April Issue 2019

Overcoming the challenges of physical and mental disorders

#LONGLIVEPOOCHIE

PRHS & Liberty deeply affected by death of senior Emilee Ruiz

PG. 04

ABILITY THROUGH DISABILITY Students embrace challenges both mental and physical while simultaneously pursuing life goals

PG. 17-22

STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE

Freshmen softball players Ralston, Dizon, and Phillips starting at the top

PG. 34

| NEWS

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BRIEFS OF THE MONTH

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL RESIGNS

MEINERT LATEST TO DEPART IN SERIES OF RESIGNATIONS

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eputy Principal Nathan Meinert announced his resignation following a string of administrative resignations starting with the superintendent Chris Williams and Principal Eric Martinez. Meinert wrote a letter Mar. 28 announcing his departure from Paso Robles High School, in which he shared his reason for resigning and thanked Paso Robles for the opportunities extended to him. Meinert’s resignation occurred under slightly different circumstances than those of the superintendent, who left mid year amidst financial controversy.

Meinert decided to work in San Luis Obispo for more personal reasons. “I am able to once again work alongside my wife in the community I called home personally and professionally for multiple years,” Meinert said. The assistant principal also stated that he would finish off the year, a departure from the precedent set by his former superiors; Principal Martinez left the district in the middle of the 2018-19 school year leaving the position unfilled and the high school’s future in uncharted waters.

by Ian Grace, Health Editor

QUAD DUTY: Deputy principal Nathan Meinert watches over the quad during lunch. His term as vice principal will run until the end of the 2018-2019 school year.

MATT, MATT, HE’S OUR MAN CARROLL NAMED TEACHER OF THE YEAR

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atthew Carroll, teacher of the seven years, was awarded Teacher of the Year on Mar. 28. Senior night for Track and Field was interrupted by a flood of cheering teachers, students, and parents bestowing a crown upon him and embracing him with hugs.

“It was very humbling,” Carroll expressed. “I believed there was so many deserving people, so I was pretty shocked when I heard I had won.”

Growing up at the Paso Robles High School himself and graduating in the class of 2005, Carroll had wanted to be a psychologist or college football coach as his future career. However, inspired by his teachers in high school, his passion for writing and reading led him to where he is now.

Carroll now teaches the Newcomers English class, Peer Communication, and co-teaches 9th grade English.

“He’s a great person all around and a great person to go to when you need something. He’s always there for you and a safe spot on campus,” Kendall Caruana, a senior student of Carroll, said. With 170 students he teaches every day, Carroll leads his students to success via humor and reaching them on a personal level.

“I hope I also taught them to use the problem solving motto I always use: ‘Figure it out.’” Carroll stated. As he continues to motivate and inspire his students, he hopes that he can teach students that life is hard, but the challenge is fun.

by Jasmine Romero, Video Director

HAIL, KING: Students and fellow teachers celebrated

English teacher Matt Carroll’s Teacher of the Year Award in a parade march to the track Mar. 28 with signs and chants. Carroll is varsity track head coach.

LUNCH LINE SWITCH UP

SNACK BARS CONVERT TO ELECTRONIC SYSTEM

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ood purchasing and payment within the PRJUSD entered a new era by switching to an electronic system starting Mar. 1. The new system affects PRHS and both middle schools. The interface allows students to upload money to their accounts and pay with a pin number, limiting the number of cash purchases.

The new systems first day caused the lines to move much slower than usual, ”It took like three minutes to order,” said Sophomore Daniel Roman, “they struggled with the pin and getting it all set up and finalized.”

The line that usually dissipates by the end of nutrition still had about 30 people waiting when the 10:15 bell rang.

“I’ve been in line since the start of nutrition, and I still haven’t gotten food,” said junior Cassi Fiel, who was one of the students in line at the time. “I think this is ironic because

02 NEWS | Crimson Newsmagazine 04.12.19

it’s supposed to give people more food, but some people still haven’t gotten food yet.”

The change came after a memo from Food Service Director Gregg Wangard on Feb 25, which stated, “The Food Service Department is going through an upgrade to our hardware and software equipment.” This system will replace the previous equipment, some of which is approaching 25 years old.

Before the rollout, all food service staff received a total of eight hours of training over the preceding four days. Those behind the counter have hope that the situation will improve; “as we get to know the system better it’s definitely going to get easier and quicker,” Tiki Hut Worker Linda Bilderback said.

“Once they know their numbers and we know the system, it’s going to be so easy to just put in their numbers and go.”

by Camden Tucker, News Editor

SNACK BAR SWITCH-UP: Cafeteria worker Linda

Bilderback operates the new pin number operated system. Lines were longest on the rollout day, Mar. 1.

Photos by Camden Tucker, Gabrielle Clayton and Jasmine Romero

Tantalizing Talents

NEWS |

PRHS students take the stage at the annual talent show by Anya Veach, OpEd Editor

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THE GREATEST TALENT SHOW (above) : Sophomores Aiden Blond and Orion Bohannon lip sync to “The Other Side” from the film The Greatest Showman. Both students are a part of the PRHS drama department.

s the spotlight began to glow, PRHS students nervously approached the stage, ready to show off their talents for the third annual talent show on March 1, 2019. Voices quivered, knees knocked, but all performers were welcomed under the bright lights with whoops and cheers of excitement and support from the audience.

The show, hosted by the school’s Drama Club in the PAC, provided an opportunity for students of all grade levels to showcase their talents, from first place winners Regan Rowins, Trinity Bishop, and Liz Phillips who sang an original song entitled “Things are Better for Me” to even Miles McMahan and Steven Scruggs dancing on roller blades to the song “Happy Together.”

“You get to show a different talent, and you get to see a different talent as well,” senior Kasiya Heinle, who performed a self-choreographed dance, said.

“Everybody has many different talents in their own way and it’s so fun to see all of them.”

Heinle placed third at the show behind secondplace group David Trobisch, Asher Armstrong, Cody Buchholtz, and Tristan Brewer who performed “Music From the Future.” The show was judged by PRHS alumni Maddy Trujillo, Jacob Bausch, and Celeste Geary.

The show, which per the vote of Drama Club had a theme of fruits and veggies, was open for all students to participate in, and many advocate for its importance, as it encourages each and every student to take risks and be courageous.

“Don’t be so nervous,” said freshman Carson Renau, who showcased his singing abilities with a song by Nickelback at the event. “Show your talents to everyone. Just like how you were a kid and you didn’t care. That’s how you should be.”

Photo by Anya Veach

BEARCATS HAVE THE SKILLS PRHS sweeps competition at SkillsUSA Regionals by Alayna Hernandez, World Editor

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orking hard is what Bearcats do. Of 144 students who registered to compete in SkillsUSA, 113 made the cut for state.

Students from neighboring districts flocked to the campus Saturday, Feb. 24, ready to compete in over 100 competitions involving skills in trade, design, production, and leadership. Bearcats dominated the fields, racking in state wins in over 32 competitions in fields such as healthcare, childhood development, construction, wiring, plumbing, carpentry, automotive, and welding. ”They [must] have a very strong work ethic, or else they wouldn’t be in SkillsUSA. That’s the whole essence of what Skills is about. It’s to teach work ethics,” said Randy Canaday, who is the coordinator and advisor for PRHS’s SkillsUSA region. “They’re going to go compete, but they’re competing at an occupation. They’re competing with students they don’t know who have also had training, and they’re competing to be the best employee .”

SkillsUSA is a competition that goes beyond athletic or academic evaluation. The foundation involves high school and college students to compete on a worldclass working level. PRHS’s recent wins have boosted the reputation of the high school’s many programs and career pathways; true to the WASC report, Paso is an exceptional

IN THE ZONE (above) : Senior Justin Nored prepares for his tig welding competi-

tion. He recieved a silver medal and will procede to the state competition.

CTE-oriented school.

Photo by Camden Tucker Programs are growing, and those who stay with it are thriving. In the past three years, the amount of students contending in healthcare-related competitions increased 91 percent. In 2016, three students participated in one contest. This year, 37 students applied in 8 respective 113 of the 144 students who competitions; almost half of those students qualified for competed will be advancing to state against technical schools. Of those qualified were the state-wide competition in multiple three-year veterans of the healthcare program.

April.

“It’s really exciting to see it grow and to see our students prove how much they’ve learned, “ said 39 students received gold Shelby LaMendola, who became teacher for Intro and Advanced Healthcare classes three years ago, during the medals across 33 different program’s transitional time. “It’s impressive because we competitons; all will be are competing against technical schools that have their competing in Ontario, CA. students constantly in a facility. To know that we are a public school and I only get them one day for an hour – to know that we are competing with that group of people – is In the last three years, impressive.” competitions focusing on Nationals look bright for CTE state medalists. According healthcare have seen a 91 to Canaday, roughly 80-90 of the students who qualify percent increase. for state will compete; it’s projected that 10% of those students will progress to nationals.

a skills recap

04.12.19 Crimson Newsmagazine | NEWS 03

| NEWS

Photo courtsey of Myrna Maya

PRHS and Liberty deeply affected by death of Emilee Ruiz

CANDLE LIGHT VIGIL: Candles surround a photo of a happy Ruiz. The event was arranged by senior Tiana Walton and friends .

Photo curtsey of Myrna Maya

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by Camden Tucker, Photography Director

photo depicts senior Emilee Ruiz, who died Mar. 5, 2019, known for her charasmatic attitude, “she always cared about sitting atop the bleachers that surround the track, bearing a everyone, always wanted to make sure everyone felt included,” said wide smile on May 21, 2018. Strands of dyed red hair are blown senior Tiana Walton, “Even if it was your first time meeting her, she across her face and her silver nose ring glints in the spring sunshine. would just automatically click with you. She wanted to be friends with In another memorial photo near the PRHS parking lot, Ruiz wears the everybody.” same bright smile and playfully holds up a cherry from her chocolate Ruiz’s love for people was shared between both friends and shake. At the memorial, still visible to family. “She had a big family with students who walk the side entrance, a lot of siblings,” said senior Jack a small prayer box is perched against Schlickeiser. “She’d babysit them a a photo. One card signed by senior lot, work for the family a lot. She was Angelina Marziello reads: “I love you very supportive of her family and forever Emilee, never stop smiling and had a very good heart.”

My mission is to first and foremost graduate high school laughing up there. Fly high, angel.”

Less than a year later, those and get my diploma. Currently that’s the only thing on my mind, but what I want to do after high school to be successful Ruiz was struck by a moving vehicle photos that captured pure joy are is go to Cuesta College and take advantage of the free two at around 10:50 pm on Tuesday Mar. surrounded by friends and peers years.

I want to take fire science and EMT courses to become 5, on northbound Highway 101 in leaving flowers and shedding tears a firefighter for SLO county. It is important to me because I Templeton after she stepped into for their friend’s death. Flowers, want to help people and I want to be successful. I also want to oncoming traffic. Police are currently stuffed animals, and candles have make my family proud. My allies on my mission will definitely investigating the situation. been left by friends at both PRHS be my siblings and my mom. A quote that inspires me to do On Wednesday, Mar. 6, the planter and Liberty High. A cross with better everyday is, “All our dreams can come true, if we have boxes at the entrance of the school flowers sprung up on Highway 101 the courage to peruse them,” by Walt Disney. were filled with flowers, framed photos, in Templeton where the incident stuffed animals, and letters from loved Emilee wrote this messsage about occurred. her future aspirations for a class ones. The event and emotional grief Friends and family members have poured out over social media late that held multiple vigils in Ruiz’s honor. assignment. night and across days that followed.

Around 150 people gathered and “Every time we were together i wouldn’t be able to contain my released many balloons into the air on Mar. 7 in an event organized laughter. Her impact on the people around her was truly unreal,” said by seniors Marziello and Yoana Sandoval in the lot adjacent to the an Instagram post from senior Ava Frontera, “I will never forget your school. smile and all the fun times we had.” The message #longlivepoochie To those affected by the loss, these events are helping heal the was started based around a common nickname for Ruiz. community, bringing people together who feel so lost after such a For those around her, Ruiz was a center of joy and compassion, tragedy. “It’s making people realize that there shouldn’t be so much “from kindergarten she’s always had the biggest heart and the hate,” Walton said, “that we should all love each other and all be goofiest personality,” said senior Julia Sage. Ruiz was a person there for each other.”

HER MISSION

04 NEWS | Crimson Newsmagazine 04.12.19

HIGH SCHOOL MEMORIAL: Friends left

flowers, notes, and mementos to mourn the loss. Many of the items were left the morning after her passing on Mar. 6.

Photo curtsey of Myrna Maya

FAMILY PHOTO: Ruiz poses with her parents and siblings, who she often babysat.

Photo curtsey of Tiana Walton

FREE SPEECH FOR ALL EDITORIAL |

Analyzing Crimson’s coverage and the reasons behind it

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ecent months have made the Crimson staff increasingly aware of a spike in political criticism for the stories and topics we choose to feature. We hear people call us the “liberal paper,” the “Mexican paper” and the “gay paper.”

Last month, we posted a link to an article on Facebook about an asylum seeker and one user commented, “Can’t this school write about any thing else than constantly the issues of illegals?

Stop pushing your narrative and write about something else.”

In another situation, we received a direct message from an Instagram user asking us, “Why do you put stuff in your paper like the ‘gay agenda’? Why do you only talk about the gay side, I have never seen you put anything about the ‘Straight agenda.’’”

The positive side of the commentary we have received is that it has led to critical class discussions regarding the extent of freedom of speech and how we can limit the systematic marginalization of either political views. We take what we hear as constructive criticism and admit that we must balance perspectives within the articles we write.

But these sly comments appear to be misguided in terms of who we decide to represent and how we structure our coverage. Historically, our Opinion section has leaned a little more to the left, but those views are not tangent to featuring Hispanic students and LGBTQ+ students. We pursue these stories as an acknowledgement of social justice, and in doing so, we exercise our right to talk about the underdogs.

We also are addressing our audience. In the 2017-2018 school year, 53 percent of our school consisted of minorities.

Our publication aims to give the students at our school the platform to speak up and share their stories. It would be ignorant of us to ignore those issues that affect so many of the student body.

Critics complain on sections of our publication and clearly skip over our efforts to cover sports, health, entertainment and other balanced topics. No, we are not only the “Mexican” or “gay” paper.

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Jessica Jagger Sarah Jagger Ysabel Wulfing

Circulation

Emily Olsen Manager Brie Howestine Kaya McCasland

Cheyanne Holliday Manager

Graphics

Casey Dumong Director

Reporters Kaya McCasland Brie Howenstine Rayvin Wulfing

PR Director

Catalina Magnuson

Art Director Jasmine Romero

Web Director Trevor Jaureguy

reasons. We hope, simultaneously, our critics are not trying to censor all opinions they do not agree with, languages they do not speak, or groups and races they are not members of.

Journalism has been particularly subject to the criticism of biased news or “fake news.” The times sound a lot like 1898, when newspaper publishers Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst were accused of “yellow journalism” for their coverage of the Spanish-American War. Critics wanted to know: did their papers exaggerate topics for economical or personalized gain? Interestingly, a 2013 survey titled “The American Journalist in the Digital Age,” conducted by professors of journalism at Indiana University, found that the percentage of journalists who report to be Democrats or Republicans has been decreasing in both sectors since the survey was first conducted in 1972. Nationwide, 64.8 percent of journalists identify as independents or another party. Despite this statistic, the focus is on the gap within the 35 percent of two-party-identified journalists, in which 28.1 percent identify as Democrats and 7.1 percent identify as Republicans.

An internal staff survey found similar results. Of 27 staff members surveyed, 48.1 percent reported to politically identify as independent or other while 14.8 percent identified as Republicans and 37 percent identified as Democrats.

But Crimson, as an entirely voluntary, student-run publication, has stuck to the mission to provide the facts while also providing a view in an Opinion format section.

We choose to present the truth to the best of our knowledge and in the hopes that we can have a more cohesive conversation with what is going on in the world. What we have learned has given us the incentive to challenge others to honor and respect the views of others while also learning to find the appropriate times to share those views.

C h i c a g o Laboratory Schools, defended rightwing views, much like Crimson intends to in future articles. Their story touched on how a newly-established Conservative Club received backlash for presenting its views in a highly progressive school. The piece took a stand against politically isolating people that do not hold the same beliefs and advocated for the freedom

of speech for the members of the Conservative Club. It brought up an essential point - that the First Amendment serves to protect the rights of anyone that wishes to speak. We respect our critics’ remarks for these very

newsmagazine

Editors In Chief

Business

Last year’s 2018 National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) Editorial of the Year, written by a student publication from U-High Midway - University o f

Editors

- Crimson Staff

Student journalism at PASO ROBLES HS

Camden Tucker News Hannah Hochheiser News Anya Veach Op/Ed Phoebe Corgiat Sports Brighton Garrett Sports Jaclyn DiMatteo People Tyler Dunn Review Tyler Seidel Health Ian Grace Health Jeremy Hunt Copy Editor Declan Higgins Copy Editor

Editors

Victoria Escamilla Carmesi Alayna Hernandez World Lottie Abascal World Cole Eberhard Poli-Sci Emily Mathein Environment Mckensi Keller Pop Culture Madeline Loff Blind Date

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Camden Tucker Director Cheyanne Holliday Business

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Crimson, an open forum for the exchange of student ideas, is an independently funded newsmagazine produced by the journalism class at Paso Robles High School. Crimson reflects the majority opinion of the staff and does not necessarily reflect the views of Paso Robles High School, its faculty, administration, or students.

All stories, graphics, typesetting, and layouts are completed by Paso Robles High School students.

We are happy to talk with you further about our content, subscriptions in U.S. Mail, and advertising ­—Crimson Staff on our pages.

04.12.19 Crimson Newsmagazine | EDITORIAL 05

COLLEGIAL COMMITMENT

| OPINION

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otentially roblematic

Stop and find the roses

by Anya Veach, Op/Ed Editor

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don’t like the smell of flowers. It’s hard to imagine that something so beautiful and pristine has any kind of flaws. But whenever I see people pick a flower from a garden or be handed a bouquet and the first thing they think to do is inhale its perfume, I find myself trying not to gag.

This may have been a premonition as to why I have a hard time when people tell me to “stop and smell the roses.” It’s what made me want to speed through life, never stopping, keeping myself busy for every minute. After all, if I didn’t want to smell the roses, why should I stop in the first place?

Having hours of work with my own new responsibilities and commitments, both to myself and others, has become something that I can not only count on having each day, but something I’ve grown to rely on. I find myself saying, “I have to do more. I’m not doing enough.”

All the while, I exhaust myself, take on things that I know I can’t do, and miss out on the things and people in my life that actually matter.

Maybe I’m searching for a distraction from the things that don’t make me feel so happy in my life.

Maybe I’ve realized that the times I do stop are the only times I let all of the built-up stress catch up with me. Maybe I honestly just hate roses.

Whatever the reason, it grows continuously harder to get myself to slow down.

But it’s in those times, in those few deep inhales, that life seems to come into perspective.

It’s not about what the roses smell like. It’s about how lucky you are to have something so beautiful in your life.

“Slow down and enjoy life,” comedian Eddie Cantor said. “It’s not only the scenery you miss by going too fast – you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.”

You don’t and stop smell the roses because you like the smell; you stop to smell them because it’s the only thing that will remind you to take a deep breath. It’s finding the roses, finding your roses, that really counts.

The prospects of college aren’t as clear-cut as they seem

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by Declan Higgins, Copy Editor oring over college applications, high school seniors find associate’s degree at a community college.” The article mentions themselves spending their days waiting for their last year of various other factors that can lower cost, like what they view as the high school to be over and to finally see if those applications limited value of nationally prestigious colleges and the benefits of will land them in a university. This stressful whirlwind of preparation scholarships and student negotiation for pricing. is a common situation for students preparing to enter college, Senior Esther Cabello, who’s majoring in mathematics and was although it can be more than just a given for many of them. There’s accepted to UCLA, plans to receive a PhD in the field. However, she the cost to consider, as well as whether or not the benefits of college offered a measured take on whether or not college was essential will outweigh the time and cash college requires, considering that for starting a career. “It depends on what you want to go into. There costs average over $90,000 for a four-year degree in California. are certain jobs that, obviously, you can’t do without the correct Bartt Frey, a PRHS computer teacher who also manages education, but there are still jobs that need to get done that the department’s SkillsUSA contests, feels that finding you don’t have to go to college for - and it’s… probably an occupation should be prioritized over college. “I better if you don’t go [for those jobs] because then think the biggest thing someone needs to figure you don’t have to spend all the money.” out to do is a career,” Frey said. “A career needs These interviews, news articles, and various to be number one… We need people to go to similar sources seem to point to a particular jobs that require college… but I think the bottom conclusion: it’s often beneficial to go to college, line is that it’s career first, then [choosing] the but there are always other options for those education that you need to go and get.” seeking jobs that don’t require a degree.

Frey’s suggestion isn’t unsupported. For one, the Nevertheless, college costs can be reduced New York Times notes that around 40 percent of through scholarships if a student puts in real people who attend college end up dropping out, and effort during their high school years, and students that those 40 percent earn a mere a year, on average, often benefit from reduced prices at non-householdEsther Cabello, 12 above someone who never went to college. A 50-year study name colleges, where the education doesn’t necessarily cited from the article notes that, while middle-class people often suffer due to less recognition. reap significant benefits from college, those raised in poor families “My best advice is [to] keep your options open. You don’t know what made only marginally above what the average middle-class high you’re going to want in the future; we can’t predict our futures,” school graduate made. senior counselor Alex Thompson stated. “...If you can prevent it from However, a Forbes article entitled “5 Reasons Why College Is Still happening - where you get a degree in a field and then end up hating Worth It” makes clear that college isn’t necessarily expensive, it… more power to you.” considering that “benefits of colleges can be reaped from an

Is college worth it?

06 OPINION | Crimson Newsmagazine 04.12.19

44 million Americans in debt from college

$1.5 trillion in collective American debt from college

40%

of American college attendees drop out

$3120

more is made by Americans who dropped out of college versus those who never attended

Photo by Declan Higgins Graphic by Cheyanne Holliday

the UNFAIR ADVANTAGES A

OPINION |

What goes into college admissions

by Jaclyn DiMatteo, People Editor s students open letters uncovering their future, the media But how is anyone supposed to believe that she truly is sorry and is also uncovering something: students and parents now cares about school? For the people that do care about going scamming college admissions to gain acceptance into to college, why should their spots be taken by people that haven’t elite schools. Students across PRHS are wondering whether their worked for it? spot in a university is being taken, while Lori Loughlin, former “As someone who has worked really hard to maintain above a 4.0 star of Full House and When The Heart Calls, has scammed the and all in high school, I was still rejected from some of the top UCs admissions to USC so that her daughter and YouTube star, Olivia and I can’t imagine having my spot taken by someone who hadn’t Jade Giannulli, would be accepted. This resulted in Loughlin’s worked as hard as me just because they had the money,” Finely arrest and loss of her current job on When The Heart Calls and Burns, a senior headed to UC Davis, said.

Fuller House. She has since been released on a $1 million bond Receiving all A’s in high school, and especially in Honors and AP and will be going to court on April 3. classes, is hard work that should not be overlooked because other Loughlin isn’t the only one responsible for this. There are employees people have more money than the people that actually put in the in admissions offices who accept bribes up to $500,000; many of work. All the time, this seems to be a new reality, as huge donations these people have also been fired and arrested amid this scandal, by parents to a school can make the difference between an and rightly so. acceptance or a rejection letter. The distinction between what Although this mistake has now been rectified, similar bribes are Loughlin did and a donation are that, at the very least, the money is still taking place in many colleges around the US. There is no going to the school instead of straight to the pockets of the people reason for someone who said “I don’t really care about school” to at the college admissions office. be accepted to a prestigious university with a 17.7% acceptance Money, race, gender, and sexuality all should not be things that rate, such as USC. play into what college someone gets accepted to, but all too often Giannulli later issued a statement that she should not have said are. The people working at the admissions office should change she doesn’t care about school and apologized for her arrogance. their values and morals, as well as the application itself.

ors it d E e h t o t s r Lette

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Agenda LGB must stick up for the T

by Camden Tucker, Photography Director

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itting in my fifth period art class one rainy Friday, the usual things crossed my mind: what am I going to eat when I get home, dreading working the next day, and the latest NYFW shows. That day, however, I was pulled away from my daydreaming by the horrendous prejudice a peer felt the need to share.

He thought that the perfect time to say that “trans people have the devil in them” was during a water color session.

My initial response was to avoid confrontation and remain quiet. I hoped that avoiding the conversation would get him to just shut up already and cork the ignorance, hate, and prejudice he was spouting. To my dismay, however, he just kept going, and it wasn’t until he decided to say something about gay people that I was angry enough to speak up in attempt to correct him.

I expressed that his information was biased and just flat out wrong.

Did I change his mind? Probably not, but he did eventually stop talking. What a blessing that was.

Throughout the day, this event kept popping up in my mind, not with anger or malice towards the student, but guilt.

I did not regret that I snapped at him; he was kind of a jerk. I got to thinking about how long it took me to say something.

Why did I wait until his statements pertained to me to speak up? Why didn’t I try to speak up for the trans community who didn’t have anyone there to defend themselves?

Whether we chose to believe it or not, this trans erasure and a fear of sticking up for others is a national problem, and one that has crept its way into PRHS. Your opinion about another person’s identity shouldn’t ever determine whether someone has the right to exist or not. As a country and as a community we have to come to terms with the fact that these are people that we’re talking about. They aren’t just some science experiment or monster that we can call whatever we want. Labeling the trans community as “devils” is hurting people, and according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention,e “41 percent of trans men and women are estimated to have attempted suicide.” It’s a sad day when people begin to value their political values more than the lives of fellow people.

Historically, the LGBT owes a lot of our freedoms to the trans community. Arguably the biggest push for our rights sprung from the Stonewall riots, and Marsha P. Johnson — a trans POC — was the first to throw a brick at the building, which many see as the start of the Gay Rights Movement.

So now, 50 years after the riots, when kids like those in my art class insist on mis-gendering trans people, or calling it a mental disorder, anyone of any background should try to correct them, but those within the LGBT community are especially indebted to do so.

04.12.19 Crimson Newsmagazine | OPINION 07

| PEOPLE

Medically Minded

Zoe Murphy youngest to pursue an interest in EMT paramedics

S

by Kaya McCasland, Reporter

ophomore Zoe Murphy spends her free time doing something a little different than the usual teenage girl.

Murphy is a part of the Explorer program, a program that gives teenagers and college students the opportunity to ride along with a paramedic and help out in an ambulance, responding to real 911 calls. The program runs from Paso to Nipomo, with multiple stations and advisors who help the volunteers in the program.

Murphy first entered the Explorer program after her Intro to Healthcare class and its guest speaker Paramedic Heather Tucker, who works in the Cuesta EMS Program Faculty. Tucker explained paramedic duties, and from then on, Murphy knew that’s what she wanted to do as a career.

Murphy talked about her hopes with her father, Tim Murphy, who used to work as a police officer for the Paso PD. Her mother, Diane Murphy, served in the U.S. Army as a field medic and then was an EKG technician after she got out of the Army.

“My wife Diane and I were very excited when Zoe first expressed an interest in the medical field...we were glad to see that she would be doing important work, helping others, and fulfilling her dreams,” said Tim Murphy.

Mr. Murphy then got in contact with Brian Bernay, a paramedic who works for Paso. Berany referenced Murphy for the Explorer program. She applied for the program on Aug. 28, 2018, and was accepted in the program when she was only 15 and a half, making her the youngest volunteer ever.

After waiting for her paramedic uniform to be made for over two months, Murphy’s first ride along was on Nov 7, 2018 in Templeton, where she helped a woman with diabetes travel to Twin Cities Hospital after she had fallen. “ A t first I

SUIT UP (above) : Murphy gets into her uniform and heads

into work on an ambulance that goes all around SLO county.

She gets to work with trained professionals: EMTs.

08 PEOPLE | Crimson Newsmagazine 04.12.19

carried the bag and that was great.

Now I can flush an IV and do the blood pressure. I help out a lot, and once they show me what to do, I can perform on a patient,” Murphy said.

Despite having been on ambulances since November, Murphy has yet to see blood on her shifts, but does admit to having seen a dead body, a 40 year old man who died from choking on his own blood due to alcoholism.

“The hardest thing for me was when I saw my first dead body. That was hard because...the body itself didn’t really scare me, but it’s the family that makes me scared,” Murphy said .

The Explorer program requires a minimum of eight hours a month that a volunteer is actively on a shift. Murphy has no trouble with the requirement, and ofGOING FOR A DRIVE (above) : Murphy works multiple hours a week in an ten goes over. ambulance and can now hook up IVs along with other valuable skills.

“If I’m doing more local shifts — like Paso or Templeton — I tend to volunteer during the weekday for only three or four hours. But if I’m down in Arroyo Grande, I’ll volunteer for six hours on a Sunday.”

Murphy has been active in the program since August of 2018 and has many stories to accompany her time spent in the ambulances.

“My first major call was out on the dunes in AG. We get into the ambulance, which is smaller than a regular ambulance and higher up, and when we get there I’m thinking ‘okay it’s going to be a broken bone or something,’ but no it’s a man who has a GI bleed, which is an gastrointestinal bleed. To say the least, it was probably the worst thing I’ve ever smelt,” Murphy explained .

One of Murphy’s favorite stations is in Arroyo Grande with her advisor Laura Gardner. Gardner, who has been an Explorer advisor for over seven years, praises the volunteers who are able to keep up with the physical and mental challenges that come with being a paramedic.

“We meet people at varying stages of life, stress, injury and illness and the ability to adapt quickly to the environment, people and needs of a scene is critical and Zoe does that incredibly well,” Gardner said .

Murphy hopes to continue to participate in the Explorer program until she is 18, where she will then become an EMT and put all of her knowledge to use.

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS (above) : Murphy smiles alongside her superiors. She one day hopes to be one of the EMTs she works alongside.

PEOPLE |

Leading from Behind the Curtains Stage managers help run the show behind the scenes in the spring

by Victoria Escamilla, Carmesi Editor

F

Curtains Timeline

illing the theater with an audience anticipating a show they From rehearsals five days a week up until the opening night won’t forget, the cast of Curtains is preparing for the spring on Apr. 5, the stage managers take blocking notes and film musical they’ve been rehearsing for since January. Once choreography. the musical begins, the lights come on, and the cast and crew Every part of the theater has some part of the crew working to get into action, remembering last minute lines and setting props make the show successful and keep the atmosphere productive. into place. But the ones leading the cast behind the curtains are “During rehearsals, the environment is fun but serious, and the stage managers. the same goes for during the show. We all know when it’s time to Senior Aurora Lomanto is the single ruling stage manager have fun and when it’s time to work,” Griffith stated, who is a four for this year’s spring musical Curtains and has been dreaming year drama student and was assistant stage manager in Walk about this position since her freshman year.

Two Moons before filing the same role in Curtains.

Working in different parts of the “ I was extremely excited and honored! It felt like I was theater by moving set pieces and accomplishing a huge goal I had been looking forward to,” Lomanto explained, reminiscing about being asked IT FELT LIKE I WAS guiding the tech crew is where the

by Theater Director Marcy Goodnow to fill the position.

ACCOMPLISHING stage managers and assistant stage managers mainly work, up Occupying the role of the stage manager requires A HUGE GOAL I until the end of the musical where responsibilities such as helping the cast get into place, HAD BEEN the appreciation for their hard work is calling cues from the booth, and supporting the director, displayed in front of the audience.

Goodnow. Given three months to prepare for the two and LOOKING “[The most rewarding part is] probably a half hour long show, Lomanto, along with assistant FORWARD TO. closing night when Goodnow calls us stage managers Sarah Griffith and Lane Heer, had the AURORA LOMANTO, onstage and tells us what we do and opportunity to be deeply invested in multiple aspects of 12 thanks us. That’s when I really feel good,” the musical. sophomore assistant stage manager “They run the show! The stage manager calls all Heer said. light, sound, and set changing cues. Assistant stage Being discreet is the beauty behind the job. Working diligently managers make all of the scene changes happening on a stage backstage and in the booth calling light cues is a part of helping while managing a crew,” Goodnow said.

Lomanto honed her skills directing backstage during her oversee the show.

“It’s so much fun being able to support the cast and the crew freshman and sophomore year being involved in the technical theatre classes. Participation in productions throughout her backstage. We go unnoticed sometimes but that’s a part of the high school career as assistant stage manager in Orphan Train, job, we are literally supposed to be like ninjas,” Lomanto said, “ The Sound of Music, and Walk Two Moons has given Lomanto I think it’s an amazing experience that everyone should try to enough background and training on how the shows run. do, the drama department in general...You just have to put Organizing stressful situations comes along with every show. yourself out there.”

AUDITIONS: Students auditioned with a monologue, a dance, and a song.

Photo and graphics by Victoria Escamilla

JAN. 7-9

JAN. 12 FINAL LIST: The cast list was posted.

MAR. 25-29

IN SIGHT : Sarah Griffith (top), Aurora Lomanto (middle), and Lane Heer (bottom) peek from backstage.

DRESS REHEARSALS: CLOSING NIGHT: REHEARSALS: Tech week #2 is The final show is Apr. 14 for Rehearsals began on dress rehearsals where Curtains.

Jan. 14. the show is run with makeup and TECH WEEK: OPENING costumes.

Tech week #1 consists NIGHT: of running the full show The musical’s first show with lights and sound. is Apr. 5.

JAN. 14

APR. 5

APR. 1-4

APR. 14

04.12.19 Crimson Newsmagazine | PEOPLE 09

COOKING WITH A PASSION | PEOPLE

Culinary students learn to prepare and present food

B

by Emily Olsen, Circulation Manager

ustling around the kitchen, Chef Adam White – PRHS’ Culinary Arts teacher – shows students how to create a delicious plate of food using his techniques and experience. According to Chef White, if you desire a chance to get real, hands-on experience, then the culinary pathway is where it begins. Once you have entered the kitchen, you can show your skills and improve them throughout the course.

Students who take the class have two back-to-back periods of learning, observing, preparing and baking. Students either have first and second periods, or third and fourth periods. One class day missed is difficult to make up, and as the year progresses on, the class becomes more challenging, building off of the last semester’s learned knowledge.

“It’s helped me apply all my art knowledge of colors, texture, shapes, along with flavors. Applying knowledge is important in order to keep your skills sharp. You cook with all your senses and you get to move around instead of just sitting waiting to get out of class,” said Kathryn Pham, a first year culinary student who placed 4th in Skills USA Regionals. She will move onto state in April..

The students begin their day by getting dressed into their chef’s whites and meeting in the kitchen. White, PRHS’ thirdyear culinary teacher, shows the students their assignment for the day and gives demos of their

assignments. The students are then given the materials they need for the period and get to work.

“This class is actually one of my favorites. Chef Adam lets us really experiment and helps us get down the basics,” junior Araceli Arroyo said.

The first semester for first year students contains learning the basics of cooking in the kitchen, including how to use the right amount of oil and how to bake without burning. The second semester consists of pastry making and desert baking.

The second year learns the skills of how to prepare meals and more of the presentation aspect as well.

“Culinary is definitely my favorite class that I’ve taken in my high school career. I’ve learned how easy it can be to create beautiful dishes and how to make a lot of common foods from scratch,” said Shelby Steiner, a junior and first year culinary student. She is also signed up to take the second year of culinary next year.

Another component to the class is baking and selling pies at the Culinary Arts Academy. The cafe is open on weekdays for the students to prepare the food and serve the customers. They gain real life experience from this in order to better prepare for their futures, and they learn how to prepare the food for a great looking presentation.

FOCUSED ON THE DETAILS: Kathryn Pham focuses on the presentation of a salad to present to Chef White.

TAKING A SLICE: Carefully guided by a knife and a steady hand, the final product is cut into slices.

10 PEOPLE | Crimson Newsmagazine 04.12.19

PUTTING TOGETHER THE PIECES: Junior

Shelby Steiner prepares a pie to be graded and served.

LAND’S MUNDO

CARMESI |

Dual Immersion History delivers paper wars, trumpets—and satisfied customers

P

P

by Lottie Abascal, World Editor

aper projectiles fly about Room 104. A student, hoping to strike a friend, ducks behind an overturned desk after hurling a “bullet” tightly bound in masking tape, which more closely resembles a snowball. Geoffrey Land’s Dual Immersion history class is at war.

Classmates cover their fallen comrades, groaning and giggling in false agony. An aisle down the middle of the classroom’s two rows of upset desks represents no man’s land; the gap between German and French fronts in The Great War. Occasionally a student will attempt to traverse the walkway to retrieve ammunition, only to be pelted from both dueling sides.

Land’s fourth and sixth period world history classes are populated with Dual Immersion students proficient in both English and Spanish. The class is Dual Immersion, meaning that the material is taught entirely in Spanish. The class started in 2006 and boasts a history of about 300 students. Forty-seven students populate the two available periods for this year, and about 20 are fluent in Spanish and are currently learning English.

To a newcomer, the class structure may seem unconventional. Lesson plans vary from unit to unit and day to day; Land frequently shakes up his forms of education.

“I do enjoy when literature and culture and history combine to create a lesson that resonates with students,” Land said.

“I really appreciate the unique and creative ways Mr. Land teaches the lessons.

For example, we had a fake ‘war’ that was really engaging and helped us to better understand what it was like than just reading about [World War I],” said Elsa Williams, a sophomore in the sixth period class.

Each period has its own

Photos by Lottie Abascal

edazos de papel vuelan alrededor de salon 104. Un estudiante lanza uno de los proyectiles a su amigo mientras él se agacha detrás un escritorio volcado.

Los pedazos de papel parecen más a bolas de nieve que armas. La clase de Historia Mundial de Inmersión Bilingue, instruido por Geoffrey Land, esta a guerra.

Alumnos en clase cubren a sus camaradas que han caído en agonía falsa y risas. Una barrera de escritorios a ambos lados han sido construidos y nadie se atreve a cruzar. A un lado está Alemania y al otro esta Francia, las dos fronteras de la Gran Guerra. De vez en cuando los estudiantes se atreven a cruzar las barreras para poder obtener más munición solamente para ser atacados de nuevo.

La clase del cuarto y sexto periodo de Land son pobladas de estudiantes que hablan inglés y también español. La clase es Inmersióm Bilingue, significando que todo el Alejandra Ruiz material es enseñado en español. La clase originó en 2006. Cuarenta y siete estudiantes abarcan los dos periodos del esto año escolar y aproximadamente 20 de esos estudiantes está aprendiendo inglés.

Para alguien sin experiencia, la estructura de la clase se puede sentir un poco abrumador. Las lecciones de clase diferencian dependiendo en la unidad y tambien el dia. Señor Land le gusta cambiar las formas en cómo enseña su clase.

“Disfruto cuando la literatura, la cultura y la historia se combinan para crear una lección que resuena con los estudiantes,” dijo Land.

“Aprecio las formas únicas y creativas en que el Sr. Land enseña las lecciones. Por ejemplo, tuvimos una “guerra” falsa que fue muy interesante y nos ayudó a entender mejor cómo era [La Gran Guerra],” dijo Elsa Williams, un estudiante de segundo año en su sexto periodo.

Cada período de su clase tiene su propio presidente(a) y vice presidente(a) que son votados por su clase. Dafne Flores y Peter Reyes fueron elegidos por el cuarto período y Mariano Ventura con su compañera Ashley Robles guían al resto de sus compañeros en sexto. Mariano y Ashley incorporan fiestas una vez a ELECTED POWER: Vice president Ashley Robles mes para su clase, son siempre collaborates with classmate Linda Bernal. DIWH elects officers to simulate the givernmental concepts of the course. president and vice president, as voted for by the class. Dafne Flores and Peter Reyes were elected in fourth period, and Mariano Ventura and running mate Ashley Robles rule benevolently over sixth. Mariano and Ashley plan monthly parties for their class, always looking for a way to take a break from the grind and to help unify the class.

“I think there are times where the class is separated into two halves, and having our class party brings us together.

It provides a safe space to collaborate Elsa Williams and act as a whole. With our parties, we don’t leave anyone out and everyone has a chance to play a part,” Robles said.

Whenever a student’s birthday rolls around, a card is passed around the classroom covertly, gathering quick notes, signatures, and hopes for a happy year as it travels from desk to desk. At the bell, Land pulls out his trumpet to perform for the lucky student. A silence falls over the classroom as the first few notes sound from the brass instrument. When Land ceases his serenade, the audience bursts into cheers, whistles, and applause.

“It makes all of us look forward to his class on our birthdays because we know it will end in a really memorable way,” said Alejandra Ruiz, another sophomore in his class.

Land has been influencing and inspiring his Dual Immersion students all year, and doesn’t plan to stop any time soon.

buscando una manera en que la clase pueda descansar del trabajo de cada día. Todo esto ayuda a la clase p o d e r unificarse y convivir CUMPLEAÑOS: Land taps years mejor. of trumpet playing to build morale “ Y o in DIWH around class birthdays. pienso que hay tiempos cuando la clase se siente separada en dos diferentes secciones pero cuando tenemos las fiestas nos une a todos como clase. Nos da un lugar seguro para poder trabajar juntos como un equipo. Con nuestras fiestas todos los estudiantes son incluídos y juegan una parte importante,” dijo Ashley.

Cuando llega la fecha de el cumpleaños de un estudiante, todos los alumnos escriben un mensaje, y firma con deseos en una tarjeta dirigida al alumno. El momento en que empieza a sonar la campana, Land saca su trompeta y toca una canción para el estudiante especial. La clase entera está silenciosa en lo que Land toca el instrumento de bronce. Al terminar la serenata la audiencia emocionada rompe el silencio con aplausos y felicitaciones.

“Hace que todos esperamos con emoción su clase en nuestros cumpleaños porque sabemos que terminará de una manera realmente memorable,” dijo Alejandra Ruiz, otra estudiante de segundo año en su clase.

Land verdaderamente ha inspirado, influido y animado a su clase de Inmersión Bilingue todo el año y no planea detenerse en ningún momento pronto.

04.12.19 Crimson Newsmagazine | CARMESI 11

| POLI SCI

Trump’s push for border wall MEETS RESISTANCE T

A 20 state coalition sues, claiming national emergency is based on a ‘manufactured crisis’

by Hannah Hochheiser, Reporter

he crowd of officials and journalists eagerly watched as President Trump Becerra, have been outspoken in their criticism of the funds of which the walked to the podium, clad in his requisite black suit and tie. On February administration is allocating from, especially those taken from the military drug 15th, his speech to the media would incite a 20 state coalition-led lawsuit interdiction effort. A 2013 report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental against his entire administration.

Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that 1 in 15 veterans had a Lips pursed, Trump began his speech. Over the course of the next sixteen substance abuse disorder in the span of that year. In a more recent report, the minutes, he moved through with relatively little controversy – until he declared a Department of Veteran Affairs reported treating approximately 66,000 veterans national emergency. for opioid addiction in 2016.

Immediately following his declaration, he quickly justified it. “It’s a great thing to “Whether it’s our military men and women and their families who live on military do because we are having an invasion of drugs, an invasion of gangs, an invasion installations that might have money taken away from them, or whether it’s money of people.” taken away from drug interdiction efforts in places like California, a number of Despite the times President Trump has claimed that illegal immigrants states, and certainly Americans, will be harmed,” Becerra stated in an interview contribute greatly to the crime rate by means of drug trafficking, violent crimes, with ABC News. and overall criminal behavior, there is little to no evidence that this Many politicians on both sides of the spectrum are upset over is true. In fact, many researchers conclude the opposite. Statistics the president’s methodology as to attaining these funds.

TO ME IT HAS NOTHby US Customs and Border Protection show that of the narcotics “This is a historic power grab and it will require historic unity by ING TO DO WITH seized on the US border, a vast majority were from legal ports of members of Congress – Republican and Democrat, liberal and entry during the first 11 months of 2018. conservative – to counteract the president’s parasitic movement,” IMMIGRATION. IT According to 2016 research from the Social Science Quarterly, a Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) said.

HAS TO DO WITH peer-reviewed research journal, researchers “found no association “To me it has nothing to do with immigration. It has to do with WHETHER OR NOT between [illegal] immigrant population size and increased violent whether or not the president can spend money that Congress THE PRESIDENT CAN crime.” didn’t give to him,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), a supporter of border SPEND MONEY THAT Statistics from 2016 by the Department of Homeland Security and security stated to reporters after a Congress luncheon with the Center for Migration Studies stated that most illegal immigrants Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen.

CONGRESS DIDN’T are not from the ‘invasion’ on the southern border, but rather are Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) disagrees with GIVE TO HIM from overstaying visas. According to the same study, most of these both Paul and Castro.

RAND PAUL, SENATOR illegal immigrants came into America on working visas.

“Let’s not lose sight of the particular question that’s before us Trump’s declaration of a national emergency comes just weeks later today, whether the facts tell us there’s truly a humanitarian after he and Congress had agreed to allocate $1.375 billion to his border wall in and security crisis on our Southern border and whether the Senate, for some order to end the government shutdown. Currently, 20 states are challenging his reason, feels this particular emergency on our own border does not rise to the ability to do so, citing his own comment that he “didn’t need to [declare a national other national emergencies current in effect,” McConnell said on March 12 during emergency]” but “would rather do it [to build the wall] faster.” a weekly press conference.

The 20 states involved are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, “Republican Senators are over-thinking tomorrow’s vote on National Emergency,” Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Trump claimed in a March 13 tweet. “It is very simply Border Security/No Crime Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, and Should not be thought of any other way,” Wisconsin.

On Thursday, March 14 the Senate voted 59-41 to reject the declaration of a This coalition of state litigators, led by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, national emergency. state in their lawsuit that “the president has used the pretext of a manufactured “VETO!” The president responded in a tweet, minutes after the Senate reached ‘crisis’ of unlawful immigration to their vote. declare a national The House is set to vote e m e r g e n c y again on the revocation of the and redirect national emergency on March federal dollars 26. This time the house will appropriated for need a 2/3 majority, then it drug interdiction, military will be passed to the Senate construction and law for another 2/3 majority enforcement initiatives to overrule the president’s toward building a wall on veto. In the meantime, the the United States-Mexico coalition lawsuit provides border.” another hurdle to the Many of Trump’s US-Mexico border wall’s detractors, including development.

Graphics by Casey Dumong

12 POLI SCI | Crimson Newsmagazine 04.12.19

up presidential S k n a i h Sh a ki ng g Communication

POLI SCI |

How Trump’s tweets have changed the status quo for presidents

I

by Jeremy Hunt, Copy Editor n early January 2018, national and global news headlines erupted with concern surrounding “the failing @nytimes writes false story after the growing conflict between President Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un. This concern, false story” about him; and in March 2018, he though, wasn’t elevated by a press conference or a missile test or an stated that Baldwin’s “dying American congressional testimony — it was elevated by a tweet. mediocre career was saved OVERALL, “Will someone from [Kim’s] depleted and food starved regime please inform by his terrible impersonation TRUMP’S TWITTER of [the president]”. him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!” President Trump tweeted from his personal Trump has averaged a PRESENCE HAS account @realDonaldTrump on January 2, 2018 (notably, Trump tweets from his staggering 8.1 tweets per BEEN UNLIKE personal account, not the official @POTUS account that was used by President day since his election on THAT OF ANY Obama). The tweet was in response to a North Korean government statement November 8, 2016. On August PRESIDENT in which the country claimed that their latest missile could reach the United 29, 2018, Trump posted an States mainland. incredible 22 tweets in less BEFORE HIM. Following this, numerous political figures worldwide criticized Trump for the than 23 hours -- many of JEREMY HUNT, 11 tweet. Detractors included Eliot Cohen, a high-ranking White House official in which focused on “Fake CNN” the George W. Bush administration. The remark was “spoken like a petulant ten and his disdain for their use year old,” Cohen said on Twitter. “But one with nuclear weapons — for real — at of anonymous reporting. By his disposal. How responsible people around him, or supporting him, can dismiss this or laugh contrast, President Obama averaged less it off is beyond me.” than one tweet every two days from @POTUS Trump’s conduct on Twitter has involved more than just disputes with foreign communist over the last six months of his presidency. leaders. Consistently, Trump has made jabs at American media members, celebrities, and even Overall, Trump’s Twitter presence has been news organizations. These disses are usually directed at his critics -- including CNN journalist unlike that of any president before him. Only Jim Acosta, the New York Times (the whole organization), and SNL cast member Alec Baldwin. the future will tell if other leaders adopt his In January 2018, Trump referred to Acosta as “Crazy Jim Acosta”; in June 2017, he claimed that high-energy style or return to a more traditional, diplomatic status quo.

What’s the deal?

AOC’s Green New Deal sparks dialogue about the degree of action needed to respond to climate change

by Ian Grace, Health Editor

T

welve years. That’s how long we have left before irreparable damage is done to our planet, according to a UN report by the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Freshman congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez aims to meet that deadline, putting forward a plan in the form of a bill which proposes a rapid response to climate change. The goal of the bill is to reduce net emissions to zero by the year 2035 and pump money into the economy, creating jobs along the way.

The bill was quick to polarize politicians, who either ridiculed it as a fantasy or praised it as action necessary for such a pressing issue. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — or AOC, as she is referred to by the media — has received many co-sponsors for the GND from Democrats in the House and Senate, including many 2020 Democratic presidential candidates, such as Bernie Sanders, Cory Booker and Kamala Harris.

The bill itself is a plan that would likely cost in the trillions, and aims at completely eliminating net emissions by the year 2050. Although cost estimates are just ballpark numbers at the moment, there is no doubt it would be an expensive endeavor. AOC and her supporters argue that the planet’s health is worth the money if it means saving the planet. Despite skepticism, the GND has strong support; amongst registered voters, 81 percent support or strongly support a nonpartisan version of the deal according to a Yale poll. “[It’s] not attainable in my view with the current Congress and White House.

It’s a talking point at the present, and that’s at least a start” said Field Study

Collaborative Instructor Mark Dimaggio when asked whether the GND was a realistic solution to climate change.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that he was open to voting on the proposal. “I’ve noted with great interest the Green New Deal, and we’re going to be voting on that in the Senate.” The final vote occurred and the proposal was defeated 57-0 with most Senate Dems voting present instead of yea in protest.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Photo by Wikimedia Commons. Used with permission)

[IT’S] NOT ATTAINABLE IN MY VIEW WITH THE CURRENT WHITE HOUSE. IT’S A TALKING POINT AT THE PRESENT, AND THAT’S AT LEAST A START. MARK DIMAGGIO, FSC

GREEN NEW DEAL: AOC’s GND aims to cut net emissions, eventually eliminating them by 2050. The cost of the deal is not yet certain, but is currently estimated to be in the trillions.

04.12.19 Crimson Newsmagazine|POLI SCI 13

| WORLD

Crisis

in CaRACAS

by Jeremy Hunt, Copy Editor

Turmoil in Venezuela continues as worldwide support dwindles

V

enezuela — one of the northernmost countries of South America, bordering Colombia — has been marred in recent decades by political, economic, and social upheaval. The once-prosperous nation has undergone changes of policy that, over time, have wrecked its economic strength and social unity.

To understand Venezuela’s current turmoil, an understanding of how the nation got here is vital. The chain of events began in 1998, when socialist leader Hugo Chavez placed himself at the helm of the Latin

American nation after a military coup. Numerous corruption scandals followed during his term, which ended in 2013 with his death.

Nicolas Maduro, Chavez’ chosen successor, has experienced a rise in anti-government protests that were already prevalent during the previous presidency. In 2014, 43 Venezuelans were killed in protests in Venezuela’s capital Caracas, according to British publication The Telegraph. These protests surged again in 2016, when hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans gathered in aggressive protest of Maduro’s presidency — which many

considered illegitimate. A poll found that, at that point, more than 75 percent of Venezuelans disapproved of Maduro’s presidency, according to The Telegraph.

Events came to a head in January 2019, when democratic opposition leader Juan Guaidó declared himself interim president of Venezuela, asserting that Maduro was not rightfully elected. Guaidó was soon recognized by the United States, Canada, and multiple other Western nations as Venezuela’s leader. Maduro‘s government then retaliated by stating that Guaidó is legally barred for running for public office for 15 years.

history teacher Geoffrey Land Dissension PRHS reflects on the Venezuela crisis after

in venezuela

When did you go to Venezuela?

I went to Venezuela twice in the 1980s. I was a Peace Corps volunteer after college in the Caribbean on a little island called Grenada, a bit off the coast of Venezuela, and so I had two summers off and each time I traveled to Venezuela.

How familiar are you with the current turmoil in Venezuela?

I follow it in the news. I’ve been following it ever since Chavez was elected, even before that in the 90s, when he was attempting to make coups. I got my master’s degree in Latin American studies, so I’ve been following Latin American issues for a long time – since the 80s.

Did you see anything on your trip that reflected the problems occurring in the country?

No, actually. When I went in the 80s. Venezuela was quite prosperous. It felt a lot to me like Spain. I’d lived a year in Spain and it felt like a modern democracy and people with a thriving middle class. It seemed like a really amazing country. The students I ran into were really well-educated; they knew more about US history than I did. They took a lot of pride in their history [with] Simón Bolivar and the independence movements. So, it’s a very long-standing democracy with a proud history. I’d traveled in Mexico at the time and it seemed more modern than Mexico. It felt like a prospering middle-class democracy.

14 WORLD | Crimson Newsmagazine 04.12.19

studying in Venezuela in the 80s

As a history teacher, do you see anything that Venezuela can do to get themselves out of this situation?

There’s no easy solution to this problem. I can’t think of a situation in South America that has been similar to this. I can think of Chile and Argentina dictatorships in the 70s, but this is a whole different thing, kind of a mixture of the Great Depression, maybe 1920s Germany, with Cuban-style socialism.

VENEZUELA I think Venezuela has taken IS GOING a long time to get in this situation. Chavez was there THROUGH for a long time in the 90s – PROBABLY really put all the money into THE WORST education, health care, and ECONOMIC AND socialist policies – and a lot of SOCIAL CRISIS OF the money from investors fled the country. So it was in pretty ITS HISTORY. bad shape when Maduro GEOFFREY LAND came along.

Then he’s mismanaged it even more, and you have hyperinflation. You have no food, people digging trash out of their dumpsters, people fleeing. This is the biggest refugee crisis South America has seen [possibly] ever. It’s on the verge of complete anarchy and chaos. It’s really scary and there’s no easy solution.

I would hope that there can be democratic elections and respect for their democratic systems; [I hope] that the policies that Maduro has proposed – which are basically ‘spend all your oil money and give all your money to poverty programs that don’t make any money and demonize foreign companies and

conservatives and block the media’ – I hope that those all change.

It’s going to take a generation. I would imagine it’s taken two decades to get here. It’s probably gonna take a couple of decades to get back.

It’s really sad for me, as someone who saw Venezuela when it was thriving. It’s hard to even recognize that it’s the same country. It looks like something you might see in Ethiopia or Haiti after an earthquake.

It makes me realize that our leaders do matter, that policies do matter, and that democracy does matter. I would hope that the U.S. would not try to invade or send military aid to Guaidó.

I would hope that we would join the Lima group. Canada, Paraguay, [and] most of the countries in Latin America have met to develop a set of recommendations for Venezuela. The U.S. has not joined them. I would hope that we would join the Lima Group and look for a democratic, peaceful, multilateral solution that involves helping the people of Venezuela, but requiring the government to change.

| HEALTH

CENTER

YOURSELF

Bearcats use meditation and yoga to help stay mentally healthy

W

Downward Dog Creates a balance between the body and mind Works the upper and lower body

by Ian Grace, Health Editor ith depression and anxiety on the rise, in the classroom through teachers such as Clare nearly one third of teens are affected by McFarlin, an art teacher who started practicing anxiety. According to the National Institute mindfulness with her students in class this year. of Mental Health, more and more people are trying new “There have been all kinds of statistics that show that methods to help improve their mental health. Yoga and it’s helpful, that it helps students concentrate. Students meditation are both proven methods of reducing are more stressed than they have ever been with social anxiety and increasing physical and mental media, and I think that it is a way to push all that wellbeing. Both activities have mindfulness stuff away. Again, the idea is to just focus on at their core. According the Harvard Health, one thing, whether it’s your breath or a sound.

“Yoga is known for its ability to soothe It’s the idea of not letting in the noise,” McFarlin tension and anxiety in the mind and said when asked why she encourages body. But it can also have an impact students to be mindful. on a person’s exercise capacity.”

It’s important to note that there is a Meditation is defined as the practice difference between religious activities and of using mindfulness or focusing on a mindfulness. Mindfulness is a healthy and particular thought or activity to increase beneficial practice that is simply the act of awareness or emotional stability. The relaxing and living presently. While some practice of mindfulness is accinded to religions, such as Buddhism, do incorporate exercise for the brain. the practice, it is not something that only Senior Camryn Curren has been people involved in that religion can benefit from. practicing yoga for much of her life. “My mom is Prayer in Western religion can also have therapeutic very good at yoga and has always encourages me properties similar to the practice of meditation. to do classes with her, whether it be in the backyard or at At PRHS, 35% of respondents said they had tried the gym. Yoga is a constant in my life because I can take meditation at least once. The practice is gaining more it anywhere with me, and I feel as if it’s always important popularity as the end of the year approaches and stress to improve my flexibility and balance. I like yoga because levels increase due to AP tests and final grades. Taking it combines strength, flexibility, and balance like no other five minutes out of the day to relax through yoga or form of exercise can.” through meditation is a good way to stay grounded as Some Bearcats have become familiar to mindfulness the year comes to a close and as tensions shoot up.

Benefits hands, arms, shoulders, back and calves Photos by Cheyanne Holliday

16 HEALTH | Crimson Newsmagazine 04.12.19

Warrior 2 Opens up chest and lungs Energizes tired limbs Builds stamina and concentration Stretches hips, groin, and shoulders

IN DEPTH |

Students overcome physical and mental disabilities to pursue goals and passions

L

by Jessica Jagger, EIC

iving with a stutter, autism, Down syndrome, diabetes, or muscular Despite an accepting and adaptable program, there remain struggles with dystrophy may sound like a life of struggle or a constant battle; for a inclusivity and lack of challenges in a school setting. Because students in population of students at PRHS, this is everyday life. They handle these this program may be assumed to be in a certain class simply to take part in with grace, strength of mindset, and almost absolute positivity, as visible to it, several students have reported to have received an “easy A,” which doesn’t their teachers and peers. encourage them to work any harder in these classes. The goal of enrolling in Public perception of disability within communities has changed drastically a mainstream class is to work to challenge themselves as students, and a within the past century, allowing for greater social handed-out grade defeats this purpose. consideration for those who have some form of More than anything, however, education builds RATHER THAN FOCUSING ON on skills rather than allowing problems to arise. The mental or physical disability. Aside from highly active WHAT THE KIDS CAN’T DO, WE students are overwhelmingly positive, and tend to moments for change, such as the Disability Rights Movement dating back to the 1800s and the League approach new challenges with a smile on their faces.

FOCUS ON WHAT THEY CAN. of the Physically Handicapped dating back to the When the students are pushed to grow, they respond LYDIA MELLO, 1930s, society as a whole seems to have become well, and reflect this growth themselves.

ADAPTIVE LEARNING CENTER INSTRUCTOR more accommodating to the needs of others rather “I just love the innocence and the kindness [of the than a one-size-fits-all method to the way the world works. students],” Emmons said. “There’s no attitudes. They laugh at all my jokes, and At PRHS, programs belonging to the Adaptive Learning Center, which is they’re sweet.” overseen by Chris Emmons, allow 16 students to experience communityAs these students tackle and thrive through their challenges, one goal fills based instruction to prepare for leaving high school, helping them to become many minds: to be treated like any other student. Though a disability may as independent as possible. This method of learning begins as teachers meet compose a portion of one’s identity, it is not an identity in itself, and there’s their students on a certain educational standard they are at, then build on more to any student than what they may face. their skills to secure success past high school.

“I want other students not to feel bad for me. I also want them to know that “Rather than focusing on what the kids can’t do, we focus on what they can,” I can do more than other people,” Josue Alvarez, a senior with Duchenne Lydia Mello, one of five staff members who work in the ALC, said. muscular dystrophy, said.

Photos by Rayvin Wulfing, Camden Tucker & Cheyanne Holliday

04.12.19 Crimson Newsmagazine | IN DEPTH 17

| IN DEPTH

IN DEPTH |

FO FOR R

JOSUE

Junior Scott Nicholson finds his voice with his peers

W

Alvarado overcomes rare muscle disorder through support from friends and PRHS media programs by Phoebe Corgiat, Sports Co-Editor

R

olling around campus on the four wheels of backpack but not being able to because I can’t lift my his self-controlled electric wheelchair, senior hands up” Alvarado said when discussing his day to and special handicap, Josue Alvarado, day lifestyle. maneuvers his way through crowds of fellow students.

Alvarado is a part of the “Aqua Group” of the At the age of four, Alvarado was diagnosed with yearbook staff on campus. He helps with any extra Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rare disease where work his classmates need. Yearbook is Alvarado’s muscles decrease in size and grow weaker over time. time to do his own thing; “I give him his space in He is among every 1 in 3500 boys diagnosed each yearbook. I normally stand to the side and just watch,” year.

Hogan said when expressing the Walking alongside him is special environment in the classroom.

GOING TO YEARhandicap paraeducator Sam Hogan, “Going to yearbook everyday and BOOK EVERYDAY helping out with any work people who has worked with Alvarado AND HELPING since his sophomore year. The pair need is an empowering moment to attend Alvarado’s classes, complete me. I feel the strongest when I get to OUT WITH ANY homework, and grow their friendship make my own decisions” WORK PEOPLE more and more everyday He has grown more comfortable NEED IS AN “He is special handicap. There are in his own skin learning to accept his EMPOWERING just things that you can see, like with disease. his chair. He is not mobile and certain The two years spent together has MOMENT. parts of his body can’t move like built a friendship for both Alvarado JOSUE ALVARADO, 12 everyone else. His hands can only go and Hogan. Due to attending about the level of a keyboard, no higher than that” classes everyday, as well as nutrition and lunch, the The challenges Alvarado faces each day are skills bond between them has grown professionally and that come easily to most people. emotionally. They have gotten to know each other on “The challenges I face everyday are brushing a personal level, likes and dislikes, mannerisms and my teeth, getting dressed, and me wanting to sayings, and hopes and feelings. get something out of my “I hang out with Sam everyday, y so he is pretty much my best h p o r dystr la u c s u friend,” Josue said. m e Duchenn This relationship has also : n Conditio rado a lv impacted Hogan.

A e u s Jo “When he leaves and ame: Patient N graduates, I will miss [him]. He les the musc s e k a is the only student I have had m t ms ion tha st sympto tal. ng condit re a lo at the high school. I think he is le fe li C , r. re A ra weake an be fa Photo by Cheyanne Holliday ively grow males, and they c s s a very good young man. It has lp re e g h n ro a p c in s ly le e c s iv mu xclus been a pleasure to work with DYNAMIC DUO: Everyday, Nicholson (right) delivers the news of the day to Alvarado (left). This pport the appear e rapy to su e th l a ic s him,” Hogan said.

Phy . daily exchange is a key element of their friendship. gnosed those dia

on: i t p i r c s e D

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates that schools provide Special Education services to students that qualify.

4 Emotional Disturbance (ED) 5 Deafness (DEAF)

IDEA outlines 13 CONDITIONS that may 6 Multiple Disability (MD) require special education services: 7 Visual Impairment (VI) 1 Speech or Language Impairment (SLI) 8 Deaf-Blindness (DB) 2 Other Health Impairment (OHI) 9 Intellectual Disability (MR) Autism (AUT) 3 10 Hard of Hearing (HH) 18 IN DEPTH | Crimson Newsmagazine 04.12.19

hen junior Scott Nicholson swung open the door to room 207, he found his friends Josue Alvarado , Jose Galvez, and Brandon Harrison sitting in semicircle of various desks and chairs. But he was occupied with the headline he read the prior night in the breaking news section of KSBY. “O-Overton,” he said slowly with rising enthusiasm. “Overton is the... new principal!”

Nicholson was eager to share his thoughts and opinions alongside his peers, just like any other student. All he needed was a little time to find the right words.

Since childhood, Nicholson struggled with stuttering, a board communication disfluency characterized by repetition and breaks in speech, that impacted his social skills, inclining him to communicate nonverbally.

“Embarrassed,” Nicholson said, reflecting on his biggest hurdle his freshman year, “in front of people. But, I had questions”.

Now, he has become an outward, ambitious, and active student over the past two years after finding a support group to overcome his social anxiety for speaking publicly.

Nicholson is one of the 3 million Americans who stutter, according to nidcd.nih.gov. Until Nicholson attended PRHS, he communicated primarily with an iPad he had won after his teachers at Lillian Larsen entered him in a contest. His school paid for the communication app Nicholson used throughout middle school.

For his freshman year at PRHS, Nicholson was enrolled in the Adaptive Learning Center. His primary education consisted of invocational lessons, community based instruction, and modified math

by Alayna Hernandez, World Editor and English lessons. Nicholson found his student who was struggling. classes. place in the program.

Some needed a reminder on “I wanted to talk more with my friends “There’s a law called LRE -- the least how much a nickel was. in my class. It made me feel good,” restrictive environment,” said Special In the morning, others asked for the Nicholson said. “[I felt] happy. I felt good Ed teacher Chris Emmons, who was date while writing it on the board. about talking.”

Nicholson’s main teacher and advisor And some asked their peers what was Nicholson choose agriculture out of his for his freshman year, “so every student next in the class schedule. passion for animals. There, he decided he should receive their education, even in With every challenge he and his wanted to work at a ranch as a ranch hand individual education plans, in the least classmates conquered, Nicholson gained after high school. restrictive environment. He was definitely a better understanding of peer support.

Every Wednesday, Nicholson milled a candidate [for individual classes] for “It was easier to talk about things in about the ag barn, breaking apart clumps his high level of depth first, then myself,” of hay and tossing the pellets over the independence Nicholson said. “I was most pen to waiting cows. With the last cow THE WORK WAS and high level of comfortable talking to munching on its lunch, Nicholson checked HARD AT FIRST. functioning.”

Emmons [first]. Then friends. up on all the animals: cows, goats, sheep, BUT IT FELT GOOD Then teachers.”

Before he could and rabbits, giving a loving pat on the speak his mind “He came to our class for head to any affectionate animal.

TO GO TO CLASSES or ask a question, most of the day where he felt “The work was hard at first. But it felt — THE AG CLASS. Nicholson first had to very comfortable, because good to go to classes---the ag class. I was I WAS EXCITED TO he was one of the highest excited to go to my ag class.” Nicholson work up the courage GO. and the right time to functioning kids in the class. said, “to see people, see the animals, and articulate his ideas at SCOTT NICHOLSON, 11 So, he began to use his voice learn.” his own speed. more and he got to the point “He has grown really confident to Whenever he had a question in class, where he didn’t want to use the Ipad at express what he likes. He loves politics, then freshman Nicholson nervously all, “ Emmons said. “That is a big leap for he’s up to current events, he loves gripped the pencil in his hand, heart him and he has even now reached out agriculture and FFA. He voices his racing. Today, he was practicing money where he’s gone most of the day to other opinions about things and supports them counting, a math course designed to help classes, and he is just using his verbal with facts-- it’s awesome!” noted Lydia him count change, but he didn’t quite communication to communicate with a Mellow, a teacher at the center who understand why he had to round. He had lot more confidence than when he came watched Scott reach out to other students in his sophomore year. the words in his head, now swirling in a to us.” . current of fear for how he was going to say After his first year in the adaptive it. He looked at his fellow peers, wondering learning program, how they could speak with ease.

N i c h o l s o n Condition: Stuttering He reached for his iPad. s t e a d i l y “I used the iPad because I had a hard built up his Patient Name: Scott N icholson time talking. I started using it in 6th grade. independence [It was a gift] from school to help me talk. It by taking a class made me feel good,” Nicholson said. of his interest: A board communicatio When his classmates in room 331 began agriculture. As a n disfluency ch aracterized by repetitio to express their same daunting frustration junior, Nicholson n and breaks in speech. Stuttering can towards communicating their ideas is now impact a person’s social skills and their co and grasping new concepts, gradually, studying in five nfidence.

Nicholson realized that he wasn’t the only i n d e p e n d e n t

Description:

11 Specific Learning Disability (SLD)

COMMON CONDITION GLOSSARY

12 Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

SPECIFIC LEARNING ABILITY (SLD): A gen-

13 Orthopedic Impairment (OI)

198 STUDENTS between ages 16-18 in the PRJSUD have a

SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITY

eralized term to cover specific learning issues.

The condition can impair a student’s ability to speak, read, write, listen, think or do math.

(Examples: Dyslexia and Nonverbal learning disability)

Other Health Impairment (OHI): Refers to

conditions that limit a student’s strength, energy or alertness because of underlying health impairments. (Example: ADHD)

A

11.7%

88.3%

Percentage of students with disabilities

MESSAGE ABOUT

COLOR: GREEN

*According to enrollment from 2017-2018 school year Graphics by Ysabel Wulfing

Green is one of the four psychological primary colors which include red, blue and yellow. Red represents the body, blue represents the mind and yellow represents the emotions. Green represents the balance of all these forces (intellectual, physical and emotional). Although people that face barriers are often limited in one sector, students find a way to balance each element through the help of family, peers and programs they participate.

04.12.19 Crimson Newsmagazine | IN DEPTH 19

| IN DEPTH

Garrett Freygang finds passion in sports while also living with type 1 diabetes by Tyler Seidel, Health Editor

A

s the JV baseball team ran onto the field ill, just as suspected, Freygang was diagnosed on March 22, ready to take on the SLO with type 1 at the age of 6.

High Tigers, Garrett Freygang made Although his condition is easy to manage a beeline for right field. Their muscles tensed most of the time, there are still situations that then loosened, as they ran and blood cells cause a scare. Some are worse than others, but flowed through the boys’ veins with adrenalin any time when Freygang’s blood sugar gets too and anticipation. Compared to the other 8 low for a long amount of time, a couple hours or players on the field, Freygang looked like the more, it’s easy for things to begin to go south. A average sophomore athlete, with his strong diabetic’s blood sugar is supposed to be around build and serious expression. But what makes 120 but depending on how much exercise he him different is what’s going on inside his gets or what he’s eating, it tends to fluctuate. bloodstream.

“My blood sugar had been low for about 12 It almost goes unnoticed that Freygang has hours. I had to be transferred to Sierra Vista” type 1 diabetes. Much like how the (a hospital in San Luis Obispo), bearcats played in the baseball Freygang said, when referring to a MY FAMILY game, Freygang’s immune system particularly bad scenario. “I had to is fighting hard and trying to win.

HAS HELPED ME stay there for about two days.”

Luckily for him, it’s succeeding. ”My family has helped me and AND TAUGHT Diagnosed just before his seventh taught me how to deal with it,” ME HOW TO birthday, Freygang hasn’t let the said Freygang. As a kid, was hard DEAL WITH IT. to understand why he needed so disease slow him down.

“My body basically attacked much extra help and attention.

GARRETT my pancreas, which caused it With countless trips to the nurse FREYGANG, 10 to die pretty much. Since [my in elementary school and eyes on pancreas] is no longer there, I have to have my him at all times, things could get a little crazy. insulin pumped.” Freygang said. Along with the “[My family] helps me manage.” When he was 1.25 other Americans who have Type 1 diabetes, young, Freygang’s family helped count his carbs Freygang has to deal with everyday upkeep to and give him the the correct amount of insulin. make sure his body is up and running all the Back then, he had to use syringes to inject time. He has to eat sugary foods in moderation, insulin into his body. Now Freygang uses a pump like cake or soda, and he maintains his health by to get insulin. He programs the amount of carbs pumping his insulin everyday. he’s going to eat before meals into the pump As he calls it the “medicine” or in other and then it injects just the right amount for him. words, insulin, is necessary for the body to Now, years later Freygang has adjusted to function properly. If Freygang had no insulin, fitting diabetes in with his active lifestyle. He his body would be dehydrated, and possibly plays baseball, walks his dog, and hangs out break down it’s own body tissues. When these with his friends, just like any other teenager. symptoms first began, it wasn’t quite a mystery Having a disability such as diabetes hasn’t held why young Freygang was feeling so sick all the Freygang back in the slightest. “Garrett has time. “My mom picked up on my symptoms first. always had a really good attitude about about I was drinking a ton of water, and I would have his diabetes,” close friend Wrynn Calagna said. stomach aches constantly”.

Freygang’s diabetes has shaped his life, for Finally, after a year of doctors’ appointments better or for worse; he wouldn’t and feeling be who he is today without it.

I Diabetes e yp T He balances his Condition: advantages and Garrett Freygang disadvantages, Patient Name: with his head held high, his heart full pro m fro s rea nc that prevents the pa of satisfaction for the lt cu A chronic syndrome diffi it s ke ma gh insulin. This to e du en oft is and his blood ducing any or enou n itio nd rbohydrates. The co history ily fam body to process ca a or ) flowing with hy rap be due to geog genetics but it can insulin. n. itio ing the cond

Description:

Photo by Cheyanne Holliday

Zeroing In (Above) : In order to regulate insulin levels, Freygang wears

an insulin patch that connects to a pump on his back. Despite difficulties, he finds a way manage his type 1 diabetes while playing sports.

DIABETES BY THE NUMBERS

1.5 Million Children 6 Deaths 3:2 MALE:FEMALE 9 Per RATIO 2 Year 0 1 in ten people in the united states DIAGNOSED 1

of develop

20 IN DEPTH | Crimson Newsmagazine 04.12.19

Graphics by Ian Grace

*Data gathered from National Library of Medicine

IN DEPTH |

Jackson Koudelka finds joy through his friends and family while living on the autism spectrum by Brie Howenstine, Reporter

“

Y

es, no, maybe, I don’t know, can you repeat and in his life and today, he flourishes. Through the question?”Just like the show Malcolm adversity, Koudelka is able to be communicative, in the Middle starts, sophomore Jackson interactive in school, and successful every day.

Koudelka entertains students in the quad with Koudelka loves cartoon shows and superhero this iconic theme song. movies. His favorite show is The Cleveland Show Adoring classmates ask him to sing again and and he most recently saw his first movie in theaters, Venom. “It [Venom] was good… I used to again, all the while singing along and applauding.

“Jackson is wondrous; I like it when he sings,” say that I wanted Topher Grace to play Venom in the new movie,” Koudelka said. sophomore Rodney Thompson said.

Sophomore Ethan Arebalo, a friend of By one and a half years old, Jackson Koudelka was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, a Koudelka, describes him as, “...so funny! I see developmental disorder showing considerable him every day, and he always makes me difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal laugh.”

Making friends hasn’t always been so communication. This diagnosis was soon changed to autism, a broad spectrum that effortless.

Living on the autism spectrum includes all individuals who have a developmental comes with numerous disorder that affects their social obstacles.

Social interactions and/or ability to interactions are communicate. The diagnosis has JACKSON IS intricate and led to years of obstacles with WONDROUS; arduous, learning school and friendships. It has also I LIKE IT is even more led to victories and a family bond strenuous not understood by most onlookers.

WHEN HE than usual, While living in Los Angeles, SINGS. and seemingly Jackson’s parents noticed at one RODNEY routine practices and a half years of age that he was are a daily struggle. different from the other kids.

THOMPSON, 10 “Most people pick “I ‘knew’ when he was a baby and up on social cues, like by one-and-a-half was sure Jackson was a little different. We moved here because he body language and facial expressions… was starting kindergarten and wanted to find him But many people with autism struggle with abstract thinking,” explains aleteia. help,” said Myla Koudelka, Jackson’s mother.

Myla, has been in Jackson’s corner from day org, a resource for families facing one. “The struggle, I think, with being a mother is autism.

Koudelka’s responses at times could [that] you want your child to be happy, and you want them to flourish, and… from the moment we be misconstrued as rude or impolite— moved up here, when he started kindergarten, though of course he has no illwas that I’ve always just wanted him to have intentions, according to him a friend,” Myla said. For people on the autism and his family.

Working with spectrum, creating friendship and connections can be the biggest hurdle they will face. The and through the nuances of social interaction are often elusive to setbacks that with a person with ASD, so the efforts they do make come are sometimes misunderstood by the average autism give Koudelka person.

In 2018 the CDC actuated that roughly 1 in 59 a different children are on the autism spectrum, boys being j u d g m e n t four times more likely to be diagnosed than girls. of societal According to an article by Autism Speaks, the norms. students in the US are currently “We still average cost of raising a child with ASD (autism diagnosed our spectrum disorder) is $60,000 a year during have childhood. The bulk of these costs come from challenges; special services and the loss of income from every day is one or more of the parents due to the constant challenging… need for supervision and support. (data via It just takes him a little bit longer to autismspeaks.org) “It’s really hard to concentrate and focus on get to the next level,” my work… It’s hard for my peers to understand Myla said. my enthusiasm,” Jackson said. He has overcome bullying, academic setbacks, social wariness

4x AS LIKELY

UNCONDITIONAL (Above) : Jack-

BOYS ARE

son’s mom and dad show their love and affection for him with a little kiss.

They are a beacon of support for Jackson as he overcomes the challenges characterized by autism.

TO BE DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM

1 in 59 1.5 MIL

STUDENTS BETWEEN 3 AND 17 HAVE ASD

Graphic by Brie Howenstine

Photo by Cheyanne Holliday

Condition:

Autism

Patient Name:

Jackson Koudelka

Description:lties in social com-

Characterized by difficu nonverbal cues, and a munication, including etitive actions. Signs are tendency towards rep all ildhood, although not present from early ch . on rly ea gnosed people affected are dia

04.12.19 Crimson Newsmagazine | IN DEPTH 21

| IN DEPTH

WELCOME TO

SPECIAL

WI T H

MELANIE

Q: What’s your favorite activity to do during classes?

A: Watching movies.

PRHS hosts regional tournaments throughout school year to teach students teamwork and a healthy lifestyle by Rayvin Wulfing, Reporter

S

Q: What’s your favorite subject?

A: Singing!

pecial Olympics is a national organization that allows high school Every athlete is excited for practices, not only students with disabilities to compete in many different sports for for the sport, but also to see their “buddies,” who victory and recognition throughout their high school career. With encourage, inspire, and shine a light in the special olympic athletes lives. the support of high school students at PRHS the “Special Olympics gave me the opportunity to special olympic athletes aspire to be stronger and make a change and help people. Not only that, SPECIAL OLYMPICS GAVE ME confident in playing sports. Every Thursday, special but I also get to have fun in the process and do THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE olympic students practice for scheduled events in something I love,” said Freshman Sophia Berry, fall, winter, and spring with a ¨buddy¨ from the high who has helped out with events for 3 years. Every A CHANGE AND HELP PEOPLE. school. These ¨buddy¨ volunteers work with, and NOT ONLY THAT, BUT I ALSO GET event includes much cheering and enthusiasm help inspire teens with intellectual and physical for the special olympic athletes, but takes a lot TO HAVE FUN IN THE PROCESS. disabilities to involve themselves in team sports. to put on. Hours and weeks of preparation is vital SOPHIA BERRY, 9 During the fall, special olympic athletes and their for the events to take shape, and without the “buddies” practice for the Special Olympic Bocce help of all the student and parent volunteers, and Soccer Tournament. During the winter months, the athletes practice for managers, and teachers it would not be possible. Practices are scheduled, t the Special Olympic Unified Basketball Tournament, and Cheer Team; and shirts are ordered, and planning is required by the many coordinators. After during the spring, athletes prepare for the Special Olympic Track Meet. At all of the work and effort to put the event on, athletes and participants cheer least twice a week they spend over an hour during the course of the school through the event, play strong, and have a great time. year to strengthen their skills as a team and practice individual techniques.

Q: What’s your favorite event at Special Olympics?

A: Cheer!

Q: Who do you look up to?

A: My mom.

ABOUT MELANIE GARCIA

Melanie is a sophomore at PRHS and a part of the the Adaptive Learning Center run by Chris Emmons. She is one of 700 babies diagnosed with Down Syndrome each year, which is a condition that causes developmental and intellectual deficits that range from mild to moderate.

COACH ON & OFF THE FIELD (above) : Adaptive Learning Center

Director Chris Emmons coaches students on a play at the Special Olympic Unified Basketball Tournament. Emmons has been developing the Special Education curriculum for almost three decades.

BREAK TIME (right) : During the Special Olympic Unified Boccee and Soccer tournament, students Giovanni and Cassie rest after competing with students from schools as far away as Santa Ynez.

22 IN DEPTH | Crimson Newsmagazine 04.12.19

CHEER UP (above) : Special Olympic students Kat (left) and Melanie (right) cheer up the crowd after the basketball tournament. The girls, along with other students, prepare for the events every Thursday and have the opportunity to choose which activity to partake in.

Photos by Rayvin Wulfing and Ashley Paulsen

| REVIEW

GREEN BOOK

Movie Reviews FIVE FEET APART

A COMPLEX JOURNEY

Best Picture winner Green Book forms a rich,

By Declan Higgins, Copy Editor compelling narrative

A

t first glance, Green Book, a movie about finding harmony in the deep racial tension of the 1960s, may seem quaint.

A tale of a black and a white man meeting and becoming friends is hardly new, after all. Yet, Green Book takes those initial expectations and deftly recreates a true story to become a unique, engaging film in its own right. The Academy Awards last February seemed to agree, bestowing upon it the Best Picture award.

Green Book, a dramatic comedy directed

by Peter Farrelly and starring Mahershala Ali, Viggo Mortensen, and Linda Cardellini, takes place across America in 1962. Mortensen plays the part of Tony Lip, a rough-and-tumble Italian bouncer who lives with his wife and two children in New York. Eventually, he’s offered a job as an aide and a chauffeur for a worldly African American named Don Shirley, the role being filled by Ali. After initially scoffing at the idea, Tony reluctantly joins Don on his music tour across the South, the two forming an odd friendship despite their immense differences.

The film is surprisingly filled with lighthearted moments for what seems to be heavy subject matter. Mortensen offers a compelling image of an unrefined but good-hearted New Yorker, his accent coming across as almost comical but still respectable. Combined with Ali’s excellent portrayal of a severe, almost-stoic character that lightens up a bit over time, the two have clear chemistry throughout Green Book. Both actors appear to genuinely enjoy their roles and their interactions feel smooth and natural.

Pacing is an essential part of any enjoyable movie, and Green Book fulfills this exceedingly

well. Initially, the pace is rather steady as the characters are introduced and the plot begins to take small steps. However, the aspect that adds most to the film’s portrayal is how Tony and Don travel first from their comfortable home of New York and gradually progress further down south, where treatment of Don as a black man progressively becomes more and more confining.

Green Book quickly establishes Tony’s flaws as the main character: he’s very blunt, slightly dishonest, and rather prejudiced, considering he was shown to throw out a pair of glasses two black men visiting his home drank out of towards the beginning of the movie. Despite this, he’s shown to become more concerned for Don’s well-being later on, refusing to back down against a man who calls Don a slur to Tony’s face and wholeheartedly agreeing to cancel one of Don’s music performances later on because the musician is disallowed from eating at his own event.

This is not to say that the film is without its flaws. Occasionally, the film represents its setting with more words than actions, making it a bit less realistic than the time period would necessitate. Beyond this, the shortcomings are minor, thankfully. This is largely due to the skill that Farrelly and the writers display in creating a complete picture that leaves little uncovered – worlds different from the American director’s well-known 1994 comedy, Dumb and Dumber.

Despite minor stylistic flaws, Green Book is, altogether, a very enjoyable and unique film, proving that the creation of a fresh narrative using common material can be pulled off well.

24 REVIEW | Crimson Newsmagazine 04.12.19

FIVE FEET FROM CRYING

Five Feet Apart is no barrier for cystic fibrosis patients

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iving in a hospital at age seventeen is no glamorous life, but Will (Cole Sprouse) and Stella (Haley Lu Richardson) deal with it every minute of theirs in Five Feet Apart.

The two teenagers both live with cystic fibrosis (CF), a life-threatening disease that causes mucus to block the airways in a person’s lungs. As expected from a romantic drama, the two fall for each other, but there’s a few layers of red tape; they must be five feet apart at all times, and may never touch.

Throughout the well-directed and well-cast film, a raw sense of life was captured, and at the beginning of the film, there was a real, nonfictitious vibe to the movie. The audience witnessed a mature, intimate relationship develop, and even though it may sound predictable, there was always an unexpected plot twist to screw the audience´s guesses.

Cystic fibrosis disease was so accurately portrayed throughout this film that even CF patients were moved to tears. The emotions shown were so

Scan this QR code to see our review podcast: Let’s Review It!

by Emily Olsen, Circulation Manager well represented and evoked so many hard-hitting moments.

According to Stella, personal touch from the one we love is almost as necessary as oxygen is to breathe.

With a dose of reality, and more than enough fictitious plot twists, this movie will without a doubt bring tears to the eyes. Throughout what may have easily been a predictable plot line, twists and turns come revealing traumatic pasts and all-too-surreal situations.

From the deaths of family members and best friends to letting go of the ones they loved, it was difficult not to put oneself in their own situation and imagine what it would be like to lose something – or someone – one loves so much.

The acting, direction and cinematography of the film was beyond applaudable. The characters were well represented and showed extreme vulnerability, allowing the audience to take the full, emotional rollercoaster with the characters.

WHO’S SETTING TRENDS AT NYFW

REVIEW |

A few brands shine through in a messy New York Fashion Week by Camden Tucker, Photography Director

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ew York Fashion Week: the pinnacle of fashion, a showcase of the most amazing collections, and a spotlight on spectacular designers -- well at least in the past it was. The past few NYFWs have been lackluster. Designers seem to be stuck in a rut of boring collections and a plethora of ideas with horrible execution. A few brands, however, deliver beautiful clothing with purposeful meaning and original designs.

Killer thriller Karen McManus perfects the teen mystery

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by Sarah Jagger, Editor in Chief

Was this collection the most revolutionary thing to ever grace NYFW? No, it wasn’t. Was it fun and sweet? Yes! During this abysmal week of fashion that was pumped out, it was what was needed. It’s light and joyous.

This show was like a sip of sweet iced tea during a seven day trek through the Mojave desert.

The backstory is what makes this collection all that more noticeable.

Fashion journalist, and friend of Marc Jacobs, Katie Grand knew of Koizumi’s work and managed to have the show set in the Marc Jacobs store on Madison Avenue.

The layering of tulle to create these unique silhouettes was stunning. It could have gone too extreme but dresses still kept shape.

“I felt this idea of clothes being bigger and more fanciful and more joyous was very in the air,” said Grand of the collection. “I got that feeling of vastness and joyousness.”

One of Oscar’s favorite places to visit was Spain, specifically the MosqueCathedral of Córdoba. Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia were able to turn aspects of the luxurious building into designs that rival their inspiration.

The collection is filled with references from both Christian and Islamic culture, the silky floral patterns juxtaposed beautifully with the geometric patterns and colors that looked like they came right out of a spice bottle.

A few dresses were cut from decadent velvets and had a train that was complete with deep red fringe. Two looks that strayed from the collection were these godawful quilted gowns that were just awkward when put with this collection, but considering how amazing the rest was, ill let it slide.

ooking around the mystery section of a bookstore at the end of July, I was craving a novel that not only contained a thrilling mystery plot, but one that catered to a teen audience and didn’t mimic a book I may soon be reading for AP Lit. After one google search, I was immediately drawn to “One of Us Is Lying”; the plot seemed exciting, and it had rave reviews.

I went to the counter and asked if they carried the book, and they did, but they had sold out: my first sign that this was in fact a great book. After scouring a second bookstore, I finally found it, and within less than 24 hours, I had finished the book — an accomplishment I hadn’t achieved since middle school. Now, eight months later, I’m still thinking about the twist ending, the cheesy romance, and the unlikely friendships within the book. Even compared to its sequel, this novel proves itself as one of the best teen mysteries on the market.

The book follows four different characters, each with their own secrets, and each a suspect in their classmate’s mysterious murder, which occurred while they were all wrongfully sentenced to detention. Being that the four of them were the only ones present in the room as the boy, Simon, suffered an allergic reaction before dying minutes later, all the evidence points to one of the four. Bonded by their situation, they quickly become friends, thus entangled in each other’s lies and secrets. RT Review accurately stated it’s “Pretty Little Liars meets The Breakfast Club”.

Each chapter, the point of view switches between the four characters, which allows readers to easily access the different thoughts, ideas, and motives of each person. The writing is clear, interesting, and precise, and though it lacks the flair that highly-acclaimed literary books have, it’s an easy and enjoyable read.

It should be noted that while the writing style is easy to read and won’t cause readers to stumble over complex syntax or diction, it does cause a feeling of something missing; though I enjoyed the writing style, I did at times wish I were challenged a bit more.

Within the first chapter, each character is clearly distinguished, each likable but a bit stereotypical. Characters Bronwyn, Addy, Cooper, and Nate are introduced as character tropes of smart, pretty and popular, sporty, and trouble making, respectively. Though the stereotypes are a bit irritating and blatant at first, the characters quickly evolve into more dynamic roles. As characters become more dynamic, they also become closer with one another. Though Addy seems superficial and easily confident in the first chapter, she’s soon shown to be jealous, unconfident, and wanting more of herself; with this change, she begins to confide in the other three main characters. For the most part, they all begin with separate plots and interests, but as the novel progresses, they find that they have more and more in common, and they develop complex relationships among themselves.

Despite this being a mystery novel, much of it is focused on the interactions between characters. From a budding unlikely romance to dark secrets revealed, this novel is filled with dramatic storylines that easily maintain readers’ attention.

I’ll admit: it’s not a perfect novel. If you’re yearning to read something that you can brag about, this definitely isn’t the book. But if you enjoy cheesy, unrealistic, romantic teen stories, One Of Us Is Lying fits the bill

04.12.19 Crimson Newsmagazine | MISC REVIEW 25

| REVIEW

A SEAT AT HOME

Solange Knowles releases her fourth album after three years of silence

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by Phoebe Corgiat, Sports Co-Editor

etting lost in music is fairly easily when the topic and feelings portrayed are relatable. When I Get Home, Solange Knowles’ fourth and newest album released on March 1, 2019, uses unique sounds and an instrumental focus to portray a dreamlike quality. The recorded album develops slowly over less than 40 minutes and features artists including Playboi Carti, Tyler the Creator , Chassol and more.

Solange, born in Houston, TX, reflects her hometown regarding the traditions of Southern African-American culture. The true Houston experience of receiving advice from experienced aunts,”Nothing Without Intention” and candy paint finishes cars “Way to the Show” is amongst the continuous repetitive pattern. Songs such as “Almeda” eulogize the goodness of black talented youth.

After listening to all 19 songs on the album, four of them being interludes, I was unimpressed. I like to consider myself knowledgeable of all genres and open to new tunes but I found myself feeling forced to accept the sound instead of wanting more.

The first five to ten seconds of every song was intriguing and started with a bang which eventually fell to nothing but instrumentals. The focus sound that was expressed was, to say the least, different.

“Editing is just such a huge part of my process,” she said. “I would say that it’s 80% editing, and for some reason, I just have the discipline for it.”

The jazz shields the underlying hip-hop and electronic beats that transformed the ex p e r i m e n t a l R&B album into a mood derived exposè.

This one’s for you, mom

20-year-old rapper Lil Skies tops charts with new album

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by Mckensi Keller, Pop Culture Editor eaturing artists Gucci Mane, Gunna, and close friend Landon debut mixtape, Atlantic Records noticed his single, Cube, Lil Skies’ 14 song album Shelby follows his life and his “Signs of Jealousy” and offered the teen a chance to “highs and lows.” With many songs reflecting how his life is become big. He was brought up through features going, “Ok 4 Now” is a good representation of what Skies is feeling with other artists like Yung Pinch and especially about life right now. “It’s my first real project,” Skies said to the press, Rich The Kid with their single, “Creeping,” recently “It’s like a new beginning. This is really like me being born again.” going platinum.

This project had three features and the rest were songs of his Shelby sends a different kind of vibe to listeners because it is something for own. That choice was a huge move by Skies everyone. With songs that can because it provides more from himself as an artist. Through this album, the artist seems THE ALBUM, SHELBY, hype you up or songs that can put you in your feels, the to be portraying self care with the song “No SENDS A DIFFERENT album has it all. The project Rainy Days” speaking about keeping his was beautifully put together priorities straight and keeping his “brothers KIND OF VIBE TO with songs “I”, “When I’m by my side, they the only ones I trust.” Even in LISTENERS BECAUSE Wasted”, and “Nowadays, Pt. 2”, the song “Through the Motions,” Skies reveals IT IS SOMETHING FOR portraying what Skies is feeling and he puts it that he doesn’t want anyone stopping him into lyrics so fitting to himself. Many would get from getting to where he is on his way to, EVERYONE upset with the mention of mumble rappers, which is the top by the looks of things. but I don’t think Skies falls into that category Skies has been writing and recording music since he was 12 years old in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania. Rising because he sings with such purpose and each lyric means up through Soundcloud, the artist has many songs that are only something. Personally, I fell in love with the songs, “Flooded” available on that platform, but since his last album Life of a Dark and “Blue Strips” because these both are hype songs and Rose, his songs are clickable on any platform. Even before his can guarantee to put you in a good mood.

NORTH COUNTY AQUATICS SAYS:

Good luck Bearcats on your current spring sport season!

26 MUSIC REVIEW | Crimson Newsmagazine 04.12.19

MA RAP: Lil Skies put small town Waynesboro, PA on the hip-hop map, according to Rolling Stone in March 2018.

ENVIRONMENT |

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Transportation impacts the environment through carbon dioxide emissions

by Emily Mathein, Environmental Editor

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fter months of lessons and 50 hours of tedious driving gas combusted. with a white-knuckled adult, gripping the seat or “Carbon dioxide is one WE’VE SEEN REALLY stomping the floor when the bumper of the next car of the major greenhouse COLD PERIODS IN gets a little too close, students all over are handed over the keys gases found in our GEOLOGIC HISTORY to their very first cars. Bearcats are among this population of atmosphere that helps BUT WE’VE NEVER new drivers, commuting to and from school each day or going to trap in heat from the SEEN IT GET THIS places to hang out with friends. sun, so when we have a HOT THIS FAST, AND balanced system it helps The responsibility that comes with driving, such as safety and awareness of one’s surroundings, are not the only important to keep our planet nice SO THAT RAPID factors. When someone is driving in their car, they also should INCREASE IN GLOBAL and warm,” explained A. be aware of the effects their need for mobility transfers to the P. Environmental Science TEMPERATURE IS environment and atmosphere. teacher Katelyn Lee. CAUSED BY HUMANS. Transportation is essential for human productivity, yet that An overly carbon dioxide . productivity tends to also affect the environment. States pass rich atmosphere adds to KAITLEN LEE, TEACHER laws requiring smog checks for air quality control yet each global warming. “gallon of gasoline burned creates about 8,887 grams of CO2,” “We’ve seen really cold periods in geologic history, but we’ve according to “Greenhouse Gas Emissions” by the Environmental never seen it get this hot this fast and so that rapid increase in Protection Agency (EPA). global temperature is caused by humans., Lee said.

That’s 19.6 pounds of CO2 being emitted for every gallon of She explained that some of those causes come from

burning coal and oil, with those fossil fuels getting burned.

“Carbon is released into our atmosphere, and it likes to bond to other things in the atmosphere producing carbon dioxide and that carbon dioxide goes into the green house effect,” said Lee. Lee insisted that in terms of global climate change, transportation using fossil fuel based transportation, is adding more CO2 into that imbalance.

A LOOK AT BEARCATS’ CARBON EMISSIONS: Carson Opheim, 12

Car: 2016 Volkswagen Jetta Car Name: Sophia 14 gallons of gas per tank, 30 miles per gallon

Fuel Report: “I don’t always completely fill up. I keep $30 the fixed amount whenever I’m near low.”

Oscar Anaya, 12

Car: 2003 Jeep Wrangler Car Name: The Jeep 18 gallons of gas per tank, 17-18 miles per gallon Fuel Report: “I spend about $50 every week and a half on gas.”

Photos by Emily Mathein

Blair Baker, 11

Car: 2006 Toyota 4Runner Car Name: Toby 23 gallons of gas per tank, 22 miles per gallon

Fuel Report: “I fill up about every week and a half.”

Carlos Zaragoza, 11

Car: 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Car Name: Camella 19 gallons of gas per tank, 14-15 miles per gallon

Fuel Report: “I fill up 1-2 times a week, paying about $5-10 because of a student budget and a gasconsuming car.”

04.12.19 Crimson Newsmagazine | ENVIRONMENT 27

| POP CULTURE

BLAST FROM THE PAST The fall of normcore fashion follows the revival 80s and 90s-era experimental fashion designs

by Alayna Hernandez, World Editor

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alk into Kohl’s or JCPenney and the same always seems to give those who experience them industrial pieces can be found: Levis, for the first time, even if it’s in an ersatz fashion (pun Candies, Under Armour, Xhilaration... the intended).” list goes on. But walk out onto the streets, and the “I definitely think that we are still experimenting. I young are sporting a collage of nostalgic fashion: think that a part of our looking back to what they did bold-patterned jackets, cropped graphic tees, Dr. in those eras is one of the ways were experimenting Martens and high waisted jeans: a defined aesthetics --- asking how can we tweak it or adjust it for reminiscent of the 90s and 80s revival backsplash today…” said AP Lit teacher Sarah Anderson, who matched with a modern twist. The young, as it attended high school during the 80s. “One of the seems, has reclaimed the creativity of these radical trends that we just picked up on is neon colors; designs in defiance of Normcore industrial fashion. it’s back in high- end fashion. But we’re not doing “The industry is now swinging on the spiral of it in the same way. We’re taking elements that self-assurance and no one is asking if this is the we thought were fun.” right environment that will give birth to new ideas,

The revival of 80s fashion new designs, new works of art which will elevate the marks a yearning for the past, when business, bring back the excitement design was headed and eventually protect the future by bold choices of individuality, ” said merchandise aesthetics FASHION HAS THE and manager Mahir Can Işik in his TEDTalk reflecting a need to break ABILITY TO CON- out of the box.

“How companies predict fashion VEY AN ARRAY trends and kill individuality,” sharing “I tend to think that that over about 12,000 brands gab fashion is this thing that OF DIFFERENT their information from the same people can use you express MOODS. IT HAS agency. themselves creatively in a THE ABILITY TO The high fashion scene found way that they can’t in other MAKE PEOPLE that willingness for new ideas in reareas all the time. But I think interpreting the bustling workwear, that’s always been one of the STAND OUT. neon colors, and loud accessories of ways adolescence and teens CAMYRN CURREN, 12 80s, which came back with surprising have sought expression - is interest in the high fashion scene through fashion,” said Anderson, in 2016 - ironically, a year off of 2015, the infamous reminiscing about the dark punk and grunge styles looming future to the spunky Marty McFly that tinged that thrived alongside its neon-hue counterpart. the pop culture scene with a dash of retro futurism.

That need for expression still lives on the the Now, the young fashion scene has gotten ahold subgroups of fashions populating our high school of these old ideas, taking inspiration from retro experience. media to high-end fashion. Nostalgia was the latest “Fashion has the ability to convey an array of and interpretive fashion trend of 2018, according to different moods, regardless of what we feel on the “Nostalgia Is Officially the Biggest Fashion Trend of inside, and it has the ability to make people stand 2018,” a Vogue article examining Google search data. out,” Curren said.

“I believe trends are important due to their ability The sudden revival, pushed forward by to define eras and that they are fun to reminisce the nostalgia, has opened up a new era of on. As trends come and go today, it is fun to see experimentation and appreciation for the high how people interpret them differently and create fashion scene and the young alike, but brands like their own unique versions of the trend,” said senior Wild Fable and others have caught onto that lull of Camryn Curren, who is a designer for Advanced retro trend forecasting, casting this generation in the Drama productions at PRHS and studied 90s shadow of trends and predictability. fashion for last semester’s production of Walk Two “The brands that are solely reliant on these Moons. predictions reports are becoming dull and highly While the visual landscape has flourished over predictable. The young, reinvented, unpredictable the past three years, the style has been criticized for creative, innovative minds conquer all others and digging up old fashion disasters that some, like New deconstruct what is considered to be the norm. So York Times chief fashion director Vanessa Friedman all of us as individuals must stand behind the new, prefer to stay in the 80’s, attributing its popularity of the bold and the brave,” Mahir Can Işik noted. generations who wear the famous decade “with the dose of irony and glee that the artifacts of the past

28 POP CULTURE | Crimson Newsmagazine 04.12.19

Photos by Alayna Hernandez

Quad Fashion (above) : Catch senior Elizabeth Priebe, sophomore Kasey Nguyen, and freshman Maicah Cabello sporting classics like highwaisted jeans, chain jewelry, and brand footwear.

MORE THAN JUST A

POP CULTURE |

PRETTY FACE

Makeup isn’t just another cover up; it’s an art unlike others

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by Emily Mathein, Environment Editor

ike that of a painting, the artist gently brushes onto their face an each client. I use disposable mascara wands and lip gloss sticks with array of pigments and powders. Blending to get the perfect contour each client as well.” and applying stroke after stroke of mascara to get that full lash-look, To be a part of this industry doesn’t necessarily mean completing the their skills are refined after years of trial and error to perfect the mask 1600 hour class requirement and passing the State Board test. It’s needed they will wear for the rest of the day. Yet there is so much more to makeup to work in a salon, but ambitious Bearcat sophomore Maria Santiago than just what meets the eye. From techniques to tools, the cosmetics aspires to become a professional in the cosmetic field while still in high industry is an intricate society. school, working from home. With her own Instagram page dedicated to The purpose of makeup is used for far more than just a coverup for her creative looks, she also uses it as a self-promoting business platform. uncomely features. It is used to enhance the natural Her interest started around two years ago but about beauty people possess and Jessica Muñoz, a licensed one year ago was when she really started to pursue MAKING [THEM] cosmetologist for six years, has been a freelance makeup her passion and practice her techniques. artist for ten years. Currently working at the Wearhouse FEEL COMFORTABLE. “I would love to make it a career in which I would Salon of downtown Paso, Muñoz delves into the in’s and enjoy to do everyday. It’s a huge passion, although I CONFIDENCE out’s of how to be a proper professional makeup artist. have other careers in mind, I would pursue being a IS KEY AND “The most important thing about the makeup itself is makeup artist full or part time in the future.”

ALWAYS HAVING knowing how to color match foundation correctly. The As for her inspiration, “any little thing from just foundation and skin is most important for everything else simple colors to even seeing others create the CONFIDENCE IN to look great,” Muñoz shared about the initial and crucial eyeshadow and I decide to try it out on my own.

MYSELF AND MY factors of makeup application.

Creativity plays a big role in makeup,” Santiago ART. When working with a client the most important thing to described.

JESSICA MUÑOZ, consider is “making [them] feel comfortable. Confidence Santiago also reveals her more personal MAKE UP ARTIST is key and always having confidence in myself and my art connection to makeup. “My favorite part [about shows and proves a lot to my clients,” Muñoz explained. actually doing makeup] is that it’s so soothing and As for the materials and methods part of doing relaxing it’s a way of distressing. It’s so fun to be able makeup, a look into Muñoz’s kit and procedures speak to the extent of to create a form of art in different ways. I love being able to express myself what one needs in the profession. through it.”

“I have tons of makeup from every foundation shade to accommodate This is a world where image is everything, how one looks is super all skin tones and skin types. [I also have] way too many brushes, eye important and it has been so through the ages, even as the trends shadow and contour palettes, lips shades, blushes, setting sprays, change and differ between cultures. But there’s more behind a look than scissors, tweezers, flat steel mixing palettes, makeup remover wipes, and meets the eye, more than just how to apply it and how to keep up with the more. Some sanitary procedures I follow are making sure my brushes are times. Makeup manifests to be people’s livelihoods and a defining aspect sanitized before each client and having brush cleaner on hand during in everyday society. It is a medium of beauty, painted on people’s faces.

READY TO PAINT: Muñoz lays out her

brushes and product to prepare for a client.

Using a variety of shades and shimmers she perfects each customers look.

04.12.19 Crimson Newsmagazine | POP CULTURE 29

| PHOTO STORY

FOUR LETTER WORDS

The annual Advanced Dance show explores the significance four letters can hold

“WAVE”: The dancers personify the name of the dance, moving into formation one after another. This dance was choreographed by Ethan Carmen.

by Jessica Jagger, EIC

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hree classes of dancers twisted and twirled across the stage, doused in colorful lights and dressed in elaborate costumes, creating a scene before the eyes of an adoring audience. The annual PRHS Dance Show showcased three months of work put in by dancers in Advanced and intermediate dance classes, as they held three shows beginning on Mar. 7 and ending on Mar. 9, 2019.

The show consisted of 26 numbers, choreographed mainly by students in Jazz n Company. Choreographers included co-presidents Devin Hartley and Oscar Gutierrez, both of whom have been in advanced dance since their freshman years.

“It felt so amazing to have our work showcased for everyone to see. We all put in so much effort and time and the joy I feel once showtime comes in indescribable. It’s truly such a gift to get to share my art and emotions with so many people,” said Hartley, who has been dancing for seven years.

The theme of this year’s show was “four letter words”, inspiring dances such as “This” (choreographed by Rosie Luera), “Fear” (by Brooke Corrales), “Grey” (by Griffin Benado), “Feel” (by Hartley), and “Echo” (by Gutierrez).

Gutierrez has been dancing since sixth grade, and plans to continue dancing past high school. Having helped choreograph four numbers, he dedicated weeks to the show, and his efforts were paid off by audience admiration.

“There’s a weird lull after the show ends, and I can only describe it the same way you feel when your favorite show on Netflix ends. You want more of it, but simply there is no more. In the end it’s all about optimism because I still have the gift of sharing a few more months with the people who put on that amazing show I’ll never forget,” he described.

“FEAR” (left) : Senior Oscar

Gutierrez demonstrates his extreme flexibility and strength as he dances “FEAR“. Corrales, a junior, choreographed this number.

LEAP (right) : Benado leaps in

pose during the dance “WAVE”.

“There’s nothing really like the weightlessness you feel when doing any leap on stage,” he said.

“THIS” (lower left) :

Roselina Luera crafted this dance, featuring red lighting and dramatic movements. She has been in advanced dance for three years.

CTRL (bottom right): In

I KNOW DANCE IS A DEMANDING ART, BUT IT’S BEAUTIFUL AND DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE. OSCAR GUTIERREZ, 12

30 PHOTO STORY | Crimson Newsmagazine 04.12.19

Hartley’s number “FEEL”, she shows emotion, strength, and control in her movements. She is co-president of Jazz N Company alongside Gutierrez.

Photos by Madi Loff, Ysabel Wulfing, and Jessica Jagger

SPORTS |

Setting the Scene W 00 03

Learn all factors that bring a varsity Boys’ volleyball game to life

by Cole Eberhard, Poli Sci Editor

hen stepping into the Gil Asa Gym to watch a volleyball game, or any sporting event for that matter, it’s easy to be only mindful of what’s going on on the surface: who scored the most points —‘kills’ in volleyball lingo—why did the referee make that call, what’s the score, etc. What one usually doesn’t think about is all of the planning and time that went into setting up the nets, bringing the teams together, the hours of practicing that led to all those points, and who takes time out of their day to do things like keep score and make announcements. Every sport at PRHS has similar preparations for game day, along with groups of motivated athletes, students and adults who bring each sporting event to life. To get the full sports-spectator experience, one must dive deeper into what makes a home game at Paso Robles High School possible.

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SETUP: The net and bleachers are set up at 3:30, two hours before the game, and put back at 6:44, once the game has ended.

Members of the junior varsity team assist in cleaning up the announcer’s table and the chairs that the varsity players use when they’re benched.

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5:00: Both teams are now present and are warming up before the game. Paso begins by doing high-knees across their half of the court while the Central High School Grizzlies stretch and do sprints.

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Refs: Referees Bob Spear and David Owens both wear white, collared shirts with “certified official” on the sleeve as well as black pants and white shoes. Spear stands in a referee’s chair high up next to the net in order to get a bird’s eye view of the game. Owens stand on the opposite end of the net, blowing his whistle for serves and judging each play. He returns to the announcer’s desk to clarify any confusion on the calls he made and to rectify any mistakes. The referees ensure that the game is official, fair and fun.

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5:00: Entering the door, the first person one sees is PRHS staff

member Charles Dominguez. He works the front table inside of the double doors of the Gil Asa Gym, receiving pay from spectators and fans as they enter. “I’ll usually set up the table around 3:30, two hours before the game officially starts. I’ll let the athletes from other sports in for free; they usually come in after they’re done practicing. I like coming out here and doing this. Gets me out of the house,” he said at a home game versus the Central High School Grizzlies on March 7.

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5:34: All spectators and players stand as an instrumental rendition of the national anthem plays over the loudspeaker. One minute later, both teams line up as each player is introduced by announcer Scott Gardener.

Sophomore Ethan Wright set this game and his hitters were senior Jordan Morris, senior Hector Arteaga, and sophomore Wil Reed.

announcer’s desk along with sophomore Adrian Swindig, who helps keep score. Gardener recalls substitutions, points scored by each side, and general announcements (snack bar, sponsors of boys’ volleyball, etc.). His game descriptions and transition announcements will add drama and officialness to the event.

Fans: The time gets closer to 5:30 game time. proud parents, avid fans, press publications, spirited students, and novice teams fill the stands in support of the Bearcats. Moms bring their padded chairs. Younger siblings and middle school players watch admiringly. The crowds add liveliness to the game and players by cheering them on whether they’re up or down.

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5:36: Both teams form a huddle before the game begins to discuss strategies and receive last minute coaching tips. The Central High School Grizzlies begin with the first serve, but Paso Robles junior Brock Williams earns the first point of the game.

Announcer Scott Gardener sits at the

Coach Drew Nenow had a very active role throughout the course of the game, standing close by on the sidelines and offering quick words of encouragement and coaching tips to the team after each play.

Graphics by Ian Grace

Game! Central HS took the first set 25-14. Trying to come back from a loss, the Bearcats were neck and neck with the Grizzlies in the second set, but ended up losing with a score of 25-23. Central took the win on the third set as well, with a score of 25-16.

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Athletes to keep an eye

by Brighton Garrett, Sports Co Editor and Phoebe Corgiat, Sports Co Editor

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he sun rises out from behind the rain clouds and the shot of a start gun, splash of the pool, ding of a bat, squeak on the volleyball court and echo of a tennis ball all together signal that spring sports are here. Throughout the season, games are played, friendships are made, and records are broken all with the help of Bearcat athletes. Ten athletes were chosen who positively influence their team’s outcome, not only in league results but in team bonding and memories made.

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Hector Arteaga

VOLLEYBALL

SOFTBALL

Sophie Prieto

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unior third baseman Sophie Prieto has been playing softball for eight years, with three of them being on the Varsity Softball team at PRHS. She started playing because her brother played baseball and it intrigued her. Prieto’s hopes to play in college keep her motivated while playing. Prieto has an on base percentage of .316 for the current season.

“My goal with my team is to always have a good attitude, stay positive, work hard and put others first. I think it is really important that as a team we have a solid foundation, because if we don’t, then the game is not going to go as well as we think.”

enior middle and right side hitter Hector Arteaga started playing volleyball his freshman year and is concluding his fourth year on varsity. He keeps playing because of the intensity and fun volleyball brings. He has over 100 kills this season. Arteaga plans to attend Monterey Peninsula College to continue his football career.

“My goal for the team this year is to win league and I think we have a good chance.”

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Elijah Mathisen

SWIM

Holly DiSimone

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reshman varsity swimmer Holly DiSimone’s career began five years ago, when her love for the water drove her to compete. She was intrigued by the team and individual aspect of the sport. DiSimone usually swims the 100m butterfly and freestyle in high school meets. She recently broke the 100m butterfly school record with a time of 57.76.

enior Elijah Mathisen started swim in seventh grade and is now in his last of two years on varsity at PRHS. His specialty is distance swimming the 200m and 500m, in which he has recently broken five minutes. This year, Mathisen is proud of the competition among other teams as a result of their hard work in practice.

“We have a good team this year and I am trying to not let them down this year as team captain. We are having some good performances and it’s just great to see everyone working hard and getting the results they have been wanting.”

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Kendall Caruana

enior Kendall Caruana started running in sixth grade as a get away and is now a fourth year varsity track and field athlete. Practicing six days a week, 25 plus hours, Caruana tries to keep her eyes on the finish line and running a faster time to keep her going. Her favorite event is the 800, with a personal record of 2:18. She is continuing her running career at Fresno State Pacific next school year.

“I run track because it’s a great sport to be in with a great team mentality.”

32 SPORTS | Crimson Newsmagazine

“My goal for the team is to just do really well in league and CIF and place well and for everyone to have a good, fun time.”

TRACK

Jordan Summers

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enior Jordan Summers started running after an injury halted his soccer career. He spends most of his time, in and out of season, practicing at the track, dedicating about six days a week to the sport. Summers has a recorded time of 48.96 seconds for the 400m, almost beating the unofficial current school record. He has hopes to continue running in college but no plans have been set in place.

“What keeps me going is everyone on the team and watching my numbers get better and better.”

Photos by Garrett, Salas, Rangel, Cano, DeLerosa, DiMatteo, Gomez

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STUNT

Madeline Hanauer

BASEBALL

SPORTS |

Lucas Climer

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enior Madeline Hanauer has been doing stunt for the three years PRHS has offered it.

She started stunting because she participated in cheer for five years and liked the athletic side of stunt. The Bearcats are currently undefeated this season with hopes to get first in league.

Hanauer has committed to Alma College in Michigan to continue her cheer and stunt career.

“The reason I play stunt is because of how it’s growing and it’s more of a smaller sport.

I feel like cheerleaders and stunters have to continue to prove themselves as a sport to other athletes.”

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enior Lucas Climer started playing baseball when he was three years old (14 years total) and has been on varsity for three years playing pitcher, first base, and outfield.

His favorite position is pitcher and has the most strikeouts, 62, in the Mountain League. Climer’s role model is his dad because he has been there his whole career. He plans to play baseball at Cuesta College after high school.

“My goal with the team is going all the way: winning CIF, winning league or taking first in the season.”

Colby Calloway Goodwin

GOLF

TENNIS

Bryson Presenti

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unior Bryson Presenti began playing tennis six years ago with his dad at a private tennis court.

Presenti currently takes lessons in Avila and Paso Robles and is now a third year varsity player. He hopes to compete far in CIF this season.

“I really enjoy tennis, I like to play with friends because most of them are on the team. It’s fun to get to know different people. You play a lot of people in the sport so you meet a lot of different people which is fun.”

enior Colby Goodwin began playing golf as a junior because family members enjoy the sport, as well as his friend Logan Burns. The competitive aspect keeps Goodwin participating in varsity golf with a final goal of qualifying for CIF. Goodwin has shot an 80 in a recent match.

“Hopefully we can make it to CIF as a team with five people as well as individually.”

up to

Thornhill BAT

Photos by Keller, Garrett, Trerise, Burke, Gomez

PRHS welcomes new Varsity Baseball Coach

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by Cole Eberhard, Poli-Sci Editor ager to begin the practice he’d spent His early passion for coaching baseball led to his first obstacle: the night before planning, varsity age. baseball coach Jonathon Thornhill “I’m 28 years old — and started coaching when I was even fixed his cap and stepped into the batting younger. People are timid, people are like ‘I don’t know, he’s only a cages. He noticed junior Seth Maldonado couple years post-graduate’. But you earn that respect, you show the parents that you’re willing to HUDDLE UP (above) : Coach Thornhill adjusting his batting gloves and helmet be respectful and have that communication. Then they’ll buy-in and so will everyone else.” gathers with his team on the mound. The as he entered the cage and waved to him.

Senior Lucas Climer, currently in his fourth year of baseball at the high school, spoke on behalf Bearcat players listen intently while taking Gathering the of Thornhill’s coaching style into account his advice. team’s attention, he “He’s a coach that has the right idea and mindset to get the job done.

I’D SAY HE’S A COACH THAT HAS THE went over the afternoon’s plans, receiving affirming nods from assistant I see us being a very strong team playing for him.“ RIGHT IDEA AND MINDSET TO GET THE coaches Jacob Olson, Mitchell Simmons and Steve Baumgardner.

Thornhill’s biggest goal is to have players who want to be at practice JOB DONE EVEN THOUGH THERE’S Once the instructions were finished and baseballs flew across the cages, PLENTY OF IMMATURE PARENTS THAT and improve their skills, and he believes that’s what the team has been ARE TRYING TO BLOCK HIM FROM he was sure that the players’ focus would carry the rest of the practice. able to accomplish so far. He commends the team for their work ethic DOING SO. I SEE US BEING A VERY In the spring season for Bearcat athletics, Coach Thornhill leads and dedication.

STRONG TEAM PLAYING FOR HIM. the varsity baseball program. The team stands at 8-5 in overall games “All 18 or 19 of them are doing what LUCAS CLIMER, 12 played and 1-0 in official league matches, currently 2nd behind Righetti they’re supposed to, there’s not one HS. Thornhill graduated from Templeton in 2008 and played baseball all guy that’s putting the team on his through high school. He pitched at Porterville College before beginning his coaching career in back. They’re all doing everything to chip in to get to where 2010. we’re at right now and they’re holding a 5 game win streak “I’ve played my whole life. I think that’s why I can relate well with the kids from our staff — top to because of that..” bottom — because I love this game that much,” he stated after a home game 3-1 victory against To strengthen their improvement, he holds the team to Mt. Whitney High School on Mar. 8. a consistent practice schedule year-round. They practice Thornhill believes that the foundation of a strong relationship between a coach and his players everyday during the season and a minimum of 3 days a week comes from respect and a willingness to listen. in the off-season. His ultimate goal is to lead the team to new ““Biggest thing for a coach in order to be successful I think is a guy that’s willing to listen to his heights and take advantage of their progress as a team by players. If you have a guy who’s just set on this or that and doesn’t care — the kids aren’t gonna gaining a league and CIF title. respond well.”

Photos by Cano & Keller 04.12.19 Crimson Newsmagazine | SPORTS 33

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GOT IT!: Phillips

catches a stray ball.

CURVE BALL: Ralston pitches a curve ball to a batter of the opposing team the Rhighetti Warriors.

Freshman softball players Ralston, Dizon and Phillips start at the top

by Loretta Burke, multimedia director

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he dust is thick as the setting sun triggers the massive lights to turn on This team is currently ranked second in the illuminating two teams of varsity softball players. Standing on the mound nation. Travel softball teams strive to both are the catcher Emma Phillips, first base player Andie Dizon, and advance their members’ skills and help to READY: Dizon waits to see pitcher Jaidon Ralston. boost their college resumes. if the batter will make a hit.

There is no question that varsity sports are a big portion of high school, the “Travel ball goes a lot faster. Practices are oldest and best players are competing to win titles, personal bests, and honor way harder with a lot more tournaments and for the school. For these three freshman softball players, the dream of being harder teams, and the pitching is a lot faster,” Dizon said. on a varsity team have come faster than most. Being on the PRHS varsity team Ralston is also on a travel team, the California Sun-Cats, involves over two hours of practice each day and games all over the Central that is currently ranked top ten in the nation. “Being on Mountain Range. a club team and having the support of your coaches “The rest of the team are like older sisters, always offering if we need rides and who help guide you is really quite helpful. It’s nice to they’re always there for us. They offer help academically to make sure we can have someone who helps you know yourself and learn stay on the team. They’re really nice to hang out with even when self-confidence going into high school,” we’re not doing team bonding, they always invite us to hang out.

Ralston said.

“THEY SAID It’s like another family” Phillips said.

But these three Bearcats cannot let their VARSITY WOULD BE Bearcat softball is currently 6-1 in league ranking them second rigorous year round practice schedules INTIMIDATING BUT in the Mountain League behind the Atascadero HS Greyhounds. affect their schoolwork.

IT’S REALLY NOT. AT Bearcat softball has a 17 player team for the 2019 season with “Sometimes balance is hard with the honors four sophomores, seven juniors and three seniors.

THE END OF THE DAY classes I take. It’s hard to keep up, but at the same “They are all very hard workers and big contributors to our I DON’T THINK OF IT time, you learn to balance yourself so you can team. They have built friendships with all of the girls, and as have time to practice, but also study and be AS VARSITY AND JV upperclassmen we have welcomed them unconditionally. During productive in all things you do,” said Ralston, JUST GIRLS DOING games, everyone constantly supports them and they definitely who is aiming to go to the University of WHAT THEY LOVE” return the favor” said varsity second base Hannah Tibbitts, 11.

Oregon or University of Arizona to play on Ralston has been the starting pitcher for 11 games this season, a D1 softball team.

ANDIE DIZON, 9 shutting out 4 of them and completing 11. Ralston is among four Balance is the most effective way that pitchers on the varsity softball team but with 73 innings pitched she has been on student athletes are able to keep up all aspects of their the mound over 40 innings more than any other player. high school careers, and for these Bearcats, it is no But being younger than the rest of the team comes with its challenges. different. With the aspect of college in all of their minds, “Being a freshman catcher, I have to put in a lot of time to get myself big school is held as their top priority. enough to be the starting varsity catcher,” Phillips said.

“I do a lot of my schoolwork during school. Sometimes I’ll Phillips has played nine games this season in both center field and catcher, not practice one day to just catch up on everything. [It’s] a lot of with a recorded 70 putouts (a catcher catching pitches that result in strikeouts) taking my own time and prioritizing what I need to do to be there in the 2019 season. for my team,” Dizon said. Dizon plans to go to a college with a Phillips and Ralston have been playing together since they were five years good math and biochemistry program, hoping that her time old. As a pitcher-catcher combination they have to put in practice time outside playing softball can get her into a good college. of school practices. This time can add up with all three freshman practicing over “I take Honors Algebra and every class that I can. I take four hours a day. to get that extra advantage and it is hard to balance “I practice every single day for about two hours adding to school practice sports and academics, but it’s just about being the every day. I also practice during the school off-season in Gilroy twice a week with best all-around student and student athlete you can,” my travel team,” Ralston, who practices over 21 hours per week, said.

Phillips, who plans to go to college to study medicine, “After practices, I go do gym workouts; I go bat sometimes, and it’s just a lot of said. work all the time,” 6-7 hours per day.

“They said varsity would be intimidating but it’s really Travel ball is another level at which girls can advance their softball skills. Dizon not. At the end of the day I don’t think of it as varsity and JV; is a member of the Sorcerer travel ball team that plays out of San Francisco. just girls doing what they love,” Dizon said.

34 SPORTS | Crimson Newsmagazine 04.12.19

Emma Phillips CATCHER 99 put-outs 4 runs 12 games played

Jaiden Ralston PITCHER 10 games started 71+ innings Opponents batting average .130

Andie Dizon FIRST BASE 27 put outs 5 runs Batting average .343

Photos by Loretta Burke

SPORTS |

Flying their way to the

PRHS stunt team reigns undefeated

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RHS started a stunt team in 2017 and, within the first year, went to the first round of CIF with no prior experience.

Now in their third year and having gone to CIF twice, they are hoping to repeat the process.

“The team dynamic this year is aggressive and hungry to win.

We know we’ve proven to our fellow bearcats that we are a good team for our area, but we want to go further. They work hard at practice but still manage to have fun with each other,” coach Tori Loney said.

The senior Bearcats are especially motivated to clinch the league title this year. Loney’s coaching philosophy is the aspect of leadership within her team and not so much herself.

“I have really come to understand that it is the coach’s job to teach its leaders how to instill a sense of respect and pride in one’s efforts and final product. I can yell and scream about people working harder or I can have my captains and team leaders remind each other and their teammates of the importance of hard work,” Loney said.

There is much that goes into the sport of stunt. These lady Bearcats put in hours of practice to achieve their best. The students now are offered stunt as a sixth period course. With this extra work time, the players are making the most of the time that is offered to them.

“We practice everyday from during 6th period until

by Mckensi Keller, Pop Culture Editor 5 p.m. Wednesdays 3-5 p.m. We put in lot of practice and weightlifting time to our absolute best,” senior Maddy Hanauer said.

The expectations for this team are set extremely high according to some of the players. With the exceeded result the last two years, the Bearcats are expected to go a long way this season.

“I think we will do very well this season.

We have more groups that are advanced and a lot more tumblers which is what we lacked last season,” Hanauer said.

There are many younger athletes this year on the PRHS stunt team.

This provides potential for the future seasons of this game. With the important philosophy of leadership within this team, the seniors and juniors are expected to set examples for the younger student athletes.

“Due to many seniors who were the foundation of our stunt team are going to be ending their stunt career this year, we’ve continually worked to give

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advice and make sure to help the younger athletes gain the confidence in their skills,” senior Jeraly Escamilla said.

The team spends a lot of time together each and every day, and they always manage to have a good time.

“My favorite memories all come from practice. Whenever we are doing quarter 4s and we are hitting all of our stunts and sticking our tumbling, it just gives off a crazy supportive vibe in the gym and that’s one of the best feelings ever,” Hanauer said.

Hanauer is the first stunt athlete to come out of PRHS as a signed athlete for the sport of stunt. Committing to Alma college for stunt sets a different dynamic for her as she plays her final season at PRHS. With these seniors having their last year at PRHS, they want to end with a bang.

“The majority of our goals consists of being able to perform all levels with no modifications, continuing the League Champion title streak, and be CIF champions.

Other than titles, we’ve worked on everyone having healthy competition that allows every person on the team to be able to have levels,” Escamilla said.

Photos by Tucker, L. Barnaby, Burke Graphics by Ian Grace

QUARTER BREAKDOWN:

STRIKE A POSE (left):

Stunters perform the hitch.

They played Nipomo and won midMar.

a be

TO THE TOP (above) : Flyer Maddy

Hanauer performs an arabesque supported by her base group. This stunt pod is made of the captains Isabella Belflower, Sofia Moses, Jeraly Escamilla, and Hanauer.

Partner Stunts quarter 1

quarter 2

quarter 3

Pyramids & Tosses Jumps & Tumbling Team Stunts

TEAM PHOTO (above) : The stunt team poses for a picture before practice. They practice about three

hours after school.

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Technically speaking: BEHIND THE PLATE Focus:

Tracking the ball as it leaves the pitcher’s hands to either his glove or the opponent’s bat, the catcher has to prepare for any action.

Framing:

Position:

Catching the ball with a slightly bent elbow helps him to prepare to move the ball a couple inches towards the strike zone.

Left leg in front of right with a stabilizing stance helps to maximize movement while minimizing extra unnecessary motion.

INTRODUCING: THE CATCHER with Junior CJ Ontiveros

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atcher CJ Ontiveros has been playing baseball for as long as he can remember. He grew up being athletic and playing multiple sports but has stuck with baseball the longest.

“I created a passion for the game over time. I don’t have to worry about the outside world or school. When I’m playing baseball all that escapes me and I just focus on the sport,” Ontiveros said.

Ontiveros, a junior, has been on the varsity baseball team for two years. He hopes to continue his career in college, but is unsure where he’ll play.

As a catcher, Ontiveros has a lot of responsibility during the game, including calling pitches and helping the pitcher. He has a leading role on the team.

“CJ impacts us most with his leadership on and off the field. My favorite memory with him is before the season, we’d get up at 5am and go hit,” freshman Bryson Hoier said.

Ontiveros had an injury early in the season and had

36 SPORTS | Crimson Newsmagazine

by Brighton Garrett , Sports Co-Editor

to sit out a few games, but he has since returned to the field to continue as catcher.

With 31 at bats and eight hits, Ontiveros has a batting average of .258. He has scored four runs and three RBIs (runs batted in). He has an on base percentage of .343.

Playing baseball adds the extra responsibility to keep grades up. Practice takes up two hours of his after school time; games take around four hours. Finding time for his school work takes added effort. Ontiveros tries to finish most of his homework at school and sometimes goes to the math tutoring lab — even if it means being late to practice.

Role models can provide a goal for athletes to look up to. For Ontiveros, his motivating role model is Roy Campanella, Brooklyn Dodgers catcher from 1948-1957. “[He] is arguably the best catcher the dodgers have seen,” explained Ontiveros.

Baseball is more than just a sport for most of the players on the team. It is a family that comes together for a common goal: winning the game and having fun.

“I love the sport and I love playing it. My teammates just add to the fun. It’s a brotherhood. I look forward to seeing all my boys at the end of the day to talk trash to each other, make fun, and joke around. My teammates make the game fun,” Ontiveros said.

Photos by Keller and Holliday