, which would eventually lead to her becoming the opening singer for Franc D’Ambrosio’s Broadway tour at the Dean Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, was again riddled with tragedy. A beloved student and friend of hers, Steffen Ryge, for whom she’d written and based Wish Upon a Star on, was killed in a car accident just days after his outstanding opening performance in the show.

By SIERRA FANG-HORVATH

Acalanes High School

Lamorinda, it turns out, is a goldmine of musical and theatrical talent. The various forms of artistic engagement available to members of the Lamorinda community, including school plays, music lessons, and shows at the Lafayette Town Hall Theater, have all sparked a rich culture of performing arts in the community, and a local organization, the Peter Pan Foundation, has become an essential part.

For the past eight years, Lamorinda community members hoping to improve their musical and theatrical skills have joined the foundation, a local musical theater program based in Lafayette. Leslie Noel created the organization in 2007 with the hopes of helping children and adults enhance their creative side, while at the same time teaching important life lessons to future generations.

“The Peter Pan Foundation was founded to inspire people of all ages to find their inner talents and confidence. PPF seeks to help them to reach their personal potential and find the best versions of themselves, on and off the stage,” Noel said.

The program puts on three large performances each year, including the classic Wish Upon a Star, a combination of Disney’s most popular musical movies. This show, an original by Noel, is performed every Memorial Day weekend at the Diablo Valley College Performing Arts Center.

Since its founding, the foundation has had over 500 participants spanning multiple age groups. Besides performing three major

News on TV

% Great deal of confidence 44

36

36

31

32

27

26

18%

20 14

By LYNETTE COX

Clayton Valley Charter High School

46

38

‘94

‘96

‘98

‘00

Source: Gallup Graphic: Tribune News Service

Hospital of Oakland.

Some of the best moments for the foundation’s participants have come out of the philanthropic work they are involved with through the program. The foundation’s annual Children’s Hospital of Oakland Show, or C.H.O. Show, allows the actors, singers and dancers to dress up in costume and perform for the children at the hospital. “[At] last year’s C.H.O. Show [there] was this little girl just recovering from cancer, and she had my wand from my Sleeping Beauty costume,” Beresford-Wood said. “She just sat in my lap for 20 minutes and played with me.

She was so adorable.”

The foundation also provide the opportunity for participants to form bonds with new people with whom they share mutual interests.

“There’s this whole family aspect, and everybody is so close,” Beresford-Wood said.

“It’s like a second family, and you have all your best friends there.”

Noel’s foundation has had a ripple effect on the Lamorinda community and beyond, and the foundation continues to spread its themes of acceptance, positivity, and confidence.

“The Peter Pan Foundation was created to help everyone find that power and strength within themselves, to teach them to use it for good, and to inspire them to make a difference,” Noel said in her biography. “Everyone, from patient to doctor, from those in need to those who give… everyone has a little Peter Pan inside; a child who never truly grew up, but who has the power to teach the world to fly.”

A different kind of social club thrives

A poll asks the public how much confidence they have in television news 50%

Noel then turned down an opportunity to pursue her career on Broadway and created the Peter Pan Foundation, inspired by Ryge, her original Peter Pan. With more than15 years of experience in teaching, performing, and charitable work, Noel continues to inspire her students to be their greatest selves and to continually improve their character and skills. Noel has set an example for many of her students in both their personal lives as well as in their theatrical careers.

“Leslie is more of a friend to a lot of people than she is a director,” Beresford-Wood said.

“She’s my inspiration; she’s what I want to be like when I grow up.”

The success and acclaim of the nonprofit program and its founder have been recognized by multiple organizations, including the Jefferson Awards Programs, which honored Noel with one of its annual service awards in 2013.

“The truth is, if the Peter Pan Foundation has made a positive impact on even one person, inspired, entertained, healed, or helped even one person… then we have already won,”Noel said after winning the prestigious award for community service.

The foundation’s participants can attest to the influence it has had on their paths to gaining self-awareness.

“PPF has made me realize more of who I am.

It helps you discover yourself, and I think it’s like that for a lot of people,” said Beresford-Wood.

The organization also exposes community members to local charitable causes. The foundation donates all of its proceeds from performances and contributions to the Children’s

‘02

‘04

‘06

‘08

‘10

‘12

‘14

There are a lot of social clubs on the Clayton Valley Charter High School campus, and Tea Club is one of them.

The club was created in 2012 and officially established in 2014. However not many people know about it. It is run by co-presidents Kyle Kortes and Shannon Grill, both juniors, who inherited the club from Niko Avalos, who graduated last year.

When their club meets students watch movies,

play games, socialize, and more–all over a cup of tea.

“It’s a great break from school,” said President Kyle Kortes, “It takes some stress off. We drink tea, watch movies, enjoy each others’ company, and we play games and whatnot.

"It is basically a place away from school. It’s like your own family living room.”

In the end, it’s up to the student to decide whether or not a club is for them. Students who have a passion for tea, love to meet new people, or simply want to try out a new place to hang out at lunch, can check out the Tea Club.

News

4 November 2015

CC Spin

College apps create stress for students, teachers

By BANA TWAL

APP TIME! Overwhelmed with school and work an anonymous student is unorganized with work spread out all over the desk trying to figure out where to start, with a Starbucks at hand to stay awake. Photo by Emma Skow, Clayton Valley High School.

Clayton Valley Charter High School

’Tis the season for applications, SAT’s, and essays. All around the country, seniors and teachers too are feeling the pressure of college applications.

While many seniors agree junior year was stressful, it all boils down to senior year.

It doesn’t help that it is now harder than ever before to get into colleges. Many students view getting into college as the ultimate definition of success.

According to the school website, Clayton Valley students earn a 94 percent college admissions rate. But high admissions rates don’t eliminate the high stress that many students all over campus are feeling.

Senior Issy Pearson says college is definitely stressing her out.

“My biggest stressor is about my test scores, I’m worrying they’re not as good as they could be and if they will be good enough to get me into college.” says Pearson, who has taken the ACT twice and the SAT once so far.

Maureen Allan, an English teacher at Clayton Valley, says college applications are stressful for teachers too.

“Some teachers write 25 to 30 letters of recommendation a year, but we also like doing them,” she adds. In the past, Allan said she had

students apply to only one school, which was a bad idea. She highly recommends having two or three safety schools.

Amongst all this stress, there are ways to slow down and de-stress. Organization and being aware of due dates can make an incredible difference when trying to calm down before college.

Pearson talked about a great method she uses to keep track of her applications, “I have a giant binder called ‘college binder.’ It has a chart of application processes, and when applications are due.”

College essays are a huge stressor for all students applying to a four-year college or university. Most colleges require at least one essay, and Stanford University requires five essays.

Allan says the most important thing a student can do to improve their writing is to start their essay early, and make multiple drafts.

She also advises, “Read examples and trust your own voice when writing your essay.”

In all of the hectic events coming up this semester, remember that it still can and should be an enjoyable process. You have been working hard to get into the college of your dreams, and even though rejection rates are high, that does not mean you will get rejected.

As Allan says, “No matter what happens, if you decide you want an education, you will get an education.”

Construction delays push homecoming outdoors

By ARIEL CHEN & LAUREN

Monte Vista High School

Homecoming at Monte Vista High School this year was outdoors, as the remodeling of the school gym is now set to be finished the first week of November, pushed back from an original date of October 15.

This was the question for many Monte Vista students as Oct. 17 approached. Many had heard about leadership’s’ plans to hold the dance in the commons this year.

For the first time, Monte Vista's homecoming is a half indoor and half outdoor dance. Andrea Greco, the leadership teacher, explained why: “We have no guarantee on the completion date for the gym,” Greco said.

Construction began before the start of summer, because the state mandates seismic retrofitting to make the building earthquake safe.

“One of the issues was that the gym floor was very old,”said Assistant Principal J.P. Ballou, “[It] was a safety issue.”

At the same time as the seismic retrofitting, the floors in the large gym, and yoga, and weights rooms are being rebuilt, and

the formerly incandescent lights are being replaced with LED bulbs, which are less likely to be knocked down by careless students.

The heating, air-conditioning and artwork on the walls are also being redone.

The lack of a gym has had a huge effect on Monte Vista students. Displacement of everything from school dances to registration to athletic events and PE classes are raising tempers throughout the student body.

Volleyball has been practicing in the small gym, a difficult task considering there is only one court. The team had to miss out on summer camps, tryouts and other activities, not to mention the difficulty of scheduling and coordination of different teams.

The team works hard to make up for the lack of space and practice.

“Only one team practices at a time,”Varsity volleyball player Madeline Dailey said.“Practice times were changed due to accommodation to one court.”

Leadership is planning to make the outdoor dance unforgettable.

“Outside will be your basic DJ, and then we’ll also have food trucks,” Greco said. “Right now we have a cantina truck, a taco truck, an Italian truck, and a dessert truck.” According

to Greco, the leadership class is hoping for one more truck, but those trucks are already confirmed, which will be a change from last year’s dance, which didn’t have food.

Mitchell Lung, the sophomore class treasurer, also has some interesting input on the dance.

“We’re going to have two different DJs, because it’s such a large area,” Lung said.

In addition to these new additions to homecoming, leadership is planning on featuring fun games, such as dance-dance revolution and foosball.

In previous years, people dripped with sweat after dancing because the gym was so hot, but since the dance is partly outside this year, that should be less of a problem. However, some students think that it might get too cold.

“I think it’s going to be really cold and it may be hard because it’s outside,” sophomore Amrita Vepa said.

The leadership class is excited about the dance being outside this year because it fits the “Outside Lands” theme of homecoming week.

Some Monte Vista students such as junior Sae Oh share the leaderships class’s optimism.

“I don’t know if it will be such a bad thing where people aren’t going to go because it’s

Overcrowding, teacher shortages loom From OVERCROWDING

trend, numbers are likely to keep rising.

The student body at California High grade level reconfiguration, with sixth School is already feeling the rise in populagraders moving back down to elementary tion numbers. Junior Aravinth Mohan, said, school, and freshmen moving to middle “It’s annoying to look for parking spots every school. day, so now I just walk home.

Alternative schedule options also make There is also less space to sit at lunch. up a huge bulk of these proposed options, My group used to always have a table, but including an increased use of A period, now we have to look for one every day.” implementation of a 7th period, offering Classroom shortages are not the only late afternoon/evening classes and sum- issues at California High. Bathrooms will mer session classes, limiting students to need to be added, as will lockers, which six classes only, and early dismissal, where already are in short supply. California High seniors would be able to leave after lunch has nearly 500 fewer lockers than students to go to DVC/work. currently need.

Graswich said that at this point, no Echoing the sentiments of several other option seems more viable than the other. students, sophomore Claire Higbee said, According to the California High coun- “I do think California High is too crowded, seling department, the freshman class this especially in the hallways and stairways year numbers 703, an increase from last during passing periods, and during brunch.” year’s freshman class of 689. Following the The population increases that SRVUSD high schools face may be attributed to the Bay Area’s overall rapidly increasing popuTeacher employment and the number of jobs needed to keep up lation. with enrollment The Bay Area is 8.3 million the fastest growing reJobs needed to keep up with student enrollment gion in the state, with 8.2 the biggest growth in the East Bay, led by 410,000 Alameda County and 8.1 local public Contra Costa County, Number of education jobs who have, since 2010, job 8.0 shortfall gained more than 100,000 and 60,000 new residents respec7.9 7,849,300 tively, as per mercurynews.com.

7.8 In an interview on mercurynews.com, 7.7 Cynthia Kroll, chief economist for the As7,697,400 sociation of Bay Area 7.6 2003 2005 2010 2015 Governments said, Source: EPI “That is what happens Graphic: Staff, Tribune News Service Page 1

The teacher gap

when you have rapid employment growth that is centered in a few locations.

A lot of the boost in employment is tech sector related, and you have portions of Alameda County that are very much involved in that growth.”

The tech-sector of the Bay Area is undoubtedly a magnet for those all over the world. According to KQED.org, the U.S. Census Bureau shows that in the San Francisco, Marin, San Mateo, Alameda, and Contra Costa counties, an influx of new migrants is driving the population growth.

Spanish teacher Alita Acianoh, who has been teaching for seven years, said, “It’s not rocket science. The more people you have in a class per teacher, the less individual attention a teacher is able to give, so definitely, class size has a huge impact on how we teach, the building relationships among students, and the depth of thinking.”

At California High specifically, there were 19 new teachers hired this year. According to the state Commission on Teacher Credentialing, in 2008, there were approximately 45,000 people enrolled in teacher preparation programs in California, but by 2013, there were fewer than 20,000.

The California Department of Education, estimates that districts will have to fill 21,500 slots with teachers this year. However, the state is issuing fewer than 15,000 new teaching credentials a year.

In another interview with sfgate.com, Graswich said, “It’s fair to say that most districts in California are challenged this year with the teacher shortage.”

However, as drastic as this all sounds, this is not a doomsday warning, and the Armageddon of overpopulation and overcrowding is not about to occur.

California High’s Assistant Principal Crystal Lopez maintains that despite the large demographics, the average California High classroom sizes remain at 35-36 students per class.

“I think it’s going to be really cold and it may be hard because it’s outside,” said soph Amrita Vepa. still homecoming,” Oh said. “The experience will probably just be a special one because it will be the first one outside for most people. I think it could be a good thing.”

According to Greco, homecoming is Monte Vista’s biggest dance of the year, with 1,200 to 1,300 students attending every year.

Another reason why the dance was held outside is that the leadership class had wanted to have an outdoor dance for quite some time, which is why the back-to-school neon dance was going to be held outdoors, until it was cancelled.

The next dance after the back-to-school dance is homecoming, so leadership thought it would be a fun idea to try holding homecoming outside.

The only price of having homecoming outside is the unpredictable weather. Although California is in a drought, rain on Oct. 17 isn’t impossible.

Shooting threat unnerves students

By JUSTICE DELOS SANTOS

Hercules High School

Students and staff at Hercules High School wereshaken on Oct. 9 when a student, a 15-year-old boy, threatened to "shoot up" the school.

The night before a Hercules staff member received information to that effect and reported the threat. The following day, the atmosphere around Hercules High was a lot different from normal.

At the base of the school's roundabout, two police cruisers were stationed, different from normal. In addition, a police cruiser was parked at the top of the stairs and security was checking for IDs prior to entering.

"I saw a couple more officers at the front gate, but I didn't think much of it," said sophomore Alainna Melenderez.

On the morning of Oct. 9, the Hercules High student body heard about the threat through word of mouth which, in turn, preoccupied their minds and instilled a sense of fear.

"When I first heard, my heart sank," said junior Akkash Prasad. "Schoolwork seemed to come secondary," said junior Ryan Cutter.

Luckily, the fear was short-lived.

At the end of second period, students were informed

by Principal Paul Mansingh that the suspect had been apprehended and that they were now safe. In addition, the school phoned parents to let them know the situation was under control.

The police took the student into custody and transported him to the Martinez Juvenile Hall.

School shootings this year The shooting at Umpqua Community College is the 45th this year. A map of shootings at schools K-12 and colleges in 2015: Shooter discharged firearm on school property

Source: Everytown Graphic: Staff, Tribune News Service

Shooter killed at least one person

5

News

CC Spin

November 2015

Monte Vista students discover new way to get around “I got the idea to bring it to school because I saw others with it, and it looked like a good idea and a fun form of transportation round school,” Mann said.

By KEVIN YANG Monte Vista High School

The hoverboard that Marty McFly rode in Back to the Future II may finally be here. Well, sort of.

Some students have been spotted around campus traveling between classes using two-wheeled “hoverboards.” These two-wheeled devices, operated simply by standing upright on the board and leaning forward, may be the early signs of a new way students may travel across campus in the near future.

Two or three students have been spotted on Monte Vista grounds using these boards to get around. The boards always attract the attention of nearby students.

The boards often take up the entire width of narrow ramps and halls, causing miniature traffic jams in tight areas.

Alec Mann, one of the board owners, started using a hoverboard to get around school because he saw some other students using this mode of transportation around campus.

“I got the idea to bring it to school because I saw others with it, and it looked like a good idea and a fun form of transportation round school,” Mann said.

There has been a mixed reaction from teachers and staff to the hoverboards. Mann said that while teachers thought the hoverboard was a clever idea, other staff members were less enthusiastic.

“All the teachers are really chill about (the hoverboard),” Mann said. “In about every one of my classes, my teacher thought it was awesome and made me show them (the board).”

However, due to complaints by campus monitors, Mann has stopped bringing his hoverboard to school.

These boards have major implications for Monte Vista and other high schools if they continue to increase in popularity. If a significant portion of the student body

begins to own hoverboards, passing period may become chaotic as hoverboard users and walking students fight for their space in the halls. With many students using speedy hoverboards sharing the halls with walking students, collisions between hoverboard riders and people could occur. This situation could be like the tense one between bikers and cars on the road.

“It’s very easy to navigate around campus when there’s not too many people in the halls,” Mann said. “I usually have to carry it when there’s too many people in my way to get to class.”

If these hoverboards become popular, the school may need to find a way to divide the halls into hoverboard lanes and walking lanes. Especially narrow areas may even have to be widened to accommodate this new mode of transportation.

In addition, “hoverboards” allow the user to move more quickly than walking speed, which would reduce the time it takes students to move from one class to the next. This would allow passing periods to be shortened, making for more efficient use of school hours.

While there are multiple manufacturers of hoverboards, the most common brand of hoverboard is called the Hovertrax. Hovertrax boards, which have a simple design consisting of a standing platform about two feet long with one wheel at each end, rely on a series of motors and magnets to operate. The manufacturer’s website describes the device as “The world’s first portable, double wheeled, self-balancing device.” While the device itself looks rather unbalanced and scary, the manufacturer’s website states that the series of magnets allows the device to feel solid and stable when being used.

The Hovertrax board is designed and made by Chinabased company Solowheel. The company also makes other standing wheel devices that utilize the same magnet and motor technology.

MCFLY! Two students use two-wheeled “hoverboards” during passing period to get to class. While hoverboards are currently rare sights on high school campuses, they may become increasingly popular as they become more affordable, which would have major implications for high schools in the near future. Photo by Chris Bortolon, Monte Vista High School.

Feral cats infest campus with food, comfortable habitat

Several cat food and water containers lay beside the storage crates.

Photos by Jack George and Chris Polo, Monte Vista High School.

By GRACE WENSLEY Monte Vista High School

For the last few weeks several feral cats have been living under and around the storage crates and dumpsters behind the Monte Vista High School tennis courts.

It’s unknown exactly how long these cats have been living here or how they got here, but the strangest detail is that they are being fed by an unknown stranger.

Each day it has been observed that several cans of Fancy Feast cat food as well as water appear around the crates, and the next day the cans are empty. Only two cats have been spotted for sure, one all black, and the other black

More cat food and water containers near a chain linked fence.

and white, but it’s possible that there are more.

After the overnight cross country relay, sophomore Josh Elliott reported that he saw more than two cats, but he was unable to identify their appearances in the dark.

The cats appear to be living in the general area of the storage crates and also across the path near a tree. Evidence of this is several hairballs around the base of the tree.

An anonymous citizen who has also witnessed this situation recently left a note thanking the person who has been feeding the cats.

Monte Vista High The Stampede reporters also left a note inquiring more about the cats and the person who is caring for them. The citizen has yet to respond.

A cat hides behind the brush near the storage crates at Monte Vista High School.

Most of the school and faculty, including Assistant Principal Liz Pagano, are not even aware of the cats’ existence.

For now, the cats are not affecting the school as they are on the very outskirts of the campus, but feral cats can create major issues. Because they are wild, opposed to strays abandoned by humans, they are not spayed or neutered.

Another issue with feral cats is that most of them never come in contact with humans, so if approached they may be aggressive and this makes it almost impossible for to adopt them.

But the ASPCA website states the best approach to feral cats is to follow TNR: trap, neuter and return. It states that you should

A black cat walks across the path behind the football field at Monte Vista High School.

deliver food to where these cats are each day at the same time and they will begin to get used to you, and each day you can sit closer and closer to them until eventually you can lure them into a crate.

Then you are advised to take them to a veterinarian’s office to be spayed or neutered and vaccinated. Eventually these cats may then be able to be released back into the wild.

“The ASPCA supports TNR in general, but would oppose it under circumstances that pose a threat to the welfare of the cats themselves, the public or indigenous wildlife species,” said Feral Cat Management of the ASPCA. These cats often cannot be tamed; contact an animal rescue service if you encounter one.

Females rule at Clayton Valley homecoming

By CELINE HERRERA

Clayton Valley Charter High School

It was not Homecoming as usual this year at Clayton Valley Charter High School. For the first time in the school’s history, two female students, Anna Lau and Veronica Renner, were honored as the school’s Homecoming King and Queen.

Before the two students were nominated, it has always been tradition for students to elect one male and one female student to represent the student body.

Lau’s election as Homecoming King, however, shined a light on the changing times.

“I was really, really shocked,” said Lau, who identifies herself with the LGBTQ+ community.

“I started crying and I couldn’t stop crying for the next 20 minutes afterwards. It was a pretty big thing.”

It was a long-held tradition that students would vote for one male and one female to represent the school as king and queen during Homecoming week.

As a lark, Lau and Renner, best friends, decided to post a picture on Instagram, telling their followers to vote for them for Homecoming prince and princess. After receiving positive support from their peers, the two marching band seniors decided to campaign for the Homecoming Court.

“I feel it’s great that there was a change in scenery during the lineup,” said student Isaiah Thurman. “It seems as though the popular

crowd would usually win, but in a way, the underdogs won this time.”

Lau is president of Spectrum, which is a club at CVCHS that supports members of the LGBTQ+ community. She is also the vicepresident of Senior Men. She plays the French horn and in the future, she says she would like to become a music educator.

Renner, who was crowned queen, is a member of the Clayton Arts Academy and show choir. She is also the captain for the CVCHS drama and improv troupe. In her spare time, she loves to paint, sing and dance. She plans on graduating college with an emphasis in musical theater and wants to travel to Africa to join the Peace Corps.

Not all students, however, share the enthusiasm for the break in tradition. Various comments and conversations about gender neutrality came up on different social media platforms. One student on Twitter mentioned, “I’m gonna say it again, but letting a female win homecoming ‘king’ is stupid.”

Another student vented on the social media platform to say, “Letting two girls be homecoming king and queen is like having lesbian parents and still calling them ‘mom’ and ‘dad.’”

Some thought the crowning of a female king cast a negative light on the school. Renner disagrees. “We’re a society that’s constantly changing and we need to allow ourselves to change and grow.” Others said that CVCHS wasn’t ready to break a tradition that was held

ROYALTY Escorted by their two friends, Danielle Gelhaus and Nicole Lyons, Anna Lau and Veronica Renner, center, accept their crowns as the 2015 Clayton Valley Charter High School Homecoming king and queen. Photo by Robert Burton, Clayton Valley Charter High School. for more than 50 years.

Even with controversy, the Homecoming title raises awareness about the LGBTQ+ community. Students were witnessing more same-sex couples at Homecoming festivities and more felt comfortable expressing their sexual orientation.

“There are a lot of things targeted against [the LGBTQ+ community],” Lau says. “This election brings visibility. The more you see, the more you accept.” Other students also felt

more comfortable expressing their sexual orientation to fellow peers.

The school administration also said that it was a significant step forward into the future of CVCHS. “I think it was absolutely awesome,” Director of Student Services Miguel Romo said.

“I think it reflects our times here as a society and that we are very accepting of different viewpoints and perspectives. It was beautiful to see that everyone was accepting of the night and that situation.”

Viewpoints

6 November 2015

CC Spin

'Stonewall' is offensive whitewash of gay history

By LIA WHITE

H

Acalanes High School

ollywood is not known for its fair, or accurate, representation of minorities in film and television. Casting directors cite excuse after excuse, and oftentimes these excuses are just ways to cover up prejudice. Usually, this erasure is met with opposition, but is eventually accepted by a majority of the people who watch the show or movie.

However, there is no possible acceptable excuse for what Hollywood has done this time. Stonewall, which premiered Sept. 25, is painfully whitewashed to the point that it is offensive.

It focuses on the 1969 Stonewall riots, an extremely emotionally charged and pivotal event for the gay rights movement. There is no denying that this is a story whose tale is long overdue to be told. However, it is not being told correctly.

The trailer for the movie centers around a gay, cisgender white boy named Danny Winters (Jeremy Irvine) who travels to New York City from his home in Kansas. He soon finds himself at the Stonewall Inn in New York City and becomes deeply involved in the riots. The trailer depicts Winters as the person who throws the very first brick during the riots. Any people of color are shown as sidekicks to Winters’ storyline.

Danny Winters does not exist in real life. There is no evidence that anyone of that name was a part of the Stonewall riots, and definitely not as a leader of the movement. So why did director Roland Emmerich feel the need to include him as such an important character?

The real heroes of Stonewall are nothing like Winters, and to exclude them is not only insensitive, but also an extreme form of erasure.

According to Titus Montalvo, a Puerto RicanAmerican queer person who was at the Stonewall riots, at least 70 percent of the participants were people of color. Many of those people were drag queens, butch lesbians, and trans people. The main leaders of the riots include Marsha P. Johnson, a black trans woman, Sylvia Rivera, a Puerto Rican drag queen and trans woman, Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, a black trans woman, Storme De Larverie, a black butch lesbian, and Brenda Howard, a bisexual woman known as the “Mother of Pride.”

Johnson, De Larverie, and Rivera have all been credited as the first person to throw a brick during the riots. They were the power behind the movement.

Out of these leaders, Griffin-Gracy, is the only one still living. When interviewed about Stonewall by Huffington Post, she expressed disappointment in Hollywood, but not shocked.

“We’re not surprised by this because they’ve been doing this to us for years. They’re trying to eradicate us

Art by Siena Kuan, Acalanes High School

as a people, to claim that we really do not exist.

And we got to stop that. It’s got to end,” GriffinGracy said. “They can’t keep pulling this on us and expecting us to not respond. People have to understand that we’re to be respected. I’m not some lump on the wall. I’m a human being.”

After the trailer came out, there was a huge uproar from the queer community about the lack of accurate representation. Emmerich stated on Facebook, that “audiences will see that it deeply honors the real-life activists who were there–including Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and Ray Castro–and all the brave people who sparked the civil rights movement which continues to this day.”

If that’s true, then where are they in the trailer?

Why are these characters not listed in any of the cast lists?

The producers tried to calm the growing crowds of protest by releasing two exclusive clips highlighting Johnson’s character (Otoja Abit) and Ray/Ramona (Jonny Beauchamp), a gender fluid Puerto Rican person.

While Johnson could end up playing an important role in the movie that does the actual person justice, Ray’s character is still problematic. He is described as being a combination of Castro and Rivera, which simply doesn’t make sense. Both Castro and Rivera were dramatically different people whose only connections were their ethnicity and involvement in

the Stonewall riots.

It seems like Emmerich held a list of the real activists in front of him and tried to check as many boxes as he could without giving any actual representation.

Emmerich goes on to say that this movie was a “labor of love” for him, and that he wanted to make a movie that centered on a “fictionalized… young Midwestern gay man who is kicked out of his home for his sexuality.” Is it possible that Emmerich was so connected to the movement that he wanted to put a fictional version of himself as the main character?

Irvine defended the film, saying that it “represents almost every and section of society that was so fundamental to one of the most important civil rights movements in living history.”

It certainly wouldn’t be difficult for Emmerich to make an accurate movie, and it certainly wouldn’t be controversial. If anything, it’s the other way around.

The Stonewall riots weren’t even 50 years ago. Many people that participated in the riots are still alive today, and I’m sure that they would be happy to tell what really happened.

The Stonewall riots were a catalyst in multiple social justice movements that are still continuing to this day, which is what makes making an accurate movie so important. People who see Stonewall should know that the real leaders were trans black women.

Often times, white, cis, gay men are seen at the forefront of the LGBTQ+ movement, while queer minorities, particularly trans people of color, are pushed into the background. This type of racist and transphobic prejudice is exactly what happened in Stonewall.

With events that are so crucial to history and that affect so many lives, it’s important to give people the credit they deserve. Transphobia and racism are still very prevalent in our society, and making a movie that should feature trans people of color but doesn’t encourages the blatant erasure and discrimination that these people face on a day-to-day basis.

Don’t get me wrong: the fact that Stonewall is even being made is incredible. Ten years ago, no one would dream of making a movie that showcased the LGBTQ+ community. But this movie only goes halfway.

Does it break barriers? Yes. Does it break all the barriers it could have and should have? No. Many queer people will give Stonewall the benefit of the doubt, go see the movie, and judge it for themselves. And that’s OK. I am not encouraging anyone to boycott the movie. It is still an important event that everyone should know about. However, keep race in mind while seeing Stonewall. Remember who the true heroes are, and remember how important recognizing these true heroes is.

Dublin's planned aquatic complex raises issues

By NATE RANKIN California High School

T

he City of Dublin has begun construction on a 31,000 square foot aquatic complex at the Emerald Glen Recreation and Aquatic Complex featuring indoor and outdoor pools, six water slides and several small splash pools.

Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? Except for the unfortunate fact that California is facing one of the worst droughts in its history.

Building a $36 million water park while the Bay Area is classified as experiencing an “exceptional drought,” the most severe degree of drought, is obscenely negligent.

According to information on the “City of Dublin Emerald Glen Recreation and Aquatic Complex Frequently Asked

Questions” on Dublin’s website, there is a “community need for this project and it has been in the planning stages for over a decade.”

A decade ago, nobody could have predicted today’s drought, nor its severity.

While it is true, as the city of Dublin says, that the water park will not use massive amounts of the municipal water supply, the State has enacted mandatory conservation laws that are designed to reduce water usage by 25 percent this year compared to last.

Dublin was given a 12 percent reduction quota by the State. So far, the city’s water usage is down about 36 percent over last year. Governor Brown told USA Today, however, “We’re in for tough times...There’s been fairly inadequate conservation so far.”

Dublin seems to be justifying the

construction by saying that the city has reached its quota, that it has water it can waste on something blatantly unnecessary.

In reality, the water conservation in California requires a collective effort from all areas. While Dublin may have a cushion in its quota, it still needs to conserve however and wherever possible.

The planned complex also includes a cardio room, picnic area, ping-pong tables, locker-rooms, party rental space, and administrative offices.

I am all for this part of the project, as it will offer beautiful, new community gathering areas. It’s the water park itself that I find to be mistimed and ill-advised.

It is not the fact that the water park is going to consume massive amounts of water that’s the problem. Realistically, it’s probably not a very big portion of

Photo courtesy of lattices.com.

water when compared to Dublin’s municipal water usage.

It’s the fact that in the midst of a drought in which the Los Angeles Times found 80 percent of California is experiencing extreme drought, Dublin finds it acceptable to build a new water park.

CC Spin CC Spin is printed by the Bay Area News Group but copy, photos, art and other contents are produced by students at Contra Costa public high schools. Story development is supervised by the journalism advisers at the participating schools. Professional journalists coach the students and guide their reporting and writing.

Staff members from the Contra Costa Times and other local newspapers instruct participating students in professional journalism standards and practices.

CC Spin is a product of the collaboration of The Lesher Foundation, the Bay Area News Group, the Contra Costa County Office of Education, and the California Scholastic Journalism Initiative.

All opinions expressed in CC Spin are the views of the student authors and do not represent the opinion of the Contra Costa Times, the Lesher Foundation, any school, district or county educational authority, or the California Scholastic Journalism Initiative.

CC Spin is a product of student journalists and is guided by the tenets of The First Amendment, the ethical guidelines of the Society of Professional Journalists and California Education Code sections 45907 and 48950.

Facilitators

Faculty Advisers

Bert Robinson Managing Editor/News Bay Area News Group

Larry Freeman, Acalanes High School

Kathleen Odne Executive Director Lesher Foundation

Greg Rosewell, Clayton Valley Charter High School

Terry Koehne Chief Communications Officer Contra Costa County Office of Education

Ryan Barrett, Hercules High School

Steve O’Donoghue California Scholastic Journalism Initiative, Coordinator Jim Finefrock, Writing Coach Lesley Guth, Writing Coach Carol Pogash, Writing Coach Dick Rogers, Writing Coach

Brian Barr, California High School

Rachel Decker, Dougherty Valley High School

Brian Buttacavoli, Making Waves Academy Rebecca Bellini, Monte Vista High School Karen Jenkins, Northgate High School Dick Rogers, Volunteer Adviser, Pittsburg High School Giana Lillig, San Ramon Valley High School

CC Spin

Viewpoints

7 November 2015

Is a dress code a necessity or a nuisance?

By ALYSSA ARINO Clayton Valley Charter High School

'C

layton Valley Charter High School is a place of learning and it is very important that students’ attire does not distract from the learning environment.” This is the first line written in the online version of the school’s dress code.

No spaghetti straps, no leggings, no midriffs, no sagging, no clothing with inappropriate language, no this, no that; the list goes on and on. On a typical day students are seen in P.E. clothes instead of the clothing they walked into school with that morning.

Girls lay their hair on their shoulders in an attempt to hide the too-thin straps of their tank tops from a passing administrator. Shorts are constantly tugged down so that they will meet the designated length. Is this constant anxiety really necessary?

Does the dress code actually protect our education in any way, like the student handbook claims it does? Students are questioning if the notorious dress code rules are effective, or even needed at all.

It’s a rare occurrence to see student clothing stirring up a classroom. The majority of students say they’ve yet to see a violation disrupt learning, and doubt they ever will. Yet, as stated in the online student handbook, a dress code infringement will result in a trip to C-1 to change out of the clothing, or can even go as far as having to wait in C-1 for a parent to deliver a new, this time school-appro-

priate, outfit. This ordeal can take anywhere from five to forty five minutes. In that time a quiz can be taken, a lesson taught, or a worksheet completed.

The handbook preaches about the positive effect that the dress code has on our education, but several Clayton Valley students assert that it has much more of a negative impact than anyone is willing to admit.

It’s not only students’ school life that is being affected due to dress code. Many people, almost exclusively girls, agree that when shopping for clothes, the dress code sneaks into their mind whenever they pick up a pair of shorts or a strapless shirt.

“I always have to make sure I buy something like a cardigan to go over my spaghetti strap shirts,” admits Clayton Valley freshman, Leslie Cortes.

The popularity of short shorts, crop tops, and spaghetti strap shirts is clearly on the rise as anyone who’s been to the mall in the last year can see.

As much as one might wish to buy that cute top, there is a little voice in their head reminding them that the shirt will reveal their stomach a tad too much to be considered “school appropriate.”

Finding clothing you like and feel good in can be a whole problem in and of itself, but adding the picky dress code to the equation makes for a frustrating mess.

Many students are irritated by the seemingly too strict regulations. The immediate responses to the question: “Which dress code rules do you find unnecessary?” are almost all the same. Students’ minds go straight to spaghetti strap tops, leggings, and shorts above fingertip length, out of the 15+ banned articles of clothing found in the dress code.

It’s a shared thought by most students that, though the dress code has some reasonable points, some of the rules are just plain excessive.

“Strapless shirts. I mean, I can understand the “no cleavage” [rule], but no strapless shirts doesn’t make any sense,” says Ceci Blanco, a junior here at Clayton Valley, on the topic of useless dress code guidelines.

The dress code isn’t completely superfluous, though for the most part it sure seems that way.

Underneath all the layers of decency based on the measurement of fingertip length or whether your pants are made of denim or not, there are also bans on clothing that show support of tobacco, drug, or alcohol use, as well as a rule against clothes that display foul or offensive language.

There is also dress code rule #8 which, to many students’ relief, clearly states that no sagging of pants will be tolerated on the Clayton Valley campus. Fun fact: the ban against sagging was the only rule that every single one of the students inter-

viewed mentioned when asked for the dress code regulations they considered logical.

The rule against inappropriate language and/or images on clothing worn to school seems obvious, and freshman David Llata supported this statement with a brief description of one situation he remembers where dress code became less of a hassle and more of something essential: “Someone had bad words on their shirt while we were in class and people were turning around and looking to see what it was,” Llata recounts.

Though high school is a place where some of the foulest language is casually thrown into conversations, it’s a bit extreme to walk into class wearing a shirt that even a sailor would cringe at.

The question of whether dress code is reasonable or not has created controversy for almost as long as dress code has existed. Some people argue that it limits self expression, while others believe that it refrains students from dressing borderline “trashy.” It annoys some students to no end, while others barely bat an eye at it. The general population of the Clayton Valley Charter High School student body seems to agree that it’s a tie between a benefit and a bother.

The dress code may not need to be completely eradicated, but that doesn’t mean that a few rules shouldn’t be tweaked in the future to ensure that the dress code doesn’t become the very distraction it is attempting to protect us from.

VIOLATIONS Spaghetti straps, leggings, exposed midriffs, and clothing promoting drug use are some of the many dress code violations at Clayton Valley Charter High School. Photos by Alyssa Arino, Clayton Valley Charter High School.

Anti-bullying campaigns don’t work Don't punish the cheated on

By SEINE HAM Dougherty Valley High School

O

ctober is National Bullying Awareness Month. The effects of bullying will again be drilled into students. Since elementary school we have been taught through multiple awareness campaigns that bullying is a problem and that we should be careful.

President Obama has “designated $132 million to combat violence and the bullying of children” and schools across the nation have spent countless hours promoting anti-bullying campaigns, according to CNN. However, such anti-bullying campaigns and policies have continuously been found to be ineffective at curtailing bullying. Both campaigners and school administrators alike must realize completely stopping bullying is impossible, and should instead seek to help its victims.

In a 2013 study at the University of Texas and Michigan State University, researchers found that “students who attended schools with bullyingprevention programs were more likely to have reported experiencing victimization themselves” according to USA Today.

The exact same findings have been reported in a 2013 Journal of Criminology study and the Journal of the American Medical Association’s pediatrics division, the Journal of Criminology & Vocativ. As Stuart Twemlow, a former professor of psychiatry at Baylor College, points out in this journal, anti-bullying campaigns are directed toward the bullies and try in vain to stop their actions.

In response to awareness of bullying by advocacy groups, school administrators have implemented zero-tolerance policies, also known as short-sighted ineffective counter-measures.

Instead of dealing with misconduct on a caseby-case basis, considering the circumstances of the event or researching the specific students

involved, school districts now blindly expel students or involve law enforcement.

They seem to forget 90 percent of bullies are or have been victims themselves, and expelling or siphoning them off to court does not address the problem, according to The Guardian. Broad definitions of bullying, such as defining all teasing as bullying, is also increasing the rigidity of school policies.

In response to New Jersey’s anti-bullying law, a school administrator has noted “anti-bullying laws also may not be appropriate for [our youngest students]. Previously, name-calling or shoving on the playground could be handled on the spot as a teachable moment, with the teacher reinforcing the appropriate behavior.

That’s no longer the case. Now it has to be documented, reviewed and resolved by everyone from the teacher to the anti-bullying specialist, principal, superintendent and local board of education,” according to the New Jersey Times.

A variety of changes must be implemented to truly reduce the amount of bullying.

First, bullying must be seen as a serious, hurtful force in schools that should not be downplayed by comparing it to teasing or simple name-calling.

Secondly, disciplinary action should be viewed as a process to teach the student, not a rigid legislative process to remove the problem.

Finally, focus should not be placed on trying to stop bullies, but instead helping victims adapt better coping strategies and a strong sense of self-esteem. Teaching students social skills to be self-assertive should not be seen as victim-blaming, but as a realistic awareness that bullies will always exist throughout one’s life, even in college and the workforce.

By giving all students the tools to avoid and seek help from bullying, we empower them to become successful throughout their lives, a cause more worthy than removing all “bullies”

By KAREN WANT

T

Dougherty Valley High School

he same culture that leads students to cheat also puts massive pressure on their peers to allow and assist it.

Unfortunately for those that maintain the middle schoolesque notion of academic integrity, each day has become a moral dilemma.

The question of whether you will succumb to the cheating culture piles on top of the questions assigned by your teachers.

At least those have unequivocal answers. In regards to cheating, the urge to be helpful and liked clashes with your morals, and your morals can’t always win.

Administration is not ignorant of this pressure, and has provided deterrents to mitigate the effect. Namely, the policy that classifies “allowing one’s assignment or essay to be copied by someone else” as cheating. In terms of consequences, the cheater and the one cheated on of are held equally accountable if caught. This is grossly unfair, as abstaining from the cheating culture is nearly impossible.

It’s a challenge to swim in a sea of different values. At every turn, you are asked to do something or turn a blind eye to an act you don’t condone. While you definitely don’t want to become complicit in what you consider a nefarious scheme, or you simply are proud of your work and rightly unwilling to share it, you also don’t want to become “that kid.”

That kid who does their homework but refuses let you copy.

That kid who took the test in A period yet remains tight-lipped about it throughout the day. That kid who calls people out for their dishonesty. That kid who has yet to accept cheating to be the norm. That kid who believes in authentic education. You know, that kid.

Because at Dougherty Valley High, everyone has embraced the facade of passing being a group effort, and not doing your share is borderline criminal. And so it seems, those unwilling to share their work are left with few choices. Don’t, and become the outsider, or do, and become the insider in a culture where academic integrity is dead.

Is it fair to punish both the cheater and the cheated on?

The copier and the copy-provider? Threatening both ends is not only ineffective but also unfair. The root of the problem lies within the culture at Dougherty, not individuals.

Athletics

8 November 2015

CC Spin

Lights! Camera! Action!

Soph photography prodigy builds a career while still in school

MULTI-DISCIPLINED Monte Vista High School sophomore Svyatoslav Romanov, left, filming a music video with upcoming artist Drew Allen.

By JAS GILL Monte Vista High School

Monte Vista sophomore Svyatoslav Romanov has a knack for film and photography.

Romanov, or more commonly known as Slav, got into filming about three years ago after getting hired by a media ministry. His photography took off about two months ago after attending a concert.

“The response was incredible, so I decided to start pursuing that,”Romanov said.“I’m going to try to pursue both video and photography because they are so similar that it comes hand in hand working with them.”

Romanov has gotten the chance to improve his skills through opportunities such as traveling to South Africa, Swaziland and Israel just for the sake of learning more about filming. These opportunities allow Romanov

HIGH IMPACT PHOTOGRAPHY A shot of singer Lecrae by Monte Vista sophomore Svyatoslav Romanov. Romanov has shot photos for this Christian artist as well as others. Photos courtesy of Svyatoslav Romanov.

to grow his talents. “ The way I learned was primarily experimenting,” Romanov said. “I would go to concerts and just pull out my camera and mess around with it. With that, I would learn when to capture the moments and how to capture the golden shots. Experience and experimenting was key in my growth.”

Romanov also has an elder sister who attends Monte Vista.

“I’m so proud of how far my brother has come with his passion,”senior Carina Romanov said.“It’s really cool seeing how a simple hobby has become so much more for him.”

Romanov said it helps having a family always there for encouragement. He said that they are always there to push him to his limits.

“My inspiration come primarily from my family,” Romanov said. “They’re the ones that keep pushing me to do the best I can.”

Romanov is now trying to start his own business, and it’s slowly growing even if it’s not as quick as he’d like. He keeps his patience though, since people are only just beginning to discover his gift. The process is speeding up as more people learn about his talent.

Romanov charges people based on the size of the project. Portraits are normally around $300 and music videos range from about $600 to $800, since they require a lot more work and time.

Along with working for friends, Romanov has also been able to work with several wellknown people. He currently works for a television show called YouthBytes, which airs on 27 channels nationwide, and a press site named Rapzilla, which receives over 1 million visitors per year.

He’s also worked with Christian artists such as Lecrae, Israel Houghton and Jeremy Riddle.

Romanov recently got the chance to shoot a music video for an upcoming artist, Drew Allen. He is even getting the chance to go on tour with Allen.

“On the day of the shoot, I was scared that there wouldn’t be any light at all since it was foggy in San Francisco, but when we came to the location the Golden Gate Bridge was completely clear and the shots were incredible,” Romanov said.

Since gaining more recognition, Romanov is very thankful he gets to share his work, but he still says the best feeling is when people genuinely enjoy what he does.

“My proudest moment is when well known people acknowledge my work, appreciate my work, and take time to invest into my gift,”Romanov said.“It’s really a blessing having the chance to do all of this.”

A photo by Romanov of the Pacific Ocean.

Romanov wants to focus on film and photography in the future and finds joy in photographing natural settings.

The three A's for successful high school freshmen

By SYDNEY SKOW Clayton Valley Charter High School

Your high school career starts off in an awkward way: you are a mildly confused, enthusiastic freshman.

Nevertheless, Clayton Valley Charter High School freshmen are discovering the secrets to a successful and enjoyable experience.

Overall, three general aspects repeatedly come up in conversation: academies, arts, and athletics. All add a little more flavor into your life, and throughout the years help you incorporate yourself into the school.

Jackson Hubbard, a freshman in the Public Service Academy, knew that high school was “a step up” from middle school and a step forward in life. While he was nervous that his classes would get harder, he was prepared.

Jackson found that starting high school is a big step that has granted him more freedom and, unfortunately for him, harder classes. Nonetheless, Hubbard is enjoying

his involvement in the academy and the school.

Another freshman, Dusty Mitchell, viewed high school a bit differently. “I wasn’t scared because I was ready for it,” he said.

He didn’t have any worries about the transition to high school, only big expectations.

However, like Hubbard, Mitchell isn’t looking forward to an increase in the already pressing amount of schoolwork. When asked what he hasn’t enjoyed about high school so far, he replied, “There is a lot more homework.”

Mitchell’s favorite part of the year is playing football for the freshmen team, and he is looking forward to being on Clayton Valley’s wrestling team this winter.

Spending time with his friends and playing the game that he loves make the long practices and late nights of homework a little more bearable.

The arts have an influence unlike any other on high school students, and participating in high school arts is an amazing experience.

Noah Schipper, a freshman in the Arts Academy, is enjoying meeting his fellow freshmen and also upperclassmen in the academy. Before he experienced the first day of high school, he thought that the members of the Arts academy wouldn’t be as close to one another or see each other as much.

But it turned out differently: “We’ve gotten to know each other a lot better than I thought we were going to.”

Academies, arts, and athletics do all have one thing in common for freshmen: they are the easiest ways to meet people and form friendships.

A successful freshman does need to count on himself or herself, but a loyal friend is great to have as you encounter the many twists and turns of high school.

Clayton Valley Charter High School freshmen continue to learn about the school and the best ways to get through everything smoothly. By their senior year they will be old pros helping to usher in all the future incoming freshmen.

Jackson Hubbard, horizontal, doesn't hold back as he makes memories with three of his best friends from band and Public Service Academy. Photo by Jenna Simpkins, Clayton Valley Charter High.

Athletics

CC Spin

9 November 2015

Strenuous sport has expanded to include girls teams in the competitive Diablo Valley Athletic league.

UNITY The Lady Eagles from Clayton Valley Charter High School huddle together before a match.

Photo courtesy of the Clayton Valley Charter High School Girls Water Polo Team.

Waterpolo needs more support to thrive

By JORDYN CUMMINGS Clayton Valley Charter High School

Water polo is an astonishing sport in numerous ways, but it appears to many of the players at Clayton Valley to be underrated by sports fans.

This high intensity and fast-paced sport has every aspect necessary to keep a viewer engaged, so why doesn’t it receive the recognition it deserves?

The Clayton Valley Charter football program has drawn a lot of attention because of the success of the team, but what people don’t realize is that both Clayton Valley's men’s and women’s water polo teams have been just as successful.

Just last year, the junior varsity girls’

water polo team won their final match in the Diablo Valley Athletic League tournament, and the varsity women’s team went on to compete in the North Coast Sectional tournament.

All the school’s water polo teams provide opportunities for many talented student athletes. The amount of work and dedication water polo requires makes the players some of the hardest working athletes around.

In a single game, players must sprint back and forth across the pool, vigorously tread water, and pass and shoot with accuracy. The diverse set of skills required in water polo makes it the product of multiple sports put together.

“It’s a really fun sport when you get down to it. It’s like a combination of your

main sports; there’s a lot of soccer in there, a lot of basketball. Actually, it’s basically basketball in water,” Clayton Valley Charter junior Lira Bekiri said.

Water polo has the potential to become an even bigger sport at Clayton Valley, but only if the team receive enough support.

If fans don’t find water polo games interesting enough to attend, they may not understand the dynamics of the game or how it’s played.

But once you go to a game, it’s fairly easy to understand and it’s exciting. Fans who follow water polo can barely take their eyes off the pool.

Unfortunately, at most water polo games, not many people show up. Most of the time only parents or siblings are in

the stands.

Think of the amount of love and encouragement the football team gets. Hundreds of people, some who don’t even attend this school go to these games because they find them thrilling.

Water polo, on the other hand, doesn’t even get one-fourth of the support the football team receives. But if you like sports and are looking for some serious entertainment, then water polo is the perfect sport for you to check out.

Sophomore Brooke Johnson said water polo is “A cool game to watch," and, “It’s not like any other sport.”

If Friday Night Lights were made for football, fans can save Wednesday nights for water polo.

Ugly Eagles hope to achieve lofty goals this football season

By JOSEPHY FOBBS

Clayton Valley Charter High School

The Clayton Valley football team has won three back-to-back league titles and has made two Nor-Cal playoff appearances. They have also had a state championship appearance, but they fell one-point short of winning because of a fumble on the one-yard line.

This year, however, the Ugly Eagles have lost many starters on both sides of the ball and look to replace them.

Senior running back Ray Jackson was a transfer from College Park as a junior last year.

Unfortunately, he was unable to play because of transfer rules. However, he is back and ready

to play this season. Jackson’s dedicated to improving his game: “I spend a lot of time watching film to see my mistakes and correct them. I also watch film to see what my opponent is going to do from snap to snap.”

Another transfer, junior defensive back Akeal Lalaind, has big goals for this season.

Because of transfer rules, he has a six-week sit out period that will cause him to miss some big games. However, he plans to come back and dominate the field after that.

“I want to have the opportunity to have a college education and the way I’m going to do it is by getting good grades in high school and performing on the field to receive a full

ride scholarship to play football,” Lalaind said.

“My daily routine is to get ready first, go to practice then I decide to watch film at home after practice. I can then see what I did wrong from that day. I recover from being sore by icing it until it doesn’t hurt anymore.”

In Lalaind’s case, he can only ice when he is in film at practice because of his packed school and practice schedule.

“The struggles I have faced are mostly resting my body, ADHD getting in the way, and learning the defensive scheme,” he said.

What makes football at Clayton Valley special is the spirit that the school has. The environment at the football games is like no other–everybody supports the football

program, especially the school’s Blue Crew cheering section.

A huge part of Clayton Valley Charter’s success on the field is the team’s focus on goal setting. The goal for this team is to have an overall GPA of 3.2 through the whole team.

This illustrates how the team cares about academics, not just winning football games.

Another goal is to win the league championship, and they aim to win the North Coast Section title for the second time in a row.

The team’s most ambitious goal is to win what they lost by inches last year: their first state championship.

Homework policy misses AP courses Hercules High starts its

By KAT LeTRAN

California High School

Less work and more play? Sounds fake, right?

But alarming levels of stress from students caused San Ramon Valley Unified School District to introduce a new homework policy this year that is supposed to lighten the load of work away from school for all students.

But there’s a catch: Advanced, Honors, and AP courses are exempt from this policy.

The new policy is expected to completely transforms the academic load burdened on students’shoulders from elementary to high school.

Some remarkable changes from this policy, taken from the district website, are a maximum of two hours of homework per class each week over breaks, and the request of teachers to collaborate with teachers in other subjects to prevent major overlapping of projects and tests. All of these changes, however, do not apply to advanced courses.

“I think it should apply to AP classes, so the athletes and other students can be considered,”said senior Fericia Terciano.

Because the majority students in California High are taking advanced classes, the policy does not apply to a large population of the school.

“I think it’s great,” senior Abby Jane Kauffman said. “I see a difference. But it’s kind of frustrating that AP classes are exempt from this. You’ll be lucky if an AP teacher takes it under consideration. I know friends that already have six hours of homework.”

Most advanced placement teachers interviewed

said they will be taking advantage of this exemption and ignoring the policy.

“It’s not going to matter to me because I teach four honors classes . . . It’s up to the teacher’s professional judgement,” said Gary Triebwasser, teacher of Honors Pre-Calculus.

“No, I will not be making any changes for my AP classes,” Nykodym said, “I do support it, and I do implement it to my regular classes. Most assignments are easily done within an hour, anyway.”

The majority of the students tended to agree that the policy, in theory, is a good thing. The idea of less stress is obviously not going to be put down. However, the policy could simply end up being a waste of paper.

“I like that we have less homework, but I feel the teachers are going to take advantage of Cal High’s block schedule and still assign us more homework. It won’t make a difference,” says Christina Dickman, a junior.

Some students said they won’t feel the effectiveness of this policy at all, or have no faith in the differences that are supposed to occur. The policy is a“waste of time”, said Donna Kim, a sophomore, and would unlikely dent the homework load piled onto students’ this year.

“There’s no change in homework,” said senior Evan Spiteri. “Maybe a little less, but not really a big or noticeable difference.”

It is difficult to accurately tell the effects of the new homework policy this early in the school year, when teachers are still easing into their yearly agenda. As the school year progresses, however, the effectiveness (or ineffectiveness) of the policy will reveal itself to Cal High’s students.

first ever wrestling team

By JUSTICE DELOS Hercules High School

For the first time in its existence Hercules High School will field a wrestling team.

The birth of wrestling at Hercules High School is due in large part to senior Gabriel Rojas. Even with no wrestling background, Rojas and a band of Hercules Titans were passionate about making this idea turn into a reality.

“I’ve always been a fighter ever since I was younger,” said Rojas. “I thought that other schools have wrestling, why not ours?”

Former Hercules Athletic Director Jason Strickland tried to make wrestling a sport, but it never came to fruition.

The idea never died, however, and Strickland suggested to Rojas that he a petition to make wrestling an official sport.

“That was the beginning of everything,” Rojas said.

Around 30 students at Hercules

“They saw that kids liked the idea, they approved us,” senior Gabriel Rojas interested in wrestling signed the petition to start a wrestling team. That petition was then sent to the district.

“They saw that kids liked the idea so they approved us,”Rojas said.

Although the sport’s inception is encouraging, Rojas realizes there is a lot of work to do: “(For one thing) some kids might initially be scared of contact, but once they see what it’s gonna be about, then they’ll be more interested.”

Coaching the team will be Matthew Silva, a four-year wrestler at UCLA and a former Navy Seal.

“We’re super excited right now,” Rojas said. “A lot of people don’t have a background in wrestling, but they’re all super excited to fit and see what their brains can hold, because it is a very physical sport.”

Features

10 November 2015

CC Spin

Seniors confront college and career decisions year goals include making the most of this last stretch of his high school experience.

“This year is definitely going to be a bit nostalgic considering time has flown quite fast and it’s a bit shocking to already be a senior,” Botchev said.“I’m hoping to enjoy my last year here at Acalanes, which is a place I think I will definitely miss. Go Dons.”

By ALLYSON DIAZ & IRIS WANG Acalanes High School

"SEEEEENIOOOOOOOORRRRS!!!!!”

The cheer resonates around the Big Gym as members of the Acalanes Class of 2016 explode with energy during the rally, stomping their feet, applauding jubilantly, waving their arms, and screaming until their voices grow hoarse.

Senior year is an iconic one, a bridge between the simplicity of childhood and the excitement of young adulthood, a stepping stone from everything we have ever known to a future unknown.

The Acalanes Blueprint profiles two Acalanes seniors, each with unique experiences here at home and bright dreams for the future.

Boris Botchev Acalanes seniors are applying to a wide swath of colleges: ranging from public institutions to privates, from in-state to international, from community colleges to the Ivy League.

Boris Botchev is one example of a senior interested in many options for his future after high school.

“Like everybody else, I have my reach, match, and safety schools,” Botchev said. “I’m applying to a typical list of UCs, as well as other schools on the West Coast. I spent 12 years living in New York when I was younger, so I’d love to go back. There’s some schools there that I’m looking forward to applying to.”

Botchev finds college applications to be unique opportunities for reflection, despite the time-consuming and meticulous detailoriented nature of the process.

The essays in particularly are very challenging, and Botchev has been revising and editing them more than anything else he has

Boris Botchev. Photo by Annika Walker, Acalanes High School. ever written.

“In totality, I find the process very exciting,” Botchev said.“For me, college apps have been a cumulative conclusion to high school, a chance to bring back the past and plan the future.

Although stressful, college apps certainly have been enlightening, and I believe they are a fitting rite of passage for those of us finishing high school.”

As for his long-term plans, Botchev has expressed an interest in law as a possible career path, a field he has been introduced to through clubs like Mock Trial, Moot Court, and Model UN at Acalanes.

Botchev appreciates the diverse and eclectic nature of law, ranging from environmental law to criminal, and its applicability to current affairs.

Along with maintaining his grades and getting into good colleges, Bochev’s senior

Ally De Martini With her chosen path for merchandise product development, senior Ally De Martini begins her journey of turning her dreams into a reality at Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles.

“When I was little I always wanted to be a fashion designer,” De Martini said. “But as I got older, I really liked math. So I wanted find something that would combine them and by going into merchandise product development.”

De Martini was originally interested in Parson’s School of Design, but soon changed her mind after hearing about FIDM on Career Day. “I went to the fashion designer one and FIDM was the one representing it,” De Martini said. “I learned that there was an LA campus and that really intrigued me because LA is not in NY and it’s not super far away from home, but it’s just far enough.”

After finding her dream school, De Martini applied for early acceptance. Her application process included a project and personal essay that reflected her interest in attending FIDM and her chosen major.

De Martini’s assignment was to create her own designs and price them for a certain store where her designs would be sold.

Applicants were also required to get their design inspirations from fashion magazines such as Vogue.

Ally Demartini. Photo by Annika Walker, Acalanes High School.

During the summer, De Martini finally heard back from the Fashion Institute with an acceptance.

“It makes me feel really relieved, but I’m also really excited because not only do I know where I’m going, but I’ve wanted to go there for the past two years,” De Martini said.

Overall, De Martini’s high school experience thus far has taught her a valuable lesson to apply at her dream school next fall.

“I’ve really learned how to work well with other people,” De Martini said. “I think it’s a key element when you go off to college and any school, but mostly this fashion school because where you’re gonna have to combine your ideas with other people and be able to mesh well.”

Club scene thrives at Clayton Valley Charter High

By ROSANNA ARAGON & LYNETTE COX Clayton Valley Charter High School

they joined clubs to become more involved on campus, but they also admitted they are in it for things to list on their college applications.

Senior Claire Olson, president of Team Blue, said she began her club “because I wanted to make students aware that the issues that occur in the ocean are important to us and our wellbeing.”

Team Blue has conducted several beach clean-ups in San Francisco since its establishment last year.

Cesar Ledesma, president of Senior Citizens, explained his recently established club. “Our goal as a club is to allow regular students who want to involve themselves in their school to participate in school and community events and activities of their choice. We want to ensure that all students feel welcome, and we want to create and empower student development in our school.”

There are over 40 active clubs on campus.

They can provide a sense of community and help students form close relationships to new people. Clubs give students the opportunity to hold leadership positions that can teach them how to be professional and organized, while others offer KEY CLUB ADVISER Sarah Berger is super stoked for what this rewards or even scholarships to students who have contributed club will have in store this year. Photo by Rosanna Aragon, Clayton Valley Charter High School. a great deal of work to the club.

There are a few distinct clubs on campus that are here to generate change, made up of students who want to educate each other on important topics that may not be discussed at all in the classroom.

“There is a CSF meeting this Tuesday at lunch in the small gym. Stop by H5 at lunch for a MUN meeting! Swing by D8 Friday for a Team Blue meeting!” These messages and more ring through the halls of Clayton Valley on a weekly basis; it’s a playlist students become all too familiar with as the school year progresses.

Clayton Valley students know that there are all kinds of clubs to join on campus that offer a wide range of activities and benefits, ranging from community service, scholarships, and debates to fun activities, socialization, and just a place to meet people over a cup of tea. Clubs are a big part of student life, and are one of the best ways to get involved and make a difference on campus.

“I joined it because it looks really good on your resume and I have friends in the club,” said a junior, who is a part of only one club on campus.

For other students, clubs play an important role in their lives, especially upperclassmen. As students move closer and closer to leaving high school, a lot of them feel the need to branch out and immerse themselves in a variety of clubs that offer a range of benefits from volunteer work, socialization, to self-education and enrichment.

Senior Carolyn Silva was proud to explain, “I’m part of French Honors Society, French Club, CSF, Senior Women, and I’m a swim team captain. The primary reason I join clubs is to get to know people and make the most of high school, and to prepare me for what the outside world has to offer. I feel like if I become involved it will help me expand and grow as a person.”

However, some students prefer not to join clubs.

“None of them really grab my attention,” admitted senior Cole Anderson, “I’ve seen the flyers on the doors and it seems like a lot of work for no payoff. But that’s just me.

I mean, there’s a lot of people who are interested in them, and they’re nice people, but it’s just not for me.”

Freshman Jacob Arviola shared, “I joined clubs because they seem interesting, and seniors told me that I should join because they regretted not being involved TEAM BLUE members show off their signature club gesture- the sign-language symbol for sea turtlein school.” during one of their beach clean ups in San Francisco. Photo by Claire Olson, Clayton Valley Charter Most, if not all students, said High.

JEFF EBEN: His life changed in an instant

By GIANNA PALLOTTA

Clayton Valley Charter High School

The principal of Clayton Valley Charter High School learned an important life lesson as a teenager.

Jeff Eben is now in a wheelchair, but when he was 16,

he was living the dream.

At school, he was a football player and the junior class president. One day he went waterskiing and things went south. He ended up hitting his head against a rock, breaking his neck in three places. He was paralyzed from the chest down.

“You live this and you can’t even believe this is real.

Like, I’ve seen people in wheelchairs on TV, you watch this stuff, and you think ‘That can’t be me,’ and then it’s you,” Eben said.

“You have this whole life change that happens all in one minute.”

Eben spent the next six months after his accident in the hospital.

He remembers one particular day when he got a visit

TEA CLUB Co-Presidents Kyle Kortes and Shannon Grill are both friendly juniors that dedicate time and money towards their passion for tea. Photo by Rosanna Aragon, Clayton Valley Charter High School.

“You have this whole life change that happens all in one minute,” said Clayton Valley Charter principal Jeff Eben from his football coach. He came into his hospital room and simply said, “How many wins have you had today?”

Confused, Eben asked what he was talking about. His football coach told him he meant that there is something good in every day.

“It became this routine of counting your blessings every day,” said Eben.

Although it was a tragic event that changed his life forever, Eben learned a valuable lesson from it.

Features

CC Spin

11 November 2015

Many factors influence college choice by seniors

By PABLO HERNANDEZ Clayton Valley Charter High School

As the time approaches to plan your much-anticipated future, life can become more stressful and aggravating than it already is.

The process of searching for a college can be extremely challenging, and not every student will choose the path to a four-year college. Institutions such as trade schools and internships are also a popular destination for many students.

As the time approaches, high school seniors prepare to endure the rigorous process of selecting the college that fits their preferences. There are many critical factors that influence the decisions such as the cost, majors offered, location.

“I think my destination for college will depend mostly on the major I choose,” said senior Dylan Gois of Clayton Valley Charter High School.

During high school, it can be difficult to prepare for the next stage of your life.

“I chose to take two AP classes this year, and I’m trying to become more accustomed to studying harder and longer,” said senior Ronny Hernandez.

Like Ronny, many seniors took AP courses not only to prepare themselves for more college courses, but to also gain that extra GPA boost that will attract more prestigious colleges.

“I’m taking AP classes to prepare myself for the academic workload and spending a lot of time with friends because we will be parting ways soon,”Ashlynn Hengemihle

added.

Although it is important to prepare oneself for college, many seniors are not forgetting to enjoy their last year of high school.

Cost may be the biggest factor in deciding colleges for many students, and parents will most definitely have a say when it comes to paying for college.

The average budget for the 2014-2015 academic year, according to College Board was $23,410 for in-state public colleges and $46,272 for private colleges.

Community colleges tend to be cheaper, and many community college students live at home, driving costs down more.

As seniors look for colleges and take every detail into consideration, they would do well never to forget what makes them content and proud.

Photo from autismsocietyoaklandcounty.org

Governor signs bill for 'end of life" option to be assisted by doctors to end their life , according to the New York Times.

The option of assisted suicide is provided so that terminallyCalifornia Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill on Oct. 5that ill patients can decide to avoid terrible pain in the last days of will allow California to become the fifth state to legalize assisted their lives by choosing to die. suicide as of January 2016.

To avoid abuse of this bill, several safeguards are being In September of this year, the California Legislature already added. In hopes of preventing any consequential incidents, gave their stamp of approval on the bill ABX2 15, otherwise patients are required to request the drugs at least three times, known as the “End of Life Option Act”, that legalizes physician- and at least once in writing before two witnesses. assisted suicide in California.

A form must also be signed two days before the patient At the beginning of October, after a month of silence, ingests the medication to end their life. Many measures have Governor Jerry Brown decided to sign the bill into legislation. been created to hopefully combat the opposition’s suspicions Following the states Oregon, Washington, Vermont and Mon- and concerns. tana, California will be the fifth state to legalize administered “We’ve crafted the strongest protections of any such law euthanasia in hospitals, according to CNN. that currently exists,”said Bill Monning, a California senator and one of the law’s sponsors (New York Times).

Nevertheless, there’s still a lot of controversy surrounding this, as people believe legalizing assisted suicide is really exactly what is said in the name: assisted suicide.

Many feel the ethical implications of having doctors assist patients in ending their lives makes the situation a moral gray area.

But Brown acknowledges, after he himself had to heavily consider what decision to make, that in the end, a patient should be given the option to at least decide themselves.

California Assembly Member Susan Talamantes Eggman, right, holds a news conference to announce “I do not know the approval of the aid-in-dying legislation in the state senate, in Sacramento, Calif., on Sept. 11, what I would do if I 2015. Photo by Marcus Yam, Los Angeles Times/TNS) were dying in prolonged and excruciatThe law was modeled after Oregon’s. For physician-assisted ing pain,” Brown said. “I am certain, however, that it would be a suicide to take place, a patient must be fully capable of physi- comfort to be able to consider the options afforded by this bill. cally taking the medication by themselves and have the mental And I wouldn’t deny that right to others,” to the New York Times. capacity to make important medical decisions.

Like Brown, many supporters of the recent bill believe that It also requires that two doctors agree that that patient euthanasia allows terminally ill patients to decide to die of their has less than six months to live, is necessary for said patient accord and hopefully die a more dignifying death.

By AMANDA SU

Dougherty Valley High School

However, although some people rejoice in this, there are still others that can’t shake the feeling that the bill isn’t all it’s made out to be. A belief the opponents of assisted suicide share is that doctors swore the Hippocratic Oath, ensuring that they would do everything possible to keep their patients alive.

But the fact that a patient can now direct their doctor to assist them in ending their life undermines the whole idea.

Many opponets to this law are from religious groups, such as Roman Catholics, and disability rights advocates, including the American Academy of Medical Ethics, the American Medical Association, the California Catholic Conference the Disability Rights Center, according to CNN. The advocates have a concern that it is possible, especially for terminally ill patients from lower income families, to be pressured by the people supporting them financially to take the drugs and avoid the later months of expensive life sustaining care.

It even goes to the extent where some believe that relatives and caregivers could easily slip the patient drugs without their knowledge nor consent.

These fears make people extremely wary of the potential consequences and abuses and still remain strongly opposed.

Despite disapproval and criticism and unswayed by opposition, 29-year-old Brittany Maynard, a young woman from the San Francisco Bay Area diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, moved to Oregon so that she could legally choose to die on her own terms. Before she passed away in November 2014, she strongly advocated assisted suicide, and become a spokesperson for the “death with dignity” movement.

Before her death, Maynard stated in an interview on CNN very simply, “My question is: Who has the right to tell me that I don’t deserve this choice? That I deserve to suffer for weeks or months in tremendous amounts of physical and emotional pain? Why should anyone have the right to make that choice for me?” .

Although her family members mourned her death, they said they were thankful she was able to die without pain and suffering.

Regardless of criticism, after his time of silence and contemplation, and after spending time consulting people, such as two of his own doctors, a Catholic bishop, former classmates and friends with widely different opinions, Brown decided to sign the bill.

“In the end, I was left to reflect on what I would want in the face of my own death,” Brown said in the New York Times.

Starting January 2016, close to 90 days after the bill was signed, hospitals will be readily administering euthanasia as doctors assist their patients in ending their lives.

This piece of legislature will not be just another bill, but literally a matter of life and death.

Cal High switches to gender neutral grad gowns

By ANMOL ARORA California High School

With a trend in support of equal rights for the gay and transgender community, California High’s administration has decided that all students in the Class of 2016 will wear black gowns at graduation this June.

With the new policy, the school will be breaking away from its long-lasting tradition of males and females wearing different coloredgowns at graduation.

“The purpose of this [new] policy is to not identify people by gender,” stated assistant principal Crystal Lopez, who thinks that black as the grad gowns color looks better than white or orange, California High’s other color.

“Girls used to be in orange [grad gowns] and boys in black for many years,” said math teacher Fred Albano, who started teaching at California High High a few years after it opened in 1973.

Females later switched to white gowns, which they wore through last June’s graduation ceremony. Males have always worn black gowns.

Lopez said California High was not influenced by Dougherty Valley High and other high schools in the East Bay that have also decided to make the grad gowns one uniform color for all students. The only factor behind the decision was an attempt to make the school reflect a more modern perspective.

The change at Dougherty Valley was led by gender-nonconforming senior Kyle Doan,

who wrote in an email that there had been der students. What matters to me and what I somewhat of an unspoken rule that guys wore want everyone to take away from this entire dark blue grad gowns while girls wore light situation is that there are different kinds blue grad gowns. of people and they need to be recognized “I felt that it was necessary and respected,” Doan wrote. to change the colors because “If even one student feels of an incident that occurred misrepresented, ostracized, or Findings of a U.S. survey my freshman year (2012-2013) uncomfortable, I want that to be of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youths: in which a senior, who was addressed and if a school-wide transgender, was unsure of change seems necessary, than LGBT youths Straight youths what gown color to choose,” it is necessary.”

Percentage of respondents Doan wrote. “This was an exHe also noted that the who say ... tremely triggering situation for initial reactions to the policy I am happy her and prompted teachers, were generally not positive.

37% 67 our school’s GSA, and myself Girls especially were upset I have experimented with to take action.” by the change, which would alcohol and drugs Doan and other students prevent their senior portraits 52 fought hard to make the from matching their graduation 22 change for a uniform grad pictures.

I am more honest online than in the real world gown color, but the process Junior Saadhana Desh73 was not an easy one. pande, president of the Cali43 “When our current prinfornia High LGBT club, shared I donÕt fit in in my cipal, Daniel Hillman, became a perspective similar to that community principal of DVHS, we began of Doan.

47 16 to enforce the change and “It’s cool that the [California In the last year, I have been to talk about it more. It took High] administration is trying verbally harassed at school about three years to finalize,” to be gender-inclusive as some 51 he stated. people are not gender-binary 25 After being unable to but genderless,” she said.

Or physically attacked enforce the change for the She feels that the decision at school 17 Class of 2015, the new policy reflects the goals of the LGBT 10 was officially adopted for the club.

Source: Human Rights Campaign online current school year.

“Generally we try to make survey of 10,030 LGBT youths ages 13 to 17 and 510 youths who were not screened for LGBT status (the ÒstraightÓ “I think that these changes the school gender inclusive so sample), April 16-May 20, 2012 Graphic: Los Angeles Times © 2012 MCT will definitely help transgenit’s nice that they [the adminis-

LGBT youth

tration] are not going against one gender or the other,” Deshpande said.

On the other hand, junior Joyce Chen, who had been informed of the policy by her sister, felt it was unnecessary.

“I don’t think that the color of the gowns defined gender,” she said. “I don’t think it [the color] is a big deal and needed to be changed.”

Senior Clevian Hsia favored having a “mix” of black and white gowns since white gowns looked better with dresses.

“I think that, if anything, students should have the choice to pick what color gown they want,” she stated.

Junior Marley Fernandes agreed that students should have an option to choose white or black gowns rather than having an assigned color. Despite this, she felt that having one neutral color would be the fairest policy for all students.

Doan raised a similar point in his email that many students at Dougherty Valley felt that transgender students should have a choice in deciding grad gown color since color wasn’t defined to any specific gender.

“There’s an underlying norm that people feel inclined to follow and regardless of how anyone thinks it can change, it can’t because peer pressure is such a prevalent influence,” he wrote.

According to assistant principal Lopez, the new policy is guaranteed for this year’s graduating class. It is yet to be seen how it will unfold and if it will affect students in any meaningful way.

BACK PAGE

12 November 2015

CC Spin

Girls can code as well as males–and they do!

By VANESSA VILLALOBOS Making Waves Academy

I am a Girl Who Codes.

I was lucky enough to be selected for the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program last summer.

Girls Who Code is an organization dedicated to encouraging girls to pursue degrees in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math. It was founded by Reshma Saujani, the executive director of the Fund for Public Advocacy in New York City and author of “Women Who Don’t Wait in Line.”

After running for Congress (the first South Asian woman ever to do so) and losing, Saujani noticed that at the universities where she spoke most STEM courses were male-dominated.

Why aren’t more girls in here? she wondered.

This motivated her to start Girls Who Code, and now thanks to her, thousands of girls have learned to code, whether it’s in the Summer Immersion Program for incoming high school juniors and seniors, or the Girls Who Code Clubs, which are open to 6th through 12th graders. Thanks to Saujani’s determination to close the gender gap, many girls will now go into STEM fields.

I participated in the Summer Immersion Program 2015, held in the offices of General Electric in San Ramon.

I remember applying and thinking that there would be girls better than I and that I might not get in, but I clung on to the hope that, somehow, I would. I filled out the application, submitted it, and waited for the email to come with the decision. Finally it did, and when I opened it, I saw that I had been accepted, but

CODERS Vanessa Villalobos’ class for the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program included girls from Richmond, Burney, Castro Valley, San Ramon and other locations in California. Photo courtesy of the GE Teaching Team.

I would have to go all the way in San Ramon.

I thought of the commute from San Pablo all the way to San Ramon and back, but even then I knew I couldn’t pass up this opportunity.

I talked to my parents and my mom said that if I really felt that going would help me get a better sense of computer science, then she’d be willing to drive me. So it was decided that I would go, and that I would put in all the effort I possibly could to make my summer count.

Before I knew it, the first day of class came. I didn’t know anyone or where to go, or what to do, but I was excited and at the same time nervous. I arrived almost an hour early.

My mom dropped me off, so I walked up to the glass doors and tried to open them, but then I realized I needed a badge to get in, so I waited for the lady at the front desk to see me and open the door for me. They told me to sit down in the waiting room. I introduced myself to the one other girl already there, and we talked about how far we’d come (she was from Vallejo). In half an hour, more girls arrived and our teaching assistant, Tiffany, took us to our classroom. Once everyone got to class, it felt a little weird to be in a small room with 20 girls I didn’t know. We got a preview of what our seven weeks in the program would be like.

By the end of the first week, we were all comfortable with each other, and it felt like more than a week had passed.

The actual Summer Immersion Program consisted of seven weeks of pure coding and hands-on activities. We would focus on new topics every week: We learned to code using the programming language Python, and made dynamic websites with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

It sounds intimidating, but it’s really not.

The teacher and teaching assistants were always there to help, and the other girls were helpful, too. You go through this process together, and there is no criticism if you don’t get concepts right away.

You are also exposed to various speakers

GIRL CODER Vanessa Villalobos. Photo courtesy of Vanessa Villalobos, Making Waves Academy from different fields, such as cyber security, app developers, and founders of top tech companies.

You learn the importance of networking and developing connections with people who might be able to help you in the future.

In addition, the program takes students to visit tech companies and colleges to get an idea of what it’s like to work in tech, and what college courses in computer science look like.

The program’s goal is to give girls an idea of what it’s like to participate in STEM programs and even get a sense of the perks the field has to offer.

This is an amazing program and I am so happy I got to be a part of it. It helped me build relationships with other girls that I’ve kept in touch with after the program.

As a senior applying to college, I know that I will pursue computer science because Girls Who Code exposed me to it. I would recommend this program to all junior and senior girls.

The STEM fields are growing, and it’s time more women join and prosper.

Girls can, and we will.

Nolan uses art to improve cultural, critical skills “Art increases one’s critical and comprehension skills, enabling one to progress as an individual. ¨

By CATIE SMITH Clayton Valley Charter High School

A

rt is an important part of education for students enrolled at Clayton Valley Charter High School.

Katie Nolan, a well-respected art teacher on campus, believes art turns students into better intellectuals: “Art increases one’s critical and comprehension skills,” she explained, “enabling one to progress as an individual. ¨ One of her more advanced students, Lindsey Wells, revealed, “Art is my therapy

and is what I turn to when I need relief from the stresses of life.”

Leann Skorlich, a senior at Clayton Valley, turns to art for entertainment and a way to pass time. “Art is a good way to express yourself and to have fun, and also a great way to make friends,” she explained.

“Many artists try to capture social issues in their art,” said Katie Cunningham, “and when I see these art pieces, it makes me feel a certain way about that issue, and I try to figure out my opinion on that issue.”

Some students would even consider a career in an art field.

Cunningham wants to become a tattoo artist and have a tattoo shop. The idea of having her art sitting on someone’s body forever so that everyone can see it is the greatest source of fulfillment there is, in her eyes. She also happened to fall in love with the people in this line of work.

Since last summer, she has been observing and helping out at Eye of the Tiger Tattoo which is a tattoo parlor in San Francisco. She never feels judged, unless it’s friendly advice on her art and what can be improved.

“Many artists try to capture social issues in their art and when I see these art pieces, it makes me feel a certain way about that issue, and I try to figure out my opinion on that issue.”

“Art is a good way to express yourself and to have fun, and also a great way to make friends.”

Art by Katie Cunningham, Clayton Valley Charter High School

“Art is my therapy and is what I turn to when I need relief from the stresses of life.”