News Section

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Find the best haunted houses this Halloween

LEAVING HIS MAR GBHS alumnus Bryant Hom makes an impact with art

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Friday, October 8, 2010

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d i u g d e t n u Ha

Gazette G10-11

Cross country conquers

THE GRANITE BAY

Girls’ team earns national recognition

GRANITE BAY HIGH SCHOOL w 1 GRIZZLY WAY w GRANITE BAY, CA w 95746 w VOLUME 14 w ISSUE 2 Commentary

jessica reese

Decoding the Granite Bay dress code BY JESSICA REESE

jreese.gazette@gmail.com

jreese.gazette@gmail.com

Don’t judge a book by its content

I

have been to wild ragers. I have had abusive boyfriends. I have been stalked, kidnapped and tortured. Okay, maybe I haven’t. But they – the characters – have. I am an avid reader of the young adult genre. That section with the colorful covers and pale vampires that many love, others scoff at and as of late, some attack. On Sept. 18, Wesely Scroggins from Springfield, Mo. wrote an opinion in his local newspaper demeaning three of these books. These books contain “adult content.” They’re not light and fluffy as one may suspect, but heavy, gritty and – in Scroggins’ opinion – filthy. While I haven’t read all three of the books he attacked, I have read one: Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler. When I read Ockler’s book two summers ago, I was shocked by its depth. I may not have agreed with everything the main character did, but I saw its importance to the plot and to the character. Without it, the book would not have been half as powerful. Then last spring, I was able to meet Ockler while in New York and acquired an advanced copy of her upcoming novel, Fixing Delilah. This book was even more powerful than her debut. Ockler’s books delve past all the pretenses and get into the angst and turmoil of being a teenager. More importantly, they deal with death and what you’ll go through to find yourself. It shocks and sickens me to hear someone calling Twenty Boy Summer “soft porn.” I don’t understand how someone can take such a beautifully deep piece of work and see only filth. Actually, I can. Scroggins and others book banners see words like “sex” and “drugs,” and immediately disregard everything else. These people fixate on the less-savory threads of the story and miss the big picture, because surely, the mere mention of drugs will send kids off into a destructive spiral. Do they really think so little of us? I am a clichéd student – I get straight As, I take AP courses and I love English and the newspaper. I am also a proud reader of this supposed filth. I read about wild parties and drinking and all unholy things, but that doesn’t mean I do any of it. Books are meant to teach us and most importantly, better us. I don’t feel the need to get wasted because I’ve seen someone I love ruin her life while inebriated. And I don’t need to do drugs because I know what it can do to you and your relationships. I know all this because I read and because I learn from what I read. This is the power of books. Yet book banners don’t seem to understand that. Those evil words are just too powerful for teens’ eyes. Personally, I hope teenagers as a whole are smarter than that. High school students are intelligent enough to know that what they read isn’t always truth, that what’s important is the truth beneath it, the lesson they take away from it. Take away those books, and you take away those lessons. I’d like to see what happens then, Mr. Scroggins. *** Jessica Reese, a junior, is the Gazette’s co-editor-in-chief.

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------ Drawing ------------the line

Gazette photos /MAGGIE LOUIS

The GBHS dress code states that shorts must be fingertip-length and tube tops – as well as back-less and halter tops – are prohibited.

Bullying at the bay Survey provides new statistics and uncovers old problems BY ALISON SALE

asale.gazette@gmail.com

Granite Bay High School senior Laura Smith is a victim of bullying. She is one of the estimated 25 percent of students who are affected by bullying at some point during their school career, according to the National Association of School Psychologists. “It doesn’t make sense why you would break someone down to the point of (causing them to) act violently or wanting to disappear altogether,” Smith said Smith admits that she has bullied others as a result of being bullied – See BULLYING, page A8

California prepares to vote on Prop. 19 Debating the legalization of cannabis BY JUSTIN SHIIBA jshiiba.gazette@gmail.com

The Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act, also known as Proposition 19, will be on the California state ballot this Nov 2. The proposition would legalize

inside this issue

News

A2 – A9

Voices

A10 – A113

Second Look

A14

Features

B1 – B8

Sports

C1 – C8

Green Screen

G1 – G20

the recreational use of marijuana and allow local governments to tax and regulate the drug for revenue. This grass-roots movement has generated overwhelming support over the past couple of years according to the latest Field Poll, See MARIJUANA, page A8

With only a few minutes before her next class, Granite Bay High School senior Emma Slattery walks into the office. All she needs is to grab a piece of paper and then she’s off to her next class. As she grabs the paper and turns to head out, Debbie Nordman, the assistant principal’s secretary, stops her. Her shorts, she says, are considered in violation of the dress code. Slattery looks at the clock; she only has a few minutes before she’s due in her next class: government. It’s the day of their first big test, one she’s been studying for for weeks. When she tells this to Nordman, she is all but ignored. After calling Slattery’s parents, giving her new shorts and instructing her on the protocol she must follow to get her shorts back, Slattery is allowed to leave, late to class and her government test. *** Like Slattery, many other GBHS students have recently been issued dress code violations, and they have grown increasingly frustrated with the limits set on their attire. With a heat wave carrying warm weather into the fall, GBHS students can be seen sporting short-shorts, tube tops and other summer clothing. The issue is that, while it still feels like summer outside, school is in session and the dress code is being enforced. Many of these items can be found on the list of clothing deemed inappropriate by the GBHS administration. Found online and in the student handbook, the dress code cites “tube tops, halter-tops, back-less tops, scoop-neck tops, half shirts and muscle shirts” as attire that is “not appropriate” for school. Even so, many GBHS students still persist on wearing these items of clothing. “Most girls (on campus) look like Bratz dolls,” GBHS English teacher David Tastor said. See DRESS, page A8

Why they do the chew An investigation of GBHS students chewing on campus BY PARKER EVANS

pevans.gazette@gmail.com

Granite Bay High School assistant principal Cathy Raycraft is adamant on the subject. “It’s not allowed,” Raycraft said stiffly. The signs are everywhere around the school. They are shaped like a shield and have a picGazette photo /MAGGIE LOUIS ture of a smoking cigarette above a lot of bold Chewing tobacco on any school campus is illegal. face text that nobody ever reads. Yet students can find their way around that Despite this law, chewing has been witnessed at GBHS. telltale waft of smoke. “You dip at school and smoke cigarettes out Before he turned 18, he would have older friends buy of school,” said a GBHS senior who asked to remain it for him. Now he can legally walk into stores and anonymous. buy it himself. “You can hide (chewing tobacco) but you can’t hide Although the senior dips semi-regularly at school, a cigarette.” he says he has never been caught. The senior first tried chewing tobacco in eighth “I haven’t found anybody with it,” Raycraft said. grade. “A couple of my friends were doing it because “If we do find someone with a tobacco product, we their dads did it,” he said. take it away and (give it) directly to (school resource According to the senior’s estimate, about 40 GBHS officer and sheriff’s deputy Joe) Herrick.” students chew. Although the senior isn’t a ballplayer, baseball and Today, he can walk across campus during school chewing tobacco have traditionally gone hand in hours with tobacco tucked in his lip without being hand. stopped or questioned by students or teachers. “If you go back that long ago, chewing tobacco “I dip whenever I have money” the senior said. See TOBACCO, page A8

Pool safety Tips on how to keep children safe around the water

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Homecoming Take a peek at the 2010 celebration

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A2 News

Friday, October 8, 2010

NAMES IN THE NEWS

adrienne blevins ablevins.gazette@gmail.com

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Weather still hot, safety still needed

Freshman takes home national spelling bee title On Aug. 14, GBHS freshman Anvita Mishra defeated her opponents at the South Asian Spelling Bee to become the winner. The finals were held in North Brunswick, N.J. and her winning word was naumkeg. “They were difficult, random words,” said Mishra, regarding the other words in the competition. She studied just by flipping through a special dictionary. Overall, Mishra described her experience as being fun and that she definitely enjoyed it. *** On Saturday, Sept. 18, the GBHS speech and debate team faced off against other schools at a tournament hosted by Ponderosa High School. The team, which is coached by Rita Prichard, scored the most points and the most wins out of any of the other schools there. GBHS also had two people who placed first in two events each. Senior Jessica Northam achieved first place in both original oratory and the Lincoln Douglas debates. Gary Nielsen, also a senior, placed first in Parliamentary Debate alongside senior Stacey Wong and Duo Interpretation with senior Kevin Hollingshead. Other members who went undefeated include junior Nima Miraliakbar and senior Dalton King in LD debate, along with sophomore Hammad Bashir and junior Ishaan Gupta in Parliamentary. In the novice category sophomores Jeff Williams, Ally McReynolds, and freshman Reed Klaeser also finished undefeated. *** The GBHS varsity girls’ water polo team placed third at the Sierra Shootout tournament held on Sept. 17- 18 at Sierra College. The tournament was special for senior captain Alison Hamby. Hamby was chosen to be a part of the All Tournament team, which is an imaginary team comprised of the best players from the 18 schools who were competing in the tournament. All of the coaches came together in a meeting and decided who the best players were. “My coach came up to me and she said it’s because of your defense” Hamby said. “I’m a set defender, and I guard one of the main players…because I did so good at that tournament, (the coaches) picked me for all tournament..”

CORRECTIONS wIn a September story (“Frontrunners in a ‘classy’ competition,” Page A2), the Gazette reported that some Granite Bay High School seniors have taken community college classes solely to improve their grade-point averages and their college admissions prospects. GBHS senior Chelsea Schifferle was named as an example of a student who has taken a number of community college classes. Later in the story, however, Schifferle said she took the college classes because she was interested in the subjects, not because she wanted to bump up her high school GPA. But because Schifferle’s quote came later in the story, some readers wrongly assumed she was being cited as an example of students who try to “pad their resumes” with community college classes. The Gazette did not intend to give that impression, and we apologize to Schifferle and to our readers for having done so. *** Contact the Gazette at: gbgazette@yahoo.com Identification Statement Granite Bay Gazette Published eight times per academic year c/o Granite Bay High School 1 Grizzly Way Granite Bay, CA 95746 Subscriptions: $25 per year/ $15 per half year

Gazette photo /SOPHIA ZOGOPOULOS

Following the rules enforced by the life guards at public pools can keep young people of all ages safe during hot weather, and prevent injuries and possible death.

Recent drowning of a local child reminds the community of the importance of water safety BY KEVIN NIELSEN

kjnielsen.gazette@gmail.com

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ne of the greatest issues faced when the temperature rises is water safety. Recently in Westlake Estates 2-year-old Isabelle Goforth was found in a neighbor’s pool and was pronounced dead at the hospital. This incident demonstrates the need to keep everyone safe while swimming. There are many guidelines that can be followed to keep children safe around water. First, every person has a respon-

sibility to put a gate around their pool, even if the family doesn’t have a young child. Goforth drowned in her neighbor’s pool, not even her own. Along with a gate, parent supervision is also important for kids of all ages. “Parents need to watch children, even children who can swim,” Golfland Sunsplash owner Fred Kenney said. Even if you can swim, accidents happen while playing around. One major accident that happens to teenagers is underwater blackout. Underwater blackout can happen

Parking pass, ticket fees go to school fund Economic crisis forces GBHS administrators to get creative BY ALI VALIDRIGHI

avaldrighi.gazette@gmail.com

On June 7, the social science classrooms of Jason Rath and Dale Mortensen were burglarized. A total of $3,000- 4,000 worth of DVDs were stolen. Apprehending the culprit has been a daunting and time-consuming process. “The wheels of justice are slow,” Rath said. “It’s been three months and no one has been arrested. It’s very disheartening.” *** Despite Granite Bay High School’s reputation of being a safe community, crimes such as the classroom break-in in June have caused many difficulties. According to assistant principal Dave Vujovich, car burglaries have also posed problems. Recently, three cars parked on the street were broken into. These types of crimes can be extremely hard to pinpoint on a single perpetrator. “If we had cameras, we could catch these guys,” Vujovich said. The lack of security cameras has at GBHS been a point of contention for a while. “People have wanted cameras at school for as long as (it has been possible) to have (them),” Vujovich said. “(Cameras) could deter crimes from happening because if people know they’re being watched, they’re (less likely) to steal.” However, the district has been reluctant to allow schools to splurge money on cameras in the current economic situation. “(Buying cameras) could backfire because people (may be upset) that we’re asking for donations for football and drill

quite easily. It is caused by carbon dioxide building up and getting stuck in the lungs preventing the body from getting enough air. The most common accident seen at public pools and backyard pools is the simple slip and fall accident. It might not be as severe as other accidents, but it is easy to avoid simply by making sure that everyone is walking while next to the pool. Slipping and falling can become a serious accident if it is a toddler and they fall into the pool. Even though slipping and fallDave Vujovich GBHS assistant principal has a part in handling the money brought in through a new parking pass fee

“Students have to go and apply for an application to get a spot.” To get a parking pass, students must provide proof of insurance, a driver’s license and current registration.

See MONEY, page A9

go through extensive training that teaches CPR along with other lifesaving skills. “I had to go through a week of training,” GBHS senior and former lifeguard Mitchell Kobayashi said. With this specialized training, lifeguards should be on duty at all times at public pools. While attending public pools too, don’t distract on-duty lifeguards. “Don’t be stupid and pretend like you’re drowning because it distracts the lifeguards and they are protecting other people and it puts other people in danger while distracting them,” GBHS junior Brady Nations said. It is also important to listen to the on-duty lifeguard. They know See WORD, page A4

Seniors debate effectiveness of election outreach project Program meant to involve students in politics

ernment, not just see how it affects me,” Subramanian said. Subramanian said it is a huge responsiOn Sept. 7, the Placer County Elections bility to vote, and citizens must be intelOffice came to speak to the Granite Bay ligent and aware of the effect of choosing High School government seniors in the a party. library. Packets were distributed and a “In (class,) you learn so much more member of each political party spoke about government practices, and how we about the issues their parties stand for. can influence (them), Subramanian said. After hearing each lecture, the seniors “I registered as a Democrat, but after a registered to vote and participated in a few weeks of being in Westberg’s Admock vote. vanced Placement But a majority of Government class, the students were I’m kind of more not old enough of an independent I didn’t think the to register, so the now.” county holds each people who came GBHS senior registration packet Emma Slattery said and talked to us until the students something positive turn 18. When were very helpful, came out of the the time comes to because they were experience. vote, they are reg“You kind of kind of vague on istered and ready forget about votto go. what they believed, ing because we The intention of haven’t even voted the mock voting yet at this point of experience was to – Cayley McDowell, our lives,” Slatmake the students GBHS senior tery said. “This of GBHS “more just kind of recomfortable and minded us that it’s inspire students to out there, and it’s register to vote,” something that we according to the website of the have to look forPlacer County Elections Office of Jim ward to in the future.” McCauley. Although she said there were positive However, the process appeared to have aspects of the process, she doesn’t believe little to no effect on students at GBHS. the mock vote was necessary. GBHS senior Cayley McDowell felt “(The mock) voting was not really that the process did not leave an impact. taken seriously because they weren’t real “I didn’t think the people who came and issues, so you’re not really voting for talked to us were very helpful, because anything you have strong opinions on,” they were kind of vague on what they Slattery said. believed,” McDowell said. “(Because of Although the students voted using real that,) I wasn’t able to pick a party – I just voting machines, the issues consisted of registered decline-to-state.” questions such as “Who would be the Michael McDonald, a professor of secretary of hip hop?” and “Who would government and politics at George Mason be the secretary of comedy?” Options for University, said in an article in the New York Times, that young voters have had answers consisted of pop culture figures, low participation votes since 1972. The such as Lady Gaga, Beyonce and Jay-Z. The overall process resulted in mixed voting trend fluctuates slightly based on reactions. Although the vote seemed how interesting each election is. slightly pointless, it brought up the realGBHS senior Ashwin Subramanian said ity that students need to begin taking politics are something people need to be involved in for the sake of our country’s charge in politics, so in the future we can continue to prosper as a politically well being. “I want to actually be a part of our gov- strong country. BY ARI BLACK

team but then spending a large has to be used for safety and amount of money on school security type things.” safety,” Vujovich said. The extra parking fee Once the financial crisis has caused relatively few subsides, and the school is complaints from the GBHS given clearance by the dis- community. trict, Vujovich said GBHS “I only received two phone is ready to initiate the new calls from irate parents (askcamera system. “We (al- ing) what we were going to ready) have a plan for what use the money for,” Vujovich (the camera system) will look said. “When (I told) them it like,” he said. was for safety and security To finance the camera sys- they (were surprised $20) was tem, along with other safety all we were charging. We’re and security measures, money pretty fortunate.” from parking tickets and Vujovich tries to assist parking passes is being put students that have difficulty into a recently created ASB paying the parking fees. “If account. someone has financial (probIn the past, the school hasn’t lems) and is on free and charged extra for parking reduced lunch, we try to do passes which meant there re- whatever we can,” Vujovich ally wasn’t any extra money. said. “We used According to charge $5 to school rejust to pay source officer for the parkand deputy We want to ing sticksheriff Joe ers,” VujoHerrick, bebe specific vich said. ing able to and trans“ T h e r e ’s park in the never been parking lot parent about that big pot is a privilege what the of money.” reserved for (money is beLast year juniors and was the first seniors, no ing used for) time GBHS sophomores so it benefits instituted a allowed. parking fee “We have the school. of $20. The real limmoney from ited parkthis fee goes ing – only – Dave Vujovich, directly into 500 parking GBHS assistant the ASB acspots,” Herprincipal count where rick said. it can only be spent under the category of “safety and security.” “We made the category broad so we could have some leniency in what we spent it for,” Vujovich said. “But we can’t use it to buy pencils or make football posters. It

ing normally just causes cuts and bruises, it can lead to much worse problems. Other common accidents are diving accidents. It is never a smart idea to dive into a shallow pool. Every year someone breaks their neck or gets seriously hurt due to the fact that they dive to far down or dive into a shallow pool. Even though public pools and backyard pools differ in common accidents, following the rules would drastically help with water injuries. “If everyone followed the rules no one would probably be hurt,” Kenney said. As for public pools, make sure that a lifeguard is on duty. Lifeguards are trained and always ready to assist anyone. They

aublack.gazette@gmail.com


Friday, October 8, 2010

News A3

w The Granite Bay Gazette

News Briefs

Gazette photo / SOPHIA ZOGOPOULOS

College events ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

SAT I & II FALL Deadlines Test date Deadline Late 10-09-10 9-10-10 9-24-10 11-6-10 10-8-10 10-22-10 12-4-10 11-5-10 11-19-10 *Bold indicates GBHS as a test center.

Gazette photos /MAGGIE LOUIS

GBHS senior Melly Geary above, was crowned Homecoming Queen at half-time of the Homecoming football game on Friday, Oct. 1. GBHS senior and Homecoming King candidate Sam Freitas offers his applause. Right, the Grizzly mascot hypes up the crowd at the Homecoming rally.

State Farm hosts contest for best football footage Friday Night Feats, a nationwide competition sponsored by State Farm Insurance, is offering up to a $17,500 reward to schools for the submission of remarkable footage from football game moments. The contest will run through Novem-

ber 24th. To submit your videos for a chance to win money for GBHS, visit fridaynightfeats.com. Fall Blood Drive The GBHS fall blood drive will be held on Oct. 28. Sign-ups will be required for all those interested in participating. To donate, students must be 16 or older, and all minors must have parental consent. For more information, contact GBHS nurse Linda Warfield in the front office.

College and Career Center OCTOBER 9 SAT I & II Tests @ GBHS 13 PSAT Test at GBHS (no school) 20 Academy of Art University –10:00am 21 U.S. Navy NROTC – 10:00am 23 ACT @ Roseville High School and Whitney High School

Gale Application for iPhones The GBHS learning center database, Gale, is now available for free download on iPhones. The program is aligned with school curriculum and provides cited information not found on the internet that includes history, literature, science, social studies and reference material. The site is also accessible with a regular internet connection.

ACT FALL Deadlines Test date Deadline Late 10-23-10 9-17-10 10-1-10 12-11-10 11-5-10 11-19-10 *Bold indicates Roseville High School as a test center.

Students grant wishes, HOPE GABY financially supports youth philanthropy BY SAMANTHA SPARGO sspargo.gazette@gmail.com

A local youth organization is improving the community one grant at a time. The Grants Advisory Board for Youth is giving out grants to local programs to encourage youth philanthropy in the community. The grants are called Helping Other People Excel, or H.O.P.E. The GABY board’s grants are privately funded through the Place Community Foundation. Granite Bay High School juniors Jake Keester and Kyle Pawlak, and GBHS seniors Stacey Wong and Matt Veneman, are on the board this year. Keester heard about the board from his college counselor, who recommended it to him as a good way to earn community service hours. Pawlak learned about the board last year from a GBHS bulletin, and his college counselor also suggested that he get involved. “It gives students a chance to have an active voice in their community,” Future Stars college counselor Jilian Bar-or said. “It provides them with some real skills that they will experience in the workforce.” The board is completely student-run, with minimal adult involvement. Adviser Erin Stone first began working with the GABY board as an

adviser four years ago. “I really feel like philanthropy is important,” Stone said. “I was always involved in lots of community service projects, activities and student government in high school and college.” The teens have multiple jobs to complete at each monthly meeting. First, they must review all of the grant applications they receive. “After we’ve got our applicants then we divide up who is going to interview which applicants, and we do it in teams,” Pawlak said. “Once that’s done, individual teams bring back their decisions to the board.” Then the board has to choose which applications will receive funds. “It needs to be clear to the board that the (applicant’s actions will) be run by youth,” Pawlak said. “That is the whole point of the grant, to promote youth action in the community.” Finally, they have to follow up to make sure that the grant is being used appropriately by the beneficiaries. Last year, the Placer County branch of the board gave out three grants. “It’s one basic grant, but there is a range of pricing you can get,” Pawlak said. “It ranges from $500 to $1,500 based on the need of the applicant.” The first grant went to Rocklin High School to fund its Culture Day, which focused on Hawaiian culture education. Another grant went to Chana High School, a continuation high school in Auburn, to supplement its after school program. The third grant went again to Rocklin High to facilitate its “Friendship

Day.” In 2009, the entire GABY organization gave out 34 grants of $500 each to Sacramento area youth projects. Any teenager14-17 can apply to be on the board, as long as they are ready to put in the effort it requires. Participating in GABY has helped Keester and the other board members connect with their community. “(After serving on the board) I am more aware of my community and I feel more involved,” Keester said. Bar-or also emphasizes the importance of seeing their philanthropy efforts pay off. Their involvement in the board will not only help them right now, but also the members will benefit when they head to college and enter the workforce. “This program helps (the board members) learn how to work with others and how to use critical thinking to make decisions that are real,” Stone said. These skills will be vital for the jobs and classes teens will encounter once they leave the nest. “Any opportunities you can get that are going to mirror the work that you’ll have to do in college or in the future in your career, the better,” Bar-or said. The GABY board cannot make a difference without the support of the youth in the community. “We are really open to new (project) ideas,” Stone said. “It doesn’t necessarily have to have been done before, (if) the project idea is well thought out we want to try and help make (the applicant’s) dream come true.”

ASB UPDATE The Gazette talks to Granite Bay High School senior class president Brie Shimada. The Gazette: What events have you been involved in recently? Shimada: We (have been) working on the senior class float, and it (was shown) at the bonfire rally. I also just booked the hypnotist for Senior Fifth Quarter, and I’ve already started working on Senior Ball with Nancy Stuckey, who’s the head mom helping me out with that. I’ve been working on the Disneyland trip that I put together for seniors, which is separate from senior events.

Gazette photo /RACHaEL VASQUEZ

GBHS senior class president Brie Shimada talks about the senior Disneyland trip and Senior Ball.

Gazette: What was your reaction to the bullying assembly? Shimada: I (am a teacher aid) for KC Wachs during fourth period, which is a class full of sophomores, and I’ve talked to a lot of other people around campus who thought the assembly actually was effective. When the slide came up with all the dates of school shootings, it made me and other people realize that stuff like this actually happens. I think that was just a real eye opener that it could actually happen at our school. – Compiled by Katie Zingheim

How far

is too far? Gazette photo /SOPHIA ZOGOPOULOS

GBHS students must receive permission from an administrator to go out to their cars during school hours. Their cars can be searched, however, because they are parked in the lot.

Students pay fee to park without easy access to cars BY SOPHIA ZOGOPOULOS szogopoulos.gazette@gmail.com

Many students believe that because they have a parking permit, they should be allowed to go to their cars during school hours. However, a suspension may result because Granite Bay High School is a closed campus. According to the GBHS handbook, all comprehensive high schools in the Roseville Joint Union High School District are closed campuses for safety reasons. This means students are not allowed to leave campus or go to their cars without a formal excuse from an assistant principal during school hours. Although many of our parents were allowed to go off campus at their high schools, it has been realized that with having an open campus, the safety of the school is at risk. “In about 2001, the closed campus got introduced in (the) Education Code, which goes through the state,” assistant principal Dave Vujovich said. “(The state) was asking schools to consider closing their campuses for safety.” Students try to argue that an open campus would beneficial. They suggest that if GBHS had an open campus, in order to maintain safety, there could be required checks when re-entering the school. GBHS junior Austin Vincenzini is one of the students who argues that an open campus would benefit not only students, but also the community. “There are so many businesses around Granite Bay that would benefit from a student body like ours (going) to lunch there. Plus, the majority of the kids here are good so I don’t think students would be ditching class all the time,” Vincenzini said. Even with the closed campus, students can be excused to go to their cars. “All you do is come up to us and say you need to go to your car,” Vujovich said. “And if I don’t know you, I ask your name and then tell the front desk (that you need) to go to the parking lot.” Even though the handbook states this process very clearly, many students want to quickly grab something from their car, and they don’t think breaking this rule is a big deal. Before junior Hailey Israel discovered how easy the process was, she was continuously leaving her lunch in her car and was unable to get it. “When you forget something in your car like your

lunch, you don’t want to go through a long process to get what you need,” Israel said. “(The administrators) should be worried about people driving out of the parking lot, not about what people bring in from their cars.” Another concept that upsets students is that the parking lot is considered off campus, yet when drug searches occur the parking lot is considered to be on campus so cars can be searched. “If the parking lot is off campus then the administration shouldn’t be able to search our cars,” senior Ryan Williams said. “But, if it’s on campus than we should be able to go to our cars, and go to lunch. (Then) they can search our cars more often.” Although the random searches are necessary for maintaining safety on our campus, many students feel that the searches could be inaccurate. Students may be unaware of an illegal substance in their car, and suffer the respective consequences. Last year during a search, seniors Jessica and Alison Hamby received notes in their second period classes notifying them that their car was going to be searched. “It was very scary. I kept on thinking what if they found something in my car and I didn’t even know it was there,” Jessica Hamby said. Hamby supports the school’s car searches in order to keep the campus safe, but she does not support the parking lot limitations. “If I can’t walk out to my car and get what I want, then there should be no searches anyway because students can’t get what they have in their car,” Hamby said. Another heated topic among students is the $20 parking permit fee. “We all pay the same price but some students get the front (parking) spots and the rest of us get the back (spots). Also, we should all be entitled to a spot since we pay, but we can never be guaranteed a spot,” Vincenzini said. With these frustrations, many students wonder where the money goes and how it benefits our school. “The money goes to an ASB account, which means that elected student officials during the 10 months of school have to sign off on any expenditures,” Vujovich said. “Recently we purchased radios to communicate with each other for safety. When the time is prudent, we would like to buy security cameras to oversee the parking lot and the school for student safety. However, right now having a large expenditure when there are budget cuts is not a good time.”


A4 News

Friday, October 8, 2010

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Homecoming festivities lead to spirited successes Week filled with exciting activities to raise school spirit and support for the football team BY KEVIN NIELSEN knielsen.gazette@gmail.com

Homecoming week is one of the most anticipated weeks for Granite Bay High School students. The most exciting part of homecoming comes at the end of the week when all the spirited festivities reach their climax at the homecoming game. “I look forward to the game and the halftime show” GBHS senior Kyle Chin said. Before the game, students show their school spirit by dressing up and participating in Student Government-run games. This year, homecoming week started off with Sports Day, moved to Tall Tee Day, then Reggae Day, then Frontier Land and finally, GBHS day. “I like that we still do the dress-themes. It reminds everyone that it’s a special occasion,” GBHS senior Adam Godbey said. Certain days are more enjoyed by the student body than others. “I liked Tall Tee Day because it was really comfortable and I enjoy wearing tall tees,” GBHS sophomore Erica Peterson said. Godbey said that he thought student participation was much greater this year than in previous years. Along with dressing up, games like limbo and water balloon toss are another way to encourage school spirit. These games took place during lunch and were open to any students that desired to participate. Homecoming activities were not limited to just the school day. On Thursday night, the Bonfire Rally took place at 7:30 p.m. The rally aimed to increase student excitement for

the game, as well as to support the school’s clubs. Clubs were able to make money by selling refreshments At the rally, students enjoyed music and hung out with their friends while warming themselves by the large bonfire. Anticipation for the game was further increased by daily “spirit” bulletins. Students got to enjoy the saga of T-Loco trying retrieve his jersey. “(The bulletin helped wake) me up (in the morning) and told me what I needed to know for school” GBHS junior Samantha Hughes said. The saga came to an end at the rally Friday, when students discovered that it was a Pirate that stole TLoco’s jersey. Luckily the Grizzly mascot was able to do a dance to get the jersey back. To finish off the week, the GBHS football team y won 45-7 against the Pittsburg Pirates. The Grizzlies played well both offensively and defensively. “(The teams strong point), I’d say, was our first defensive stop and our first offensive drive. We started out strong on both sides,” GBHS senior Drake Smalley said. The half time show helped to further rally the crowd. Both the float winner and the homecoming queens and kings were announced. The winner for this years’ float was the senior class of 2011, with the Land of Oz. The float was equipped with a revolving tornado and house, which set the float apart from the others. “I thought it was amazing,” GBHS senior Rachel Kludjian said. “I especially liked the tornado and house that spun as well as all the character’s cos-

New transfer policy assists IB students IB students transfer to GBHS for more opportunities and better curriculum

of their choice during the transfer BY SONIA IYER process. siyer.gazette@gmail.com When the district staff mem bers are organizing which interThe recent addition of the IB district transfers will go to which program to Granite Bay High of the IB schools in the Roseville School has shed light on the new Joint Union High School District, policies created for transfers. GBHS or Oakmont High School, Any student who lives outside the most transfers are simply placed at district’s limits and attends GBHS the school with the most space for is considered a transfer student. enrollment. Siblings, however, auThe new transfer policy states that tomatically get a spot in the school every transfer student must par- that their older sibling attends. ticipate in the IB program. “We never split up siblings,” Whether or not the transfer Colnar said. “They always get student wants to come to GBHS to go to the same school if they for the IB program, each student (want).” must take a minimum of three IB Other than classes in order the selection to remain at the process, howschool. ever, siblings Doing the IB According to don’t get any Program here is IB Coordinator priority over Sharry Colnar, other transfer definitely more however, many students. of the recent prestigious. Where new transfers wantpolicies have ed to come to surfaced for –Ty Thompson, GBHS GBHS simply transfer stufor its challengjunior dents, probing curriculum. lems have risen For junior as well. Ty ThompOne probson, joining the IB program was lem for students trying to get into his primary reason for coming to GBHS is that they must get perGBHS. mission from their original disAlthough he lives in the dis- trict to transfer out. This can be trict for Del Oro High School, he difficult. If the student’s reason transferred to GBHS in order to for requesting a transfer isn’t contake part in the challenging cur- sidered reasonable by the district riculum. staff, they can deny the student “I thought I’d go to GBHS permission. because it has harder classes,” However, if the district doesn’t Thompson said. “I feel like (the have a high school program that classes) will prepare me better for matches a program at GBHS, then college.” they must grant permission. According to Thompson, the “If they don’t have IB, for exampreparation here is better because ple, then they can’t say that they of the number of advanced cours- won’t let you go,” Colnar said. es offered. If the student seeks a specific type “Del Oro doesn’t have as many of course as well, such as a certain AP classes and they don’t have the foreign language, the district must IB program,” Thompson said. “So allow the student to transfer. doing (the program) here is defi“If a district doesn’t have Japanitely more prestigious.” nese, but a school in another disTwo of Thompson’s younger trict (offers the language), that brothers, who are also transfers to would be a valid reason for transGBHS, will participate in the IB ferring,” Colnar said. program in upcoming years. According to Colnar, one reaWhile siblings of transfer stu- son that a district might not want dents also have to participate in to grant a student permission to the IB program in order to get into transfer is because of money. the district, they get priority over “When a student transfers out others in getting into the IB school of a district and into another, their

Ashby Vose Is an intradistrict transfer and particpates in the IB program.

Gazette photo /maggie louis

GBHS senior Shelbi Tooley, Dorothy, dumps “water” on the Wicked Witch of the West, Brieana Shimada as seniors celebrate their winning homecoming float. tumes and make up.” Although there wasn’t the turn out that most people After the floats finished parading by, the freshman, hoped for, it was an improvement from years past. sophomore and junior royalty, along with the senior Peterson was pleased and said she had a great time. nominees, took their places on the stage. However, many students think that a formal homeThe senior king and queen were announced differcoming dance would be more enjoyable. ently this year. Each nominee was given a box to “I probably would go to a formal dance, because open. The winner had a balloon in their box which the homecoming dance is something most schools would float out to signal their victory. look forward to,” Chin said. The senior homecoming king and queen for the Overall, students enjoyed homecoming week. class of 2011 were Jimmy Jack and Melly Geary. “Homecoming week this year was great!” Senior Student Government also brought back the homeGBHS Joe Wilkie said. “The spirit days were fun coming dance this year and worked hard to make it a and the bonfire rally was awesome.” success.

Is it now time to switch roles? Senate Bill 1422 would allow students to evaluate teachers BY KYLE PAWLAK

kpawlak.gazette@gmail.com

Ty Thompson transfered to GBHS for its challenging curriculum.

money goes with them,” Colnar said. Each district is given a certain amount of money by the state per student they enroll. In this area, each district is given at least $6,000 per student. When a student transfers out, the money is transferred to the other district as well. At GBHS, some of the money raised by these inter-district transfers is used to fund the IB program. “Students who transfer into GBHS allow the (IB) program to stay alive,” Colnar said. Although the money supporting the IB program comes from the inter-district transfers, intra-district transfers must join the IB program as well in order to stay at GBHS. Senior Ashby Vose lives closer to Roseville High School than GBHS, but she chose to become an intra-district transfer to GBHS for its abundance of opportunities. “I have a friend at Roseville High School who couldn’t take Honors Pre-Calculus because not enough students signed up for (the class),” Vose said. “Here, there’s (several) periods (each semester) for students to take it.” In addition to class availability, Vose feels the dedication of the students and the extracurricular activities at GBHS are also compelling. “Students get more involved in everything from club day to Homecoming floats,” Vose said. “The overall outcome (of the activities) seems better.” Overall, there are quite a few reasons that a student would want to transfer to GBHS, for both academics and extracurricular activities. “Our band, speech and debate, and journalism programs are all fantastic and appeal to transfers,” Colnar said. “But the only invitation to GBHS for transfers is given

There are so many bills that go through the California state legislature that few people can keep track of them all. However, SB 1422 is one with implications that might attract the attentions of many students and teachers. The bill in question was authored by Gloria Romero, a California State senator and Chair of the Senate Education Committee, and will create a system for students to rate their teachers. Just like “The bill anything, some was brought to (Romero) by people would be (its) sponsors, honest, and some the California Association of people would Student Counuse it as a forum cil. (They) had multiple issues to get back at that they wanted people to be brought to fruition,” said Teala Schaff, -Tamara Givens, GBHS who works in Romero’s senate student office. “(Romero) told them to pick one...and that’s the one they chose.” According to legisweb.com, this law would “authorize the student government of a school maintaining any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, to establish a committee of pupils and teachers to develop a survey by which pupils may provide feedback to teachers.” Responses by students would be completely confidential, giving them the freedom to express exactly how they feel, without worrying about offending a

teacher. However, there are aspects of the bill that should alleviate teacher concerns. The bill also states that the results of the survey would be reported only to the teachers, and would not be part of teachers’ permanent records. Teachers also have the choice of whether or not to administer the survey to their students. This bill has been passed by majorities in both the Assembly and Senate and has been signed by the governor. It simply has not been implemented. GBHS senior Bri Shimada is optimistic about the bill and thinks it could truly make a difference at GBHS. “I think that teachers could really benefit from it, because we have so many great teachers, (but) everyone can always use improvement,” Shimada said, “Our teachers would just keep getting better and better.” “Students should have a say in (teachers) because they are the ones actually learning,” Shimada said, “Anything to make learning easier and better and to improve the system I support.” Tamara Givens, the student government teacher at GBHS, had only recently heard of the Senate bill and was slightly skeptical. “I find it odd that it is a Senate bill,” Givens said. She said it seemed like the state senate would have more pressing matters to deal with. One part of the bill that Givens found unusual was the fact that students’ names would be anonymous. “I am going to pay more attention to someone who is willing to sign their name to something than someone who won’t even put their name behind it,” Givens said. The possible problem that Givens saw with the bill was simple. “Just like anything, some people would be honest, and some people would use it as a forum to get back at people,” Givens said. Overall, this Senate bill can have positive effects provided it is treated with the proper respect by both teachers and students. “(The information gathered) could be useful if kids were honest…and not using it as a way to bash people,” Givens said.

WATER: Accident causes concerns

Continued from Water, page A2

The rules and are only looking out for the well-being of everyone. With a lake so close by and readily available, there are more problems that should be watched out for in this area. Many boating and jet skiing accidents happen each year on Folsom Lake. People don’t always wear their life jacket when they are required to. There are very few deaths when life jackets are utilized. Yet people consider it an inconvenience. “I don’t like to wear life jackets because they are uncomfortable

The Gazette.

and hard to swim in,” GBHS According to the U.S. Coast senior Clarke Stevenson said. Guard, alcohol has a worse effect Along in the body while with not on water then it wearing does on land. Parents need to life jackets, The Coast drinking Guard also says watch their kids, and boatthat probably half even kids who ing is also of all boating accan swim. common. cidents are due to People alcohol consumpfigure that tion. – Fred Kenney, owner of drinking ‘“If your child is Golfland Sunsplash and boatin the water you ing is less should be too,’” dangerous Nations said. than drink“That’s what the ing and back of our shirts driving, however, it is the op- say, and I think it’s good advice posite. for everyone.”

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Local parents raise awareness on drug abuse Pathway to prevention seeks to prevent teenage drug abuse in the area BY SAMANTHA SPARGO sspargo.gazette@gmail.com

It is no mystery that drug use occurs among the students of Granite Bay High School. Most recreational drug use begins as a result of curiosity and peer pressure. Eventually, this seemingly harmless experimentation can spiral downward into a full-blown addiction. Five local mothers, a few whose children attended GBHS, know this cycle of teenage addiction all too well. These mothers first came together as a support group while their children went through the rehabilitations and relapses of teenage addiction. They saw the growing problems addiction was causing in the community and so they decided to create Pathway to Prevention, an organization aimed at raising awareness and educating the community about teenage drug and alcohol addiction, and a documentary film on addiction. Along with its many other endeavors, Pathway to Prevention hopes to raise funds for families that cannot afford rehabilitation for their addicted teen. Today there is no such thing as an average drug addict. “It is no longer the alcoholic living on the street, in the city,” said Kim Box, the Executive Director of Pathway to Prevention. Box’s daughter was a straight A student midway through her senior year when she began hanging around with new friends and experimenting with drugs. By the end of the year she had fallen into a heroin addiction and barely graduated. “You don’t think it’s going to be your kid,” Box said. Some parents who experimented with

drugs during their own teenage years, think of drug use as a normal part of teen life, and, having led successful lives, they don’t believe it has affected them. But the drugs of today are more dangerous than in the past because of their higher concentration of harmful, brain-altering chemicals. “Even pot is a lot higher in THC content than it was when (parents) were younger,” Box said. The problem with addiction is that it physically changes the brain of the user. “Once your brain gets altered in addiction, it’s not you anymore,” Box said. “Your brain actually thinks ‘I need drugs to survive.’” Recently, an increasing number of teens have turned to prescription drugs to reach their high. Over-the-counter medications are often stronger than street drugs, and are more accessible too. This is making it easier for teens to slip over the line, where recreational partying becomes a fullfledged addiction. “Placer County has a big problem,” Box said. “We have twice the number of kids abusing prescription drugs than the average for the state of California.” Recently GBHS partnered with Pathway to Prevention to hold a drug drive, where the public turned in their unused prescription medications. The point of the drive was to raise awareness about the prevalence of prescription drug use among teens, and to take possession of unused drugs to keep them out of the hands of teenagers. A GBHS senior has experienced addiction first hand. “I’ve been doing drugs since 8th grade,” the senior said. “You name it, I’ve tried it.” He decided that he needed to stop his drug use when his parents told them they

Gazette photo /MAGGIE LOUIS

Allison Sims (middle) and Angela Ecklos (right) donate their unused drugs as Sheriff Kevin Jackson empties the bottles no longer wanted him around his brothers and sisters. He checked himself into Narcotics Anonymous and received comfort from the other people in his situation. “I saw that people could be happy without partying all night long,” the senior said. Today he is clean, but after his experience with addiction, he has some stern advice for fellow GBHS students. Don’t even try it, from someone that’s done everything, it’s not worth it,” he

said. For a GBHS student, with a drug addicted sibling who previously attended GBHS, her sibling’s addiction has not only taken a toll on him, but affected both she and her family immensely. “It made me grow up (faster) and see the world a lot differently,” the GBHS student said. “I’m not really a teenager anymore.” The GBHS student thinks of her sibling every time she hears about alcohol and drug use among her peers. It makes her sad

to hear these stories because she knows the horrible consequences that her peers do not realize are at stake. “Their future can be ruined and they could destroy their family,” the GBHS student said. Pathway to Prevention hopes to keep other GBHS students like this senior and the GBHS student’s sibling from heading down the path to addiction in the future. “Wouldn’t it be nice if the peer pressure was not to do it?” Box said.

Twin Schools Road off limits, Feist Park is not Students are ticketed on Twin Schools Road BY JON SETIAWAN

jsetiawan.gazette@gmail.com

Whether it’s the sophomores taking up spaces in the parking lot, or juniors and seniors not being able to find parking in the morning, it seems that every year GBHS appears to have issues with parking on campus. The problem with parking is more with traffic and students who are not as willing to walk from the further end of the parking lot as the school has sold less parking passes than there are spots available. However, GBHS senior Dhanya Mathew does not have any issues with parking. “I don’t know if it’s crazy for other students or not, but it honestly doesn’t affect me,” Mathew said, who typically arrives at 7:25 a.m. for school. Many other students, however, are affected by the traffic. “The traffic after school is only an issue on Mondays when I need to get to work at exactly 3 o’clock. I leave the school as early as I can, but I can never get there on time,” GBHS senior Kelsey Bauer said. “I wish there was some way I could at least grab some food before work, but the traffic makes it impossible.” For a few students who want to avoid the big parking lot traffic in the morning, they will either park or get dropped off in front of Feist Park behind the school. However, there have been instances of students getting ticketed for parking on that street. These tickets, however, are not coming from GBHS. “The tickets were coming from the county rather than our school issued tickets,” Assistant principal David Vujovich said. The primary concern is the safety of the younger stu-

dents that attend elementary schools, Ridgeview and Oakmont, across the street. “It’s a little bit ridiculous to be complaining about students parking at Feist. Just let kids who need to go to school park and do what they need to do,” Mathew said. To deter people from parking in front of the street, signs have been put out in front of the park, and the gates that block the entrance to parking lot have been closed strategically. “They had been Just let kids closing the gates until after GBHS park and do what starts school, but they need to do because it’s a one-way area, it was causing a lot – Dhanya Mathew of traffic,” VujoGBHS senior vich said. However, for people with an off-period first, the situation is a little different. If students have a first period open, and the gates are open, it’s a public park. They can legally park in the park parking lot. During the 2009-10 school year, the Eureka School District gave their resource officer the jurisdiction to ticket cars parked in that area. However, this school year is different. According to Vujovich, this year, they do not have the jurisdiction to ticket cars parked in front of Feist. But why were cars parking at Feist to begin with? There’s the argument of the traffic issue in front of campus, along with other motives including a shorter walk for those who may have first off and can’t park

Gazette photo /michaela monaghan

A sign indicates that Parking along Twin Schools Road is strictly for Ridgeview and Oakhill’s Schools closer to school or do not get close parking opportunities or to avoid car searches. “Students thought that they were being more private when we started bringing the drug dogs over, but (the school) still has jurisdiction over that area,” Vujovich said. An anonymous GBHS senior student said, “I stopped

parking (at Feist Park) now that they started searching it.” There might be traffic issue at GBHS, but the problem is definitely not because of a lack of parking. “You can always find someplace to park on this campus,” Vujovich said, “You may have to walk a ways, but it’s still on campus.”

No child or every child left behind? Bush’s no child left behind act may not be accomplishing its goal BY MATHEW FUKUHARA

mfukuhara.gazette@gmail.com

Laws are written for a purpose whether they govern the nation as a whole or address individual issues of minorities, but sometimes the very laws that can help one group can limit another. Granite Bay High School has been in what is commonly referred to as “program improvement” for the third year which has the district and therefore GBHS undergoing some unpopular training sessions. “Program improvement” is implemented when a school is not performing at the requirements set by the state. Under the No Child Left Behind Act passed by the U.S. congress in 2002, schools have to perform at standards set by individual states and make resources available to ensure students have the proper tools they need to be successful. When schools are found not performing to the standards two years in a row, the following year they enter Year One of program improvement which requires that the school/district inform the parents that the school their child is attending is in the program. Also, the parents have the right to transfer their child to any of the other schools in the district and the district has to cover the transportation fees. Year Two and Three are similar in that the school has to provide “professional development and supple-

mental services.” The only difference between Year Two and Three is that in Year Three the district has the option to replace school staff, extend the school day or year or reorganize the school internally. By Year 4, the district has the option to reopen the school as a charter, replace all or most of the staff including the principal or implement a state takeover. The law in its simplest translation is to ensure that all students have the resources to succeed. At a school like GBHS where students are performing at a proficient level, some teachers question why the school is in the program in the first place. “We are in ‘program improvement’ because a subgroup (special education), as a district, hasn’t made their scores and so if it’s the district, it’s the high schools that are in program improvement even though, technically, it says (GBHS) has met all the criteria,” principal Mike McGuire said. However, the educational subgroup known as special education isn’t entirely to blame for the implementation of the program. The expectations on students continue to rise by 11 percent each year in compliance with NCLB. “It’s going to jump up to 66 percent next year and it’s harder to meet and then it’s going to jump to 77 percent and all kinds of groups will be falling off,” said McGuire.

The reality is by 2014 the NCLB student proficiency expectancy will have increased to 100 percent proficiency in math and English which has a number of teachers worried and frustrated. Ramona Drury, who teaches honors English 11 and AP Language classes, attended the English trainings, but felt it did little to benefit her teaching. “I walked away feeling like I had lost three days. It wasn’t really training. It was a presentation of materials,” Drury said. “I was forced to spend three classroom days examining materials I already knew would or wouldn’t fit in my curriculum.” The math department is last to have to take the training. Duane Blomquist, who teaches IB math and honors pre-calculus, has heard from the English department’s experience and wonders what the community thinks about the recent events. “When you’re in the formal program improvement, they’re forcing you to go get better by going somewhere because it’s obviously not working at ‘your house,’” Blomquist said. Jarrod Westberg, who teaches AP government, also sees reason for concern. “It’s tried to norm education and it’s almost dumbed down where a lot of schools were because every child needs to be at the same level, so how do you ramp up without leaving the child behind?” Westberg said.

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MARIJUANA: Federal and international laws complicate legalization in California Continued from page A1 with 49 percent of the public in favor of Prop. 19, and 42 percent against it. The proposition has recently gained support from the state’s largest labor union, the Service Employees International Union. Even so it fails to receive support from bigtime politicians such as Jerry Brown, Meg Whitman or Diane Feinstein. If Prop. 19 does pass, California may be conflicting with federal government laws. “The federal Controlled Substances Act makes it a felony to grow or sell cannabis.” Mark Kleiman, a UCLA public policy professor, said in the Los Angeles Times. “California can repeal its own marijuana laws, leaving enforcement to the feds, but it can’t legalize a federal felony.” According to the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, marijuana is a Schedule 1 drug which is considered just as lethal as cocaine and heroin. “Any grower or seller paying California taxes on marijuana sales or filing pot-related California regulatory paperwork would be confessing, in writing, to multiple federal crimes,” Kleiman told the firms. Granite Bay High School government teacher Jarrod Westberg also agrees that Proposition 19 is against the law. “A proposition can be made whether it’s violating federal law or not,” Westberg said. “The state can say whatever it wants, but the federal government can come in at any time and regulate it.” A similar situation can be seen with medical marijuana which is currently legal in California, requiring only a doctor’s permission to obtain a green card. Even though it is legal, the federal government has frequently raided medical marijuana dispensaries and arrested distributors. In August, 16 people in Oakland were arrested on felony charges for selling medical marijuana, causing more than 200

people to protest for Other RepublicansTotal: 31Total: 31 Democrats their release. No opinion No opinion No opinion Under pressure 1% from the states, U.S. 1% 3% Attorney General Eric Holder has recently said that ending medical marijuana raids “is now American policy,” No but these raids may No foreshadow federal 30% No and state conflict if Yes Yes 39% Yes 37% marijuana is legal60% 62% ized. 67% The trade, distribution and production of marijuana also violates international Total: 31 Total: 98 Total: 85 law. The Single ConGazette graphic/JUSTIN SHIIBA Gazette survey of 214 students in freshman, sophomore, junior and senior English classes. vention on Narcotic A survey of GBHS students’ opinions on Proposition 19 – the legalization of marijuana – showed most are in favor of its passing. Drugs is an international treaty signed in have to be spent on drug prevention and ing and smoking) can harm the lives of oth- money on,” Chesebro said. “We should be 1961 that states the supply and production treatment – it does nothing for states’ or er people who have done nothing wrong.” focusing on drugs that create bigger probof narcotic drugs is illegal, with an excep- localities’ budget deficits.” Dell’Orto realizes why we’ve illegalized lems such as cocaine and methamphettion for medical purpose. Some people relate the legalization of marijuana for people who are underage, amine.” Therefore, medical marijuana is allowed, marijuana to the prohibition on alcohol in but he questions the effectiveness of proBut others feel Prop. 19 could cause more but legalization for recreational use would the 1920s by the 18th amendment. hibition. problems with law enforcement. go against international law. “I think there’s something to be said about “I believe there is hypocrisy in the law “I think crime would rise and they’d With the nation’s current economic slump with alcohol versus marijuana when it the forbidding of something and making it have to figure out how to monitor people and California’s budget deficit, many sup- comes to how the two are contrasted,” an alluring thing that all of a sudden will porters point to taxation of cannabis as the GBHS history teacher Brandon Dell’Orto snap and become something much more under the influence when driving,” the anonymous student said. “The (police) state’s solution. said. “I think with the statistics of how interesting,” Dell’Orto said. are always on duty enforcing the law, not “I think the prop should pass,” GBHS many people’s lives are ruined from drunk “When something’s legal it makes it less senior Tyler Chesebro said. “The state is driving and alcoholism, I cannot, from a fun to do it,” an anonymous GBHS stu- just marijuana, so it wouldn’t necessarily in huge debt and taxing (marijuana) could logical perspective, understand why we dent said. “When it’s illegal you want to free up police because they’d still have to bring in billions of dollars of revenue.” break the law. Even if it’s subconscious, monitor it.” have legalized one and not the other.” However, no matter the arguments or the The State Board of Equalization is curOn the other hand, GBHS freshman Ka- you’re doing it because it’s something you result on Nov. 2, Proposition 19 has crerently estimating $1.4 billion of revenue a tie Mersereau thinks legalizing marijuana shouldn’t do.” ated a debate that would’ve seemed ridicuyear if marijuana is taxed with a rate of $50 would cause as much harm as drunk drivWith California’s prisons overflowing lous only a decade ago. per ounce. and Mexican drug cartels creating a black ers do, and believes government shouldn’t “What will happen if this does pass is market for marijuana, many believe Prop. But according to Kleiman, Prop. 19 can- be dealing with this issue. there will be a lot of conflict between the not generate revenue for the state budget. “It’s not the government’s job to say what 19 will solve these issues. state and federal government,” Westberg “I think (Prop. 19) will be great in terms “You can’t get revenue for something you should and shouldn’t do,” Mersereau that’s a federal felony,” Kleiman said in the said. “Government shouldn’t be there to of law enforcement issues because it’s such said, “and whatever happens will turn CalLA times interview. “All revenues would nitpick the little things in life when (drink- a benign drug that we spend way too much ifornia into a nationwide situation.”

Midterms heat up as election day approaches Races for governor and senate seats are close as California leans further right than normal BY SHANNON CARROLL scarroll.gazette@gmail.com

As we head into the final stretches of the California elections, things seem to be heating up big-time. On Nov. 2, the state will have its mid-term elections and the races between the governor and U.S. senate candidates couldn’t be closer. In a state that is very liberal, it is hard to understand why exactly the state is leaning as far to the right as it is. Democrat Dianne Feinstein has been sitting in her U.S. Senate seat for 18 years, and junior senator Barbara Boxer – also a Democrat – has held her post for 17 years. The Democratic advantage over Republicans in party registration is 44.3 percent to 30.9 percent, with 20.2 percent declining to state. But with elections coming up, California seems to be drifting further to the right than in years past. “It’s a political reality that most often people will vote either for very exciting hope or very frustrated anger with the system,” said Granite Bay High School teacher Brandon Dell’Orto. “It’s so much easier to stand on the outside and huck rocks at a problem that you have no particular responsibility fixing.” The race for governor is getting even closer as campaigns head into the last few months, and with no incumbent running, it is anybody’s race. The Democratic candidate is former California governor and state Attorney General Jerry Brown, who, after serving in politics for most of his life, wants the governor’s seat back. His main challenger for the seat is Republican candi-

date Meg Whitman, the former CEO of eBay. In a new survey conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California released Sept. 29, Whitman and Brown are in a dead heat for the governor’s seat, yet about 18 percent of voters are still undecided with about a month to go before the election. However, this survey was completed before the first gubernatorial debate and allegations from power lawyer Gloria Allred – a strong Democrat – that Whitman knowingly hired an illegal immigrant to work as her housekeeper, an allegation Whitman has vehemently denied. This election has also turned into one of the costliest, with Whitman spending $119 million as of the end of September (at least $71 million of that from her personal fortune) and no plans to stop spending anytime soon. A lot of this money has gone to negative ad campaigns that have seemed to turn people off. Whitman has gained narrow ground in Los Angeles, a place typically crucial for a Democratic victory, while Brown holds the other crucial location of San Francisco by a larger margin. Whitman is also gaining ground with the typical Democratic constituents with a tie in the normally Democratic-leaning group of women, and Whitman is only slightly behind Brown in the Latino vote. “I think we have an interesting choice this year,” Dell’Orto said. “Most years they’re just variations on the same flavor. “ Dell’Orto, a moderate Republican, also feels that this election is going to be a pretty close one, boiling down to class warfare with the majority of people voting along party lines.

“Jerry Brown has been in the government for 30 years whether more Democrats or Republicans come out but doesn’t know what it’s like to have a private sector to vote.” job,” GBHS freshman Katie Mersereau said. “Meg Boxer’s lead seems too narrow for a well-estabWhitman was part of eBay where she took a 15-person lished incumbent, a seat she’s held for longer than company and expand it to 15,000. She knows how to many students at GBHS have been alive. As a result, take a company and build it up.” the Republicans still feel like they California needs someone who have a shot at winning the senate can help get it out of its financial seat. It’s a political difficulties. While the different Another election will take place candidates stand on opposite sides reality that most this November in the 111th House of regarding many issues, one thing often people Representatives. The incumbent is seems to be apparent: Republican Congressman Tom Mcwill vote either “We need change!” said GBHS Clintock, running against Democrat junior Hamza Abbasi. for very exciting Clint Curtis. McClintock appears to Another important race in Calibe a clear favorite. hope or very frusfornia is the race for the U.S. SenIn a race for the Eureka Union ate seat currently held by Barbara trated anger with School District Board, four candiBoxer. With Boxer trying to hold the system dates will run for three open seats, her seat for an 18th year, Republiwith the terms of Lori Dangberg, can candidate and former HewlettPackard CEO Carly Fiorina isn’t Debbie Holt and Jerri Davis expir– Brandon Dell’Orto, going down without putting up a ing. GBHS history teacher fight. While Davis is trying to hold on “Both sides seem to have really to her seat, new challengers are arskilled candidates who have some riving as well: John Brooding, a great ideas on improving Califortraining manager for the California nia,” Abbasi said. Department of Child Support; Andy In a poll released on Sept. 24, Sheehy, a non-profit executive direcBoxer is leading Fiorina 47 percent to 41 percent. tor; Eric Teed-Bose, director of Development for SunAlthough Boxer still has a high unfavorable rating, Chase Holdings Inc.; and Jerri Davis, a self-employed it’s gone down from 52 percent to 48 percent, while Fiorina’s is starting to creep up, rising from 29 percent consultant to professional medical associations. In the races for governor and senator, the two big to 38 percent since July. races that are threatening to shake California up, the However, Boxer shouldn’t be bringing her favorite perceived failures by many of the Democratic members chair back to her office quite yet. Voting will be close. “I think it’s going to be people voting basically along of the Senate and House of Representatives, people the line unless some slick new campaign comes out,” may be more likely to vote for the other side. “It’s like the Newtonian laws of the universe,” Dell’Orto said. “The fact that they’re both women is a nullifying factor, so it’s really just going to be about Dell’Orto said. “Every action has an equal reaction.”


Friday, October 8, 2010

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News A7


A8 News

Friday, October 8, 2010 w The Granite Bay Gazette

TOBACCO: Chewing acknowledged on campus and on the baseball diamond Continued from page A1 has been around for a lot longer than baseball,” said Pat Esposito, GBHS varsity baseball coach. “It just became a part of the game,” Esposito said, “because the guys who (originally) played the game were doing that kind of thing.” Esposito acknowledges that smokeless tobacco gets a different treatment than cigarettes. “Cigarettes are socially unacceptable now. Smoke can be an invasion of someone’s privacy when they have to inhale,” Esposito said. “But if you’re sitting on the ground spitting in front of people, that’s not good or healthy.” The role models aren’t exactly setting a great example. Watching the San Francisco Giants game on TV, it’s common to see players lean over and spit something other than sunflower seeds. At the highest level of Major League Baseball, chewing tobacco is permissible. In the minor leagues, where the players aren’t a part of the players union, the substance is banned. State law prohibits use of tobacco in any form on campus, including the baseball diamond. Esposito knows the rule about chewing tobacco. “It’s banned. It’s the same policy as cigarettes,” he said. “No one can do it. Period.” According to a source on the GBHS varsity baseball team who asked to remain anonymous, that’s not the case. The source estimates that four or five players chewed tobacco last year, with likely a couple more this year. “Everybody knows it happens,” the player said. “It’s addicting. The pros do it. I guess they got (the idea that) it was a standard.” But according to the player, who denied chewing himself, it isn’t limited to the players. “I’ve seen coaches do it before, but they don’t advertise

it at all,” the player said. “They keep it hidden.” Coach Esposito denied the claims. “Obviously, that’s not true,” Esposito said. “That’s basically all I can tell you.” Although Esposito said he doesn’t actively search for it, he remained adamant that no district policy was being broken. The player doesn’t believe that parents or administrators have any idea about what really goes on at the diamond. “It’s disgusting,” he added. Raycraft certainly didn’t know. “I was not aware that there was a problem with our kids (chewing tobacco),” she said. “If this is happening (on our baseball diamond), and the coach sees it, the coach needs to turn it in to us and we’ll take care of it.” Chewing tobacco isn’t only limited to the diamond, however. It is legal in the NFL and NHL as well. In April, a push made by Congress to ban smokeless tobacco from major league ballparks was resisted by the Major League Baseball Players Association. “It’s associated with sports in general,” Esposito said. “It just happens to be that baseball is the sport in which it is brought to the forefront.” In addition to school ramifications, there are also health concerns to worry about. Smokeless tobacco has been strongly linked to gum cancer among other diseases. “(Players and coaches) chewing says that it doesn’t really matter whether you chew or not,” the player said. The senior who chews semi-regularly has seen the research. He’s heard the statistics. He’s seen the pictures of the diseased mouth. Yet he’s not worried. “You never know,” the senior said. “I could be the one that doesn’t get any of that.”

DRESS: Students question consistency in the dress code Continued from page A1

sistant principal Brian McNulty admitted that the uniforms are not considered dress The general consensus is that girls are the code. “Truly, they’re (in violation of) dress code biggest offenders of the dress code. “One out of 500 guys wear an inap- if you go by the letter of the law,” McNulty propriate T-shirt, whereas 300 out of five said. “But it’s a uniform, and it’s a uniform hundred girls are (dress code offenders),” that was accepted by the administration as well as the team itself.” Tastor said. McNulty also stressed that unlike the Like other male teachers on campus, Tastor admits to not feeling comfortable is- trends, the uniforms have not changed in suing dress code violations to his female six or seven years. “(The uniforms are) a part of the culture,” students. This is because in doing so, male teachers are acknowledging that the stu- McNulty said. The biggest inconsistency, acknowledged dent is dressed inappropriately. This can bring about a slew of allegations concern- by both students and administrators, is the ing the appropriateness of male teachers enforcement of the dress code. With more giving dress code violations to female stu- than 2,000 students on campus, it’s difficult to enforce such a rule consistently. dents for immodest clothing. “To be perfectly honest, no, it cannot be Furthermore, the few times Tastor has reported girls, they normally come back addressed consistently if there are so many people breaking it,” McNulty said. without having received any discipline. Because of this, students feel that the en“As soon as they walk out they’ll hike up their shirt or pull down their skirt, and forcement of the dress code is unfair. Nelthey come back saying that the (assistant) son, like other students at GBHS, feels that if they cannot enforce it on principals didn’t see everyone, they should not any violation,” Tastor enforce it on anyone. said. I don’t know “At the same time I (was For male teachgetting a dress code violaers, giving dress code how you tion), two other girls walked violations to male stuenforce (the in,” Slattery said. “One of dents is far easier. In them was wearing a skirt most cases, the student dress code) way shorter than my shorts in question is wearwithout and she didn’t get one.” ing an inappropriate “(The administration shirt which cannot be uniforms tries). I don’t know how tampered with to fit you enforce (the dress code the dress code. Fur– David Tastor, GBHS consistently) without unithermore, it has less forms,” Tastor said. potential to raise quesEnglish teacher With short-shorts and mini tions from the students skirts being in style, identiand parents. fying dress code is not the GBHS junior Mackonly difficulty. In order to enzie Williams was recently issued a violation for wearing a tube be successful, they wouldn’t just need to find all dress code violations on campus, top to school. “It’s not like (I was) showing anything,” but also change the current fads. “To try to nip (the fads) in the bud and Williams said. “I’m pretty sure there’s more high skirts and low-cut stuff than just bring it back to – if you will – school policy or the student handbook, it’s going to a strapless shirt.” Even so, the rule against tube tops is be difficult,” McNulty said. “We’ve been clearly stated in the dress code and leaves addressing that little by little since the beginning of the school.” little wiggle room. With fads constantly changing, it is comIn contrast, the most frequently seen dress offense – short skirt and dress length mon for discrepancies in the dress code to – is less clear to students. Some believe arise. This year, for example, one-shoulder that the line is where the fingers meet the tops have become a popular trend. Though palm, while others think it is at the third not mentioned by name in the dress code, both these shirts and off-the-shoulder knuckle of the finger. According to the official dress code, tops are considered violations of the dress “shorts, skirts and dress must be at least code. Nelson came across another gray area fingertip length when the arm is extended.” Such a rule seems absurd to some stu- while in the office this year. While talking to Debbie Nordman, Neldents. “I’m (five feet, 8 inches)”, and having son was informed that she once again was (my shorts) down to my fingertips is al- in violation of dress code. When she asked most down to my knee,” Slattery said. “I why, she was told that her shirt was a halter don’t think I’ll ever be wearing shorts that top. “(It was actually a tank top, but) she said long.” The variance in arm length is one of that it had the implications of a halter top, GBHS students’ biggest issues with the so that’s why I had a dress code,” Nelson dress code. With everyone’s arms being said. As with one-shoulder tops, this violation of a different length, it is difficult to comwas not directly mentioned in the dress pletely standardize the rule. “They need to make it not so much where code but was still enforced. This is due to a the shorts go in relation to your fingertips, loophole in the dress code. The dress code, on more than one occabut the inseam length,” Slattery said. Another inconstancy, brought up by sion, states that clothing must be “in good Slattery, is the supposed hypocrisy of the repair,” “good taste” and should be selectcheerleaders’ uniforms. More importantly, ed using “common sense.” Due to the vagueness of this wording, how the length of their skirts is shorter than these items of clothing can be classified as allowed by the dress code. “If (the cheerleaders are) allowed to wear breaking dress code, though they are not their skirts, then people shouldn’t be al- listed in the official code. McNulty said, “Common sense is what lowed to get (violations) for their shorts,” we try to (go by), to make sure that everySlattery said. In response to these remarks, GBHS as- body is treated as fairly as possible.”

Gazette photo /MAGGIE LOUIS

Some source claim that about 40 GBHS students chew, many on campus during school hours.

BULLYING: Cyber-bullying a problem at GBHS, teachers and administrators join forces to combat Katrina Wachs Sanchez believes that because social networkWachs, a GBHS ing sites such as Facebook every force has an equal and opposite reaction. English teacher, and MySpace are open to “It was an act of lashing out because (I was) angry and sad,” has made an the public, cyberbullySmith said. “ impact by dising can be more power“Personally I didn’t want them to suffer or anything, I just cussing bullying ful than one-on-one name wanted them to know what they had done. Sometimes that in her class. realization doesn’t hit them until it’s done to them, which I don’t calling or social exclusion, which are two other comwant to happen. It shouldn’t be a domino force, back and forth, mon forms of bullying at because that just leaves you both on the ground.” GBHS. *** “If it’s Facebook, everyone sees (the comments,)” Sanchez said. The issue of bullying – in the form of physical and verbal as- “When all of these other people are brought in, that can be resaults, social exclusion and assaults on social networking sites – ally detrimental and make the student feel really isolated and not know what to do.” is a rather new issue on Granite Bay High School’s radar. The administration has investigated two major cases of cyThe results from a School Climate Survey, completed by 1,401 berbullying that involved several students, in which MySpace or GBHS students, were published in late August. GBHS is indeed part of the national average in regards to bul- Facebook have been the key components. “We tried to address at the class meetings in the beginning of the lying. In some cases, higher statistics were reported – 32 percent of students reported that they had seen or heard of another student year that we’re serious about respecting everyone here on cambeing verbally bullied and/or harassed, while 28 percent reported pus,” McGuire said. “We can discipline (students for incidents on MySpace or Facebook) because it creates a negative climate here social bullying and/or harassment. GBHS Principal Mike McGuire initiated a committee last year at school, you just happen to be using (the Internet) to create that comprised of administrators, teachers and parents to combat the negative climate.” Many steps can be taken to prevent these instances in the first issue through education and prevention. The committee is titled Creating Unlimited Learning Through Unity, Respect and Equity place. GBHS English teacher Judi Daniels is one of the teachers on the C.U.L.T.U.R.E. committee because she felt strongly about (C.U.L.T.U.R.E.) “We’ve learned (from the school shooting at) Columbine High bullying for personal reasons. “My niece…committed suicide a year ago as a result of cyberSchool that (the phrase) ‘sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me’ is totally ineffective,” McGuire bullying, so this is a very personal situation,” Daniels said. “I desaid. “We’ve known that for a long, long time – what we still cided that I had to do something here (at GBHS) to work out my own issues. I did some research, found (out) about Point Break haven’t cracked is the code of silence.” and followed through with that.” McGuire believes the “code of silence,” Point Break is a day-long workshop that breaks or reluctance to tell an administrator about down barriers and creates connections among stubullying, prevents GBHS from having the What we still dents through a variety of activities and discussions. best possible school climate. haven’t cracked Daniels worked with GBHS English teacher Katrina Smith agrees. Wachs to bring it to GBHS last year. In order to sup“The administration can do a lot, but only is the code of port Point Break, Daniels started a club, Campus if they’re asked to intervene,” Smith said. Connections, in which 60 students joined after Point According to the NASP, “bullying occurs silence. Break to promote a more positive student campus when a student is repeatedly harmed, psyand fight bullying. chologically and/or physically, by another – Mike McGuire, “The (day after Point Break last year,) we had a student or group of students.” big breakfast over in the library, and I saw (students GBHS psychologist Angela Sanchez typiGBHS Principal approach other) kids that were such outcasts – the cally finds that bullies want to feel dominant kind who sit against the wall at lunch and no one and more powerful, so they select victims ever talks to them – and say ‘Hey man, come and that seem weak. She advises the “weak” students to stand up for themselves, or stand up to the bully with sit over here with us!’ It was a night-and-day difference,” Daniels a group of friends, because the bully will be the minority and said. Campus Connections has already designated their officers and regret the action. Sanchez thinks that if the victims of these situations actually began promoting and fundraising for two Point Break programs stood up and challenged these bullies, the social norm will gradu- this year. The next one will be Oct. 30, and the second program will be in the spring. ally change so that bullying is not acceptable. Daniels is also teaming up with Wachs to teach a bullying unit in However, if the victim doesn’t have a support group, Sanchez their English classes, after Daniels realized the Expository Readstrongly suggests confiding in a supportive adult on campus. “A lot of the students I’ve talked to don’t tell anyone. Then it ing and Writing course she is teaching includes a bullying unit. “I am absolutely convinced that I have both bullies and victims builds, and builds and builds until they can’t handle it anymore,” Sanchez said. “If it’s to the point where (a victim is) getting emo- in (my) class – absolutely convinced,” Daniels said. At the beginning of the unit, students were complaining that tional about it – it’s making them feel upset, sad and maybe they don’t want to go to school or social events anymore – that should the issue of bullying is blown out of proportion. Daniels assigned her students to interview an assistant principal from another high be the red flag (to seek an adult).” Smith has additional advice: realize that the bully’s judgment school and to research bullying studies published in the last five is false because they don’t understand the victim’s past experi- years. “We’ve pretty much as a whole come to the conclusion that it is ences. “It’s not like they’re God and they’re telling you ‘You’re a hor- a serious problem,” Daniels said. “They were startled when they rible person’,” Smith said. “They’re not (God); they don’t know discovered in several different resources that 60 percent of bulanything (about you). So why should they be able to affect your lies will have criminal charges against them by the time they’re 24. Bullying behavior doesn’t go away when left (alone) – that’s life so badly?” This is a concept GBHS senior Alyssa Anthony has dealt with huge.” Daniels thinks that although her bullying unit might not have also. “(Bullying) definitely did affect me a lot when I was younger changed behavior, it certainly raised awareness – her students – it put me in tears,” Anthony said. “You have this alone feeling, recognized the extent of the problems that both victims and buland you feel like the world – not just that one person who is bul- lies have. “Just from personal experience, the one thing that really helps lying you – is out to get you.” Anthony suffered from a common form of bullying at GBHS: – that can totally make your day after everyone else has ruined it – is (just) one person coming up and asking if you’re alright cyberbullying. “I (understand why) people get really depressed from (bullying) and giving you a hug,” Smith said. “Just give them a little bit of because…I’ve (had) dirty rumors posted on the internet about love, and it really makes the day worth it, even if (they) have to suffer. me, where the whole entire world can see,” Anthony said. Continued from page A1

granitebaygazette.com


Friday, October 8, 2010

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MONEY: New ticket policy will possibly fund security cameras, resurfacing

Continued from page A2 Even with a pass, spots aren’t guaranteed and are claimed on a “first come first serve” basis. Students are only allowed to park in legal areas. Red zones, staff and visitor spots are off limits. Failure to comply with these rules can result in ticketing. Although most of the ASB revenue comes from parking passes, money from tickets is also stored under the ASB account. Tickets can be issued for a variety of infractions. Vehicles without a properly displayed parking permit, parked in a no parking area, staff or visitor space or blocking a driveway are fined $35. Parking in a handicap spot results in a $280 fee and parking in two spaces costs $40. “We got the prices for these fines from county tickets,” Herrick said. According to Vujovich, Herrick has al-

ready gone out three or four days this year to write tickets (This) was to set the tone after (giving) everyone the customary two to three weeks to get (parking passes),” Vujovich said. Traditionally, Herrick will go out to write tickets when he receives complaints from students or parents about parking violations. “A lot of what law enforcement does is responding to complaints,” Herrick said. “If I have seniors or parents saying (there is) no where to park…I go out and write tickets.” In the past, money from parking tickets has gone primarily to an outside collection agency in Santa Ana. “Santa Ana facilitated the tickets (by printing) them up and (giving) them to us,” Herrick said. “So they would get about half the money off the top.” The rest of the money went to the county

so GBHS didn’t receive any of it. “When we figured this out, (I realized) it wasn’t worth my time to write (parking tickets),” Herrick said. “It was costing us money.” However, following the example of Colfax High School, GBHS began to enforce its own parking tickets and collect the money directly. The ticket money going directly to the school hasn’t resulted in any increase in the number of parking tickets written. “I was writing these tickets (when the school) wasn’t getting any money,” Herrick said. “I’d rather not have to write any tickets and have everybody be in compliance.” Combined ticket and parking pass money has resulted in a $26,000 pot so far, according to Vujovich. Little money has been spent from the account. “The first major expenditure was $1,000 to buy radio equipment,” he said. “We

want to hold (the money) so that if the day (comes when) we can get cameras, (we’re ready).” The only other expenditure made with the money has been buying the parking tickets themselves. “The tickets are actually made by Oakmont students,” Vujovich said. “(They cost) about two cents apiece so it’s really cheap.” Other than security cameras, the money in the account is also being saved to help deal with parking lot maintenance. “Last year it was mandated that we have the black top resurfaced…because of structural inconsistencies,” Vujovich said. “If it gets worse, we might have to use the money to pay for fixing the parking lot.” The money is protected under the ASB account to ensure it won’t be used for purposes other than safety and security. “If it’s not

under ASB it can be used for anything,” Vujovich said. “We want to be specific and transparent about what the (money is being used for) so it benefits the school.” To spend money in the ASB account, the expenditure must be signed off by an administrator, an adviser and a student. “I usually sign as adviser and get someone else to sign as administrator so it gets a third set of eyes to look at it,” Vujovich said. Some students feel the use of money for security cameras is unwarranted. “I don’t really think our school needs (cameras) because we’re not really a troubled school,” GBHS senior Kristi Shinfuku said. “We have a couple of graffiti problems or pranks, but it’s not really (to the point) that we need cameras.” However, bottom line is the money is being used to help improve safety at the school in the way administration thinks is best.


Voices

Granite Bay Gazette

A Section

Friday w October 8, 2010

The sanctity of marriage?

GAZETTE The Granite Bay

GRANITE BAY HIGH SCHOOL 1 GRIZZLY WAY GRANITE BAY, CA 95746

Editors-in-Chief: Parker Evans Jessica Reese Alison Sale Katie Zingheim News/Web Editors: Adrienne Blevens Matt Palkowski Alexandria Valdrighi Matt Veneman Voices Editors: Haley Massara Adam Tilford Features Editors: Katie Bostedt Shannon Carroll ShinEui Park Justin Shiiba Entertainment Editors: Jamie Cologna Brittany Hince Sonia Iyer Shannon Wagner Sports Editors: R. Slater McLaughlin Laura Preston Christine Zavesky Photo/Graphics Editor: Maggie Louis Illustrators: Justin Shiiba Alison Sale Adam Tilford Photographer: Franklin Zhuang Daniel Fleischman Staff Writers: Ari Black Allie Burger Mathew Fukuhara Kelsey Knorp Michaela Monaghan Kevin Nielsen Kyle Pawlak Jon Setiawan Stephanie Shaull Samantha Spargo Rachael Vasquez Franklin Zhuang Sophia Zogopoulos Adviser: Karl Grubaugh The Gazette is published eight times per academic year by students in the advanced journalism class at Granite Bay High School. Content is determined by the staff and does not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Granite Bay High School’s faculty, administration, adviser or student body. Students are protected in their exercise of press freedom by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and California Education Code 48907. Signed editorials and columns reflect the views of the writer. Letters to the editor and guest commentaries are encouraged and must be signed, although anonymity can be granted on a case-by-case basis. The editorial board reviews letters to the editor, advertising and guest commentaries and reserves the right to edit and refuse material. Reasons can include length, clarity, libel, obscenity, material disruption of the educational process at Granite Bay High School or violation of copyright laws.

Gazette illustration/JUSTIN SHIIBA

In a society that takes straight marriage for granted, gays are unfairly denied

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or the past couple years, I have By definition, any man and woman Commentary heard the phrase “protecting the can get married. It doesn’t matter the sanctity of marriage” repeated length of their relationship, the quality over and over when the topic of sameof their love, the extent of their devosex marriage arises. But what does that tion toward one another; the only thing mean? Are marriages really sacred? Are that matters is if they’re a man and a marriages exclusively for heterosexual woman. couples? Has the institution of marriage The state does not ask for proof of really been a holy matrimony of love love or a record of time spent together; and happiness that lasts a lifetime? if it did base marriages on love, if it No. Not anymore. did base marriages on the quality of the Today, marriage is in no way the sarelationship, then half of all marriages jshiiba.gazette@gmail.com cred institution Proposition 8 supporters in the nation would never have been claim it to be. They picture it as a 1,000 year-old tradition granted a license. that would be forever changed if gays were allowed to How do you think that makes same-sex couples feel? marry. They say that gays would redefine the definition Some have spent their entire lives dedicated to each other, that marriage is between a man and a woman. love equaling any heterosexual marriage, yet they are not But is this what we’ve changed marriage into? A definiallowed to share the same equal right of marriage. tion? We’ve been focusing so much on the wording and How can Las Vegas drive-through weddings and Britney precision that we’ve lost sight of what it truly means to be Spears’s two-day-long marriage be valid, when same-sex married –love, commitment, and marital bliss. Those argu- marriage isn’t? ments aren’t present in the debate over gay marriage, but How can marriage be sacred when cable network shows are just as important as any definition. such as the Bachelor and The Rock of Love televise the en-

justin shiiba

Online bullying a very real problem

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Identification Statement Granite Bay Gazette Published eight times per academic year c/o Granite Bay High School 1 Grizzly Way Granite Bay, CA 95746 Subscriptions: $25 per year/ $15 per half year

Harassment via Internet causes pain, depression, suicides

acebook, MySpace, Tumblr, Twitter – these are all common sites with the single purpose of social networking. The popularity of these sites continues to climb. However, with the freedom to post whatever one pleases comes the risk of potentially hurting one’s peers. Cyberbullying has become one of the easiest forms of teenage harassment. The bullies who are uncomfortable with confrontation are given a new outlet, the Internet. The Internet becomes a place where they don’t have to face their victim and don’t have to deal with the reaction. Apps on both MySpace and Facebook make the bullying process even simpler. Formspring make the consequences of bullying non-existent. With the option to remain anonymous, bullies are able to say whatever they choose without ever having to confess. Remaining anonymous gives the bully the satisfaction of leaving their victim in the dark, wondering about who thinks such terrible things about them. Others are less discreet about their harassment, choosing to post their words on Facebook walls, leave MySpace comments,

L Send Letters to the Editor to: gbgazette@yahoo.com

tire process of dating and “love” to millions of Americans? These marriages are a joke, a stint that lasts for a couple months before the unbelievably surprising divorce. According to www.divorcerate.org, 50 percent of all first marriages end in divorce. That’s how sacred this “holy institution” has become. Why are people fighting over gays damaging marriage when divorce – the legal act of ending a marriage – is the real fault? Not too long ago divorces were considered sinful. The Bible explicitly states that “whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.” (Matthew 19:9) Yet today, divorces are legal and incredibly commonplace. Is divorce not detrimental to the sanctity of marriage, but same-sex marriage is? My point is not to hate on those who are against samesex marriage, or vilify them for their blindness. My point is this: Marriage should not be focused on who is married, but on why they’re married. It does not matter if they’re straight or gay; it matters only that they love each other, the strength they hold within each other, and the happiness they receive from each other. That is a sacred marriage.

Commentary

jamie cologna jcologna.gazette@gmail.com

tweet hateful things or even post YouTube videos containing obscene comments about their victim. What these bullies seem to forget is that once something is published online, it is there forever. Whenever someone logs onto the web, an Internet Protocol, or IP address is established. This IP address can be traced in all electronics including computers and cell phones. Over the past few years cyberbullying has been frequently covered in the media. Phoebe Price, Megan Meier, Alexsis Pilkington and Tyler Clementi are all teens

from across the country who have committed suicide after online harassment from classmates. They were taunted on Facebook, MySpace and YouTube. Eventually it became too much to bear. The fact that any student would be willing to inflict such pain on another is repugnant. There is a lack of respect in teenagers. Nobody should feel the authority to put someone else down and shred them of their confidence. Not only does cyberbullying cause teens to suffer a constant feeling of sadness, it can also lead to serious depression, low self-esteem and suicide. Cyberbullying isn’t something to be taken lightly; it is something that should be intolerable and unforgivable. Those who choose to cruelly harass others online should be punished. Many people make mistakes when they are bullied online. They are unaware that there are steps that should be taken when they’re harassed. Often, the immediate reaction is to be defensive and say something nasty and hurtful back, but they should try to refrain from doing so. By retaliating, the problem

will only increase. After the initial shock wears off, the victim might feel embarrassed and want to delete the text, e-mail or comment, but they shouldn’t be embarrassed or keep it in. Countless teens are suffering from the same dilemma. They should report what happened to an adult they trust and save all of the evidence. Save the e-mails, texts, videos, wall posts and anything else that confirm foul play. With the evidence, victims should file a complaint to the social networking site or cell phone company. Lastly, make sure to block the bully. On Facebook, block them. On MySpace, delete them. Victims need to cut off any connections with that person. By reporting the transgression, the bullies might actually stop their endless taunting. Granite Bay High School is a “bullyfree” environment, and has zero tolerance for online aggression, yet it continues to occur on a regular basis. By stopping this inappropriate behavior in its tracks and reporting these incidents, we as a student body can end what has become such a frequent occurrence.

Dress code violations: an inconsistent truth

et’s not kid ourselves: we’ve all broken dress code at some point. Whether those shorts were just half an inch too short, or that tank top’s armholes were just a bit too wide, we understand that Granite Bay’s dress code is far from a notolerance regime. And while we at the Gazette appreciate the intentions of the dress code – to keep students free of distraction, and, when necessary, from breaking public nudity laws – we cannot help but question the consistency with which it is enforced. We know it’s unrealistic to expect school officials to enforce the dress code on every student, every day. Granite Bay is a massive school. But, that begs the question – how does the administration decide who to punish, and who to let slide, for exactly the same infraction?

EDITORIAL The voice of the Granite Bay Gazette

It’s not an easy question to answer. For instance, a male staff member might not cite a female student for dress code, for fear of being labeled as a voyeur, but a woman wouldn’t be so hesitant. On a similar note, would it be fair to cite a 5-foot-11 student for having a skirt be shorter than fingertip length, when a 5-foot-8 student would be allowed to wear exactly the same skirt? Generally, we have seen the dress code

enforced on a case-by-case policy, and it does keep wardrobe malfunctions somewhat under control. Our school has not become a nudist colony, and GBHS students have the freedom to dress as they like, a luxury lost by students who attend schools with specific uniforms. But we can’t help but notice a loophole. Here’s an example: Female cheerleaders’ uniforms are not, strictly speaking, in accordance with school dress code. But, when required, cheerleaders wear their uniforms to school. These get a free pass on dress code, as they are a cheer requirement. Why, then, would it be against the rules to wear a water polo uniform to school? What’s to say a student couldn’t wear a bikini to school, if that student was taking the P.E. program’s swim unit? Obviously those would be dress code

infractions. Why, then, do we draw the lines where we do? Why bother with a dress code at all if the administration cannot enforce every rule? It’s ludicrous holding everyone to the same set of rigid standards, but only actually following through and punishing a select few who ignore them. If the administration does choose to apply only certain dress code restrictions at certain times, we as students have the right to know which rules we can be reprimanded for breaking. But as there seems to be no predictable pattern to which violations are pursued, the Gazette advises students to err on the conservative side. If we keep skirting the dress code (pun intended), we will, eventually, be unlucky enough to get caught.


Voices A11

Friday, October 8, 2010 w The Granite Bay Gazette

Living in GBHS’ artificial society

Commentary

Don’t hide what makes you unique for the sake of perfection

I

just despise Photoshop. One Commentary may argue that photography would not be the same without it, yet neither would society. Thanks to the media becoming Photoshop-obsessed, our generation has become addicted to what the media produces. I enjoy reading my Teen Vogue or NYLON magazine, but I loathe looking at impossible-to-achieve images of models. Isn’t everyone aware that szogopoulos.gazette@gmail.com the models don’t really look like of beauty don’t apply to us. Howthat? These models are not real ever, we can slowly find ourselves people; they are computer-altered wondering if we should change our images, causing our society to hair color or invest in diet pills to uphold an impossible standard of solve our problems. beauty. Just look at Heidi Montag, starlet It’s impossible in today’s society of MTV’s The Hills, who looks to not feel the need to achieve natural one day, and the next day perfection. We all experience this; looks like a Barbie gone horriwe crave to be someone else or possess a trait or quality we do not bly wrong, due to her ridiculous amount of plastic surgeries. have. I’ve watched many undergo It kills me how many times a day changes – though not as drastic as I hear people say “I just want to Montag’s – due to their obsession be them” or “I with perfection. want to look If our society exactly like recognized what Kudos to those them.” What’s makes us who so terrible who have fought we are, we could about looking off the pressure slowly rebel like yourself? against its artifiIt’s no secret of these unrealciality. that corruption istic images and Instead of has occurred looking in the embraced themin our world. mirror and thinkHowever, what selves and their ing of what is isn’t acknowlwrong, think of appearance. edged is the what makes you corruption of unique and how ourselves. those assets can We unconsciously agree to albe your way to success. Don’t low the media to tell us what is conform and cover up your flaws the right way to look and how, by – expose the truth and love what becoming someone completely makes you separate from everyone unreal, we can achieve perfection. else. The media has planted these Kudos to those who have fought images of what is right and wrong off the pressure of these unrealistic in our minds. I believe this has an images and embraced themselves effect on making us feel insecure and their appearance. about ourselves. Every day I’m With the creation of photography sure a lot of us can catch ourselves alteration and the spread of mass looking at someone and wondering media came the crumbling of our what they were wearing or why individuality and what makes us they look like the way they do. who we are. Many of us want to think of In the words of Salvador Dali, “Have no fear of perfection – ourselves as nonconformists by you’ll never reach it.” being unique, and these standards

sophia zogopoulos

Gazette illustration/KATIE ZINGHEIM and ADAM TILFORD

Philanthropy just for applications

Students playing the college game, not working for the greater good

W

e all play the game, whether we realize it or not. You want to get into a good college, but grades aren’t enough. Lots of high-level colleges also try to create a positive environment on campus by only accepting students with good morals who are involved in the community. To do this, colleges look at community service and leadership roles, clubs and athletics. This seems like it would be an excellent system for divining who’s accepted and who’s not. But this system has one major flaw: we know about the system. Our knowledge in and of itself destroys the intent of the system. How many of us would give up our time to go help others if we would get nothing in return, which is what community service is all about? Not the people that do it only to look good for colleges. How many of us take on the extra responsibilities of student leadership? How many would join dozens of clubs and be totally outgoing? There are so many of us that look great on paper. We have community service, clubs, leadership, athletics, the grades, the works. But the problem isn’t with this wonderful image, it’s with the motive behind their production. Because we

Commentary

kyle pawlak kpawlak.gazette@gmail.com

know that all these things will help us get into college, it disrupts the whole point of the system. Our motives aren’t philanthropic, or we aren’t really natural leaders, or we aren’t that outgoing. We just are trying to build a portfolio of service and excellence that will buoy our application, even if it isn’t the real you, the real me, the real us. Colleges are trying to figure out which students are the type they are looking for, but what are they really learning? They are really learning one thing about us as indi-

viduals: how much we are willing to subvert ourselves to the system and do things we otherwise wouldn’t, to get to our colleges of choice. It’s sad but true, and we learn about ourselves in the process. We learn that we are willing to fake it a little to get the results we want. Many of us are under the impression that we are only doing this to get where we want to be, and then we won’t have to play the game anymore. We have a dream to do something, and we are willing to suffer to get there. But when does the game end? For many of us, it never really does. You get to college, great, but then you have to think about graduate school, then your first job, and eventually, saving for retirement. We never really stop to smell the roses. You need to plan for the future, but you have to enjoy yourself too; the true key is to find a balance between the two, one that is right for you. And hopefully, while playing the game, like me, you find that you have come to love the things you do, the sacrifices you make, and even if you have a goal set in your mind, getting there becomes fun too.

Gazette illustration/ADAM TILFORD

ali valdrighi avaldrighi.gazette@gmail.com

Cheating through life’s hard lessons

T

he competitive atmosphere of high school has grown so intense that students have been pushed to the edge of desperation, seeking any advantage they can to ensure their future. Often, this involves less than honest means. Copies of old quizzes, secretly Googling information during tests or even elaborate schemes involving iPods, headphones and a replaying track of answers, have become almost commonplace. The sudden upswing in cheating is explained by some as a surge of immorality in the younger generation and a rampant desire for success at any cost. Yet, might there be more to it than that? The justifications for cheating surround us in a blanket of rationalizations, the temptations of celebrities, CEOs and politicians filling our heads with a buzzing loud enough to tune out the true implications of our actions. Celebrities walk free from a DUI with nothing more than a slap on the wrist. Big time businessmen are allowed, and even encouraged by profit incentive, to lie and cheat others out of their money while they remain perfectly intact within their bubble of riches. With role models such as these, cheating has lost many of its negative connotations in our “survival of the fittest” world. From the time we are young, we are ingrained with the importance of college, the necessity of higher education. Failure is no longer simply synonymous with not getting an education but instead, with not getting into the best college, with not becoming valedictorian, with not acing every test. To succeed in life, you must be the best, using any means possible. And how do you become the best? Well, there are plenty answers for that. If adults cheat with no repercussions, then why shouldn’t students? Cheating has become so trivial in society that many no longer even see it as cheating. Glancing at the paper next to you, asking friends Certainly, for answers, is cheaters should nothing be punished, but more to what extent? than When society “using your reseems to consources,” done cheating, it right? Every- can be hard say thing is no. fine until you get caught. Ironically, students are often held to higher standards than adults, and many suffer dire consequences for their lapse in judgment. Labeled a cheater, lowered grades, kept from the school of their choice – punishments are often harsh and can completely alter the student’s future. Whether this is fair or not, I’m not entirely sure. Certainly, cheaters should be punished, but to what extent? When society seems to condone cheating, it can be hard say no. Is it right to have your whole future altered for following the trends? After all, human nature is conformity, a primal desire to be part of the group. And yet, maybe being punished is the only way to shift society’s standards back to honesty. Even if the punishments seem harsh at the moment, sometimes that is what is needed to learn from mistakes. Isn’t it better to live life learning as you go instead of always cheating your way to the next step? Maybe this is what society needs to create a new generation that doesn’t place so much emphasis on the destination of success but instead, on the path to reach it. Whether or not the harshness of cheating punishments is truly fair in the context of our cheating-prone society is a question to be debated. But, the need for change in our society is apparent. Harsh punishments may be the only way to shift society back to a path of honesty.


A12 Voices

Friday, October 8, 2010

Sexism – the shame of society

HEARD on the

BAY

Offensive T-shirt symbolic of an unacceptable cultural trend Commentary

What do you think about the return of Homecoming Dance?

Zachary Low “I like it. I think it’s a good idea.”

S o p h o m o r e

hmassra.gazette@gmail.com

“M oney. Clothes.

Ho’s.” So read the shirt of a kid in my math class, seemingly oblivious to the air of trashiness and sexist piggery it gave him. He disappeared during the period – cited for dress code, I pray – but the casual way his shirt had used that word stuck with me. And it made me mad. Pop culture – and, by association, teen culture – has begun a downward slide into sexual inequality, a theme more infectious than an anthraxcovered Beatles album. It’s beyond shameful. In our music, particularly the charttoppers, that word which even now I loathe to reprint is thrown around like a term of endearment. Our fashion has reached new lows (literal lows, though that’s a rant for another day). Our movies and television shows objectify and demean women as much as they always have, and have you seen those cologne commercials? I haven’t seen that much beefcake against my will since I was dragged into seeing Eclipse. Why, girls, do we let them get away with so much? Why was this boy allowed to mosey on into my math class, wearing a blatantly profane shirt, and not get so much as a finger wagged at him?

J u n i o r

Andrew Bone “Happy for it. I’m definitely going.”

S e n i o r

Kendall Modiste “Anytime we can have a positive activity that will be well-attended I am absolutely in favor of it.”

S t a f f

Brent Mattix Compiled by Kyle Pawlak

gilded statues of Lady Gaga and Alanis Morisette. That would be, um, ridiculous. Forget I said that. My point, though, is that I think the majority of boys have genuinely good intentions when dealing with the opposite sex. Despite your Dirty Ghetto Kids clothing and your disgusting rap lyrics, you don’t actually want to abuse and subvert girls. It’s all for the image. I get that. But supporting media that’s demeaning to women gives the impression that you’re demeaning to women, and I can tell you now, that won’t – or shouldn’t – make getting a prom date any easier. Women, don’t let men walk all over

you or treat you like pop culture claims they should. You are beautiful, all of you, and you deserve to be treated with kindness, love and respect. Anyone, male or female, who can’t live up to that doesn’t deserve your time. And men, there’s no need to enrage the women like me just for the sake of a sexist T-shirt. Why risk getting on a girl’s bad side? Avoid – or better yet, boycott – the aspects of our culture that insist women are tools, and encourage your friends to do the same. We can only truly achieve social equality when everyone’s on board, and who will then lament the loss of sexism – all sexism – in our culture? Just the sexists.

Sleepless nights, napless days

Katrina Reeves “I’m indifferent. It doesn’t really matter to me.”

Gazette photo illustration/MATT PALKOWSKI

F r e s h m a n

haley massara

That was, to me, the most disturbing thing about this little T-shirt tragedy – no one cared. The ideal of a strong woman lately has taken on this paradoxical, Beyonce-esque form, of a woman so confident and secure she needs to constantly be admired by lots and lots and lots of men. Why does our society tell us we need to be the object of men to matter? There is no reason to subject yourself to hypersexualization; we should expect more from the boys who are our supposed equals – if not in the world at large, than at least in our school. They have no right to use slurs as compliments, and if you’re treated like an object by a boy, please, for me, for all womankind, do not stand for it. Boys, there is no excuse, no matter how innocently-intentioned, to have such a filthy, despicable word printed on your shirt for the world to see. And don’t you dare say I’m promoting censorship, because I’m not. I’m as big a fan of the F-bomb as the next stressed-out sophomore punk. But I don’t come to school with pants that have the F-word printed all over them. I could, but I don’t. There’s this little thing called appropriateness we all need to re-learn. If you think women are nothing more than walking reproductive organs, that’s your opinion. Your opinion is stupid, but it’s your opinion, and I won’t say you can’t express yourself. But I have a right to feel comfortable too, and if that means you can’t wear a shirt advertising that you approve of women being paid to be raped, then boo hoo. There is no shortage of Tshirts in the world. Now, I think of myself as a feminist, but I’m not the kind of feminist who assumes all men are slime and that women should plot their enslavement so they may build a glorious monument to womanhood – five-story tall

T

A jam-packed schedule means no time for rest or relaxation

ime is a valuable thing. For some reason it’s become comCommentary Unfortunately, it’s a pletely normal for a student in high very scarce commodity school to have six classes because in today’s fast-paced lifestyle. of blocked schedules, three to four Twenty-four hours in a day just hours of homework, sports practice isn’t enough anymore. So, as on weekdays and games on weeka senior in high school, I must ends, SAT prep courses, personal ask the question for the sake of statements to write, college applicaeveryone that suffers with me: tions to fill out and a job to pay for a Why is our time so meaningcar and/or senior trip. less in the eyes of those who So that would leave just enough control us? time for… I didn’t realize when it hapNothing! atilford.gazette@gmail.com pened, because it came slowly Oh, but it’s all OK. I’ve been told and I was continually told it was just a part of life, many times that I’m just a kid, and I can handle it. but all of a sudden I didn’t have any free time. Besides, everyone has had to deal with it; our parents Two weeks ago when I was running on about six completely understand what we’re going through… hours of sleep for three days straight, I was thinking Ha ha. I could really use a two-hour nap. It’s hard to stifle a sad laugh every time I hear that But I thought about it, and I realized I didn’t have argument. It’s incredibly clear that things are not two hours free for four days straight. what they used to be. The level of competition in school is ridiculous, This is not right. especially here at Granite Bay. It was a Sunday night and I wouldn’t have free If you don’t take classes over summer school, take time until Thursday. six AP classes, and get an A in every single one, then I was depressed, to say the least. At that point, I was wondering if I was the only one you’re not going to be anywhere near the top 10 in your class. in such a terrible position. So when I came to school The worst part is that the system isn’t going to the next day I asked around in all of my classes, and change anytime soon, because there are continually guess what? more and more kids willing to sacrifice all of their I’m not alone.

adam tilford

free time and their high school experience in order to get into a good college. Admittedly, I come a little frighteningly close to that group, but at the risk of being hypocritical, I must say that I fight for my free time as much as I can. Now let’s throw sports into the mix. Anyone who has played high school sports competitively knows that coaches expect full and absolute commitment, and they have no problem with a three-to-four-hour practice on a weekday. Of course, we don’t need that free time – we’re just kids. But I like my free time! And I want it back. My only option seems like making my course load easier next semester, but I keep getting told by my counselor, my parents, my prospective colleges and my teachers that I can’t lighten my load – it would look like I’m coasting through my senior year. I’m told I just have to deal with it for time being. Now, I’m not sure if this is the case for a majority of high school students – in fact I’m quite sure it’s not – but nevertheless it is the predicament of far too many. So all I’m asking for is a little less homework, a little less practice, a little less stress and a little more time. Because I am quite tired of waiting four days to take a nap.

Thumbs Up

Thumbs Down

“I think it’s really good. It’s good for everyone.”

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Thumbs Up: Midterms are officially over. They end the week with two short school days, after-school lunches with friends and a welldeserved weekend.

Thumbs Down: They mark that only onefourth of the school year is complete. Sorry, seniors with Senioritis.

Thumbs Up: Halloween is on its way, one of the favorite holidays for teenagers, with candies, parties and costumes! Thumbs Down: Why is Halloween on a Sunday night? A school night...

by Rachael Vasquez, a staff writer. Gazette photos /maggie louis


Forum

Granite Bay Gazette

A Section

Friday w October 8, 2010

“Me and a friend are going to be… Tea Party people, and we’re going to go around carrying signs and we’re going to dress semiMidwestern.” Brian Wood, senior “I’m planning on being a witch for Halloween.” Brigid Lummis, sophomore

“I’m going to be Pauly D from Jersey Shore. I’m going to flip my hair up and wear a wifebeater.” Dominic Trovato, junior

Forum is a section reserved specifically for the opinions of the Granite Bay community. Students, alumni, parents and friends are welcome to submit work of any length. Stay posted for future topics. E-mail all submissions to gbgazette@yahoo.com


A14 Second Look

Second look

Friday, October 8, 2010

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Homecoming comes again Students spend countless hours in the annual float-building competition

wGazette photosw Maggie Louis

ď ˇJunior Jessica Douglass, far left, paints a part of the scene on the junior’s homecoming float. Senior Joe McIntosh, left, holds a 2-by-4 steady as Rita Webb successfully saws through the middle. Senior Shelbi Tooley, above, focuses on fine detail while painting panels for the senior float. On Homecoming night, below, the seniors wave to the crowd in celebration of their victory in the float-building competition. Sophomore Jaci Willing, below left, attaches tissue paper to form words along the bottom of the sophomore float.


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