Dry Gulch
Gazette Standing Out, Standing Up Black Students Speak on Their Campus Experiences PAGE 15
February 7, 2018
Arroyo High School
Volume LVII Issue II
COMING SOON By Britney Torres
Jazz-n-Rendezvous
FEBRUARY
Cafeteria At 6 pm in the cafeteria, the Arroyo Jazz Band will be playing some Big Band swing classics of the 40’s. Tickets can be purchased in M-2.
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Photo | Noah Bendell Photo | Noah Bendell
FEBRUARY
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AHS vs. SLZ Gym
Our basketball teams will be playing against SLZ. Boys and girls basketball will also be having their senior nights. F/S Boys - 3:30 p.m. JV Boys - 5:00 p.m. Varsity Girls - 6:30 p.m. Varsity Boys - 8:00 p.m.
Photo | Wnnie Lai
Talent Show
FEBRUARY
Cafeteria
Juniors will be hosting the annual talent show this year. It will start at 7 p.m. and will be happening in the cafeteria. Tickets go on sale on February 13 and end on February 23.
MARCH
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Photo | Jennifer Rodrigues
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Spirit Week March 12-15 It will occur from March 12 to March 15. Participate to win points for your class! To end the week, night rally will be on March 15 from 6-8 p.m. following with an after party from 8-10 p.m.
Photo | Britney Torres
Table of Contents CAMPUS
4 5 6 8 20
Earbud Policy Holocaust Rememberance Day Military Profile When Do Students Take the SAT/ACT? A Taste of Home
COMMUNITY
10 12 13 14
Trump Retrospective Internet Firewall in San Lorenzo Kindergarten Teacher Retiring Culture and Climate Committee
A CLOSER LOOK
16 18
Black At Arroyo The Eight Percent
OPINION
19 21 22
Staff Editorial / Staff List Turning the Sound Off SAT Prep
CULTURE
23 24 26 27
Winter Percussion Lunar New Year Guitar Passion Manor Estates Review/Music Interest
SPORTS
28 30 31 32
Girls’ Wrestling Wrestling Soccer Basketball CORRECTION: LAST ISSUE JANELLE LARA WAS MISSPELLED
Cover Illustration By Winnie Lai & Cuauhtemoc Ramirez
CONTENTS
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Crack Down On Earbuds Administration takes the use of earbuds as a big issue for students. By Cristian Quintanilla
D
uring the month of October of 2017, Principal James Gray made a sequence of announcements with one purpose only: To remind students that the use of earbuds are not allowed during class time and passing periods. “Sometimes students need reminders, they forget, they have a lot on their minds.” Gray said about the reason why so many warnings came from him, making it for most of the veteran students just an old song. However, for some seniors, they found these announcements to be very helpful. Senior Jenny Ahumada said,“ [the multiple announcements] made me feel more conscious, more aware, not afraid, but more aware of not having my earbuds out.” This proves the administration has had an effective impact for students by serving as a reminder on how to behave properly during school hours at AHS. Knowing that other high schools are dealing with the use of electronics a little differently, AHS has decided to use the traditional method of telling the students to put electronic devices away. “I want students to have the freedom to use their devices, I want teachers to work with students on using their devices, there
Illustration | Rizelle Jugarap
[is] a lot of information on those devices that can support you [the students] on school [...] and a part of learning about those devices is knowing when and where to use them.” Gray said. In many classes the option to use electronic devices during individual work time is provided to the students. Art classes are places where a lot of students get inspired by the music they listen to. Art teacher Mary Rosiles at Arroyo High School mentioned one positive aspect about the use of earbuds at school. “[Listening to music] helps [the students] concentrate and it helps them relax [...] kids just zone in into their own creativity listening to their own music.” Rosiles said. But, what happens to those that disobey the rules? “Normally”, said Mr. Gray, “If I see [students] and we make eye contact, I use hand signals such as touching my ears, making the wrapping up motion, [and for] 90% of the students that works.” However, if the act of listening to music continues after the warning from the staff
member, then things can turn a little more complicated. In regards to listening to music “Earbuds: no. Intentional defiance: yes.” Gray said. This means that if someone decides to not put away their earbuds/headphones when a staff member tell them to do it, further punishments can be given in order for that student to understand the rules applied at school. The reality is that using the electronic devices during passing periods or while a teacher is lecturing can be interpreted as an act of disrespect. Based on Mr. Grays philosophy, “the teacher is the principal of the classroom, outside the classroom is the domain of campus security and administrators.” The main reason why the staff needs to make sure that no one is plugging in is because “We need to able to have students’ undivided attention, [...] therefore, they need to be able to hear us in case we need to redirect them for their safety.” •
Do you think there is a problem regarding the use of earbuds at school?
“I am like in both sides, because I have seen problems with earphones when the teachers are trying to get [the students’] attention, they don’t even listen like they don’t care. But the benefit, when you listen to music it can help [retaining] more information, depending on the music you are listen to”. Senior Jenny Nguyen
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“I don’t think is a big of a deal to revoke [them] during passing period [since] most people are just listening while walking walking to class ... I do think we should revoke them once in the classroom because you are there for learning, plus you need to hear the teacher actually taught the class.” Senior Ken Ramirez
WOW what a shot!
“No, kids in their own time should be able to use them, I use them in class because it’s part of my assignments. They are actually required to have earbuds because they listen to videos [especially] now that we have chromebooks [we] use technology almost every day.” Health teacher India Rodgers
Musing on the Holocaust Remembrance Reflections on the sophomore Holocaust curriculum.
Photo | Cristian Quintanilla
English Teacher Jessica Vaughn standing next to junior Cassandra Yuan and her drawing. In the drawing is Paula Wajcman, a Jewish dancer who died during the Holocaust.
By Jeanette Hernandez
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anuary 27 is the International Holocaust Remembrance Day where we look back at the Holocaust and the impact it continues to make on society. “I didn’t know there was a Holocaust Remembrance Day, I think on our campus we should do something to show jewish students we support them or the community can see that here at Arroyo we care about all students no matter where you come from,” Junior Julia Ramirez said. In English 10 almost all sophomores learn about the Holocaust and WWII. In their studies, they read Night by Elie Wiesel. In the book, the students read a biography of a boy who went through the concentration camps and his experience there. Junior Aurora Reyes believes reading Night details the true reality that normal textbooks cannot capture. “The textbooks and all the history books don’t give it justice to how cruel it really was in the concentration camps,” Reyes said. English teacher Jessica Vaughn who has been teaching about the Holocaust for five years
said her thoughts on Holocaust Day and if it should be a more publicized event, ”I think I can do a better job advertising for it. I think of course it would be a really good thing for people to be more aware of and to go to events where they can learn about what it is and why it’s important,” Vaughn said. Senior Jonathan Maravilla talks about his thoughts on the Holocaust and the effects that it has on our history today, “The Holocaust represents the worst parts of human nature and is an awful part of history that should be remembered so we never repeat it again,” Maravilla said. English teacher Jorja Santillan, teaching about the Holocaust for thirteen years explains the importance of learning about the Holocaust, ”Well how does the past shape the present? How does it shape or affect who we are now? I think it’s important to understand what has happened in the past in order to make decisions or make choices that better help ourselves better help our communities, improve the quality of life,” Santiallian said. “I think a lot of it also has to do with a certain sense of empathy and understanding.
know even if they are not our best friends or family members. Why that’s so important, to have that sense of understanding and know even if they are not our best friends or family members. Why that’s so important, to have that sense of understanding and responsibility again to improve the quality of life for humanity beyond ourselves. I think that’s fulfilling in our lives,” Santillan said. “As the future generations, we should look back at our history and not be afraid. To know that there were bad times, but it’s up to us make this earth better and safer for everyone,” Junior Jaysea Lowe says when asked what we can do from now on. Ultimately, Santillan said, “To an extent, we all have a desire to want to help others. I think we find that more fulfilling. We are not meant to be on this journey alone, so I think studying issues such as the Holocaust, which like I said are timeless, can enable us to feel that sense of responsibility and really like I said before, feel empowered to make a difference.” •
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Choosing the Road Less Traveled Students are enlisting in the military as an alternative to college. By Janice Lee
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It’s important to note that the ASVAB are not raw scores, but rather they are percentile scores indicating how each examinee Wise words from senior Jerahmeel David. performed compared with all other examinees. The passing scores According to the National Student Clearinghouse, differ depending on what branch of the military you are interested college enrollment rates have dropped 0.8 percent just in California in. They range from 31 to 50, which is the Army and the Army/Air since the last year, despite having gone up two years prior. And as National Guard, respectively. reported by the GreatSchools organization, Arroyo is above the state “I’m not really worried because I’m really confident in myself,” average in key measures of college and career readiness. AHS has David said when asked how he felt about his personal preparation a 96 percent graduation rate and has higher than average SAT and for the exam. ACT scores. However, there are some high school students who Kent Watanabe, an AHS alumni, graduated in 2016 and are not going straight to college after graduation; joined the Marine Corps shortly after. He also took they are seeking alternative ways of finding the exam, which he describes as “a little bit success. of everything.” More students are being drawn “Some people do really well the into the workforce and forgoing first time because they’re really college to take advantage of this used to that type of thing, money-making opportunity. while others need to keep Whether it’s getting a job working out to get better. abroad, or enlisting into For me, everything was the military, there are pretty down-the-hill. many alternatives I worked out almost to the “expected” everyday and went route of getting a to all the training traditional college sessions that the degree. Senior recruiting office Jerahmeel David, had. I slowly got chose to enlist into better and better,” the Navy after he Watanabe said. graduates this June. When he has He said that the the time, he tries financial incentives to stay in contact the government with the students provides were a at AHS. He said the huge reason why he hardest part about decided to join. being in the military “I chose the Navy is missing home where because it was a he built bonds with way for me to get free friends and family. college because at first I ”You can get very homesick. didn’t really want to go to You’re kind of isolated from college. They recommended the civilian world if you don’t this program where I can get free have a car,” Watanabe said. education,” David said. On the flip side, there are many Not everyone is fit to join the military. ice Lee n a J positive aspects of being a soldier. | n o Illustrati There is a special test called the Armed “New experiences and getting close to your Service Vocational Aptitude Battery Test (ASVAB), peers,” Watanabe said, are only some of the great which is divided into eight subtests to assess individual subject things he experienced during his time in the military. “Occasionally area strengths and weaknesses. In addition to math, logic, and [I] blow stuff up,” said Watanabe. That’s something that can appeal puzzles, examinees need to do a physical fitness test to ensure they to a lot of people. • can keep up with the rigorous activity during boot camp. “I’m just running and doing push-ups and sit-ups. Every first Monday I go to my recruiter’s office and we work out. They teach me the ranks and everything I need to know before boot camp,” David said.
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oin the military and make bank.”
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Photo | Winnie Lai
By Winnie Lai
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T
he daily checklist multiplied as the days in the week went down. Senior year was flying by, but so did the college application, project, and assignment deadlines. It almost seemed like there weren’t enough hours in the day to allocate time to her job on top of her extracurriculars. Senior Precious Manalo counted the days until her highly anticipated ACT test date, the test that haunted her thoughts daily. “I felt really stressed trying to take the SAT/ACT and trying to achieve my goal during my senior year. It was hard trying to manage everything. For example, I wanted to study for my ACTs but I also had to maintain my GPA by completing assignments and studying for tests,” Manalo said. She felt that this was the single most important standardized test of her high school career, but the thought of getting what people interpret as a “bad score” taunted her thoughts as she held the widely-held notion that this score would determine her future for college admissions. Although this was a snippet of Manalo’s life, her situation is not uncommon for many high school seniors. More than 2 million US high school graduates took the ACT test in 2016. Manalo recalls her own experiences with these tests, and she “highly advises juniors to take a standardized test before entering Senior year because they will get their results early and maybe during or even before summer.” Similar advice is given by class of 2019 counselor, Mary Conway, who
SAT SUMMER BOOT CAMP 3 teachers, 25 students, 18 sessions.
By Winnie Lai
also recommends juniors to take their standardized tests at least once before senior year. “College Board recommends that [juniors] take the SAT at least once during their senior year because that’s when [juniors] have the most math and the most language, and they feel that that’s the most optimal time to take it,” Conway said. “They also found that when people repeat the test—I think it’s like 80 or 90 percent—they improve their score even if they didn’t do any prep in between.” Senior Justin Nguyen expresses relief when reflecting on finishing his SATs during his Junior year. In fact, he stated that “taking
“The College Board recommends that [juniors] take the SAT at least once during their senior year because that’s when [juniors] have the most math and the most language [knowledge...]”
Counselor Mary Conway said
the tests early on helped [him] get a feel for the test and decide whether or not to take the ACT later on, in [his] senior year.” “I already knew what the SAT was like—
During the summertime, English teacher Samuel Oh organized a boot camp to prepare dedicated students who were taking the SAT in the beginning of their senior year. With 25 students participating, this boot camp was held 3 times a week for 3 hours each session, and various teachers taught English and Math for the SAT. One of the two math instructors, Cynthia Lydon explained the bootcamp. “We split up the kids in half, and one half of the kids came to the math session for the first hour and a half while the other half went to English, and [then] they switched.” Lydon said. “Basically I taught the same things twice to two different sets of kids everyday. We gave them copies of sections from the SAT, different worksheets, and problems from a workbook we had.” Describing the interaction between teachers and students, Lydon said, “We went through examples, and the book
drilling through another one would’ve sucked my soul dry,” Nguyen said. “The ACT, in contrast, was new, and I had a hope that maybe it would be ‘my type’ of test, and I would score better.” Furthermore, Nguyen and Manalo both feel that there isn’t enough awareness on campus about taking standardized testing during their Junior year. Manalo stated “I do not think Arroyo emphasizes enough on taking the SAT/ACT during their junior year. We may have heard that we must take the SAT/ACT, but not specifically during our junior year, which I strongly recommend.” Nguyen added, “In fact, AHS told me next to nothing about the SAT except, ‘take it if you want to go to a UC.’ That was only once. I didn’t even know SAT/ACT waivers existed until after my first test.” Conway is taking steps to make sure that the current juniors that she manages take the SAT, ACT, or ACCUPLACER (a college readiness test). “I got a list of my entire junior class, met with each person, had them tell me what test they were taking and which month they would commit to, and then I had them register after they finished,” Conway said. “I’m keeping track by sending reminders out to students, and just reminding the parents to make sure everyone takes care of it to make things much smoother.” •
was divided pretty nicely into categories, so we could focus on one or a couple of different categories each day. We assigned problems for homework, but if they had any questions, we went over the problems together.” Many students also felt that the instructors were quite valuable for their improvement. One anonymous survey respondent said, “[Mr. Oh] pushed us to do well, and constantly reassured us with confidence, such as that he believed in us. He also gave us extremely helpful handouts that helped with the SAT questions.” When talking to Oh for the results of these summer sessions, he expressed that scores improved for ¾ participants who provided feedback, although the state of whether the bootcamp will be brought back is still undecided.
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Photos | Noah Bendell
A More Union Students and staff share their thoughts on the biggest stories of 2017.
Women’s Studies in Action By Juan Carlos Fregoso
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n January 21st, 2017, between three and five million activists, including Social Studies teacher Carrie Kelder, took to the streets in major cities like Washington D.C. and Oakland, and tiny towns like Stanley, Idaho to protest the inauguration of Donald Trump. As the
The Women’s March was and remains the largest single protest in American history. Kelder attended the Women’s March in Oakland, which surpassed the attendance of marches in the larger neighboring cities of San Francisco and San Jose. “It was important to me to attend because I felt strongly against the inauguration.” Kelde said. Kelder believes the march was
NORTH KOREA
“He is taunting Korea ... Their leader is not known to be very thoughtful.” - Assistant Administrator Karen Fogle least popular President-elect since at least Harry Truman (as far back as polling data goes) Trump may have inadvertently pushed women’s issues into the spotlight.
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effective in that it caught the attention of the newly inaugurated president, as shown in his tweet from Jan 22nd: “Watched protests yesterday but was
under the impression that we just had an election! Why didn’t these people vote? Celebs hurt cause badly.” This is not the first time women have tried make their voices heard in U.S. History. Women were very involved in the abolitionist movement and in the movement for prohibition. “Women have often taken a leading guiding role in social and progressive movements … Women’s rights have always seemed to be trying to improve a situation that’s been pretty negative, and so any other group who’s trying to do the same thing tends to attract women allies.” Social Studies Department Chair Jodi Soares Said. Many have seen these marches as
TAX CUTS “A changing of the the tax code is going to have a great impact on the direction of our country.” - Andrew Eckloff especially relevant considering the 19 women who have accused President Trump of sexual misconduct and the birth of the #MeToo movement. “Some posters talked about his quotes from his, you know, that tape of him.” said Kelder, careful to avoid the vulgar language on the Access Hollywood tape that came out during the presidential
campaign in which Trump is heard describing what some have described as his own inappropriate and predatory behavior towards women. Kelder remains hopeful that these kinds of demonstrations can bring about actual, concrete progress. “I I think it was successful in just kind of showing to people that … you don’t have to just agree with things, and you can have a voice.” •
Surprise Display of Solidarity By Noah Bendell
“W
ell, I remember that my husband and I were coming home from my parents’ house, and then heard about these protests, and the reason why we were so interested … was because we
effect the same day. The executive order prevented entry to the United States for all refugees for 120 days, and temporarily banned immigration from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia. The order faced heavy criticism, as it went into effect without advance notice, sparking chaos and leaving many
TRUMP’s TWITTER “Everytime I turn on Twitter or the news it’s like, ‘here’s something outrageous he said.’ ” - Senior Jeremy Bills were very devastated when we found out that Trump became our president, and we wanted to be more involved. So last minute, we decided to go the protest and we invited a bunch of our friends to go.” This is how Special Education teacher Tiffany Javier found herself in the middle of a massive impromptu protest at San Francisco International airport. On January 27, 2017, Executive Order 13769, also known as President Trump’s “travel ban,” was signed into law, taking
stranded in legal limbo. In response to the ban, activists organized spontaneous protests at major airports across the country. “There were signs all across the hallway as you exited out or as you entered the airport,” Javier said. “It was basically as long as B-Hall, covered in signs.” Javier and the protesters encountered varying levels of sympathy from people at the airport for other reasons. “As people were coming out,
CHARLOTTESVILLE
you could also see people who were frustrated over the protests and what people were standing up against,” Javier said, “I remember when a guy was leaving the terminal and he was on his way out because his plane landed. He was clearly upset over the amount of people blocking his way and protesting.” Many view the order as unfairly targeting Muslims and as an evolution of Trump’s proposed “Muslim Ban.” Some, however, are skeptical of this idea. “When the news started reporting it as a Muslim ban, I was like: if you look on the list, not all the countries were Muslim,” substitute teacher Daniel Correia said. While it is true that subsequent versions of the travel ban included countries like North Korea and Venezuela, it is also true that all seven of the countries in the original order signed by Trump were majority Muslim. Asked if he thought the protests made a difference, Javier’s husband Ilya Esterlis said “I think the answer to that is definitely yes. In the end there is some sort of travel ban that went into effect, but I think it certainly made it clear to politicians and other people in positions of power that everyday citizens really cared about this.” •
“I knew that people like that existed in the world, still, but I didn’t think that there was that many ... It’s not actually over yet.” - Sophomore Max Johnson
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Illustration | Xitlali Chipres
The image that loads when students attempt to access a page that has been filtered out.
A Look into our Internet Filter An exploration of the internet restrictions at Arroyo. By Xitlali Chipres
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ince the middle of November, students lost access to some social media websites such as Snapchat, Netflix, Insagram, Twiter and many more. The reason for this change, coming from the standpoint of the Director of Technology Integration Services Sam Sakai-Miller, these regular updates on the filtering system “Must filter the internet content that comes to students.” The reason the filtering system is so restraining is because “[We] have just one policy or one filtering system for the entire district so high school students are going to feel more restricted.” She explains that they are also necessary to keep the schools internet speed flowing in an efficient manner that works for the entire school. Sakai-Miller explains that there is a “federal mandate by which the district in department has the final say” onto what degrees the filter system has to be extended to. She explains that their intentions are purely to empower all students and having to cut out the ability to use social media websites from students when they are using the school’s wifi is just a form of self monitoring which helps students stay on task while they do their research. While the peple that create this filter
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find it purely beneficial and necessary, not everyone agrees. Even before this recent change, some teachers have felt the impact of the already existing filtering system. Science teacher Krystal Park frequently struggles with having her lessons flow easily without having to stop her class to fix the issue of losing access to educational videos. With a frustrated tone she recounts her problems with the filtering system. Park tells us she frequently has issues showing her students videos that would help them understand the content of her lessons. “I show a lot of biological and anatomy videos, ones that I have used in the past like last year and they worked fine,” Park said. “The year before [that] they worked fine, but for some reason I would play it and it would be like video restricted.” Park has had to become accustomed to oftentimes finding ways to continue her lessons. Having to put her class on pause when she first encountered these limits she has reserved to look for loopholes. She has been “suggested [to] using Mozilla Firefox…” Park says “it does work. I’ve kind of figured it out but it’s still kind of annoying.” Students of course have experienced this filtering system first hand. Senior Crystal
Tran explains how her multiple interactions with the filtering system have been bothersome and demeaning for her. She has observed her friends having difficulty trying to access social media through their phones when they do not have unlimited data, being faced by the incessant ‘Access Denied’ page. Tran recounts having this problem in her classrooms. “In anatomy, Ms. Park would have youtube videos and a lot of times it’s blocked” and it happens everyday in her class. It created a disruption for the class and the teachers have to rearrange their lessons plans when the links are purely educational. From her experiences Tran feels as though she’s being treated as “a child” despite the fact that she knows she “can control [herself] and it’s [her] choice and [her] education,” Tran said. Although many people dissent the whole idea of a filtering system being in place, there does not seem to be a chance for it to be taken away. Sakai-Miller even informs us that “we might see another discrepancy soon.” •
The Timeless Teacher Lorenzo Manor teacher Charlotte Davis has been teaching for 56 years and counting. By Angela Peña
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n 1962, Charlotte Davis, the youngest teacher on campus, stepped into Martin School. Little did she know, this would be the first day of her teaching career that has spanned into fifty-six years. Since Martin School, Davis has been a teacher at Argon School, which since then has been cleared due to lack of student body, a Special Ed teacher at Dayton Elementary School, an Early Childhood Education Coordinator of both Fairmont and Bay School, a reading specialist at Fairmont and Hesperian School, until finding her home at Lorenzo Manor Elementary School in 1983. “When I came here, I met teachers that I just clicked with. It was the most exciting place to work. We were doing new things every year. We were going to workshops, we were coming back and saying ‘Guys did you listen to what we just found out? Let’s do this; this is gonna be a fabulous program.’” Davis said, “Every grade level had three or more novels to read. Chapter books, which they would read together instead of those boring textbooks. We wrote our own spelling program, we had so many fabulous things, and I never wanted to leave, so I’m still here.” Living in the age of technology, Davis has slowly introduced the usage of technology in the classroom. “I do the second half of the year, take the children to the computer lab because we do have kindergarten standards for computer use,” Davis said. “They need to learn how to turn it off, how to search and get a program up, how to go through a program, so those are all things I have to teach them. But I try to connect it all to a math lesson we’re doing or to reading sounds, especially for this age group.” Although technology helps the kids learn, Davis has noticed key values that the kindergarteners should work on. “Children need to talk. They need to learn. The most important thing that I’m trying to teach these children is to cooperate
Photo Ilustration | Cuauhtemoc Ramirez
Charlotte Davis reading the book, Gingerbread Friends. Davis has been teaching at Lorenzo Manor Elementary School for thirty-five years. with [their] friends, be a friend, talk with [their] friends, and be able to carry out a conversation back and forth.” While Davis is continuously working on new teaching methods, Lorenzo Manor fourth grade teacher Deanna Taylor admires the years of experience Davis has had.
“Only a fool will do this job if they didn’t love it. It’s really hard work, but it’s like my mission in life.”
Lorenzo Manor Teacher Charlotte Davis said
“Stereotypically, older teachers can be stuck in old ways of teaching that are less effective. But Ms. Davis is no such thing,” Taylor said. “She is constantly doing research and staying up on top notch teaching strategies. She is open to trying new things
and is always looking for ways to better her craft. She is inspirational.” Although Davis may be seen as an inspiration to many, she understands that teaching is a struggle sometimes. “Only a fool will do this job if they didn’t love it. It’s really hard work, but it’s like my mission in life. I get as much from it as the kids get from me. Probably more.” Davis said. Davis’ love of teaching has been shown to her dedication to students. Tenth grader Angelica Diaz was a former student of Davis in 2008. “She was nice [to] her students, and she always tried to make class fun.” Diaz said, “Everybody always felt comfortable in her class. Everybody got along.” Davis has taught for fifty-six years, through the years of declining enrollment and new technology being implemented in the classroom, and she doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon. “I love doing it [teaching], it’s creative. Every day is different. I am never bored, and I do hate to be bored. That’s the beauty of teaching.” •
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My Education, My Voice Culture and Climate Committee event aims to guide teachers through student voices.
AHS senior Larrieze Ann L. Santiago and a Washington Manor Middle School Photographserve | Trinity as Maipanelists. (left) AHS sophomore Che A. Munoz performs his student original rap. (right) Photo | Trinity Mai
By Trinity Mai
“H
earing Students’ Voices,” an event hosted on December 14, 2017 at East Bay Arts High School by the Culture and Climate Committee, showcased the thoughts and feelings of students from the San Lorenzo Unified School District. The committee was formed by superintendent, Fred Brill, and consists of district staff, such as teachers, classified staff, school board members, and administrators who meet monthly to plan events that aim to help students express themselves while improving teachers’ understanding of how they can raise students’ confidence to pursue their goals. The committee also envisions the audience to learn and seek positivity from the performed acts. Arroyo High School’s senior Sean Nico D. Salazar was given the chance to perform a dance piece with his team, Arroyo’s Premium Hip Hop Dance Crew, Dyvercity, at the “Hearing Students’ Voices” event. Salazar, the team captain, who immigrated from the Philippines last year, wants to express himself through his original choreography as well as help others who also hope to display their thoughts through their dance. “I just came here last year and there is no dance club in here and I just want to represent my school,” Salazar said. Salazar hopes that someday, he can share
his experiences and inspire others to find their path to success by becoming a dance teacher. He wants to help his students find their confidence and their true selves through the art of dance. “Teaching students by sharing your talent is just a good thing. There are a lot of people who want to dance, but they don’t do it because they don’t have that confidence in themselves. I want to change that,” Salazar said. The teacher on special assignment for restorative practices, Amani Dunham, is a
“I want to let them know that there’s a chance for them to be a dancer. If they like it, just chase for that dream.”
Senior Sean Nico D. Salazar said
committee member and wishes to use unique ways, such as dancing, to address issues and learn from both students and staff alike. “For this event, we wanted to lift up student voice and showcase the hopes, dreams, and talents of our students. We did this so we could learn from our students, but
also as a reminder about why the work we do is so important,” Dunham said. The event gave students in the district an opportunity to share their sentiments to advise teachers better and other staff members. Based on the students’ experiences, the district staff can develop better relationships with students as well as their colleagues. Teacher induction program manager and English teacher at Bohannon Middle School, Anneka HarperKnox, mentors new teachers to adapt to their school environment as a means of helping them feel less overwhelmed. She aims to provide them with support to boost their confidence regarding the work they do. She previously doubted the effectiveness of the way she helped students. However, after hearing the students state that they actually do appreciate her efforts, she feels relieved. “It was nice to hear that some of the things I’m doing in my classroom are what the students need. I wanted to hear more, like what’s helped them in the past and what things have gotten in their way. We want to change the way things are and focus more on what is working. That’s why we try to make sure everybody hears about these events and that’s what’s going on and sees the positivity that comes out of them,” Harper-Knox said. •
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Photo Illustration | Maha Sanad
I N S I D E 16 | FEATURE
16 | CONVERSATION WITH THE BSU 18 | DATA ABOUT BLACK STUDENTS
Community CLOSER LOOK
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Standing Out, Standing Up Black students speak on isolation, obstacles, and change. By Bethelehem Engeda and Maha Sanad
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here were a total of 503 students enrolled in Advanced Placement classes last year school year. Only 18 of them were Black. Senior Jeremy Bills, notices when he is the only Black person in a classroom. ”I notice, a lot of times actually, that I’m the only black person in class...especially in my AP classes, I’m usually one of the only black people in that class,” Bill said. Bills is not along in this feeling as according to the district data dashboards from he 2016-2017 school year, there were 1715 total students at Arroyo. Only 133 were black. This means, that frequently, Black students at AHS will realize that they are the only Black person in the room. Less than 8% of the student body at Arroyo High School is made up of Black students, and these numbers are even smaller in certain spaces, such as AP classes. Last year about 40% of students at Arroyo High School were enrolled in at least one AP class. However, when looking at just the Black students, there are only 20 that are taking taking AP classes; in total. Junior Bethel Dangu, along with often noticing being the only Black person in a room, has also experienced some challenges being black compared to other races. “I do feel like I have to work harder because I feel like other races get more advantages than black people. For example, I feel like there are people in my classes that get off easier or if they get in trouble it’s easier for them than other [people of color] in my class,” Dagnu said. Principal James Gray also spoke about the difference he has noticed between how he was treated compared to others because of his race. “There’s cold language often used among different ethnicities that often brings it to my attention that ‘oh ok this is a shout at me because I’m black’; it reminds me that I’m not a part of the mainstream white culture,” Gray said. Not only are Black students one of the smallest ethnic groups at Arroyo, but the Black faculty is as well, one being counselor Regina Ellis. Ellis recalls a moment when she realized how frustrating it can be to be one of the few African-American people on campus.
Q&A
A Conversation with the Black Student Union
By Vivian Liu Some of Arroyo’s clubs, such as Touch of Aloha, Latinos Unidos, and the Black Student Union, are efforts of students and teachers attempting to create a supportive environment. February 1 marked the beginning of Black History Month, a time where many classes learn about African-American history, achievements, and community. In a conversation with the Dry Gulch Gazette, students in the BSU share their thoughts on being Black on our campus.
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CLOSER LOOK
Is the BSU well-represented? Why or why not? Senior Grant Brown: “I think we’re...wellrepresented. It’s just we’re not really out there as much as we want to be.” Junior Jae’len Santa Lucia: “People just don’t feel like opening and joining our group because they don’t consider themselves African-American when that’s not the meaning of it. It’s just to get the African-American... community out there more at Arroyo.” Junior Mikayla Brice: “I agree. If we had more members we would be more represented and we could get...ideas...about how to change certain things about the school.”
How do you think about the usage of the “n” word amongst non-black people? Brown: “I don’t really care who uses it, what color you are, but you shouldn’t use it at all. Where it came from and what it represents is not cool Senior Mekhi Okobi: “Especially if you’re a person of color…I think it’s sort of...a disgrace…[to the people] who fought to not be included into the need of that word, so what’s the point of fighting against that if you’re going to keep using that?”
Photo Illustration | Maha Sanad
“When I was in the classrooms I was a teacher before I became a counselor and some of my students made it very obvious that they did not like the idea of an African-American teacher...they made it apparent that they did not like AfricanAmerican literature and they didn’t want an African American teacher. This was at Arroyo. Between 2001-2006 [when] I was in the classroom”, Ellis said. According to a 2017 study by researchers from American University, U.C. Davis and Johns Hopkins University, having just one black teacher in elementary school reduced low-income black boys’ likelihood of dropping out of high school by 39%. In highschool, Black students who had one Black teacher were more likely to attend college than those who did not. Bills recalled the impact of the first Black teacher he had in elementary school. “I remember in elementary school, when we had our first black teacher, ever. She was my 5th grade teacher, Ms. Smith,” Bills said. “She was by far my favorite teacher ever; she encouraged me to do so much. She made me really value being African-American. She really made me embrace my color. She made me realize that everything I do represents the black community.” The black students and faculty members all had similar ideas on how the lack of knowledge and representation of Black culture and history can be improved. “Teach more in history. It doesn’t even have to be the whole month, like just a day would be good, or say something on the loudspeaker about it,” Dagnu said. Bills concurs with Dagnu’s attempts to give advice to the teaches at Arroyo about Black History Month. “A teacher can just mention Black History Month,” Bills said. “Just say something that at least recognizes and shows us some type of appreciation or acknowledgement. All of it helps.” Principal Gray also believes that there will be a positive change if teachers included more positive Black history in their curriculum. “When talking about African American history, they only talk about slavery. We just had our first African American president. We have had several great AfricanAmericans in history, but the media chooses not to show that,” Gray said. In regards to the topic of the lack of Black students and faculty at Arroyo, Gray believes The Black Student Union (BSU) is the key to changing the way Black people are viewed by others in the Arroyo community who may have negative perceptions of them. They also yearn to empower Black students as well as others to feel proud of their culture and be the best individual that they could be. Gray even shares what he believes the goal of the BSU. “[The goal is to] grow students who are cool with being smarter, more courteous, and willing to be different,” Gray stated.
Brice: “I don’t...care if people use it but if you use it around someone of color make sure... they’re okay with it.” Junior Chelsey Lewis-Williams: “I don’t mind. I mean, my whole thing is just don’t use it in a way that’s insulting.” Brown: “If somebody asks you not to use it then please don’t use it.” Santa Lucia: “[N]obody...should use it…[B] ack then, it was a term to be mean to Black people... But then African-Americans changed the “er” to an “a” when...talking to each other on a friendlier term… [S]ince then it hasn’t... been needed. They turned it into...a thuggish,
a hoodlum version of it now…[I]t shouldn’t be used so commonly and...it’s used by people who don’t even use it right.” Is there a goal/vision that the BSU wishes to accomplish? Lucia: “To make a safer environment and broaden our African-American community.” Brown: “Not just...African-American — just bring everybody together and make a... nice community. Not everyone in the BSU is African-American, but we still see each other as friends so it doesn’t matter.”
How will you reach this goal? Brown: “We gotta get out there...and let everybody know that anybody is welcome. Nothing is required.”
CLOSERCampus LOOK
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THE By Cassandra Yuan
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PERCENT WHITE
12%
H SC
ASIAN
HISPANIC
21%
46%
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HE A
MEDICINE A CA
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AT ARRO YO HI G
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n the 2016-2017 school year, there were 1,715 students at AHS. 133 of them were African American. That is just over 8%. This number changes from classroom to classroom. There were a total of 503 students enrolled in Advanced Placement classes that school year. 18 of them were Black. That O means that in some classes, these Black students are the only ones in the room. The percentage of the Black T students also changes based on the small learning H communities at Arroyo. In the Future academy E (Future Leaders for Social Change) 11% of R them are Black. Among the TREND Academy (Transportation, Engineering, and Design) 6% of them are Black. More of these statistic demographics can be seen in the graphs below. These statistics were taken from SLZUSD’s Data Dashboard (which can be found on the San Lorenzo School District website). • LATINO/
8%
AFRICAN AMERICAN
FILIPINO
8%
13% FUTURE AC
AD EM
TREND ACA
Y
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CLOSER LOOK
11% 6%
TECH LINK SA CA MY DE
11%
BLACK
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7%
When Our Black Students Say They Feel... ingled-out
S
T
DIFFEREN
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ard
Like they have to Alone represent their whole Targeted able r e n community Vul That’s a Problem.
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he Black experience at Arroyo change, but there are simple things AHS can High School is a unique one. Black do to start. students make up nearly one tenth First, groups at AHS can invite more of the student population, and yet are still Black guest speakers. This would go a long disproportionately underrepresented among way towards providing Black students the Arroyo staff, even in the supposedly hyper- opportunity to see a member of their own diverse Bay Area. There is no single person community in a position of respect and or group at fault here, but it is impossible authority, and other students would get to to ignore, just looking around campus, how learn and understand more about the Black the system has failed to provide for Black experience. students the same benefits that come with Along the same lines, AHS might offer proper representation that other students field trips or similar activities with more of enjoy. a specific focus on Black Representation history and culture; STAFF EDITORIAL is important for one of the most more than just common ideas we have filling a quota. In heard from Black AHS OPINION OF THE DRY GULCH our feature on page students is a desire to GAZETTE EDITORIAL BOARD 16, Senior Jeremy learn more about the Bills described how lighter side of Black a Black elementary school teacher taught history. him it was okay to be comfortable with his Finally, AHS could do more to actively own culture, and that experience is far from promote the goals and projects of the Black unique. According to a 2015 paper from the Student Union, and other cultural clubs, for Center for Education Data and Research, that matter. The importance of clubs like minority students benefit in concrete, this cannot be overstated, as they provide measurable ways from having teachers one of the few spaces for minority students demographically similar to themselves. to be comfortable around people of similar Some believe the effect come from having a backgrounds and experiences, and a way role model of the same race in a position of to advocate for minority student issues. A authority, while others think that minority huge part of creating a representative and teachers have higher expectations for culturally diverse campus is giving cultural minority students, which the students then organizations like the Black Student Union want to live up to. Either way, the effect is the support and platform they need to real, and AHS would be doing it’s students accomplish their objectives. a real disservice by depriving them of that Race and representation will always be effect. relevant, even to students at AHS. There may So what needs to happen? The Dry Gulch not be simple fixes for every problem that Gazette understands that the hiring process comes up, but there are some clear steps the is complicated, and these problems won’t administration can take to make sure every just disappear overnight with a simple rule student at AHS feels at home. •
Dry Gulch
Gazette The Dry Gulch Gazette is an open forum for students and does not necessarily represent the views of Arroyo High School or of the San Lorenzo Unified School District. We want to provide our readers with entertaining, informational, and relevant stories that will be worth their time. We intend to produce accurate and unbiased reporting, and we will therefore work to correct any significant mistakes. You should contact us at AHSGazette@gmail.com if you can find such a mistake in this publication. You may also email us to submit a letter to the editor, but we reserve the right to edit letters for length or accuracy. Letters will be rejected or published at the discretion of journalism staff.
Campus Editors: Mimi Nozawa, Kendra Rocco
Community Editors: Cassandra Yuan, Winnie Lai
Sports Editors: Cuauhtemoc Ramirez
Arts and Culture Editors: Xitlali Chipres, Yennhi Le
Opinion Editors: Janice Lee, Noah Bendell
Special Feature Editor: Maha Sanad
Staff Advisor: Samved Sangameswara
Gazette Staff Writers: Steven Avalos, Nanda Bean, Calif Chen, Bethelehem Engeda, Juan Carlos Fregoso Jr., Leslie Güereca, Jeanette Hernandez,w Joyce Kae Janayan, Rizelle Jugarap, Vivian Liu, Trinity Mai, Zai Medina, Caroline Nguyen, Angela Peña, Cristian Quintanilla, Lisset Romero, Britney Torres, Samantha Wang
OPINION
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A Taste of Home in a Foreign Country AHS should take action to preserve the culture of the Asian community. By Samantha Wang
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he most important holiday celebration in many East Asian and Southeast Asian cultures is Lunar New Year. Most of the Chinese families celebrate 15 days of Lunar New Year, where each day has its own significance. My family and I clean the house, buy new clothes, make food to prepare for the New Year’s Eve, and children receive money in red envelopes from adults. On that day, we eat dinner and watch the Spring Gala together past midnight with fireworks exploding into the night sky. This is our eating and bonding time. I immigrated to America a few years ago, and I previously thought the spirit of New Year here would be similar to China. However, the first Lunar New Year I experienced in the United States was not what I expected. Since most of my family lived in the United States for a long time, they have integrated into American culture and they did not celebrate like how I did in China, anymore. My fellow Asian friends and I sometimes talk about our own country’s traditions. Although this is not necessarily bad, our connections with our families will slowly diminish until one day, we completely forget our original
identity. By that time, we will finally notice the celebration is not just about eating together; it is about good wishes and sharing happiness with each other.
We feel like we are getting assimilated into the American lifestyle as well, leaving behind a part of our original culture. According to the 2016-2017 School Accountability Report Card (SARC), AsianAmerican students accounted for 19.6% of the students at our school last year. Our community consists of various cultures and sharing our culture helps everyone develop better knowledge regarding Asian culture. We can draw parallels between Asian celebrations and other celebrations because we might think Lunar New Year is equally as important as Thanksgiving Day and
Christmas Day since this is also our bonding time with our family and friends. As a result of learning more about Asian culture and the similarities they share, anyone can celebrate Asian customs regardless of coming from different backgrounds. AHS should start celebrating Asian culture such as the Lunar New Year celebration since there are so many of us enrolled in the school. We could decorate our school and host related activities for everyone to enjoy and participate in outside of class time. As a long-term goal, we can also start a club to represent the Asian community, similar to the Touch of Aloha, Black Student Union and Latinos Unidos. The new club will take charge and plan activities and events for the holidays as well as hosting fundraisers. The club will allow Asians to feel more included and accepted into the community. I hope in the near future, when my Asian peers and I have conversations about our culture, we will feel understood and able to relate. Thus, people of different ethnicities can communicate better with each other and create a stronger relationship and have better mutual understanding. •
Crowd Sourced: SLC’s By Britney Torres and Leslie Güereca It has almost been two decades since Arroyo first integrated small-learning communities into the school. What started off as a Teaching Academy evolved into the four academies: Tech Links, Futures, Health and Medicine, and Trend. Each providing a distinct experience to students by exposing them to specific career fields. Though as these communities have emerged so have the opinions of faculty and students.
English Teacher Kay Zimmerman
Senior Erin Cape
A bad thing about the academies would be that students choose academies without knowing what they’re really about. In a way it’s good that students are separated by academies because it helps develop communities and family atmospheres. The downside would be that students don’t get to branch out and meet others. Cliques can be made and we don’t want that.
When I entered my SLC I initially did not want to be in it, I wanted to be in Health in Medicine, but the longer I stayed I realized I did like it. It is a good thing that we have these separate communities that are specifically tailored for certain career paths. At the same time it creates this division among students. It’s built on this competitive elitist foundation.
Photograph | Britney Torres
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OPINION
Photograph | Leslie Güereca
Turning the Sound Off Earbuds ban is unnecessary and ineffective By Joyce Kae Janayan
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ust this school year, Arroyo High School has started strictly enforcing the earbuds prohibition. Over the past few months, the school administration has made numerous school-wide announcements reminding the student body that the use of earbuds is only allowed during nutrition break and lunch. In fact, the 2017-2018 Arroyo High School Planner and Handbook specifically states that earbuds “may NOT be used during passing period.” Because of the electronics regulations in other schools, this strict enforcement might be the school’s way of preparing students for a more aggressive application of the earbuds rule. Just like any other school, the use of earbuds and cell phones is prohibited during school hours. This regulation stems from the huge amount of distraction electronic devices create in a learning environment. Teachers would find it even more excruciatingly difficult to teach a class wherein their attention isn’t focused on how to conjugate Spanish verbs, but is rather engulfed in the new Snapchat filter. Although the use of earbuds during class is indeed distracting, the use of earbuds
Science Teacher Samantha Johnson I think that in 9th grade academies are really helpful in that they give students a community to be a part of. [B]y the time you hit junior and senior year a lot of you are not segregated anymore anyway, because you’re taking classes like electives in where you mix. I think the people who talk about segregation are the ones that are super social and have no problem making friends. But there are some people that this is not a strength of theirs and I think communities really help with that. Photograph | Britney Torres
during break and passing period is not as big of an issue as the school administration puts it out to be. Students have accepted and attempted to follow the phone regulations. What has been bothering them recently is the stricter enforcement of the earbuds use in school. Unlike previous school years, the school administration has been making the same announcement for days about keeping students off their earbuds during the five minute passing period between classes. Although the constant reminder should help students remember to adapt to these new rules, some argue that the repetitive announcements and reprimands from school staff would only agitate the students even more. In the five minutes between classes, what harm does wearing earbuds create? Besides the lessened ability to hear another set of announcements or the school bell signaling the start of the next period, there really is nothing lost by allowing students to listen to their music before entering another classroom. In fact, often times when students do use their earbuds to listen to a song on
Senior Johnny Mejia
their way to their classes, it usually lessens the interaction between students in the hall which decreases the chances of tardiness due to hallway chatter. The earbuds ban has seriously affected some introverted students that use their earbuds as their personal safety bubble to avoid unnecessary social interaction. After spending an entire hour having to participate in routine-like classroom activities, some students need some sort of recharge before coming into another class and doing similar activities but in the direction of another subject. Because not all classes allow for self-expression, that five-minute break to listen to what students want to listen to grants students some “me-time” before emerging themselves into another class full of equations, history fast facts, or literary merit books. Instead of banning the use of earbuds and possibly enforcing the Yondr pouches, the school administration should develop a way to adapt to the new generation raised in the world of electronics and automation. Times are changing. •
Science Teacher Tom Grace
I do not like SLCs because it’s like a form of discrimination towards students’ education and what they want later in life. Usually it’s encouraged to go through the path[s] that the SLC[s have] and no other path, and if they want to change they have to go through some rigorous process.
Sometimes [students] don’t interact with other kids from other SLCs. It’s not all paradise. Another problem can be if a kid is not happy with their SLC they can only transfer once to another SLC. They can’t transfer again.They are done. [SLCs] can create groupings. I miss [when] we did not have that as much when we did not have SLCs. Though, I do think over all [SLCs are] a good experience for kids in school. It’s good for having a sequential kind of order within whatever SLC [the students] choose.
Photograph | Leslie Güereca
Photograph | Britney Torres
OPINION
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Junior Readiness Affects SAT Success Sophomore curriculum should include SAT prep. by Zai Medina
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any students would agree that junior year is the busiest and most stressful year of a student’s high school career. Many junior AHS students are enrolled in multiple AP classes, dedicated to sports, and participate in other extracurricular activities. This wide array of engagements serve not only as dutiful commitments, but also create each student’s overall profile to be evaluated by colleges and universities. However, the most daunting determiner of college eligibility is the SAT. The SAT is a standardized test used to measure a student’s knowledge and skills in reading, writing, and mathematics in order to see where they are most suited to pursue their academic career. For most students, the thought of any big test brings on apprehension and dread. Considering that this test can determine a large part of their future, the SAT may seem even more intimidating. This uneasiness may make students reluctant to take the test. Nearly everybody feels anxious about the SAT, but we need to take steps in getting past test-trepidation and not let this hold students back from taking this mandatory exam. Rising juniors should be able to enter their upcoming year prepared mentally and academically to take the SAT. Counseler Mary Conway, who works with the class of 2019, has done an extensive job of getting junior students well-informed about the SAT and how crucial their performance on the test will be for their future. She has dedicated herself to going out of her way to inform juniors as much as possible: visiting classrooms to discuss the test’s importance, and even assisting over 100 students to register. But Conway’s efforts alone in preparing students is not enough to improve their skills and mindset for the big test. To effectively prepare students and create a positive mentality for the SAT, the AHS administration should begin implementing SAT prep into the curriculum of students’ sophomore year. Doing so ensures that students will be more prepared for the exam than they would have on their own, maximizes the amount of time upcoming juniors can have for other priorities, and helps students to approach the test with confidence. Consistent application of SAT material in students’ learning will allow them to enhance their knowledge and identify what exactly their areas of strengths are, as well as areas for improvement. Being able to have an engaging experience with SAT content on a regular basis would build understanding with
OPINION
Illustration | Rizelle Jugarap
the subject matter at hand. In the classroom setting, students are able to ask for help and thoroughly discuss the material, which is definitely an advantage from studying independently at home. Feedback from the PSAT can also be integrated with SAT prep in the classroom. Coordinating these resources together makes each students’ learning experience more personally tailored to fit their needs. In addition to strengthening their comprehension, it is also timesaving. Junior year is already bound to be filled with a huge workload and numerous responsibilities. Integrating SAT prep into sophomore curriculum saves time and decreases the likelihood that students will procrastinate studying for the exam. Plus, with the oncoming AP workload most upcoming juniors will sign up for, it would be most beneficial if they had learned the SAT content through their previous classes. This enables students to approach the test with
confidence since they have already acquired most of what they needed to know. Undoubtedly, our teachers at AHS work hard to educate students about various subjects and encourage learning, but there is always room for improvement in the AHS curriculum. Conway’s efforts have definitely helped students to not be completely clueless about what the SAT is, what it means for them, and how to prepare for it; however, one person alone should not carry the burden of pushing hundreds of students to take it. We should suggest to the school administration to begin implementing SAT prep into the curriculum of sophomore year. Although it may be seen as an additional hassle, it would enrich students with the skill set they need that will allow them to achieve their full potential. •
The Seniors’ Last Competition A look into the preparation for their last show.
Photo | Cuauhtemoc Ramirez
Seniors Kit Ma, Haoyuan Guan, Gian Diaz, and freshmen Joseph Fujimoto practicing in their section, the front ensemble, in the music room during rehersal.
By Kendra Rocco
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inter Percussion is a sport where musicians in an ensemble play percussion instruments, such as the drums and marimba, as they compete against other schools. This year’s seniors, most of whom have dedicated the last four years of their life to this group, are trying to soak up each and every moment of their last season. Senior Laurien Phuong and captain of the front ensemble explains how and why she first became involved in this program. “I got to high school, and there’s just so many more opportunities for music, and I wanted to take part of that,” Phuong said. As an ensemble, they feel challenged coming from a smaller school than the schools they compete against, but she explains how they use this as fuel to inspire them to work even harder. “[Winter percussion] is very competitive. We are a very competitive group because, Arroyo, we are actually like the underdogs most of the time[...],” Phuong said. Despite these challenges that come with being underdogs, she revels in every moment because she recognizes the rarity of this opportunity.
“Winter percussion is definitely a once in Junior Wesley Waldrep shares who a lifetime experience and a lot of high schools motivates and inspires him the most. don’t even offer this kind of experience,” “Pretty much everyone [the whole team],” Phuong said. Waldrep said. “I am inspired to stay up to par Senior Kit Ma shares his favorite aspect of with the group and be able to play along at playing in winter percussion. a similar caliber as the the rest of the group, “My favorite moment would be and others playing alongside the group and performing in front of a others encourage that.” huge crowd you know Since winter being able to feel the “Winter percussion is percussion creates such adrenaline rush inside an encouraging close knit definitely a once in a of you, ” Ma said. “You’re group, Ma says that the just playing whatever you lifetime experience,” people will be hardest to have been practicing for Senior Laurien Phuong said. leave when asked what he several months conveying will miss the most. all your hard work and “The hardest thing to dedication and you’re able to see how much say goodbye to would have to be my friends you’ve accomplished once you’ve finished and family in this section [...] leaving and performing and receiving your award.” not being able to see them grow breaks my Because of the extensive practice hours heart,” Ma said. spent bonding and shared love and passion Phuong predicts how she’s going to feel for creating music, Ma expresses how winter on April 8 when this whole experience will percussion not only creates music, but also a officially be over. family. “Oh my god. I’m going to be crying like “Being part of the front ensemble we’re crazy,” Phuong said. “I’ve just put in so much a pretty close connected unit,” Ma said. We dedication and commitment to this once it’s understand each other and we can always over I’m going to feel empty. It’s gonna be rely on each other. No matter if there’s really hard for me to walk away from this.” • any problems or if we’re having emotional problems at home we are just here for each other.”
CULTURE
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Three Cultures, One Celebration Outlook of Lunar New Year from three different people. By Mimi Nozawa and Nanda Bean
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Illustration | Rizelle Jugarap
arty time over? Guess again. With a little less than a week away from Lunar New Year, held on February 16, families and communities from all corners of the globe prepare to celebrate this upcoming holiday to their fullest. Following the lunar calendar, Lunar New Year-also known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival-is a holiday spent with honoring ancestors and heavenly deities, as well as gathering with family for quality time with one another. Common traditions of Lunar New Year involve offering food to ancestors, holding feasts with family, and the exchange of what is commonly identified as ‘lucky money.’ Lucky money is presented as a way of giving blessings towards
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CULTURE
the receiver and is sealed inside of a miniature red envelope. The significance behind this gift lies more so in the envelope than the money within. The colored on the envelope symbolizes a vast array of meanings: bringing about of good energy, best wishes, happiness, and luck. Despite these practices, each family celebrates Lunar New Year in their own unique way. Members within our San Lorenzo community have shared their distinctive styles of commemoration and demonstrate that although each of us have our own traditions, we all hold the same interests at heart.
Senior Linh Duong spent her childhood in Vietnam. Even after experiencing multiple Lunar New Years in Vietnam and moving to America, she feels as though her traditions have not changed since her move. In Vietnam, her Lunar New Year was celebrated in the course of three days. “Typically for me, [a] day would be spent going to church, and going back to say our wishes to our parents, then [receive] red envelopes. I would go to my grandparents’ house to eat there and get more money too,” Duong said. America is not much of a difference either, it seems. “For here, we would usually spend it during the weekend, and still would just [...] pray, eat, [...] celebrate, and [be given] more money. It’s simpler here,” Duong said. Regardless of the simplicity of how her family celebrates, the value of their exchanges and time together is undeniably valuable and worthwhile. Math teacher Toby Jaw grew up doing more with his Lunar New Year. As the first generation Chinese American of his family after his parents immigrated to America, Jaw devotes his Lunar New Year to his large family. “We usually get together [as a] family, [and] pretty much try to engorge ourselves with food, so there’s a lot of binge eating,” Jaw said. Whereas Duong would travel to visit relatives for Lunar New Year, Jaw hosts the gatherings himself. “We try to round up as many relatives as we can. Nowadays, it all culminates around my mother visiting Northern California and people coming to meet at our house,” Jaw said. Jaw has also been giving offerings to his ancestors since he was a child and the tradition has remained. “We would actually put out plates of citrus, and my dad used to put them out in front of pictures of his parents,” Jaw said. These water dumplings were not your ordinary restaurant dish because they were dumplings that contained a rather peculiar item embedded inside.
“My dad [...] had this tradition where the water dumplings would have stuff put into them. He used to put money in it. He’d boil dimes to sanitize them, plant them in the water dumplings, then cook them. When I was little, we used to try to eat as much as we could just to find as many dimes as we could,” Jaw said. Jaw similarly follows the practice of giving lucky money to his daughters and makes the point that “Red envelopes are usually for the younger generation,” Jaw said. The older generation gives money as a symbol of their blessings towards the future of the youth, which Jaw intends to continue. Although some may perceive the act of receiving money as a form of greed, adolescents learn to be more humble and respect their elders as they continue to
Lunar New Year falls on feb. 16 this year celebrate this tradition. Sophomore Angeline Yee, who grew up in the Philippines, remembers celebrating Lunar New Year in her neighborhood and would always look forward to the holiday. “I feel excited. I’m also Asian so it’s kind of similar to Chinese,” Yee said. One of the concepts of Lunar New Year is having quality time with family and friends, which Yee hopes to have the chance to spend time with her own. “Maybe go eat with my family and my friends if we had the chance, [...] if they are
not busy. You’re getting a chance to bond with your [loved ones],” Yee said. Although Lunar New Year is a worldwide holiday and various members in the San Lorenzo community celebrate with their families and friends, AHS does not visibly hold events during this day of festivity. However, on holidays such as Dia de los Muertos, AHS creates altars for students and staff to decorate and place pictures of ancestors on. Contrary to the brightly colored and adorned skulls that walk the campus on Dia de los Muertos, Lunar New Year is almost unheard of, and many students are unaware that the holiday is even celebrated this month. “Maybe [students outside of the Asian community] are not familiar with the concept of Lunar New Year. Asians are more conservative and we don’t really share it,” Duong said. Jaw believes the issue lies in the lack of one symbol that defines Lunar New Year. “With [the symbol] of the skull for Dia de los Muertos, you can easily define it. Of course, the lucky money is something that you see a lot of, but that’s also [money]. We’ve even [received money] for Christmas. It’s a universal tradition, so I don’t think it used a lot throughout the year too. If I hadn’t seen an aunt in a long time, she’ll usually give give me [money]. We’ve even [received money] for Christmas. I think it’s a universal tradition, so I don’t think it defines this one holiday. I suppose firecrackers could, but I wonder if administration would be okay with that,” Jaw said. Yee reasons that the choice lies on the people of campus themselves. “I think it depends on the people. If [other ethnicities] really want [to], they can celebrate it. If they don’t want to, it’s up to them. Different races [have] different culture[s] [and traditions], [ultimately], it’s their happiness,” Yee said. •
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Photo | Cruz Fragoza
Two Seniors’ Journey Through Guitar An interview with two seniors about their passion for guitar. By Steven Avalos
What got you Interested in playing guitar and how old were you at the time? Anthony: “My parents had me take lessons when I was 12 but really didn’t pick up interest till I was 15 and took even more lessons at 16. Joshua: I started at the age of 6 but also didn’t get into it immediately because I was more interested in playing drums but my dad got me to like guitar when I was 13 How were you when you first started playing, were you a natural or did you struggle? Anthony: I struggled in and I struggled out but that’s how it is and that’s how it should be because it’s all a process. Joshua: At first it was a struggle because it was all so new to me, but hey even the greats had their struggles and plus what’s it worth doing if it’s easy.
What were your methods for learning how to play guitar? Anthony: Everyday I would play with a different style so I can expand my skill. Joshua: Early in my development I used many techniques, but when I met Anthony, we were able to learn a lot off each other and it has benefited us very well.
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(follow up) Did someone teach you or did you teach yourself and how was that? Anthony: I took private lessons but I do wanna say that I believe that no one can really teach themselves because there had to be a reason or inspiration that gave them the style they have. Joshua: I totally agree with Anthony on this. And I also took lessons What was most frustrating about learning how to play guitar? Anthony: A few months ago I had tendonitis which made playing painful for a few months and it sucked because I wanted to play so badly but couldn’t Joshua: Mine is whenever you have that constant feeling of dissatisfaction but then again it also helps push me into doing better.
What’s most exciting about playing guitar? Joshua : Performing because it feels so satisfying to have your hard work pay off. Anthony: It’s when I am starting to understand something new because it helps me see that I am taking a step in the right direction.
Is there anyone that inspires you to play? If so, how come? Anthony: J Dale, Miles Davis, and Charlie Parker because they find a way to make you move and think with the music which is rare. Joshua: Kendricwk Lamar, John Coltrane, and Joe satriani because they are progressive and ahead of their time. How far do you plan on going with guitar? Anthony: I plan on being a professional with it for my whole life because I love guitar that much? Joshua: Same, I can’t imagine life without guitar.
What’s it like playing with each other? Anthony: We’ve played together for a few years and it has been great. We have created great chemistry over the years Joshua: It really creates a big difference playing off each other and it’s also fun to compete with each other and get better through it.
What is your favorite song to play? Anthony & Joshua: We don’t really play songs because we feel like we are copying them and prefer to play we have created ourselves. •
New Consignment Store in the Manor The Manor Estates is bringing vintage back in town.
By Yennhi Le
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Photo | Yennhi Le
A few displays of apparel and antiques available at the Manor Estates.
What are you listening to?
Junior Kayara Rocco “Hello Nasty” The Beastie Boys
Senior Czeric Bennett “Flower Boy” Tyler, the Creator
Social Studies Teacher Carrie Kelder “4” Beyoncé
Junior Jamiel Sampson “Hamilton” Lin-Manuel Miranda
ecently, our community welcomed a consignment store, making it easier for people to purchase second hand items at a lower price. Located on Farnsworth Street in San Leandro, The Manor Estates is a consignment store that sells antiques, vintage, and new items. Owner Jaydan Perry has been collecting items for over 10 years and has always dreamt of owning a store herself. As you step into the store, you’re welcomed by its friendly atmosphere. Along with reasonable prices and eye-catching items, the store’s nice selection of products has something for everyone. The items available here range from jewelry to clothes to cultural antiques, and much more. When you look around the store, everything you see draws your attention, sparking your curiousity or even making you nostalgic. This is a perfect place for people to find interesting vintage goods and knick-knacks. As for students, they may be interested in stopping by because of the selection of different polaroid cameras. What I found to be most interesting about this place was the vintage flight attendant uniforms on display, which would appeal to those who prefer the vintage aesthetic for costume purposes. With nearly 1,300 photos on Yelp, customers at the Manor Estates are satisfied. “I have customers that have been here since the first day that I’ve opened and still continue to come in,” Perry said. •
We asked the members of the Arroyo community what their favorite album is.
Freshman Devin Castro “All Eyez on Me” 2Pac
English Teacher Robert Guarino “Los Angeles” X
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It All Goes Down on the Mats Success comes with support: Girls’ Wrestling team. By Calif Chen and Caroline Nguyen
Photo Illustration | Caroline Nguyen
From left to right: Brianna Abrica, Hallie Evans, Jorja Loera, Suzanna Herrera, Alia Abushi, Alisha Narvaez.
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our athletes from our girls’ wrestling team competed in last year’s State Championship. This year, our girls’ wrestling team only has six athletes; nonetheless, all of them placed top eight in the recent meets. We have a small, yet very competitive girls’ wrestling team compared to other schools. There are many components in our wrestling program that contribute to their success. The girls’ wrestling coach, Lou Narvaez, has been a part of the program for eight years. He began coaching because he had the passion to help athletes accomplish their goals. “Having a goal is a big part of success. If you don’t have a goal, you don’t have anything to strive for,” Narvaez said.
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He believes that progress not only comes with hard work and dedication, but it also comes with establishing a goal. Narvaez’s passion and coaching style became one of the main factors that contributes to our wrestling team’s success.
“I began to coach to give back to the kids. Just watching them grow and see their success at the end of year, at the end of season, and at the end of their high school career is incredible,”
Girls’ Wrestling Coach Lou Narvaez said.
Additionally, wrestling is a mental game where athletes have to gain confidence in themselves. In Narvaez’s credo, he believes that preparing an athlete mentally is just as important as preparing an athlete physically. “Wrestling is a mental sport. It is also physical, but mainly mental. As long as I keep my athletes focused and mentally ready, we are going to end up on a podium 90% of the time.” Narvaez said. Sophomore Alia Abushi states that Narvaez boosts her self-confidence so she can compete at her best. “Coach Lou is a positive and supportive coach who’s always there in time of needs; he gives great advice and reassures us that we can win,” said Abushi. Narvaez’s credo and his coaching style
work very well, as a freshman athlete overcame her doubts to acquire her first success in a recent meet. “One of my beginners, who doubted herself a lot, she got on the podium (top eight). Having a beginner who has never wrestled in her life to become mentally prepared and trust the coach is a big deal for us.” Narvaez said. The wrestling team forms their own support system where the team members have each other’s back. Abushi believes that teamwork helps individual athletes persevere through the season. “We have a lot of leaders; we are all very supportive of each other and we help each
other through a lot, “ Abushi said. Even though wrestling is an individual sport, our girls’ wrestling team support each other and grow together as a family. The coach also plays an important role in this support system. For example, Narvaez works to encourage the athletes to become better and not to give up. “When you are wrestling, you are on your own out there; just you and your opponent. I push my athletes because I want them to get better, but I also want to have a fun environment where no one is discouraged.” Narvaez said. With an experience coach and a supportive team, our girls’ wrestling team had
many successes in the past recent years. Narvaez wants the women’s wrestling team to expand and continue to thrive. He encourages AHS students to join the team in the upcoming school year and to: “Give it try, so by the end of your high school years, you don’t look back and regret not giving yourself a chance.” •
Meet the Team
Junior Jorja Loera
Junior Suzanna Herrera
Freshman Brianna Abrica
Sophomore Alisha Narvaez
Sophomore Alia Abushi
Freshman Hallie Evans
Photo Illustration | Caroline Nguyen
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Wrestling Junior Hussein Abushi pins his opponent from San Lorenzo High School
Photos | Cuauhtemoc Ramirez
Junior Jorja Loera wins her match against Mount Eden with a win pin.
Boys’ Record
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Girls’ Record
3-2
3-2
Next Meet:
Next Meet:
WACC League Championsips
North Coast Section Championships
SPORTS
Soccer
Julie Madriz and Meghan Rodgers during their game against Berkeley High School. The Girls went on to tie, with a final score of 2-2.
Photograph | Winnie Lai
Brandon Valle, Marco Cortez, and Cesar Diaz(left to right) just before their game against Mount Eden. The game ended in a tie with both teams scoring 2 goals. Photograph | Cuauhtemoc Ramirez
Girls’ Record:
6-10-1
Boys’ Record:
4-12-4
Next Game:
Next Game:
Arroyo vs. Mt. Eden February 9 - Home
Arroyo vs. San Leandro February 7 - Home SPORTS
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Basketball Mya Mejia dribbles down court. Both the Girls’ Varsity and Junior Varsity teams went home with a win against San Lorenzo High School.
Photograph | Winnie Lai
Ryan Branscum, Rylan Murray (left to right) and Ruben Martinez during the San Lorenzo rivalry game. Photograph | Yennhi Le
Girls’ Record:
9-13 Next Game:
Tennyson vs. Arroyo February 9 - Away
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Boys’ Record:
10-12 Next Game:
Arroyo vs. Alameda February 9 - Home