Crimson PASO ROBLES HIGH SCHOOL 801 NIBLICK RD. PASO ROBLES CA, 93446 VOLUME 81 ISSUE 3 10.26.18
MODERN IDENTITY How teens view themselves
BREAKING DOWN THE BUDGET Investigating a $1.7 million mistake in the PRJUSD budget
PG. 02
and the world
Whose stick figure is it? Read inside.
LEARNING IN THE FIELD
Students pave a new scientific future outside the classroom
PG. 28
Breaking down the BUDGET N
ew concerns have arisen for according to Williams; an Italian stainless students and parents of PRJUSD with the steel pool to be constructed at PRHS is not to blame, PRJUSD district budget and its financial road the district says. ahead. Unaudited actuals are an annual financial statement The district revealed last month it has a reserve of that reports the financial activities of the district before 0.96 percent, considerably lower than the California the data is formally audited. The district is slated for requirement of 3 percent—in spite of last year’s county office intervention if the 3 percent reserve approximation of 3.11 percent in reserves during cannot be recovered in months ahead. budgeting, a difference of nearly $1.7 million. Significant budget expenses have included five years The large margin of error in calculation is due to a of salary raises to district teachers and classified staff, myriad of factors, many apparent in the unaudited which has ranged from 5.5 percent to 1.5 percent across actuals that Superintendent Chris Williams presented consecutive years. in October to the Board of Trustees. A overestimation Special-needs student enrollment has increased in average daily attendance revenue also is to blame, from 845 to 935 over the past five years and has
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cost the district approximately to $320,000. A 2011 special education lawsuit continues to shadow the district, as well; a settlement and multi-year payout,“ will be budgeted into future budgets,” according to a memo from Williams. Williams is donating his 1.5 percent increase in salary from last year to a foundation that will circulate the money into district expenditures. “Last week was challenging, yet I value comments and felt it essential to put the 1.5 percent back into their hands and in the hands of students,” Williams said in an interview with the Paso Robles Press. — by Hannah Hochheiser, News Co-Editor
A $1.7 million attendance mistake
$8.2 million pool isn’t to blame
by Alayna Hernandez, World Co-Editor
by Emily Olsen, Circulation Manager
forensic audit from Jan. showed that the ADA -- average daily attendance --revenue was miscalculated, impacting the expenditure of the 2017-2018 budget by approximately $480,000. Three areas of ADA were overestimated, according to a forensic audit: attendance of transitional kindergarteners, fifth year seniors, and dual enrolled students. “Unfortunately, those [miscalculations] have been done for multi-years, and if we wouldn’t have done the forensic audit, it would have been continuing,” Williams said. “So we modified our process for ADA. Were reporting to our ward as well as our cabinet on a weekly basis so we can monitor assess and evaluate it.” These miscalculations will not impact the 20182019 school budget. ADA revenue has already been reduced by 45 students for the year ahead. This year kicked off with attendance campaigns already on display in “Be Here!” posters around
PRHS with a target attendance goal of 94.8 percent within the district. “Right now we are looking at what we can absolutely do to avoid the loss of programs. We’ve adjusted at lot as a district already to limit the impact on the students the best we can,” said assistant principal, Anthony Overton. Despite budgeting errors, the district has had success in raising programs and ADA. Currently, the district is servicing 7,100 students this year, roughly 1,000 more students than projected numbers from four years ago. There will be no furlough days, staff layoffs, or program cuts as a result of low reserves, Williams has reiterated. The district will focus on re-evaluating four main areas: management, programs, revenue generation, and staff. Assessing budgeting and management errors while maintaining staff and programs are the main focus of reductions.
02 NEWS | Crimson Newsmagazine 10.26.18
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RJUSD says it did not spend a dime on its high publicity pool project at PRHS, contrary to popular belief. Measure M has instead bought the stateof-the-art, $8.2 million stainless steel pool coming to PRHS that has been ordered from Italy, delivered, and sits in sea-trains next to the tennis courts. Construction will begin after a bid process from companies who can assemble the parts. Measure M was a $95 million general obligation bond passed in November of 2016. The usage of Measure M funds is currently in its first phase, which includes the new aquatic complex and Arts Academy upgrades at Bauer Speck. “100 percent of that money is coming out of Measure M or donated monies or in kind work donations, so there is no conflict [with PRJUSD’s budget],” Williams stated.
The money came from Measure M, a bond passed in Nov. 2016 which provided $95 million to the district to repair, acquire, equip or construct the new facilities needed. Over $5 million of the $8.2 million goes towards the 50 meter pool, another 25-yard pool that is also the diving well, the pool decking, some outside seating, an equipment room, and all the basic necessities for the swimmers to host meets and water polo games, which the Municipal Pool in Paso Robles cannot currently do. “This area deserves to have CIF championships,” District Athletic Director Rich Clayton told the Paso Press. He pointed out the importance of using the pool to advance student performance, event hosting, and recruiting possibilities.
candidates gear up for election
NEWS |
school board candidates share hopes for the upcoming term VOTE
By Anya Veach, People CoEditor
S
VOTE
chool board candidates are gearing up for the upcoming election on Nov. 6, 2018. Candidates Matt McClish, Kathleen Hall, Tim Gearhart, and Field Gibson are all up for re-election, while Lance Gannon, Chris Arend, and Stephanie Ulibarri put their hat in the ring for the first year. All hope to tackle the financial and morale issues facing the district, and promote several solutions to put in place in the next four years at biweekly Tuesday board meetings.
Cal Poly graduate McClish has spent the year as a Chairman on the Chamber of Commerce and has made “great steps to increase economic development in the city.”
Matthew Mcclish
With prior experience working within a logistical environment as a purchasing agent, candidate Lance Gannon hopes to utilize his skill sets in the years to come.
“A huge component of what will ensure a great future for Paso is the continuation and expansion of many of the great programs that are happening in the district,” he said. A father himself, McClish claims a close relation to programs in the area, as well as having a personal understanding of the needs of the students and parents alike.
Lance Gannon
Tim gearhart
“The financial situation must improve,” said Arend. “The district is just a smidgen below the minimum reserve, so that even the slightest change could push the finances below the critical threshold.”
Christopher Arend
“I look for cuts that are as far away from the classroom as possible,” Gearhart said. “I want to see our students’ academic improvement continue and am dedicated to make sure our Measure M projects continue to completion.”
Incumbent trustee Field Gibson has served the board for three years as board President. He has supported many youth programs throughout his adult life including sports coaching and Boy Scouts leader/ He was on the committee that brought the Boys and Girls Club into Paso.
Field gibson
A former finance lawyer, Christopher Arend claims a knack for handling finance on a larger scale.
“[The PRJUSD Trustees] have a core belief that every student will have success that every student will be prepared for college, career, and community,” Hall said. “I want to insure that we stay on this track for the next four years.”
With a Master’s in Education and 36 years of teaching experience, Incumbent trustee Tim Gearhart claims to possess a closeness to schools and holds a strong knowledge of the education system. and its budget issues.
“I believe that the curriculum needs to be aligned to the job skills or knowledge that will allow our students to be career and college ready,” Gibson said. He claims to be a strong advocate for the development of Career Pathways and hopes to provide students with “marketable job skills.”
Photos by Paso Robles Daily News. Used with permission.
“As a board member you represent [the school system and community],” Gannon said. “We are responsible to provide a school system that supports the teachers and students in a safe learning environment.” Gannon is a graduate of Paso Robles High School.
Incumbent board member Hall has served as trustee for four years, and served on an Illinois city council for four years. She developed the Center for Congressional Studies with the president of NYU.
Kathleen Hall
VOTE
Arend emphasizes a grasp of solutions to the district’s budget problem and the moral issues faced within the schools. “The teaching profession, just like the legal profession, requires dedication and creativity,” Arend said. “My primary goal is to quickly improve the work environment and morale well before the expiration of my term in office.”
Stephanie Ulibarri is a public school teacher with personal experience with the issues being placed upon our district. She hopes to make the School board as easily accessible to the public as possible.
Stephanie Ulibarri
“My vision for education in our community is a school district that serves every student who wants to learn and every educator who wants to teach,” Ulibarri said. “The school board should decide what is important by asking themselves, ‘What will have the greatest positive impact on our students and teachers?’”
10.26.18 Crimson Newsmagazine | NEWS 03
| NEWS
DRIVING SMARTER
HIT AND RUN : Senior Kirra
Vargas was hit last year in the school parking lot. Photo by Camden Tucker
POSITIVES & NEGATIVES OF TEEN DRIVING
2ndPlace
Stats show improvement in teen seat belt use and DUI incidents
MOST FATALITIES in U.S. FOR TEEN CAR CRASHES
by Victoria Escamilla, Carmesi Editor
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s teens pass their driver’s test and their license is placed in their are 112 parking permits in hands, their freedom of driving soon becomes as unending as the the school parking lot, and as Tom Harrington, roads before them. Yet the 13.8 percent decline in teens getting assistant principal at PRHS stated, “There are certainly their licenses from 1996 to 2015, from a survey conducted by the University distractions, if they’re texting or talking on the phone. Just of Michigan labeled “Monitoring the Future,” can be due to a number of inexperience in understanding speed and distance and how quickly you factors. Those facts include the cost that comes with the cars and the may close on somebody. We certainly have a lot of people and a lot of cars percentage of teens getting in accidents from phone distraction. With here at the high school so it’s kind of a nice experience for students to get those factors, teenagers are becoming aware of who their driving really is used to not just their car and themselves but the things that are going on starting to affect. around their car.” “One day after school I went to my car and realized There is a price that comes with driving with buying a car, there was a huge dent on my side of my bumper with white I NEVER FOUND paying for gas, and covering car insurance. The average paint all over. I never found out who hit my car, which would OUT WHO HIT monthly cost of car insurance in California is $132 as the be considered a hit and run,” said senior Kirra Vargas MY CAR, WHICH ValuePenguin listed in their article Average Cost of Insurance: regarding her accident last school year. Car, Home, Renters, Health, and Pet (2018). With the $132 for car WOULD BE Citations are 1.8 times more likely to be given to sixteen insurance, the InCharge website reported adding a teen driver year olds than any other age group in drivers as the CONSIDERED A can increase the cost by forty-four percent in their article California DMV reported in their article, Teenage Driver HIT AND RUN. Adding a Teen to Your Auto Insurance Policy. Crash Statistics. Citations are an indication to the driver KIRRA VARGAS, 12 Yet independence in driving is one of the positives: “ I don’t that something is wrong, the Center for Disease Control and have to depend on my parents to drive me around and I get to Prevention stated in their article, Teen Drivers: Get the Facts, “In fact, per be mature,” Chelcy Salvador (12) explained. mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are nearly three times more likely This new generation of drivers is making a change. The 2011 National than drivers aged 20 and older to be in a fatal crash.” Youth Risk Behavior Survey shows teens driving more safely than they did The accidents involving teenagers is frequent considering that 9 10 years ago. Drunk driving decreased from 17 percent to 8 percent and percent of teens involved in accidents are distracted at the time. Texting seat belt use among teen drivers increased from 74 percent to 92 percent. and driving is the cause for eleven teenagers dying everyday. The hope for safer teenage driving is left into the hands of this generation Becoming aware of surroundings is extremely important, as there as Salvador hopes drivers could “just be safe.”
3.7 HIGHER TIMES
crash rate FOR
16
year OLDS
THAN ANY OTHER DRIVERS
74% 92% TO
IN THE USE OF
Graphics by Victoria Escamilla
SEATBELTS Source: “Teenage Driver Crash Statistics” by the California DMV and Traffic School
Kicking off indigenous field studies with a pow Oral History course sets eyes on Walmart parking lot
T
by Ysabel Wulfing, Editor in Chief
he dusty Live Oak campgrounds on the outskirts of Santa Barbara in 1978 determined evidence of the settlement and documented its were filled with smells of freshly baked fry bread and the sounds significance as it was a border between the Northern Chuman and of traditional native drummers as dancers bounced along in ritual Salinan natives. After taking the issue to court, a compromise was made between the mall planners and native leaders. gourd dances on the weekend of Oct. 6-7, 2018. An LA Times article incorrectly detailed that ”the knoll The 23rd Annual Inter-tribal Pow Wow—sponsored by above the Salinas River where Indians lived for thousands of the Santa Ynez Chumash Indians—was attended by ethnic I GREW UP study students Leslie Ramirez (11) , Ivanna Garcia (11) HEARING ABOUT years will be preserved intact, encircled by the mall parking lot, and marked by an oak tree and a simple historical plaque.” and Alayna Hernandez (10) and social study teachers THE HAUNTED Twenty-five years later, the only indication of the ancient Geoffrey Land, Angela Logan and Seth Draine to kick off BURIAL GROUND. burial site is the 1 1/2-acre knoll in the middle of the Walmart their year long after-school course. Parking Lot area. No markers, oak tree, or historical plaque The course goal is to ”...research the Indigenous History I WANT TO TELL mark the location. of Paso Robles, focusing on the village and burial site at ITS STORY. ALAYNA HERNANDEZ 11 Logan, Land, and Draine hope to change that through what is now the Walmart shopping complex.” student activities and education using their Field Studies In 1993, Walmart had plans to build a large scale mall complex on top of an indigenous Chumash/Salinan settlement site, Collaborative Oral History Course. In the upcoming months, the seven students selected for the course located in the current parking lot and dating back at least 5,000 years. To make the shopping complex easily visible from the highway, the plan to work with City of Paso Robles leaders and the Cal Poly Ethnic BEAT OF THE DRUM : A circle of Chumash developers wanted to bulldoze the burial site. Chumash Indian spiritual Studies Department, “...to create a process and product that respects elders performed a ritual gourd dance while leader Pilulaw Khus advocated for its preservation, as she believed the and documents the importance of the Paso Robles site in a meaningful Bearcat studies began Oct 6, 2018. mound was rich with her ancestors and their culture. Archaeologists manner.”
04 NEWS |
Crimson Newsmagazine
Photo by Ysabel Wulfing
Welcome to the wild side HOCO 2018
PHOTO STORY |
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eep within the jungles of the PRHS campus, dance classes rehearsed, cheerleaders worked to achieve synchronization, and leadership students hung vines and banners all throughout the gym. All of these efforts were made in the name of homecoming 2018. The week leading up to the Friday night football game and dance was made a spirt week, centered around all things wild, from Tuesday’s “Sleep Under the Stars” theme to Thursday’s camo day. As the week continued, Bearcats had the oportunity to tie-dye their “Welcome to the Wild Side” shirts to wear to the game and dance. By Friday, school spirit was boiling over in anticipation for the football game. On the day of homecoming, students gathered in the Gil Asa gym for a pep rally to raise spirit before the night’s game. Students were invited to play games, cheer for students and teachers performing in the rally, and prove their spirit for the school and their grade. Closing the rally, each class joined in cheering “Let’s go, Bearcats!” At the game, the PRHS varsity team gave their best effort against Arroyo Grande’s team, but the game ended in a loss. Ignoring the letdown of the loss, students proved to have a good time at the dance, enjoying the music, friends, spirit, and decoration.
STRIKE A POSE: The varsity cheer team danced alongside the JV team durring the assembly that preceded the game and dance. The performance also included intricate lifts and tumbling.
ROLL OFF: Advanced dancer Aurora Lomanto ends a
GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN: Magalli
ROYALTY: Senior Queen Divine Rubio walks down the red carpet during half time with Robert Tauscher. Tauscher was filling in for Mark Martinez, who was unable to walk because of his role in Varsity Football.
FOOTBALL PRINCESS: Keiandra Holt is walked by her uncle Hector Mitchell. She was chosen as this year’s football princess along with senior Julia Nuñez.
roll off during their dance. The music cut off during the performance, but the dancers finished the choreography without, and they received a roaring applause.
Martinez, Alexa Garcia, Brooklyn Pitts, and Sophia Hammond smile for the camera as they take a break from the homecoming dance.
LINK UP: Leadership students Shane McGuffin, Brooke Milder, Mackenzie Raymond, and Devin Hartley pose for a pre-assembly photo. McGuffin was one of the MCs of the assembly.
ALL SMILES: JV cheerleaders Sydney Tucker, Vanessa
Mowreader, and Jordan Barnaby pose with varsity cherleader Alexa Nunez. They performed as one during the HOCO assembly.
10.26.18 Crimson Newsmagazine | PHOTO STORY 05
Foto por Loretta Burke
| CARMESI
Un paso por encima de los demás Cómo tomando clases de Español avanzada puede aumentar su ventaja
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l bilingüismo se define como el fenómeno de hablar y entender dos o más idiomas. Pero, ¿cómo se suma el acto de hablar y entender el lenguaje y el proceso académico de aprender el idioma? Hay tres tipos de aprendizaje de idiomas comunes.Hay el aprendizaje simultáneo, lo compuesto. Hay el aprendizaje en la escuela y hablándolo en casa, lo coordinado. También hay el subordinado, el aprendizaje secundario con filtrado a través de su primer idioma. Estas diferentes formas de aprendizaje pueden afectar su capacidad para hablar y leer el idioma con fluidez. “El Español AP se trata de elevar el nivel en el que puedes comunicarte, igual que el inglés. Muchos de nuestros oradores tradicionales escuchan el idioma en casa, pero procesan el idioma a través de sus oídos, nunca han tenido que pensar en el lenguaje como un sistema que tiene partes y no conocen los nombres de las partes, ” la maestra de Español AP Rebecca Morris dijo. De acuerdo con la guía de cursos del idioma Español de Ap, se ha diseñado para brindar a los estudiantes avanzados de la preparatoria una oportunidad rica y rigurosa de estudiar el idioma y la cultura del mundo hispano hablante que es aproximada. El curso AP de Lengua y cultura española adopta un enfoque holístico de la competencia lingüística y reconoce la compleja interrelación entre comprensión, el uso de vocabulario, control
Por Loretta Burke, Multimedia Director del idioma, estrategias de comunicación y conciencia cultural. “No hay ningún obstáculo en la fuerza laboral por ser bilingüe, te golpea por ser bilingüe, tienes que demostrar que puedes leer un documento o escribir un documento”, dijo Morris. Las clases avanzadas de español se enfocan en el español académico, enseñando a los estudiantes no solo a poder hablar en dos idiomas, sino también a procesar las EL ESPAÑOL AP palabras de una manera que se puede utilizar para SE TRATA DE comprender mejor la ELEVAR EL NIVEL comunicación impresa, EN QUE PUEDES audio, visual y audiovisual, COMUNICARTE, así como la comunicación IGUAL QUE EL de presentación hablada y escrita. INGLÉS. “Usaré las habilidades REBECCA MORRIS, lingüísticas que aprendí en mi PROFESOR DE ESPAÑOL AP futura carrera, donde tendré la ventaja de comunicarme en dos idiomas. Esto abrirá las puertas que un solo idioma mantendría cerradas ”, dijo la estudiante de Español AP anterior y estudiante del tercer año, Aline González. Las habilidades adquiridas a través del estudio
SPANISH EXPRESSION of the month. . .
de múltiples idiomas y literaturas dotan a los aprendices de idiomas con habilidades cognitivas, analíticas y de comunicación que se trasladan a muchas otras áreas de sus estudios académicos. “Ha ayudado a ampliar mi comprensión de ciertas cosas y ha ayudado a ampliar mi vocabulario aún más de lo que era antes. Ser bilingüe ya me ha abierto muchas puertas. Pero ahora mi versatilidad en ambos idiomas solo aumentará mis oportunidades a medida que continúe saliendo al mundo “, dijo la estudiante del Español y alumno del tercer año Janice Palacios. Ser bilingüe es cada vez más común con el 43 porciento de los estadounidenses de 18 a 29 años que hablan más de un idioma. Según Takelessons. com, el 66 porciento de los reclutadores de trabajo que ser bilingüe es cada vez más importante.
Por Victoria Escamilla, Carmesi Editor
Aline González, 11
Foto por Victoria Escamilla
Estar más sano que una pera: This expression literally means “to be healthier than a pear,” but it actually means to be very healthy. The term comes from the pear being associated with health in Latin America. This expression is similar to the English expression “to be as fit as a fiddle.” In a sentence: Although Alexander had surgery a little under six months ago, “él está más sano que una pera.”
06 CARMESI | Crimson Newsmagazine 10.26.18
Gen
coming soon to your everyday life
Children of the 90s and early 2000s redefine social and political culture
odiac signs rule our lives. We’re millennials on steroids. We’re obsessed with our phones. We’re going to be the ones to end smoking. We’re culture creators. We live for social media and oversharing our personal lives. We’re overly opinionated. We think we can change the world. As children of Generation Z, we’ve heard it all before: both the negative and the positive, the true and untrue. Despite the speculation, we’ve managed not to be shaped entirely by outside perspectives. We hold to our values, and see the world the way we think it should be seen. “What makes this demographic so exceptional is their pervasive open-mindedness. They are socially conscious, and they care about the planet and its inhabitants,” an article published in January by Adare explained. We make up 25 percent of the population, and while we don’t currently have a large voting influence, time is on our side. Political opinions within the generation tend to be unwavering, even at a young age (which can be good in terms of consistency, but troublesome when it comes to speaking out on issues we don’t yet
C
newsmagazine
Editors In Chief Sarah Jagger Ysabel Wulfing Jessica Jagger
Circulation
Emily Olsen Manager Brie Howestine Kaya McCasland
Business
Graphics
Casey Dumong Director Estey Boling
Reporters Kaya McCasland Brie Howestine
PR Director
Catalina Magnuson
Art Director
Hayley Lacy Ads & Relations Jasmine Romero Elise Scheiffele Finance
Web Director Trevor Jaureguy
Editors
EDITORIAL |
understand), and Gen Z holds great promise to take to the polls and sway the vote in a direction more representative of the values we stand by. The only questions is: will this be a positive change? Gen Z seems to be more open to different identities, beliefs, and political opinions; however, we also have somewhat of a reputation for being apathetic and a bit lazy, according to older generations. Our grandparents and great grandparents have lived through hardships and recessions we have yet to experience, and thus, we cannot be driven to work by the same purpose which drives them. They know what old-school hard work looks like, and as we redefine the traditional work flow through technology, we may at times be viewed as lazy youths who simply do not know what it’s like to work hard. A national survey by APPrise Mobile revealed that Gen Z employees are met with doubt from older generations as they enter the workforce, with 26 percent of those surveyed claiming they believe it will be difficult to communicate with the young employees. As outside perspectives about the generation form, we must not allow them to shape who we become. Sure, we can be a bit brash, but this isn’t necessarily a negative trait. We stand for what we believe in, and this should be something we hold ourselves to as time brings us to the polls, the workforce, and eventually, the memory of what this generation was.
Student journalism at PASO ROBLES HS
Camden Tucker News Hannah Hockheiser News Elise Scheiffele Op/Ed Phoebe Corgiat Sports Brighton Garrett Sports Anya Veach People Jaclyn DiMatteo People Tyler Dunn Review Tyler Seidel Health Ian Grace Health Estey Boling Sci-Tech Declan Higgins Copy Editor Jeremy Hunt Copy Editor
Editors
Victoria Escamilla Carmesi Alayna Hernandez World Lottie Abascal World Cole Eberhard Poli-Sci Emily Mathein Environment McKensi Keller Pop Culture Madeline Loff Blind Date Hayley Lacey Video Director
Photography Camden Tucker Director Cheyanne Holliday Business
Crimson, an open forum for the exchange of student ideas, is an independently funded www.facebook.com/ newsmagazine produced by the journalism class crimsonnewsmagazine at Paso Robles High School. Crimson reflects the majority opinion of the staff and does not Website necessarily reflect the views of Paso Robles High www.crimsonnewsmagSchool, its faculty, administration, or students. azine.org All stories, graphics, typesetting, and layouts are completed by Paso Robles High School students. Email We are happy to talk with you further about our subscriptions in U.S. Mail, and advertising crimsonnewsmagazine@ content, —Crimson Staff on our pages. gmail.com
Adviser Jeff Mount
Multimedia Director Loretta Burke
10.26.18 Crimson Newsmagazine | EDITORIAL 07
| OPINION
No
Sugar Coating
Drifting without an anchor
H
by Elise Scheiffele, Op/Ed Editor
ow am I supposed to believe in something I can’t see? At first thought, my future is an exciting and captivating idea. It sounds fun: college, moving away, freedom, the whole bit. But as I get closer to the most important deadline of my past 12 public school years, I am more inclined and almost forced to think about myself. My real self. Not just a student, a singer, a soccer player, a daughter, or a sister. I have to piece it all together, even when I don’t understand the puzzle. Every day, someone new asks me what I plan on doing after high school. It’s hard to hear the same question every time and still not know the answer to it. At this point, I’ve crafted a response so vague and generic it could be used to answer almost anything thrown at me. “What are you going to do after high school?” The words ring in my ears like they’re mocking me. But the answer remains the same after all this time. And the answer is, I don’t know. The past month I have felt lost, alienated and alone in my journey. I don’t have something to anchor me down as I drift along. I don’t know what lies ahead for me, and I am scared to accept the possibilities. But I shouldn’t be afraid. My whole life I have been rehearsing for this performance. This will be the show to end all shows. But why does it have to be so frightening? I never thought I would have stage fright, yet here I am, losing my mind every time somebody asks me that silly question. I hope I am not alone in my endeavors. As much as I would like everyone else to feel secure and happy and certain, I am selfish and I don’t want to do this all by myself. Do you know who you are? Even if you can’t see that person yet? Senior year provokes thoughts about ourselves that we never expected to have, and that is a hard pill to swallow. I spent a lot of time blaming my feelings on the Venus retrograde, even though I know it’s just the circumstances of senior year. And as much as I would like to ignore it or pin the blame on something else, I need to use my energy to find my anchor, and hold myself steady. So if you feel lost, like me, reach out. You are not alone in this. And even if you think your mood will change when the retrograde is over, it may not. But we are supposed to have each other’s backs. We only have one senior year, so let’s not waste it drifting away.
Running the double standard
08 OPINION | Crimson Newsmagazine 10.26.18
Female athletes of all ages continue to face discrimination by Madi Loff, Blind Date Editor
W
ith an all time high of 3,415,3061 girls participating in high school sports, it’s a scary thought that so many teen girls are faced with double standards, inequality, and over-sexualization in sports. Their dilemma is especially concerning because no matter the weather, circumstances, or what men are doing, women are still being forced by sports officials and the general public to cover up and hide their bodies in everything from high school sports to the Olympics. The French Open’s ban on cat suits —or spandex body suits—is a prime example of this. Despite the fact that Serena Williams’ cat suit was a functional piece of clothing to help prevent blood clots, “French Tennis Federation President Bernard Giudicelli announced the new dress code at RolandGarros, saying that players ‘must respect the game and the place,’” according to CNN. The reason this generated so much backlash was due to the fact that the cat suit was worn for its functionality, and the French Tennis Federation had blatantly disrespected women’s right to decide what they wear, according to critics of the dress code. But it doesn’t stop there. During a heat break in a particularly warm match, French tennis player Alize Cornet quickly changed from her sweatsoaked shirt to another. Following this, she prepared to start playing when she was told her shirt was on backward. “She quickly removed her top, momentarily revealing a black-andred sports bra, to put it on correctly,” USA Today writes. She was then penalized. Although she later was given an apology, she “finds it disturbing that in 2018 a woman changing her top on court even garners attention,” according to USA Today. While women rarely change shirts on the court, USA Today reports that “men switch shirts all the time, usually during changeovers— often to catcalls from the crowd.”
The actions taken against these women are incredibly discriminatory. And it’s bad enough that officials like those in the French and US Opens are enforcing these rules, but it’s starting to leak into communities. Citizens, who shouldn’t get to decide if what athletes wear is too inappropriate or provocative, are giving their own input on what young women should and shouldn’t do. This goes beyond dress code and policing of teen’s bodies; it’s a matter of seemingly random residents of our very own Paso Robles over-sexualizing the clothes that athletes wear to beat the heat. Allow me to shed some light on the issue: boys are allowed to run in tiny shorts, and no shirts. This is common running attire. This practice continues on through WHILE WOMEN college and into professional RARELY CHANGE running. And I couldn’t name a CLOTHES ON single time that I’ve heard of boys being told to put their shirts on, that COURT DURING is, until the girls fought to be able to PROFESSIONAL run in sports bras. TENNIS MATCHES, The rule, for a short time, was that MEN SWITCH both boys and girls were allowed to run without shirts, and girls wore SHIRTS ALL THE sports bras. The only exception TIME, USUALLY was that when the team returned DURING from their six mile runs, they had CHANGEOVERS to put their shirts back on. This was — OFTEN TO standard between both the boys and girls teams, and while it was CATCALLS FROM an annoyance to both parties, most THE CROWD. people were content with the equal —USA TODAY treatment.
1according to the National Federation of State High School Association
Story continued on next page
OPINION |
the Agenda What’s so wrong with “that’s so gay?”
by Camden Tucker, Photography Director
W CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8: “It’s definitely fair that both groups have to [put their The community was fine with boys A TWO FINGER shirts back on], but I don’t like that we running shirtless with no regulations, WIDTH SPORTS BRA have to do it in general,” sophomore but insisted on giving the female REVEALS AS MUCH Jason Scruggs said. runners a dress code. Because of this, AS A SPAGHETTI That’s where the equality stops. After it became clear that over-sexualization several weeks of running in heat upwards was the issue. The concept that women STRAP SPORTS BRA of 95 degrees, the female runners on should cover up while men are allowed DOES. I FEEL THAT the team were suddenly all gathered more freedom is one that is deeply AS LONG AS THE and given a chat about modesty. This ingrained in our society. just happened to occur on a particularly SPORTS BRA COVERS This dilemma comes down to the bad day, with several disrespectful THE RUNNER’S CHEST root of why we are forced to cover up: community members (most often men) to hide our bodies from the prying THEN THE STRAP honking as we ran past in our sports bras eyes of men. The question is, why are WIDTH SHOULDN’T through the heat. shoulders considered so provocative “[I]t bothers me that we, the women, BE A PROBLEM. OUR that an extra inch of fabric is needed to SHOULDERS AREN’T have to be chastised for our clothes cover them? Why do girls need to ask when the ‘men’ are the ones exuding their coach for permission to run a cool PROVOCATIVE inappropriate behavior,” senior Jill down in a thin-strap sports bra after AT ALL. Schlickeiser said. a race in 95 degree valley weather? JASMINE RANGEL, 11 In our chat, it became apparent Why are grown women in professional that the citizens of our community sports being chastised for what they were concerned and requested that wear and being punished for what they we cover up. Subsequently, we were advised that we do, even if men do the same? must wear sports bras with straps at least two fingers These questions shouldn’t even have to be asked. in thickness. If we didn’t wear the correct sports bra, There should be equality between men and women in we were told we must keep our shirts on, no matter not only sports, but day-to-day life. We shouldn’t be overthe weather. One coach explained that because of the sexualizing young women and teaching them to cover community backlash, he felt that he needed to make a up, ignore their own comfort, and cater to the wishes of change to prevent the team from having to suffer worse others. consequences. By governing what athletes wear, male or female, just The athletes, however, found this outrageous. because they’re in the public eye, people are causing “I don’t feel that it’s necessary to make the straps athletes to suffer, because running in the heat with a two-finger width. A two-finger width sports bra reveals shirt on makes for a very uncomfortable run. And as as much as a spaghetti strap sports bra does. I feel that boys freely run shirtless, women have to deal with the as long as the sports bra covers the runner’s chest then discomfort of both the shirt on their backs and the the strap width shouldn’t be a problem. Our shoulders burdenous double standard itself. aren’t provocative at all,” junior Jasmine Rangel said.
hile walking through the campus on any given day, I’ll hear the word “gay” thrown around five or six times. Whether it’s a pop quiz, English essay, or math test, they all seem to be grouped under the same phrase: “That’s so gay.” Now, don’t get me wrong. I despise math homework and essays, but to call them “gay” creates a negative atmosphere for those of us within the LGBTQ+ community. Humans are cooperative animals; it’s coded into our DNA to want to be a part of the pack. Using language like this, however, can cause people who are LGBTQ+ or are questioning their sexuality to feel sidelined. These types of phrases, while commonly used and accepted in everyday speech, oftentimes result in minorities feeling threatened. Such words or phrases are called “microaggressions”, a phrase coined in 1970 by Chester M. Pierce to describe unconscious acts of discrimination against blacks by non-blacks. I was once told to “just brush it off” and not pay attention to it, but words aren’t something people can easily ignore, especially in the case of teens. Small microaggressions like these leave serious psychological impacts on adolescents. “LGBT youth are almost five times as likely to have attempted suicide compared to heterosexual youth,” as found by The Report of the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey. Peers who are closeted or out alike oftentimes feel uncomfortable or even unsafe around those who use such words, causing anxiety in many, which is harmful to a young adult’s developing brain. Trying to ask a person to stop using the word usually results in them explaining that “I’m not homophobic, I have gay friends” or some variation of that phrase. I think there is a truth to those statements; using “gay” to describe something you don’t like doesn’t make you automatically a homophobe. The use of these phrases becomes homophobic when you are aware of how it affects others, but choose to continue to use the word in a negative way. The primary struggle of trying to decrease microaggressions is that they’re subconscious. What we can do to change the environment of our schools, communities, and eventually our world is to think before we speak. It’s a common lesson we learn in preschool, but a vital one if we are to ever help alleviate the final stages of homosexual oppression that cling on to our generation.
10.26.18 Crimson Newsmagazine | OPINION 09
| PEOPLE
THE STORY BEHIND THE SOUND What’s really going on behind the scenes of the PRHS band By Tyler Seidel, Health Co-Editor
TOOTING THEIR HORNS: Part of the brass section of the band exerts their passion through their music at a home football game. The band can be seen at every home game despite limited funding preventing them from
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taking their show on the road.
lthough it may seem small, the PRHS band has more hard to maintain their musical talent. opportunity to show off their hard work. At the homecoming power than you would know. PRHS is filled with Advanced Dance might be seen doing impressively pep rally on Oct. 5, band was slated to play a song, but during many visual arts and theatrical performances. While choreographed routines, but band keeps the crowd riled up the rally, the leadership teacher Martha Clayton decided to many artists express themselves through their voice or paint throughout the whole game in their designated spot right pull their song because of time constraints. The band was brushes, these Bearcats have music as their creative outlet. next to the student section where blasts of trumpets, and the disappointed with the event and have now chosen to write The PRHS marching band pulls students beating of drums can be heard miles from letters to the leadership students asking why their part was to school events and attracts crowds with the stadium. the one to go. I HAD THE PLEASURE their 21 members, who are always visible at The band director, Kevin McDonald, is This has been a setback to the band members. “Even football games in their crimson shirts and OF DANCING admired by his students. “My favorite thing though we’re small, we have potential, and now, we don’t even classic band outfits. The marching band’s about band would probably be Mr. McDonald. get the chance to compete.” Samuel Zepeda said. Our very ALONGSIDE THEM purpose is to brighten up the experience AND THE EXPERIENCE He is hilarious,” sophomore Peter Kleinman own PRHS band takes pride in their efforts to keep pep levels of athletic events, pep rallies, and perform said. Kleinman is the baritone section leader high, entertain, amuse, and inspire Bearcats, even if setbacks WAS JOYFUL AND throughout the school day to raise school and an honors student. get in their way. FULL OF LOVE. spirit before the big game. “I find the band to This year the marching band has been , be really talented” Bearcat Sierra Laucella faced with SIERRA LAUCELLA, 11 said. “I had the pleasure of dancing a pressing alongside them and the experience was problem: joyful and full of love.” The 20 minute halftime show at PRHS budget cuts. Last year the home football games is filled with many performances, but band got to compete at four dancers, cheerleaders and the marching band team up often or five competitions along with to create a performance filled with smiling faces, dancing, a few local parades. This year, music, and a whole lot of Bearcats. PRHS band will not get to go On the outside, the band strives to look and sound to any competitions due to flawless. Hours of practice are required to make this the limited funding. In previous impeccable impression on the years, they were able to travel public eye. Outside of the class, with the football team to about musicians are required to half of the away games to practice 30 minutes every show off all of their hard work. night and spend two This year, the only away game hours in group practice they will get to perform at is each week after school. the final game against the During their class band, Atascadero Greyhounds. students learn new Band spends days working material and practice on their skills, hoping to make with their designated sure they master every aspect DANCING TO THE MUSIC: The PRHS band plays a song during the halftime show instruments. There’s no of a performance. With all this Peter Kleinman, 10 doubt that the band works time spent, they usually get the and dances to their music. After weeks of practice at school and on their own time the band finally gets to perform although their song got cut during the homecoming pep rally.
10 PEOPLE |
Crimson Newsmagazine 10.26.18
Photos by Cheyanne Holliday
CAPTURING THE MOMENT PEOPLE |
Junior Kade Carlson shares his passion of film through video edits by Brighton Garrett, Sports Co Editor
6:21
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Photo contributed by Kade Carlson
tanding on the sidelines of the football field watching his friends play in the PRHS Varsity from professional UFC fighter Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone). game, holding a video camera capturing the moment his buddy scores a touchdown for “He’s one of my best friends and to see where he started making skate clips of me and all the Bearcats is Junior Kade Carlson, a young videographer. Carlson quickly turns the of our friends when we were [younger] to shooting weddings professionally, it’s truly amazing,” focus of his camera to the players shouting into the lens to get another great shot. He smiles said Junior CJ Ontiveros. while checking his videos, making sure he got the clip in anticipation of the edit Carlson’s videos feature cinematic shots and smooth edits combining that will be coming. them all together. This style offers short movie-like videos that show lots of Carlson started filming and sharing his videos about a year and a half ago shots. They are different than vlogs and informational videos, giving them and has fallen in love with the process of filming and video creating. He was a fresh look.“I like the cinematic look. I’m a cinematographer [because] it inspired by influencers like Sam Kolder and Jacub Gomez and knew he makes me feel like I’m creating movies,” Carlson explained. wanted to create videos like them himself. His general video process starts after he gets inspiration from other “I started making videos because I wanted to be able to look back on my high videos such as surf films and old motocross movies, which “really just school days and when I was a younger teenager and see all the memories I makes me want to create them [myself] and do that sort of thing just in my made with my friends,” Carlson said. own style,” Carlson said. His friends are often the stars in his videos, which include football films, Creating a video can take Carlson anywhere from a couple hours to a few surfing days, and Mid-State Fair fun. Carlson recently also started filming weeks after he records his video clips. professionally for weddings and ads. Some of his recent advertisement videos “I film all day or whatever the subject is and then I use my editing software, include ones for Twisted and Glazed and Bravo Construction. SCAN THIS QR CODE Final Cut Pro. Next I just start off with beginning and go straight through “I personally like to create [videos for] action sports: surfing, motocross, [to] the end cutting, stabilizing, and color correcting everything,” Carlson TO VISIT KADE football videos, but also I do weddings and stuff,” explained Carlson. explained. CARLSON’S YOU Carlson has received a lot of support from his family, friends and peers. On Carlson has taken the role of an influencer by having an active feed and his recent video of a Friday Night Football game that he posted on Instagram, TUBE CHANNEL AND sharing his media throughout multiple outlets. He posts consistently on SEE HIS VIDEOS. Carlson had 3,700 views and over 100 positive comments. Instagram (@kadecarlsonn) with standard posts or on the new Instagram His stats on that local football post pale in comparison to some of his other TV. Carlson also shares his videos on his Youtube channel: Kade Carlson. projects, though. Carlson created a video for amateur motocross racer Ryder Difrancesco “I think [his videos] are awesome. I wish he would do more videos involving the school last Feb.; the video, when posted on Difrancesco’s Instagram page, garnered 31,000 views and because I think he’s very talented and it’s a good way to show how fun our school is,” Junior nearly 5,000 likes from the racer’s 100k-follower audience (including a supportive comment Carra Ford said.
10.26.18 Crimson Newsmagazine | PEOPLE 11
| BLIND DATE
A corny date Fall fanatics search for love at the pumpkin patch by Madi Loff, Blind Date Editor
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n October 8th, seniors Justine Phillips and Shane McGuffin started off the season right on a fun, fall themed date. Phillips arrived early, excited, and full of anticipation. As she waited to enter the corn maze, she spotted a familiar car pulling into the parking lot of River K Pumpkin Patch and immediately knew who it was. She rushed into the maze ahead of McGuffin, in order to hide from him as they sent texts to get to know each other better. After changing her contact in his phone to further the mystery, McGuffin was sent into the maze after Phillips with the task of finding her as they texted. He asked her questions in order to get to know his mystery date. Immediately after entering the maze Phillips had to stifle her laugh. “[My laugh is] gonna give it away!” Phillips said. It became apparent that she would have to change some habits so McGuffin wouldn’t guess who she was right away. This continued throughout his questioning as she wondered if she should change things like her favorite color and spirit animal in order to keep him guessing. As she wound through the maze, she could hear his voice and tried her best to stay quiet. On the other side of the cell phone, McGuffin was clueless to the fact that he already knew his date. “I have no idea who it would be,” McGuffin said. JUSTINE PHILLIPS, 12 Phillips continued to work her way through the maze until she heard McGuffin. She rounded the corner and McGuffin laughed in surprise. Soon both were sent into a fit of giggles as Phillips explained she already knew who he was when she saw his car arrive. They continued through the maze together before realizing they found each other close by the exit. After leaving the maze, they talked about how invested in fall they were. “I am very fall, I am Pinterest fall,” Phillips said before going on a rant about popular fall drinks. “I like everything that happens in fall,” McGuffin said, proving that the couple was perfect for this fall-themed date. Following this, the eager fall enthusiasts learned their next challenge. Phillips and McGuffin had two minutes to find a bigger pumpkin than the other. “I am so competitive; let’s go,” Phillips said as she began scanning the seemingly endless
I THINK IT’S SO FUNNY THAT I KNOW WHO HE IS AND HE HAS LITERALLY NO IDEA
FUNNY COUPLE : McGuffin (left) and Phillips (right) laugh after finding each other in the corn maze. They continued the laughs throughout the date. field of pumpkins. With the timer set, they split off and worked to find the biggest pumpkin. Phillips made her decision quickly, with a minute to spare, while McGuffin scrambled Photos by Camden Tucker until the last 30 seconds to find his pumpkin. “This is large; tell me this isn’t huge,” Phillips said about her pumpkin. Using McGuffin as a scale to figure out who won, it became apparent that Phillips’ quick choice would be the winner. She laughed in triumph, and McGuffin humbly accepted his pumpkin-finding loss. “I know [my pumpkin] was pretty big, but that one is also very large,” McGuffin admitted. After leaving their pumpkins they went towards the entrance to take some photos and noticed a group of wagons outside. Phillips climbed into one and McGuffin pulled her along, despite Phillips’ initial worry of whether it was allowed. “You’re hard at work,” Phillips said as she sat in the wagon. “I’m always hard at work,” McGuffin teased back. Shortly after, staff at the patch told them the wagons were, in fact, only for pumpkins and not people. Phillips laughed and said that she knew it, and they returned the cart to where it belonged. They finished off the date with some more photos and then sat down for their final interviews on how they felt the date went. What were your initial expectations when you were asked to go on a blind date? Phillips: “I was really scared. My expectations, I was thinking, it’s gonna be a cool experience, you know, get to talk to someone like, one-on-one… I thought it was gonna be someone that I don’t know, but it is someone I know.” McGuffin: “I was nervous a little bit, for sure. But mostly, I was excited because I love the pumpkin patch! So I thought that no matter who my date was, I was going to have a fun time, and that I did!” What was your favorite part about tonight’s blind date?
SMILE FOR THE CAMERA : The couple poses for some polaroid photos to commemorate the date. They were happy to capture the memories on film.
12 BLIND DATE | Crimson Newsmagazine 10.26.18
P: “I think my favorite part was finding each other because it was really hilarious because he didn’t know that it was me. And it was a surprise.”
M: “I think it was the very beginning of like the whole surprise, like I had absolutely no idea who it was so I think I really like that ‘wow’ moment.” Would you go on another date? P: “I think Shane and I go on dates all the time, just like in groups. So, sure!” M: “Me and Justine, like, we’re pretty good friends and everything, but I absolutely [would]. This was a really fun time so I really enjoyed it.”
HEALTH |
THE GENERATION THAT ENDED
KEPT SMOKING
Smoking makes its comeback with Gen Z in the form of vaping by Sarah Jagger, EIC
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t’s no surprise to hear that vaping is ingrained in the culture of Gen Z. This trend started drive. An innocent appearance makes it easier for teens to hide the truth of the habit from off as an appeal of eccentric flavors offered in the form of “vape juice” that teens teachers, parents, adults, and themselves. Though they may not look as harmful as the socould smoke, supposedly without the risk of addiction. Fast forward a couple years stigmatized orange and white cigarette, they’re still e-cigarettes. later, though, and vaping is proving to have plenty of health risks, including the presence of With flavors such as cotton candy, cherry, and crème brûlée, people have observed that nicotine -- a highly addictive substance found in certain flavors of vape. As a result, companies may be intentionally marketing their product to a younger crowd -- and teens as young as 13 are developing addictions to vaping. it’s working. Like with early smoking companies, the appeal of vape products is “I have always thought smoking looked cool. Even though addiction plagued promoting a mass of young people to turn to an unhealthy habit. some of my family and it nearly took my grandma from me, I couldn’t shake “When people vape together they are putting their mouths on the same that I was drawn to it,” said an unnamed PRHS vaper, one of the many teens item, inhaling vapor to the bottom of their lungs. I suspect there are very who has turned to the habit. few ways to spread illness better,” said Student Resources Officer Joe Vaping companies, such as Juul, have run into legal trouble as a result Leonard, who believes that the popularity of vaping among teens may of this trend. Despite vaping tools only being legally available to those age spawn from boredom. 18 and up, a simple search on Ebay brings up plenty of products available Every Juul Pod contains about the same amount of nicotine as a to anyone 13 and up. Because of this, the “vaping epidemic” has spread whole pack of cigarettes. Because vaping has been so popularized, the wildly. negative stigma of cigarettes far outweighs that of vaping, despite similar Juul is now facing multiple lawsuits as a result of their marketing tactic. In health hazards. Additionally, there exists a habit among teens of sharing April of 2018, Bradley Colgate of La Jolla and Kaytlin McKnight of Arroyo Grande vapes with others, which could spread illness. Joe Leonard filed a lawsuit against the company on account of addiction to the product. Despite “Be very careful about putting anything foreign in your body. Period. Do not share turning to vaping to curb a nicotine addiction from cigarettes, Colgate claims he is now a vape with someone else. Every year, numerous inmates in county jails get TB from sharing facing an increase in consumption of nicotine. cigarettes. It can probably be spread just as easily if not easier by sharing vapes. Protect E-cigarettes, such as Juuls, are easy to conceal, mimicking the appearance of a USB flash yourself and your family from illness,” Leonard warned.
THE SKY IS FALLING Shedding light on teenage anxiety and how to address it by Tyler Dunn, Review Editor
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here is a feeling of being crushed internally that never concentrating, being easily irritable, and strong feelings of seems to go away. No matter how hard you try, the worry. unhinged sensation of stress or worry is inescapable. These feelings take over your body. It makes it extremely Anxiety is attributed to that. Teenagers are very often subject hard to do anything else but try and escape from its intensity, to it, without even knowing they have symptoms of a creating an inability to function at times. One Paso serious mental disorder. According to the Anxiety High student describes their anxiety as “every and Depression Association of America (ADAA), single emotion just falling on you, then “Anxiety disorders are the most common and [feeling a] sudden immense pain come from pervasive mental disorders in the United nowhere.” States.” In fact, the ADAA has determined that Experiencing certain feelings of anxiety 25.1 percent of children from the ages 13 to 18 is completely natural, however. Guidance are affected by anxiety disorders. Counselor Specialist Jennifer Clayton An array of possible origins can be the notes, “We should feel anxiety when were cause of anxiety in teens. Mayo Clinic, a in a stressful situation; it’s how we manage nonprofit organization committed to clinical it, and when it becomes out of control or research suggests the factors that influence the [when] we’re not able to control it, then it development of this problem are trauma, stress becomes a concern.” Jennifer Clayton buildup, personality type, other mental health disorders, The monster that is mental illness can be genetics, and even substance abuse. devastating, but it can be treated. Being able to recognize Adolescent anxiety is defined by its symptoms. The National when your anxiety is too much for you to handle and seeking Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) describes its symptoms the right help when it is necessary is not only beneficial, it can as anything from restlessness, frequent fatigue, difficulty also save your life.
10.26.18 Crimson Newsmagazine | HEALTH 13
| POLI SCI
Supremely Important Why the American public should care about the Supreme Court confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh by Ian Grace, Health Co-Editor
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hen Anthony Kennedy retired from the Supreme Court of the age of country as a whole. But on a social level, it’s very significant because it is continuing 82, he opened a position for the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, a 52 this dialogue and really highlighting the difficulty in due process when year old D.C. native whose past has been sullied by claims of sexual someone alleges something, and what is required in the court of assault. Kennedy, a moderate conservative, often ruled with liberals on cases public opinion convict someone,” Dobroth said. The confirmation is concerning LGBTQ+ and women’s rights, as well as on affirmative action; the shift to a culmination of many social and political struggles in American Kavanaugh, though – who is a strong conservative – will reflect in the Supreme government. “If these allegations were made about someone Court’s future rulings. The significance of Kavanaugh’s approval who was running for school board, not the Supreme is amplified by the lifetime appointment system in the Court, even then I think people should tap the brakes Supreme Court along with the Republican-leaning and they should engage in an inquiry that provides “IF THESE ALLEGATIONS Eric Dobroth majority of justices that occupy the position since due process not only for the complainant but also for WERE MADE ABOUT Kavanaugh approval. There are nine members of the accused, ” Dobroth said when asked whether he thought that SOMEONE WHO WAS the Supreme Court who preside over the nations an inquiry was necessary. The brief inquiry made by the FBI before most controversial and important cases. In the approving Kavanaugh did not question Dr. Ford or Kavanaugh himself. RUNNING FOR SCHOOL past, the Supreme Court was involved in civil rights It was, however, enough to get Kavanaugh confirmed. BOARD, NOT THE cases and played a crucial role in desegregation; The trend of male public figures and politicians being publicly SUPREME COURT, EVEN Judge Brett today, the more pressing issues that the Supreme criticized for their past actions has continued since the start of the THEN I THINK PEOPLE Kavanagh Court could rule on are ones such as Roe v. Wade and #MeToo movement. Celebrities in the spotlight, including Bill Cosby, who SHOULD TAP THE BRAKES recently was sentenced to prison for up to 10 years for his crimes, have other laws surrounding abortion. Before his approval, Kavanaugh had to undergo intense exposed a trend amongst men in positions of power of sexual assault AND THEY SHOULD scrutiny from members of the Senate in relation to sexual assault and rapist tendencies. The #MeToo movement highlighted this in 2016 ENGAGE IN AN INQUIRY allegations levied against him just after his nomination. Kavanaugh and the repercussions can be felt now in the Kavanaugh case. While THAT PROVIDES DUE took part in a Senate hearing where he adamantly denied the claims Kavanaugh was not in a position of power like Weinstein, he allegedly PROCESS NOT ONLY FOR engaged in appalling sexual acts. The issue lies in deciding whether to of his accuser Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who also appeared to read her testimony for the Senate. Two other women have come forward accusing believe the allegations, while still affording the defendant their rights THE COMPLAINANT BUT Kavanaugh of sexual assault, Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick, ALSO FOR THE ACCUSED.” and keeping in line beyond a reasonable doubt. The confirmation who both claimed that Kavanaugh had displayed inappropriate sexual of Kavanaugh was a clear sign to the accused that circumstantial ‑ERIC DOBROTH tendances at parties in his college years. Kavanaugh and his friends evidence is not enough. who were also mentioned by the accused denied these claims. Despite the accusations, a verdict was reached by the Senate to San Luis Obispo County Prosecutor of 13 years Eric Dobroth approve Kavanaugh in a close 50 yea to 48 nay vote. Kavanaugh was weighed in on the situation. “The effects could be pretty profound, sworn in quietly on October 7th, and his influence in the Supreme they could deal with everything such as politically Court will help determine the future of American heated issues like abortion and issues that policy. Kavanaugh’s seat marks another deal with commerce which could affect Republican victory in the Capitol, who the cost of goods and services,” Dobroth now have majority in the Senate, House, said about the Supreme Court’s impact on and Supreme Court, as well as holding citizens lives. The social aspect of the case the presidency. Big issues will be decided also caught his attention, as the high stakes by the Supreme Court such as Roe v. Wade, hearing was more of “a job interview” than a Affirmative Action, and LGBTQ+ rights, which trial by jury. “I think it’s significant because of have life changing implications in America’s the stakes, a Supreme Court justice swing economy and social structure, which will be vote could have profound impact on the decided in the near future.
14 POLI SCI | Crimson Newsmagazine 10.26.18
| POLI SCI
RUSSIAN MEDDLING IN U.S. POLITICS How Robert Mueller’s investigation into President Trump’s presidential campaign has remained relevant By Declan Higgins, Copy Editor, and Alayna Hernandez, World Editor
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he pending investigation of Russian tampering with the 2016 U.S. presidential election has been confirmed by four government intelligence agencies: the CIA, FBI, NSA, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, an umbrella agency. Yet 40 percent of Americans question Russian hacking, according to polling conducted by Ipsos in July 2018 of roughly 1,000 American adults. However, President Trump has, on multiple occasions, denounced the idea that Russia interfered in the U.S. presidential election in any way. In May 2017, when interviewed by Lester Holt of NBC, Trump said, “This thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story. …It’s an excuse by the
Democrats for having lost an election that they should’ve won.” In September of that year, he tweeted, “The RussiaTrump story is a total hoax, when will this taxpayer funded charade end?” The investigation into the members of Trump’s presidential campaign began in July 2016, when it was revealed that George Papadopoulos, a foreign policy advisor to the Trump campaign, revealed to Australian diplomat Alexander Downer that Moscow may have had damaging information on then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. When leaked Democratic emails started to pop up online, Downer contacted U.S. officials, causing the investigation to officially begin. In July 2018, roughly five months after Special Counsel Robert Mueller accused thirteen Russian individuals for interfering with the U.S. political systems, Mueller filed an indictment against 12 Russian intelligence officers. These officers were charged with crimes of high-profile hacking and releasing Democratic emails in an effort to interfere with the 2016 election. Russian hackers targeted Clinton’s campaign through a series of steps: first, they sent Clinton staffers phishing emails to access their accounts, stole the emails and information, and then informed Trump associates and Wikileaks on when to release the leaks to damage Clinton’s presidential campaign the most. This information was laid out by Vox in a series of graphics contained within an article headlined, “How Russian hackers stole information from Democrats, in 3 simple diagrams.” “It strains the imagination to think that the Russians could not or would not have information on Donald Trump.
Yet all we’re seeing through this weaponizing of WikiLeaks is information that’s designed to hurt Clinton’s campaign,” Clinton spokesman Glen Caplin said. Recently, two key figures in the investigation have been newsworthy for their involvement in the Russian inquiry. First of the two is Paul Manafort, President Trump’s campaign manager from May to August 2016. On Aug. 21, Manafort was convicted on eight counts of financial fraud in Mueller’s federal investigation, and has now made a plea deal with Mueller to avoid a second trial in Washington, D.C. The second figure is Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, who pled guilty to campaign finance fraud. He alleges that Trump ordered him to pay off women who had accused the to-be president of sexual misconduct. Cohen himself described himself as a “fixer” for Trump and that he paid off two women “at the direction of the candidate” and “in order to influence the election”- for a total of $280,000. Both of these arrests are significant to Mueller and his special counsel’s investigation, although this would be in two different ways. In terms of Cohen’s guilty plea, Mueller is still permitted to testify before Washington’s grand jury about the investigation. Considering that Cohen has been often considered a key figure in the probe, he could have information paramount to the investigators. Meanwhile, Manafort’s conviction has, according to the New York Times, given the team tangible evidence to support their decision to attempt to prosecute Manafort. As Mueller was directed to investigate Moscow’s interference with the U.S. presidential election, this conviction serves as a landmark in the case.
What do students know about the Russian Investigation?
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16 POLI SCI | Crimson Newsmagazine 10.26.18
RHS appears unaware of the ongoing drama in Washington. Two out of three students reported that they did not know about the White House turmoil considering this issue, following a informal 30-student survey Oct. 17, 2018. Students were also polled on whether they’d heard of several Trump associates, such as Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen. 20 percent responded that they had for Manafort. However, the president’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, seemed to have more name recognition among the students polled: the results were a 50-50 split. Unsurprisingly, over ninety five percent reported being somewhat or not active in U.S. politics. Supporting this, no student responded higher than a 3 out of 5 on a scale
of how engaged they were with the news- 1 representing a student completely avoiding news, 3 standing for one who reads or watches the news once or twice a day, and 5 meaning a student who goes out of their way to consume news several times a day. Throughout this investigation, Americans have expressed split opinions on the numerous factors of the process, often divided on party lines. The tumult that the scrutiny of President Trump’s campaign has caused over the last two years has created discord- but it may reveal truths and falsehoods that both political sides have espoused.
IN DEPTH |
MODERN IDENTITY
How we view ourselves and the world around us
A
post 9/11 world, unbridled access to new technology, a new millennium, and a longing for an untraditional and dynamic life have done all but lay idle in shaping the culture of the now within the past two decades. As each component has taken shape, they have in turn shaped collective and individual identities of the modern day. Like any large group of people, the current day youth holds broad diversity in race, religion, political standpoint, and personal beliefs; however, this tends to be clouded by general assumptions about generations as their whole. “They’re brash, they’re narcissistic, they’re entitled. Or so the cliché goes,” Alex Williams of the New York Times explained of Gen Z, which makes up the majority of college and high school populations of the present. Despite confusions of what defines modern identifications, 45.9% of students surveyed reported to hold a clear concept of what their own identity can be defined as. With the majority claiming activities, music, friends, ethnicity, or sexual orientation formed their character, it can be assumed that fitting into
some category largely satisfies the criteria for feeling confident in one’s sense of self. “I feel like we all want to belong somewhere, but what comes first is knowing who you are,” senior Oscar Gutierrez said. Alongside accepting oneself into a certain category (or deliberately refraining to do so) comes tolerance of other identities in terms of religion, sexuality, and social activities. 58.9% of students reported to feel entirely tolerant of students with different identities in their sexuality, 54.5% reported to be entirely tolerant towards different beliefs, and 52% reported to be entirely tolerant in terms of differing social activities. “I think that in our present day lives, our generation is much more inclined and susceptible to creating space to understand and accept differences among us,” Gutierrez explained. With open minds, today’s youth have created a climate of acceptance of the new and the non-traditional, defining the current era as one driven by unity highlighted by vast diversities. by Jessica Jagger, EIC
THIS IS US - COVER FLIP BACK (left to right) : Tristan Zamora, Brock Williams , Haylee Wescom, Oscar Gutierrez, Lily Ortiz, Robert Snipes, Emily Oetting, Bricen Chitty, Sarah Chung and Collin Lomelino drew themselves as stick figures with a description of who they are. Their sketches can be found on the front cover of this issue.
Photos by Camden Tucker aqnd Cheyanne Holliday
10.26.18 Crimson Newsmagazine | IN DEPTH 17
| IN DEPTH
IN DEPTH |
CULTIVATING
CULTURE
Sophomores were assigned a mid-October English essay: “What is your cultural identity?”
OFF FAI H ON
Hannah Chambers
“What is your cultural identity?” When we were asked this, I thought of race and nationality. but it is so much more than that. I am both African-American and Hispanic with a family of only two volumes: loud and louder. When it comes to my cultural identity, it means my cultures’ food, setting, and which side of my family I am most exposed to.
Raúl Rendon
Today’s teens change views on religion built up by prior generations
Culture is a way for us to know how diverse we humans are. Without it, life would be boring. You know how there are sub-species or different breeds for dogs and horses? It would be pretty mundane if we didn’t have those as well. Thankfully, we do. However, it is scary how we die or are forgotten. You should all appreciate all the cultural aspects of your culture. Make sure to not let the food your mom makes, that recipe, to be forgotten, or how my grandfather was a carpenter and died too soon, before he could teach my dad, his eldest son. So keep on spreading the culture. I will spread my Mexican heritage to my sons and daughters. Do not forget.
by Anya Veach, People CoEditor and Cheyanne Holliday, Photographer
T
oday’s teens are breaking the stigma in many aspects to express myself as fully as other people,” she said. of society; but when it comes to religion, many people “As of right now, I don’t practice being a Catholic.” still think of it as a touchy subject. However, Generation Z Unlike Holland, however, exactly 50 percent of Bearcats is forming a mind of its own, with 34 percent of teens between surveyed still identify with the same religion they were raised with. the ages of 13 and 18 identifying as atheistic, agnostic, or not Senior Mandy Snowbarger finds that the Christian beliefs that identifying with any sort of religious standpoint, according to a she was raised with are the only ones that she would want to follow. study done by Barna in 2018. In addition, a survey conducted on “Since it’s something I’ve grown up with, it’s been the norm,” Oct. 11, 2018 found that 41.8 percent of Bearcats did not identify she said. “But I’ve gone through some illnesses that have been with a religion. The number of non-religious teens h a s really hard, so just seeing the outcomes and what God has done nearly doubled when compared to prior in my life has just made me believe more generations, from 20 percent in Elders to 35 and believe in what he has done for me.” [GOING TO A percent in Generation Z. Teens are thinking more After battling leukemia all through CATHOLIC SCHOOL] heavily about religion personally, questioning 2016, Snowbarger has become devoted WAS KIND OF A the beliefs of generations before them and to her Christian faith, but her motives NEGATIVE THING do not always stem from convention. how they affect the personal values influenced by today’s society. According to Barna, this “I didn’t accept Christ into my heart FOR ME BECAUSE I is most likely due to certain political issues, until I was about 8. Since I’d grown up FELT LIKE I DIDN’T namely LGBTQ+ rights and immigration policies. in [Christianity], I’d been exposed to it, HAVE THE FREE“We grew up more so in the social media but I wanted to make it my own choice.” DOM TO EXPRESS era, and I feel like a lot of past generations Snowbarger had found that rather than MYSELF AS FULLY sticking with her faith out of tradition and just believed what their parents said,” sophomore Trinity Holland commented, AS OTHER PEOPLE. convention, her need to be her own person was a former student at St. Rose. “We have a lot far more important. Despite dealing with a great TRINITY HOLLAND, 10 more outlets to look at other possibilities and hindrance in her life, Snowbarger does not let it not just the one we were brought up with.” define her. Though many around campus know Holland finds that, despite growing up in a Catholic her story of strife, she identifies herself as more than her illness. household and a Catholic school, she herself does “Not being afraid of what you believe is really powerful,” she not agree with many of the views preached to her. added, advising others to be firm in their own identity. “I want “[Going to a Catholic school] was kind of a negative to encourage others who believe in something to not let the thing for me because I felt like I didn’t have the freedom opinions of other people affect how much you believe in it.”
18 IN DEPTH | Crimson Newsmagazine 10.26.18
Anessa Palomino
My family is such a big part of me, and it is something I value a ton. Without my family, finding my culture would be very hard. I have parents that aren’t the typical, but I would not change a single thing about them. They introduced me to music and cooked me the food. When I say they play a role in my culture, I mean a big role. My parents taught me almost everything I know, such as being respectful, not giving up, and not letting anyone push you around. I am grateful to have them to build me to the person I am today.
Modern
IDENTITY Teens are displaying their identities in new ways and changing how they view themselves and the world around them
Photos by Holliday, Seidel, and DiMatteo Graphics by Loff and Wulfing
What forms your identity? ACTIVITIES
73.0
PERCENT
MUSIC
73.8
PERCENT
FRIENDS
88.1
PERCENT
ETHNICITY
34.0
PERCENT
FAITH/RELIGION
33.6
PERCENT
SEXUAL ORIENTATION
30.3
PERCENT
54.9
PERCENT
SPORTS
All data was retrieved from a random survey of 244 Bearcats on Oct. 11.
Crimson Newsmagazine 10.26.18 | IN DEPTH 19
| IN DEPTH
MORE THAN CHROMOSOMES
How the concept of gender has changed in the hands of modern generations by Alayna Hernandez, World Editor, and Estey Boling, Sci Tech Editor
G
SPECTRUM 72.8 23.4
STORY CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
20 IN DEPTH | Crimson Newsmagazine 10.26.18
Vie w
WHO AM I? (above) : Sophomore Hayley Fuller reflects on what makes them who they are. They spent time figuring out what fit them best, since they didn’t identify with traditional markers of gender identity.
identity as a s pe der n ge
37.7
PERCENT
62.3
or a binary um ctr
ender is a deeply personal aspect of who we are and that’s just my personal opinion,” freshman Ella Mitchell how we represent ourselves to the world. It is a part said, who feels that gender is a personal decision on of our identities separate from sex or sexuality, which presentation based off of preference. “[Gender] represent experiences and our innermost definitions of obviously relates to what you like or what you ourselves. Gender identities have always been a complex and wear and stuff like that. That’s just how society dynamic concept of human history, discussed in spiritualism is, and I feel like it’s also kind of confirmative. and societal belief. There are countries all over the world that You have to conform to your gender. Gender celebrate multiple genders outside of the male and female is a very strange concept and it’s hard binary, like Thailand (kathoey) , Mexico (muxe), and Samoan to understand it. I feel like gender is (fa’afafafine). But in Western culture, gender is widely known something you can choose, but it’s as a binary, a small F or M printed on a birth certificate, or a not really choosing, it’s how you label for children’s clothes, and even the two colors pink and feel about yourself. It’s more of a blue; these concepts have advertised what people can do, feeling rather than genetics.” how they dress, and how they should act in society. Gender is a unique experience. Despite efforts to define gender as binary markers Universally, each Bearcat has a in Western society, language and self descriptors have definition. But the definition of changed and are still rapidly changing to fit a gradient of gender is ambiguous, depending on expression between masculinity and femininity, making individual experiences. Hayley Fuller, modern generations not only some of the most ambiguous a sophomore, questioned their identity and propitious generations, but the queerest. In a 2014 survey during sixth grade when they examined of 10,000 LGBT youth from the Human Rights Campaign, 10 traditional clothing standards. percent of those responded “I first started like, wait a said they fall in the “gender second, I don’t like wearing all these skirts expansive category”-IT’S ONE QUESTION THAT WE and dresses, these aren’t comfy. And then one third identified as I kind of went to basketball shorts and ALWAYS ASK OURSELVES: transgender and two baggy T-shirts, and then I was just....what thirds wrote their own am I?” Fuller stated about their experience. WHAT AM I, BECAUSE IN terms for their place on the Traditionally, gender is assumed at birth. THIS SOCIETY WE HAVE TO Fuller spectrum. In a more recent found that traditional markers of BE SOMETHING, OTHERWISE gender identity did not suit how t h e y survey of Generation Z, according to the Public felt, leading them on a journey WE’RE THE ODD ONE OUT. Religion Research Institute to identify and define their nonHAYLEY FULLER, 10 (PRRI), about 25 percent binary identity. of of young men reported “It’s one question that we always they identify themselves as being more mixed in terms ask ourselves: what am I, because in this society we of masculinity and femininity. Additionally, about 40% of have to be something, otherwise we’re the odd young women reported they identified as mixed in terms of one out,” Fuller said, who would experiment with masculinity and femininity. labels and presentation before figuring out their However, at PRHS, the concept of gender is grounded in identity. “So, I was trying to figure out what am I, and I was just the pre-existing binary. In a survey of 244 PRHS students, laying in bed one night...at first I thought I was transgender. I over 62 percent of students responded that they viewed was like, being a guy sounds more like me than being a girl. gender as a binary. Only about 38 percent of students viewed But neither of them fit. ...And I didn’t even know non-binary gender as a spectrum, 23.4 percent of these students being existed at the time.” male and 72.8 percent being female. Of those surveyed, Although descriptors are approximately 2% of those surveyed identified other than developing for identity as male or female, choosing the “other” category. On top of that, society’s concepts of gender are PERCENT PERCENT 31.69% of students who identified with a religion also said that broadening, mainstream media of these of these they see gender as a spectrum. particularly lacks narrative identify as identify as “I personally believe there are two genders. There are two representation of the gender female male sex chromosomes and two ways to mix them. That being spectrum. Children often learn said, XX (female) and XY (male), are the only gender options, in stereotypes of feminine and my opinion; that makes gender binary,” junior Kaia Diedrich masculine gender roles from examples of media, according said, who has always agreed with her assigned gender. to the CNN article “What media teach kids about gender can “I honestly feel like there are two genders, mainly, but I have lasting effects, report says.” Questioning outside of the don’t want to disregard anyone with how they feel. But also, binary takes time, self-knowledge, and research.
PERCENT
BINARY 52.6 PERCENT 46.7 PERCENT
of these of these identify as identify as male female Photos by Cheyanne Holliday Graphics by Madi Loff and Ysabel Wulfing
STORY CONTINUED IT’S ONE QUESTION THAT WE ALWAYS ASK OURSELVES: WHAT AM I, BECAUSE IN THIS SOCIETY WE HAVE TO BE SOMETHING. OTHERWISE, WE’RE THE ODD ONE OUT. HAYLEY FULLER, 10
IN DEPTH | “At first, it was very confusing,” Fuller said. “You actually think about it...a lot of kids, they don’t think about what their gender is, they’re just like, ‘oh, my parents told me this is my gender, so this is what I am.’ But I was like, I don’t feel like a girl. It doesn’t feel right”. Throughout questioning their identity, Fuller found that gender is taught as a singular and definite concept, resulting in the lack of conversation of gender. “And then I realized I don’t believe I have any gender, because I don’t fit into either one,” Fuller said, adding on: “I just was like, non-binary is a really better option than feeling stuck
in a gender that you’re told, because I believe that a lot of kids are just stuck with what they think they have to be.” The concept of gender is a construct of society, which people inadvertently adopt at birth. But gender has evolved into more than a physical role and descriptor; it is a personal means of identity, a multilayered lens of expression and self-perception. In some cases, tradition is what people definitively identify with. For others, the preference between femininity and masculinity varies deeply, and this variation is expressed through pronoun preference, personal fashion, and tradition.
MEDIA MINDED YOUTH How growing up with social media and technology has affected the identity of teens in this era by Declan Higgins, Copy Editor
G
en Z is the first generation that has gone through childhood with access to the modern Internet, as well as cell phones and modern laptops. However, there’s more than just a letter that differentiates this generation from the two others before it. Teenagers in this generation are exceedingly likely to own a mobile phone, according to a 2018 survey conducted by Pew Research Center. The results indicate that 95 percent of teens have access to smartphones, compared to the 92 percent of adults who do. This number is up by a fifth from 2010, when 75 percent of teenagers owned a cell phone. Statistically, technology is deeply ingrained in modern culture. Of 244 students surveyed, about 63 percent reported using a form a social media several times per day, say while around 24 percent is of respondents used of their identity it less and the rest reported avoiding it altogether. Meanwhile, students were divided on whether social media re f l e c te d their identity. Thirty-eight percent said that it did and 30 percent said it did not, while nearly 32 percent responded that they were unsure. Social media is a notable part of teenagers’ tech usage and identity. Pew Research, in a March 2018 study, found that 72 percent of teenagers were users of Instagram, 69 percent used Snapchat, 51 percent used Facebook, and 32 percent used Twitter, out of 1,058 surveyed. In a broader view, 97 percent of them used at least one social platform. “I post a lot of things that make me happy or stuff that I’ll laugh at,” sophomore Tristan Zamora said, who is one of many teens who use social media regularly. Not all social media users have a glowing image of how it portrays one’s identity. sophomore Sophia
38.3
PERCENT social media
a reflection
Hammond sees the negative aspect of the trend. “Social media, while it connects you to your friends... it disconnects you [from] them completely because a lot of teens, nowadays, don’t know how to express their feelings.. It’s fun for a minute — until you think about it,” Hammond said, opposing the popular view of social media. In addition to a negative view of the impact of social media, some teens stand apart from the status quo in indifference to the concept. Freshman Bricen Chitty said, “I do not use any social media whatsoever. …I feel that doing the stuff that I do [is enough]. Whether that’s school or trying to get better at IT [information technology],. I find that we are our greatest critics % to ourselves, 30.0% and I feel that not using social % media actually helps me improve more than if I were to use social media and put myself out there.” Although some argue that social media gives them ways to better connect with their peers, there are those who would prefer not to use this platform of communication, arguing that not imbuing their identity into technology is best for them. Either way, there is no denying it; the rise of technology and social media is impacting the modern identity, for better or for worse.
NO
31.7 NOT Sure
38.3
YES
Collin Lomelino (above)
Infographic by Ysabel Wulfing Graphics by Madi Loff Photos by Cheyanne Holliday
10.26.18 Crimson Newsmagazine | INDEPTH 21
| REVIEWS
HALLOWEEN EDITION DEJA VU (above) : Laurie sees
into her brother for the first time in fifteen years, after he escaped from a mental hospital.
Frightening (above) : Two camp councilors (Kevin
Bacon) (Jeannine Taylor) notice a terror in the distance.
FRIDAY THE 13TH
DECADES OF
the shelf this year
Halloween continues to give nightmares for decades
by Lottie Abascal, World Editor
by Catalina Magnuson, PR Director
DISAPPOINTS Horror classic better left on T
wenty nine years ago, Friday the 13th was released by director Sean S. Cunningham – sparking a legacy of countless reboots and sequels, unrated versions, and directors cuts which nobody asked for. The film is a Halloween classic known for creating modern horror movie cliches: cheesy acting, high pitched screams, and gore that more closely resembles ketchup. A total of 11 movies make up the franchise with the original 1980 film starting off with a $700,000 budget and pulling $59.8 million in the box office. Known as a Halloween movie marathon staple, the movie fails to live up to the nostalgiadriven hype. The movie opens to a young camp counselor eagerly hitchhiking to get to Camp Crystal Lake, or more commonly known as Camp Blood to locals. After she is gruesomely shanked after hitching the wrong ride, we are soon acquainted to the other camp counselors. Forgettable characters like Alice (Adrienne King), Jack (Kevin Bacon), and Bill (Harry Crosby) make the predictably wrong decisions of people starring in a horror movie:
entering creepy rooms with their guard down when a killer in on the loose, naively making out while their friends get hacked to death by Jason Vorhees, and walking around outside in their underwear on a dark and stormy night. One of the saving graces of this movie is the hilarious ways the writer Victor Miller and special effects makeup artist Tom Savini decided to kill their wayward, immature characters. From an axe to the face to being impaled through the trachea from under a bed, these camp counselors could not catch a break. Personally, the gore produced more laughs than gasps or screams.. Overall, this movie was disappointing. If one is hoping for a good spook rather than a slight discomfort with gratuitous (and frankly unnecessary) sex scenes and unrealistic blood, skip Friday the 13th this time around. Crimson Score:
2/5
Online Reviews:
6.5/10
22 REVIEWS | Crimson Newsmagazine 10.26.18
61%
THRILLS
W
hen seeing the psychotic Haddonfield was in for a rude awakening. nature of Mike Myers in John While this movie is old, therefore Carpenter’s Halloween, chills making the effects look cheesy and the rush down the audience’s spines. It overall video quality poor, I would highly is a horror classic that has caused recommend Halloween to audience nightmares for decades. looking for good scare. Halloween set the Carpenter uses a stage for modern contrast of the two HALLOWEEN SET horror films and main characters: Laurie THE STAGE FOR influenced the making Strode (Jamie Lee MODERN of multiple iconic Curtis) as being a happy, characters, including optimistic teenager and HORROR FILMS Jason Voorhees (Friday AND INFLUENCED Michael Myers (Tony the 13th) and Charlie as a psychotic THE MAKING OF Moran) Puckett (The Night sight of pure evil. The MULTIPLE ICONIC contrast between the Brings Charlie). The CHARACTERS. original Halloween was two main characters filmed and released creates suspense and Oct 25, 1978, just in time for Halloween thrill that leaves audience on the edge of night. The total budget for the movie their seats. was $300,000 and the gross income nationwide was $47,000,000. Crimson Score: 4.5/5 On October 31, 1963, seventeen year old Judith Myers was found stabbed to death by six year old brother, Michael Myers. Online Reviews: Michael was put into a mental hospital only to escape fifteen years later, the 7.8/10 93% night before Halloween. His hometown of
REVIEWS |
Music
America’s boyband glows in new project
Brockhampton’s iridescence maintains group’s eclectic trademark
F
by Elise Scheiffele, Op/Ed Editor ollowing a whirlwind of drama, including former member Ameer Vann’s abuse allegations, the three month album release delay, scrapped tracks and a near break up, Brockhampton’s fifth studio album iridescence proves to be worth the wait and entirely gold. Their signature edgy sound is not lost as the members take unexpected roles throughout the album. Where Merlyn Wood usually never strays from his aggressive, punchy verses, he can be found taking on a more subdued and relaxed sound on tracks like J’OUVERT. Bearface, who is known for a voice as smooth as liquid gold, typically leads the softer, ethereal vocals and brings a second dimension to Brockhampton, making them a more well rounded group. However, this album he brings more than just a pretty voice. He shows us a different side of his talents by rapping for the first time on any album. The project includes masterful moments of delicacy and intricacy which respond yet
contrast against the sharpness and anger felt throughout. After the loss of Vann, who arguably had the most fine-tuned and razor-edged sound in the group, the vexation in Brockhampton’s music towards the situation is extremely noticeable.
ONE LISTEN THROUGH IS ENOUGH TO GET HOOKED; EVERY FOLLOW UP PLAY THROUGH WILL UNCOVER MORE AND MORE DETAILS AND INTRICACIES IN THEIR WORK. Vann’s absence, although not unnoticed, doesn’t lessen the group’s edge. They channeled their sadness and hurt into a clean musical expression to overcome the past and define who they really mean to be. Joba seems to have absorbed or adapted Vann’s quick, fiery verses with his parts on
J’OUVERT and BERLIN. Their eclectic sound remains undisturbed, continuing to be fresh with every new release. One listen through is enough to get hooked; every follow up play through will uncover more and more details and intricacies in their work. This record will define the future of Brockhampton’s success and will give them a platform to build off of. It will be remembered as one of the most impressive alternate hip-hop albums of all time, with its inventive, innovative, and erosive, yet compassionate atmosphere. From the dark basslines of DISTRICT and WHERE THE CASH AT to the tender introspectiveness of SAN MARCOS, WEIGHT and TAPE, iridescence is an plethora of emotions and self-awareness wrapped up in a pretty 15 song record. No line, beat, lyric or adlib is out of place. Brockhampton creates an identity and structure with groundbreaking poise, warranting a smooth path to success and a new era.
Worth the wait The album made for everyone that has missed Wayne
T
he fifth installment of Tha Carter has finally been released after a good five years of fans missing the one and only Lil Wayne. The album should have originally been released in 2014, but legal issues with Cash Money Records prevented Wayne from releasing the album. After separating with the record label in June 2018, he announced that he would be finally releasing this album in September. In November of 2012, Wayne announced that Tha Carter V would be his final album as a solo artists meaning there will only be five of the series of Tha Carter. Wayne released 23 songs for the fans that have waited years for his final album. He started the album off with an intro speech from his mother explaining how
by Mckensi Keller, Pop Culture Editor
proud she is of her son, called “I Love You Dwayne.” His mother, Jacida Carter, stated that she was excited about the album and that the fans that have missed Wayne will love the album as much as her. She ends her speech off with heartwarming words, “Mama love you, I can’t wait ‘til your album come out because everybody asking about it and I know it’s gon’ be a beautiful album. Love you Dwayne.” This introduced the album that made his mother proud and instantly topped the charts the day it came out. Artists including XXXTentacion, Travis Scott, Nicki Minaj, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Ashanti, Mack Maine and Nivea helped Wayne through these five years to produce such a classic piece. Songs
such as “Mona Lisa” featuring Kendrick Lamar and “Let It Fly” featuring Travis Scott climbed the charts, proving to be favorites. “Mona Lisa” was originally recorded back in 2014, but still remains to be flawless in a different time. Wayne ends the album off with a song also recorded in 2014, that explains his suicide attempt as a child, called “Let It All Work Out.” Putting his life out for the public, Wayne shows his story through music perfectly. This album truly spoke to me and I am sure it spoke to others who have been waiting for Wayne to drop this album. I believe that all 23 of these songs were perfectly put together and all mean something to Wayne and every artist that was involved in putting this album together.
On the run
Young thug released his third anticipated release
W
by Phoebe Corgiat, Sports CoEditor ith nothing but a booming career, after copycat artists, fashion sense, and tough work ethic since 2011, Young Thug released his third EP “On the Rvn”, on September 24, 2018. After law enforcement issues, the release date was pushed back 13 days. The artist turned himself in after a warrant was released for his arrest. Once released on bond, Thug advertised his project on instagram including multiple teaservideos which foreshadowed his arrest. His long journey of THUG HAS musical recognition MANAGED TO began when rapper and songwriter Gucci MAKE EACH Mane was intrigued SONG UNIQUE by Thug. He became WITH A TWIST his mentor for several THAT IS UNLIKE years and signed him NO OTHER. to his record label, 1017 Records, in 2013. In 2014, Thug released his first major hit “Stoner” which reached number 47 on the Billboard Hot 100. Since then, Thug has excelled in the music industry and has now collaborated with unique artists such as Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Baby, Camila Cabello, and T.I. The EP consists of six songs and is currently located 13th on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Thug repeatedly switches up his career flow by featuring a variety of artist including Migos, Travis Scott, Gucci Mane, and Future. After the a song on the EP “High” featuring Elton, originally titled “Rocket Man”, was leaked, it was placed as the final song on the album. When the EP was released it was found that the features by Offset and T-Shyne had been left off. He has made those edits to the song, and on September 26 they were added. With this album on repeat, playing over and over again, it is fair enough to say I thoroughly enjoy it. Thug has managed to make each song unique with a twist that is unlike any other.
10.26.18 Crimson Newsmagazine | REVIEWS 23
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Gannon is a Paso Robles High School Alumnus. He is currently a semi-retired purchasing agent at a major global company. Gannon has also been active in our schools for many years.
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WHY WE NEED YOUR VOTE Our community is at risk of losing local control of our schools due to financial mismanagement. The law requires us to have a 3.0% minimum reserve. In school year 2017/18, the reserve was only 0.96%, and in 2018/19 the projected reserve is 2.19%. If we don’t put discipline back in our spending and have to borrow money to pay our teachers, staff, and vendors, the State will take over our schools. Our present Board of Trustees has failed to exercise the necessary oversight. The warning signs have been apparent at least since early 2016, but the Board of Trustees was blindsided this September by the real numbers. The Board as a whole has failed to insist on the transparency needed for proper oversight, despite the efforts of one member, who was stonewalled by the District Administration
and the other members of the Board. Many of the present members of the Board of Trustees have apparently still not recognized the simple cause of the crisis: Spending in the last school year was $ 2,835,964.21 over revenue. Replacing three of the incumbent Board members will mean that the Board has a majority that will rein in excessive spending and hiring of administrators. We will demand transparency and timely information from the District Administration. We will make the difficult choices and set priorities so that all resources are focused on giving our students the best possible education, whether they want to go to college or enter the trades. For more Information, scan the QR code beside!
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POP CULTURE |
Animation Animation Through Through The The Ages Ages The growth and processes of the animation industry By Estey Boling, Sci-Tech Editor
ling y Bo Illustrations by Este
A
nimation has been around for decades, and it has been 2006, his company was worth 60 billion, and at the end of the fiscal growing and changing through those decades ever since year 2017, it was worth over 95 billion. Companies nowadays have its conception. There are many different types of animation, much more funding to produce animation: take the 1937 success of and alongside that, many different processes to produce it. For Snow White compared to the 2016 success of Moana. The former example, the 1908 French film Fantasmagorie by Émile Cohl is a was an important milestone for the success of feature animation, traditionally-done animation, meaning that it was hand-drawn. It but it had a budget of just about 1.5 million. Moana had a budget is considered by film historians to be the first ever of 150 million — more than 10 times the budget of animated cartoon. Snow White, revealing decades of industry growth. Since then, the process has grown greatly. And still, the industry grows: cartoons and IF [KIDS] SEE Cartoon Network’s recently-ended Adventure animated features are integrating issues like mental THEMSELVES IN time involved a cast and crew of many: producers, health, gender, and sexuality into their productions, CARTOONS...IT writers, designers, supervisors, storyboarders, foley and exposing children to such important issues at artists and sound engineers, voice actors and more. a young age. HELPS THEM TO Each episode took about nine months to produce, “Representation to me is important, especially in HAVE A BETTER beginning with a scriptwriting meeting and ending cartoons, because kids watch them. So if they see SENSE OF IDENTIwith the addition of sound effects and additional themselves in cartoons...it helps them to have a TY,” dialogue to the final product. For the animation better sense of identity,” Avery Thompson, a junior., AVERY THOMPSON, 11 said. process itself, an animatic is made — the draft of the episode, with storyboard and soundtrack — and is As this year closes and 2019 begins, producers then sent to Rough Draft Studios in Seoul. will have more to come for the industry as well, with “There’s layout design and background design and color design productions such as the upcoming release of Marvel’s Spidergoing on,” producer Kent Osborne says about the animatic process. Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and sequels to popular releases such “This is all to prepare for sending it overseas to Korea.” as Disney’s Ralph Breaks the Internet and Warner Bros’ The Lego Not only has the process of animation grown, but the production Movie 2: The Second Part. value has grown as well. For instance, upon his death in 1966, Walt Disney was estimated to have a net worth of around 1 billion USD. In
Spring-Summer 2018 Fashion MONTH GIVENCHY: GIVENCHY: rodarte: mcqueen: rodarte: by Camden Tucker, Photography Director
This season’s spring/ summer collection from Givenchy took a different route from the normal collections put out. Creative director Clare Waiht Keller’s inspiration came from early 1900’s Swedish writer Annemarie Schwarzenbach, who notoriously dressed and acted as a man. The designs from Keller’s line challenged the boundaries of gender in the fashion world. A short haircut paired with a boxy suit jacket complemented with army pants was a bold and new twist on classic femininity that we haven’t seen from the brand before.
After the New York born company’s surprising decision to relocate to Paris for fashion month back in 2016, they have now returned to their home base. All eyes seemed to be on the company’s return show, and they did not disappoint. The models glided through the rainy New York City Marble Cemetery decorated with bright makeup, and even brighter prints and colors. The collection doesn’t fit a specific style, with dresses made from ruffled leather, adorned with large, layered shoulder pads; it could only be pulled off by sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy. The looks were constructed with classic silhouettes, but the striking colors and large bows were refreshing compared to other shows. It’s hard to look at this collection and not be transported to a daydream of fairies and goddesses.
Alexander McQueen came into the fashion world by storm and revolutionized shows. His classic shows like “Voss” (spring/summer 2001) and “It’s a Jungle Out There” (sutumn/winter 1997) demonstrated that fashion can tell a story and have a narrative. After his death in 2010, the clothing became less visionary and just pretty, and while pretty clothes are fine, McQueen was known for so much more. This season, however, creative director Sarah Burton demonstrated her story-telling abilities. This collection was “about being strong and emotional but also saying it’s okay to show your vulnerability,” Burton said. Pairing a delicate, knitted-andlace dress with a blacksmith’s belt was symbolic of her message. This line seems to be a turning point for the brand: making clothing that’s not only pretty, but packed with symbolism and an artistic point of view.
10.26.18 Crimson Newsmagazine | POP CULTURE 25
| FOOD
Mixing up fall and food DIY candy coated caramel apple slices
Don’t see something
by Phoebe Corgiat, Sports CoEditor
E
veryone who loves to cook has their own recipes, whether they be for summer or winter, fall or spring. But for the people who don’t specialize in season associated food, there are easy foods perfect for every occasion. Whether it’s a hostess gift, a party snack, or everyday treat, a caramel apple is a perfect way to lighten the mood.
Ingredients:
1 bag caramel squares 6 granny smith apples 1 cup shaved almonds 1 cup coconut shavings 1 cup rainbow sprinkles 1 cup chocolate chunks 26 FOOD | Crimson Newsmagazine 10.26.18
you love? Choose your own toppings to add an original twist!
Instructions: -Use an apple slicer to cut each apple, then lay them out and stick a skewer through each slice -Melt the caramel in a fondue pot or a pan over low heat, stirring occasionally -Dip each skewer into the melted caramel, making sure to coat all sides of the apple -While the caramel has yet to cool, sprinkle toppings of your choice over the apple
Let cool and enjoy! Photos by Phoebe Corgiat
WORLD |
Be a drop in a larger ocean Spanish teacher Rebecca Morris details the importance of broadening cultural horizons
I
By Cole Eberhard, Poli-sci Editor
magine walking through the street in a busy city. Everyone is dressed college, I married and moved to Spain, where [my husband and I] differently, their hair styled in different ways, with different jobs, different lived for the next seventeen years,” she said. hobbies, all living their lives in completely different ways. When observing One aspect of culture is how one views the these differences in individuals and in social groups, one sees the undeniable world. “One learns that there are way that culture shapes the world around us. m a n y different ways of Many people in America have lived their entire lives in other places with seeing and interpreting varying social norms and practices. Currently, 13.5 percent, or around one t h e same thing. in ten of the United States population, are immigrants. Also, the U.S. foreignDepending on born population reached 43.7 million in 2016, according to a study by Pew where you are, one Research Center in September. With these numbers in mind, one in interpretation may every ten people one meets in their life hasn’t even been born in make more sense America and likely has different customs and social behavior. than another. If you Though numerical data can’t quantify the significance of never allow yourself learning about and understanding different cultures, to consider that “about six-in-ten U.S. adults (58%) say that having an other perspectives increasing number of people of different races, are as valid as your REBECCA MORRIS ethnic groups and nationalities in the U.S. makes own, you do yourself the country a better place to live,” according to as well as others a great a study by the Pew Research Center. The onedisservice. I would not be who in-ten statistic of immigrants living in America I am today had I never traveled nor might be a factor in whether an individual’s lived abroad. “ Morris said. thoughts parallel those of 58 percent of Moreover, hearing how others view your adults in the United States. own country can allow for more constructive If those numbers don’t factor in conversations on how a country should operate. someone’s decision, take the word “People in other cultures do not see you as you of Rebecca Morris, a Spanish see yourself, and they do not view our country as teacher at Paso Robles High we do. One is often held accountable for, judged School who lived in Spain for, and/or asked to explain actions carried out by our Rebecca Morris for 18 years. “It behooves us government—as if one were personally responsible for to understand the cultures of them. It is humbling to realize how well informed people are the countries we collaborate with about our country. For me, it was always a shock to learn how and not just expect them to understand us. negatively our country is viewed,” Morris noted. International politics and trade are balancing acts in the To conclude, a word from Mrs. Morris on why seeing the world in best of times. Since all countries evolve constantly, the new ways through other cultures is valuable: “Learning to see more we know about each other the better.” the world from a different geographical point of view, a different Mrs. Morris doesn’t speak from ignorance; “I studied abroad historical point of view, and a different linguistic point of view in Spain my junior year of college. I spent a semester in Granada, broadens one’s horizons. We also learn to value and appreciate Spain in the south studying at the Facultad de Letras with the group from [the] things we hold dear in an entirely new way.” my college. I then got a job teaching English at a private academy in Madrid, Spain, where I lived and worked for the next six months. After graduating from
IT BEHOOVES US TO UNDERSTAND THE CULTURES OF THE COUNTRIES WE COLLABORATE WITH AND NOT JUST EXPECT THEM TO UNDERSTAND US.
Photo by Cheyanne Holliday. Illustrations by Estey Boling.
10.26.18 Crimson Newsmagazine| WORLD 27
| ENVIRONMENT
Learning
field
in the Field Studies Collaborative shapes PRHS students’ futures and provides eye opening experiences By Jasmine Romero, Art Director
P
“Time and time again, I take myself back to the beauty of these aso Robles High School has created many avenues to places. From the sweet repose of Joshua Tree, to the rhythmic swell help students pave their future path’s such as SkillsUSA, of the Pacific, to the light filtering through a canopy of Ironwood National Future Farmers of America, and AVID. Field trees,” affirms Nicole Raithel, a former PRHS student. Before the Studies Collaborative is one of the new growing programs that trips were funded and offered with credit, Raithel applied for the “offer students real academic research experiences outside the trip. “On these trips, you feel connected to the world around you classroom,” according to Geoffrey Land, a social studies and FSC and to the people you’re with. The feeling of belonging, of being teacher. a part of something larger than yourself, enlightens the soul,” “Most of the learning you do in life is on your own adventures Raithel expressed. and experiences outside the classroom,” Land reported. This past summer, 16 students in the FSC program discovered Seven Field Study Collaborative courses are currently available the oasis of Santa Cruz Island twenty miles away from the for students; among these are: Joshua Tree National Park Field coastline. Biology Research, Santa Cruz Island Field Biology, and Marine Bredensteiner, DiMaggio, and Kennedy Gilbert, a new science Inter-tidal Monitoring Project. Earlier this month, the Ethnic teacher, all led last summer’s research project, Studies Oral History course took on the along with other scientists. The students took data task of bringing better recognition to the on the Bishop Pines, Stipa pulchra, and vegetation Native American burial site located in the plots. They were able to study how climate change Walmart shopping center of Paso Robles. ON THESE TRIPS, YOU is affecting these pines and the vegetation that The run-down of this course is “to conduct FEEL CONNECTED TO surrounded them. a long term research project to collect oral THE WORLD AROUND “These adventures really get down into your soul. histories from minority ethnic populations YOU AND TO THE If you get enough time on the island it really does in northern San Luis Obispo County,” the impact your life,” DiMaggio expressed. After various FSC website stated. PEOPLE YOU’RE WITH. trips, Linnea Schaefer, a former PRHS student, Students are able to work alongside field THE FEELING OF BEinspired and her purpose of life became clear biologists, archaeologists, marine biologists, LONGING, OF BEING A was to her. She is now studying Integrative Biology with and science teachers. In the process, the PART OF SOMETHING a focus in Evolution and Ecology as a major in UC work “extends students’ education” while LARGER THAN YOURBerkeley. Schaefer continues her adventures with “getting credits on their transcripts” all at no cost, according to Mark DiMaggio, a SELF, ENLIGHTENS THE the help of California Ecology and Conservation (CEC), which is a seven-week-long program. This retired science teacher and “godfather” of SOUL.” program is open to students from any UC campus the FSC. These courses are only given to NICOLE RAITHEL, allowing them to travel to UC Natural Reserves the students in PRHS and are wildly popular FORMER STUDENT all over California. In it, Schaefer conducted three throughout the school. research projects and wrote two scientific papers. These life changing trips started in the The project “helped me grow a lot as a person and small classroom of Room 409, where the extended my educational experiences,” Schaefer said. Hiking and Environmental Club, now called “Wilderness Club”, had its first trip into the wilderness about 28 years ago. The Field Studies Collaborative program “It started out informally a long time ago. In the early ‘90s, the is hands-on learning courses, as is aptly club started taking trips to the Santa Cruz Island and over the years described by Land, “the bigger picture is those trips became very successful, amazingly fun, and worth that life is all about learning and sharing going [to],” DiMaggio reported. Seth Draine, a history teacher, that learning with other people. Don’t Alisa Bredensteiner, a science engineer teacher, and DiMaggio pass up this opportunity; it may collaborated their ideas; thus the nature adventures were born. change your life.” Students were captivated by trips outside their normal world and the school district became interested in these educational trips. The school district wanted to formalize the trips into a program GEOFFREY LAND : that could be embedded into students’ transcripts for free. In “I love sharing my love with February of 2017, they decided to fund all the research courses nature with students and under the Field Studies Collaborative program. These new spending my time with them adventures had impacted so many students’ lives and broadened on wilderness adventures.” their perspectives about the world.
28 ENVIRONMENT |
Crimson Newsmagazine 10.26.18
cut out
Photo by Kennedy Gilbert
VIEWING FROM THE TOP: Santa Cruz Island stu-
dents discover a hidden cave. Exploring and studying the island broadens their perspectives of the island .
Photo by Regan Dobroth
TRUDGING ON : “The reality of a week on a desert-
ed island is too complex to fully capture, but take my word for it when I say it’s truly something utterly inspiring. “ -Nicole Raithel
NEVERTHELESS, SHE PERSISTED: Mairin McNerny, before continuing on, glances above to view the ironwood that surrounded her.
Photo by Kennedy Gilbert
How much time do we have left?
ENVIRONMENT |
2020
2025
2040
2060
Threats of nonrenewable material depletion and global warming brew concern
O
by Kaya McCasland, Reporter
ne point one billion years. That’s all the time Earth and its inhabitants have until the sun gives out and the universe collapses, according to futurism.com. And that’s not a guarantee. Humans believe that the Earth has an unlimited amount of resources that can continually supply us at our beck-and-call, but the truth is that we are quickly running out of essential resources that could sustain us for even the next 60 years. Renewable resources are a given; even if our supply of renewable resources goes down, we’ll always have them, as they are renewable. Once we run out of a nonrenewable natural resource,however, we do not have the opportunity to get it back, and our only hope is that scientists will have found a substitute to replace the resource that has been on Earth for millions of years. “The rare-earth metals (such as lithium) might last until nearly 2090, copper might last just shy of 2040. Lead, on the other
hand, might not even last until 2025, a mere seven years from extremely troubling. We only have one planet, and if we continue today,” according to Green Optimistic. By the time this century is treating the world this way, we won’t have one to live on much over, lithium, copper, lead and other important longer.” materials might forever be lost. Say Global warming is another major issue IF WE CONTINUE goodbye to electric motors, batteries, that Earth is currently facing. According to and electric cars. But we can still DESTROYING OUR The New York Times, Earth can only handle survive without these resources, right? the atmosphere warming up 3.6 degrees EARTH, IT WILL People have solar energy, gas, and oil, Fahrenheit before reaching the most severe SOON BE so where’s the need for electric cars? effects of climate change. As of right now, UNINHABITABLE Sorry to disappoint, but oil is another reports have come through stating that the FOR FUTURE major nonrenewable natural resource mark has changed to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit. that is quickly disappearing. Globally, the Effects of this rapid global warming could GENERATIONS” world uses 200 million tons of oil every year, and BROOKE CORRALES, 11 take place as soon as 2040 and lead to food at the rate it’s being used, there is only about 40 shortages, wildfires, and a massive die-off of years left of it. coral reefs. “I find that the rapid decline of the earth is “I am very fearful for our future generations. terrifying,” said Brooke Corrales, junior. “Watching people If we continue destroying our earth it will soon be uninhabitable destroy our planet and not want to do anything about it is for future generations,” Corrales said.
Wild wonders roam free in
Wilderness Club Club takes aim to help the environment and community
T
rickles of sweat beaded on students’ foreheads as they trekked to the summit above. Their legs trembled and their breath quivered with exhaustion. Finally, taking the last step, peering towards the breathtaking view where hills and valleys joined, they sat down together and appreciated the beauty of nature. The Wilderness Club has “truly been one of the bigger clubs. Depending on what [they] do, there would be at least forty or fifty students joining the club throughout the year,” according to Geoffrey Land, a social studies and Field Studies Collaborative teacher. Members have been adventuring around the state and visiting locations such as Bishop Peak, Cerro Alto, and Ventura, for hiking stops and backpacking trips. Almost every month, the members spawn a new journey to take on the outdoors. On Sept. 15, 2018, members hiked up Bishop Peak at SLO with their advisors and other hiking lovers for the first time of this year. 17 participants woke up at 4 in the morning and drove together to their destination. This coming November, club members are “venturing out to Ojai and Ventura to camp and check out the Patagonia headquarters,” according to Kennedy Gilbert, a new science teacher and Wilderness Club advisor. New adventures still await for this new group of wilderness wanderers and they are excited for not only fun outdoor trips, but helping our environment as well.
By Jasmine Romero, Art Director Last year, Wilderness Club members took on a different aspect of advocating for the environment’s health. The Styrofoam project was led by Gavin Hughes and Jeneva Putman. Members this year are contributing to the environment in other ways. “Wilderness club is about promoting the preservation of the environment, and appreciating the natural world around us,” Griffin Benado expressed. “We want to spread awareness of the problems our planet is facing as well as sharing our passion for adventure.” The club has been growing for about 20 years at PRHS. The name has evolved over the years from the Hiking and Environmental Club, to the Bearcats for Sustainable Earth, to what we know today as “Wilderness Club” — “Because it just made more sense,” Land reported. “Any club, hopefully, allows students to get more out of this high school experience than just the classes they have,” Land explained. “The atmosphere is social and educational while doing fun and meaningful work out of the classrooms. I hope that students can kind of connect to wilderness, whether it’s a hike or camping, and be inspired.” However, exploring the depths of a forest is not the only thing these students do. The nature loving students have been
making their own trail in the student community by starting the “T-shirt project.” Students have been working together to “figure out ways on how [they] could recycle things that already exist,” Gilbert reported. This new proposition was started by the new presidents, Camryn Curren, senior, and Griffin, senior, along with the support of their advisors: Gilbert, Amanda Lincoln, and Ellie Tyner, (all first year teachers). “On Oct. 17, 2018, we are going to allow students to create their own design and screen print it on their apparel.” Benado explained. Land suggested the idea of using silk screening where students “put the paint down and pull it across the silk screen. Once the silk screen is lifted, the paint goes through and embeds the design to the designated area.” The hands-on activity creates many products and allows students to use their own creativity. “It’s a great way to promote reusing clothing and the Wilderness Club,” Gilbert added. Every Friday in Room 307, students come to discuss the creation of projects while brewing up new adventures for the near future. The adventures still continue beyond the high school campus, and lead students on towards their paths of reaching the summit of protection and love for the environment.
10.26.18 Crimson Newsmagazine | ENVIRONMENT 29
| SCI | SCITECH TECH
THREATENING SUCCESS How billionaire and business owner Elon Musk’s rash decisions resulted in a 20 million dollar lawsuit By Cole Eberhard, Poli-sci Editor
THE TWEET THAT STARTED IT ALL
Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured.
E
Musk isn’t a stranger to expressing his success in his lofty lon Musk is a business tycoon with a net worth of 19.7 business ventures. He makes these ventures apparent with billion dollars. On August 7, 2018, he posted a tweet the goals he sets for the future of his companies on their that would result in his being forced to step websites. His goal for SpaceX is one deeply rooted down as chairman of Tesla for three years and in the future of space travel: “to revolutionize being sued in excess of 20 million dollars. space technology, with the ultimate goal of Musk owns companies such as Paypal, enabling people to live on other planets.” On Tesla and SpaceX, and is hailed by many as the other hand, Tesla’s goals here on Earth a wildly successful entrepreneur. He was are “to accelerate the world’s transition to a once even noted as being “about as close as sustainable energy future.” we have, circa 2015, to early industrial titans With his goals being so reliant on like Henry Ford, Andrew Carnegie and John D. prosperity and longevity, one would think that Rockefeller” by Dwight Garner of the New York he takes extra care in preserving his companies’ Times. He is also a documented philanthropist, success. However, his Twitter post on August 7 Jacob Dersham with personal donations of 250,000 dollars to the that read, ”Am considering taking Tesla private Hurricane Maria relief effort in 2017 and 480,000 at $420 [per share in the stock market]. Funding dollars to install ultraviolet water filtration systems to drinking secured” resulted in a lawsuit by the Securities and Exchange fountains in Flint, Michigan in 2018. Commission for 20 million dollars.
The tweet and its consequences forced Musk to step down as chairman for three years after his tweet was deemed ”false and misleading” and having harmed investors who purchased Tesla stock in the period before accurate information was made known to the market. “His spontaneous personality can be detrimental [to his companies], but has also been influential in having made him successful,” senior Jacob Dersham said concerning the role of Musk’s character in the lawsuit. Moreover, the harm caused by his tweet wasn’t purely theoretical, as Tesla stock dropped 14 percent by Friday, August 10, three days after the tweet was posted. Top left : photo by Michelle Andonian, OnInnovation. Copyright 2010 The Henry Ford. Creative Commons Attribution license
The teen Teen tech Tech effect the Information and connectivity coexist with sex by Brianna Howenstine, Reporter
cons
pros
1. 2. 3.
30 SCI TECH |
Crimson Newsmagazine
There is now a larger field of work to go into that would interest more techoriented people We now have more access to information search engines have never been as powerful as they are in the 21st century More connectivity - people can stay in contact with friends and family from around the world, they don’t have to pay for a long distance call, it is at their fingertips
1. 2. 3.
“Fake news” can be distributed faster and easier than ever before Minors are being exposed to a lot of adult concepts at a young age; this is due to the vast age range that occupy the internet Teens are out on an “accelerated track” because they are exposed to the idea of “sex sells” at an even earlier age and in a larger amount than any generation before.
| SPORTS
STOP HER: Senior Torri Pugh presses a girl to prevent her from throwing. Bearcats won 20-5 KEEP AWAY: Senior Mackenzie Raymond twists to keep the ball. Raymond had five goals against SLO High School.
PASS IT IN: Senior
“We not me”: The water polo
Flaminia Di Chello throws the ball to a team mate. Di Chello is a foreign exchange student joining PRHS for the year.
team poses for a picture after their senior night game. This game left the team with a 5-2 record.
THE
ATTACKING SEASON This year’s varsity girls water polo team is second in league for this season by Brighton Garrett, Sports Co Editor
A
s the PRHS Varsity Girls Water Polo team emerges from the water, the crowd passionately shouts “Go Bearcats” another successful win. The water polo team has been doing very well this season, posting a 6-2 Mountain League Record and 18-8 overall record. Compared to last years standings of 3-5 in the Pac-8 League, the team has improved significantly— climbing to a second place standing in the Mountain League behind Arroyo Grande. They are also in seventh place in Division 1 of the Central Section. “This team has worked very hard and returned their complete starting line up. Many of the players have been together for 2-3 years now and [have] known my expectations and game plans [since] before the season [started]. The players work together well and we emphasize on one of our team mottos: ‘We, Not Me.’ These ladies work hard throughout the entire game every game and play for each other. They are a fun and hardworking group and put each other before themselves,” the head varsity coach, Grant East, explained. This year’s team has 16 players, all of whom are juniors and seniors (seven and nine, respectively); 13 of them returned from the 2017 Varsity team. This team dynamic has proved to be successful since the beginning of the season, when the girls won first place in the Tulare Union High School Tribe Varsity Tournament. “We hope to go deep into CIF or win the whole thing,” East said explaining the plans for the end of the season.
32 SPORTS | Crimson Newsmagazine 10.26.18
In a historic game, PRHS beat Righetti 10-9 for the first time in years. They also beat them in their final league game on Oct. 16. Arroyo Grande is the only Mountain League team the girls have lost to this year. On Oct. 24, Bearcats will play in the CCAA Mountain League Varsity Finals where the team hopes to place in the top three. “I think we have had so much success because we have been playing together [for] a while now. Our team consists only of upperclassmen so we all know each other pretty well in and out of the pool. We have been improving a lot and taking on some hard competition. We have been doing very well in our league and hope to go as far as we can [in CIF] and to create a name for ourselves in the Central Section. We really just want to show what we are capable of,” co-captain Mackenzie Raymond (12) said. The team has dedicated a lot of time to the sport with two hour trainings in both the morning and afternoon every weekday. “We have had so much success due to early morning practices and swim sets that we have not done in past years. Every one of the girls [has been] working their butts off and the results are showing. This season has gone exceptionally well. We started out very strong and haven’t stopped. We won a tournament in the beginning and that was really eye opening to a lot of the team [realizing] that we are good and have potential to go really far. We have fought every single second we are in the water and our record shows it. The hopes for the season are to go far in CIF and make a name for our team in the Central Section,” explained Junior Halle Nash, a varsity player for three years.
Photos by Brighton Garrett
Water polo by the numbers
league record
81% goals scored in league
2nd
6-2
of players returned from last year’s team
100
place in league for the first time ever
CATCHING
SPORTS |
WITH
KADEN
Starting receiver and backup kicker Kaden Gallant walks through his daily life schedule
A
by Jaclyn DiMatteo, People Editor
s football season comes to a close, senior Kaden Gallant watches his high school football career dwindle with each passing game, waiting for the day he hangs up his jersey. He is proud to wear the number 81 on his back for his time served with the Bearcats. The reward of being on the varsity team, playing starting receiver, is one a select few have been given, and the position Gallant has held since his junior year. He has been working towards the varsity team since he was 12, making this year his sixth year of football. What he didn’t realize was the balancing act he would have to maintain to play football alongside of school. During his time on this year’s PRHS varsity football team he has gained a total of 471 yards, with an average of 16.2 receiving yards per game. This season the football team has won two of the eight games played and tied one, making their league standings 0-2. They are ranked number 336 across California and 4,469th nationally because of their skill, comradery, and work-ethic put into the most attended sport at our school and their passion for football. To maintain his workload, Gallant starts his day with a 6:30 wake up time leading into football weight training for his first period class. For the next six hours of the day, like all
League standings Photo by Camden Tucker
other high school students he goes to his classes, including AP Statistics, as well as Government and Economics. He maintains this with a tight homework schedule that keeps him working around the clock. When sixth period ends, football begins. Gallant and the other members of the football team rush out of class to get ready for practice, a rigorous three hours, beginning at 3:30 and not ending until 6:30 on most days. “There’s a solid three to five hour time frame that you lose because of sports that you could be spending on your school work,” Gallant expressed. Practice comes to an end and Gallant takes off his football cleats and yawns, ready to wind down. But his day doesn’t stop there, as he still needs to: eat dinner, shower, and do his homework all before going to sleep. When asked about his sleeping habits, Gallant says, “six to seven on a good night, four to five on a bad night,” acknowledging the recommended eight to nine hours of sleep a night. With a schedule of 12 hours of practice a week, two hours of game time, and then at least two hours on Saturday of watching film from Friday’s game, accompanied with school work, Gallant has little time for a job or relaxation before the day starts again with the blare of an alarm clock for another 6:30 wake up call.
A
by Brighton Garrett, Sports Co Editor and Phoebe Corgiat, Sports Co Editor
s the fall sports season comes to an end, teams are reflecting on their seasons looking at their standings. Some teams did well, while others hope for a better season next year. Girls water polo, boys and girls cross country, and a single player from girls golf (Kayla Hernandez) are all going to continue on to CIF for the Central Section. Football has two league games left; if they win their game on Oct. 19, they will advance to CIF as well.
Girls Water Polo
Girls Tennis
Girls Volleyball
boys Xc
Girls Xc
Girls Golf
League Record
6-2
4-8
3-8
4-8
4-8
0-4
0-2
0-7
Overall Record
18-8
6-12
5-17
6-12
6-12
3-6
2-6
9-14
Boys Football Water Polo
10.26.18 Crimson Newsmagazine | SPORTS 33
| SPORTS
Two students with a need for
SPEED
Shining a light on those who like to go really, really fast by Jeremy Hunt, Copy Editor
I
n the rolling hills of Garda, Italy, is bound to the same form of racing. Some PRHS Hayden Wagner rests on the students prefer a lot less turns and a lot more grid at the South Garda Kart horsepower, like junior Haylee Wescom. Her Track in anticipation of the start of passion for speed revolves around drag racing, in his final race for the Oct. 19-20, 2013 which competitors race from point A to point B as weekend. As the green flag waves, fast as possible. In her races, Wescom can reach EYES ON THE PRIZE: Wagner keeps his head forward trying to outrun another racer. he rockets off against 39 other speeds well over 100mph, covering a one-eighth Looking ahead is important, especially at 60mph. Photo by Hayden Wagner competitors in the 9-13 Cadet class. mile drag strip in under 7 seconds. Her enthusiasm He races around the 14-turn circuit is closely tied to the emotional stability that her at speeds upwards of 50 mph sport brings to her -- despite the fact that the while his family cheers him on in the frontstretch opposite would seem more understandable. grandstands each lap. Finishing with an “I love the adrenaline rush. It makes me impressive 20th place against some of forget about my issues and focus on the world’s best racers, Wagner loads one thing: racing. When I’m in the car up his kart into his trailer and starts the trying to light up the tree it’s the most long trip home. relaxing thing ever,” Wescom said. This event took place five years ago, Wagner and Wescom can both but for Wagner -- now a junior -- it still offer unique viewpoints on motorsports remains as the golden standard for what Hayden Wagner in contrast to traditional school sports, motorsports means to him. Wagner himself as he is on the Varsity Golf team and she enlists in go-kart racing, often a stepping stone plays Varsity Volleyball. for youth with plans for a career in Indycar or other Wagner noted that the competition in racing road course-based racing disciplines (tracks with is often higher than in school sports, as he “could ALMOST TIME: Wescom warms her tires, preparing for a run. Soon lots of turns). He has raced go-karts since age five, go to a race this weekend and be racing against after, she’ll rocket off at speeds of over 100mph. making this his 11th year of participation. But his some of the biggest names in racing or even their Photo by Bob Brown motivations for racing haven’t yet changed. kids. You can’t do that very easily in school “What makes go-karts so fun for me is sports.” Meanwhile, Wescom believes that you can race against more than 20 that the biggest separating factor drivers going speeds of 60mph or so all between the two is that racing while an inch off the ground. There are requires a much more refined skill in few experiences that can compare to specific subjects rather than outright that,” Wagner said. Beyond simply the thrill of speed, Haylee Wescom physical ability. “Racing doesn’t have a lot of physical limitations. It’s mostly mental. Wagner also appreciates the thrill of Knowing how fast your reaction time is and being competition in racing; the potential for world-class mentally prepared to shift gears […] or if your battles adds additional fuel to the fire that guides motor is running correctly are [some of] the most him. important parts of racing. [But in] volleyball or “The fact that this sport exists worldwide and COMPETITION: Wagner battles with other drivers in a race. Contact other sports you have to be physically in shape.” [that] competitions are constantly going on that is common in races, mostly at their beginnings. Wagner, Wescom, and others who take bring in the greatest from around the world shows Photo by Hayden Wagner part in motorsports have varying motivations to me that there is always somebody better than you do so. However, they’re all strongly united by one [which] gives me a goal to strive [for],” Wagner said. thing: they all like to go really fast. Motorsports are broad, however; not everyone
34 SPORTS | Crimson Newsmagazine 10.26.18
SPORTS |
Sports action shots
PRESS OVER: Seniors Brooke Milder and Kimberly Buchanan
jump to block the rival player. The Bearcats lost in the fifth game to the Atascadero Greyhounds.
SWING AWAY: Senior Alicia Myrick post swing. Her score fell short by two points after a tie 8-10
GOAL!!!: Senior Yalina Curry shoots to make a goal against San Luis Obispo high school. The final home game finished with a score of 20-5 the Bearcats with a huge lead. KICK IT: Junior kicker, Reece Fay, punts the ball after a third down. This was their fourth loss of the season.
SHARP ANGLE: Junior Phoebe Corgiat prepares to smash the ball. The Bearcats took the first two sets off of Atascadero but lost in the end after a tough battle
WIN ON MY MIND : Junior Seth Maldonado sprints
to the endzone. Maldonado had total of 83 recieving yards against Sanger High School
TAKE A SWING: Sophomore Jenny Armstrong takes her first swing of the hold. Girls golf has a 0-4 record in league.
TOWARDS THE GOAL! : Senior Mackenzie Raymond advances to make a goal. Raymond made five goals in her final game against San Luis Obispo
WHO’S OPEN?: Senior Ethan Moore passes the ball to an open teammate. Boys Waterpolo ended the game losing 6-12.
DODGE AND DASH: Junior Cris Magalona heads toward the end zone. A close game ended with a score of 27-24, a loss for the Bearcats Photos by Garrett, Tucker, Holliday
10.26.18 Crimson Newsmagazine | SPORTS 35
| SPORTS
Technically speaking: Quick Shot with Junior Tatiana Smeltzer #6 Strength:
Coordination:
Eggbeating with all her might, she uses her left arm to stabilize her shot by sculling as she hurls the ball towards the goal.
Aware of her surroundings, focusing on all angles of the pool, Smeltzer combines focus with athleticism to complete the shot.
Timing:
After dodging defensive opponents, she uses the short 30 seconds granted to shoot to take an open shot.
INTRODUCING: THE GOAL MAKER
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by Mckensi Keller, Pop Culture Editor
unior Tatiana Smeltzer #6 has been playing water polo since the sixth grade, introduced to her by her sister, Erika Smeltzer. Smeltzer has lead her team to six wins and two losses, gaining second place in league. In a normal week, Smeltzer dedicates at least 25 hours to water polo — including looking up videos on different polo moves or watching Olympic games. Smeltzer is a two-time All League First Team pick since her freshmen year. She plays water polo as a way to clear her head and focus solely on her team and opponents. The adrenaline is something that Smeltzer enjoys, along with the spirit of the game. “I play water polo because it gives me a sense of belonging. I
36 SPORTS | Crimson Newsmagazine 10.26.18
belong to my team and dedicate my time and effort to becoming a better player. I play because I enjoy the adrenaline that I encounter in every game and the family that our team creates.” Smeltzer, who has been on the varsity team since her freshman year said. She has also been awarded the title of All-League player both freshman and sophomore years. Seen as a key player by her team, one of her teammates, Junior Morgan Harrington, sees a strong player in Smeltzer. “Tatiana is a great leader. She’s a strong player and is always in a good mood. In the morning she’s really good at staying positive and keeping a smile on everyone’s face.” Harrington said. Hearing the fans cheering for the Bearcats, Smeltzer’s heart starts pounding faster and puts a smile on her face, Smeltzer
Photos by Brighton Garrett and Camden Tucker