Eye of the Tiger (Issue 1, Volume 19)

TOP NEWS Features

RHS students sharpen Spanish skills in real world setting Page 5

Sports

Opinion

The road to collegiate athletics through the eyes of one RHS verbal commit Page 9

Seniors Elena Bateman and Nathan Piedad weigh the effects of moving graduation Page 7

EYE OF THE TIGER Roseville High School’s student-produced publication

eyeofthetigernews.com

Eye of the Tiger

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@EOTNews

1 Tiger Way, Roseville, CA

SEPTEMBER 23, 2019 ISSUE 1, VOLUME 19

POLL RESULTS 83%

13%

4%

Parents

53% 33% 14%

Staff CAM MEDRANO EYE OF THE TIGER

Pictured, RHS students and families attend last year’s graduation ceremony. Starting this year, all students attending a comprehensive site in RJUHSD will graduate at the Placer Valley Event Center. The board approved the change in a 3-2 vote.

THE NEXT STAGE

44%

6%

District approves graduation venue change, cites liability and accessibility

BY DANIELLE BENNETT d.bennett@eyeofthetigernews.com

Graduation for RJUHSD’s five comprehensive high schools will move this year to the Placer Valley Event Center,

as opposed to the traditional location on each school’s campus.

The RJUHSD board of trustees voted to approve the venue change during the board meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 10.

During the last week of

Students

Agree

Neutral

May, the district plans to hold two graduations on Thursday and three on Friday, though the exact order and times are to be determined. Moving to

Disagree Results from a survey sent to RJUHSD parents, staff and students regarding the graduation venue change.

 GRAD | Page 2

Students face counselor reassignment

BY JULIE NGUYEN

j.nguyen@eyeofthetigernews.com

JULIE NGUYEN EYE OF THE TIGER

Above, counselor Philomena Crone meets with a student. Students this year were assigned new counselors as part of a new approach to couseling and wellness services throughout the district.

Starting this year, all students except for seniors were reassigned different counselors - one of the first steps to a greater change to the structure of counseling and wellness services provided at RHS. In the future, students’ counselors will not be determined alphabetically based on last name; rather, counselor assignments will aim to help counselors focus on students who need it most.

For instance, the district eliminated the position “special services coordinator” - a delineated counselor for students with special needs. Instead, each counsel-

or will be assigned special needs students, so that the students can receive more individualized help.

According to counselor Jason Bradley, counselors are receiving specialized training to work with these new groups of students.

“We were providing certain services and supports to our students without disabilities that our students with disabilities weren’t getting,” Bradley said. “[Now] we get to work with every student on campus. It’s a learning curve because we aren’t experts in special education or students with English learner’s needs - but it’s cool that we get to work with  MTMDSS | Page 3

Oversight of John Adams Academy underway

BY MEGAN HUBER

m.huber@eyeofthetigernews.com

Local charter school John Adams Academy petitioned to the Roseville Joint Union High School District for oversight as required by California law last May. Although they are considered part of the district, the funding and test scores between RJUHSD and John Adams are seperate; the charter’s scores and finances do not affect RJUHSD’s.

Education code outlines that the school board cannot deny

the petition unless it finds that the charter is unsound for the students or is unlikely to successfully implement the district programs. On top of that, the California Code of Regulations determined that charters could only be rightfully denied if the students show signs of physical or psychological damage, as well as an inability to perform simple tasks or equations.

Although district administration suggested the board deny the petition, after open comment

 OVERSIGHT | Page 3

50%

FINN MCANLIS EYE OF THE TIGER

Pictured, posters hung up in the hallway at John Adams Academy. After the adoption of the charter school into the RJUHSD, the district now oversees John Adams curriculum which differs from much of the district’s current sites

RJUHSD to no longer provide AP scholarship

BY NATHAN PIEDAD

n.piedad@eyeofthetigernews.com

Students will not be able to apply for AP scholarships to cover the cost of AP exams this year. In past years, students who were taking multiple exams could apply for the scholarship to cover part of the cost.

According to AP coordinator Cari Oberreuter, approximately 62 students utilized the program last year.

However, this year, the district did not receive the College Readiness Block Grant it previously used to provide AP scholarships.

Senior Madison Husing is in four AP classes this year and initially planned to take all four exams; however, after the change she said she will no longer take AP Literature.

“There is an in between between people who have so much money and they can pay for all these things and people who have absolutely nothing,” Husing said.

“They shouldn’t just get rid of it.

Because yeah, people need the help.”

INSIDE: NEWS 2 - 3 UPCOMING EVENTS 3 ESPAÑOL 4 FEATURES 5 - 6 OPINION 7 - 8 SPORTS 9 - 10 Read more at eyeofthetigernews.com

PAGE 2 · NEWS

EYE OF THE TIGER ROSEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL 1 TIGER WAY ROSEVILLE, CA 95678 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Cam Medrano NEWS EDITOR Danielle Bennett FEATURES EDITOR Nicole Khudyakov OPINION EDITOR Julie Nguyen A&E EDITOR Megan Huber SPORTS EDITOR Elena Bateman ESPAÑOL EDITOR Lizeth Preciado ONLINE EDITOR Jordan Del Valle Tonoian FACULTY ADVISER Bobby Ritter The mission of Eye of the Tiger, a news-gathering organization run by Roseville High School students, is to inform, entertain and serve as a public forum for student expression.

We will accomplish our goals by reporting unbiased news while offering student perspectives in our columns and editorials. This includes, but is not limited to, prominent issues, changes and events that have an impact on the students and communities of Roseville High School.

We will strive to report with depth, accuracy and timeliness. It is not our goal to sensationalize issues. We do not push moral values or political agendas.

Views expressed in the opinion and entertainment sections, columns and letters-to-the-editor are those of the individual author and do not necessarily belong to Eye of the Tiger staff, this publication or Roseville High School.

All letters-to-the-editor must be signed and are subject to review by the editorial board before inclusion in the newspaper.

We reserve the right to edit submitted work as needed for space limitations and content. Nonattributed editorials reflect the opinion of the staff and must be approved by the editorial board.

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EYEOFTHETIGERNEWS.COM · SEPT 23, 2019

GRAD: Students petition for change

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

the event center guarantees attendees air-conditioning and weather protection, as well as more parking and seating than was previously available at each individual campus. Guests can also see graduating students on a live video feed of the stage playing on screens around the venue.

According to RJUHSD superintendent Denise Herrmann, the ticket increase will vary by school and will be determined in the forthcoming weeks. Roseville High School principal Nicholas Richter said at JORDAN DEL VALLE TONOIAN EYE OF THE TIGER RHS, it could mean each student gets approximately Above, construction for the Placer Valley Event Center at The Grounds. Below, artist renderings for the center. RJUHSD has entered a contract with two additional tickets.

Placer Valley Tourism to rent the space for the class of 2020 graduation ceremonies, formerly held at each respective school site. Construction is projected to complete by February 2020.

At the board meeting, four RJUHSD students spoke against approving lapsed from heat stroke or the change; all three student dehydration every year for representatives for the board the last several years. He said also disapproved, speaking moving graduation to an airfor schools’ traditions and conditioned facility would the students’ emotional conmake it safer and easier for nection to the campus. The guests with disabilities or board approved the change health conditions to attend. in a 3-2 vote.

“I wasn’t elected to make In response to the board’s popular decisions,” Huber decision, RHS junior and said at the board meeting. “I student government press was elected to make hard decommiscisions… I’m sioner Nick surprised we We want Dominguez haven’t been started a sued a number to keep petition to of times over graduation at move gradthis. When was uation back the last time our home.” to schools’ an ambulance COURTESY PLACER VALLEY TOURISM - RHS senior class wasn’t used at respective vice president Mady one of these year, so this year’s seniors the fundraisers should not certain school-wide “tradicampuses.

Nickerson could graduate on campus overlap with services, such tions” – like hosting choir or As of Friday graduations for and juniors and underclassas selling water, that are alband performances – could night, the heat stroke?” men could acclimate to the ready provided by the venue, be carried on in the indoor petition had Each school site pays for change. according to Landon.

Howfacility – and the technology over 6,000 signatures. RHS its own graduation expenses “There was still a lot of ever, he is currently working at the event center could students also held a walkout through the school budunanswered questions on with the center to discuss offer the opportunity to try during a ROAR educational get, which can cost around logistics plus doing it a the possibility of some of the something new. support period on the Friday $15,000 to $25,000, accordmonth into the new school proceeds from its services “We are thinking ‘Here’s following the vote. Students ing to Herrmann. Assistant year I thought was unfair for going toward the schools. what we’ve done in the past. left their classrooms to sit superintendent of business seniors,” Tagg said.

“I would Although the outcome didn’t Here’s how all of those on the tiger paw on Hanson services Joe Landon said rather take a little more time go their way, Huber said things would fit in this field, where seniors used to the district will pay for the ironing out some of those he is glad the students are space.’

And then also braingraduate before the change.

Placer Valley Event Center, details...

I just s p e a k storming some new ideas,” Senior class vice presimeaning each school can thought there i n g u p Herrmann said.

“I want dent Mady Nickerson spoke use the money usually spent was not really for what those new ideas to be things at the board meeting against on graduation elsewhere.

When was the a need to rush they bethat students feel would be moving graduation and is In holding all five gradualast time an this through.” lieve in. making the ceremony as working to spread the word tions at one venue, the disAccord“I personable as possible.” of the petition. trict expects to save around ambulance ing to Landon, am very Herrmann said that one of “I don’t think the board $50,000. wasn’t used at the district is p r o u d the high schools she worked is properly voicing the stuIn August, the district c u r r e n t l y o f e v at as a principal before comdents’ voices, which is what emailed students, staff and one of these working with ery one ing to RJUHSD had to hold they need to do,” Nickerson parents a survey for their graduations for P l a c e r Va l of those graduation at an off-campus, said. “We have spoken out input on moving gradualey Tourism students. indoor venue for a year, for this long about it. They tion. The majority of parents heat stroke?” to negotiate T h e y and initially people were need to realize that we don’t and staff who filled out the a multi-year w e r e “reluctant.”

After that year, want to back down. We want survey responded favor- Board member a g r e e m e n t . t a k i n g however, people did not to keep graduation at our ably. Students’ responses Scott Huber T h e y m u s t p a r t i n want to move it back. home.” were more divided – just circumvent w h a t “My inbox was flooded According to Nickerson, over half of the students the pre-established schedmakes this country great with people saying ‘We Richter also offered to give said they wanted to stay on ules of each school site to and what makes our governdidn’t think we were goany letters students write their school’s campus. Howdetermine the order for the ment run, which is listening ing to like it, but we really, about moving graduation to ever, only 4% of RJUHSD five schools’ graduations.

A to the voices of the people,” really liked it and we want the school board. students responded to the team that includes principals Huber said.

“The fact that to have it here again next Board member Scott Husurvey. and assistant principals from this didn’t go the way that year,’” Herrmann said. And ber put forward the motion Board member Andrew each site is working to plan they were hoping doesn’t so I know that this is someto approve the change, sugTagg voted against moving graduation at the new venue. mean that we aren’t listening thing that, until you’ve exgesting the district approach the graduation this school Students can continue to them.

We are listening to perienced it and know some the issue from a “liability” year, in part due to the low to hold certain fundraisers them and their opinions are of the benefits, it can be hard and “accessibility” standstudent input. He suggestat the event center, though important to us.” to imagine things being difpoint. According to Huber, ed waiting and reserving options are more limited as According to Herrmann, ferent and still being good.” at least one person has colthe event center for next

NEWS · PAGE 3

MTMDSS: Wellness Center expands services CONTINUED FROM FRONT

them now.”

The counselor redistribution is part of the inclusion of MTMDSS policies in the district - Multi-Tiered and Multi-Domain Systems of Support.

These are policies that address domains like academics, social support and college and career support for students. It focuses on providing different levels of support for each person based on their individual need.

The change means that the general student population will spend less time with counselors - for instance, counselors will no longer do one-on-one freshman counseling. In lieu of that, counselors may see students in larger groups, and will continue their normal requested one-on-one advising. More time will be spent with students who are identified as needing more help.

“Our time in the office is going to be less for sure,” Bradley said. “There are some other duties that we have that relate to the shift in counselor caseloads that are going to take up time.”

The Health and Wellness

JULIE NGUYEN EYE OF THE TIGER

Above, students work with wellness center staff last Thursday. Starting this year, students no longer have to make an appointment to drop in at the Wellness Center, in an effort to make it more accessible.

Center has also changed several policies this year to make it more accessible for students.

Last year, students had to make an appointment

with the Health and Wellness Center in order to come in to receive assistance; now, students can drop in whenever they need help.

Additionally, the Health

and Wellness Center has developed new services, such as school-wide events, Bring Change to Mind Club, as well as mental health awareness months. As a result of

this greater undertaking of programs, the Health and Wellness Center now has three new interns to help with attendance success plans at RHS, which mental

health associate Honeymae Fuentes said will expand the wellness center’s reach.

“I have a lot more time to plan these school-wide events... besides having our appointments with kids,” Fuentes said. “We kind of have to balance things and wear multiple hats, just like every other teacher and counselor.”

With the intent of aiding the initiative of RJUHSD developing its MTMDSS program, the California Department of Education issued RJUHSD a grant.This has helped fund a district counselors’ trip to Boston for the American School’s Counseling Conference over the summer.

It was also used to enter a partnership with former Director of Counseling Processes at SDSU Trish Hatch to train counselors. Bradley believes both trainings have helped the counseling team better approach supporting students.

“I think it was well spent on bringing Trish Hatch because she and her team are experts on school counseling and delivering world class models to the high schools they work with,” Bradley said.

OVERSIGHT: District assumes JAA responsibility CONTINUED FROM FRONT

from the public, board members said they felt obligated by law and accepted it in a 4-1 vote. Although the board approved the petition, there were still some concerns about the education and test scores of the charter, as well as their financial solvency.

According to RJUHSD assistant superintendent of business services Joe Landon, the more the district looked into it, the more concerns they had.

“As I dug in more I had a lot of questions. They seemed to have a lot of financial issues and made a lot of financial decisions that I had questions on,” Landon said. “One of the main things was audit reports that had poor audit findings.”

The intention of the oversight is for RJUHSD to address some of these issues.

The district will act almost as a parent, watching over their financials, test scores and guiding JAA in the decisions they make.

If test scores seem to slip, the district can step in and correct what caused the slip.

Even though students and staff from schools in RJUHSD will not face direct impact, some were concerned the board decided to take the charter on; between

the reputation and low test scores, they were afraid the charter would hinder the district later down the line.

Because new superintendent Dr. Denise Herrmann was still in the process of getting to know RJUHSD’s own eight schools, deciding whether to accept a petition with that many students behind it was big.

Herrmann, as well as the rest of administration, went to work on shifting through the full petition and meeting with administrators from John Adams to work out some details.

“When the charter petition was dropped, I knew it was a big deal because it’s a large school and I knew it was going to be a big decision for the school board,” Herrmann said. “So we immediately sent word and started working with our attorneys [because] there’s a lot of legal parameters around making sure we follow the law when looking at the charter petition. So right away, we informed our attorneys and we rolled up our sleeves and just said, ‘Let’s do our due diligence.’”

John Adams teaches students from kindergarten all the way to high school.

One major question raised by opposition to the adoption of John Adams was how the district would handle a K-8 education.

At John Adams, head-

MEGAN HUBER EYE OF THE TIGER

Starting this year, RJUHSD oversees decisions at John Adam’s Academy. Although the school is considered part of the district, its funding and test scores will remain seperate from RJUHSD’s.

master of secondary education Troy Henke said he feels this should not be an issue “One thing that I believe is a school administrator is well equipped to handle all age groups,” Henke said.

“I believe we belong in the Roseville Joint Union High School District. It’s where we’re located and I look forward to being an active part of the district.”

Students at John Adams come from various backgrounds and locations to attend school there.

Some drive five minutes to the school, while others can drive up to two hours to

make it.

But, Herrmann said that if the students are going to a school inside the community, the district and community have a responsibility for their education.

“Even though John Adams draws from outside our borders, if families are choosing to send their students to a school here within our boundaries, I look at that as our community providing the education for that group,” Herrmann said. “So I take that responsibility seriously and I look forward to helping John Adams be the best school it can be.”

MEGAN HUBER EYE OF THE TIGER

UPCOMINGEVENTS SEPT 23-27 SEPT 28

Spirit Week

MONDAY: Pajama Day TUESDAY: Sports Day WEDNESDAY: Tacky Tourist Day THURSDAY: VSCO/Meme Day FRIDAY: Orange and Black

Homecoming dance 7:00 p.m. in the Moeller Gym

SEPT 27

Midterms OCT Students attend periods 1 & 2.

12:10 dismissal.

10

Homecoming Game Tigers vs. Antelope JV: 5:00 p.m.

Varsity: 7:00 p.m.

OCT 11

Finals Students attend periods 3 & 4.

12:10 dismissal.

EYEOFTHETIGERNEWS.COM · 23 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 2019

PÁGINA 4

ESPAÑOL NOTICIAS Junta de distrito aprueba al nuevo lugar de encuentro para graduación, estudiantes expresan su descontentamento POR DANIELLE BENNETT d.bennett@eyeofthetigernews.com

La graduación de las cinco escuelas secundarias integrales de RJUHSD van a mover este año al Centro de Eventos de Placer Valley, en vez de la lugar tradicional en el campus de cada escuela.

La última semana de mayo, el distrito planea celebrar dos graduaciones el jueves y tres el viernes final.

Se determinarán el orden exacto y los tiempos.

Mudarse al centro de eventos garantiza a los asistentes aire acondicionado y protección contra el clima, así como más estacio-

namiento y asientos de los que anteriormente estaban disponibles en cada campus individual. Los invitados también podrán ver a los estudiantes graduados en una transmisión de video en vivo del escenario en pantallas alrededor del lugar.

Según la superintendente de RJUHSD, Denise Herrmann, el precio de boletos subirá según la escuela. El director de Roseville High School, Nicholas Richter, dijo en RHS que podría significar que cada estudiante obtenga aproximadamente dos boletos adicionales.

En la reunión de la junta, cuatro estudiantes de RJUHSD hablaron en contra de aprobar el cambio; los tres representantes estudiantiles de la junta también desaprobaron, hablando por las tradiciones de las escuelas y la conexión emocional de los estudiantes con el campus. La junta aprobó el cambio en una

Roseville piena anfitrionar la Conferencia de Sac State para estudiantes latinos y hispanos POR AMELIA SHAFFER a.shaffer@eyeofthetigernews.com

MEGAN HUBER EYE OF THE TIGER

En la photo, el ceremonia en Hanson Field del ano pasado. Con el decisión del junta de distrito de RJUHSD, los graduaciones de RHS ahora tendrá lugar en el Centro de Eventos en Placer Valley.

votación de 3-2.

“No creo que la junta esté expresando adecuadamente la voz de los estudiantes, que es lo que necesitan hacer”, dijo la vicepresidenta de clase senior Madysen

Nickerson. “Hemos hablado durante tanto tiempo sobre esto que necesitan darse cuenta de que no queremos dar marcha atrás. Queremos mantener la graduación en nuestra casa.”

El 24 de octubre, un panel de la Universidad Estatal de Sacramento vendrá a Roseville High School para hablar con estudiantes de ascendencia hispana y latina sobre la universidad.

Mayor estudiante Merari Medina asistió al instituto de liderazgo de estudiantes migrantes del estado de Sacramento durante el varo y pienso que los estudiantes de Roseville también se beneficiarán de una conferencia similar. Para hacerlo, contactó a varios administradores con la esperanza de que apoyaran este esfuerzo.

“Pensé que era inte-

resante traerlo a nuestra escuela porque tenemos muchos estudiantes que no saben lo que quieren hacer y sería bueno para ellos experimentar lo que yo experimenté”, dijo Medina.

Los administradores esperan llegar a los estudiantes de inglés con padres que hablan español.

El evento extracurricular tendrá un traductor al español y la mayor parte de la presentación será en español. El director Nicholas Richter es parte del grupo que organiza este evento y cree que esta es una gran oportunidad para comunicarnos con nuestros estudiantes y padres con respecto a las preocupaciones sobre la universidad.

“El enfoque sería para algunos de nuestra comunidad que no podrán acceder a los recursos en inglés”, dijo Richter. “Pueden tener la oportunidad de hacer las preguntas que quieran.”

DEPORTES Roseville contrata a un nuevo entrenador de fútbol universitario

POR BRAYDEN DOTOLI b.dotoli@eyeofthetigernews.com

Esta temporada, los Tigres de Roseville golpearan el césped con un nuevo entrenador.

Con local entrenador Joe Cattolico tomando los riñones, los Tigres esperan un buen año con un sazonado entrenador.

Ha acumulado un total de veinte años de entrenando, empezando en su ciudad de nacimiento, San José.

En 8 años movió a la escuela secundario de Pleasant Grove y se quedó por nueve años. Cuando movió a la escuela secundaria de Sheldon, su equipo fue de 27 a 9 durante los 3 años que estuvo allí.

Cattolico ha ganado un total de ocho campeonatos en su carrera de entrenador.

Ganó cuatro títulos de liga en la escuela de Pleasant Grove y un Sac-Joaquin división de seccion titulo. Su equipo en Pleasant Grove en dos mil once era el último equipo a vencer a la escuela secundaria de Folsom en un concurso de liga.

El padre de Cattolico, Butch Cattolico, fue entrenador por 41 años en la escuela secundaria de Los Gatos, y el jefe entrenador por 26 de esos años. Su padre le va a ayudar con entrenando por esta temporada de Roseville como entrenador asisto.

Cattolico retiro de su trabajo como el jefe entrenador de la escuela secundaria de Sheldon, eventualmente decidiendo a mover su familia a la zona de de Roseville. Segun Cattolico, hizo su decisión porque pensó que Roseville sería el mejor lugar posible para criar a sus hijos, con el excelente ambiente que Roseville ofrezca.

“Hazemos lo mejor que

podemos para criar jovenes con carácter,” dice Cattolico. “Que van a ir y ser adultos exitosos, y me siento muy honrado por tener la

oportunidad a compartir el amor de futbol con mi familia.”

Jugador de fútbol (equipo universitario) Tyler Rohwer

los espectáculos a aventurarse a las diferentes obras de teatro y eventos que mantienen. Más recientemente han visitado el convención de Disney 23 donde hayan vieron nuevo material de Disney extendiendo a las cosas nuevas y próximas de los cinco diferentes estudios que son propiedad de Disney, la casa obsesionada, y el trasfondo de Ken Anderson, y un adaptación de acción en vivo de Aladdin.

“Tando ha pasado, para que puedes ver estos paneles y mirar las estrellas cuando ven al escenario hablan de cosas próximas de Disney que solo personas en la convención sabrán y luego tienen este piso de expo donde puedes caminar alrededor y obtienen cosas gratis y ves a diferentes cabinas”

El primer panel tuvo expectaciones muy altos debido a su “línea” que fue sostenido la noche anterior.

En realidad era un sótano para tener un descanso y debajo de un techo mientras el evento empieza.

“Fuimos tomados a un sótano donde esperas en una línea por el panel, entonces estábamos todo la noche en el sótano esperando a la próxima mañana para ver el panel.”

El primer panel también fue reservado, hasta el punto en que tuvieron que guardar sus teléfonos por temor a que alguien filmara algo para el futuro.

“Teníamos que sellar nuestros teléfonos en una bolsa y la gente caminaba por el pasillo para asegurarse de que nadie sacara sus teléfonos”.

Había mucho que ver

en estos paneles que los Brandts se vieron obstaculizados para ver lo que había en el piso, pero pudieron agarrar pequeñas cosas gratis que, como los “Fanatico de Disney” necesitaban.

“Estábamos principalmente allí para ver los paneles, así que apenas llegamos al piso, pero logramos obtener un par de cosas gratis”, dijo Hannah Brandt, “obtuvimos estos carteles y luego obtuvimos alfileres y otras cositas”.

La mansión embrujada de Ken Anderson no se habló tan surrealista como el primer panel que revela el nuevo contenido de los estudios de Disney o la acción en vivo de Aladdin.

Principalmente celebró una presentación en powerpoint de la vida de la casa embrujada y la tragedia de Ken Anderson.

CAM MEDRANO EYE OF THE TIGER

Nuevo jefe entrenador de fútbol universitario de Roseville Joe Cattolico mira el equipo universitario jugar desde los banquillos. Después de retirar como jefe entrenador en la escuela secundaria de Sheldon High School, Cattolico se encuentra tomando una nueva temporada con un nuevo equipo.

disfruta Cattolico estilo de entrenando y piensa que los está ayudando a mejorar su nivel de jugar.

“Todos desean que este

año será mejor y excelente.

El nos ha hecho suficientemente confidente que vamos hacer excelentes,” dice Rohwer.

REPORTAJES Gemelas comparten un pasión para Disney, continuan tradicion familiar POR MEGAN HUBER

m.huber@eyeofthetigernews.com

Disney, en general, es una compania muy amada. Los animacions que crean mantienen pasión y muestran el carácter de la compañía. La familia de Brandt ha grabado un coneccion a Disney que ha durado un generación. Primero fue su padrós, ahora está entregado a los seniors, Hannah y Emily Brandt, para disfrutar el contenido que Disney crea.

El amor que los Brandt’s tienen por Disney se extiende más allá que las películas y parques temáticos. De ir al cine y viendo

CORTESÍA HANNAH & EMILY BRANDT

Mayores gemelas Hannah y Emily Brandt fomentan su amor por Disney mientras asisten a varios eventos patrocinados de Disney con su familia.

Ariva, las gemelas en el D23 expo de este año.

PAGE 5

SEPTEMBER 23, 2019 · EYEOFTHETIGERNEWS.COM

FEATURES

Twins explore ‘A Whole New World’

COURTESY HANNAH BRANDT

This was Hannah and Emily Brandt’s third time visting a Disney expo. The twins explored the behind-thescenes event through the eyes of avid fans, following suit in a generational family tradition.

COURTESY HANNAH BRANDT

BY JAYDEN BLAKE

j.blake@eyeofthetigernews.com

Emily and Hannah Brandt share a last name, a face and a love for Disney – a passion passed down from their parents. The twins grew up on storybook endings and Prince Charmings, lost themselves in each movie’s magical tale, and venture regularly to the theme park of Mickey Mouse ears and Cinderella’s castle.

They take multiple trips to Disneyland a year, taking them out of daily, Roseville life and into a theme park world beyond imagining.

It only took a few trips for the sisters to learn that exploring Disneyland doesn’t have to be a lonesome venture. In fact, the household’s biggest Disney fanatic, their mother, encouraged family bonding

through Disney content.

Now, Disneyland brings the entire family together.

“Being there with family is better,” Emily said.

The Brandt’s countless visits mean they have developed certain habits over the years. With every visit, the twins enjoy meeting their favorite characters over and over again.

Their experience also means they have a thorough knowledge of the park’s inner-workings.

The sisters’ recommendations and advice, which ranges from which rides that are worth the wait to where some fan-favorite characters generally reside, have saved their friend and senior Ellen Burns once or twice during her own visits to Disneyland.

“They know all kinds of cool facts about Disney,” Burns said. “They always have good ride suggestions.

They [know] ways to get the best deals at Disneyland.”

Between theme park visits, which occur multiple times a year, the family heavily supplements their life with other Disney content. From a Disney Cruise to the more common family Disney movie nights, which are always a big affair at the Brandt family’s home, they make sure to stay connected to their passion, while also passing it on to the twins’ younger siblings.

Burns believes the Brandt’s constant exposure to Disney, including growing up on the television shows and movies, has created a tight family bond.

“They get to experience something they love with their whole family,” Burns said.

Their latest escapade into the D23 Expo took

COURTESY HANNAH BRANDT

them beyond movies and theme parks and into the behind-the-scenes, exclusive Disney content.

“The convention is where all of the Disney fanatics go, and we’re kind of one of those,” Emily said.

Like a whirlwind, the Brandt family swept into the three day event, armed with experience. This was

their second Disney Expo, though this time, they only had a day to glimpse all of the new, top-secret content and exhibits.

“I can’t even tell you how many panels there are,” Hannah said.

Overwhelmed but excited, the family’s unconcealed passion for Disney encouraged them to keep their heads up during the

event. They planned ahead to minimize time’s constraints and make the most out of their trip, including camping out overnight to attend a panel.

“They’re really strict on what you can bring in,” Hannah said. “So we had a couple of snacks. We had the blankets. I snuck in a pillow pet, even though it says no pillows.”

Healing at home

BY NATHAN PIEDAD

n.piedad@eyeofthetigernews.com

NICOLE KHUDYAKOV EYE OF THE TIGER

Right, junior Shane Meadows-Yaw practices his language skills during a speaking exercise in Spanish 4.

Meadows-Yaw was one among two students who travelled to Spain this summer.

The trek to fluency

BY DEVON DICKENS

d.dickens@eyeofthetigernews.com

The most difficult part of travel doesn’t always have to be booking tickets or organizing luggage - especially not when a language barrier stands in the way. This summer, two RHS students visited Spanish-speaking countries as a part of their summer vacations, with only the knowledge of their classroom Spanish to help them succeed in their travels.

Laurel Enos’s trip to Costa Rica doubled as an early graduation present and an effective Spanish review. As she had already

finished Spanish 4 at the time, the family trip saw Enos exploring both the native language and the local customs outside of a classroom.

“It was to get experience with a different culture,” Enos said.

Meanwhile, Shane Meadows-Yaw spent three weeks of his summer in Europe - though most of it was in Spain. He went with his family members and visited multiple cities such as Seville, Barcelona and Malaga.

Meadows enjoyed the experience of speaking and learning Spanish in a native, Spanish-speaking environment.

“I found out that it was really amazing to utilize my Spanish, and I felt like I was getting a lot better by just being there and taking everything in. It was a really good experience,” Meadows said.

Spanish 4 teacher Kasey Hanna was shocked was shocked by Meadows’s ability “The very first day of school he really stood out to me, because I was greeting students at the door and he just came right up to me, not just [saying] ‘Hi,’ but started speaking to me in Spanis,” Hanna said. “I was very impressed by that for a student just coming into Spanish 4.”

Summer is a time for brand new memories and restful days. Unfortunately for senior Jackson Wolfe, part of that time was spent huddled in a hospital room more than 2,000 miles away from home.

Wolfe spent the second half of his summer vacation incapacitated after he collapsed his right lung.

For days, Wolfe was stuck in an out-of-state hospital in Michigan. He only returned home after eleven days passed for a surgery meant to restore his lung, and begin his healing process.

Wolfe did his best to speed up his recovery in order to make it in time to attend the first day of school.

“I didn’t get to see anyone that I know. I didn’t get to see my friends,” Wolfe said. “I only got to see my mom and dad there.”

However, tragedy struck Wolfe again, as another spontaneous pneumothorax occurred on his left lung.

Wolfe returned to the hospital post-haste. This time, he came back to more than a week of missed classes.

COURTESY JACK WOLFE

After his extended hospital stay, Wolfe returned to school, scar in tow, determined to make up for lost time.

Reacclimating to regular life has had its fair share of difficulties.

“I can’t physically strain myself for a while,” Wolfe said. “I can’t get back to work at all.”

Now, these consecutive injuries have changed the course of his daily life significantly.

“I mostly just have to take it easy,” Wolfe said.

“I can’t lift a lot of weight, I can’t overexert myself, I can’t really run or anything like that.”

Along with these restrictions, Wolfe didn’t feel physically complete after the injuries and the procedures, getting tired more easily and occasionally feeling pain in his sides.

Despite the prolonged stay, senior Nathan Sangria made part of Wolfe’s experience fulfilling and sent him a get well soon card, filled with signatures of friends and classmates.

“I have a lot more respect for him [now] because it’s a lot of stress.”

Sangria said. “He was stuck in the hospital for weeks, had to drive home, and had to go through school and having more work.”

Wolfe reacted positively to the sight of familiar faces and their wishes after days of isolation.

“I really love it, honestly,” Wolfe said. “Just having their support means a lot.”

PAGE 6 · FEATURES

EYEOFTHETIGERNEWS.COM · SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

Teacher talks to promote positivity portant life lessons through her words. Now, Handling has been helping teenagers stay safe through her talks for about 20 years.

Week by week, students “It’s just a reminder to trickle out of Jamie Hantake care of yourself and dling’s room with a smile that your responsibility is on their faces. to make yourself happy, It’s Friday; the weekbecause nobody can make end is coming, but that’s you happy other than yournot the reason their spirits self,” Handling said have been lifted.

Her talks didn’t develop Her students leave her an official name until last English classroom with her year, when students peradvice bounding through sonally asked her to begin their heads - on school, on recording her advice. mental health, on life.

At that point, the talks Handling’s Friday Talks had evolved into a weekly aren’t meant to inspire or tradition - one that students encourage the applause were loathe to miss. they receive.

“I didn’t realize that it “I just want them to was a big deal,” Handling have a good memory going said. into whatever it is they’re But her students felt facing,” Handling said. otherwise. Mai Nguyen Near the beginning finds that staying in the of her teaching career, moment is easier after one 17 years ago, Handling of Handling’s talks. worked in a small-town “They kind of remind community. you not to waste your She bore witness to high school years, because the pain of losing family you only go through high after one of her coworkers school once,” Nguyen said. passed away.

As an acknowledgment Then she repeated that of their importance to her process all over again when classes, Handling took the she witnessed the decline request and death to heart of her coIt’s just a and began worker’s recording son, all reminder to an abbrewithin take care of yourviated vera nineself and that your sion of her month talks and period. responsibility is to upload“I went make yourself happy, ing them to two to a blog funerals in because nobody can dedicated one pregmake you happy but to the nancy,” yourself. subject.

Handling The said.

-Teacher Jamie Handling first few In an times were effort to uncomfortable. Handling remind her students that was too aware of her own there is always someone appearance and the way waiting for them and thinkshe might look to others, ing about them, she began but time and experience imparting a variety of imBY NOLAN WARE

n.ware@eyeofthetigernews.com

JORDAN DEL VALLE TONOIAN EYE OF THE TIGER

English teacher Jamie Handling embraces her connection with her students as posts weekly videos offering life lessons and advice. Handling hopes this weekly tradition will resonate with students for years to come.

relaxed her concerns.

Her students’ request taught her to worry less about her image.

Now, Handling dedicates her time to considering the type of content she wants to show in each recording.

“It’s not about me, it’s about the message,” Handling said.

Another student of Handling’s, Thomas Plaskett, believes Handling has perfected her talks.

Plaskett enjoys the novelty of hearing her speak on various topics.

“Handling gives a talk about inspiration or something she can give us to go throughout the weekend and about our life - whether it’s cleaning out bad people in your life or have a little Handling on your shoulder saying what would she do and what

HUMANS OF RHS

NICOLE KHUDYAKOV EYE OF THE TIGER

Sophomore Thomas Velez’s family moved from church to church, looking for the perfect place of worship that suited their needs. Eventually, they found the right place.

Religion has played an important part of Velez’s life for as long as he knew how to read and intends to become a pastor in the future.

-Nicole Khudyakov

I started going to church in second grade. We were always looking for a church to go to. My friend introduced us and we just fell in love with the church. You can tell if a pastor is in it for the money. You can tell when they preach - you can tell if they spend hours putting time into their speeches. They seem really excited about preaching - it’s awesome.

I like talking in front of people and spreading the word of Jesus. [Pastors] know a lot about the Bible. If I can inspire kids to wonder and question about faith and what they believe in then they can come closer to knowing Jesus.”

JORDAN DEL VALLE TONOIAN EYE OF THE TIGER

would be the right choice,” Plaskett said Plaskett admires how Handling skillfully changes the topic of each talk on a weekly basis, while managing to address a plethora of issues students might face, before making them intertwine into the weekend and

into the personal lives of her students.

“The talks are enlight-

ening,” Plaskett said. “It’s something I look forward to each and every Friday.”

To view Jamie Handling’s website, visit our multi-media story: eyeofthetigernews.com/fridaytalks

OPINION

SEPTEMBER 23, 2019 · EYEOFTHETIGERNEWS.COM

PAGE 7

GRADUATION: Tradition vs. logic TRADITION: Move devalues ceremony

BY ELENA BATEMAN

e.bateman@eyeofthetigernews.com

F

or 107 years, Roseville has taken pride in its wonderful and honorable traditions that give the school its character and uniqueness. But this year, after 107 years of being at a school which honors tradition, my graduating class will no longer have the opportunity to walk across Hanson field to receive our diplomas as thousands of alumni have before us.

I, as well as a large proportion of the student body, am incredibly heartbroken and enraged over the series of events that have taken place toward deciding a graduation venue for all RJUHSD high schools.

This entire process seemed to be filled only with emotion and not evidence - and not just from the students.

The email including the survey was written similar to how a six-year-old would write to their parents in hopes of a puppy, with a clear bias. It felt as though the deal had already been made before the plan was even presented. Clearly the email’s intent was to convince people to ‘agree’ to the switch, not to receive real, honest answers.

Upon reading the list, I laughed out loud.

The pros listed such as saving money and availability of additional tickets were backed by no evidence (such as financial details) or

left out alternatives that are available on campus (such as mentioning that Patty Baker is available), giving the impression that the bullet points listed were simply fabricated to get people to vote yes.

However, the cons listed were even more disappointing. It listed only two reasons why the switch has negative impacts - the loss of tradition and loss of connection to campus.

But is that truly all the students would lose? This proves that the district never understood the consequences of their actions from the beginning.

Not only did the pro/con list inadequately represent the proposition, but they did not make an effort to disperse this information to students. While I did the survey, I know many people who are now passionately against the switch had no idea the survey existed.

Had the district actually cared about gauging the public’s opinion, they would have promoted it more, to secure a larger sample size of students than the paltry 4% it received.

With this big of a change, that small of a sample, and the severely one-sided nature of the email, it’s hard to understand how the school board used the data to inform their final decision.

While I disagree that the board disrespected student voices, because they did allow multiple students to speak, I don’t believe they were taken into proper consideration. In fact, throughout this entire process, I feel as though student opinion was not taken into consideration at all.

Yes, we are only teenag-

NATHAN SANGRIA EYE OF THE TIGER

ers and we do occasionally choose emotion over logic. But graduation is ours and the hard work is ours.

Graduation is not a celebration of our parents, the faculty and definitely not the school board.

The survey should have focused on students – students, ask your parents if they feel their opinion matters more than yours.

Graduation ceremonies are used to honor the hard work put forth toward earning a diploma. Students and faculty are the ones attending school each day to achieve that honor. After noticing that the survey in no way represented the student body, the board should have disregarded the results and instead listened to the students passionate enough to show up at the meeting. At the school board meeting, there were three voting students on the board who voted against the change, and their votes weren’t considered towards the final decision. Who are the ones impacted? The students, NOT the board members.

One of the topics brought up was the possible safety hazard graduations presents.

While I do agree that

some graduations get very hot, no lawsuit has come as a result. This shows, while many complain about the heat (or even have health issues), the school has no liability issues and seeing students graduate on the field outweighs comfort.

Before using heat as an argument for the change in venues, the board should have opened their minds to the possibility that people care more about their graduate’s happiness than their own comfort. So, it is not surprising that the district has not been sued.

It seems very unfair that less than two months after starting my senior year, this decision will diminish my graduation’s meaning, casting a shadow over the whole celebration.

Throughout my formative years, I have attended five graduations of friends, cousins and a sibling - all since I was ten years old.

Each year as I get older, the idea of graduation became more real and emergent - I began to see myself walking along the track and across the paw. Being thrown this curveball so late into my high school career is incredibly demoralizing.

Part of the reason I felt

excited about being a senior was having the opportunity to celebrate what I had accomplished in my four years on the football field where I put in hours studying and training as an athlete.

I agree with the proposal to at least wait a year before making the change, not only so the board can truly understand the citizens’ (and students’) opinion, but also because the plan currently seems very rushed and incomplete.

There are still many unanswered questions that should have been figured out before any vote was taken.

First, why would any school want to graduate in the morning? Which school will graduate in the morning? How will it affect sober grad night if the plans for that have already been made? Will students be rushed?

The list of questions could continue interminably, and the answer to all of them will essentially be the same - the board doesn’t know. ​The district’s behavior surrounding this history should not be tolerated in any such way. In a represen-

tative democracy, the board is chosen to make the decisions the citizens, including the student body, wants, not what the board wants.

The manner in which it has come to its conclusion is humiliating and shows the younger generations that only the voice of those in power matters, not the individuals.

I am proud of how the community has come together following this shakeup. It is so empowering to see so many people, from historic alumni to five generation Tigers, teachers, family members, and friends.

Members from schools around the district have all united to support the students and to create such a powerful petition.

I can only hope that the over 5,800 signatures the petition had received as of Friday night are enough to open the minds of the board and make them realize what is right. In the meantime, students should try to rally as much support as they can.

Even if the efforts aren’t successful, sitting at graduation in a random facility with the peace of mind that you did all you could is bet-

LOGIC: Ease, benefits outweigh sentiment

BY NATHAN PIEDAD

n.piedad@eyeofthetigernews.com

M

ay 29, 2020.

The conditioned breeze drifts by the black gowns of this year’s seniors, another generation ready to take a step into real life. There’s wind outside the building, but it’s not the refreshing kind. After all, summer’s beginning, and only a fool would sit around under the sun covered with sweat under a layer of dark drapes.

The murmurs of thousands of people amid the building give a professional but exciting atmosphere, perhaps roused by the air conditioner wafting abundantly around the room. There’s a

variety of emotions painted on the seniors’ faces, including curiosity, anxiety, and…

None of that matters now.

The point is: a comfortable end of a chapter starts with a comfortable graduation.

The idea of 107 years of culture and tradition proves to be sentimental for many.

Entire generations of families prospered at Roseville, and any change can be complicated. Progress is difficult because it’s in people’s nature to avoid change, no matter the trade-offs made for these sentiments. Hanson Field, the site known for its colorful sports games and dreadful PE activities, is no doubt a memorable site for any who visit.

It’s also known for graduation: the epilogue and holy grail for many, the prime reason why we’re all here in the first place.

The RJUHSD board’s

decision of approving the venue change to the Placer County Event Grounds for the graduation last Tuesday was a shot heard by almost no one. Only when the Change.org petition began to gain traction a day later did students ultimately learn about the decision.

Even then, it still took more time for the garnered support of parents, staff, alumni, and even teachers outside the district to migrate to the petition.

While one could use this as a message of the rapid spread of information in the modern age, it’s also a message of the ignorant masses.

A message that one simple sentimental message could spark a collective voice that somehow transcended any possible arguments or logic. A message that, despite the connotations of graduation from a carefree life of youth to an

ing. unpredictable path, these Many schools all over students still choose to hold the country also don’t share on to the symbolic remthe same practice of gradunants surrounding graduaating on campus. It’s altion more than their counready an unusual tradition terparts. that schools in this district The adults thought difuse their ferently. own land Amongst Those who held for the students, ceremony, staff, and onto traditions and for parents, had a louder good only reason. students voice. But logic In most are mostly does not need cases, against to speak to be space this is the change in correct. primary scenery. considThis coneration for the venue, and flicts with the petition, a RJUHSD is simply blessed collected 6,000 signatures with having the real estate willing to sacrifice conveto hold graduation at home. nience for a printed paw But nevermind the air on turf and possibly a short conditioner that would be moment of solace. Clearly, useful in a time like June. this over-dramatic reaction The headaches that would from students holds more be mitigated from not havvalue. After all, it’s us, the ing to look for a parking students, that are graduat-

spot in the very limited selection of parking at this campus (we all know how popular that is). As long as you get to treasure a place you’ve likely only been to a few times since PE ended after your sophomore year, it’s all worth it, right?

The $50,000 of savings for the district is clearly a laughable value compared to the sight of Hanson Field blinding your eyes as the sun sets under a 100-degree cloud.

Parents and guests from the filled bleachers will have quite a view as well— a dust-sized speck of yourself on the stage rather than the high definition close-up of new adults from a convenient television that would have been possible at the new venue.

Those who held onto traditions had a louder voice.

But logic does not need to speak to be correct.

PAGE 8 · OPINION

EYEOFTHETIGERNEWS.COM · SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

Experimental exams exhaust students

BY DANIELLE BENNETT d.bennett@eyeofthetigernews.com

T

he sun is shining. The birds are chirping. It’s a beautiful day. And you experience none of this because you’re locked in a pasty testing room with a broken AC, your eyes burning and mind whirling from staring at convoluted test questions.

You’re tired. You’re hungry. You woke up at 5 a.m. on a Saturday because you signed up for the SAT too late, and the closest available testing center was an hour from your house. Your hands cramp preemptively in preparation for the SAT essay section. You shoot a glare at the boy next to you with that maddeningly scratchy pencil.

But it’s almost over. Just an essay to go.

“Please turn to SAT sec-

tion 5.”

And your world shatters.

College Board includes SAT section 5 on the occasional exam to test-drive the rigor of future questions. If the SAT is a rollercoaster, students with section 5 are the ones who ride it first to make sure no one dies. Except the students aren’t volunteering.

College Board used to only include it on exams without the SAT essay section. As of this year, however, College Board includes it in any SAT, designating “some test centers” and “certain administrators” to hand out section 5.

College Board stipulates that in these experimental tests, any question from any section of the exam could be an “operational or pretest” question – so no slacking on section 5. Otherwise, College Board is seemingly intentionally vague and equivocal in terms of clarification on this experimental section.

Some students knew section 5 might count. And some students were caught up in this convoluted and

unclear wording. Some students strode out of the testing room proudly proclaiming they didn’t try on section 5. I do not envy these students.

But this raises more questions – for instance, I received an experimental reading section. Some students had an experimental writing section. With these two, it’d seem that if they counted toward your score, it would have to be all or nothing. Either this reading passage replaces my passage from the actual test or it doesn’t count – how can half of these questions be experimental when they are all based on the same prompt? Does this mean that my math counterpart might only have half their questions count, while I’m replacing a whole section?

Because it does matter.

The later I’m answering questions in the exam, the more fatigued and downspirited I’m going to feel, and the harder it is to discern what the question is asking and answer in a timely manner. And, when section 5 is significantly harder than the

questions inside the exam, as it was for me this time around, trying to get the questions right is like experiencing my grandfather’s hike to school “uphill in the snow – both ways!”

And it only gets worse for those staying for the essay.

With spirits broken from taking a section we did not mentally prepare to take, the collective atmosphere in the testing room is disheartening. There’s a collective sigh as somber faces stare down at the reading prompt before them.

Write an essay analyzing how the author builds his argument. You have 50 minutes.

You’re almost too demoralized to be vexed by the boy writing with the scratchy pencil. Or no – no his scratching has just turned into a somber symphony, the cacophony of noise settled into a melancholy tune.

No, you’re not annoyed.

You’re just sad.

You finish the essay.

Stare at it. No, it’s not awful. It’s just sad.

You walk to the car. For those who live an hour away can’t drive, your ride home has waited 45 minutes for you to finish a section you did not plan to take.

“What happened?” they ask.

Section five.

Section five happened.

“How do you think you did?”

No, no you think. Not awful. Just heartbreakingly, miserably sad.

SAT landscape: a testament to complacency

BY JULIE NGUYEN

j.nguyen@eyeofthetigernews.com

A

s a child of two immigrants, I often find myself struggling with the connotations that come with this terminology. My childhood was a marriage of two cultures that left me in a position of great privilege - one that vastly contrasted the conditions that my parents went through in this same country. The concept of privilege and how it differentiated my parents and I was never lost on me.

When I heard about College Board’s SAT Adversity score, I was quite honestly rendered speechless. Under the guise of “plac[ing] students’ SAT scores in the context of their socioeconomic advantages or disadvantages, College Board had managed to instead systematically generalize entire populations and further bury their own reputation as an institution.

EMILY HOLPUCH EYE OF THE TIGER

Under the SAT Adversity score system, adversity can now be ranked on a scale of 100. This system is called the Environmental Context Dashboard, and factors like median wealth or poverty in a neighborhood/school help delineate a student’s “Overall Disadvantage Level”. College Board has decided that they are now able to establish a school or neighborhood’s “average privilege,” delineating that every student attending a

certain school, regardless of the potential for vastly diverse socioeconomic backgrounds in a single classroom, will receive a score solely based on the average statistics of them and their peers.

This violates the whole point of an adversity score - to recognize an individual for the personal struggle they may face. A personal struggle that should not be considered or put into the context of their colleagues.

Despite College Board’s proclamations of student individuality, I had never felt like less of an individual than when they decided to conglomerate me and millions of other students around the world into our own respective bubbles of socioeconomic backgrounds. College Board is instead telling me that my level of adversity will match that of every other student at Roseville High School based on the percentage of students who receive free and reduced lunch.

Following the basically inevitable criticism of the SAT Adversity score, College Board spawned the assessment’s loosely related half sister—Landscape, which functions with a very similar (some would even say identical) framework as that of the original Environmental Context Dashboard.

College Board also stated that it plans to provide more transparency on the adversity scoring to students and parents, and offer additional high school and neighborhood average indicators.

As someone who has been raised in a household that always encouraged them to pursue academics,

I would say that the college application process is one of the most important events of my life. Knowing that millions of students around the country feel the same way, hasn’t College Board owed us this transparency to begin with? It would seem that one of the main consequences of a monopolistic grip on education is secrecy.

College applicants should have been able to see every aspect of their college application to begin with.

Why did it take national discontent for College Board to see this? The fact still remains that 50 pilot schools utilized the former process, and the students impacted by this shouldn’t have had to wonder what their scores equated to and how that might play into their fates.

Rebranding the Environmental Context Dashboard as “Landscape” shows little to no understanding of the criticisms behind the initial adversity score. Backlash surrounding the first attempt at understanding a wider demographic of students was largely concerning the fact that no two students, no matter their proximity, had the same level of privilege.

Landscape now includes factors such as household structure and median family income that are indicators of the average statistic . . . from a high school or neighborhood. Just like the SAT Adversity Score, Landscape still lacks any attempt at analyzing any one individual’s privilege.

It still assigns a group’s average statistic to an individual - completely overlooking any possible personal trials a student may have.

Considering the various forms of torture that College Board has developed to keep its pockets well lined, I have a long history of disappointment regarding the institution. However, upon hearing about the SAT adversity score, I held my breath at the potential a nuanced and meaningful way to measure the background of students.

Instead, I, along with every other prospective college applicant in the United States, was given a subpar attempt at rebranding and a band-aid mockery of appeasement. Thanks College Board - you tried, but your performance was definitely in the 20th percentile range.

Would you like to try a prep class to boost that score?

No AP scholarships deal-breaker for tests

BY NICOLE KHUDYAKOV

n.khudyakov@eyeofthetigernews.com

Weird flex but: last year, my parents paid nearly half a thousand dollars for all of my combined AP exams.

The real kicker? It was because I didn’t learn that AP exam scholarships pertained to all students until after the deadline had already passed me by.

There’s only so many big checks you can write to College Board in a day

before your bank starts calling you out of concern for your financial decisions, if not for outright fraud.

Luckily, last year, my personal educational defrauding cut off at about a hefty $400. My mother’s heart and her wallet shrunk three sizes that day, and that was after I bowed out of my AP Human Geography exam to cut costs.

This year was meant to be different. Instead, I came back to school only to find out that the sky is blue; the grass is green; AP exams costs have slowly inched higher.

I entered senior year with the hope that I wouldn’t have to limit my exams. In fact, my class schedule tells

me that I’m taking more AP exams than last year, but my parents’ wallets are starting to say otherwise.

Now I have to once again begin the fruitless task of choosing which AP exam might, if I get lucky and play my cards right, earn me the most credit and be the most useful for a college I don’t even know if I’m attending.

By giving students no advance warning that the scholarship grant money had run out, I’m now stuck between a rock and a hard place. I developed my school schedule based on the assumption that I would be taking the AP exams offered by each of those classes. Without any scholarship

money to fall back on, I pushes us to take more don’t know if I’ll be able to AP classes and AP exams fulfill my plan for college.

We’re encouraged to, above There are plenty of stuall else, use these classes dents like to prepare me don’t for colThis lack of qualify for lege. Why a reduced/ take the grant money free lunch class if isolates stuwaiver, you don’t dents and limits but they have to also don’t take the their opportunih a v e e x a m ? ties to receive enough Well, how money can we be college credit. to throw expected around at to take the any AP exam that comes exams if we don’t have any their way. This lack of grant kind of fund to fall back on? money isolates students College is expensive, like me and limits their opthere’s no doubt about that. portunities to receive colThe lack of an AP Exam lege credit through exams.

Scholarship could drive The district constantly away many potential test-

takers, especially those who plan on taking more than one exam. Providing help for students of a limited financial background is fantastic but what about the rest of us?

I understand that schools are constantly looking into developing new methods of preparing students for the college lifestyle, but the last thing I want to do is go broke earlier than I need to.

Now, in my senior year, I have no hope of reducing my pre-college expenses I guess my only alternative is to continue turning in my checks with a heavy heart - all done on the second to last day before the deadline, like any good AP student worth their salt.

SEPTEMBER 23, 2019 · EYEOFTHETIGERNEWS.COM ·

@EOTSPORTS

PAGE 9

SPORTS

As passions shift, gridiron comes courting

BY NICOLE KHUDYAKOV

n.khudyakov@eyeofthetigernews.com

Last June, senior tight end Tommy Spencer tweeted out his decision to commit to Oregon State University, a Pac-12 school with a strong vision of its continued success in the world of football, and a reputation for supporting its athletic department.

Prior to his sophomore year, Spencer hadn’t considered football a priority, let alone one that might earn him a ticket straight into a college of his own choosing. In fact, Spencer’s football background began with a passion entirely out of left field: basketball.

Lay-ups and slam dunks on the smooth wood of a basketball court had always been Spencer’s forte. His dedication to the childhood sport that had him running around in a jersey during elementary school never waned, despite his various efforts and triumphs.

“I have a special place in my heart for basketball,” Spencer said. “I [still] try to get out and play as much as I can.”

The time he’d spent channeling his energy into on-court appearances shifted when he entered high school. Something new had caught Spencer’s attention.

“It [football] is a hard game to understand if you haven’t played it,” Spencer said.

Tackle football wasn’t an option Spencer had ever heavily considered until his freshman year of high school, even with a background in flag football.

Still, he took the risk and quickly perfected the art of time management as a twosport athlete, choosing to

COURTESY TOMMY SPENCER

Tommy Spencer and his family visited Oregon State over the summer. Spencer verbally committed to play football at Oregon State after being recruited by Fresno State, San Diego State and Oregon State.Growing up, Spencer focused on basketball, but now his priorites have changed. double down to focus on his approach to athletics.

One year later, Spencer’s limited experience put him at a disadvantage only evened out by his physical stature. With his size as a natural advantage - 6’5” and 245 pounds, Spencer was heavily urged to make the leap to varsity.

He declined.

“I was just playing to have fun and be with my friends,” Spencer said.

Even after investing his time and energy into the game, it took until sophomore year for Spencer to really fall in love with football. Wendy Spencer, Tommy’s mother, cites the presence of his coach, Tim McDowell, as his main reason for developing a strong attachment to the game and to his position in JV. “The kids wanted to win for him,” Wendy said. “He

was the kind of coach that invested in time.”

With two years of JV football experience under his belt, Spencer secured a position on the varsity team as a junior and opened himself up to more attention from recruiting coaches.

“If you have potential, then they’ll start talking to you,” Spencer said.

He was right. Last school year, a revolving door of coaches from both in-state and out-of-state schools, including places such as Washington and OSU, approached Spencer in a show of interest.

“I kind of got lost because there were so many coaches coming every week,” Spencer said.

According to Tommy, the mass amount of attention Tommy was receiving from colleges arrived in the wake of a good season and sever-

al top-notch performances during games.

“Tommy really didn’t go looking for colleges to play [at],” Wendy said. “They came to him.”

Spencer took that opportunity to connect with another recruiter: OSU tight-ends coach Bryan Wozniakte “He seemed like a really genuine person,” Spencer said. “[and] he’s younger so I could relate to him a lot.”

Spencer was approached in June with his first of three scholarship offers.

The contenders were, in order, SDSU, OSU, and Fresno State. He received two of three scholarship offers (OSU and Fresno) following his attendance at a football camp at both respective campuses.

The camps themselves were single day, two hour long sessions that double

as prime recruitment ground for coaches.

With this knowledge, Spencer chose camps at campuses that he believed would extend to him the best set of opportunities as a player.

“When you’re there, a lot of coaches can see your skills, and your potential and your fit for the team,” Spencer said.

OSU began courting Spencer the only way an athletic department knows how: recruiting materials, mailers, and media. Additionally, Spencer began fielding daily texts from Wozniak.

“He kept texting me, they were sending me stuff in the mail all the time,” said Spencer. “And I started thinking I really want to go to Oregon State.”

OSU made a concen-

Performances of the Week AUGUST 19-25

Football shuts out Bear Creek in first home game

BY KANYON SMITH

k.smith@eyeofthetigernews.com

The Performance of the Week of for the week of August 19 goes to the varsity and JV football teams.

Both teams pitched shutouts versus Bear Creek, with varsity winning 35-0 and JV cruising to 56-0 victory.

According to junior Eddie Valdez, that mental edge made all of the difference.

“They were a good team but we just were smarter and played harder than them,” Valdez said.

AUG 26 - SEPT 1

Gracie Amos racks up 10 kills in three set victory

BY JAMES WADMAN

j.wadman@eyeofthetigernews.com

The Performance of the Week for August 26 is sophomore Gracie Amos who has already been off to

a great start in her first varsity season for volleyball.

“Preseason was pretty rough with the new coach but we got the hang of it and picked up chemistry, Amos said.”

Amos had one of her best games this varsity season against Del Campo with a total of 10 kills, as the Tigers won in three sets.

Varsity teammate junior Hannah McCulloch was impressed by the performance.

“She had a lot of kills and really helped the team win the game.” McCulloch said.

SEPTEMBER 2-8 Joe Brijs carries Tigers to victory

BY COBY ESTRADA

c.estrada@eyeofthetigernews.com

The Performance of the Week for the week of September. 2 is Joe Brijs’ performance against Rio Americano.

The Tigers defeated the Rio Americano Raiders in dominating fashion 28-7.

Brijs contributed on both sides of the ball, having ma-

jor plays on both the offensive and defensive side.

At his first start at running back on the season Brijs didn’t disappoint to say the least.

Rushing for 124 yards and bringing in three touchdowns, Brijs carried his team on the offensive side.

Brijs not only succeed on offensive but also on the defensive side he had 4.5 tackles and 2 sacks.

Fellow junior running back Cole Errecart believes that Brijs is a great football player and has a lot to do with the teams success this season.

“Joe is an amazing football player,” Errecart said.

“He is phenomenal on both sides of the ball and really helps our team so much.”

SEPTEMBER 9-15 Girls water polo defeats Whitney in overtime

BY JULIA WRIGHT

j.wright@eyeofthetigernews.com

The Performance of the Week for the week of September 9 goes to senior Miki

Yomigida’s last-minute goal to lead the girl’s water polo to victory against the Whitney Wildcats.

Whitney’s girl’s varsity water polo team has defeated the Tigers for five years in a row now.

This time the Tigers came out on top with a final score of 6-5.

Roseville and Whitney were head to head with a close score throughout the whole game, only pulling out a lead in quintuple overtime.

Girls water polo pushed their way through the game and eventually senior Miki Yomogida scored the winning goal.

According to Yomigida, she recalls being excited to help led her team to victory and was excited about their great performance during the game.

“It was probably the most excited I’ve ever been to actually score,” Yomogida said. “We’ve had a hard time beating Whitney in the past before and it was a huge accomplishment for us to win.”

Girls water polo will play their next game against Del Oro at Del Oro on September 25.

trated effort to connect with Spencer and the rest of his family to offer Spencer more than an empty dorm and a football field, but a home.

“He wasn’t really set on Oregon at first,” Wendy said. “[But] it felt like they really wanted him.”

Tommy’s list of prerequisites for his future school was short and succinct. More than anything else, Spencer concerned himself with seeking out smaller schools where students could familiarize themselves with the student and staff body, as well as a school that cared about the state of their football and athletics program.

As a Pac-12, OSU fit the bill.

SEPTEMBER 1622

Shay Lesniewski breaks RHS digs record

BY STAFF REPORT

sports@eyeofthetigernews.com

The Performance of the Week for the week of September 16 goes to girls senior varsity volleyball libero Shay Lesniewski breaking the record for career digs at Roseville.

Lesniewski began the season with 347 digs.

After 10 games, Lesniewski racked up another 173, putting her at 520 alltime digs.

Former girls volleyball player Alyssa Espley held the previous record at 466 digs.

With nine games left in the regular season, Lesniewski is looking to improve upon her record before her senior year is up.

“During games she does really amazing reading the hitters and covering the blocks,” teammate Samantha Beaman said. “I’m really happy for her because it has been her goal to break the record.”

KEY MATCH UPS Sept. 24

Girls Volleyball vs. Yuba City Home Game

JV: 5:00PM V: 6:00PM

Sept. 27

HOMECOMING

Football vs. Antelope Home Game

JV: 5:00PM V: 7:00PM

Oct. 3

Water Polo

vs. Woodcreek HOME GAME GIRLS: 4:00PM BOYS: 6:00PM

Oct. 4

Football

vs. River Valley @ River Valley JV: 5:00 V: 7:15 Oct. 9

Water Polo vs. Bella Vista HOME GAME GIRLS: 4:00PM BOYS: 6:00PM

SPORTS PAGE 10

@EOTSPORTS · EYEOFTHETIGERNEWS.COM · SEPTEMBER 23 , 2019

FALL PROGRAMS UNDER NEW DIRECTION Four new coaches tackle football, tennis and volleyball.

FOOTBALL

Joe Cattolico

BY BRAYDEN DOTOLI b.dotoli@eyeofthetigernews.com

This season, the Roseville Tigers hit the turf with a new coach. Former coach Larry Cunha was replaced after being put on administrative leave at the end of last school year. He coached 26 years for the Tigers.

Coach Joe Cattolico has taken his place. Cattolico has racked up a total of 20 years of coaching, beginning in his hometown, San Jose. Eight years later he made the move to Pleasant Grove High School and stayed there for nine years.

When he transferred to Sheldon High School, his team went 27-9 over the three years he was there.

Cattolico has won a total of eight league championships in his coaching career. At Pleasant Grove, he won four league titles and a Sac-Jaquin Section Division I championship. His 2011 Pleasant Grove team w a s the last team to beat Folsom High School in a league contest.

Cattolico’s father, Butch Cattolico, coached a total of 41 years at Los Gatos high school, and was head coach for 26 of those years.

His father will be joining him on the coaching staff for this season as an assistant coach.

Cattolico stepped

SCHOOLS

RECORD

W.C. OVERFELT 1997-1999

CSS SECTION TITLE : 1998

INDEPENDENCE 2000-2004

LEAGUE TITLE: 2001

PLEASANT GROVE 2005-2013

62-16

SAC-JOAQUIN SECTION TITLE: 2010

SHELDON 2016-2018

27-9

LEAGUE TITLE: 2018 down as the head coach at Sheldon High School, later deciding to move his family up to the Roseville area.

According to Cattolico, this decision was made because he thought Roseville would be the best place to raise his kids.

“We made a decision to move out here for really, our kids,” Cattolico said. “We thought moving out here would be a positive for them, and be something to help them grow and develop in a great environment.”

Last season, the Tigers had an overall record of 3-7. Cattolico has a goal to improve the on field performance, but most importantly to have a positive impact on his players.

“We do the best we can to raise young men of character who are going to go on and be successful as adults,” Cattolico

said. “I feel super honored to be able to share the love of football with my family.”

Senior player Tomas Robles enjoys Cattolico’s coaching style and believes he is helping improve his level of play.

“Coach Cattolico, he’s a great guy, great coach.

Knows a ton about footballvery smart man,” Robles said. “He has changed everything on our offense, our defense, our everything. We are just stepping it up now .

It’s a whole new game we are playing.”

Likewise senior linebacker Tyler Rohwer believes that Cattolico has been great for team morale.

“Everyone is more bought in this year, and wants to be better this year and be great,” Rohwer said.

“He has made us confident enough that we are going to be great.”

According to Cattolico, constant improvement is a big part of his philosophy “We really rely on daily improvement... getting better as a football player and better in life as a person,” Cattolico said. “We feel that this philosophy can transfer over to their daily life and into their future as adults.”

TENNIS Josh Errecart

& Melissa Stevens

BY KINSEY OKELBERRY

k.okelberry@eyeofthetigernews.com

This school year, Roseville PE teachers Josh Errecart and Melissa Stevens have stepped up and began coaching the varsity girls tennis team.

Errecart had previously served as the varsity girls basketball coach and helped with boys basketball and track and field programs.

After last season, the team’s prior coach, Shamilla Tooker, stepped down. Last season, Tooker helped guide many players to continue onto CVC playoffs.

This season, Errecart and Stevens have attempted to continue where Tooker left off. So far the girls tennis team has started off league with a record of 3-1, featuring wins over River Valley, Antelope, and Yuba City. The team’s sole league loss came at the hands of the Woodcreek Timberwolves.

After departing from his position as the varsity girls head basketball coach, Errecart saw the opportunity to continue his passion coaching.

“Coaching tennis kind of fell in [our laps],” Erracart said. “I stopped coaching basketball. Then the tennis jobs opened up. Being PE teachers, we have experience coaching and teaching a lot of those movements and those kinds of sports.”

Both said that they have enjoyed coaching together and the bond with the girls.

Beyond coaching together, Errecart and Stevens further strengthened their relationship.

During the Labor Day weekend, the two went hiking with friends in Yosemite National Park.

While there, Errecart had a special surprise planned.

“We’d start hik-

ing, she’d find a picture every 10-15 minutes and by the time we got to the top she had 14 that spelt out ‘Will you marry me?”

She said yes and the two are set to marry on April 4, 2020.

VOLLEYBALL Kelly Hart

BY COBY ESTRADA

c.estrada@eyeofthetigernews.com

This year, Roseville High School has hired new varsity volleyball coach Kelly Hart. Hart was hired after last year’s head coach Travis Vincenzini stepped down. Vincenzini led his team to a 14-12 record and a trip to the playoffs, where they lost in the first round to the Whitney Wildcats.

Prior to Hart coming to Roseville, she coached JV volleyball at Lincoln High School for five years and coached club volleyball from ages 12-16.

The girls volleyball team will play 25 games this year, including out of town tournaments in Reno, Nevada and Davis, Califor-

nia. Hart believes the team will be successful due to all the games the team will have this year.

“We’re going to have a great season,” Hart said.

“We have a lot of volleyball to play, lots of matches and the girls are going to get a ton of games to play.”

When Hart made the move to Roseville she brought her husband to join the coaching staff as well. According to Hart she brought her husband along with her due to his experiences as a coach and to better the girls.

“I brought over a veteran coach,” Hart said. “He will help the girls with dynamics and many different plays and drills as well.”

Hart’s husband, Keith Hart, believes the group of girls have a lot of talent and will have a great season.

“We have a great group of girls with a lot of talent. I think with the girls we have we will have a very successful season,” Keith said.