Crimson March 2011

Presorted Standard

Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage

PAID

Permit #56

Paso Robles, CA

Volume 70 / 03.16.11 / Issue 5

The Student Newsmagazine of Paso Robles High School

801 Niblick Rd. Paso Robles, California

Dancing in the moment

by Kelly Munns, PR Manager and Sarah Wilson, A&E Editor Mastered moves, melodic music, and poised performers took the stage for approximately 90 minutes during the PRHS dance show and brought the audience “Into the Wild.” The show took place on Friday, March 4, and Saturday, March 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the Templeton Performing Arts Center.

Ninety-seven dancers took the stage throughout the course of the show: 37 advanced dancers, 45 intermediate dancers, and 15 guest dancers and performers. Some featured dance groups were Jazz’n’Company and Jazz’n’Company Apprentices, Class Act Chamber Ballet, CAD Crew, and God Squad.

Ranging from slow and classical to upbeat and exotic, dancers performed to 18 different dances. Some performances were upbeat and lively while others were emotional and sincere. Though songs such as “Can’t Be Tamed,” “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Waka Waka,” and “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” all fit the “wild” theme of the show, a variety of music was used, such as hip-hop, 50’s, classical, and modern.

“I try to not overuse one style of music so people stay interested in the dances. We even had [senior] Brandon Ellsworth play the piano while the dancers performed and had the Love Notes perform a song,” dance teacher Jennifer Bedrosian said, who has taught dance at PRHS for the past three years. The Love Notes quartet consisted of juniors Trinity Smith, Emily Cone, Lindsay Reed, and Katie Wingfield who sang “Let it Be” by The Beatles.

Continued on A&E page 25

Feature 12 >> Freshman violinist In-Depth 16 >> The ‘F’ word

World 18 >> World Piece: Mexico

Contents March 16, 2011 Volume 70, Issue 5

rimson center

13 Paso Wine Industry Wine is at the heart of our community as well as our March issue. Crimson chronicles the influence the industry has on Bearcats and local wine enthusiasts.

Photo by Forest Erwin

On the cover: Emotions flood the stage as senior Lauren Huff plays a conflicted victim in a lyrical piece to the Coldplay’s hit song “Fix You.”

08 Widgets of a webmaster PRHS has its own computer magician.

Senior Nick Van Wiggeren reveals his love of the trade and visions of his future. feature

16 Stress awaits inside college gates The Higher Education Research Institute of UCLA unearths record levels of stress in college freshmen with their annual surveys. in-depth

21 Fighting the night Sleep deprivation takes a toll on teens.

health

23 Pepe Gonzalez: PRHS all-star Senior Pepe Gonzalez shares his passion for running and how he achieved an impressive 4:26 mile time.

02

03.16.11 Crimson

Paso Robles High School

Photo by Maddison Coons

sports www.crimsonnews.org

News BEAUTY BLOSSOMS: Senior Hadley Sowerby shows off her award-winning “Sunflower Lady” theme floral binder. The floral class had a wedding showcase on March 2.

Photo by Torey Wise

Leadership bring ‘Morp’ to PRHS Morp: reversed letters, backwards rules, and flipped fashions. Leadership hopes to feed off of the success of the traditional Prom and pump up PRHS spirit by hosting the reversal of Prom. Leadership wants Morp to get freshmen and sophomore students involved in an dance similar to what would ordinarily be an upperclassmen event.

The leadership class, supervised by psychology teacher Geof Land and dance instructor Jennifer Bedrosian, is deep in preparation for the event set to be held in Gil Asa Gym from 8-11:30 p.m. on April 15.

“I think this dance will really get people more spirited, and they can just have fun with their friends. Only juniors and seniors are able to experience Prom. I think it’d be neat to have a fun filled event before Prom also,” senior and leadership student Alyssa Napoli said, who got the idea from her former school, Saugus High School in Valencia, Calif.

Planned piercing laser lights will puncture the veil of fog blanketed over the surrounding gym air, the alluring beat of DJ Kid-C’s techno music selections will stir the swaying limbs of attending students who will undoubtedly be making bold stylistic statements in their outrageous 80’s attire—anything from bright neon colors to tutus with attitude.

Sophomore Natalie Petti is eager to show off her wild wardrobe, channeling an iconic ballad singer of the 1980s. “So far for clothing, my inspiration for Morp has been Pat Benatar,” she said.

“It’s basically a backwards Prom,” sophomore and first year leadership student Genesis Cuellar said.

“Instead of dressing formal, you dress crazy and casual. Instead of going with a date, you go as a group.”

Tickets will be sold at the door to PRHS students of all grade levels for $7 and $5 with an ASB card, with a complementary glow-in-the dark bracelet displaying the words “Morp 2011,” according to Cuellar who revealed the gym will be harboring an exciting surprise for participating Bearcats on Friday, April 15.

Morp occurs a month before this year’s May prom, and Napoli and the leadership class “expect a large attendance” and a good time at this backwards bash.

—Shanna Dowling, In-Depth Editor

Free help on school A new, free tutoring center for PRHS students started on Tuesday, March 8. Central Coast Ministries Inc. (CCM), a 15 year Christian organization, came up with the idea during a team meeting on Jan. 6. Former freshman English teacher Glen Smeltzer, who is also the chairperson, decided to become involved because of his “passion for working with high school kids.”

“I believe there is a strong need for tutoring, so there should be plenty of students for everyone to help.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all students who needed it could get the help they needed?” Smeltzer said.

After getting approval from Principal Randy Nelson and Superintendent Kathleen McNamara, CCM started planning the dates and what subjects to teach. CCM adult volunteers are the only tutors so far, but Smeltzer stated they are open to students who want to help their peers. None of the tutors will be paid since students are not charged at this center. They offer to tutor in English, Spanish, math, science, and social studies.

“Some of our adult tutors are retired teachers, like me for example, while others just have a heart for working with kids,” Smeltzer said.

The CCM tutoring center is located at 1005 Railroad Street in Paso Robles. Tutors and students will meet 7-8:30 p.m. on Tuesday and 3:30-5 p.m. on Thursday. Students will have free transportation for the Thursday session with the Paso Express bus because CCM will provide a bus card for six to eight rides. Refreshments will also be available at the center, and CCM intend to have a small computer lab.

Any students or adults who want to help tutor should contact Smeltzer at his email grannynpa@sbcglobal. net or cell phone at 423-0249. Students can also leave Smeltzer a message at the counseling office. All of adult volunteers will have to submit to a fingerprint background check conducted by the California State Department of Justice. Students who need tutoring or a quiet place to study can pick up the proper forms in the counseling center on campus.

—Alicia Canales, Managing Editor

Mock Rock takes the stage Dim the lights, turn up the music, and get ready. Mock Rock is back.

PRHS students will be rocking the stage at the Templeton Performing Arts Center on March 18 for this year’s Mock Rock. Of the 12 or more groups or individuals performing at the TPAC, two winners will be chosen.

A winner will be chosen from the talent category and from the mock category, in which they mock a famous singing and/or dancing routine. “[Mock rock] is an alternative party to create a community on campus. There’s fun singing, dancing, performing…without having to be high,” Psychology teacher and FNL advisor Jeanne Neely said, who is helping facilitate this year’s mock rock.

The two winning performers will go on to the county level to compete with other high schools throughout the county at Cal Poly in May. From there, three winners in both of the two categories will be chosen as ultimate mock rock champs.

­—Sarah Wilson, A&E Editor

www.crimsonnews.org

Spring brings showers and floral flowers

Club Council and Student Senate

ROP Floral prepares for spring showcase

by Kelly Munns, PR Manager, and Torey Wise, Sports Co-Editor

>>

When entering room 605, it isn’t just the sweet fragrance of flourishing flowers that draws viewer’s attention, but the intricate designs of the ROP floral member’s spring wedding showcase.

Floral focused on the spring wedding showcase which was presented on March 2. Students on went into the floral classroom at lunch and voted in five different categories on the different theme weddings. Senior Allie Lukes won the Most Elegant Award with her “Hindu Wedding,” which focused on red and black colors.

Seniors Brooke Deranek, Kelsey Miklovic, and junior Hannah Johnson won Most Creative with their theme “African Safari.” Their colors included green, red, orange, and white. Senior Alexa Gomez and sophomore Gabby Rehorn decorated their layout with skulls and won Peoples’ Choice with “Day of the Dead.” Acquiring two awards, senior Hadley Sowerby won the Most Likely to be My Wedding award and Best Binder with her theme “Sunflower Sunday.”

“I was really glad that everyone definitely wanted it to be their wedding. My old wedding [showcases] were really over the top, and I won those years too; but this year I decided to do a simple backyard sun flower wedding.

I am really glad how it turned out and that everyone liked it,” Sowerby said, who is a three year ROP member. “I love it; it is my favorite thing to do. I love the wedding, [there are] so many ideas and everyone does something different. One of the major reasons I do the class [is] for the wedding [showcase.]”

“We plan from the engagement through to the honeymoon; we plan the rings, dresses, all of it and put it into a scrap book,” senior Savannah Rees said.

Along with the scrapbook on the table, there were settings for a couple and a flower arrangement. All the flowers were paid through fundraising by selling Valentine’s Day arrangements. Each floral student must have a consistent theme for the whole “occasion.” Senior Britney Carlos explained her theme “Masquerade” was “kind of out there” and “no one has ever done it before.”

Other themes included in the showcase were patriotic wedding, Lady Gaga, and country-style wedding. The 28 students in the second trimester class presented a variety of showcases. Temporarily taking place for Theresa Clark, floral teacher Holly Smith couldn’t wait for showcase.

“I was kind of nervous. The anticipation really builds up and it becomes personal to [the students],” Smith said. “[The showcase gives] a taste of what it would be like in the industry.”

This was the first year that other ROP floral members who didn’t do a showcase display could get involved in a decorating committee. From mini chocolate cupcakes frosted with lime green icing to white rose petals scattered at the door entrance, the showcase was anything but mediocre.

Paso Robles High School

Crimson 03.16.11 |

3

News

United clubs of PRHS Clubs on campus take on larger roles

by Monica Patel, Editor-in-Chief

Not just words or actions On February 24th and 25th over 200 students shuffled into the activity center to enjoy a one act play regarding bullying in a high school scenario. The play follows multiple high school students and their families and how simple words or actions can affect each of their lives, whether it is a simple tease, act of rudeness or singling out due to differences. Although the play was just one act, it conveyed how each of the students’ lives was made miserable due to acts of bullying.

The play was put on by PRHS’s advanced drama students who all split into groups to compose the script. “Our teacher Ms. Goodnow is really big on respect, so it was an obvious choice for us to do a play on bullying,” sophomore and advanced drama student Chelsea Whitman said. The advanced drama students spent weeks pitching in their groups pitching ideas for the play. “I see bullying happen a lot on our campus so I was all for the idea of a play on bullying.”

Bullying has become a problem for campuses across the nation, with statistics rising ever so steeply. According to statistics from Family First Aid, about 30 percent of teenagers in the U.S. have been involved in bullying, either as a bully or as a victim of teenage bullying. The effects of said bullying can range from the obvious physical injuries to the less obvious emotional trauma which can lead to depression (possibility of suicide), drug use, and problems in social development for teens.

It is up to the students themselves to help prevent bullying by discouraging said behaviors and finding supportive friends to help break the vicious cycle of bullying.

—Daniel Hipp, Health Editor

Firefighters come to Bearkittens Finger painting doesn’t seem like quite the state standard; but for 30 high schools

ROP Floral students, it’s a part of every day.

Bearkittens, the on-campus pre-school run by students, has been around for approxi-

Next Page ... mately 30 years and is headed up by Brenda Matthyse.

“I think the preschoolers being with high schoolers is amazing,” said Mattyse, “They [pre-schoolers] always have someone to talk to, someone to read to them.”

Tuesday, Feb.22, Bearkittens had a vistor- a siren-red fire truck. The truck is brought every year, and one of the firemen, Brian Lewis, is the father of a Bearkitten.

The pre-schoolers were able to spray the fire hose, see their heart rate on an Electro Kardio Gram (EKG) , and witness how fast the firemen have to get dressed.

“I liked the firemen getting dressed as fast as they could,” said one four-year-old Bearkitten, who wants to be fireman.

“I think they really liked seeing the firetruck, they seemed to be really interested in it,” said senior Ashley Finlayson, who teaches at the pre-school.

In the upcoming third trimester, the Bearkittens class plans on having themed days, where decorations and activities are planned around a theme such as “Pirates,” or “Bearcat Mall.”

>>

—Emily Cone, Opinion Co-Editor

Summer school is back in session Cuesta college regulars will be hitting the books hard this June after a year of slim summer course options. After February 2010’s class cutback, local teens and college students were left with few options to complete summer school credits.

Administrators claim the elimination of many of the popular classes was due to the tight budgets, but have reinstated them in order to meet the enrollment standards of 9,200 fully enrolled students. They face a $5,000 penalty by the state for each student below that mark, according to the SLO tribune.

This year however, the North County campus will once again be buzzing with swarms of students during its summer semester as they take advantage of the re-established selection. “[The return of the summer classes] will benefit students who can do college work and would like to try the college experience, or fit another class onto their high school schedule, enhance their college resume, and in some rare cases, make up credits,” PRHS counselor Sandra Buckmoyer said.

Ten formerly offered courses are to be gracing registration forms for the 2011 summer semester sign-ups this year—save your spaces while they last.

—Shanna Dowling, In-Depth Editor

4

03.16.11 Crimson

Thursday, March 24 approximately 20 clubs met in room 104 at lunch to discuss Club Council and Student Senate for the rest of the school year, led by Leadership’s ASB Officers Kyleigh De Petro (ASB President), Nicole Evenson (Vice President), and C.J. Prusi (Commissioner of Staff/Student Relations).

Dance teacher Jennifer Bedrosian and Leadership and Psychology teacher Geof Land supervised.

Club Council is comprised of each club and their president or representative. The Council will meet once a month before the Student Senate meeting to communicate with clubs and the student body. The first club council meeting will be held Mar. 17 where club representatives will submit an agenda for the Student Senate.

The Student Senate is comprised of one student nominated from each second period class. They will be meeting once a month to get information from the class officers, clubs, staff, and administration. Representatives will also be able to discuss SAT deadlines and communicate with counseling about scheduling or graduation concerns and more. Students will then report back to their second period class the next morning of what they discussed.

Each Thursday there will be a different club doing an activity or informa-

tional event in the quad to raise awareness amongst the student body and recruit students. If they want to make it a week, they could do that as well. They can put on a fun activity, set up a kiosk, or have a guest speaker or outside affiliate come to promote the group.

Associated Student Body President Kyleigh De Petro and leadership class decided to change the 11-year-old ASB Constitution at the beginning of the school year.

“The clubs and sports are really separated so we wanted to make it more student-friendly so there wouldn’t be as many disputes and easier communication. We aim to unite everybody, and thus implemented the student senate. It’s going to allow everybody information on what’s going on around campus,” De Petro said, who along with holding ASB Presidency, has previously held CSF Presidency and currently is a member of the Academic Booster Club.

“Article VII – The Student Senate” is a brand new article added to the ASB Constitution, which is headed by freshman Christian Lopez, with three sections: Purpose, Attendance, and Management of Student Senate. The

Senior Kyleigh De Petro, ASB President Photo by Maddison Coons

purpose of Article VII is “To promote a healthy communication network between various campus organizations, clubs, the ASB, administration, and counseling.”

The leadership class started revising the constitution at the beginning of the second trimester after prepping all of first trimester. After visiting Nipomo High School at the start of the school year, leadership modeled the student senate concept after NHS. Much is expected from the developing Student Senate and Club Council.

Students will be experiencing Club Thursdays very soon.

MESA students meet success

Eleven students win 29 medals at preliminary competition

by Andrew Chang, Sci-Tech Co-Editor

After working tirelessly on developing bridges, creating mousetrap cars, and honing math skills, the Paso Robles High School MESA (Mathematics Engineering and Science Achievement) club’s efforts paid off in their successes at the preliminary competition held at Cal Poly. On Mar. 5 each of the club’s 11 competitors, nine of which were able to attend the event, received at least one first, second, or third medal award.

“When you work so hard for something and you know you won it, it feels great,” senior Maximo Guzman said, who won five medals in total. His mousetrap car won second in Performance and first in Design.

Constructing a bridge out of manila folders and developing a balsawood glider are among other projects that the students worked on. In addition, each student was in a math team which specialized in subjects ranging from Algebra to Calculus. The students started these projects as early as

Paso Robles High School

October of 2010. Needless to say, the developmental process was not without bumps.

“I witness students spending hundreds of hours building their projects, but during testing something goes wrong, or it breaks, and they have to start over again.” Cindy Schroeder, advisor of the club said, who believes that perseverance was a huge factor in the students’ success. “[But] for those who can pick up the broken pieces and rebuild again, the result is very rewarding.”

Schroeder also believes that the spirit of teamwork is crucial to success. “MESA students are more than willing to lend a hand, helping each other, working together to improve or even create designs, and even helping to compete together.

It’s a terrific group of amazing individuals!”

The club hopes to do just as well in the state competition at Cal Poly on Apr. 9.

www.crimsonnews.org

News

Lockdown proves a success

PRHS gains praise for incredible acts during lockdown “We run and check the doors, all excluding doors. We all patrolled around. Our cop, who is normally with us, was down [on Nickerson Drive]. And I talked back and forth [on the phone] with... Bob Velasquez [and] John Taylor,” Brown said. “[During the lock down] without notifying people, everybody did their job. It went off without a hitch, I mean you wouldn’t know anyone was here, all the lights were off, all the classrooms were locked, you couldn’t hear anything.

It looked like no one was here,” Brown said.

The lockdown was release at about 1:30 p.m. and students were released to an extended lunch, which ended at 2:05 p.m. Brown took pride in how well the students and staff handled the stressful situation.

“We thought the students were excellent. See Paso kids, when it’s real, are always good. When you take Paso kids on a field trip, they’re always good. When you take Paso kids into public, always good. Paso kids, always at the right time do the right thing,” Brown said.

The report later explained neither of the suspects came on to any of the campuses, yet they were also never found after an extensive search of the area by PRPD. There is no indication that the incident was connected to any of the schools at this point though Brown confirms that the students were previous students of PRHS. The witness came to the high school and identified several suspects from school pictures to assist PRPD, according to Brown.

There is an ongoing investigation to find the suspects.

Photo by Se rina

Forty-four minutes before lunch began on March 7, the PRHS campus received an intercom announcement from an exhausted, out of breath, PRHS head of security Ed Brown. He stated the campus was on a precautionary lockdown and teachers needed to lock their rooms and keep students inside until further notified. This lockdown was placed on four other schools in the area: Trinity Lutheran Elementary School, Saint Rose Catholic School, Daniel Lewis Middle School, and Winifred Pifer Elementary School.

A 911 call was received at the PRPD communications center from a resident in the 400 block of Nickerson Drive at about 12:20 p.m. The caller reported she had confronted two male suspects after she witnessed them vandalizing mailboxes in the area. When she confronted the pair, they threatened her by brandishing handguns. The suspects then ran away toward Centennial Park, according to a press release.

Brown was in a meeting at the District Office when he received the call from PR police officer John Taylor so Brown rushed back to PRHS. “So what happens is we make the announcement, and we had just run back from the district office; as a matter of fact I was almost out of breath,” Brown said of his strained voice.

As more information was brought in, the security department at PRHS hurried around campus, checking for any suspicious activity and making sure every door was locked.

Lewis

by Serina Lewis, Reporter

Classroom Emergency Response Guide Precautionary & Emergency Lock-Down Procedures Precautionary: No immediate threat to students and staff Emergency: Immediate threat to students and staff • • • • • • • • •

Students and staff go to the closest room that can be secured or locked.

Teachers need to call outside for students/staff to get inside a classroom.

Doors need to be locked. No doors should be opened until all clear is given.

Lights should not be turned off.

Teacher should continue conducting class.

Do not leave classroom if fire alarm sounds unless you see fire or smoke.

Do not use phones or cell phones except to report an emergency.

Sexual Wait for further instructions. ... harassment egaP txeN Verbal “all clear” and long extended bell signal will end lock down.

>>

A little too relaxed PRHS students resort to marijuana as a stress-reliever

by Ethan Baietti, Managing Editor, and Sarah Wilson, A&E Editor While some unwind with vigorous exercise, a peaceful nap, or a funny movie, a rising number of PRHS they try to find solace in smoking. students are using marijuana to smoke away their worries.

“It’s not because kids are stoners, they have problems,” Brown said. “Everybody is downsizing their life Students across campus have resorted to smoking marijuana as a stress reliever, according to Assistant right now.”

Principal Ed Brown. Some of this stress is linked to problems resulting from the declining economy, such Security Claire McClure, in her seven years working at PRHS, has noticed that while more serious drugs as money troubles and having to move. In the past six months, 43 students have been the problem in the past, this year the popular have been caught with marijuana or other drugs at school, which is five drug is definitely marijuana. However, the potency of more students than in the 2009-2010 school year. However, there are still the drug does not mean that punishment isn’t necessary.

12 weeks remaining so the number could rise.

McClure believes that harsher punishment is needed if “We use to average one or two [students] a month, now we average one kids are to stop using drugs and that there haven’t been or two a week,” Brown said about the number of students getting caught on enough expulsions.

We used to campus for smoking.

“They’ll just keep using and using, and keep getting average one By this average, there will be almost 70 students caught for possession on or two students a month... now caught,” McClure said. school grounds this year.

Currently, if a student is caught and it is a major we average one or two a week.”

One anonymous PRHS student caught earlier this year admitted to offense, they can be put on a three day site contract. If smoking weed on campus. The one and only time this student did smoke they get in trouble again, they go to a five day district —Assistant Principal Ed Brown on campus was also the time they got caught. contract. If the problem continues, the student may be “At the end of the day I lost my parents’ trust and was grounded for a long put on suspended expulsion or expelled altogether. time…I actually don’t know why I decided to smoke on campus. All I can tell you is that it was the stupidest “We are petitioning the county to make it a crime, punishable by ticket,” Brown said. thing I have ever done,” the anonymous student said.

The thought by administration is if the parents have to pay for the kids’ actions, it will get them more Most students who come to Brown’s office tend to be going through the harsh realities of world, and involved and eventually stop kids from smoking. Photo by Ethan Baietti www.crimsonnews.org

Paso Robles High School

Crimson 03.16.11 |

5

Editorial

More than just a ‘broad’ topic New definitions of sexual harassment bring light to the issue

by Caitlyn Curran and Austin Ehrhardt, Business Team

A PRHS senior was arrested on Dec. 8, 2010. He was 18-year-old Miguel Santos, who allegedly sexually battered a 15-yearold fellow PRHS female student. Paso Robles police officers would not reveal her name or exactly what happened, but the incident was said to have taken place in front of other students. The victim went immediately to Assistant Principal Ed Brown for help. This was an incident of sexual assault.

Although this case—particularly severe and well publicized— didn't go unnoticed, many cases do. Sexual harassment includes visual, verbal, or physical offenses. The humiliating nature of the offense often drives females particularly to keep quiet rather than report the incident to an official.

“Harassment does not have to be of a sexual nature... and can include offensive remarks about a person’s sex,” Lockdown according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity proves to Commission (EEOC). It is illegal to harass or exclude be success anyone solely because of their gender, according to the EEOC. This sets a more ambiguous boundary for sexual harassment; groping is not the only punishable offense in a professional setting.

“We really don’t get many [sexual harassment] incidents,” Brown said, a renowned disciplinarian. Brown stated this may be because so many go unreported.

Brown expands on what could be punishable on campus.

“When a girl says no and a guy doesn’t stop bugging her, that’s when I step in. They don’t understand how broad it is. If someone brings up something sexually offensive that happened, I’ll bring in the offender and say, ‘did you know that was sexual harassment?’ and usually that

>>

Illustration by Kit Toevs

shocks them. I just had to suspend a guy for three days for repeatedly offending girls. He thought he was a player,” Brown said.

Sexual harassment causes an uncomfortable or even threatening setting at school. An uneasy or hostile environment gives little room to learn. If someone is embarrassed about themselves, they’re not in any place fit for learning, and their offenders should be punished.

In a 2008 study from the University of Michigan, 35 percent of high school students responded that they had been victims of some form of sexual harassment.

While boys and girls reported equal levels of harassment, girls and LGBT(Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transvestite) students were far more upset by it, suffering from lower self-esteem and poorer mental and physical health.

“I’ve almost gotten used to it. Comments don’t happen daily, but it’s the little things [like] when someone laughs and tells me to ‘make out with that girl over there, isn’t she hot?’ Or just make me feel uncomfortable to be a lesbian,” an anonymous sophomore said, who claims she has been victimized because of her sexual orientation.

“I never really stopped to consider sexual harassment on a daily basis… Especially including sexist and homophobic remarks,” senior Will Hix said, who expressed surprise upon being informed of the

Monica Patel Editor-in-Chief Center Co-Editor

www.crimsonnews.org 801 Niblick Rd. Paso Robles, CA 93446

Paul Cleland

Austin Ehrhardt

Kelly Munns

Sinead Schouten

Madison Butz

Emily Cone

Forest Erwin

Maria Petiy

Sarah Wilson

Reporter

Opinion Co-Editor

Opinion Co-Editor

Business Team

Reporter Circulation Manager

PR Manager

World Co-Editor

Sports Co-Editor

A&E Co-Editor

Laura Callahan

Sheridan Cook

Daniel Hipp

C.J. Prusi

Kathryn Wingfield

Andrew Chang

Caitlyn Curran

Amanda Hutchinson

Lindsay Reed

Torey Wise

Dakota Cleland

Shanna Dowling

Nicolette Jolicoeur

Megan Rodrigues

Jenna Wookey

News Co-Editor

Sci-Tech Co-Editor

Sci-Tech Co-Editor

Fun and Games Editor

Business Team

In-Depth Editor

Health Editor

World Co-Editor

Culture Editor

Food Editor

Reporter

News Co-Editor

Managing Editor Web Manager

Alicia Canales Maddison Coons Managing Editor Front Page Editor

Feature Editor

Sports Co-Editor

Editorial Editor

Crimson is an independently funded, monthly publication of the journalism class at Paso Robles High School. We publish monthly newsmagazines free to students and teachers. Subscriptions are available for US mail delivery for $15.

Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the staff and do not necessarily reflect the views of Paso Robles High School, its t faculty, administration, or students.

Crimson is an open forum for the exchange of ideas. We welcome feedback in form of letters or e-mails. Letters must be signed but names can be withheld upon request. All stories, graphics, typesetting, and layouts are completed by Paso Robles High School students. The staff actively pursues advertisement accounts but reserves the right to refuse those deemed overly controversial or aimed at Contributions from illegal behavior. Crimson is designed using Aryn Fields, Kellie Kennan, Adobe In-Design and Photoshop and prints Serina Lewis, and Kit Toves with Atascadero News Co. PRHS • 801 Niblick Rd., Paso Robles, CA 93446 • prhsjournalism@pasoschools.org www.crimsonnews.org

6

03.16.11 Crimson

Managing Editor Center Co-Editor

Advisor: Jeff Mount

Kimberly Boswell Photo Essay Editor

Ethan Baietti

Paso Robles High School

(805) 237-3315 ext. 5601

wide-ranging nature of the definition. “I frequently hear Is sexual harassment guys saying things loudly a big issue at PRHS? Crimson staff about girls’ boobs and butts votes. and other sexual references. I guess it’s a matter of what girls Agree: 26 like and encourage and what makes girls feel threatened and uncomfortable.”

While high school may be a sexually tense prison yard of Disagree: 0 hormones and teenage angst, it’s nonetheless no place for bigotry or harassment. As a professional setting, it needs to be as safe and comfortable as possible, providing a fair opportunity for everyone to work and learn. So here’s where it’s up to you: choose your words carefully and report the hostile words of others. If something makes you uncomfortable, it has definitely already crossed that thin line.

Letters to the Editor

PRHS Ethnic studies students gave their perspective on “Enrique’s Journey,” by Sonia Nazario and illegal immigration.

• When reading this work of nonfiction, I realized that even though illegal immigration isn’t right, people are always going to attempt to cross the boarder illegally. —Delaney Drake • [“Enrique’s Journey”] has made me realize what motivated 48,000 children annually to make a dangerous trip across Mexico into the U.S. just so they would be able to reunite with their moms who left them behind in order to provide a better life for them. —Ruan de Nysschen • Too many Americans act with discrimination and intolerance toward illegal immigrants, not realizing they come with the intent to work in order to provide for their families.

—Brenna McNealley

www.crimsonnews.org

Feature

Students’ tattoos go more than skin deep PRHS opts for a media with ‘special meaning’

by Laura Callahan, News Co-Editor, and Nicolette Jolicoeur, Culture Co-Editor

Across the generations, teens have expressed themselves through clothes, after school activities, electives, and their group of friends. Now they have begun expressing themselves through ink.

The first thing that comes to mind when hearing the word “ink” is the black liquid that oozes out of the tip of your Bic pen. But students aren’t doodling on their skin; they are having permanent ink injected into it, where it will remain for the rest of their lives. Teens are getting tattoos.

Senior Jordan Tews gets “a hummingbird heart beat” when she looks at her new hummingbird tattoo which she opted for in remembrance of her grandmother.

“It was one of my grandma’s favorite animals, and she recently passed away so it is my tribute to her.

Widgets of a I don’t think I will ever regret it because it has special meaning to me,” Tews said. ... egaP txeN Junior Andre Martinez got his last name tattooed in old English across his back in September webmaster’s life 2010.

“It has to do with my family, and I just wanted to [represent] my family,” Martinez said, who has no regrets of his first tattoo. In fact, he plans to get another. “I’m [going to get] my family crest.”

Both Martinez and Tews agreed that in order to choose a tattoo that you won’t regret later on in life, it should have a “deep meaning behind it.”

Sophomore Jessica Zamudio is one person who would get a meaningful tattoo.

Ashlyn Vargas was pronounced dead after she rolled an ATV and was ejected on Thursday, Nov. 22, 2007 at 11:55 a.m. Zamudio had been best friends with Ashlyn since they were five.

“I would get a tattoo because it would just be a respect of remembrance for her,” Zamudio said. “I know she is taking care of me and my family and leading me towards the right actions so I think she would be quite touched that I would get a tattoo in her honor.”

Zamudio isn’t sure what she would get, but knows it would be something involving “Ash” because that was Vargas’ nickname.

Sophomore Kayla Huffman was Vargas’ cousin, but they were “practically sisters.”

“I plan on getting a tattoo in meaning of her. I want angel wings on my right shoulder blade in baby blue with her name and date of birth and date of death in magenta between the wings,” Huffman said.

Huffman believes this tattoo would make her “feel closer” to Vargas.

“Ashlyn always wanted tattoos, and I really think she would like it. I feel like I would have a part of her with me forever with this tattoo,” Huffman said.

Though tattoos hold a stereotypically rebellious image, teens are turning to this unorthodox art form as a new frontier of expression. PRHS student tattoos hold stories of sisterhood, family pride, and permanent homage to those who made a permanent difference. The stories behind them are not a rebellion, but a tribute to their roots.

>>

HUMMINGBIRD HEARTBEAT: Senior Jordan Tews shows off her hummingbird tattoo which pays tribute to her grandmother. Tews doesn’t anticipate regret because the tattoo holds “special meaning” for her. Photo by Lindsay Reed

03.16.11 Crimson

Paso Robles High School

www.crimsonnews.org

7

Feature

Students’

tattoosPage more...

Next than skin deep

Widgets of a

webmaster’s life Technical terms mean more to a senior than others

>>

by Paul Cleland, Opinion Co-Editor, Maddison Coons, Managing Editor, and Monica Patel, Editor-in-Chief A small boy with dark curly hair sits in front of the computer of his first grade class room in Washington. No, now-senior Nick Van Wiggeren is not playing Oregon Trail, but fixing a glitch as head of class tech support for his first grade class.

It began as a fascination for the computer world at age three.

“I’ve always loved using computers, and I’m pretty adept with them, so naturally I want to work with them whether it be programming, network administration, or anything in between,” Van Wiggeren said, who plans on majoring in Computer Science. Van Wiggeren’s interest in computers began to flicker back in 2001 at the age of eight when he received his first desktop computer for Christmas.

Van Wiggeren, regarding himself as always being a kind of weird computer-web kid, recalls helping fix computer tech problems at Flamson middle school.

“We would take him out of [Flamson Middle School English teacher Brian] Romero’s class to help us with our computer class (TAG) in sixth grade. He was the smartest person and wasn’t even in TAG but became interested in it towards the end of sixth grade; then he joined the class seventh and eighth grade,” senior and best friend Conner Burggraf said, who plays video games such as Call of Duty and Runescape with Van Wiggeren in their downtime.

Van Wiggeren now teaches himself through online tutorials, but he looks forward to a college education at one of the nine schools he applied to.

Van Wiggeren has high ambitions. He feels UC Berkeley and Carnegie Mellon are realistic choices for him, but he dreams of being accepted to Princeton or Harvard. He also applied to University of Washington, Rice University. So far Van Wiggeren’s been accepted

8

|| www.crimsonnews.org

to University of Wisconsin and NYU Polytechnic.

“I applied to them all because I wanted a range of schools around the country that had excellent academic records and that seemed right for me. I think I’ll go to the one that gives me the largest scholarship though,” Van Wiggeren said, whose current weighted academic GPA stands at 4.80 for 2010-2011 and 4.20 overall for his high school career.

He accounts his straight A success with five AP classes to pure work and dedication.

“I am trying hard, and I understand everything better [because of it]. It is rewarding to get a report card that says 4.80 even though it means I don’t get a lot of free time,” Van Wiggeren said whose normal day consists of school, two hours of homework, working out, dinner, finishing homework, and relaxing (but just a little bit).

“He’s working a lot harder—we can never hang out anymore because he’s always like ‘I got calculus homework.’ And he does hours of homework a night, but it wasn’t like that before,” Burggraf said, who hopes to attend University of Washington. Van Wiggeren and Burggraf were named “Best Friends Forever” after seven years of friendship for El Roble’s Senior Superlatives 2011.

Van Wiggeren ended up writing six completely different applications essays. He believes the best one is his essay for Princeton University about his role model: Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Instructor Cotton Marks, who began martial arts at age 16 and has been teaching for six years.

“I started MMA about six months ago [ in August 2010] because I wanted to let stress out, have fun, and learn some self-defense. I’ve learned that it really helps me relax and concentrate,” Van Wiggeren Paso Robles High School

Photo by Lindsay Reed

said, whose busy schedule includes five AP classes in Calculus, Chemistry, Economics, Government, and Literature.

Van Wiggeren makes this retreat to Studio three at Kennedy Paso Robles. MMA isn’t just a class for Van Wiggeren to punch, duck, or kick around in, but a ground he found inspiration in a person outside of his family, his instructor. Ironically Marks, a conservative Christian, is the complete opposite to liberal, atheistic Van Wiggeren.

“Out of our differences, however, has grown a sort of mutual respect and trust, a bond that has benefited not only my physical prowess, but my emotional and mental strength and integrity,” Van Wiggeren writes in his essay.

Van Wiggeren also believes his biggest influences in life have been his parents—his father, a retired U.S. Postal Service worker who received his MBA from Harvard, and his mother, who translates IEP’s from Spanish to English for the school district.

“My parents have always been there for me. They’ve always wanted the best for me, but were never too controlling. They gave me a lot of leniency actually,” Van Wiggeren said, who believes his own biggest negative influence is himself. “I’m deathly afraid of not succeeding and ending up stuck in Paso.”

The senior with trimmed hair, skinny jeans, and a Calvin Klein bag reflects on the applications process. It was boring, stressful and annoying, according to Van Wiggeren; he “just wanted to get it done with.” He does admit it was good once the essays were over with, as he perks up a little after commenting his mother, Consuelo Baratta, concluded the role model essay was most like him.

Van Wiggeren now continues the waiting game for admissions letters hoping his inbox flashes with comforting news: accepted.

Crimson 03.16.11

Master of the heartstrings

Feature

Photo by Forest Erwin

Freshman violinist Sarah Matthews speaks the ‘international language’ of music

by Kathryn Wingfield, Feature Editor A massive flock of 1989 weekend ready students fled PRHS at the ring of the bell on Friday, Feb.18 guided by visions of freedom, food, and Facebook. But relaxation wasn’t what freshman Sarah Matthews was in search of. She was looking forward to invigoration and a violin.

In three hours she would stand in front of 600 pairs of eyes and ears alongside Michael Nowak, the composer behind “King Kong,” “The Hangover,” and 13 other iconic films. She and 54 fellow SLO Youth Symphony members would perform with the Damon Castillo band in an innovative classical and rock ‘n’ roll collision. With a 100-yearold violin in hand and 4/4 time on the brain, Matthews would do what she had been studying since fifth grade: pour out her heart.

Matthews is principal second chair violin in the SLO Youth Symphony, an organization founded in 1965 that she has been a part of since her humble beginning as fifth chair at age 10. A performance with the Damon Castillo band, tours through southern California, appearances in the upcoming documentary “Botso,” and other opportunities have encouraged and inspired Matthews in her life-long pursuit of challenging herself through mastering the “international language” of music.

It all began with a SLO Youth Symphony music education outreach visit to Kermit King Elementary school. As her peers tampered awkwardly with flutes and trumpets, Matthews reached for a shiny violin. Within minutes of stroking its four silvery strings , she knew it was love.

“It felt right,” Matthews said, who immediately began weekly lessons thanks to her parents’ support. “I told my dad I wanted to do it, we got a violin, and I started lessons that year.”

Matthews’ commitment to the instrument quickly began to consume her life. Her dedication was quickly evident during her practices, which she happily devotes her free time to.

“I have to find time between ensemble groups, rehearsals, and concerts, so it’s usually on the weekends,” Matthews said. “I don’t set 03.16.11 Crimson

Huck censorship a specific time I have to finish. I just start and keep working until I achieve a goal that was specific for that day.”

Though Matthews is dedicated to her art form now, practice wasn’t always a priority. A year after she began playing, Matthews began to have problems with self-discipline.

“In seventh grade, I went through my ‘teenage drama’ stage where I stopped practicing and was really sucking,” she said. “But my dad just said, ‘What are you doing? This isn’t you.’ And that’s how I realized that if I really loved music and wanted to keep it, I had to change.”

Change she did, and her life and art were never the same. Fellow symphony members, including co-principal cellist George Major, acknowledge Matthews’ unique contributions to the program.

“I think the fact alone that she’s the only Bearcat in the symphony is really cool,” Major said, who has befriended Matthews through the symphony. “She’s genuinely an encouraging person. She makes everyone feel welcome.”

Matthews has six years of classical training under her belt and also had master classes with violinists from the San Diego Symphony.

Over the years, Matthews has experienced and grown to appreciate the fusion of classical music into popular culture, an art form that was epitomized in her performance with the five piece Damon Castillo band.

“The band is playing and we’re backing them up so you get this really full sound; it’s a really different experience than playing just classical music. It’s rock music! I’m able to play violin behind this band that has a drummer, a bassist, a lead singer, even keyboards. It’s a very unique experience,” Matthews said, who loves the collaboration of two separate musical worlds.

While listening to music, Matthews can hear all the separate components of the song.

“I can listen to a Lady Gaga song and hear the violin part in the background,” Matthews said. “There’s no song that doesn’t use all kinds of instruments.”

Paso Robles High School

Matthews believes the effects of her experiences with music will continue to resonate throughout the rest of her life.

“There was a point where I was not very good, but I wanted to believe I was. The conductor had to tell me, ‘That person is better than you.’ It was such a lesson in humility; I realized that if I wanted to be good, I had to make myself good. You can’t not practice and expect to be good. You can’t expect people to just hand things to you.”

This mindset has led Matthews to pursue the creation of an independent string quartet along with three fellow symphony members. The quartet will play at weddings in attempt to gain publicity, “make lots of money,” and spread the language of music Matthews is so passionate about.

“It’s a form of expression,” she said. “I know people say it a lot, but you really don’t know until you experience for yourself something you can be able to let go of your emotions with.”

Though the journey may not always be easy and Matthews is still unsure of her main career path, she is certain music will always be a part of her life.

“There are lots of people who have a job but are also part of the symphony, and I can see myself on that path. I love music, and my heart is in it, even if it’s not my main source of income,” Matthews said.

Matthews plans to continue chasing the rush of performing and the moments where “things just work” well into the future. She will devote her life to perfecting her own musical language.

“It gives you a voice outside of screaming in a crowded room. People actually hear you. In the same way you talk, you can speak with music, but it’s even more universal because no matter who you are, or what country you’re in, you can understand music. It’s an international language,” Matthews said.

>>

www.crimsonnews.org

9

Opinion

Violinist Next Page ...

Sarah Matthews

>>

Huck Censorship

Photo used with permission of A.F. Bradley Photo Illustration by Paul Cleland

Twain’s novel censored by NewSouth Books

by Ethan Baietti and Maddison Coons, Managing Editors

Since 1981, sophomore English teacher Steve Arnette has prepared his students for the picaresque novel “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” but Huck’s adventure has taken an uneasy turn.

NewSouth Books publishing company’s upcoming release of Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” will foolishly censor the novel by replacing the 219 occurrences of the word “nigger,” with the term “runaway slave.” NewSouth Books will also strike the word “injun.”

People believed Twain used the “n-word” so adamantly, he must be a racist. It is actually quite the opposite. Those who have read it understand that the use of “nigger” is not only a necessary piece of that time period’s vernacular, but also mirrors the ignorant, the intolerant, and the racist in the South in the late 19th century.

“I think [the n-word] is crucial to understanding the era in which the book was written and also to understanding the plot structure,” sophomore Josh Jeter said, an African American who has the read novel twice.

10

03.16.11 Crimson

It is not the responsibility of the author to make his writing politically correct; it is the job of the author to use diction that most powerfully conveys his message to the reader—even if this means using language that appears harmful, disrespectful, or foolish.

When classic authors, such as Twain, use vernacular like the “n-word,” it is for a deeper purpose, far past the basic definition itself.

“Twain was the first American writer who was prolific in dialogue usage,” Arnette said. “By going in and homogenizing the ‘n-word,’ it alters many of the dialectical allusions.”

Students can’t be sheltered by the “negative” words in books because it leaves no lessons for teachers to teach. As result, it leaves the students nothing to ponder or grow better from.

“Personally, if I were to teach Huck Finn, I would want my students to be shocked and repelled by the use of the “nigger;” and I would then want to discuss the issues around that word and how those issues are represented in the novel,” Jane Smiley said, author of “Private Life,” in the New York Times’ online Room for Debate.

Paso Robles High School

The deletion of the “n-word” would change the depth of the novel.

In Arnette’s class he explicitly goes in-depth about the word. It is a harsh, disrespectful word that Huck uses and many people today blurt out, unaware of the weight of its meaning. The word with proper teaching clears up misconceptions.

American students haven’t been able to read the novel because their school banned it from the libraries due to the 219 usages of the “n-word.” Students now have the opportunity to read the classic, but it won’t be as powerful.

It is understandable by taking the word out, more students will be able to read the novel, but will it be in the same context as the students who read the uncensored version?

It’s hard to believe that people are arguing for a book, something the average high school student probably Spark Notes. But if you think about it, removing the “n-word” is like Spark Notes summaries—it gets rid of all the difficulties of the novel for you and puts it in the simplest context so there is no struggling with a deeper meaning.

www.crimsonnews.org

Opinion

School isn’t ‘sick’ when you’re ill Absence policy unfair to habitually ill students

SICK AT SCHOOL: Students have to come to school, even when they’re sick in order to appease the 90 percent attendance policy. Students may only miss a maximum of 18 days. Photo illustration by Emily Cone

4 ways to excuse an absence can call or in notify 1 Your guardian Your guardian canincall or

within 72 the hours of anwithin illness72andhours the notify school student be excused for upmay to be of anmay illness.

The student three days. excused for up to three days.

The student may be excused for a doctor’s appointment, but must bring in proof.

3 The student may be excused for a certain number of days when a death in the immediate family occurs.

2 A student may be excused for a court appearance or jury duty, with proof for each.

4

by Caitlyn Curran, Business Team Desk covered with used tissues, a sitting senior student blows his red nose and coughs thunderously as his teacher presents notes. Along with the disruption, he has unknowingly infected an indefinite number of students around him, let alone the student who sits at his desk next period. He must attend school, for the 90 percent rule looms over his head.

Students must attend school 90 percent of the year, amounting to a maximum of 18 missed days, which would be six days per trimester.

This policy was set in place at the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year and has been in effect for every PRHS student since. For every stretch of absences over three days, a student can no longer rely on the once trusted call from a parent and must bring in a doctor’s note.

It is unreasonable for the school district to require students to have a doctor’s note every time they get sick. Many students’ families are without health insurance and thus have hefty doctor’s bills to pay. Not everyone can afford to see a doctor for every cold, flu, or cough. Making lower income students make up unexcused absences on their Saturday mornings seems like discrimination based on income.

Truants and unexcused/verified absences can add up in the cold and flu season. Enough missed days can land even the best student on activities suspension, excluding them from Prom, sports activities, choir, band, drama, walking at graduation, etc. There are legitimate ways to be excused from school that don’t apply to the 90 percent. This policy can be a reasonable and workable rule that doesn’t mean certain death. But for some kids, 90 percent is hard to uphold, and now sick days are worrisome, especially if a doctor isn’t an option.

Assistant Principal Chris Jones calculates the unexcused absences and tardies. If a student is below 90 percent, Jones assigns a number of Saturday schools to the student to make up his lack of attendance. Each Saturday school makes up for an entire day of unexcused absence or five random periods of unexcused absences.

“You really have to work at getting below 90 percent. But, in case a kid gets a letter, we’ve got those Saturday schools in place to help,” Jones said.

Senior Rachel Maloney, beating mononucleosis and her activities suspension in tandem, is a tribute to the challenges of extended illness.

She tried to show up for first period in the first week of her sickness. By the end of class, she realized she could barely hold up her head, let alone pay attention.

“It’s like you’re not even really there because you’re focusing on staying awake. I feel like you stay sick longer because you don’t get the rest you need. The stress of having to deal with school and the attendance policy while you are sick makes it worse,” Maloney said.

She spent Saturday, Feb. 12 at the hospital as doctors drained the swollen lymph nodes on the sides of her neck that signaled infection.

She was diagnosed with mononucleosis and showed up that next Monday miserable. She came because she felt like she had to since she is currently on activities suspension and cannot afford to miss any more school days. It is unexpected that Maloney is on the suspension list, considering she has a 4.1 GPA. Maloney couldn’t endure the rest of the week at school. Now she’s behind in class and said she has about eight Saturday schools to make up for her activities suspension.

One anonymous Bearcat couldn’t afford a doctor after being sick for three days. He admitted he went to school sick for a little over two weeks and experienced the same symptoms of weariness in class as Maloney.

“It made me miserable to go to school so sick like that. I was, like, sorry for myself. Every one was asking me why I was even there, but I kind of had to be because I’m worried about my attendance. I know I could make it up, but I’d almost rather just tough it out so I don’t have to worry about it later,” this PRHS junior said.

‘Every Bearcat, every day’ is a valiant effort, and ditching for no reason is irresponsible. Yet when a student is sick for more than three days, his mother calling in is not sufficient to clear the absence; the student must bring in a Do the doctor’s note. Maloney was fortunate to have her many Dougie absences excused by a doctor, but some PRHS students cannot always afford to visit a doctor.

Approximately 40 million Americans are without health insurance, according to Uwe Reinhardt, PhD, Professor of Political Economy, Princeton University. With over 10 percent of Americans living in California, many PRHS students are a part of the 40 million of uninsured. Every Bearcat every sick day cannot afford a doctor.

Illnesses such as fevers and colds can relent with a few days of rest and lots of liquids. Since sleeping in class is not permitted, it seems appropriate that sick students stay home.

>>

Button

Taking today’s hot and controversial issues, “Hot Button” rates the current flammability of odd discoveries, political incorrectness, and just plain slip-ups.

South Dakota moves to extend death penalty to abortion providers.

WHITE HOT

www.crimsonnews.org

—Current

Michigan police officers steal a 52” flat screen TV, a DVD player, two computers, a camera and multiple DVDs directly from a man’s house after finding in his possession a small bag of marijuana.

— Current Renowned “say-it-like-it-is” journalist Matt Taibbi asks, “Why isn’t Wall Street in jail for the obscene criminal scandals that impoverished millions and collectively destroyed hundreds of billions?” in his new Rolling Stone expose entitled “Nobody goes to jail.”

— NY Times

Paso Robles High School

Speaker of the House John Boehner vows to eliminate net neutrality rules recently enacted by the Federal Communications Commission, disregarding the regulations as a “government takeover of the Internet.”

—Washington Post

BLACK COLD

—Austin Ehrhardt, Business Team Photos used with permission of AP Images

Crimson 03.16.11 |

11

Culture

Dougie to the beat Freshman Omar Guillen struts his stuff

by Nicolette Jolicoeur, Culture Editor

From 7:55 to 9:05 a.m. in the 501 dance room, all you will see are girls, who have been dancing since they were five, in spandex and worn down dance shoes performing elaborte dances to loud music. The exception to this feminine essence is Omar Guillen, the only male freshman in the advanced dance class.

Seeing Guillen on campus with over 2000 students, he wouldn’t be the typical person you would expect to be chasing across the dance floor. Like Zac Efron in “High School Musical,” Guillen also balls it up on the basketball court as a freshman basketball player. But don’t get him wrong, this isn’t broad-way style dancing, Guillen uses his street influences to dance to his own beat.

Guillen catches eyes when he’s dancing, whether he’s dougieing at the graduate dance on teen night or at Leadership’s lunch time dance sessions. Guillen’s ability to draw a crowd to him isn’t just a natural ability. “[I practice] everyday for two hours. I School isn’t go in the living room, bump the laptop, ‘sick’ when and I do my thing,” Guillen said. you’re ill Guillen started dancing in third grade and began jerking two years ago. He learned how to dougie about six months ago.

With hip hop as his dance of preference, Guillen struts into room 501 with confidence, patience, and respect.

“I didn’t know dance could be pretty until I got to this [advanced dance] class. This class is crazy. They have so many good dancers in this class.”

Guillen looks up to jerking crews like the Rangers and Marvel Inc., but he has a deep appreciation for classical dancing.

“My freestyle is like my hip hop, but their freestyle is their ballet [and] lyrical things that are just awesome.”

Guillen is an avid member and creator of PRHS’s own premier

jerking crew, the VoltronHero$. Along with his advanced dance class, he is part of the GodSquad Dance Crew, a hip hop crew performing in the name of the Lord.

“Omar is constantly dancing wherever he goes! [It] doesn’t matter where we are or what we’re doing, he will be doing some crazy cool thing we’ve never seen.

Omar is a total sweetheart and an amazing dancer,” junior Zoe Ruz said, also a member of GodSquad Dance Crew.

Guillen spends most of his time practcing on his own by watching music videos because “it’s just free and I can do whatever I want.”

It might be intimidating to dance near Guillen.

But don’t worry, he’s not judging anyone.

“I’m not hatin’ on them, I’m not ‘oh look at those [guys] over there.’ They’re just having fun,” Guillen said.

The mainstream style isn’t for Guillen. He finds 2009’s number 24 song on Billboard charts, ‘You’re a Jerk’ lame. But for students intersted in dancing to that this kind of music, Guillen lends out a hand.

“You just need to watch videos and practice.

Practice makes perfect,” Guillen said.

With a big heart and talented feet, Guillen sets the beat for PRHS aspiring dancers.

>>

DANCING MACHINE (above): Ruz and Guillen share a hug after their Into the Wild dance show on March 4 and 5. Guillen’s sly moves must have caught some lucky girl’s eye because Guillen appears to have some maybelline on his cheek.

Photo used with permission of Zoe Ruz

TIMBER! (right): With some help from daily practice, Guillen’s dips are nearly on the ground. He has been dancing for over six years and has no plans on stopping any time soon.

12

Photo by Nicolette Jolicoeur

03.16.11 Crimson

Paso Robles High School

www.crimsonnews.org

corked

DOUX

business

DISTINCT

family

bo de ga

MIDNIGHT CELLARS

tasting rooms

WINERIES

fermentation

oenology

organic

PASSITO viticulture

AROMA

ROCKIN’ R

pasorobles

POUR

texture

award winning

love

mondo cellars

peachy canyon

chardonnay

icewine

grapes red wine FESTIVAL

Photo illustration by Monica Patel

bottle vin clair

GLASS

Center

white zinfandel

crisp

Fermenting into the future

Paso Robles’ rich wine industry impacts culture

by Paul Cleland, Opinion Co-Editor, Shanna Dowling, In-Depth Editor, and Megan Rodrigues, News Co-Editor With its rolling hills and leafy grapevine abundance, Paso Rob- another to promote the region first, then their own brands,” Chris les is bursting with success in the wine industry. For 214 years, our Taranto said, Communications Manager of the Paso Robles Wine relatively unknown town has been planting, bottling, and corking its Country Alliance. way into a prominent standing.

One recent success story of Paso’s wine community has been the What began in 1797 as the planting of a thousand vines by Father achievements of the Robert Hall Winery. They won the California Junipero Serra of Mission San Miguel has evolved into an intricate State Fair Wine Competition, the oldest and most prestigious wine network. Vineyards and wineries across the city cover 26000 acres competition in the country. Having won five “Best of Class” and that focus on premium wine production with over 40 wine varieties, three gold medals awards, the Robert Hall Winery qualified for and according to pasowine.com. Yet developing this region into a world- was named the Golden State Winery for 2010, ranking it as the best stage contender has not been quick business for Paso wine growers; winery in California. This was the first time since the competition in recent decades Paso’s finally come into its own. was established in 1855 that a winery from Paso Robles or the CenThe wine industry didn’t truly find its start tral Coast has won the coveted “Golden Bear,” according to sanluuntil the creation of the Paso Robles American isobispo.com.

Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1983. A relatively Most of Paso’s wineries owe some of their success to the unique young region, the success of Paso’s 200 soil. It has high pH values of 7.4 to 8.6—an atypical quality of Caliplus wineries in county, state, and na- fornia’s other viticulture areas, according to pasowine.com. Over tional regions and the character of the 180 wineries have sprouted from the ground with this fertile soil. people have helped place the small The grape business is close to the hearts of many Bearcats who city with 30072 people on the wine- work with their families to produce the sophisticated beverage. stained map.

AVA, in combination with the Greater San Luis Obispo County “The spirit of unity among the in- Wine and Wine Grape industries, has an annual impact of $1.8 bildustry is vibrant and often is reflected lion on the state and local economies. Through the Paso Robles when people visit here; or Wine Country Alliance, a $1000 annually-renewable scholarship is when our wineries are on the road available to a single California college-bound Paso Robles or Shantogether, [we] often work with one don High School student who aptly demonstrates financial need,

leadership, scholastic ability, and determination for success.

San Luis Obispo High School graduate Rita Velasquez was awarded the scholarship in 2009. Interested PRHS seniors can apply for the 2011 scholarship by April 11 to be eligible.

The wine industry has also been the popular location of wineries for the annual Prom, showed in 2009 when it was held at Eagle Castle Winery; this year Prom will be held at Silver Horse Winery located at 2995 Pleasant Rd. on the outskirts of Paso Robles. “[Silver Horse Winery] was the only local place that could hold the 550 people we are projecting to attend this year,” Prom committee member and junior Ashlee Juarez said. “Besides the open space that Silver Horse offers, it is a gorgeous facility that won’t need very much decorating. Also, the employees are very willing to work with us on this event.”

Approximately 6500 excited wine enthusiasts annually purchase local tasting tickets for the Paso Robles Wine Festival to sample the assortment of over 400 wines squeezed and bottled from Paso Robles’ vineyards. The Downtown City Park will host the 29th Annual Paso Robles Wine Festival, presenting contributions of more than 90 Paso wineries to be put to the taste bud test on May 21 from 3-6 p.m.

Nestled on the central coast of California, “little old” Paso Robles has expanded the wine industry from the planting of a thousand vines in 1797 to a booming business that has distinguished Paso as a prominent contributor to the wine community.

DECK THE HALLS: Robert Hall Winery was named the Golden State Winery for 2010, ranked the best winery in the state. Robert Hall decks the halls with five “Best of Class” and three glimmering gold awards.

Photo courtesy of Robert Haul

Rubber and roussanne

Amgen returns to Paso Robles Wine Festival weekend

by Austin Ehrhardt, Business Team Although Livestrong won’t be the word this year — the seven time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong will be sitting this one out — the Amgen Tour of California will be returning to Paso Robles on May 19. Stage Five, sponsored by Rabobank, will see the cyclists riding south from Monterey along Highway 1 and concluding at the finish line on Spring Street around 3 p.m.

The event is expected to be particularly large this year, according to Rose O’Sullivan, Local Volunteer Coordinator for the Amgen Tour of California 2011, because it will coincide with the 29th annual Paso Robles Wine Festival. The Wine Festival is a growing attraction that has drawn thousands of locals and out-of-towners alike in recent years.

Local Organizing Committee Chair Lisa Solomon was excited to announce the detailed route on Feb. 10. www.crimsonnews.org

“We couldn’t be more pleased with the choice of route; it really highlights the best of Paso Robles—beautiful scenery, friendly wineries, and roads that offer challenging cycling,” Solomon said, noting the demanding nature of the riveting coastal roads. “Cycling fans in 60 countries watching the race will be treated to a picturesque view of beautiful 46 West, Vineyard Drive, Peachy Canyon, and downtown Paso Robles. We are thrilled to distinguish the city of Paso Robles as a beautiful region for cycling, wine tasting, leisure, and fun!”

Amateur cyclers hoping to get in on the race will have the opportunity to participate in the Fantasy Ride fundraiser, a 25 mile loop that starts and ends at the Spring Street finish line instead of the entire 144 mile official route. Participants receive a jersey, bottle of wine, “swag” and admission to tour parties.

Paso Robles High School

“Sponsors have been coming on steadily; the local community is excited, and the benefit of the race coinciding with our local wine festival is an added bonus. Paso Robles developed a reputation for great hospitality when we hosted in 2009; and with all of the local support we’re getting, we hope to surpass expectations this year,” Solomon said.

O’Sullivan also emphasized the many volunteer positions needing to be filled, including media volunteers, security, and checkin assistants.

“We are excited to invite the community to again participate in volunteering for this event,” O’Sullivan said. “With the interesting route, larger Lifestyle Festival, and other race-day events planned, volunteering for the Amgen Tour of California looks to be even more fun than 2009.”

Crimson 03.16.11 |

13

PRHS happens to be surrounded in prime wine country where students are immersed in opportunities to be involved in the wine industry. 24.5 percent of 200 students are in or know someone in the business while 14.5 percent of those 200 are interested in a future profession in the industry. This issue features four students who have handson experience with familial wine-making relations: seniors Chelsea Kuhns and Vanessa Stevens, and juniors Adam Campbell-Taylor and Zach Mondo. There’s no reason to be winey when you live darn near paradise!

Photo illustration by Reilly Newman

Mondo's madness as a busboy Thirty freshly cleaned wine glasses rest on a tray and in the next second fall to the ground, shatter, and spread shards of glass.

The alerted customers clap for a scene that occurs often.

This isn’t a waiter at a restaurant, but an experience of junior Zach Mondo as a busboy for his dad and uncle’s winery Mondo Cellars.

“It’s a tradition you get to learn, something that has been going on for thousands of years. It’s kind of an art and just sitting there with the wine makers and hearing them talk or bussing the tables and seeing what people have to say about it [the wine] is just a whole experience that’s a great thing to be a part of,” Mondo, who had the honor to talk with Tobin James at the 2010 California Mid-State Fair, said.

Mondo’s dad, Mitch Mondo, and his uncle, Doug Mondo, opened the winery on Nacimiento Lake Drive in May 2009.

“My dad tries to stress a very friendly environment in the winery, a fun, open, relaxing place to enjoy yourself,” Mondo said.

He has been working at the winery since the end of his sophomore year. He works every other Friday, starting around 3 p.m. and ending his day at 11 p.m. Mondo gets paid 10 dollars per hour plus tips, but he feels the job is more about the experience as a whole. Mondo recruited his friends juniors David Katz and Christopher Klienman work as busboys for Mondo Cellars as well.

Mondo plans to study business and become an executive of a corporation one day—if not that, he has something not to ‘just fall back on’ but a family business he can enjoy if he should return to Paso Robles.

PRHS students may not be at the legal drinking age, but they can experience this taste of Paso as Mondo has as a busboy. For a little extra work, “you can make a lot of good money,” he said.

Photo taken at Peachy Canyon, a small family-owned winery in the wine country of Westside Paso Robles.

They specialize in estate Zinfandels and have been family operated by the Beckett Family since 1988.

Rockin' more than #14 Just 700 yards down Union Road from the popular Tobin James Cellars is a boutique winery where a girl with an endless river of dark brown hair rocks more than just her True Religions every weekend. Senior Chelsea Kuhns works the cash register, helps with bottling, restocks wine shelves, and washes glasses at Rockin’ R Winery.

“I basically do everything except pour wine. It’s very glamorous,” Kuhns, a three year girls varsity basketball player, jersey #14, and 2010-2011 team captain, said.

Her uncle, Dean DiSandro, opened the winery in October 2009 after making wine in his garage more than 10 years ago. Disandro is an entrepreneur according to Kuhns, previously being a real estate developer, owning a construction business, and running

a software development company. He set his sights on full-time winemaking, and bought the property on the eastside of Paso Robles in 2006.

Kuhns began working for the winery in March 2010 because she needed a job and knew she would have fun working with her uncle. She has been meeting a wide assortment of people ever since. She recalls old ladies paying her $20 to grape stomp in the rain during Harvest Festival Weekend in October 2010.

“They were too old to get up in the bin and do it themselves,” she said.

Although Kuhns doesn’t plan to pursue a future career in the wine industry, she wants to come back to work summers while in college—and to keep the little family owned and operated boutique winery rockin’.

­—Monica Patel, Editor-in-Chief

Rooted in small town dreams Pop culture promotes big city dreams and breaking ties with small town ways of life. But for junior Adam Campbell-Taylor, son of Graveyard Vineyards owners, the exact opposite is true.

“I [want] to be a winemaker and eventually work for my parents,” Campbell-Taylor said. “Most people want to leave Paso, but I love working on my property. I would never want to live anywhere else.”

Two years ago Campbell-Taylor became heavily involved in winemaking and decided to pursue it as career. He plans to study viticulture, “the management of all aspects of a vineyard,” according to Farm Services online. It covers fertilization, pest control, deciding when to plant and prune, and more. He wants to attend either Cal Poly or Fresno State to acquire a wine-making degree, find any professional job, and become an essential employee of Graveyard Vineyards.

His parents, Rob and Paula Campbell-Taylor, moved from Santa Barbara and purchased the winery property in 2003. CampbellTaylor has been working there for the four years the winery has been in business.

“He’s been doing so much since

he was 12, so he really loves the ranch. He will go out and buy trees and plant them so they will grow when he’s an adult,” Paula Campbell-Taylor said.

Graveyard Vineyards’ staff consists of Campbell-Taylor’s parents, a winemaker, and close family friends.

Campbell-Taylor placed third in a vine pruning competition with the PRHS FFA program freshman year.

Although he no longer competes due to lack of time from school athletics, he is still deeply rooted in the business.

During football and track, Campbell-Taylor works 10 hours a week, compared to the 15 hours he works in off season. He is not yet an official employee, but logs his own hours and is paid minimum wage of eight dollars an hour. Currently, he delivers wine, works in the vineyards, drives the forklift and tractors. He also manages one of the winery buildings and helps cultivate the soil.

He specifically remembers a three month old memory of a trip to Davis to pick up 30 gallons of 180 proof alcohol to produce a chocolate port. The Campbell-Taylor family needed special permission

to transport flammable liquid and he remembers it as an “exciting” day.

A typical Saturday for him is spent outside in the vineyard: mowing the vineyard and spraying sulfur on the crop to remove mold.

“He’s like a Daniel Boone,” his mother said.

The ultimate reason CampbellTaylor began working in the winery was to buy a project car. He has spent the last two years working in order to achieve this dream. On Feb. 5 he purchased a 1968 Firebird for $3300. He will spend what money he makes in the future on a new paint job and interior, because the engine is still sound.

Fueled by their passion for the grape growing trade, the CampbellTaylor family strives to “create wines that memories are made of,” as stated on their official website.

He hopes to continue his parents’ legacy by selling quality wine for a low price. Graveyard Vineyards’ gold medal, award winning, and most popular wine, Tombstone Red, sells for only $14 a bottle, and Campbell-Taylor believes that this small town humility is just what Paso needs amongst its expensive and elite neighboring wineries.

­—Amanda Hutchinson, World Co-Editor and Kelly Munns, PR Manager

Rush of purple mush Stepping over and over again in sweet pulp on a fall afternoon, a giggle in her smile and grape juice oozing from between her ten toes is PRHS senior Vanessa Stevens, daughter of Cindy and Phil Stevens, owners of boutique winery and wine label, Del Real.

From crushing grapes with her bare feet in the chilly autumn wind, filling wine bottles until 12 a.m. on school nights, harvesting ‘til twilight, then helping host “harvest parties” after work is complete, Stevens and her family are hands-on, alongside the three other families who join them in the process.

“There is a strong sense of community,” Stevens said, “We get to work with all close family friends.

It’s like a party every time we get together.”

As a bonus of being a part of the rural community, Stevens is presented with a myriad of scholarship opportunities as well as options to apply to colleges the majority of students her age wouldn’t qualify for.

“As far as college [applications], I can mark that my parents are farm workers and I can receive money for my education,” Stevens said.

Stevens is looking forward to her studies in college just as much as the return home afterwards.

“I’m going to study Environmental Science with an emphasis on Agriculture so I can come back and help with the wine,” Stevens, who plans to be returning on vacations to apply what she’s learned to the family business, said.

­—Lindsay Reed, Reporter

­—Maddison Coons, Managing Editor

Photos by Maddison Coons, Monica Patel, and Torey Wise

14 | 03.16.11 Crimson

Paso Robles High School

www.crimsonnews.org

Crimson 03.16.11 | 15

In-Depth

Stress waits inside college gates

Photo by Maddison Coons

Record number of college freshmen report high levels of stress

by Sinéad Schouten, Sports Co-Editor

Next Page ...

Paso wine industry

It’s one thing to have a bit of nerves on the first day of school, but the new wave of college freshmen is having more than a case of butterflies.

Each year between March and October, the Higher Education Research Institute of UCLA releases a survey to freshmen at hundreds of two-year colleges, four-year colleges and universities.

Questions regarding habits from high school to personal values and goals attempt to form a picture of a student’s character. According to the 2010 results, a record number of students are reporting a “below average” level of emotional health. The 200,000 participant study showed startling lows for the amount of students that reported being content, with only 52 percent responding that they were mentally happy—breaking a 25-year record of 62 percent from 1985.

But stress doesn’t wait until college to hit. Data shows that these mental issues can begin as early as senior year, forcing young adults to learn how to handle their anxiety.

“For many young people, serious stress starts before college.

The share of students who said on the survey that they had been frequently overwhelmed by all they had to do during their senior year of high school rose to 29 percent [in 2010] from 27 percent [in 2009],” Tamar Lewin of the New York Times wrote.

Yet studies such as the Research Institute’s are often subjective, admitted Dr. Mark Reed to the New York Times. A psychiatrist in Dartmouth College’s counseling office, he believes that many students may warp their view of their emotions by comparing themselves to others.

“I don’t think students have an accurate sense of other people’s mental health. There’s a lot of pressure to put up a perfect face, and people often think they’re the only ones having trouble,” Reed said.

Alumna Cerra Cavalletto experienced first hand the challenges that come with college life. In her second year at CSU Northridge, she described the new freedom as the biggest adjustment.

“Being on my own in a completely new area where I didn't know anyone [was one of the hardest things]. There’s no one to watch over you like there was in high school,” she said.

Despite the new found struggles of college, Cavalletto didn’t let stress get the best of her.

“Getting involved with clubs on campus so that I could meet people that were interested in the same things that I was interested in [was a way to de-stress],” said the 2009 graduate. “[Having a]very strong and supporting relationship with [my] family and boyfriend helped as well; I could talk to them about anything and get their advice.”

The Anxiety Disorders Association of America says anxiety disorders are the most common mental issue on college campuses. In a 2008 Associated Press and mtvU survey of college students, 80 percent of students said they “frequently or sometimes experience daily stress”, and 34 percent have “felt depressed at some point in the past three months”.

College students are stereotypically known for their over drinking, but what not as many people know is that the sedative nature of alcohol is sometimes used as a poor method of self-medication.

The current proportion of drinkers who binge is highest in the 18to 20-year-old age group with 51 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most college freshmen fall within this statistic.

PRHS math teacher Jacqueline Masucci notes that while some students resort to unhealthy means to relieve their anxiety, it is important to keep yourself in check.

“Just because you have stress, don’t assume you don’t belong [at the college level],” the Loyola-Marymount graduate said. Masucci remembers doing her calculus homework at the beach instead of in her dorm room in order to make it less stressful. “It’s hard to get upset by the ocean and God,” she added with a smile.

Stress is fighting freshmen inside college gates, but it does not have to win.

>>

Find links to the official stress report at www.crimsonnews.org 16

03.16.11 Crimson

Paso Robles High School

www.crimsonnews.org

Reading makes a 180 spin

In-Depth

Read 180 program comes to PRHS

by Kelly Munns, PR Manager

We used to think all Scholastic did was provide sparkly, pink pens and colorful picture books for elementary and middle school book fairs, but now they’ve expanded their horizon and provided the district with Read 180.

Around 114 PRHS students, mostly in the English Language Development program (ELD), are involved in the new reading intervention program called Read 180. Originally adopted from Florida, this new program Scholastic provides is set to replace the English class for freshman and sophomores below two grade levels in vocabulary, spelling, or reading comprehension. The main goal is to increase lexile measurement or reading level of English abilities and transform current reading skills.

Freshman Miguel Huato, currently enrolled in the course, says he is really seeing a difference in his writing and spelling.

“It was really confusing when [the program] first started, but the kids are really nice together.

[We’re] like a family,” Huato said.

This is the first year Read 180 has been put to the test at PRHS. The three trimester course, taken two periods every trimester, is not being taught at the high school alone. All five elementary schools participate in a similar program called Gateway.

High school teachers Joy Brunner, Christine Rudman, Cindi Schroeder and Paula Peargin are all instructing the Read 180 program at PRHS. They had to go through the prop-

er training first.

“I believe it’s a really good curriculum,” Peargin said. “We are targeting kids with lower skills to lift them up.”

Read 180 is based upon three sections: whole group session, small group rotation, and software.

During the whole group session, the entire class comes together for 40 minutes between the two class periods and learns as a group. Then the class breaks into smaller groups expanding from five to eight students lasting around 60 minutes to further improve their skills. Finally, after face-toface interaction, students use Read 180 software that is available on the 44 classroom laptops, all provided with headphones. Four main categories support this software with its own database: reading zone, spelling, vocabulary, and success zone.

The software is designed to be very heavy on individualization for all students. Through the software, students are constantly learning new information and after every week, students are given tests and assessments regularly to see if the have made progress. If they pass the test, the students get to choose what they want to learn next.

“I haven’t heard a single parent say ‘no’ to the program, so we know it’s helping,” Rudman commented.

Although it is unclear how long PRHS will adopt the Read 180 program, administrators are anxiously waiting the outcome of May’s CST testing to determine the fate of the new course.

WORKING AWAY: Students in room 404 are hard at work as Rudman gives them instructions.

Two diligent students answer questions in their Read 180 booklets.

Phase 1: Teacher Instruction

Photos by Shanna Dowling

Graphic Illustration by Kellie Kennan

The Process Mouses click and keyboards type as students enter phase three of the program: computer software.

Students in Rudman’s third period class break into groups in order to further individualize their learning.

World Piece:

... Mugged egaP txeN

among the Aztec ruins

>>

F’s flood the grade books

by Kimberly Boswell, Photo-Essay Editor and Shanna Dowling, In-Depth Editor A recent influx of a certain four letter word is causing concern for PRHS teachers, students, and administrators who are seeing it emerge over and over on report cards: F-A-I-L. The increased rate of course failures shown in collective data this year is putting PRHS further away from escaping Program Improvement, which cannot be achieved until a minimum graduation rate of 90 percent is reached.

The first trimester of the 2010-2011 school year brought in 589 F’s, a 6.1 percent partial year fail rate rising three percent from 2007-2008’s 3.1 percent rate. In a single trimester, students received over half as many F’s as the 753 total for the entire 2007-2008 school year.

“It’s worse than it’s ever been, and we’re trying to figure out why that is,” Principal Randy Nelson said, who recognizes the pressure the trimester arrangement puts on grading systems.

“One unfortunate reality is that with the trimester system, there are three grading periods rather than two.”

Because of the additional trimester grades, the fail percentage rate was expected to raise a third, but instead it has doubled. The 2008-09 total number of F’s stands at 935, while it reached 1,872 during 2009-2010 school year, according to Nelson.

The facts and figures of this current F epidemic have allowed Nelson to uncover trends in the numerical information received from failed courses. “There is in fact a trend in the fail rates. The trend is for freshman and sophomores to fail their core classes at a greater degree than other grade levels,” he said.

Mirroring Nelson’s observation, sophomore English, modern world history, and freshmen English were among the top failed courses during the 2009-2010 school year at 281, 267, and 205 failures. www.crimsonnews.org

Paso Robles High School

“Some will point to the fact that CST scores for Modern World demonstrated an amazing increase last year; these individuals will argue that the trimester was beneficial. However, not every student can succeed in a hurried environment. It is for these students the trimester should be seen as a primary cause for more failures,” Modern World History teacher Robert Skinner said.

But the trimester is not solely to blame for the sizeable amount of F’s flowing in from PRHS students.

Algebra 1 was the highest ranked course last year in the number of failures, amounting to 361 fails. Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 teacher Kirsten Riggenbach, who has only taught the course on the trimester system, feels that much of the increase is attitude.

“Students don’t know how much time it takes to process material. They give it three seconds or three minutes and give up. I think they don’t know how to try at something that’s hard; we as a society give up too easily on challenges,” she said.

“A lot of it is attitude. It’s disconcerting that young students have [a negative] attitude when high school is such a bright opportunity to plan for your future,” Nelson agreed. “You’re getting the opportunity to take courses geared toward your future that interest you, unlike elementary and middle school, whether you’re getting ready for college or taking vocational classes.”

On-campus programs such as Leadership, ASB, and FFA are working towards increasing student involvement, which is at the largest it’s ever been according to Nelson, who believes that the key to solving this pressing issue is to further work towards optimal student engagement.

Despite the challenges of the record F rates flooding the grade books, PRHS teachers are doing A+ work to focus their lesson plans on eradicating this issue.

Crimson 03.16.11 |

17

World

Global unemployment is rising Youths around the world have trouble finding work

by Alicia Canales, Managing Editor, and Monica Patel, Editor-in-Chief

In Egypt they’re called “shabab atileen,” in Japan they’re “freeters,” and in Spain they’re “mileuristas.” Although they hold different names across the globe, they are counterparts to America’s “boomerang” kids, who move back home after college because they can’t find work.

"Youth unemployment will clearly be the epidemic of this next decade unless we get on it right away. You can't throw in the towel on this,” Jeffrey A. Joerres, chief executive officer of Manpower, a temporary-services firm with offices in 82 countries and territories said to Bloomberg Businessweek.

“Unemployment rate,” in the United States, means the percentage of the potential labor force that is currently out of work.

The potential labor force, referred to by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics as the “civilian labor force,” are people who are at least 16 years of age and are actively seeking employment.

The highest rates of youth unemployment are in the Middle East and North Africa, at roughly 24 percent each, according to the International Labor Organization, who also reported Europe’s average youth unemployment rate as 21.2 percent compared to America’s 21 percent. Out of 34 industrialized nations approximately 16.7 million young people are not employed, in school, or in training. Ten million out of these 16.7 million aren’t seeking employment, education, or training according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in December 2010. But there is no single standard for measuring unemployment F’s flood around the world. Some consider applicable job the grade age to be younger than in the U.S. while others Next Page ... books only consider urban areas. These discrepancies present problems for an analysis of a country’s unemployment rate and skew results One recurring theory that has emerged: more education is not always better.

“What matters is matching the skills of the workforce to the skills that employers demand.

The extra schooling doesn’t help, ”an article from the Bloomberg Businessweek said.

ously were relatively high to average pay for young workers.

The country of Turkey is especially affected, as unemployment is seen as one of the most important problems of the country nowadays. One of the major reasons of unemployment there is due to young adults not specializing in certain profession, according to Turkish Labor and Social Security Minister Omer Dincer.

“If our children do not have professions, then their chances to find jobs will be limited," Dincer said.

Turkish senior Baris Akyuz worked for a computer repair service in Turkey. Although he admits he possessed little knowledge for the job, he “learned more when working there.” He earned 500 Turkish Lira, the equivalent of $313.67 dollars, over the course of multiple months. Minimum wage is 500 Lira, and employees receive monthly salaries.

“I think the economy is getting worse [in Turkey]. Taxes are kind of increasing, but the wages are not; there have been job reductions,” Akyuz said.

Another European country being affected, Spain, has the highest unemployment rate in the 16-nation Eurozone and the second highest unemployment rate in the European Union, surpassed only by Latvia. Spain’s unemployment rate rose to 20.05 percent in the first quarter of 2010, or 4.61 million individuals, an increase of 286,200 from the fourth quarter of 2009.

>>

reductions.

Taxes are kind of increasing, but the wages are not; there have been job —Baris Akyuz. senior

Free-market economists want to clear away the governmentimposed barriers of hiring young people such as high minimum wages that dissuade companies from hiring capable students who haven't had a chance to accumulate the knowledge or experience to validate being paid even the minimum wage. Following that counsel most European countries lowered minimums that previ-

18

03.16.11 Crimson

[Spain doesn’t] really complete a lot of general education but instead [is] engrossed in trade training.

—Maggie Hernandez. senior

In Spain, not as many people go to college after high school because students take a test which analyzes which profession they would excel in. People have trade jobs where they study what they’re going to work for, according to senior Maggie Hernandez.

“I want to be a physical therapist and it’s going to take me eight years to do that here but my cousin [who lives in Spain] is doing the same thing and it’s only taking her four years. They don’t really complete a lot of general education but instead are engrossed in trade training,” Hernandez, who lived in the small town of 200 people called Bañobarez until the age of six.

Hernandez, who will be attending Azusa Pacific University majoring in physical therapy, believes it would be easier to get a job in the states because the studies are different and it’s a lot easier to get financial aid in America for schooling than it is in Spain.

For a young person, unemployment could be temporary; however, it has long term societal affects. It hinders economic growth, influencing all countries in the free open market. Young adults around the globe are preparing for their future careers—but will they have the opportunity to work?

Photos by Lindsay Reed Paso Robles High School

Wo r l d P i e ce Ethnic snippets

Photo by Lindsay Reed

Mugged among the Aztec ruins

by Lindsay Reed, Reporter PRHS senior Pastor Mariscal Junior has lived in a 480 year old city358 years older then Paso Robles. First inhabited by an Aztec tribe called the Huey Colhuacan, the city of Culiacan in Sinaloa, Mexico was established by the Spanish in 1531. Over time, it has developed from a small agricultural town to a bustling, fast-paced city, home to everything from deep cultural roots to adventurous city streets.

In search for a better education, Mariscal and his family of four– two sisters and brother; Stephanie, Jennifer and Jason; and father, Pastor Mariscal Senior– departed On Aug. 1, 2010, from the busy city of Culiacan to settle down in Paso Robles, California.

“It was hard [to transition],” Mariscal said as he remembered his first days at PRHS. “I didn’t have anybody. I didn’t know anyone.”

However, after a month in, he began to take comfort in the atmosphere of the local educational opportunities at Cal Poly and Cuesta. “Cal Poly to me is amazing,” Mariscal said, who remembered how even the supposedly “best” universities in Mexico were only as good as Paso’s local junior college.

At the high school, he appreciated the extra, “unheard of ” help during breaks that he received from the teachers during his transition. “The quality is better.

There’s a lot less people in classes,” said Mariscal, reflecting on how the average students in a class were 50 plus, as opposed to 30-35.

As excited as he was to begin the new chapter in his life, upon just seven months after arrival Mariscal had already begun to reminisce about his days in Mexico.

In Culiacan and most communities of Mexico in general, “the whole world is a family… there’s more of a sense of community,” according to Mariscal.

Open minded and gracious, socializing is the main ingredient of the warmth of the culture. Mariscal reflects on his first few days in Paso Robles, the brand new neighbors brought his family a pie, then never showed their faces again.

“In Mexico, the neighbors are always having parties and inviting each other. If they see you cleaning your garden, they ask, ‘How can I help you?’

Here, they don’t say anything.”

However, lurking among the inviting Mexican exterior lies a danger that made him constantly aware of his surroundings. “[In America] it’s much safer, you can walk at night without being scared,” Mariscal said, recalling a time when, two months before his move to America and in broad daylight, he became the target of a couple of perpetrators.

It was a typical school morning, he said, as he walked to the bus station– “everyone depends on public transportation; it’s much cheaper,” he said.

Mariscal noticed a man across the street, who watched him intently as he passed and followed him in hot pursuit. Mariscal neared the corner, where another man walked towards him with a knife. They were closing in fast. Utilizing the threatening knife, they stripped him of his five dollars and told him to take off his shoes. Mariscal took too long, so they said forget it.

Was he terrified? Mariscal felt the experience “era nada grave”—was no big deal.

“Everyone thinks Mexico is so bad because there the drug traffic is a problem, but in reality, it’s the economy of my city. It takes care of my community.”

Mariscal fondly remembers of his past in Mexico. “If you don’t go looking for trouble, you can live peacefully as long as you don’t involve yourself in it.”

Simultaneously, he said he looks forward to his future in America.

www.crimsonnews.org

Cairo’s condition hits close to home

World

Egypt revolution doesn’t dissuade PRHS students from visiting

by Maria Petiy, World Co-Editor Revolution hit Egypt on Jan. 25, trembling the country with waves of protests and aftershocks that ended up in other middle eastern countries. The Elsayed family experienced the historic revolution firsthand in the epicenter, Cairo.

Freshman Hebat Elsayed’s father, Steve Elsayed, was the first one to immigrate out of his family to Paso Robles in search of a better life for his wife and his future family. Senior Mohamed Elsayed’s, and senior Aya Elsayed’s parents followed their brother’s footsteps for better job opportunities. The Elsayed grandparents and cousins still live in the currently chaotic Cairo. Mohamed Elsayed revealed that his family did not take part in the protests, and is trying to stay out of the disorder. “They’re just chillin’,” he said jokingly about his neutrally minded grandparents.

The news, however, has not been showing the peaceful side of Egypt, where many civilians, including Elsayed’s family, chose not to engage in the chaos.

The main change in the daily life of the Elsayeds’ was the increase in security around their higher class neighborhood. Hebat Elsayed confirmed that the news exaggerates the revolution in her opinion.

“There is only one part of the country where all the protests are, the rest is totally safe,” she said. Hebat Elsayed has been to Egypt four times before. She also mentioned she loved it there, and remembers the country as “party all night and sleep all day.”

Mohammed Elsayed also viewed Egypt as a very social place where people are always out after midnight.

He last visited Egypt in 2004, when he was thirteen.

Originally peaceful protests began in Cairo, with thousands of activists standing up against poverty, widespread unemployment, government corruption and the 30 year autocratic governance of President Hosni Mubarak.

The citizens received one of their wishes when 82-

year old Mubarak resigned as president on Feb. 11.

Currently a provisional government is in charge of the country.

“My dad at first liked Mubarak, but now he says it’s time to step down,” Mohamed Elsayed said.

First attempts by the government to stop the commotion were blocking Twitter, then Facebook, then any internet access on Jan. 27 for five days. Mohammed Elsayed, who regularly talks to his family on the phone and Skype, explained that it did not have much effect on his ties with the North African country. Hebat Elsayed explained her family could not get a hold of her cousins for a couple days and could not have long conversations, which sometimes are even monitored.

“The digital age has made this [revolution for democracy] possible,” Modern World History teacher Mark Bradford said. Internet is precisely where the protests and the uprising had been planned. People still used their phones and video footage devices to record and later upload an inside look at what is was happening.

The once peaceful pro-democracy demonstrations led to violence coming from both military efforts to put a stop to citizens and the angered residents themselves. Civilians are paying the price for rocking up the status quo. Police have been fighting the protesting mobs with rubber bullets, water cannons, tear gas and beating the protestors with clubs and sticks. Still thousands of protestors are dedicating themselves to stay in places like Cairo’s Tahrir Square until their democracy needs are met.

Despite the unresolved issues that may be there, Mohamed Elsayed plans to go visit the country again in the summer. Hebat Elsayed also wants to pay a visit to the country once the commotion settles a little.

PERSISTENT PROTEST (above): Thousands of protestors gather in Tahrir Square on Jan. 29. Some stand on an army tank with signs of protest.

Photo used with permission of Ramy Raoof

Photo used with permission of Jonathan Rashad

IN HIGH SPIRITS (left): After Omar Soliman’s statement about Mubarak’s resignation, Egypt gathers in Tahrir Square to celebrate at 10:15 PM on Feb. 11.

Man-

... made egaP txeN

fats

>>

Peculiarities grace international newsprint

by Shanna Dowling, In-Depth Editor

CHINA Seventy two consecutive hours of keyboard keys and mouse clicks proved UNITED KINGDOM The mind of a six month old child too much for a 30 year-old, unidentified Chinese man who died at an internet café in the Chinese capital of Beijing. After a three-day online gaming session in which the man did not sleep a wink and barely ate, he became unconscious and was not able to be revived.

—BBC News

INDIA For brides in India residing in rural areas, there is one marriage deal-breaker: toilets, more specifically, a lack thereof. The Indian government implemented the “No toilet, no bride” campaign to evoke social change in villages with poor hygienic practices. Women, typically the leaders in cleanliness of Indian households, have rallied together in this silent sanitation revolution.

—The Guardian

seems like an innocent place, although scientists claim that developments in brain research may soon allow them to distinguish potential criminals in patients as young as half a year old.

According to British scientists, “Seeds of sin are sown quite early in life,” especially in three year olds harboring a malfunctioning amygdala, a vital part of the limbic system that controls aspects of human emotion, who are more likely to commit crimes 20 years later. One scientist claims, “We are going to be able to predict reasonably well which individuals at a modest age are predicated to become criminal offenders.”

—Sky News

UNITED STATES The place? Naples, Florida. The crime?

FRANCE Success is not so sweet for college student Flavien Roge, Cookie theft! A confection- fueled fight between two roommates

who is facing school expulsion after hoping to collect some extra cash on his school campus. The young French student was caught dealing JawJAPAN In Japan, the dishonorable conduct of sumo wrestlers who breakers candy to his peers during their lunch break in hopes of earning have traded money in exchange for throwing matches, or letting oppo- enough money to purchase a flat-screen television. Accused of ‘trafficking nents win, has caused the Japan Sumo Association (JSA) to cancel its lollipops,’ Roger’s operations have been immobilized after a measly $38 spring tournament for the first time in 65 years. in profits.

—Newsweek —Fox News Graphic Illustration by Reilly Newman

www.crimsonnews.org

Paso Robles High School

over a box of Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies has landed 31 year-old Florida resident Hersha Howard with a charge of aggravated battery and assault with a deadly weapon after she chased her roommate with scissors and hit her repeatedly with a wooden board with claims that the roommate had eaten her Thin Mint cookies.

Howard was released from prison on $10,000 bail.

—The Globe and Daily Crimson 03.16.11 |

19

Health

Man-made fats

Trans and saturated fats lead to depression in young adults

by Lindsay Reed, Reporter

A golden-brown doughnut dripping in fresh shimmering glaze, the delicious crinkle of the metal package when opening up a favorite bag of chips-- just the smell of the cheesy greasy goodness makes your mouth water uncontrollably. High in calories? Sure. Probably more sugar then one should be eating? No big deal. Trans and saturated fat? Don’t know, don’t care.

Wrong.

Researchers who completed a 6.1 year long study of the effects of trans and saturated fats on 12,059 young adults in February discovered a shocking correlation between commonly found fats and depression. By Feb., 657 new cases of depression had been diagnosed. The study concluded that those with the highest intake of fats were 48 percent more likely to be diagnosed with depression.

Trans and saturated fats are common in the average adolescent diet. They are found in processed foods like cookies or chips, fast food, fat from meat, butter, and partially hydrogenated oil.

Hydrogenated oil is made by forcing hydrogen into vegetable or animal fat at a high pressure, causing healthy fatty acids to chemically convert into trans fat. Scientists in the 1990s, after preaching for decades that synthetic oil was healthier than natural, discovered that they actually were detrimental to a person’s health. Since then, studies have shown trans and saturated fats even lead to debilitating conditions other then depression, such as an increase in cholesterol (increasing the risk of heart disease), obesity, and diabetes.

Not all fat is harmful. In fact, teenagers need a daily 25- 35 percent intake of “nature made” fat to contribute to a healthy growth process. However, with such an Cairo’s excessive deficiency in the typical adolescent diet, teens are not ingesting enough condition Next Page ... hits close nutrients needed to maintain stable emotional, physical, and mental health. to home “I believe we are experiencing a severe deficiency in Omega 3 fats which can contribute to personality dysfunction: for example, depression and anxiety,” said Bobbi Conner, CNC (Certified Nutritional Consultant) from The Natural Alternative Nutrition Center in Paso Robles.

When teens find themselves experiencing emotional and attention issues, (fatigue, sleep problems, and poor immunity) it may be because they are not receiv-

ing the important nutrients that come from a healthy diet, such as Omega 3, that contribute to dysfunction of the brain and nervous system.

Essential fats are no longer present in a majority of today’s commercial foods like meats and grains; consequently, there is excess ingestion of substituted, processed foods contributing to weight and emotional issues in all ages. “Supplementation is recommended across the ages as we ingest too much Omega 6 fats [from processed foods] and not enough, if any, [essentials like] Omega 3,” Conner said.

For the “man-made” fats, there is no safe intake limit because the body is not able to process them. For this reason, they are commonly known among nutritionists as “plastic fats.” It is important to eat whole foods like fruits, grains, lean proteins and vegetables instead of the typical guaranteed depression diet of, say, Mickey-d’s and churros to ensure you are not endangering your body.

>>

Digesting the facts A look at nutrition information for PRHS school food

by Sarah Wilson, A&E Editor On a frosty school morning, you get in a crowded line at the cafeteria. After purchasing your snack, you begin to eat a warm, delicious…what exactly? Four-hundred calories maybe? How does 400 calories sound?

The Paso Robles School District has set limitations for certain areas of nutrition regarding school food. The food cannot contain more than a certain number or percentage of calories, calories from fat, saturated fat, or sugar grams on a weekly average. The percentages may differ from day to day, but the averages of the week must not exceed limitations.

“It might be 35 percent one day, 25 percent the next,” Culinary Director Rod Blackner said.

The weekly average for calories from fat at the Bearcat Café and cafeteria line is actually below the limit at approximately 29 percent.

Though there is a specific guidline for school food nutrition, Blackner admits if an average exceeds by one or two percent it will still be allowed.

20

Graphic Illustration by Reilly Newman

Weekly Averages

Place

Calories

Snack Bar

400 or fewer 300 or 35% or less 35% or less 10% or less fewer 30% or less Unknown Unknown 10% or less

Bearcat Bistro Bearcat Cafe Cafeteria Line

Calories Sugar (by Saturated from fat Weight) fat 35% or less 35% or less 10% or less

30% or less Unknown

Unknown

10% or less Source: Culinary Director Rod Blackner

03.16.11 Crimson

Paso Robles High School

www.crimsonnews.org

Coasting on the surface

Health

Athletes ‘feel’ the effects of shin splints

by Daniel Hipp, Health Editor Pop! The gun goes off and a track sprinter rips out of his starting blocks. With the simple blink of an eye, he is 10 meters from where he started. His seven sharpened aluminum spikes dig into the synthetic track, giving him the traction needed to not miss a beat.

With a few more blinks, he crosses the finish line with thick globs of sweat beading down his forehead. After fighting to cross the finish line, throbbing pain radiates throughout his shins.

PRHS is home to an all-weather synthetic track, which goes around in a loop that measures out 400 meters. It is much faster in comparison to other surfaces like asphalt and grass, according to runnersworld.co.uk. Synthetic tracks are springy, allowing runners to propel forward faster. All runners, regardless of type, are able to work on their form and running speed on this track, and they push themselves to the limits in a healthy manner. But problems arise when it comes to the condition and hardness of the track.

“The school’s track isn’t in the best shape, and when you run on a harder surface the impact on your legs causes a harder hit,” athletic trainer Todd Olivera said. “Running on harder surfaces, such as the high school’s track can lead to shin splints.”

The medical term for shin splints is “medial tibia stress syndrome,” classified as a post overuse injury. Twenty-five to 35 cases have been diagnosed in this year alone at PRHS, according to Olivera.

“What’ll happen is you have an athlete who has been sitting around inactive during the off season, and then the season comes

around, and you start running too hard. You end up with shin splints,” Olivera said.

Contrary to popular belief, running on hard surfaces does not cause shin splints, but rather aids the occurrence. When running on hard surfaces, you are putting more stress on your legs than you would with peat or grass. This stress then attributes to a possible case of shin splints.

“Shin splints are not caused by running on hard surfaces, but rather practicing poor technique while running, which then leads to shin splints,” cross country and track distance coach Jory Halanan said. “When you are running, you should make sure that when you step your toes are pointing straight, and then you want a nice smooth landing where you should have a nice smooth rolling motion.”

In the battle to prevent shin splints, all running coaches agree every runner should look out for the mileage put onto their shoes.

At a certain point, the rubber support becomes so compressed that you lose all of the support. The rule of thumb is that you should have your shoes for no longer than 500 miles, but your support could run out as soon as 300 miles, according to John Hopple, blogger for TheRunnersguide.com.

When it comes down to it, athletes themselves hold the power to keep their bodies in peak condition. With a good head on their shoulders and good shoes on their feet, shin splints can be a thing of the past.

Do you

... know egaP Tally? txeN

>>

STRETCHING THE LIMIT: Shin splints are a typical problem for athletes in general. To prevent this issue, athletes should not use a pair of shoes after 300500 miles. Photo by Forest Ewrin

Fighting the Night

Sleep Deprivation takes its toll on teens

by Emily Cone, Opinion Co-Editor “I’ve memorized the drywall patterns on my ceiling,” one insomniac anonymous senior said. For 25 percent of teens, this may seem familiar; one in four teens suffers from insomnia, according to sleepfusion.com.

Sleep deprivation is caused mostly by anxiety, depression, change in environment, or other emotional or psychological problems. In teens, various factors can contribute to insomnia like stress about an upcoming test or the divorce of parents.

“I spend most of the night thinking about life and everything and mostly just trying to sleep. On an average night I will get about two hours of sleep,” the sleepless student said.

“Insomnia can be caused by emotional disorders such as depression

or anxiety. Insomnia can also be a learned problem caused by poor sleep habits such as irregular sleep schedules, exposure to light at night, and using the bed and bedroom for entertainment rather than sleep. Last, substances such as caffeine, alcohol, or certain medications can disrupt sleep and lead to the development on insomnia,” Harvard Professor and Chief Medical Officer of Sleep HealthCenters Lawrence Epstein said.

“Sleep dramatically enhances the activity and effectiveness of immune cells, and without sleep there is a loss of adaptive immune responses that are necessary to fight off infection,” according to sleepfusion.com.

The average adolescent needs nine to 10 hours of sleep daily, and

when this requirement is not met, the body consequently suffers.

This lack of strength in the immune system leaves the sleepless body susceptible to many more diseases such as the flu or common cold, which can run rampant for weeks at a time. Of course being tired and sick can also affect your scholastic performance.

“You get to school, and you’re just too tired to do anything,” the insomniac senior said.

Insomnia can be substantially disruptive, so seeking a solution is essential for good health.

“Seek help…Sleep specialists are trained to help people who are having problems. Don’t be shy about seeking help,” Epstein said.

Photo used with permission by AP Images

www.crimsonnews.org

Paso Robles High School

Crimson 03.16.11 |

21

Sports

‘It’s like walking a fence’

Student athletes balance between intensity, injury, and informed health

by Alicia Canales,

Running

surfaces Next Page ...

>> BREAKING A SWEAT: Junior Imer Hernandez warms up at the beginning of track practice. PRHS athletes practice an average of three hours after school. Photo by Torey Wise

During 2010 sprint drills at a PRHS varsity wrestling practice, alum Josh Plemmons “worked so hard that I felt like throwing up.” So he did—outside the gym. Now as a freshman wrestler for Cuesta College, Plemmons had a similar experience while doing sprints after a three hour practice.

“I was so tired, so dehydrated...I began to black out. I was running, and the room began to spin…I could only see a few inches in front of my face. You know what I did? I kept running. It was expected,” Plemmons said, who wrestled one year JV and three years Varsity at PRHS. PRHS has 18 sport teams that practice an average of three hours every school day. Each team does specific drills, like wrestling and its “shark drill,” and faces specific injuries, like shin splints, relative to its sport.

All athletes should follow the same basic preventive tips for injuries.

Working to the max Head varsity football coach Rich Schimke said sometimes the football team endures “the big three.”

They perform a bear crawl, sprint, and back pedal for a specific distance. The 61 players also performed “various high endurance drills.” For cross country and track distance runners, coach Ivan Huff stated the average practice depends on a student’s ability, experience, and fitness level. New members may only be able to do one mile a day while a four year veteran can run 10-12 miles on any day.

One wrestling drill, called “shark drill,” tests a wrestler’s stamina. Wrestlers get into groups of four; one person takes his shirt off, meaning he’s the target.

One by one, the three shirt-wearing members wrestle the shirtless one for about five to six minutes. After varsity coach Matt Monteiro stops the drill, the wrestler puts his shirt back on, and it’s somebody else’s turn to be attacked by sharks.

Wrestlers also have to focus on making their weight class—or they can’t wrestle. They either eat healthy and lose the weight, or they keep up their energy, then stop eating and do exercises in addition to practice. Senior Wesley True wanted to be in the 160 weight class for the Paso Invitational Championship Tournament so he “went to practice, ran on my own time, and barely ate

Do you know Tally?

Junior Tally Jansen Van Rensburg, third year track athlete sets the challenge to see who knows the most about her.

Weighing in are 11 month boyfriend Max Blanton, brother Christiaan Jansen Van Rensburg, and head track coach Mickey Cook, who has been Rensburg’s coach for all three years.

— Paul Cleland, Opinion Co-Editor, and Jenna Wookey, Editorial Editor

22

03.16.11 Crimson

Managing Editor

anything.” True lost 15 pounds in three days, meeting his required weight.

While sports like football and wrestling require strength, others like baseball and soccer require endurance. Junior and varsity football and baseball player Mac Stuart noticed he’s “more tired after a baseball practice than football” because “with baseball, you’re always moving.”

Regardless of the sport, coaches make sure not to overexert their athletes during practice.

“Most of these kids are conditioned athletes. When they suffer from fatigue, it makes a coach wonder if the practice is worthwhile. There’s a fine line of pushing your athletes to the limit. I will say this though, old school is gone,” Schimke said.

No pain, no gain As the sport seasons change so do the injuries.

Athletic trainer instructor Todd Olivera stated Fall usually brings fractures, dislocations, sprains, shin splints, and concussions; Winter “nemesis” are sprained ankles, ringworm, and staph. Spring sports struggle with shin splints and tendonitis.

“It’s like walking a fence. If you fall either way, it’s bad for you; you want to stay balanced on that fence.

You want to push yourself, but you want to control the injuries,” Huff said, who made the distance running Olympic trials in 1982, 1988, and 1996.

Two type of injuries exist: overexertion, from intense taxing of the muscles, and overuse, from consistent repetition of the muscles. Overexertion cases would be muscle strains, heat illnesses, heat cramps, and heat exhaustion; whereas overuse injuries are shin splints and carpel tunnel. Olivera stated he and the student athletic trainers see more overuse injuries.

From his view, Huff sees mainly “aches and pains in the knees and hips” in his runners.

True admitted there are always “petty injuries,” but stated he makes his own distinction between being hurt or being injured.

“Hurt, you can still do everything. Injured is when you’re told you’re not allowed to wrestle because something is wrong,” True said, who tore his AC ligament in his shoulder midway through the 2010 season.

Tally Jansen Van Rensburg

Max Blanton

Healthy tips “With what we know in sports today, we make sure our athletes are very well hydrated with adequate amounts of rest. When you put preventative things into place, along with good nutrition and good exercise, [overuse injury is] less common,” Olivera said.

Injuries can be prevented through several ways.

Proper hydration, for example, is extremely vital to prevent dehydration. “In one hour of exercise, the body can lose more than a quart of water, depending on air temperature and the intensity of exercise,” according to seattletimes.nwsource.com.

Drink 15-20 oz. of water two to three hours and eight to 10 oz. 10 minutes before exercising; eight to 10 oz every 10-15 min during exercise; afterwards weigh yourself and drink 20-24 f l oz water for every pound lost, according to sportsmedicine.com.

“The big thing is you have to drink water all day.

People don’t think about that, they think about it right as they start to run...but it’s too late. It’s a 24 hour thing,” Huff said, who plans runs so water is available.

Good nutrition also plays a crucial role. Those who do more physical activity need to stock up on carbohydrates since carbs provide 40 to 50 percent of the energy requirement. All sugary foods should be avoided, especially before a game. Sugar causes a surge of insulin, resulting in a “sharp drop in blood sugar level in about 30 minutes. Competing when the blood sugar level is low leads to fatigue, nausea and dehydration,” according to colstate.com.

“If you want to be an athlete, then you have to eat like an athlete. You can’t go home and pig out on potato chips and drink soda and think ‘oh I worked out. I can eat whatever I want now.’ That doesn’t work. Your muscles need fuel to recover,” track coach Mickey Cook said, who’s coached track and field for 15 years at PRHS. Athletes can push themselves to the limit, but shouldn’t go overboard on exercising. Olivera recommends the following based off the U.S. Surgeon General: do four to five days a week of moderate to heavy physical activity from 45 minutes to an hour.

Christiaan Jansen Van Rensburg

Mickey Cook

What’s your favorite dessert?

Coffee ice cream

Coffee ice cream

Coffee ice cream

Funniest person on the track team?

Josh Jeter

Chocolate covered gizzards

Jake Rodriguez

Michael Mnatsakanian

Zander Souza

Are you a morning or night person?

Morning Biggest pet peeve?

Overly arrogant people Biggest fear?

Nothing major Favorite movie?

“Horton Hears a Who” Ideal qualities in a man?

Humor, athletic, tall Favorite TV show?

“The Office” Favorite place to shop?

Online Favorite music artist?

Taylor Swift

Total

Photos by Paul Cleland

Night

Night

Night

Ignorant people

Arrogant people

Her brother

Spiders

Scared of being scared

Having to high jump

“Horton Hears a Who”

“Horton Hears a Who”

“Dumb and Dumber”

Tall

Blonde hair, blue eyes

Bald, glasses, intelligent, basically me

I don’t know

“The Office”

“Greek”

Online

H&M

Goodwill

Taylor Swift

Nat King Cole

Taylor Swift

4/10

Paso Robles High School

5/10

0/10

www.crimsonnews.org

Sports

Pepe Gonzalez eyes mile record Passion and leadership undergird Pac-7 champ

by Lindsay Reed, Reporter Three blinks away from breaking the PRHS mile record set by alumni and best friend, Travis Hallanan is senior Pepe Gonzalez, running a 4:26. “It’s not going to be easy, but I’m going to go for it,” Gonzalez said, hoping to run his last lap in under a minute.

Pepe “has stood out since his freshman year when he was placed on the varsity team,” said assistant coach for cross-country track, Jon Paul Ewing. During his freshman year, Gonzalez ran a 4:42.12 mile, beating the Pac-7 mile record at 4:42.8 held by sophomore from SLO high school, Brian Knight.

“Our biggest problem with him is he’s too energetic. He runs so much and so hard that he injures himself, we have to hold him back,” volunteer assistant coach, Rory Hallanan, said. Over the past five years , Gonzalez has suffered injuries ranging from minor shin splints and a knee injury called Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITB), to severe when he threw out his hip his eight grade year. “It happened right before I was going to beat the record for mile at 5:27 [at Lewis]… I had a choice: drop out of the race or finish it off. I finished it,” said Gonzalez, who still occasionally suffers from the old injury.

The injury had kept Gonzalez from running for four months; then later, during his sophomore year, eight months. “It was hard, I cried sometimes because I wanted to run so bad,” he said. When he was able to return, he recalled, “a lot of my friends gave me hope and encouraged

me to come back strong.” He never gave up.

Gonzalez proved his determination by finishing at 16:24 for the Mt. Sac race at the Fall 2010 CIF meet in the Southern Section and earning team MVP at the Nov. 29, 2010 Sports Banquet. He also qualified for Fresno State’s Feb. 26 indoor meet, where he unfortunately tied last at a 4:53 mile. However, it fueled the fire even more.

Mile Time 4:26 “It was an experience that I’m never going to forget... but it doesn’t matter winning or loosing. It just matters how much fun you have with it,” Gonzalez said.

Whether it’s for the pure enjoyment of the sport or the adrenaline rush of a meet, Gonzalez will maintain his record beating passion in the future. Looking forward to his senior year in college, he hopes to reach a personal mile record of “at least” 3:59 in dedication to his grandmother Lupe and PRHS history teacher, Greg Williams, currently battling cancer.

“I want to inspire kids to show them that if you put a lot of effort into it, it could result into something that will make a big difference in your life,” Gonzalez said, running his race, full sprint, to the finish line and beyond.

3 things

Winter sport wrap-up Boys Basketball League

Overall

League Rank

3-9

9-15

6th

Senior Aleksander Koch, forward and second-year on varsity

... you egaPshould txeN

know

Boys Soccer

Wrestling

Junior Daniel Jaimes, midfielder and second-year on varsity “One thing we needed to work on this season was holding on to the win at the last 10 minutes of the game... But the whole team was really excited to get to 2nd round of CIF. It’s something that hasn’t been achieved in the last few years.”

League

Overall

League Rank

7-1-4

16-3-5

2nd

Girls Basketball

Girls Soccer

Overall

League Rank

3-9

10-15

6th

“I really liked this season how when our team started to fall apart we came together and fought back stronger—no one was willing to give up this season.” www.crimsonnews.org

League Rank

6-1

10-1

2nd

>>

“I didn’t expect to get to Masters this season so I was happy about that. It was pretty surprising that we were able to take 6 guys. It was the first time in a long time that so many of us went to Masters.”

Girls Water Polo

Junior Jessica Mihelic, midfielder and first-year varsity “We needed to work on not getting so down and mad at each other. The best part about how we played was that if we scored one goal the whole team was automatically motivated.”

Sophomore Molly Donovan, center and second-year on varsity

Overall

Freshman Zak Holmes, first-year varsity lightweight

“We had a lot of individual athletes that were talented, just couldn't play together. It was frustrating not winning much, but we played hard for the most part and gave a pretty good effort.”

League

League

League

Overall

League Rank

5-7

16-7-2

5th

League

Overall

League Rank

5-7

8-8

4th

Sophomore Rebecca Tobey, set D and first-year varsity “The most fun and memorable part of this season was the van ride to our LA tournament. We sang, danced, and played games. We would stop randomly and switch papers with two secrets about each person from the other van on them and would try to guess who they applied to.”

— Paul Cleland, Opinion Co-Editor

Paso Robles High School

Crimson 03.16.11 |

23

3

Crimson investigates four spring sports and finds the top three interesting and unknown facts about the teams.

Sports

things you should know

Swimming

Diving

Girls Softball

Track & Field

Track & Field

1.

Seniors Matt Sepulveda, Peter Ravera, Bo Bonnheim, and junior David Katz make up the “Fat Man Relay” for PRHS track. Photo by Torey Wise

Throwers sometimes participate in an unofficial event at the end of a meet called the Fat- Man relay. This relay is between every schools’ throwers who want to run a 4x100. “I think the [fat-man relay] is awesome! Every track meet should have one [because it’s] entertaining and gives throwers a chance to show off some serious speed,” senior Hunter Gay said.

2. Long distance runners, like junior Zander Souza, try to wear the shortest short shorts. “[We do it] because it’s hot. I think my green ones are pretty short, they’re half inchers,” Souza said.

3. If a thrower throws the discus and hits the pole holding up the safety net, it’s tradition for everyone on the team to yell “dinger!”

Runner PepePage ...

Next Gonzalez

1.

Diving

Divers start every practice with a warm up using medicine balls to strengthen their abs, which helps to perform a flawless dive.

They also do jumps to help their hurdles, which is a specific way a diver must walk down the diving board and jump.

2. Divers must perfect six dives before they can perform for duel meets and 11 dives for invitationals.

3. For a quarter to half of the season, divers use a trampoline to practice their flips before their meets. Senior Colby Thompson

>>

believes using the trampoline helped him perform well. “The trampoline allowed me to do what I wasn’t comfortable to do in the water yet… and to try them in the harness system on the trampoline,” Thompson said, who went to three invites and the six duel meets last spring in the 2010 diving season.

1.

Girls Softball

The varsity softball team started going to Yogurt Swirl to eat some fro-yo last year to get pumped before home games. The team sings to popular songs while senior Amanda Searcy “busts out with Michael Jackson…a lot,” according to senior Jennifer Hernandez.

Junior Devon Nicklas does a reverse one and a half off the one meter board at dive practice. Nicklas has been on varsity diving all three years of high school. Photo by Megan Rodrigues

2.

The four seniors on the softball team show the six underclassman the ropes to varsity softball. “Sports wise, the four seniors take leadership and kind of set the bar,” Hernandez said.

3.

The softball girls do drills such as ladders, Tango foot drills, and the circle of hell; which is where the team gets in a circle and shuffles back and forth . They do mountain climbers, push ups, kayaks, bicycles, and crunches as well, for approximately five to six minutes.

1.

Swimming

Three year varsity coach Spencer Sznejkowski makes the varsity swimmers swim backwards at their 5 a.m. – 7 a.m. Monday-Friday practices to make their muscles bigger. This works on the swimmers coordination because it takes more concentration to do the stroke backwards and move in the right direction, according to senior Kelsey Hunter.

2. Varsity swimmers, like freshman Ryan Springer, wear “fastskin” swim suits, a skin tight swim suit that goes down to the swim-

mers’ knees and helps prevent drag which can slow a swimmer down. “I try to wear [my Fastskin] only at special swim meets because it takes literally 25 minutes and three people to just get it on!” Springer said.

Senior, Savannah Rees, on varsity does her butterfly stroke during swim practice at Paso Robles Municipal Pool. Photo by Megan Rodrigues

24

03.16.11 Crimson

3.

In the 500 yard freestyle event, a coach, parent, or another teammate counts the 20 laps for the swimmer. When the athletes are on lap 18, the swimmer who is in the lead gets a cow bell rung in their lane, letting them know they are only two laps from finishing.

— Megan Rodrigues and Laura Callahan, News Co-Editors­ Paso Robles High School

www.crimsonnews.org

A&E

The halls are alive, with the sound of music

An Extraterrestrial Odyssey

Choir still sings with loss of accompanist

‘I Am Number Four’ petrifies the audience

by Alicia Canales, Managing Editor and Dakota Cleland, Sci-Tech Co-Editor

by Dakota Cleland, Sci-Tech Co-Editor

The school bell rings at 3:05 p.m., signaling the end of the school day; however for 78 students, it’s time for their last period: show choir, or Las Voces Celestiales. Led by choir teacher Mary Schmutz, this melodic group is currently preparing nine pieces for the annual San Luis Obispo County Choral Festival at Cal Poly on March 25. This is their third year competing, but it’s the first year the choir does not have their accompanist, Chris Ferguson.

The loss of Ferguson has resulted in students being a part-time accompanist and more student-led rehearsals. Yet they are working to ace the SLO Festival and other concerts in the year.

Ferguson assisted Schmutz for the past three years. She was one of the teachers laid off due to budget cuts. Ferguson played the vocal parts when students were introduced to a new song, then she’d play the original piece. Schmutz has had to play piano, conduct the students, and provide constructive feed back this year.

“I should be up in front giving instruction and working on musical detail. It’s been very difficult this year. We aren’t as polished as we’ve been in the past because we don’t have that luxury…It all comes together at the last minute which becomes very stressful,” Schmutz said, who’s taught choir at PRHS since 1985.

Senior Brandon Ellsworth has helped by playing piano every day when Schmutz needs to focus her attention on the choir. He stated the situation “improved” his piano skills and made him focus “on helping my peers.”

Las Voces Celestiales is composed of two groups: Bella Voce (all the female singers) and PRHS Men’s Ensemble. During the 50 minute rehearsals, Ellsworth leads the men’s group. Bella Voce breaks up into sopranos and alto singers. Junior Lindsay Reed and senior Madison Butz guide the sopranos, and junior Katie Wingfield heads the altos.

“Even though we're in different groups, all of us in choir help each other out in our own

ways. Kind of like someone helping out their neighbor,” sophomore Lilianna Russu said, who is in her first year as a soprano two.

For the past two years, all three groups received straight As, the equivalent of first place, from three judges and hope to keep that record.

The choir also received a plaque for Choral Excellence for the last two years.

Despite losing Ferguson, the students are looking forward to the festival.

“I’m impressed with our music choices. We’re working hard to prepare us for the festival,” sophomore Camille Andrus said, who is in her second year of show choir.

Along with the festival, Las Voces Celestialses had a vocal workshop with the Fresno Pacific Choir on March 7. The next choir concert is at Flamson with the junior high choirs on March 17 at 7 p.m.

At first glance, “I Am Number Four” seems like nothing more than your next “Twilight” rip-off. The stunning appearances of people. Protagonists on the run. Couples in jeopardy. But believe it or not, this movie Graphic by Dakota Cleland fares slightly better than the overrated vampire series.

“I Am Number Four” follows an alien named Number Four (Alex Pettyfer) whose race is being exterminated by an evil alien race called the Mogadorians (or Mogs for short), who look like turkey-fish men. Why is he being marked for death?

And why is he called Number Four? He is number four out of nine aliens in his race that have to be killed sequentially. One, two, and three have already been exterminated. He is next.

Number Four is not alone or helpless by himself though.

He has super-strength, super-speed, and telekinesis—he can defend himself. Plus his mentor and guardian, Henri (Timothy Olyphant), keeps him in check. Number Four appears to be a normal human being so he can blend in with crowds and not be easily noticed. Senior Soon he falls for a typical small-town American girl ... Hunter egaP txGay eN named Sarah Hart (Dianna Agron from the famed “Glee”). Number Four also has a too hot to handle and too cold to hold alien companion chick with an Australian accent named Number Six (Teresa Palmer), who eventually tags along and obliterates their enemies with ease. At last, he has a nerdy best friend named Sam (Callan McAuliffe), who he protects from bullying jocks.

With his gang of humanoids and Number Six, Number Four is on the run from the Mogs. He hides in a high school football centered Midwestern town called Paradise, Ohio, which is (you guessed it) anything but paradise.

While this movie does have entertaining action, great special effects (typical of any Michael Bay affiliated movie), and cool guys and gals, there isn’t really anything once you go under the surface of the movie. When you strip away all of the action, drama, and acting, “I am Number Four” is rather below average. Everything is just face value. It leaves viewers wondering, “Why should I care for these aliens? They’re superhuman, and they look like supermodels!” Clichés and the very-similar plot elements to “Twilight” make me wonder where originality fell out the window. However, this movie is good for mindless fun and making fun of its inconsistencies and fallacies.

The book’s publisher, Harper Collins, plans on making the “I Am Number Four” series into a six book franchise. Which mean more movies like this. Oh joy.

This lackluster flick gets two stars out of five.

>>

Photo by Forest Erwin

PASSIONATE SINGERS: Choir director Mary Shmutz directs the 78 students in Las Voces Celestials. They will be attending the annual San Luis Obispo County Choral Festival at Cal Poly on March 25. Photo by Forest Erwin

‘DANCE SHOW’ continued from front page The show was full of numerous dance styles, music, and stunts. Sophomore Chelsea Farrer did a swan dive off a ladder and into the arms of her fellow ballet dancers, and Bedrosian herself participated in one

dance where she did an aereal flip on stage.

Through the years, Bedrosian has held the attention of the crowd and her students. Intermediate dancer and sophomore Ashley Settlemire expressed her feelings for Bedrosian.

“Mrs. Bedrosian is such an inspiration and an amazing person. She did a fabulous job helping everyone prepare and do their best. She always encourages us to give it our all and nothing less,” Settlemire said.

Bedrosian feels blessed to be able to teach dance and do what she loves. For “Into the Wild,” she was determined to make the show special.

“I wanted to give the audience an experience from the moment they walked in the door. From the costumes to the music, I just wanted the audience to feel like it wasn’t just a high school recital,” Bedrosian said, who was proud of all the SHOWSTOPPERS: Sophomore Brianna Long and guest dancer Tori Akers show their strength as they balance on top of a ladder performances in the show.

“Everyone did what they were supposed to do and danced to their full potential…I have a wonderful group of dancers, but they are even more beautiful on the inside. It was a special cast. I was in awe of them,” Bedrosian said.

For advanced dancer and senior Marina Plemons, who performed in nine dances at the show, dance shows are more than just a performance.

“It’s a special bond that a performer has to an audience member... I leave my heart on the stage and it’s special to share that with others,” Plemons said, who has been dancing for 14 years and is the current president of Jazz ‘n’ Co. This show in particular brought up some emotion in the senior Jazz ‘n’ Co dancers. After a senior slideshow commemorated the graduating seniors, all 37 advanced dancers made their way back on stage for one final performance together.

“We gave this show everything we had,” Plemons said. “Even though we were all in tears, we knew that nothing could take that moment away from us.”

in this ballet number. The dance show consisted of 18 songs.

Photo by Lindsay Reed

www.crimsonnews.org

Paso Robles High School

Crimson 03.16.11 |

25

A&E

Hunter Gay

is sketching a virtual world

by Maddison Coons, Managing Editor

A disproportionately large man with a hood and cut off T-shirt, revealing ripped biceps, stands at the edge of a Cleland at cliff, looking at mountains floating higher and higher into the Cinema Next Page ... oblivion.

He’s also under senior Hunter Gay’s fingers etched into the white paper laying below, as Gay sits at the black laminated table directly across from Studio Art teacher Josh Gwiazda’s desk in room 506. The 175 pound line backer for the PRHS varsity football team isn’t fulfilling his required year of general art, but satisfying his passion to draw.

Gay, five foot seven—though he will say he is five foot eight—is a Lions Club winner for sportsmanship in football and is a thrower on the track team. As a man of muscle, he may not be the stereotypical artist, but that hasn’t kept him from becoming one.

“If I ever feel like drawing something, I just get my notebook out. I look like a nerd in front of everyone. It’s kind of nerdy. I’m a nerd,” Gay said, who humbly shies away from any comments that he is cool.

Perhaps the football star Gay is on the field inspires the action figures in 2D he creates with the hope they will move to the virtual world.

“Hell on wheels with a pencil,” Gwiazda said, who noted Gay was the best football star artist he has had so far.

Gay enrolled in two art classes at PRHS during the second trimester: Kelly Clark’s Advanced Drawing and Painting during first period and Studio Art with Gwiazda in second period. He is currently completing Advanced Drawing and Painting in period four of Clark’s class.

“As an artist he is focused, dedicated with an amazing creative imagination,” Gwiazda said. He added he would purchase all of Gay’s drawings.

“As a friend he is occasionally evil, so I think his drawings subconsciously reflect his personality,” senior Travis Martinus said jokingly, who is one of Gay’s three close friends along with seniors Devon Lambert and Peter Ravera. Martinus has been friends

>>

26

03.16.11 Crimson

with Gay since freshman year. “Actually he is very nice in comparison.

I think he just likes making people look angry.”

Gay truly didn’t begin scratching with a pencil on his drawing pad until the first trimester of his junior year in period 3 of art teacher Mary Legleighter’s class.

“I took general art my junior year because I had to take it, and I was running out of years to take it, and I was like, ‘oh, I like this,’” Gay said.

He hadn’t drawn seriously before, but he was inspired. Gay recalled doodling, in eighth grade and going to a seventeen-year-old neighbor who Gay “always wanted to draw like.” Samantha Gay, his mother, an artist (portrait drawer) herself, also encouraged him to draw at a young age.

Gay plans to take a lot more than the three art classes he will be completing on June 17. Gay may possibly be entering into an undergraduate program in the field of entertainment arts and engineering, where he’ll continue “basic” sketching and learn animated design.

“I like making stuff up and creating things, and I could care less about the video game, but it’s cool to bring a character to life from your imagination. Its all about creating. It’s not about playing or blowing stuff up. It’s about [the artwork] coming to life. That’s the coolest part.

You can bring your imagination to create something that never exists; that’s pretty cool,” Gay said.

Though he is still researching for specific video game schools, he has solid options in front of him. University of Utah accepted Gay. The Princeton Review designated this school as one of the top 50 in the nation undergraduate video game design programs. He also applied to Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, Calif. and Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

In Gwiazda’s opinion, people should know Gay is a very positive, happy individual, very much unlike the brutish figures he sketches.

“People don’t think I am the artsy kind of person, but I like being independent, just going home to doodle or draw,” Gay said, who Paso Robles High School

Photo by C.J. Prusi

picked lead and paper over paint and a canvas due to the messiness and multitude of colors involved with painting.

Gay stated he starts out with 200 page notebooks that will dwindle down to 40 pages in just weeks.

“Every time I draw I feel like there is something to improve on. If there is something bothering me, I just can’t erase it,” Gay said, whose notebook pages will have sketches on half of them while the other half overflow his trash can.

Gay has drawn between 20 and 30 drawings from December 2010 to now along with five medium and two large projects. One of his favorite drawings is what he refers to as the “Nature Guy.” He enjoys drawing buff people that are abnormally large surrounded by equally big weapons and evil birds. Yet composition INTENSE BEAUTY: Senior Hunter Gay creates brutish figures from his with female portraits are imagination, but shows his variety stunning, showing a softer, of skill with portraits such as this of Jessica Alba he found in a less intense side of his drawing rendition magazine. Photo by Maddison Coons talent.

“It’s up to [the viewer] to see what’s going to happen [in my drawings].” Is [Nature guy] going to take out the bird and go where ever the floating things go? Maybe. It’s a bonus that people get to use their imagination to figure out what [the scene] is. I hate the question ‘What is it? What does it look like?’ Decide for yourself!” Gay said.

Hunter sits at his desk near a trash can overflowing with paper. The brawny figures with unimaginable weapons may scare you, but when you come across the five foot “eight” artist walking around with an unmistakable smile across his face, you can’t help but be impressed.

www.crimsonnews.org

Ads

www.crimsonnews.org

Paso Robles High School

Crimson 03.16.11 |

27

Snapshots A look into PRHS annual dance show Into the Wild on March 4 and 5

Graceful Harmony: (right) Senior Brandon Ellsworth accompanied the straight jacket-wearing dance company’s “Asylum” with “The Meadow,” by Alexandre Desplat.

“this is africa!”: (right) Senior Nikki Fabian, sophomores Courtney and McKenzie Brock, juniors Cayla Cavaletto, Jason Moscato, Jenny Henry, and sophomore Brianna Long performed the African-inspired “Waka Waka.”

Gentle Defender: (right) Senior Marina Plemons acted as senior Lauren Huff’s guardian angel, protecting her from the seven deadly sins in “Fix You.” TRIFECTA: (bottom left) Class Act Dance Studio’s Chamber Ballet dancer sophomore Chelsea Farrer and guest dancers Emily Morales and Melissa Rasmussen flowed across the stage using chairs and ladders in an acrobatic display of their strength and flexibilty in “Trifecta.”

AFRICAN JIVE: (bottom right) Junior Ashlee Juarez and senior Camille Hairal ended the show with Shakira’s upbeat song “Waka Waka.”

toxic: (above) Senior Sarah Manson showed her own choreography in the remix of Britney Spears’ “Toxic,”

by Yael Naim.

Photos by Emily Cone, Lindsay Reed, and Forest Erwin

28 03.16.11 Crimson

SINGING WORDS OF WISDOM: (right) The Lovenotes (juniors Lindsay Reed, Katie Wingfield, Emily Cone, and Trinity Smith) performed “Let It Be” specially arranged for the production.

Paso Robles High School

www.crimsonnews.org