Granite Bay Gazette: December 2010

Falling for

slacklining C1

The

Grinch

Obscure sports come to GBHS

Gazette

Christmas movies worth stealing

G6 Friday, December 17, 2010

THE GRANITE BAY

Speech and debate Program expands

B2

THE AWARD-WINNING STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF GRANITE BAY HIGH SCHOOL

GRANITE BAY HIGH SCHOOL w 1 GRIZZLY WAY w GRANITE BAY, CA w 95746 w VOLUME 14 w ISSUE 4 Commentary

parker evans

pevans.gazette@gmail.com

Trivia facts turn out to be not so trivial

D

o you know the capital of Portugal? Can you name the Mets pitcher who has the most wins over the last 10 years? Do you know who wrote Moby Dick?

I do, and I’m a little bit ashamed to admit it.

Such trivia may seem, well, trivial, but I find a bit of purpose in each and every inane fact.

I’m the kind of guy who, when nobody else is home, might turn on Jeopardy and scream the answer to the Daily Double at Alex Trebek in a vain attempt to beat the contestants on the screen to the punch.

In my experience, if you can hold your own in the conversational topics of music, sports and movies, you’re going to be fairly well-equipped in the intimidating arena of small talk.

I make it a point to try to watch the classics of film. My knowledge of ’80s music is matched only by my dad’s. And my familiarity with sports is comparable to only a select few ESPN anchors (but is still better than Joe Buck).

It’s not like I sit in front of a computer, memorizing baseball statistics or the countries of Africa.

These random facts just stick in my head.

On test days, instead of calculus formulas or mnemonic devices floating around in my head, my brain just recycles the same eight bars of “Mr. Roboto.”

The chief culprit of my fascination with trivia is Sporcle.

Sporcle’s website and iPhone app contain hundreds of timed quizzes with titles like “Song Titles in Opening Lyrics” or “People on U.S. Currency.” I feel compelled to test my knowledge on all of them.

They each give a little hint or prompt next to a blank space that seems so empty and so menacing.

But, there’s a little bit of happiness that comes when my brain finally makes the connection.

And at the same time, there are few things more frustrating than staring at the blank answer that I know that I know. It’s like it’s on the tip of my tongue, just out of reach.

But after agonizing over an answer, few feelings compare to that split-second when it clicks and I revel in my moment of recollection.

Sporcle even has the nerve to compare your scores with everyone else who has ever taken the quiz.

Can you only name 15 elements in the periodic table? Sporcle will make sure you feel like an idiot.

Can you name all of the board spaces in Monopoly? Sporcle will make you feel like the smartest person on Earth.

And God forbid you not remember how to spell something.

There’s nothing worse than giving up because you forgot that the letter “h” appears twice in “dachshund.”

It’s frustrating, intimidating and incredibly addicting. Maybe I have a weird personality type, but I love to test my knowledge across such a wide variety of topics.

Of course, nobody likes a knowit-all, and I often have to explain how I know the capital of Finland without sounding like a total nerd.

But I guess I kind of am. *** Parker Evans, is a Gazette coeditor-in chief.

Seniors Avery, Melly and Joey Geary bake cookies together at their Granite Bay home.

Geary family fights odds Triplets differ in interests but united in family

BY SHANNON CARROLL scarroll.gazette@gmail.com

Russ and Michelle Geary had no idea of what was to come when they learned she was pregnant with triplets.

What came is an extraordinary tale of a family full of love and closeness, plus a fierce drive to survive.

Now seniors at Granite Bay High School,

Gazette photo / MAGGIE LOUIS

Avery, Melly and Joey Geary were born at around 25 weeks, 3 months premature. Avery was born first, on April 14. Melly and Joey came six days later. The children were so small at birth that the Gearys have a picture with Russ’s wedding ring around a thigh of one of the girls.

Melly was the strongest and weighed the most at birth, giving her the best chance of survival. But, at five weeks, Michelle and Russ got a call from See GEARY, page A5

Every 15 Minutes

Gazette photo /RACHAEL VASQUEZ

Senior Alexa Martin shakes ‘dead’ Jimmy Jack, left, at the scene of the crash. Kevin Hollingshead, above, watches in disbelief as paramedics rush to assist the ‘victims’ of his drunk driving accident.

Program turns tragedy into ‘reality’ Gazette photo /MAGGIE LOUIS

Biannual simulation impacts viewers

BY JESSICA REESE

jreese.gazette@gmail.com

“Every 15 minutes someone in the United States dies from an alcohol-related traffic collision, and today I died.” *** So begins the letters of those who participated in Every 15 Minutes.

The anti-drunk driving campaign visited Granite Bay High School on Nov. 16 and 17. During this two-day program, juniors and seniors experienced the effects of drunk driving on a community through simulations, which included witnessing a mock car crash on Wellington Way and removing a student from class every 15 minutes to join the “walking dead.” Each member of the “walking dead” represented the loss of a

life every 15 minutes due to alcohol-related accidents.

The simulated crash on the first day of the program involved five seniors: Kevin Hollingshead, Kelsey Bauer, Jimmy Jack, Daniella Weeks and Alexa Martin. Two of the students were unconscious and one was dead on the scene.

In the stands, their peers were shaken by the sight of the students bloodied and injured, with law enforcement and paramedics rushing around.

“Even though you know it’s a (mock) crash,

Teens often unaware of longterm effects of substance use

Students suffer when homework replaces exercise

BY KATIE ZINGHEIM

kzingheim.gazette@gmail.com Gazette photo /RACHAEL VASQUEZ

Fake IDs and long-term psychological effects compound the issue of underage drinking.

facing young adults who begin using alcohol and other substances aren’t so much the external threats such as drunk driving and acting irresponsibly under the influence.

Instead, the true effects of “partying” are often more subtle and intangible than many teenagers expect, and the best chance of prevention begins young, and at See ALCOHOL, page A5

inside this issue

News

A1 – A7

Voices

A8 – A11

Second Look

A12

Features

B1 – B8

Sports

C1 – C6

Green Screen

G1 – G24

See 15 MINUTES, page A6

Stress levels rise to unhealthy amounts

Alcohol culture changes with age The reality of teenage drinking seems to be a far more complex situation than the media and health class rhetoric would lead people to believe.

Wild parties, stumbling girls in revealing clothing and slurring boys ending the night in fist-fights characterize what many picture whenever the topic of underage drinking arises.

Jon Daily is clinical director and a counselor at Recovery Happens Counseling Services, a program with locations in Fair Oaks and Davis that focuses on adolescents with substance abuse and addiction issues.

According to Daily, the most common dangers

you can’t help but think ‘what if it was real?’” senior Phillip Vogeley said “You see people in a situation that is heart-wrenching and it hits home.”

For senior Ryan Ramirez, seeing the crash was even more difficult, as his girlfriend, Bauer, was involved. Prior to the removal of the tarp from the wrecked cars, he had had no idea that she was to be one of the victims.

“Sitting in the bleachers up there was really tough,” Ramirez said. “I wanted to go out

Helping Haiti Locals work to improve devastating circumstances

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BY SHANNON WAGNER swagner.gazette@gmail.com

It’s just another Tuesday night, and junior Izabelle Woods glances at her cell phone to check the time: 11 p.m.

She sighs, takes a sip from her coffee cup, and resumes reading her Advanced Placement United States History text book, knowing that she still has worksheets for her

Spanish class, a short story to read for English, and a chemistry test to study for. She doesn’t plan on getting much sleep tonight. *** For many students at Granite Bay High School, stress is no stranger.

With the pressure to excel in academics and other activities coming from peers, family members, potential colleges and the students themselves, stress can easily overcome even the most driven individuals.

Senior Micaela Saqui felt the impact of stress her junior year, when she was trying to balance See STRESS, page A5

Abstinence increase Kaiser Family Foundation released new data showing a decrease in teen sex

A4

News

A2

Granite Bay Gazette

Friday w December 17, 2010

NAMES IN THE NEWS

adrienne blevins ablevins.gazette@gmail.com

Art students have first gallery show in Roseville Over Thanksgiving break on Nov. 20, six Granite Bay High art students got a chance to show off their work as a group at an art gallery.

For seniors Becki Fox, Bryson Webb, Danielle Johnson, Cayley McDowell, Alexa Wolf and junior Andrew Streater, this was their first art show.

The gallery that hosted the GBHS students was the Blue Line Gallery, which is located in downtown Roseville and is one of the more prominent local galleries.

“It was a really good experience,” Wolf said. “A lot of people came to it (and) it was a good learning experience.”

Although she didn’t sell anything she still said it was a nice way to get her work showcased. As a group, the consensus was that it was good for a first experience.

Wolf wants to do more in the future though.

“I want to do one by myself in the future,” she said. *** On Saturday, Nov. 27 the GBHS varsity girls’ cross country team had an enormous amount of success at the CIF State Cross Country Championships which were held at the Woodward Park in Fresno.

Granite Bay managed to place seventh overall in the race. Freshman Clare Carroll was the biggest factor to GBHS’ success though.

The park’s course was three miles and Carroll ran it in 17 minutes and 24 seconds, leading her to place second out of 190 runners, running only 27 seconds behind the winner from Simi Valley High school.

Senior Brooke Holt also ran well, finishing 12th with a time of 17 minutes and 55 seconds.

This was the last race of the season for the lady grizzlies, but they are already looking forward to next season.

Carroll, however, was not finished. She went on to the Footlocker Regional West competition which was held on Dec. 4 at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, CA. Carroll placed fourth, thus qualifying her for the Footlocker Championships which were held in San Diego, CA on Dec. 11. There Carroll ran against the 40 best high school runners in the country, and was one of only two freshmen.

She placed 30th with a time of 18 minutes and 32 seconds for the 5K course. *** From Dec. 10 to Dec. 12 the speech and debate team did exceedingly well at the Santa Clara Invitational tournament which was held at Santa Clara University.

Overall Granite Bay achieved first in small school sweepstakes.

In the Debate category, seniors Gary Nielsen and Stacey Wong were open parliamentary champions and Junior Ben Prager, along with sophomore Gokul Asokan were novice parliamentary champions. Also, seniors Jessica Northam and Saba Naeem were quarter finalists, meaning they placed in the top eight contestants for open Lincoln Douglas debate.

In the Open Public Forum, seniors Dominic DeMarco and Blake Delaplane were octafinalists, meaning they placed in the top 16.

In the Speech category DeMarco and Wong were extemporaneous finalists and Nielsen was an OPP finalist.

Northam also placed in the top 15 for the Impromptu category, and got third place for persuasive.

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

Surviving

a disaster Ashley hapak

Haiti still feeling negative effects one year after tragic earthquake

BY LAURA PRESTON

lpreston.gazette@gmail.com

Chip Duncan

A man and his son remain hopeful, above, even when living in their devastated country, right.

On Tuesday, Jan. 12, a massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit the island nation of Haiti just 25 miles away from the capital of Port-auPrince. Almost a year later, the island nation is still feeling the lasting effects of the destruction.

The immediate effects of the quake were felt worldwide as mass media reports provided nonstop coverage of the damage and chaos that was unfolding in a country that was already among the poorest in the world.

“During the earthquake, (Haiti) lost a tremendous amount of infrastructure,” said Hernando Gomez, a physician who was one of the many relief workers who traveled to Haiti following the quake.

“Eleven of 15 of the government ministries became severely damaged and dysfunctional.”

Gomez is an emergency medicine doctor for Kaiser Permanente and has been doing disaster relief work internationally since 2002 and works most closely with an organization called Relief International.

He has traveled to most of the significant natural disasters over the last 15 years and when the op-

portunity arose for him to travel to Haiti, he took it, and led a group of more than 50 volunteer doctors, nurses and paramedics to help the victims of the quake.

During his five weeks in Haiti, the medical team was going nonstop, at first providing immediate medical attention to those who were severely injured, and then as time passed broadening their care to the rest of the Haitian people.

“The first two weeks about 85 percent of what we saw was trauma related to the earthquake,” Gomez said. “After that, the acute injury care subsided, and we were doing mostly primary care for the hugely medically underserved population.”

The need in Haiti stems from more than just material items. The Haitian people are extremely malnourished and it is estimated by the United Nations Development Programme and the Haitian Institute for Statistics and Information that before the earthquake occurred, 71 percent of Haitians lived on less than two dollars a day.

Also many Haitians haven’t received proper medical care which See HAITI, page A6

High-stakes testing offers its challenges That’s the threshold where people start to have alarm bells go off,” Dell’Orto said, “Also, our goal is to have our kids do the best they can on the test.”

Although many students may believe the STAR test is not important and doesn’t need to be taken seriously, the test results can now be put on transcripts. Also, if a student purposely tanked the test, that student could be denied from letters of recommendation for college.

“As long as students take their time and take STAR tests seriously, they usually do fairly well,” Dell’Orto said.

Another thing to take into consideration when taking the STAR tests is that the scores are now put on GBHS student transcripts. So, if a student does not take the test seriously, it will show when apply-

ing to college.

“As far as STAR test scores being reported on their transcripts, we do that to provide a more accurate representation of the student’s academic career at GBHS,” Mattix said.

Creating these consequences for not taking the STAR test seriously might have increased test scores but these scores have also created an even bigger problem. Cheating, or at least the threat of it.

Last year, two students were caught cheating on the math section and were put on the Academic Dishonesty list.

When results came out in September, both students were surprised when they discovered their test scores had been sent in on the math section and there had been no recognition of them cheating.

Both of these boys were well-

rounded students who were taking Advanced Placement classes.

So they thought that maybe their scores were submitted because they were such good students and scored high on their tests.

Because there is more pressure for students to do well on test scores due to the fear of receiving low scores and colleges knowing or being denied letters of recommendation, situations like these begin to arise more often.

The main point GBHS is trying to make is that situations like these do not need to occur. As long as everyone puts effort into the STAR tests they should do fine.

“Wouldn’t it be good for Granite Bay to show what we’re truly made of,” McNulty said. “If we’re all that and we believe that we are, let’s prove it on the STAR testing.

Show us with an honest effort”

GBHS, others in district, forced to cut 100,000

Amelia Rider will be teaching the extra art class.

“We are still trying to hire (teachers) for (biology and U.S. history),” McGuire said. “We will (probably) share them with another high school.”

However, despite these improvements to the district budget, the school site budget has yet to see improvements.

The amount of the extra money given to the sites is ultimately determined by the school board. The board takes recommendations on what the money should be spent on from the superintendent who in turn gets advice from principals and advisory committees.

The board is waiting to make its decision because it wants to see what happens with the first government budget suggestions introduced by new governor Jerry Brown.

“No one is doing anything until we know if he’s (going to) cut any money from the schools,” McGuire said. “That’s what we’re most concerned about: that they’ll take back something we’ve already been given.”

Mike McGuire Principal discusses future budget options and expectations for Granite Bay High School.

STAR scores are now showed on students’ school transcripts

BY SOPHIA ZOGOPOULOS szogopoulos.gazette@gmail.com

Students in the California public school system know what is coming. The hours of testing on information that may have been forgotten, the pressure to get good scores so they don’t affect your transcript, and the occasional desire to fill in random bubbles. STAR testing STAR testing is just around the corner.

According to the California Department of Education, there are four parts to the most recent STAR Program. The four components are California Standard Tests (CST), California Modified Assessment

(CMA), California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA) and Standards-based Tests in Spanish.

The results of these tests are used for determining each school’s Academic Performance Index (API).

The CST component allows high school seniors to be eligible for the California Golden State Seal Merit Diploma.

Granite Bay High School teacher Brandon Dell’Orto is the STAR program coordinator and, along with GBHS assistant principal Brent Mattix, makes sure the STAR process goes smoothly for the teachers and students.

“Our main goal (in API scores) is to keep from falling below 800.

Budget now uncertain with new governor

BY ALI VALDRIGHI

avaldrighi.gazette@gmail.com

The current economic recession faced by both the state of California and the United States has had a strong effect on the lives of students.

Not only is home life impacted for many students, but many have also noticed the negative consequences faced at GBHS due to budget constraints.

During the middle of last school year, the district was worried that recent state budget cutbacks would put schools in a deficit of up to approximately $1 million.

“The district came to us and said (they) needed each school to save approximately $100,000 without firing anybody or stopping education from happening,” assistant principal Brian McNulty said.

This prompting caused each school in the district to take the necessary measures to save money. Ironically this increased frugality caused the district to begin

the school year with $2 million sections into the master schedule. more than projected.

These classes will go to subject arThis combined with money from eas that have the highest average an unexpected federal stimulus of students. greatly helped “We’re recent budget adding a biconstraints. ology class, “The district an earth sciNo one is docalculated apence class, ing anything until proximately $5 a chemismillion in adtry class, a we know if (Gov.ditional funds U.S. history elect Brown will) that we had not class and an projected going art class in cut any money into the sumthe spring,” from the schools mer,” principal McGuire Mike McGuire said. said. “That was Teach– Mike McGuire, certainly enough ing some of GBHS principal money to reinthese classes state furlough will be curdays and (add) rent science additional class teachers John sections to the spring semester.”

Thomas and James Cunningham.

The record high class sizes Thomas will be teaching an adat GBHS this year have been a ditional earth science class on his source of discomfort on campus. prep period and Cunningham will The money should help alleviate be teaching a chemistry class, also this by adding five additional class during his prep period. Art teacher

The impact of the recent November elections is an added proponent to the budget debate. Both governor Jerry Brown’s policies toward schools along with the passing of Proposition 25 could have possible effects on school budgets.

Proposition 25 changed the threshold of the state constitution which originally stated that a two-thirds, or super majority, was needed in both the state assembly and senate to pass the California budget. Proposition 25 dropped this percentage down to a simple majority.

With only a simple majority needed to pass the budget, this may enable it to be completed See BUDGET, page A6

Friday, December 17 2010 w The Granite Bay Gazette

News A3

News Briefs

Gazette photo /maggie louis

Gazette photo /maggie louis

Cory Brehm reads a book with his Santa’s helpers child as GBHS students spend time with needy children.

COLLEGE AND CAREER CENTER

Dede Walker’s second-period math class wins canned food drive The GBHS canned food drive, which collected nonperishable goods for the Interact club, raised a substantial amount of cans. Dede Walker’s second period class coming in first place for the most amount of cans brought in: 3173 food items. Following Walker, Scott Becker’s class donated 1371 cans, and Craig Takagishi, Anthony Davis, Darren Pagel, Tamara Givens and Sharry Colnar donating anywhere between 65 to 200 food items. Thank you to everyone who participated!

California High School Exit Exam On February 1 and 2, GBHS students will have the opportunity to take the California High School Exit Exam, CASHEE, which passing is required in order

to graduate. For more information about the test or study materials, visit the Granite Bay High School website, at www.granitebayhigh.org.

Financial Aid Night A financial aid night for college-bound students will be held in the GBHS cafeteria on January 19 at 6:30pm. The workshop will provide information on how to apply for the various federal and state grant programs (FAFSA), student and parent loan programs, and work study programs. In addition, information regarding the awarding of Cal Grants will be discussed.

Parents of GBHS students are encouraged to fill out an optional survey that is being conducted to obtain parent perceptions of student behaviors, school policies, and school learning and social environments.

The information provided by parents will help the schools and district promote safety, improve educational methods, and reduce health risks. To participate, visit http://www.schoolmovingup.net/pud/ htdocs/scps/welcome.html. Use the login account: 3130184 and password: hfzgppq to indicate that your survey is from the Granite Bay area.

– Compiled by Shannon Wagner

SAT I & II Deadlines: Test date

Deadline

Late

Jan. 22

Dec. 23

Jan. 7

Mar. 12

Feb. 11

Feb. 25

Speakers: None

California Healthy Kids Parent Survey

Galleria mall works to recover after fire damage Mall attempts to repair the damage done by recent fire, allowing students to reclaim their jobs

BY KEVIN NIELSEN

knielsen.gazette@gmail.com

The incident that was on everyone’s mind, the Galleria Mall catching on fire, has almost come to an end.

Stores such as Pacsun, Finish Line, Spencers and many others are still not open. However, there are more than 130 stores that are open at the moment. “(Abercrombie) didn’t reopen until (Dec 7),” senior and Abercrombie employee Drake Smalley said.

Macys’ has just recently reopened also and has a tunnel leading to it that goes around the remainder of the damage.

A majority of the damage inside the mall was caused by smoke and water. Because of this, much of the merchandise was ruined.

Even though not all the stores

are open, progress has been mall. moving quickly to open as many “I couldn’t go to work for stores as posthree days sible. because they “They have had to fix the The stores been very quick smoke and considering the water damhad to get rid of damage the fire age,” senior all their old mercaused,” Smaland Nordley said. strom emchandise and get However, it ployee Alliall new merchancould be many son Garvey dise because more months unsaid. til all the stores Nordstrom a lot of it was inside reopen. was the only ruined from the “I think it will store that be all better in wasn’t too smoke and water about two or badly hurt – Sophmore Jami three months,” by the fire.

Duarte sophomore Jami It was the Duarte said. only one Students who that dropped work at the mall are also begin- their metal security curtain when ning to return to work. the fire broke out.

The fire directly affected many “I think that if more stores had GBHS students who work at the closed their security curtains it

ASB UPDATE

ASB’s Joe McIntosh reflects on the fall term The Gazette talked to Granite Bay High School senior cabinet member and winter ball commissioner Joe McIntosh.

Gazette: Was Winterball a Success?

It was a good event: about 900 to 1,000 people were there. A lot of people liked the ice sculpture. It took about a month to plan each event. There’s hard aspects of it, but we’re pretty organized and we got the job done fairly efficiently.

Compared to other dances, it’s a little more stressful because it’s more formal. There are more decorations and more chaperones and more aspects of the dance have to be put in. But it’s not too difficult.

Gazette: Does the new school schedule change the calendar for student government?

It pushes things back: a lot of events were moved to the same month to spread them out, but we cut out a few events because we didn’t have time to plan them.

Gazette: How does the new term look?

Gazette photo / maggie louis

GBHS senior Joe McIntosh talks about Winterball preparations and dilemmas, the challenges caused by the new school calendar and student government plans for the new term.

We just had interviews so we’ll start the new term with a new class. And then we’ll have a retreat Jan 7-9 and we’ll start planning for next year.

– Compiled by Franklin Zhuang

would have minimized damage than three days. from the fire and smoke and they “I was scheduled to start my would first day for Abh a v e ercrombie on the b e e n Sunday three days I was scheduled able to after the fire, so it o p e n was disappointto start my first sooning,” Smalley day for Abercrome r , ” said. bie on the Sunday Garvey Some of the most said. popular stores rethree days after Unmain closed which the fire so it was fortumakes holiday n a t e l y, shopping much disapponting m o s t harder.

– senior Drake Smalley of the “I haven’t been stores able to go to Amerw e r e ican Eagle since l e f t the fire ,and it was o p e n one of my favorite when they were evacuated, so stores,” Garvey said. millions of dollars in damage Along with students’ favorite that might have been avoided stores being closed, the selection wasn’t. for clothes is slim.

These stores have been affect“It is going to make to (getting) ed for a longer amount of time what you want (harder) because

there isn’t a lot of variety” Duarte said.

Despite all the bad that the fire has caused, many good things have come from it.

“The stores had to get rid of all their old merchandise and get all new merchandise because a lot of it was ruined from the smoke and water,” Duarte said.

Along with new clothes and merchandise, people from all over came together and showed their support for the mall.

With this major incident behind the Roseville area, there isn’t much left for people to do.

All that is left is to continue to support the mall workers and try to prevent an incident like this from happening again.

People continue to look forward to the complete reopening of the Galleria Mall, and it shouldn’t be too much longer.

Graduating to future honor Some GBHS students choose to join military

BY ARI BLACK

aublack.gazette@gmail.com

As senior year rolls around, students at Granite Bay High School begin to decide what the future holds in store for them. A few students choose to fight for their country’s freedom and honor by joining the military.

GBHS graduate Cody Garcia, now a part of the Airborne Infantry and stationed in Korea, decided he wanted to join the military at a very young age.

“It was just a matter of when I actually would go in; I’ve always wanted to. My relatives would tell me stories about their military career, and I was hooked,” Garcia said.

Past relatives in the military are one of the primary motives and inspirations for Garcia’s enrollment.

“I loved what the military did for them and how the military attitude stayed with them all through their lives,” Garcia said.

The training Garcia had to go through to get where he is today was not easy.

“Jumping out of planes takes a lot of preparation and concentration, which requires repetition.

The sniper training is very hard.

Even though it came naturally to me, it is a lot of work,” Garcia said.

Garcia is not the only one in the family who hopes to have a profession in the military.

Garcia’s younger brother, senior GBHS student Kyle, also hopes to be in the military when he gradu-

ates.

Although Kyle knows he wants to be in the military, he is not positive about the specific job he wants to take on.”

“I’m stuck between special operations in the Marines and Army Rangers,” Kyle said.

Through watching his brother go through various years of training and school, Kyle is ready for the long years ahead.

“I know with the Army it’s really hard because you have to pass boot camp, airborne school and then ranger school,” he said.

Kyle’s hopes are to one day be stationed with his brother side by side to fight for the honor of their country and family.

“As of now, I’d love to be stationed in South Korea because that’s where my brother is,” Kyle said.

The military is not the only goal Kyle has in mind for his future.

“I’m definitely planning on furthering my education to eventually go into law enforcement,” he said.

The brothers’ grandfather has impacted both of the siblings to join the military.

“He has told me a lot of stories about what he has done, and it has definitely inspired me to have stories of my own,” Kyle said.

Kyle understands the sacrifices he must make, and realizes his family must deal with his decision.

“I know they care about me, so I know it’s going to be sad for them, but I hope they realize what I’m doing is for the good of the

country,” he said.

Kyle has experienced the absence of a loved one in the military first hand with Cody being enrolled.

“I don’t see him as much as I used to, but I know it’s for a good purpose, and I know he’s having fun,” Kyle said.

Through his brother’s absence, friends have been there to support Kyle, such as GBHS senior Ethan Mendoza.

Mendoza knows both of the brothers and has seen them gradually grow into men enrolling in the Army.

Mendoza also noticed how Cody has motivated Kyle for his future career.

“I think it’s admirable that Cody is serving our country and putting his life at risk every single day for our freedom. Kyle has always looked up to his brother and eventually hopes to do the same,” Mendoza said.

Being a close friend to Kyle, Mendoza views his future military career with an optimistic point of view.

“Kyle’s one of my best friends, and I’m going to miss him, but it’s something that he really wants to do. I respect that,” Mendoza said.

From playing in the sandbox during childhood, to one day jumping out of planes in the military together, the brothers stand side by side throughout their lives, promoting freedom and equality around the world.

A4 News

Friday, December 17, 2010

Pressured to perfection The longing to get ahead emphasizes the left brain

BY KYLE PAWLAK

kpawlak.gazette@gmail.com

In modern America, success has often come to be weighed by how much money a person has or how large their house is.

“Our culture defines success by very specific achievements and making a lot of money…we teach everybody that to be successful you need the money,” Granite Bay High School psychology teacher Natalie Elkin said.

As a result of this one-dimensional view of success, people are pushed from the very beginning to always get ahead and achieve early. For many students, this starts in high school.

“It’s not OK for people to just focus on academics anymore, you …have to be unbelievably amazing in all of these areas,” Elkin said.

Pressure not only comes from school stress, but also may be a result of attempts to balance multiple activities, or from a desire to succeed in athletics.

“Because of the attitude of I must get ahead at all costs…I need to achieve, achieve, achieve…everything else, our relationships, hobbies, down time…all of that becomes secondary,” Elkin said.

Sophomore Tanner Thompson is one athlete who deals with stress in sports, and while the pressure comes from himself and his team, it is a result of both personal and team-oriented goals.

“There is a lot of pressure to win, especially with high school,” Thompson said.

“Pressure comes from me just wanting to win and also from wanting to help the team out and get results.”

For Thompson, the antidote to pressure is more practice.

“To get away from the pressure I just try to practice

Although the Tea Party took a prominent stance in the November election, it has minimal popularity at Granite Bay High School.

The Tea Party movement began in February 2009, and since then has made a lot of progress.

“I’m thoroughly impressed how within such a short amount of time, they’ve grown probably close to a million people that would call themselves a Tea Party activist,” government teacher Jarrod Westberg said.

Many citizens within the last few years have found themselves agreeing with the Tea Party’s main beliefs. As stated in the Tea Party Patriots Mission Statement, their three main values are fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government, and free markets.

Republicans across the nation seem to be split on whether or not to side with the new party’s radical

Right Brain

wThinks analytically wDeals with deadlines and time orientation wLooks at things chronologically w Works better with detailed facts and memorization w Needs organization

wControls creativity (art, thinking outside of the box) wLooks at the big picture of a situation wExploratory thought (going off on a tangent) wDecides what one thinks is beautiful (aesthetics)

Gazette photo /FRANKLIN ZHUANG

to make sure I’m ready for it,” Thompson said.

As a result of this “achievement culture,” various problems are emerging.

“We have a culture that is depressed; the rates of depression and anxiety have skyrocketed,” Elkin said.

“Because we don’t put time into our relationships, we get sick more often, we can’t deal with stress.”

In addition to an overall build up of pressure, modern society also emphasizes certain types of thinking.

The brain is made up of two hemispheres, with the left controlling analytical thinking, time orientation, and more. At the same time, the right brain controls creativity.

“The right brain looks at things holistically, can go off on a tangent,” Elkin said. “The right hemisphere is more exploratory, more intuitive, it’s imagination, it’s aesthetics.”

Many of the demands made of students nowadays emphasize qualities of the left brain.

Controversial party not favored at GBHS, but has possible future szogopoulos.gazette@gmail.com

Left Brain

The left half of the brain emphasizes analytical thinking while the right brain places importance on creativity and art.

Little traction for Tea Party

BY SOPHIA ZOGOPOULOS

w The Granite Bay Gazette

views or to remain conservative.

In Granite Bay, many feel that what the Tea Party is preaching is not the best for our country.

“I believe that right now, America needs a more moderate party in office to help balance and reunite the country,” senior Brooke Bohan said.

Some Republicans in this area, who are remaining conservative, realize that with the rise of this party, more extreme parties will result.

Many citizens are fed up with our government and how parties and politics are currently. This is resulting in a major change of opinions across our country.

“It tells us a lot about our country and how they want someone to take a stand on these issues,” said Westberg.

Since many citizens are fed up with politicians and believe our nation is in a state of emergency regarding corruption in our government, some are turning to this party

Jarrod Westberg Government teacher says Tea Party success indicates the country’s sentiments. or other radical parties.

“The Tea Party movement is just the start of extreme parties that are being built up as people’s views become stronger. But, I’m not saying these parties will win anything,” senior Jessica Hamby said.

Between the Tea Party’s extreme beliefs and what some might say are unreasonable goals, many students feel that the party is doing far more harm than good.

“If people are becoming too partisan and it’s causing gridlock in the government, it’s not good so I don’t believe the Tea Party is a good thing,” Bohan said Most residents in Granite Bay tend to side with the two-party system but in the next few years we could be seeing a major change.

Although the party is extreme, it does match the viewpoints of many in Placer County such as wanting small government, low taxes and a strong military. So, although not many people in Granite Bay are supporting the Patriots right now, things may change.

“There’s a good chance that a candidate could be backed up from this area,” Westberg said. “In the next few years when the Tea Party does unify, I can easily see a group coming out of this area.”

“(Students) have to meet deadlines…make sure it’s written a specific way…(we emphasize) logic and analysis and reason, and we focus on that whether it is your English class or your history class,” Elkin said.

“We really are looking at the detailed facts, memorizing them, and there really isn’t a lot of emphasis or acknowledgement of the importance of all of the talents the right-hand sphere is in charge of.”

One example of a right-brain discipline often overlooked by high school students is art.

“Initially, many students take art solely to meet requirements, but some hope to find relaxation and balance,” art teacher Brad Cordell said in an e-mail.

“Most don’t fully realize the benefits they will enjoy by taking the art class.”

Because of the incredible scholastic pressure on students, many don’t realize their creative potential. “I have conversations with students weekly who have explained how they never knew they could be artis-

tic... In the art department we teach students how to approach each assignment, exercises to develop creativity through brainstorming and problem solving, and ultimately to tap into their creativity that all students have, and need to develop,” Cordell said. “Maintaining balance is crucial in high school as well as into adulthood.”

Elkin echoed the idea that people need to have chances to be creative and interesting to us in order to develop and find balance.

“The right hemisphere is the emotional side, and it should balance out the logical side,” Elkin said.

However, the bottom line is that while all this information is available to people, it is not being made use of.

“Study after study shows that happiness comes from valuing and taking the time to do things in our lives that make us feel good,” Elkin said. “But we still haven’t changed.”

Students cast their ballot Seniors who are of legal age vote for the first time

BY JON SETIAWAN

jsetiawan.gazette@gmail.com

On Nov. 2, many 18-year-old Granite Bay High School students were given the opportunity to vote for the first time in the United States midterm elections.

Not only was voting for the first time an eye-opening experience, but it also led to a tremendous feeling of contributing to society for some of the GBHS voters.

“I felt like an adult for the first time and felt that I had a say in something that was important to me,” senior Shannon Richards said.

What angers some students are the few18-year-olds who are eligible to vote, but choose not to.

“I think everyone should vote,” senior Kait Crider said. “But if they don’t they should never complain (about the results) because they are not willing to take the opportunity to have their opinion heard.”

For many student voters, going through the seemingly intimidating voting process for the first time proved a great experience in the end.

“Voting for the first time was a great experience because for the first time I felt like a ‘real person.’

I could finally be put into the same category as adults,” senior Brittany Ragan said.

Every year, each of the senior One student who opted not to government classes devotes a day to vote despite being of the legal age listen to speakers from several ma- requirement included senior Tyler jor parties and is given the chance Chesebro. to register to vote - even if they are “The main reason that I didn’t vote only 17 years old. Their registration was because I never registered due form is held until they are 18, and to missing that day of my governthen sent in automatically. ment class,” Chesebro said. “Why I Not only that, after the eligible never went out and got myself regstudents register, they are then istered was because I didn’t really shown the process have any incenof voting in order tive to vote in to reduce some I felt like an this particular Election Day anxielection; the ety that could poadult for the first majority of the tentially arise. time. candidates and “A part of me thinks I wouldn’t propositions on have gone and votthe ballot didn’t – Shannon Richards, ed because I didn’t really apply to senior know anything me.” about (the voting Despite not process) prior to registering to the demonstration in class,” Rich- vote, Chesebro said that because ards said. “I actually did know a the election turned out mostly as couple of people who were thinking about not going out to the polls he thought it would, the lack of his to vote because they didn’t know vote probably did not make a substantial difference. anything about the process.”

Although not everyone who could Senior Justin Hushbeck said the went out to vote, those who did in-class demonstrations had no effect whatsoever on his decision to feel that many positive outcomes came from it, including the feeling go out and vote.

“Even without the class I still of contributing to society. would have gone out, registered, For those who aren’t yet 18 and and voted because democracy will are eager to vote and contribute as only work if people take the initia- well, the big 2012 election is just tive to go out and vote,” he said. two years away.

More teens are staying abstinent or using condoms The number of teens who have sex in high school has decreased while more are using birth control

BY JUSTIN SHIIBA

jshiiba.gazette@gmail.com

Gazette photo /Maggie louis

The number of teenagers having sex has declined by 8 percent according to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation study.

A recent study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation on the sexual health of adolescents and young adults shows a slight decline in the overall number of teens having sexual intercourse compared to data from 1991.

According to the study, 48 percent of all high school students reported having sex, compared to the 54 percent reported in 1991.

This is good news to Granite Bay High School health teacher Kathy Sinor who strongly advocates for abstinence in her teachings.

“We really stress the advantages of (abstinence),” Sinor said. “But we also realize that not all students are going to make that choice and if they are, we need to give them options to be able to protect themselves from disease and pregnancy.”

Sinor teaches her students that the best form of protection during sex is for the male to use a condom and the women to use some sort of hormone therapy, such as birth control or Norplant.

Condom use was up to 62 percent in 2007, compared to 57 percent reported in 1997.

Sinor’s main worry, however, is the influence of alcohol on teen sex.

“The majority of teens who have intercourse use a condom the first time if it’s planned, but a lot of people use alcohol and it blurs their vision,” Sinor said. “A majority of girls who have intercourse for the first time regret it after the fact.”

The study also states that 23 percent of currently sexually active high

school students have reported using alcohol or drugs during their last sexual encounter.

An anonymous junior boy has never used any substance during sex but understands why so many first sexual encounters involve alcohol.

“You don’t think things over under the influence of any drug or alcohol,” the junior said. “You wake up the next morning and think of the stupid things you did last night.”

The junior uses condoms and birth control to stay safe during sex.

Although many relationships in GBHS are sexually active, some students decide to wait “I think that sex is really important and that you should wait (to have sex) until (you find) someone you know you’re going to be with for a long time,” an anonymous senior girl said. “I don’t necessarily believe in waiting until marriage but at least save it for someone you won’t regret in the long run losing your virginity to.”

The senior said the decision to have sex should be based on love and readiness; it should not be decided while intoxicated.

“If the time is right and you felt it was the right person than I think you should go for it,” she said.

Friday, December 17, 2010

News A5

w The Granite Bay Gazette

STRESS: Sacrificing physical activity often causes health problems Continued from page A1 three AP and honors courses while participating in two competitive diving teams.

“I started getting really sick because I was so stressed out,” Saqui said. “Eventually, I had to quit my dive team to focus completely on school.”

Saqui’s situation is not uncommon – extra-curricular activities are often the first thing sacrificed when students try to manage their schedules.

“I used to volunteer a lot after school, and I also used to coach a basketball team for kids,” Woods said. “But I had to give those up because they started impacting my schoolwork and I didn’t have enough time for them.”

However, giving up participation in athletics and other physical activities can have more adverse affects than intended.

“Diving was my only outlet where I would forget about everything and let go of stress,” Saqui said. “And when I wasn’t getting any physical activity, I had restless nights of sleep and got more and more sick.”

GBHS school nurse Linda Warfield said Saqui’s situation is very understandable.

“Physical activity makes a big difference (in students’ health),” Warfield said. “Without it, you don’t feel as good.”

Personal trainer Sandee Darragh at the Johnson Ranch Racquet Club agrees with Warfield. She said exercise can help improve a person’s overall health, as well as serve as a good channel for getting rid of stress.

Stress, both Darragh and Warfield confirmed, can have very negative effects on the body. Stomach and respiratory problems, exhaustion, headaches, back and neck pain and emotional distress are only a few examples of the impacts

GEARY: Triplets persevere through numerous trials Continued from page A1 the doctors telling them they needed to rush to the hospital. Melly had aspirated and lost her oxygen for a while. “(The doctors) told us that we might lose Melly.

Michelle and I looked at each other in shock,” Russ said.

After a 12 hour battle, Melly was breathing again. But all three had to stay in the hospital under constant care for more than five months.

The parents visited every day. When the triplets were released from the hospital, a team of nurses followed them home, setting up a round-theclock nursing station. The nurses stayed for more than two years.

Avery and Joey were walking around the time they were 18 months old, their developmental processes having been only slightly delayed.

But Melly still wasn’t crawling, let alone walking. Russ and Michelle knew something was wrong.

Around the time she turned two, Melly was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a condition that can involve brain and nervous system functions, including movement, learning, hearing, seeing, and thinking.

Russ and Michelle also noticed that Joey’s behavior didn’t quite fit.

The doctors had trouble defining Joey’s condition at first, but at age 5 he was diagnosed with autism.

“We’ve had to learn that we’re not a typical family,” Russ said. “We’re not even a typical triplet family.”

Michelle said: “We have had to let go of society’s expectations of you and, as a family, realize that everybody is going to get where they need to be, when they get there.”

Michelle and Russ wanted to be sure that their children felt like individuals, rather than a set of triplets, matching clothes and all.

Avery is the family’s resident baker, and a “cookie monster,” according to her mom, who loves to make and eat chocolate chip cookies, in particular. She also serves on the high school yearbook staff as the editor for the club section and the index.

Avery said that being premature hasn’t hindered her at all, to the point where people are surprised when she tells them she was born premature. The only reminder she has of the ordeal is some palsy in her right hand.

“She’s really sweet and knows exactly what she wants,” Melly said.

Melly had to develop into a fighter as a result of her health difficulties, yet she also has a softer side.

“You’re nice to me even when I’m mean to you,” Avery said with a laugh while talking to her sister.

Melly’s classmates acknowledged her sweet nature by picking her as homecoming queen this year.

“I never thought I’d be nominated, let alone win,” Melly said. “I never thought I was popular enough, so it was really cool to actually win.”

Joey’s autism has proven to be a challenge. If the family goes to a school basketball game, they might only stay until halftime. Certain movies or sounds can overstimulate Joey, so the family must be wary of this when making plans.

As is typical, the family finds a way to turn the autism into a positive.

“It’s helped us live in the present moment,” Avery said.

Joey isn’t letting his autism keep him back. He is going to walk across that stage at graduation, because it’s important to him.

At first, Russ and Michelle found it difficult to find something Joey was really interested in.

After working with a group on the East Coast, Russ and Michelle introduced Joey to pretend play, a concept that helps young people with autism develop skills, including imagination, creativity, language and social abilities, and bought him toys pertaining to the Wild West.

Joey threw away the toy soldiers and cowboys, only keeping the Indians. He is fascinated with Native American culture and history. He can list every tribe in the Americas and detail their history.

Joey enjoys studying the history of different wars and loves to write about them – he wants to be a writer when he grows up.

He has been working on a book since eighth grade that now totals more than 700 pages. He is the focal point of the story as Joseph Khan and leads his troops in battle against others.

So far, his book includes characters from all different time periods, including the Romans, Greeks, Native Americans, Genghis Khan and his men, the orcs from The Lord of the Ring and characters from Star Wars.

“He’s really intelligent, but people underestimate him because they don’t know him,” Avery said.

All three of the Geary children plan to attend college in some form or another. Avery’s top choice at the moment is UC Davis, where she wants to study nutrition science and possibly become a pediatrician.

Melly, a strong student, isn’t sure where her path in life is going to take her. She wants to stay home and attend Sierra College to get a feel for being independent, then transfer to a small school like Sonoma State or Reed College in Oregon.

Joey wants to take a class or two at Sierra College, then work with his family to decide where to go from there.

“I think it’s amazing how far each of us has come,” Melly said. “They said I might not survive.”

The children aren’t the only ones who have had to overcome steep obstacles. When the triplets were freshmen in high school, their mom Michelle was diagnosed with breast cancer. “(Getting through) it was something we did as a family that made us stronger,” Russ said.

Misty-eyed, Michelle agreed. “There’s always a silver lining if you just look for it. It helped the kids be more independent,” she said. “But it was hard because with special-needs children, you want to be there for them, and I couldn’t be.”

Any one of the challenges that the Gearys have faced could have overwhelmed the family.

Just imagine dealing with triplets or extremely premature births or cerebral palsy or autism or cancer—then imagine dealing with all of them.

Yet the Geary family has not only faced up to all the problems but has drawn closer because of them. A family of warriors that would do honor to Joey’s book, they’ve learned not to give up even when something is deemed impossible.

“We have a saying in our house: Never say never,” Michelle said. “That just puts a ceiling on things and tells people they can’t do something, when we’ve learned that you can.”

of unmanaged stress.

Stress carried over a long period of time can have more severe repercussions to a person’s health – including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and the potential for heart disease.

Unmonitored stress can escalate, even to the point of needing emergency medical attention.

“A few years ago, I had an individual come in (to the nurse’s office) with severe anxiety over academic issues and pressure here at school,” Warfield said. “We ended up calling 911 and (the student) ended up needing to be transported to the hospital to have the issue resolved.”

Another effect of stress is that it wears down the immune system, making it easier to contract an illness.

“When you are stressed,” Warfield said, “it is a lot easier to get sick. When your resistance is down and you are not taking care of yourself, your risk of infection is a

lot higher.”

One of the best ways to help manage anxiety and tension is to engage in physical activity.

“Exercise is a fantastic way to alleviate stress,” Darragh said. “It is an outlet for anxiety, and endorphins – your body’s natural way of calming you down and making you happy – are release while you exercise.”

Physical activity knocks off tension and helps clear the mind so that afterwards, students are more focused and studying is more productive, Darragh went on to say.

Most importantly, Darragh and Warfield both said, was the importance of balancing nutrition, sleep and exercise in order to manage stress successfully.

“It is key to manage your schedule, get enough sleep, and find the time to get some (physical activity),” Warfield said. “Even if it is only for 10 or 15 minutes, it can make the difference.”

ALCOHOL: Parents impact drinking habits Continued from page A1 home.

Junior Amy Schlehofer has seen many of her friends progress through the partying culture at GBHS. Use typically begins early, Schlehofer said. Freshman and sophomore year is when most students start using alcohol, often trying to follow in the footsteps of the juniors and seniors they look up to.

Schlehofer said she noticed that the first year or two of exposure is when the intensity of alcohol use peaks; there’s a sort of culture-shift when students become upperclassmen. “(Many sophomores and freshmen) would do anything to get with the ‘in crowd’ and do fun crazy stuff. But I think as you get older it becomes not as big of a deal,” Schlehofer said. “Going to parties and hanging out with friends is the most fun part (for students), and drinking just happens to be involved with it.”

A senior boy who asked to remain anonymous also said that when his friends became upper-classmen, the huge, crazy parties were replaced with small groups of close friends gathering for what are commonly termed “kickbacks.”

And while the newly low-key atmosphere surrounding alcohol gives the impression of being safer, Daily said that blasé attitude toward drinking is precisely the problem.

“In ninth grade or 10th grade, a kid might use substances at a party, and realize they like it and make some other friends who like it,” Daily said. “By senior year, they’re just calling each other up and going to each other’s house and doing it. (Four years) can be a long time to develop a personal relationship to intoxication: at the end of the day, that’s the illness.”

The psychological effects of early use establish the cycle of substance abuse – whether the student blatantly realizes the addiction or not.

Daily said there are two primary effects alcohol has on the brain of a young adult – shrinking of the hippocampus, the structure in the brain responsible for memory and learning, and interference with a neurotransmitter called gammaaminobutyric acid, or GABA. When a person is experiencing stress, GABA is released into the brain to help relieve anxiety. When alcohol is ingested into the system, it acts like GABA, flooding the brain with chemicals that tell the user to relax.

A young person’s brain is different from an adult’s brain in that it can’t differentiate alcohol from GABA, Daily said. The brain perceives the GABA being given from the environment as a signal to stop producing as much on its own.

This results in a longer-lasting effect than the morningafter hangover, Daily said – long term alcohol use can cause a young person to be chronically GABA deficient.

In addition to the chemical balances, Daily said alcohol impacts the emotional development of teens.

“When teenagers start using (alcohol, they think) ‘Wow, I have relief from my anxiety… it makes my boredom go away, and starts to take the edge off of emotions,’” Daily said. “The teen starts to rely on the substance to cope and connect socially, and doesn’t develop (his or her) own internal coping mechanisms and social skills.”

This may help explain the results of a 1997 study by Grant & Dawson published in the Journal of Substance Abuse. The data found that an individual who begins using a substance at the age of 13 has just under a 45 percent probability of becoming addicted.

That percentage decreases with every year increase in age; there’s just under a 30 percent chance for a 16-year-old, about a 15 percent chance for an 18-year-old and about 10 percent chance for someone who’s 21.

In Daily’s view, these numbers are some of the most convincing evidence for parents to set clear limits and boundaries on what is acceptable for their children at a young age.

“Clearly the data suggests that parents are the biggest influence and determinant of when somebody is going to use alcohol first,” Daily said. “Kids who come from a family

in which there’s a favorable sense around alcohol … are more likely to use at a younger age.”

Daily said parents should be explicit about the dangers of alcohol use with their children, making it certain that no use at all is acceptable.

GBHS parent Jessie Klingler said she emphasized the importance of nutrition and responsibility with her son Matt, who graduated from GBHS in 2008. She said choosing friends with similar values and being involved in sports were crucial to her son’s disinterest in alcohol and other substances.

While Klingler said she doesn’t condone underage alcohol use on any level, she can understand why parents occasionally host parties at their house that include alcohol.

One parent Klingler knows allowed teens to bring alcohol to a party being held at her house, but the attendees had to give up their car keys at the door and spend the night.

But Daily emphasized that not only is permitting minors to drink in the house illegal, but it also reinforces substance use.

“Sometimes parents are under the impression, ‘If (my child and his friends drink) here, then they’ll do it here and not elsewhere,’” he said. “In fact, when the night’s over, they’re just going to go (drink) somewhere else.”

And while many of these parents are primarily concerned about drunk driving, Schlehofer and the anonymous senior boy said most people they know avoid drinking and driving in any way they possibly can.

“I will definitely stop anyone I see drinking and driving, and all my friends will, too,” the senior said. “When you drink, you figure out rides beforehand. No one thinks (drinking and driving) is cool or acceptable.”

Schlehofer said that because she can drive, several friends will call and ask her to pick them up and take them home if they have been drinking.

Surprisingly, quite a bit of this type of thoughtfulness goes into teenage drinking, particularly obtaining alcohol.

Despite the obvious legality issues, the methods many teens use to buy alcohol require an impressive amount of ingenuity.

The senior boy uses a fake identification card to buy alcohol for himself and his friends – although technically the ID isn’t fake; a friend on the boy’s sports team found an ID that bore a striking resemblance to the senior.

While he tries to avoid buying alcohol often, the senior knows enough to avoid purchasing alcohol at mainstream stores like Safeway or Raley’s because he is likely to see people he knows there.

He’s developed personal relationships with the cashiers at small liquor stores, to the point where they don’t even ask for ID anymore. He also grows out his beard for a few days before he buys and goes to the store at a time when he knows there won’t be many people.

Schlehofer said several girls she knows obtain alcohol through what she calls the “Hey, mister” method.

“They go up to someone (at a liquor store) who looks around a young age and who looks like a ladies’ man, so (they) can flirt (their) way into it,” she said.

A different senior boy, who also asked to remain anonymous, paid $50 to have an ID made by a friend-of-a-friend who works at the Department of Motor Vehicles.

“They made me a fake birth certificate (and used that) to make me a fake ID. So it’s a real fake ID,” the senior said.

He said the insider at the DMV rarely makes counterfeit IDs – only as personal favors. The senior also said he rarely uses the ID because he’s afraid of the serious repercussions if he were to be caught.

Despite this seemingly careful approach, Daily warns against the false sense of security teens may have when obtaining and using illegal substances. “(Teens) are educated and smart in some ways around (alcohol); they’re trying to mitigate the consequences and damages that could occur from (its) use,” Daily said. “But with the clients I’ve worked with, their substance abuse has created consequences in their life, and 100 percent of the time, the kid … thought they had everything accounted for.

There’s an illusion of control, and yet the consequences are something they didn’t expect.”

A6 News

Friday, December 17, 2010

w The Granite Bay Gazette

15 MINUTES: Participants, friends and family impacted by simulation Continued from page A1

there and pick her up and tell her to open her eyes and just wake up and that everything was going to be OK.” The depth of emotion evoked by the crash scene is largely due to the work of local police, firemen and paramedics. Their goal was to accurately portray what the aftermath of an alcohol-related accident looks like, including everything from the Jaws of Life to the transportation of victims via helicopter.

“I thought they’d be more careful with me because I wasn’t actually dead,” Weeks said, “but they did literally everything that (they’re) supposed to.”

For those involved in the crash, their ordeal didn’t end after the last police car left campus.

Martin, who was injured in the crash, along with Bauer and Weeks, who were unconscious on the scene, were taken to the hospital after leaving the school. There, paramedics continued the simulation by working to keep Weeks and Bauer “alive.”

Despite their efforts, both girls were pronounced “dead” later that afternoon.

“My parents had to come and identify me and everything, and I just had to act like I

wasn’t alive,” Weeks said.

Similarly, Jimmy Jack, who was immediately pronounced dead on the scene, was taken to the coroner’s office.

As the drunk driver, Kevin Hollingshead was arrested for driving under the influence and taken to the county jail. There he was subjected to more blood-alcohol tests, then booked and placed in a cell.

All five of the seniors in the crash, as well as the “walking dead,” attended a retreat later that evening. There thay discussed the day’s events, as well as their personal experiences with and opinions on drunk driving.

In addition to hearing their peers speak, the 24 participants also listened to stories of real people whose lives were changed as a result of drunk drivers.

For Weeks, the retreat was the part that impacted her most.

“These two parents came in and talked about the loss of their child, and it was just really hard,” Weeks said. “They went into so much detail and (talked about) how they felt. That was when everyone was crying the most.”

After the retreat, the students were taken to a hotel where they stayed for the night.

During this time, they were unable to have

any contact with their loved ones to make definitely the toughest part,” Howard said. the experience of their “deaths” as realistic The memorial service included speeches as possible. from principal Mike McGuire and a local With her best friend, Mackenzie Sato, sheriff. A special guest speaker, Dee Sova, being a part of the “walking dead,” senior shared the experience of losing her daughter Rebecca Howard had a to a drunk driver. difficult time not being A few of the participatable to talk to her. ing students and their She’d be “(It was) just rough,” parents were also given Howard said. “She’d be a chance to read letters someone I’d go someone I’d go to (in they’d written to one to (in that kind that kind of situation), another. and she was gone.”

One of these students of situation) and Students were not rewas Bauer. It was this letshe was gone. united with their loved ter that impacted Ramirez ones until the following the most. day, when a memorial “It hit me more than any– Rebecca Howard, service was held in their thing (else when I saw) senior honor. someone I care about and The entire gym was decorated for the occasion and a hush descended upon the room as a casket was wheeled down the center aisle at the start of the service. Shortly after, the 24 students made their way down the aisle, while a slideshow of their lives played on the stage.

“I think seeing all of (Sato’s) pictures up and watching her walk down the aisle between everyone else with the candle was

HAITI: Locals continue to help country heal after devestating earthquake Continued from page A2 allows even the smallest infection to turn into a life-threatening illness.

This becomes most dangerous in children who are easily susceptible to illnesses and diseases that are brought from not having clean water or proper nutrition.

Ashley Hapak, a nurse from the Auburn area, was in Haiti when the earthquake happened, working at an orphanage called Maison de Lumiere or The Lighthouse.

The group she was with, Child Hope International, held clinics for the local townspeople twice a week and spent the other time with the children trying to improve their health.

“There’s a lot of small things, especially in kids, that if they don’t get taken care of (can be really damaging),” she said. “We saw a lot of horrendous ear infections and it’s a really simple antibiotic that a kid needs and if they’re not given (that antibiotic), they’re deaf in that ear, if not more.”

Once the earthquake occurred, Hapak did not doubt she was where she was for a reason, and she and her group immediately

went to work treating people for their injuries, using picnic tables as makeshift hospital beds.

As she continued to work and saw how much help Haiti was going to need in the following months, Hapak decided to extend her stay from a few weeks to seven months, but yet even in her extended say she says that the progress she saw was not spectacular.

“In the beginning there were a lot of food drops, (and) they put in … huge clean water sources,” Hapak said. “There weren’t any rebuilding efforts yet … because the government has to decide what its (building) regulations are going to be.”

Even in the weeks right before she left Haiti, Hapak was still finding plenty of work to do, whether it was making medical records for the kids in the orphanage or continuing to give vaccinations to the children – just proving that even in the midst of progress, there will always be more work to do.

Hapak plans to return to Haiti to continue her work with the orphanage, but this time her mother Sharon Hapak is going to join her for the first couple of weeks – in part just to give herself some peace

of mind.

“If I could have her do what I would like her to do, she would not be returning to Haiti. But I respect what she wants to do,” Sharon said. “I’m actually going to go back with her when she goes and I think that will be good, I will see where she is really at.”

Both of the Hapaks are excited and apprehensive for their trip to Haiti and are eager to help in the relief effort that is being headed by the American Red Cross.

The Red Cross has raised approximately $476 million for Haiti relief and recovery efforts and so far has spent about $183.5 million.

But with all the progress yet to be made, it is up to the people of the world and those in Haiti to not give up on the recovery process.

“It’s hard (to say what will happen) because some projections say it will take 25 years to get to where (Haiti) was before the earthquake, which wasn’t even that great to start with,” said Ashley. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but on the flip side, I think that at the foundation you have to get people working again, and this will be a great opportunity for people to work.”

Your names.

Your faces.

The Gazette.

love very much up there and mentioning all those things to everybody,” Ramirez said. “I care about her, and to see her gone like that just meant a lot to me.”

Senior Katie Green, a member of student government, was the head commissioner for Every 15 Minutes, and one of her goals was for everyone to feel a personal connection with one of the 24 students. In order to do this, she worked with others to select

students who came from different groups on campus.

“You want to choose (students) that are involved with the school, so that when you put them on a podium, everyone doesn’t (say): ‘Wait, who’s that kid?’” Green said. “(But) at the same time you want to get a mix of kids, so everyone feels that they know (someone involved).”

Another concern was the long-term impact Every 15 Minutes would have on GBHS students and the possibility of its impact fading over time.

“I’m sure a lot of kids will stop drinking for awhile,” senior John Holway said. “(But) I know that drinking and driving will definitely be done for a long time.”

If such is the case, the program may still be beneficial if it keeps students from drinking and driving, even if it is only for a short window of time.

“People that I know that drink literally every weekend are saying they’re not going to drink for a really long time, which is at least helping,” Weeks said.

Green also agrees that the main goal of the campaign was to make an impact.

“I always said that if I could save a life or change one person’s life, it would all be worth it,” Green said.

BUDGET: Administrators wait for word

Continued from page A2 in a more timely fashion. “(Our) school is dependent on money from the state, and we don’t know how much we’re going to get until the budget is declared and signed,” McNulty said. “(If) the budget isn’t signed into law in January, that means school districts don’t know how much money they’re going to get until the end of the school year and they can’t make projections.”

In addition, eliminating the super majority is also expected to give Democrats more control over the budget decisions. Without a necessary two-thirds majority for passage, there is less need for them to compromise with Republicans.

“Democrats usually (tend) to protect school funding more,” government teacher Jarrod Westberg said. “(This proposition) is likely to keep major cuts from coming and should help us get funded on time and fully funded.”

New governor Jerry Brown is similarly a new factor to the budget system. However, during his first stint as governor, his pro-education policies have caused many people to remain hopeful. “(Jerry Brown) has said he will be more supportive of education in the state of California,” McNulty said.

“He’s voted that way in the past so, if a man’s past means anything, he probably will be more (supportive) to education.”

Westberg also said he was positive about Jerry Brown’s stance on education. “(Gov.) Schwarzenegger was very adamant that no

programs are untouchable, (even education). I don’t think Jerry Brown will cut (education) as deep, if at all,” Westberg said. “I just don’t think it’s in him, especially after all the support he got from education and teachers for his campaign.”

Despite these questionable elements, the extra money is generally expected to spark improvements, especially in class size.

The money is expected to bring the teacher to student class ratio down to 27:1. However, according to math teacher Duane Blomquist, this ratio is a bit misleading.

“No one (really) has 27 kids in a class: they divide the number of students by the number of periods teachers have, including prep periods.” Blomquist said.

In addition, this average includes special education classes that tend to have a smaller student-to-teacher ratio. This can significantly lower the average and make class sizes appear smaller than they actually are.

Blomquist said he was unsure whether or not the extra money would really help bring class sizes down.

“They’re adding five sections to the whole school but, we need five sections just in the math department to alleviate overcrowding,” he said.

Blomquist also said that, although the extra money may lower class sizes, the change may only be from 40 students in a class to around 36 students in a class.

Overall, Blomquist said many teachers are unsure of the actual benefits of the money. “Teachers (say) is won’t make a heartbeat’s difference,” he said. “My gut tells me the real effect is going to be so minimal that you will hardly notice.”

Friday, December 17, 2010 w The Granite Bay Gazette

News A7

Voices

Granite Bay Gazette

A Section

Friday w December 17, 2010

GAZETTE

Save our schools, Superman!

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 Blevins 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

Commentary

Uncreative American education desperately needs rescuing

I

have a black and white photograph of my dad, suspenders and all, on his way to school in Kindergarten – to a one-room schoolhouse, that is.

It’s strange to think that my own father participated in this “ancient” form of schooling – after all, that was only fifty or so years ago.

Our schools have come so far, with our Smartboards and fancy shmancy Scantrons, since the creation of the one-size-fits-all public education system during the Industrial Revolution.

But have we really done much else other than adding new technology, segregating the students by age and then forcing more onesize-fits-all standardized testing down their throats?

I think a better question would be: if we’ve come so far, where the heck are we going?

Because it is certainly not towards a future full of unexpected, complex issues that our standardized, misguided minds can’t even begin to help us solve.

The filmmaker who produced An Inconvenient Truth jumped on this education reform bandwagon because apparently, we – the average American citizens – are sitting back, twiddling our thumbs, and Waiting for Superman to save our children from this horrid system.

But the problem is this: we already have the solution – you have it, I have it, we all do. It’s just never been brought to the world’s attention. Until now.

Commentary

alison sale asale.gazette@gmail.com

I found the super man that our not-so-super education system has been waiting for, and not to my surprise, I found him on Facebook.

His name: Sir Ken Robinson. His game: innovation and human resources.

He’s worked with government agencies in Europe, America and Asia to improve education, creativity and the economy. He’s recently published a New York Times Best Seller book, and he’s received more honorary degrees and awards from prestigious universities than I can remember.

OK, maybe Robinson doesn’t have the dorky red briefs or the famous symbol embroidered on his chest (he was knighted

by Queen Elizabeth II – for goodness’ sake, isn’t that proof enough?), but he does have something of value: creativity.

It’s something he believes we all have – we’re born with it, but the problem is that

our curriculum beats it out of us.

From the beginning of our pre-K years, we are taught to take tests, and to answer them with the one right answer, or fail.

From the beginning, we are trained to strangle any thoughts of innovation, of creating new solutions to the problem because that’s not what’s on the answer key.

So then, if the answer to our economic situation isn’t an expanded government or tax breaks to the middle class, I’d like to see that answer key.

Oh, right, it doesn’t exist.

If real life doesn’t have one answer or a pass-fail mentality, then why are we taught and raised to believe that? Because that’s how public education was originally set up.

But Robinson believes that creativity can be measured because it’s not “abstract”.

To be creative, you must do something, take action – you must create some kind of “practical outcome,” whether in math class, in music, or in chemistry experiments.

The key is that creativity can be judged on this basis; this allows the student to explore new ground and create new solutions, but still provides guidelines to be graded by.

If our super man is standing by ready to save the world, I wouldn’t mind if our terminator of a governor took a step back and let the real super man take the wheel for once. *** Alison Sale, a senior, is a Gazette coeditor-in-chief.

Photo/Graphics Editor: Maggie Louis Illustrators: Justin Shiiba Alison Sale Adam Tilford Matt Palkowski Photographers: 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.

Send Letters to the Editor to: 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 illustration/ALISON SALE

More than the sum of its price tags

I

Christmas spirit often overshadowed by materialistic tendencies

t’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas… plaining about what they don’t have, what they have Commentary great. During this time of the year, I no longer to buy, and the stress of family gatherings. see the Christ in Christmas but just the obsession Rather than staying sane, many parents create their with material possessions. own stress by buying gifts for their children in order Don’t get me wrong, I’m not crazy religious, but I to maintain their love. Since when do gifts equal do believe we’ve strayed far from the real idea. love?

I will admit to selfishly thinking of the gifts I will Of course, often the presents are what makes receive at Christmas and how great it will be to have Christmas remarkable. no school for a few weeks.

I’ll always remember last Christmas where my Instead of taking the time off to help others who big present was my now-prized possession: my car. are less fortunate and might not be able to experiHowever, I’ll also never forget the Christmas where ence the Christmas they want, in the past I will my mom had our family go help a family have the szogopoulos.gazette@gmail.com say I have sat on my butt while eating a ridiculous Christmas they deserved. amount of cookies and imagining what my presents I permanently have the appreciative and ecstatic could be. faces imprinted in my memory since the moment we showed up on the The sad truth is that with the arrival of the holiday season every year, family’s doorstep with a Christmas tree and presents. We help them many overlook the spirit of giving and create a catastrophe full of self- set up their tree and decorate it while watching them unwrap their ish Scrooges, overplayed Christmas music and hideous sweaters. presents.

I feel bad for those who don’t celebrate Christmas. Imagine how you Although I was young, that experience showed me the importance would feel in this society if every year during this time you had to deal of giving and the real joy that comes with it. It’s never too late or too with this insanity and you didn’t even celebrate it. little when helping out those who are in need.

On the behalf of those of you who don’t celebrate Christmas, I’ll So yes, we tend to remember our top Christmases due to the gifts we apologize for the reckless driving, ridiculously crowded stores and receive but when helping others, the joy that comes out of it is even decorations. more memorable.

Even though this holiday season is supposed to be the happiest time *** of the year, no one seems to be all that happy. Many people are comSophia Zogopoulos, a senior, is a Gazette staff writer.

sophia zogopoulos

haley massara hmassara.gazette@gmail.com

I

We only read the A in ‘AP’

t’s winter break, and I’m not happy.

Now, sure, the weather has been more depressing than Sarah McLachlan singing at a puppy’s funeral, and sure, the stack of new horror video games I’ve accumulated during Hanukkah has effectively stopped me from sleeping.

I know what’s really wrong.

By the time you read this, I will have survived my first term of Advanced Placement European History. I’d complain if I were in the minority, but there’s no martyrdom in slogging through hours and hours of homework when more than 40 percent of the sophomore class is right there with me.

What’s the point of it all? To take – and pass – the AP exam, which roughly two-thirds of us will actually be successful in doing. Apart from a grade bump, which, for a sophomore, is really more of a consolation prize than anything, a year’s work rests on that one single test.

That means we – the students – are put in the decidedly awkward position of telling our teachers to hand out A’s like candy and just tell us how to pass the stupid test.

In a world perfectly suited to AP, we wouldn’t learn a thing. We’d just sit around memorizing our textbooks, listening to Mozart, and wearing earth-friendly cotton onesies as we calmly discuss the pros and cons of the capital gains tax.

Or something like that.

My point is that we’re being trained to take tests, not being taught. Forgive me for being so blunt, but isn’t that the whole point of being in an “Advanced Placement” class? Proof that we are smart enough to comprehend the larger, more complex ideas behind the trivia drilled into our heads?

And speaking of advanced students, is it really possible that nearly half of my class is gifted? Maybe it’s just me, but the mood in my AP class seems less optimistic than a Goth Democrat running for a public office in Placer County. I know we’re not doing that well.

I can’t help but fear that AP is slowly becoming the norm, as the GPA boost and college credit it provides are making it essentially a college – or perhaps, parental – requirement.

Such are the academic standards of our beloved Granite Bay. We are addicted to A’s. I no longer care what I learn – if, at the end of the day, I’m left with a 4.0, I’m happy. That’s not the way things should be, but that’s the way they are.

I’ll be honest here: I don’t have any perfect, Disney-esque solutions to the problem of AP culture. But why is it on us, the students, to fix a broken system we were born into?

Like you, I’ll play the college game, whether I get a good education in the process or not. I wish there was something more inspiring I could write, but empathy is the best I can offer my academic comiserators.

Someday, we’ll go to college, and this will all be a funny memory. *** Haley Massara, a sophomore, is a Gazette Voices editor.

Pretty: No amount of beauty worth injury, pain

Health and beauty used to coexist, but now one is being sacrificed for the other far too often.

The society we live in is largely and unfortunately based on appearances.

Whether we realize it or not, the way one looks has become quite crucial to our world.

These circumstances have led people to go to great lengths for merely the appearance of beauty, and in many cases they sacrifice their health in the process.

We at the Gazette urge anyone willing to sacrifice their health to reconsider the benefits and consequences.

Nothing is worth sacrificing one’s health at such an early stage of life, because the repercussions can be enormous.

EDITORIAL The voice of the Granite Bay Gazette

A tanning bed can provide a nice orange glow that many girls desire, but it also provides a higher risk of skin cancer later in life because of the unique type of UV rays that are used.

Is it really worth the risk?

It is entirely possible to achieve what one wants in a healthy manner or to rise above the crowd and display beauty in a

method other than fewer clothes, less eating and more makeup.

The pressure to conform even causes some people to suffer from eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia. It is terrible that society has brought about such disorders, but that is why it is vital to rise above such pressures.

Everyone is beautiful, and that beauty can also be displayed in ways other than society’s standards, and ways that aren’t harmful to anyone.

This recommendation applies to men just the same as it does to women.

Manicures, moisturizers and other such things are becoming more common among men today.

Men are also pressured by society to

fit into the standards that have somehow been set. Not only do they run the risk of developing anorexia or bulimia to stay skinny, but they are also expected to maintain a muscular, chiseled build if they want to fit the standard of beauty.

Steroid use will give a man larger muscles and a more sculpted figure.

However, the health dangers involved far outweigh any benefits of appearance that are desired.

Which is better? Larger muscles and a shorter life, or putting in the work to get muscles naturally and safely?

To the Gazette, the choice is clear – never jeopardize health and well-being for the sake of physical appearance.

Beauty fades, but bodies last a lifetime.

Voices A9

Friday, December 17, 2010 w The Granite Bay Gazette

Fortune cookies offer words of encouragement, not traditional predictions

T

here comes a time in the life of every young American when they must accept our country’s penchant for the blatant bastardization of things.

Whether the cultural corruption is driven by the infamous Capitalism, (think candy companies and Valentine’s Day), or idealistic values (the vision of heroic Columbus that was shattered for me by A.P. U.S.), often I’m able to overlook even the most distorted traditions.

One of our country’s favorite rituals is a completely fabricated one.

I’m talking, of course, of the fortune cookie.

The Chinese takeout staple may have been invented in San Francisco, but as far as I’m concerned, as I sit in Panda

? e r u t u f e h t f o e s p m li g A

Gazette illustration/JESSICA REESE

ExThe very name of the Commentary press fortune cookie implies lickthat some type of predicing sweet tion will be made, dang and sour it. Something like “A sauce off my well-laid plan will yield fingers, there’s prosperous relationships,” a small, wise, or “You will be recog1,000-year-old nized for your athletic Chinese man in endeavors.” the back of the Another time, I received store crafting a cookie with the words, pxu.gazette@gmail.com my fortune “Turn off the cell phone with care. for an evening of romance.”

And I refuse to stand by quietly as Maybe even worse than the encourmass-producing causes the quality of agement cookie is this - the advice the fortune cookie to slowly and paincookie. I didn’t open that tiny plastic fully decline. baggie and feel the faint flicker of I break open those lovely, trans-fatanticipation in my stomach only to laden shells in anticipation of my fube given advice I neither sought nor ture being foretold. What I don’t want required. to find is one of the many degenerate Now, if it had said “Turning off the forms of the now almost mythical cell phone will bring you millions of fortune cookie. dollars,” that would have been an aweI recently opened a cookie that read, some fortune cookie.

“Yes, do it with confidence.”

What cell phone? When? Where?

First of all, I’m not even sure what How will turning off said cell phone that means. Second of all, I wasn’t bring me millions of dollars? I looking for an encouragement cookie couldn’t answer any of these ques- I don’t want to find some vague and tions, but for at least a short time, optimistic statement aiming to raise that fortune cookie would make me my sense of self-worth. wonder.

I don’t care if you tell me “You have It would make me hope. It would a warm heart and a creative spirit.” If I make me take a few seconds to imagwanted to be reassured by generically ine a movie in which Nicholas Cage, uplifting messages I’d go watch an Tom Hanks and Harrison Ford togethepisode of The Biggest Loser. er follow an ancient trail of indistinct

katie zingheim

and prophetic messages all somehow leading to a riches-releasing cell phone.

That fortune cookie would briefly disperse the routine-induced fog settled in my brain and make me think, “I have no idea how this future of mine would come about, but it sounds awesome.” That fortune cookie would succeed.

One of the best fortune cookies I’ve ever seen was one received by my brother years ago. It said, “The two of you will be very happy together.”

And there’s the genius in the cryptic messages imparted to me by an ancient Chinese guru with a long skinny beard - inspiring philosophical musings where before there had been none.

The two of you? Is the other “you” a real person, or a theoretical person? Do theoretical people exist? Because if they’re theoretical than they aren’t real. And what does it mean by happy exactly? Can there be different meanings of happy? Did I already scrape my chopsticks together to prevent any tiny slivers from piercing my tongue while I eat my broccoli beef?

It is the fortune cookie in its purest - and most confusing - form, and any disseminated version of it becomes more irrelevant than the price of tea in … well, you know.

*** Katie Zingheim, a senior, is a Gazette coeditor-in chief.

Taking the argument to the slopes

Snowboarding or skiing – which is best? Two Gazette editors make their case Commentary

shannon carroll scarroll.gazette@gmail.com

F

W

inter is the absolute best season. It has Christmas, New Year’s, rainy days and, most importantly, snow in the mountains.

That snow signals the return of the unending battle between snowboarders and skiers over who is better, and I’m here to settle that dispute once and for all.

The simple answer, and what should be the obvious answer, is snowboarding.

I’m not saying that I have no respect for skiers, except maybe the ones who only do relentless s-turns down the mountain. However, I suppose I should back up such a bold statement with some evidence, so let’s start from the beginning.

Learning.

I’ve heard skiing described as easy to learn and hard to master, and snowboarding described as the opposite. However, I think that it is very difficult to become a master at either sport, because they each have their own intricacies and their own skill set, so the only real difference is the initial learning of the basics.

It’s clear that snowboarding is more difficult to learn. There will be falling, and lots of it, because it is not a natural stance, like skiing, or a natural movement. While some would say this makes snowboarding worse, I would argue that it is extremely beneficial for the sport.

The tough learning curve filters out anyone who isn’t dedicated enough to learn the sport.

So, the people skilled enough to call themselves snowboarders have earned the right by not simply giving up after a few icy falls.

Up next, clothing.

When a person becomes a snowboarder, a very large line of attractive snow gear becomes available to them. Burton, DC, Four-

Gazette illustration/MATT PALKOWSKI

Commentary

adam tilford atilford.gazette@gmail.com

square, 686, ThirtyTwo, Volcom and Dakine are just a few brands, and they have set the standard for stylish snow gear.

Skiers have been fortunate enough to then purchase this gear that was originally inspired by snowboarders. I’m not opposed to this at all; I’d just like to point out who started it... snowboarders.

On the subject of gear, it is completely obvious that snowboard boots trump ski boots. Do you really want to be in pain all day? I didn’t think so.

And thankfully, on many occasions, I have been nimble enough in my comfy snowboard boots to dodge skis swinging straight at my face from a skier turning around with them on his shoulders. This simply doesn’t happen with snowboards.

On to: powder riding.

To be honest, I can’t claim snowboarding to be a clear winner in this category because powder riding is intoxicating, whether you’re on a snowboard, skis or a McDonalds food tray.

Although, I wouldn’t recommend that last one.

Still, from my own experience riding powder on both skis and a snowboard, I find the surf style of boarding in the snow to be more appealing.

But like I said, we’re all winners in powder, until a bad spill leaves us buried under three feet of it.

Let’s talk speed.

Technically, you can go faster on skis. I can’t change facts. However, I would compare riding skis at 70 mph to driving a car with the top down on the freeway going downhill. It’s fun, stable, and pretty much anyone can do it.

But then there’s snowboarding at 60 mph it’s like dirt biking down a treacherous dirt hill as fast as you can, with your life hanging in the balance as you experience the most exhilarating moment of your life. Yes, it’s technically slower, but there is no way you could tell me it’s not as fun. I’d know you’re lying.

On to the terrain park.

First of all, if you are a skier, please never ever do the spread eagle off a jump. It is not a trick, and it only makes you look like a fool.

That being said, I think that both skiing and boarding have their own unique strengths in the park. Skiers can spin like no other because they have two edges to push off of, but snowboarders get the most style points for the slow floaters with stylish grabs - those just can’t be mimicked on skis.

Overall, skiing is some good competition, but it just doesn’t quite match up to snowboarding in my opinion.

Sorry two-plankers, but knuckle draggers win. *** Adam Tilford, a senior, is a Gazette Voices editor.

rosty the snowman was a jolly, happy soul, with a corncob pipe and a button nose… until a snowboarder came and ran him down.

I’ve been skiing since I turned 3. There’s a saying that ice water runs through people’s veins – well, snow runs through mine. That’s why I can’t understand how people have no problem watching the snow being murdered by people coursing down the hill recklessly on snowboards.

Snowboarders seemingly couldn’t care less about anyone else on the slopes. They act like they own the mountain and do whatever suits them. If they stop during a run, they don’t head off to the side like the rest of us. They sit down right in the middle of everything and make everyone go around them like it’s a game of pinball.

Because snowboarding is so easy to learn, snowboarders can get the basic technique before they get the etiquette. One thing you learn is that there are lots of people on a mountain moving at very different speeds, and everyone needs to cooperate. That’s something that you get from years of experience, not from a single snowboarding lesson from your friend.

Many snowboarders don’t even have the technique. I still bear the scars of when I was 13 years old and a snowboarder ran me over and sent me flying. Did he apologize? No. Beginners think they’re experts even though on a snowboard you can just turn your board sideways and slip down just about anything.

But when you do that on a black diamond run, rather than making real turns, you wind up just scraping off all the snow and ruining the run for anyone who comes after.

One time when I was in Park City, Utah, I went down a mogul field that had been used for the Olympics. I realized how easy the moguls, which to me had always been difficult, were. Then I realized why. No snowboarder had even been on these moguls. This meant perfectly shaped moguls, and making turns was easy. Not at all like the cut-up moguls that appear once a snowboarder has gone down.

Woe to the skier who sits next to a new snowboarder on a chair lift.

The boarder will probably sling his board sideways, even it whacks your skis. It’s become a habit for me to sit on the opposite side of a snowboarder in an attempt to preserve my skis.

Getting off the lift is even worse. About half the time, the newbie falls and threatens to wipe one or two of the skiers on the lift with him. And, of course, the lift halts and everyone hangs in midair while waiting for him to collect himself and move on.

Then there’s the coolness factor. Boarders seem to feel they invented cool, but skiers were the pioneers in snow sports.

You can also do better tricks on skis than on boards. You can go faster on skis, which means bigger air. And the fact that skis allow you to separate your legs gives you a bigger range of what you can do.

It’s true that boarding has Shaun White, the Flying Tomato. But skiing has big names like Simon Dumont and Tanner Hall. And, come on, really, would you rather have your hero be a tomato or have a cool French name like Simon Dumont. Just say that name a few times and think about it.

Sure, snowboarding has cool clothing, and that was a real innovation.

Sure, some skiers used to wear onesies and other weird things. But, guess what, skiing has caught up. Clothes for skiers are now just as good as snowboarding clothes. I know some snowboarders who wear ski clothes. With my turquoise blue ski pants. I assure you I look better on the slopes than any snowboarder.

Oh, and has anyone noticed that everything about winter sports is ski? It’s a ski resort. Ski lift. Ski slope. Snowboards aren’t mentioned anywhere.

So next time you’re trying to decide whether to ski or snowboard, pick up the skis. Two is better than one. *** Shannon Carrol, a senior, is a Gazette Lifestyle editor.

A10 Voices

Friday, December 17, 2010

HEARD

Holding on to Christmas traditions

BAY C

What’s the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received?

“My Nintendo 64.”

F r e s h m a n

hristmas is the holiday of all holidays. I start playing Christmas music, watching Christmas movies and making my Christmas hot chocolate at the beginning of November.

I guess you could call me a holiday fanatic; my family goes all out when “decking the halls.”

I’m a bit of an old soul, a traditionalist, so everything that my family does on Christmas has been the same for as long as I can remember.

Perhaps it’s because I don’t generally allow anything to change or maybe it’s because I’m not the only one in my family who is completely stuck in their ways.

I live for the warmth of the fire, wrapping presents and mostly, the smell of a fresh pine tree in my living room that slowly drifts around the entirety of my house.

The hunt for the tree has always been the best part of the holidays. I can remember running around Bambi’s Christmas tree lot for hours with my family, searching through every row for the world’s best tree.

It had to meet my standards, and those of my siblings, for height (the bigger the better), my dad’s requirements for bulk and of course my mom had final say in whether or not it

Gazette illustration/ ALISON SALE

Zachary Hall

Fake Christmas trees take away holiday scents and sensations

“I buy my own presents. I bought myself an iPod.”

S o p h o m o r e

William Schue “My piano keyboard.”

J u n i o r

Ashley Hines “An air hockey table from Santa.”

S e n i o r

Haleigh Pimental “A Boston Celtics starter jacket when I was in seventh grade. It was the coolest... thing ever.”

S t a f f

Chris Roberts Compiled by Michaela Monaghan

Steroids only stimulate danger There are advertisements everywhere in our society today telling us to take this pill, this liquid, or this drug and you’ll be beautiful. When growing up through your teen years, we care most about what others think and to always look our best. Teens have found steroids to be their problem solver. Steroids are now a huge problem in high school with teen drug addiction, health issues, and sometimes fatalities.

This drug choice has a lot of negative side effects to your body internally and externally. Scary side effects could occur like vomiting, heart attacks, and even urinating blood.

Is getting big muscles really worth all that?

Steroids could also Schools cause your need to bepersonality to be come more aggressive aware of and shortbigger probtempered. lems...

There are other ways to become physically bigger rather than taking drugs, like drinking proteins shakes, eating healthy and working out.

You’ll feel better knowing you did it all naturally and on your own.

Schools need to become more aware of bigger problems like steroid use than focusing on school spirit all the time. The statistic of teen steroid use is growing higher each year. We need to get out in the community and spread awareness of the negative side effects of steroids. Before you know it, your best friend, boyfriend or girlfriend could be gone, because you never took the time to sit down and help educate others.

April Lujan, junior

Commentary

jamie cologna jcologna.gazette@gmail.com

would be perfect for hanging ornaments.

Anyone can imagine my immediate displeasure when I arrived home last year to my mom putting our false tree together on the living room floor.

No longer would my family take a trip to Bambi’s, or have to continually vacuum the fresh pines off the floor.

I might have freaked out a bit as I saw the tree growing piece by piece. The coarse, plastic branches and shiny fake pine leaves simply didn’t cut it.

The thought of taking a tree down from a dusty box in an attic just didn’t seem right.

The tree comes out of the box and is pieced together one bunch at a time, then it is plugged into the wall and the pre-installed lights illuminate the room. It ruins

the rewards that come from Christmas decorating.

Completing the tree and putting the star on top after painstaking hours of stringing lights and strategically placing ornaments adds to its beauty.

Many people’s least favorite parts of Christmas trees are my favorite. I love the fresh pine needles scattered on the floor, I enjoy poking my fingers on the needles while stringing lights, and even though saving money is a bonus about fake trees, I don’t think a price can be put on holiday cheer.

The breaking point on this Christmas mockery was when I realized that my all-time-favorite smell would be absent from my house this holiday season.

I demanded that my family buy every pine-smelling candle to fill my house with the perfect smell; I figured maybe that would fix this serious issue.

No matter the abundance in candles, the smell still wasn’t present.

It wasn’t the authentic crisp, clean and fresh smell that hits the nose and gives a natural burst of energy.

It wasn’t the smell that I had grown so accustomed to over the years that had constantly served as a boost in my holiday excitement Instead it was a contaminated, waxy and dull smell, one that relaxed me rather than adding to my Christmas hype.

I passed down my displeasure to my youngest sister, who took my spot in the constant pestering for a real tree. Our badgering succeeded.

This year, as was the prior tradition, my family went and picked out a Christmas tree that was put in the window of my living room where it can be admired by all of our visitors.

Those who may have the same hatred toward fake trees as I do should continue to protest their use and urge your family to return to the use of legitimate Christmas trees. *** Jamie Cologna, a senior, is a Gazette Green Screen editor.

Too many students, too little learning Class sizes are getting too large to handle. I’m sure that there are those (who aren’t actually in the classroom) who would argue that higher class sizes have no negative effect on the students, but they have a very destructive effect on the students and even the teachers.

I have seen class sizes increase significantly, from a manageable number of 19 in my freshman English and math classes, to an uncontrollable and possibly dangerous number of 42 students in my construction technology class. Forty-two students and one teacher, with an assortment of potentially harmful power tools which can cut or otherwise cause serious damage without the watchful eye of a trained teacher.

In addition, it is a very stressful day for teachers, as they try and control a room of students that large. The relationship between an educator and their student is about building trust and understanding, while watching the student succeed. I guarantee that all of these positive aspects of teaching take a turn for the worst when a teacher has 34 to 36 students crammed into a room suitable for about 20. Class sizes need to be reduced drastically in order for students to receive the proper amount of help from teachers. This needs to happen soon.

Tests have far too much influence Many people find paying for the SAT’s and ACT’s dramatically annoying and costly. However, what is even worse is taking them multiple times and knowing how important these tests are. In addition to this inconvenience, these exams are taken on Saturdays and are often outside the city where the students live. Why should futures depend on these tests?

Shouldn’t colleges be watching your GPA and not be scrutinizing your elaborated test? I think these tests are unneeded and cause too much stress.

Though some schools are giving the option for juniors to take these exams during school hours, not all schools do this. Only two schools in the country are participating. This takes some stress off of these students, however the rest of the schools are continuing to distribute the voracious Why test. Schools should fuare planning tures deto change pend on how they these tests? schedule the tests and are going to work on changing the tests; however they are going to widen the criteria on the exam.

A GPA reflects your high school grades and it gives room for mistakes.

However, the SAT and ACT are two different tests with not much room for mistakes. I think these tests are superfluous and colleges should primarily watch your GPA and examine your course choices throughout high school instead of just one test. Your GPA takes longer to earn than your SAT and ACT scores; this should be a large factor to the schools you are applying to.

Homework just a waste of time Do we really need to have homework? Homework is simply a time sink that more often than not serves as mere busy work that prevents you from working on your weak areas.

The value of homework is questionable, and the effects of it can be damaging.

Have you ever been barraged by so much work you that you have to choose what to do and what to take the failing grade on? I think we’ve all been there, and I think we all know

Zack Nichols, junior

Lindsay Nelson, junior

Michael Simonian, junior

LETTERS to the EDITOR

Thumbs Up

The value of homework is questionable, and the effects of it can be damaging. how terrible that feels.

If a student is struggling in a certain area, they will take the initiative to improve that area – we don’t need to do assignments on every single detail we learn during what is supposed to be our free time to help us retain information.

That not only wastes time, but also prevents us from actually doing something productive with our time.

It is ridiculous that such a broken system of teaching has gone on for so long, and it displays the shortcomings of the education process.

We should not have to put up with these pointless assignments that ultimately have adverse effects. If we make a stand and petition for a better homework policy, we might actually get a system that helps, and not harms us.

by Michaela Monaghan, a staff writer.

Thumbs Down

on the

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Thumbs Up: It’s Christmas time!

Everything we love about the holidays has returned: trees, ornaments, lights, candy canes and, of course, cookies.

Thumbs Down: We are now obligated to spend time with all of our closest siblings, cousins, parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, nieces, nephews, godparents, as well as any other long-lost relatives who happen to come into town during the holidays.

Thumbs Up: Half of the school year is over! We get to start fresh with new teachers, new classmates, new subjects and best of all, new grades.

Thumbs Down: Half still to go.

Look forward to strict teachers, annoying classmates, difficult subjects and disappointing grades.

Gazette photos /ari black

Granite Bay Gazette

Forum

A Section

Friday w December 17, 2010

“I think it’s just normal... When it gets winter it’s more dark, and more of a downer, especially with all the finals and stuff coming up. It kind of suits the mood.”

“It’s great because that means there’s more snow in the Sierras and more skiing.”

Ryan Marakas, senior

Johan Carpenter, sophomore

“I like hot weather better but the rain is good for not running the mile in P.E.” Julia Beck, freshman

What do you think of the changes in

“I love it, it’s beautiful. I just want to sit outside and... get with nature.”

Alex Freitas, junior

“I like them, but I don’t like rain. I like snow.”

Lisa Boeger, sophomore

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

Second look

A12 Second Look

Every

Friday, December 17, 2010

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Minutes impacts Granite Bay Students participate in biannual event that aims to inform teens of the dangers of drunk driving

wGazette photosw Maggie Louis

On Nov 16, juniors and seniors gathered to watch a simulation of first responders at the scene of a drunk-driving crash. Senior Daniella Weeks, top left, participated in the simulation, acting as the driver of one of the cars involved in the accident. After being removed from her car, Weeks was airlifted to Sutter Roseville Hospital, where she was pronounced “dead.” A California Highway Patrol officer puts senior Kevin Hollingshead, top right, through a test to determine if he was driving under the influence of alcohol. Senior Alexa Martin, middle right, sits against one of the vehicles as she waits to be treated for injuries. Juniors and seniors, above, including Abby Chapman, center, were asked during the Nov. 17 memorial service to close their eyes and promise to themselves they would not drink and drive. Two firefighters, left, rotate the “lifeless” body of senior Jimmy Jack before placing him in a body bag. Junior Callie Reinke, far left, wipes away tears during the memorial service. Reinke was one of the Living Dead pulled out of class on the program’s first day.

Lifestyle

Granite Bay Gazette

B Section

Friday w December 17, 2010

Commentary

Justin Shiiba jshiiba.gazette@gmail.com

Nostalgia for my old ’90s Nickelodeon With Facebook’s recent “change your profile picture to a cartoon character from your childhood” craze, I’ve been stuck in a nostalgic obsession that’s made me realize one thing – I miss the old ‘90’s Nickelodeon.

My childhood was spent watching hours and hours of these shows and cartoons, and ever since SpongeBob Square Pants first aired, Nickelodeon has just never been the same to me. iCarly? The Penguins of Madagascar? Back to the Barnyard?

Where’s Kablam? Where’s The Angry Beavers? Where’s Aaahh!!

Real Monsters? What happened to the quality cartoons I watched as a kid?

Now that college is approaching and my care-free, childhood days are limited, I thought I would reflect on my top five Nickelodeon shows from the ‘90’s.

Five – All That. The adolescent equivalent of Saturday Night Live, All That was a breeding ground for soon-to-be famous TV stars, such as Amanda Bynes and Nick Canon. I loved watching the various skits – my favorite was Good Burger – and singing along to the show’s intro song. Many of my other favorite TV shows came from All That, such as Kenan and Kel, The Amanda Bynes Show and Action League Now! Four – Doug. I was way too young when I watched this show to actually understand the plots and conflicts, but the characters of Doug, Skeeter, Patti Mayonnaise and Roger were unforgettable.

Doug was a classic cartoon that I would watch nonstop when I was five years old.

Three – Rocket Power. I would love watching Otto, Squid and Twister do extreme sports, and it always made me want to get outside and surf for hours, avoiding the dreaded “Shoobies!” Not to mention the adorable and philosophical Tito was my favorite.

Two – Rugrats. Something about this show was absolutely entrancing to me back then that I can’t quite seem to grasp now. Maybe I felt a connection to the wonder and adventure that Tommy, Chucky and the gang experienced, but for some reason Reptar and Angelica have been ingrained in my childhood.

One – Hey Arnold. By far my favorite Nickelodeon carton of all time, what made Hey Arnold so amazing was its characters. How could you forget Stoop Kid and Monkeyman? Pidgeon Man and the Sewer King? How could you not love the motley crew of oddlyshaped heads, and the bi-polar Helga Pataki? I always dreamed of living among Arnold’s diverse apartment residents, and having a football-shaped head. Hey Arnold was no doubt the best Nickelodeon show of the decade.

There were a lot of shows I wish I had time to write about – Catdog, Rocko’s Modern Life, The Wild Thornberrys – but unfortunately space is an issue.

My hope for you is to remember a time when cartoon shows were more interesting and funny than the wacky antics of an imbecile sponge and starfish, and to cherish those memories that made your childhood special. *** Justin Shiiba, a senior, is the Gazette’s Lifestyle co-editor.

inside lifestyle

How to

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Top Ten

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Random student B7 Student spotlight B2

TCID:BW

Kristin Howard participates in this year’s Nutcracker play

BY ADRIENNE BLEVINS

ablevins.gazette@gmail.com

While many people may be dreaming of sugar plum fairies, freshman Kristin Howard will be dancing with them.

Howard has been dancing ever since she was four, and this year all of her hard work has paid off.

Every year Capitol Ballet, the company Howard has been dancing for since she was eight, performs the classic ballet, the Nutcracker. For this year’s performance, Howard got the lead role of Clara.

She did not need to audition even, she simply got the part.

“We go everyday, so that’s kind of the audition,” she said.

See Ballet, page B7

Gazette photo illustration/MATT PALKOWSKI

Kristin Howard participates in the Capital Ballet preformance of The Nutcracker

Gazette courtesy photo /LINDA HOWARD

Parents with outrageous occupations A look at the interesting jobs of students’ elders

BY BRITTANY HINCE

bhince.gazette@gmail.com

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

The infamous, oftentimes unanswerable question.

However, it is often easy to overlook those in the community who have been there, and answered that.

Parents of GBHS students share the stories of their uncommonly fascinating professions.

Tim Wilson Tim Wilson, father of junior

Hacky Sack Lunchtime activity gains popularity

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Olivia Wilson, is an air traffic controller based in Mather. He controls flights coming in from all of the Bay Area airports, as well as Reno.

“Most people think I’m the guy with the flags…that’s not even close,” Wilson said. “I work in approach control. Just radar – we don’t see any airplanes at all.

Our airspace goes up to about 19,000 feet, and then we hand off the plane to (control towers) that handle the high altitudes.”

Wilson has been an air traffic controller since 1986. Wilson landed his job after an illegal

strike in 1981 by PATCO resulted in the termination of thousands of air traffic controllers nationwide.

“When I was getting out of college they were hiring a lot of people…So I thought ‘yeah that’d be really cool.’”

As cool as it may seem, things in air traffic control can be far from smooth sailing.

“John Denver was a singer back in the 70s’. (One day,) I happened to be…talking to him up in the tower. He was doing some air work then he (went) out over the water…then he just disappeared off the radar. Within 5 minutes

Santa’s Helpers GBHS students visit local elementary

B5

someone called and said ‘we just had a plane crash out in the water.’”

However, the tragic death of a celebrity is far from an everyday occurrence.

“I love that I can go in everyday and its different…(In emergencies,) suddenly this airplane is number one to the airport and so you’re…moving everyone else out of the way and that can be exciting at times. Where it was just routine, something out of the ordinary happens. I really love my job. ” Monica Ord Monica Ord, mother of junior Mackenzie Williams, is the senior vice president of a biomedical

College Apps Going through the process with GBHS students

B8

company called Viral Genetics.

Ord landed her job seven years ago after a treatment for AIDS came across her desk during her time at Oxford University.

“I used to work…raising money for different medical projects… (one day) a doctor (showed me a company that) he thought had something…but people were ignoring it and saying it wasn’t possible…I decided to get on a plane to see if this treatment was what (he said) it was – and it was.”

After seeing the treatment firsthand, Ord became dedicated to the cause and emotionally attached to the fight against AIDS. “I had seen so many people die See Occupations, page B5

B2 Lifestyle

Friday, December 17, 2010

Student Spotlight Pink Ladies president helps community Saba Naeem Senior finds passion in volunteering and participating in different clubs and events for school

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Speech and debate’s new meaning of camaraderie

As the team increases in size, relationships widen

Q: When did you first get involved in pink ladies?

A: I first got involved in my freshman year Q:What made you decide to get involved?

A: I got into it because during club day the sign for the Pink Ladies sign-up table was really festive and I like that kind of environment, where people care about what they are doing Q: What are you most proud of doing as a part of the Pink Ladies?

A: My biggest accomplishment was helping start Hoops for Hope, and chairing the event.

It’s become a tradition in the last few years.

Q: What are you planning to do as president?

A: I hope to continue Pennies for Patients, help with Saint Baldrick’s and volunteer for the Race for the Cure, which is important because it raises money for breast cancer. Also I want to continue having speakers come in to share personal stories. A few years ago, we had a Sadies picnic and we had a few restaurants to cater on campus, and while it isn’t directly related to breast cancer, the club gave the proceeds to the Susan G. Komen foundation. I am hoping to find a way around the new rules against selling food on campus Q: Do you plan to continue advocating for breast cancer awareness after high school?

A: In general I am interested in medicine and medical research, and will continue to do walks and give back to organizations, but I probably won’t join a specific club in college.

Q: What other extracurricular activities do you do besides Pink Ladies?

A: I am in Speech and Debate, track and field, volunteer at Sutter Hospital and am in Key club.

Compiled by Kyle Pawklak

How to:

Prepare for your driver’s test

Gazette illustration/JESSICA REESE

1. Become fifteen and a half.

2. Call your local driving school. All Stars Driving School or Referral Driving School is recommended to meet the driver’s training requirement.

3. Register for the online course and complete the sections with at least the minimum requirements.

4. After finishing the online course, schedule the first appointment behind the wheel as soon as possible to get an idea when the date of the DMV test will most likely be. Usually the earliest appointment times are a month from the date of scheduling.

5. Complete the six hours required to complete driver’s training and practice with the family car under the supervision of a parent or adult, age 25 or older.

6. Schedule additional driver’s training appointments as needed to ensure a “pass” on the first try.

7. Relax and remember to keep both hands on the wheel.

– Mat Fukuhara

Gazette illustration/ALISON SALE

BY CHRISTINE ZAVESKY

N

czavesky.gazette@gmail.com

o breaking news here—the Granite Bay High School Speech and Debate team is at it again, winning tournaments left and right, thanks to the work of seasoned veterans and emerging newcomers.

Actually, a lot of newcomers.

According to senior captain Gary Nielsen, there are approximately 55 students on the team. This is nearly a 400 percent growth from when Nielsen first enrolled in the competitive debate class, when there were just 14 students.

The element that has changed the most, in Nielsen’s opinion, is the intimacy of the interactions between team members.

“In the past, the team was very small, and only the people who loved it and were really good at it were allowed to be in the competitive class,” Nielsen said.

“This year, we hopped that up to more than fifty

people, and just exacerbated the problem.”

The extraordinary growth in class size can be traced back to a change in prerequisite standards.

The rule used to be that students wanting to be in the competitive speech and debate class, also known as “competitive forensics,” had to take the regular speech and debate class first as practice for the real deal.

However, a couple of years ago, teacher and competitive forensics adviser Rita Pritchard decided to ease up on the standards, and began to recruit students to join the class. With these new tactics, the class grew in size from 14 to roughly 36 students.

Although 36 students is a large group, it was still manageable and somewhat personal. Senior Kevin Hollingshead was among the first of the students to be recruited to join the class.

“It was noticeable when kids didn’t show up to compete on a weekend tournament,” Hollingshead said.

The class size has exploded this year, adding nearly

20 more members, currently making the total of 53 students enrolled.

With overwhelmingly large numbers compared to just a few years ago, the class has transformed from what Nielsen calls a “close-knit family” to a less personal, almost individually-focused class.

“My first year, I got so much individual help from (others) and it was a great group that helped everyone to succeed,” Nielsen said. “Now, it’s more ‘I can help you for a little bit but you’re going to have to meet me halfway and go the rest of the way yourself.’”

The individual attention has been lacking in the eyes of the upperclassmen, but the younger students have not recognized this change. Sophomore Jason Seminer is one of many new faces to the Competitive Debate team as a first year member and has enjoyed his experience thus far.

“It’s a fun class! It’s a lot of work, See DEBATE, page B6

A new kind of winter wonderland

Freshmen experience their first formal dance at GBHS’s Winter Ball as seniors give advice and tips for more future formal events

BY SHINEUI PARK

A

spark.gazette@gmail.com

s Dec. comes around, Granite Bay High School students start thinking about holiday shopping, gifts, finals, winter break and last but not least, Winter Ball.

Sophomores, juniors and seniors have had the opportunities to attend formal dances such as Winter Ball, but this was an entirely new experience for the freshmen.

The most similar event they’ve been to prior to Winter Ball was the semiformal eighth grade graduation dance back in middle school.

“Winter Ball was a lot better than our graduation dance. The music was

better and the before and after hangouts first formal was really interesting but with my friends it was really fun,” were better as well,” senior Kati Fischer freshmen CJ Stone said. “It was a way said. to get introduced I was nervous The corsage and to typical high for my first formal boutonniere, the school dances average limo ride to like they show in dance at Granite and from the dance, movies but, you Bay, ... I wasn’t the nice dinner get to experience really sure what and formal couple it in real life and it photos were a new was really fun to to expect. concept to the freshget dressed up and men and a formal go to dinner for the tradition they would first time.”

–Blake Hunter have the opportuBut not everyone nity to follow for feels excitement the rest of their high on the day of their school careers. first Winter Ball.

“Back when I was a freshman, my “I was nervous for my first formal

dance at GBHS. I had never been to anything like IT at that time so I wasn’t really sure what to expect,” senior Blake Hunter said.

The first thing students want for a formal dance is a date.

As the weeks quickly passed by, freshmen were eager to find dates in order to go to their first formal event of the year.

Freshman Danielle Scribner was asked by a fellow freshman friend, Dayton Allegra, two weeks before Winter Ball.

In the middle of Scribner’s dance class, Allegra delivered a stuffed teddy bear with a personalized voice box inside. When squeezing See WINTER BALL, page B7

Friday, December 17, 2010

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Lifestyle B3

Relationships unaffected by age differences Students on the bay feel differences in age are being perceived as more natural and acceptable

BY MICHAELA MONAGHAN mmonaghan.gazette@gmail.com

M

anther: Noun. An older man who preys on younger women.

Cougar: Noun. A woman who actively pursues relationships with younger men.

It’s become a savannah of debatable morality. Whether cross-class relationships in the world of high school are dating encouraged or condemned.

But what happens when the traditional gender roles of older male, younger female are reversed, going against that traditional romance taught since the fairy-tale preschool days of Cinderella and Prince Charming?

Junior Jolie Rogers is currently dating a senior boy and doesn’t believe that the age differences in relationships are as big a deal as people are making it out to seem.

“The other guys I’ve been in [relationships] with were immature. He is more mature,” Rogers said. “Everything else doesn’t have to do with age, really.”

Rogers’ boyfriend, senior Brandon Sanders, also isn’t affected by their age difference.

“It’s not any different than dating someone my own age.”

Despite the fact that, according to the United States Census Bureau, 11 percent of wives are older than their husbands, the media typically focuses on relationships where the male is older, derogatorily classifying these women as “cougars.”

A few examples include NBC’s Cougartown, HBO’s Sex

and the City, the iconic movie The Graduate and the song by the Fountains of Wayne that first brought the attraction of older women to the mainstream culture, “Stacy’s Mom.” Though relationships with older women are less common, it does happen. Senior James Kinloch is currently in a relationship with a freshman in college.

However, Kinloch enjoys being in a relationship where he is the younger one.

“It is actually really fun to be different ages. She always makes fun of me because she calls herself an adult, and apparently I’m not,” Kinloch said.

“It provides a lot of comedy between us.”

Zack Carroll, a junior at GBHS, is currently dating a senior girl and doesn’t have any trouble with the age gap.

“There have never been any problems or awkwardness because of our age difference,” Carroll said. “My dad is younger than my mom, so I’m just following in his footsteps.”

But people have started to wonder what an acceptable age gap is and at what point it just goes too far.

Junior Justin Bradley believes that there’s an age gap that is okay in relationships that if gone past can be weird.

“I think up to 12 years is an okay age difference, but it depends on the ages,” Bradley said. “If they’re 30 and 42, it’s fine,” Bradley said. But if it’s 18 and 30, that’s pushing it kind of far.”

With the hundreds of ever-

changing social circles that exist within GBHS, it’s easy to wonder if dating outside one’s grade and group can ever inadvertently build distance between friends.

“It’s not hard to be in different grades because you allow them to hang out with their friends when they want and you can hang out with your friends when you want,” Carroll said. “[My friends] don’t really care, they treat it as if I’m dating someone the same age.”

Kinloch feels the same way about his girlfriend’s friends, but notes that it might be a little awkward for her to connect with his friends.

“Her friends adore me, and they always joke about me being younger but they are never serious,” Kinloch said. “I get a lot of respect with my friends because I’m dating an older girl. Usually it is the other way around.”

Rogers feels like her relationship with her boyfriend has hurt her relationship with her friends.

“I don’t feel as close to my other friends as I used to, and I feel like they’ve changed,” Rogers said.

“I feel this stereotype [of males being older in relationships] will always exist, Kinloch said. “Because guys tend to date younger girls, when it is the opposite it’s more unique than the norm.”

However, as Carroll puts it, “it doesn’t matter about the grade; it’s about the person within.”

Gazette photo /Daniel Fleischman

Couples like Jolie Rogers and Brandon Sanders have a cross-class relationship, with an age gap in their relationship that is becoming more and more okay in today’s society.

Granite Bay students hack their days away

Recent rise in the popularity of hacky sacking has led to more students partaking in this obscure sport

BY FRANKLIN ZHUANG fzhuang.gazette@gmail.com

I

t’s lunch and in the middle of the Granite Bay High School quad, several students are doing one thing: kicking around a small ball that has become a new campus phenomenon, the hacky sack.

While in the past there has been a hacky sack club at school, the club

was reasonably small and died off last year. As a result, a group ranging anywhere from three to ten people took up the helm.

One such person is junior Demitri DeMello, who says that he’s not surprised with hacky sacking’s sudden growth in popularity.

“It used to be just the occasional, once a month type thing but then more kids started hacky sacking everyday,” DeMello said.

“More and more kids join everyday and we have some quality (hacky) sackers now.”

Now DeMello almost always has a hacky sack at his feet whenever he has a spare minute.

“I hack during passing (period) and whenever I can, but lunch is game time,” DeMello said.

Demello also said that the sport is a lot different than most, becoming one of the most unique sports.

It’s becoming a competitive sport that has no teams, can be played anywhere and has no rules, though it’s frowned upon to let the ball fall into puddles or mud.

Another supporter of the hacky sacking trend is teacher

Bruce Honberger, who said that the unconventional sport is the perfect balance between fun and accessibility.

“It’s a fun thing to do and (the ball) is such an easy thing to carry,” Honberger said. “A football can be a little awkward to carry around all day, but a kid can just have a hacky sack in their backpack and break it out.”

Honberger believes one of the best things about hacky sacking is that the sport doesn’t discriminate. A person can be terrible and still play. No matter a person’s skill level, he or she can still play without being judged. .

Honberger remembered a time when he was growing up when hacky sacking was popular and kids would just watch each other to see how many times they could juggle the ball. “(Back in eighth grade), a student could do it around 100 times and we would just watch him,” Honberger said.

Senior Dallas Voigtlander believes that because hacky sacking is such an easy sport to pick-up and doesn’t cost as much as other sports, it’s not surprising that hacky sacking is starting to pop up on everyone’s radar.

“It’s just a ball of sand, dirt, rock, or beans,” Voigtlander said. “The only equipment you need is the hacky sack and a pair of feet.”

Because of this, it seems to be contagious and is a sport where anyone can join in. On a couple of occasions, even the janitor has walked by and kicked the sack back into the circle.

Despite hacky sack’s growing popularity, it seems to be a male-dominant activity.

“It’s such a guy thing to do. I don’t really feel like getting into it because I would embarrass myself,” junior Shelby Stevenson said. “I don’t think many girls would want to spend lunch kicking things across the quad.”

While male hacky sackers are open

to letting girls play, they don’t think many girls would find it that cool.

“You’ll get your occasional

lady.

But for the most part, it’s just the gents,” DeMello said.

Just like any other sport, safety is important.

Junior Julian Scribner went to hit the ball with his head, at the same time another kid was kicking it with his foot. As a result, Scribner chipped two teeth but still partakes in hacky sacking.

“Hacky sacking is like a way of life,” DeMello said. “We’re always in the quad at lunch and anyone is welcome to come.

You’ll be glad you did.”

Students like Connor Puhala (left) and Clarke Stevenson (right) enjoy spending their lunches hacky sacking.

Gazette photos /RACHAEL VASQUEZ

B4 Lifestyle

Friday, December 17, 2010

TOP TEN Christmas presents

10

SAT Prep Book RC Car that can jump dirt mounds

9

8

Brand new Blue-ray DVDs

G

ive this holiday season to the dogs, literally. Charities such as the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Loaves and Fishes, take advantage of the giving nature of Dec. by trying to raise more money and items for their kennels.

Loaves and Fishes, located in Sacramento, is a charity that feeds the homeless and provides care for their dogs.

They have a small kennel on site, and will hold and take care of homeless people’s dogs from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. The dogs are fed and given a place to sleep for the day, and also can be spayed or neutered.

Anneke Vos has been volunteering at Loaves and Fishes for 30 years and has passion for caring for animals. She is 86 years old, and appreciates any help she can get.

“Helping is by coming here to work or donating money. I have to raise my own money, and it is very hard,” Vos said.

Being a volunteer for Loaves and Fishes meant giving everything she could to help the dogs.

“Every few months, I would pay a few thousand dollars, but at 86, you just don’t have it anymore,” Vos said.

Currently, the kennel is made of wooden walls and a concrete floor without any air conditioning or heating. This not only is bad for the dogs, but makes the

7

New stereo Grandma and Grandpa’s surprise visit

6

Season passes to all the ski resorts

5

4

Puppy

3

PS3

2

Apple’s latest iPhone or iPod

1

New car

By Mat Fukuhara

Saddle Pals Saddle Pals provides therapeutic relief to those with physical, emotional, or mental challenges through riding horses.

Requests:

w Sponsor a rider: $40 per

lesson or $280 per 7 week session. w Sponsor a horse: $100 per month.

Contact: Jodi Wong (916) 988-7734 ext 4

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Give a dog a

bone

conditions hard to work in.

Vos has raised enough

BY KATIE BOSTEDT money to kbostedt.gazette@gmail.com build a new, more stable kennel, but due to the economy, donations have fell through and is now short to finish the building. de“In two months it will be ready, but if I run out of money (it could be delayed), that cision that they have is my fear,” Vos said. to die,” said Vos. Not only does the kennel appreciate “It’s not an uplifting deal, befinancial support, but also dog food, collars cause several times a week I have to or leashes. Anything can help the shelter, euthanize an animal, and it kills me too.” because it’s hard to find donations for the Whether the donation is an extra bag of animals. dog food or financial support, anything can “The community doesn’t like the homehelp Loaves and Fishes. less, but they’re here. It’s a hard life.

Collecting donations and volunteering A hard life for the animals and for the for the Sacramento SPCA is another way to people,” Vos said. make a difference this season.

The homeless are often misunderstood, Although volunteers must be over 18, and criticized for keeping pets they can’t there are lots of ways to help out. afford to take care of, but Vos brings a dif“We have a variety of volunteer opportuferent perspective on the animals. nities, from walking our dogs and cuddling “For the homeless, (their dog) is all they our cats to office work or working in our have, that is all that’s there, their pal,” Vos spay/neuter clinic,” Lesley Kirrene of the said.

Sacramento SPCA said.

Of all the ways to support the kennel, Supplies that are collected year-round Loaves and Fishes is looking for people to for the shelter include towels, blankets, take in dogs and provide a safe place dog and cat food, toys and treats for the for them. animals.

“It’s very hard to find Currently, the SPCA has a “Home for the homes, and it’s so Holidays” campaign continuing until Dec. sad to make 31. that “Through (the campaign) all four shelters in the Sacramento area are trying to adopt out 1,000 animals (between us) by the end of the year,” Kirrene said.

Make a difference for the animals

Sierra Family Services Provides services for lowincome families.

Holiday services include adopting a family and a toy drive.

Requests:

w Christmas dinner, including

dessert and drinks. w Toys and backpacks filled with school supplies for ages 6 months to 17 years old.

Contact: Amy Alves (916) 783-5207

Kids First

For this campaign, the shelter has significantly dropped the price of adopting animals to bring in more people willing to provide homes for animals already in shelters.

As for Dec. in general, adoptions do increase, but the past couple of years have been tough for the shelter due to the economy.

“There are a lot of people who can’t afford to pay the basic food and sheltering costs that it takes to take care of an animal,” Kirrene said.

To help out those who have trouble making ends meet, donating food to the shelter helps provide for animals that have already been adopted. All donated food goes directly into the community to those who need it most.

For those who don’t have much dog or cat food around the house, more common things are also taken in at the SPCA. “Another thing that people can donate is used books. We have two used book sales a year that bring in a lot of money for the animals,” Kirrene said.

Donating clothes that don’t fit anymore is another way to help out, because the SPCA has a thrift store as well. There is something for everyone to give this holiday season.

“There are a lot of ways people can help,” Kirrene said. “Both by giving financially and by giving us items we need for the shelter on a daily basis.”

Roseville R.E.C. Center

The goal of Kids First is to end child abuse through prevention and intervention support services.

Requests: w $10-$20 gift cards to stores such as Target or Walmart for families. w Childrens’ socks and underwear in all sizes. w Disposable diapers.

Contact: Mariel Grisales (916) 774-6802

The Roseville R.E.C. Center is a place for kids to go for a supportive educational and social environment.

Requests:

w Volunteers to throw a Christmas party for the kids. w Help in the office. w Gift wrapping and warehouse sorters.

Contact: Machel Miller-Presley (916) 789-7884

Increasing the stress level of students

Gazette illustrations/JESSICA REESE, MATT PALKOWSKI, AND KATIE BOSTEDT

Learning to live with a medical condition while at school This can cause blood sugar to swing from highs to lows which can produce a myriad of difficulties. ll students have experienced the “You can feel like you’re going to pass stress: the late nights of homework, out, you can feel agitated, you can have the hours of sports practice, the a problem focusing and you’re not OK,” nights where sleep seems impossible. nurse Linda WarfFor sophomore ield said. “(DiabetKelsey Lynn and seics) need to keep niors Mike Friedman their blood sugar on and Christian Sako, It’s a pretty hard an even keel.” this stress is multiDiabetes is typitransition (from) beplied by various health cally divided into challenges. ing a kid and being two types: Type I Lynn was offiand Type II. able to do normal cially diagnosed with “Type I diabetes diabetes last year. The teenager things, to occurs because the disease is not entirely pancreas is not pro(now) not being able new to Lynn since her ducing insulin and to eat all the things I mom was diagnosed is shutting down,” with it in her twenties Warfield said. want to eat. and many of her rela“With Type II diatives also have it. betes there are other “What’s new is – Kelsey Lynn, sophomore factors involved. having to watch my (Sometimes) it is diet,” Lynn said. “It’s because the person a pretty hard transition is overweight and (from) being a kid and if they change diet being able to do norand exercise, there’s mal teenager things, to a possibility they (now) not being able won’t need to take insulin.” to eat all the things I want to eat.”

Lynn has a different type of diabetes Diabetes is a condition that occurs when called Mature Onset Diabetic Youth that is the pancreas isn’t able to produce the insupassed down genetically. lin the body needs to regulate blood sugar.

“It’s like Type I in that (you) get it (when)

BY ALI VALDRIGHI

A

avaldrighi.gazette@gmail.com

you’re younger in age and you aren’t overweight,” Lynn said.

However, similarly to Type II, Lynn is able to manage the condition through diet and exercise.

“I’m not taking any medicine or anything,” Lynn said. “(I just need to check) my blood sugar a lot and (make sure) I don’t eat too many sweets or carbohydrates.”

These eating restraints have occasionally made Lynn feel like she couldn’t experience certain teenage rites.

“I can’t have a bunch of sweets and eat a lot of candy like my friends,” Lynn said.

“It’s another (added) stressor in my life.”

Warfield agreed that having diabetes adds another layer of difficulty to life.

“The medical problem is (always present) and diabetics have to plan everything (around) that and if they don’t, there could be problems,” Warfield said. “It’s really hard, especially for teenagers, to accept that you (can’t always do) what you want to do.”

Although Lynn is willing to tell people she has diabetes, she doesn’t like to take the time to explain it. “A lot of people (just) don’t really understand what it is,” Lynn said.

Lynn’s friends have overall been very supportive about her having diabetes. “We don’t really talk about it a lot,” Lynn said.

“If they offer me something sugary they’ll (check to make sure) it’s OK (for me to have it) so they’re good about that.”

Like diabetes, epilepsy is another condi-

FAST FACTS 7.8% of the population has diabetes 0.22% of all people in this age group have diabetes 200,000 cases of epilepsy are diagnosed each year 45,000 children under the age of 15 develop epilepsy each year.

In 70% of new cases of epilepsy no cause is apparent.

Sources: American Diabetes Association Epilepsy Foundation tion that can often cause difficulty in student life.

“Epilepsy is a seizure disorder that (stems) from an electrical imbalance in the brain,” Warfield said. People with epilepsy are often required to be on medication in order to manage the seizures.

“During the day they might be concerned that they are going to have a seizure during school,” Warfield said. “That could be bad See MEDICAL, page B7

Friday, December 17, 2010

Lifestyle B5

w The Granite Bay Gazette

GBHS students take part in Santa’s Helpers

Students enjoy spending a day with elementary children and encourage others to give back too

BY MAT FUKUHARA

mfukuhara.gazette@gmail.com

Countless hours and a number of students were dedicated to making the lives of K-6th graders at Citrus Heights Elementary School joyous this holiday season by visiting the campus and spending time with children.

The effort on behalf of the high school students was the product of the peer helping class’ Santa’s Helpers program which was started at Granite Bay High School shortly after the school’s establishment in 1996.

Santa Helpers provides opportunities for the GBHS community every year by allowing the Associated Student Body to volunteer to adopt an elementary school student around the winter holiday season.

Liz McCuen, adviser of the peer helping class, said this year’s program hasn’t evolved all that much since last year.

“Nothing has really changed except who plays the role of Santa,” McCuen said.

This year assistant principal Dave Vujovich took on the role that Brent Mattix, assistant principal, played last year.

Also, the buses were not paid for by the school, which influenced how far away the chosen school was.

In order for a school to have been chosen the school must be a “Title one” school, which means that 90 percent of the students at that school are on the school lunch program.

This year’s chosen school was Citrus Heights Elementary, where McCuen estimated 480 students would participate.

“We have a staff meeting and the teachers this year were really excited because they hadn’t had anything like this before and that’s the benefit,” McCuen said.

McCuen says one of the elements of the program she enjoys the most is seeing GBHS students helping another younger student, something she wishes would happen more often.

“I don’t think a lot of kids (at GBHS) get involved in stuff like that, but (a lot) say they loved the time (they) spent with (their) kid,” McCuen said.

McCuen believes the reason some students don’t participate is because they have tests the same day as the event and choose not to miss the test.

Students who ran into this type of dilemma could have bought the gift for the student and sent it anyway or participated in another way, such as another program, as freshmen Laurel Teague chose to do.

Teague is participating in another form of Santa’s Helpers through her mother’s work.

“I’m adopting a kid for a week by providing them clothing, food and gifts,” Teague said.

She chose the child at random through cards that simply said the approximate age and gender, to help her know what types of presents to buy.

“I got them some cute clothes and everything because I spoil my kids,” Teague said.

She also wishes to participate in the school program next year depending on her classes.

“It seems like fun and I know my friends are doing it. Sometimes you get wrapped up in your Granite Bay bubble and you don’t acknowledge the other issues happening in the world,” Teague said.

Gazette photo /Maggie Louis Making wishes come true is the Senior Corey Brehm plays with and gives Christmas gifts to his two Santa’s Helper’s kids in K2 job of Hailey Israel who is the stually help, but its really a lot of organizing flakey kids,” Israel said. “They don’t undidn’t have partners and that number dent adviser for this years Santa’s and a lot of donated time. It takes passion derstand the commitment they are making would grow, but Israel chose to stay Helpers. and good planning to run this event.” optimistic. when they sign up and how frustrated I “I am basically in charge of everyIsrael said the turn out this year went “I think everyone should give back and get every time one of them drops (out) on thing,” Israel said. “I have a committee of well, but there were still a number of being able to help is most rewarding,” me.” five people – Austin Hendersen, Shayla elementary school kids without a GBHS Islrael said. “And to share the spirit of the On the last Friday before the event Chock, Mekayla Macpherson, Anthony partner toward the end.

Israel estimated about 30 elementary kids holiday season and encourage others to Marling and Britta Nelson – and they re“One of the challenges of my job is give.”

OCCUPATIONS: Parents tell about AIDS research, journalism and sushi Continued from page B1

of AIDS, so I decided to stick with them full time,” she said.

Now, they are in phase three of clinical trials in Africa and Ord is senior vice president of Corporate Development and Communications at Viral Genetics.

“So if they decide we need to talk to (Bill) Clinton, I’m the one that goes after him…If we need money from (Bill) Gates, I’ll go after him.”

Through her work in Africa, Ord met Richard Branson, and together they decided to produce a movie on climate change.

“I’m a producer of a movie called THEO…a friend of mine called me from LA telling me how she had met this Inuit man from the arctic and how he was trying to warn us about what was going to happen if we didn’t change our ways. He was from a tiny village of 400 people and was born in an igloo and he came all the way to LA to try and get a message out.”

Ord’s original intention was to shoot the story as a documentary. However, as she came to understand the scope of the story, she and her co-producers decided to make a feature film based on the Inuit man’s life.

Ord and Branson went up to the artic with a film crew for a month and finished shooting in New York and LA. “Now (the film is) in post production and its set for Sundance (Film Festival).”

Ord attributes much her job satisfaction – both in the biomedical field and in the world of cinema – to the people she’s been able to work with. But that is not her primary reason behind her career choices.

“I love that I can be apart of saving

people…that’s the biggest thing. I never in a million years thought that I could have a stake in something that big. (The hardest part is) waiting for governments to approve treatments…you can’t go home, watch TV and not care. It’s a 27 – hour plane ride (to Africa) and 27 hours back, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

But the journalistic fun doesn’t stop there.

“A couple years later, (someone) dared me to go to a school he had read about for professional wrestlers. So even though on a good day I weighed about 160 pounds, I went to a school to wrestle these 200 to 400 pound guys. I actually learned enough that I wrestled on cable TV and I wrote a piece on that and I got paid 50 Paul Carroll dollars. Now I am a former professional Paul Carroll, father of freshman Clare wrestler.”

Carroll and junior Shannon Carroll, One thing Carroll learned from his worked as a reporter time at the Wall and editor at the Wall Street Journal: evStreet Journal since eryone wants their 1978. name in the paper.

For Carroll, jour“I got to know I love that I can nalism runs in the Bill Gates pretty be a part of savfamily. well over the “My father worked years…(and) really ing people…that’s at the Wallstreet just about anybody the biggest thing.

Journal back in in the technology the 1950s…he just world. I interI never in a million seemed to have more viewed Michael years thought that I fun than I thought Dell when he was could be legal and it could have a stake in about 21 or 22 and made me think that just starting out…. something that big. that’d be a great thing Steve Jobs, you to try to do.” name it.”

– Monica Ord During his time at In more recent the Wall Street Jouryears, Carroll was nal, Carroll earned a nominated for a reputation as a bit of a dare devil.

Pulitzer prize in 1995 for his piece on “I sailed across the Atlantic having the Western world’s economy, and he never sailed before, and I wrote about co-authored two best-selling books: Big that for the front page of the paper. The Blues: The Unmaking of IBM in 1993 trip took 27 days…we wound up with 70 and Billion-Dollar Lessons: What You foot waves …if there is a more physiCan Learn from the Most Inexcusable cally imposing environment I can’t even Business Failures of the Last 25 Years in imagine what it would be.”

2008.

The

CollegeBoard SAT

un- Official SAThe month

BY SHINEUI PARK

spark.gazette@gmail.com

One day left until test day – time for cramming! Although it’s generally not a good idea, here are some last minute tips.

If you have an understanding of the recycled paper booklet they throw at you on test day, odds are that you will probably do better. wThe SAT is 3 hours and 45 minutes.

It has 10 sections: - One 25-minute essay - Two 25-minute and one 20-minute math sections (multiple choice and

a few free response questions)

t f o ) s ( p ti

- Two 25-minute and one 20-minute critical reading sections (‘fill-in-thesentences’ and reading comprehension) - One 25-minute and one 10-minute writing section (editing for grammatical and structural errors) - One 25-minute experimental section (a “wild card,” basically, that the test writers throw in there to test for future use) wThe SAT will give math problems where you know two out of the three

sides of the triangle.

If you don’t know and can’t find the third side, there are still rules in which you can approximate the length of that unknown side.

-The third unknown side of any particular triangle has a rule in which it has to be less than the sum of the other two side lengths and bigger than their differences. wMemorizing these angle sums will help: 7 sides=900 8 sides=1080

9 sides=1260 10 sides=1440 wIn the critical reading sections, it is expected that you will come across dual passages. To help you answer tough questions about the two pas-

180

360

With the new forms of media and the ever-changing world of journalism, Carroll advises aspiring journalists to be prepared.

“When my dad got into journalism in the 50s and when I got into it in the 70s, there was a pretty clear career path. But these days…its just harder for someone to map out a career in journalism.”

Even when taking into account the future hardships, a career in journalism is still an enriching experience.

“I don’t know how you make a living at it, but I still think there is still the opportunity to…have a big impact and meet lots of interesting people…so I’d say go for it” Taro Arai Taro Arai, father of sophomore Chiyoh Arai and junior Koki Arai, is the owner of Mikuni – a popular Northern California sushi chain. “(I’m) the CEO…that is Chief Entertainment Officer, not executive.

One of my jobs is to find out what’s good and what’s not. So I get to eat and drink and travel all over. Who hates that, right?”

Arai’s family opened the restaurant in 1987. Arai came to the United States for his junior year in high school.

“We didn’t have money, so we decided to open a restaurant as a family…I was going to go to UCLA but my parents said they needed help so they asked me to quit school. I’m the only Asian kid ever asked by their parents to quit school.”

Arai was only 17 years old when his father asked him to run the restaurant. He owes much of his

sages, skim through the questions first. Then you should attack the problems in this order: -Read the first passage, then solve the questions that pertain with the first passage.

-After, read the second passage and go through the questions that pertain with the second passage.

-Lastly, there are questions that are about both of the passages (usually compare and contrast) that you should solve.

540

Need a Christmas present?

She’d like a subscription to the Gazette...

720

success to his father, and he strives to follow his example. “(My father) has showed me the living faith. He couldn’t get at (a job) McDonalds…he couldn’t get a job anywhere… when I came here, no friends, no English.

We lost money every month for, like, 3 years. We lost all the money…I lost weight, sometimes I couldn’t breathe when I was working because of so much stress. I thought I couldn’t make it.”

It wasn’t until later that Arai came to the realization that work isn’t about the labor, it’s about the relationships.

“Finally one of my customers (said) ‘It’s not about what you know, but who you know’…So I (started) talking to every customer.”

One of the ways Arai makes connections with his customers is through football.

“Two guys come in and ask me who I think is going to win (the football game)…I have no idea. So I say I like black team today. They made a wager…I end up winning 12 weeks in a row. So end of the season…(we are) packed with all these guys tipping me right and left.”

To this day, Arai feels he owes part of his success to the NFL. “When we first opened there were, like, 30 people a day, and now there are, like, 1.5 million a year. It’s been amazing. I do whatever I can, and God will do whatever I can’t. Since that day…I haven’t (missed) worked one day because it’s so fun and such a blessing. If I can live the American dream…anybody can get there.”

B6 Lifestyle

Friday, December 17, 2010

Random facts

Random club of the month

Random student of the month

A list of facts you will never need to know but always find interesting

Cady Chow, sophomore

Despite its hump, camels have a straight spine.

The bullfrog is the only animal that never sleeps.

The average smell weighs 760 nanograms.

The longest one syllable word is “screeched.”

There are 18 different animal shapes in the animal cracker zoo.

August has the highest percentage of births.

Until the 19th century, solid blocks of tea were used as money in Siberia.

The Hawaiian alphabet only has 12 letters.

Source: http://www.snapple.com/retired-facts/

Compiled by Katie Bostedt

What made you decide to start the club?

I had been to two high schools across the United States already and both of them had green clubs. When I came here to (GBHS) in sophomore year, I noticed there wasn't one and that’s what gave me the idea.

In what ways does your club help the environment?

We've been working with the Maidu museum lately. They have a large Indian reservation and we’ve been preserving the historical grounds.

We replant some of California's native wild grasses there and weed out foreign invasives. We've also been working with the coordinator of the Roseville Urban Forest Foundation.

For this foundation, we enhance the tree canopy in Roseville.

Giraffes have no vocal chords.

The fastest recorded speed of a racehorse was over 43 mph.

Co-president Stephayne Gascon

What is the purpose of the club?

The purpose is to really connect with our community in an environmentally friendly way. It’s also just to help out our community and to shape it in a positive way.

11 percent of people in the world are left-handed.

You weigh less when the moon is directly over you.

Eco Green

One of 2,100 GBHS students is randomly selected every issue

Strawberries contain more vitamin C than oranges.

Giant squids can have eyeballs the size of volleyballs.

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Gazette photo /MAT FUKUHARA

Gazette: What’s your favorite holiday and why?

My birthday because I really like spending time with my family and friends and have a big a party and do all my favorite things on one day.

If you could have any wild animal as your pet, what would it be?

Probably a cheetah or any kind of big cat.

What is your favorite type of shoes?

Uggs or Vans, depending on the weather.

What’s your favorite Jamba Juice?

I like the pomegranate-green tea infusion.

If you could play any instrument at a high level what would you play?

The piano because I admire people who play the piano really well.

Where would you live if you could live anywhere in the world?

Australia. I went on vacation there once and I fell in love with it.

What color power ranger would you be and why?

Aqua, just because I like the color.

Gloves or mittens?

Mittens because they are really warm and cozy.

Who’s your favorite tall person?

Alix Klineman, she was my coach at Stanford volleyball camp once.

If you had to dye your hair, what color would it be?

I would never dye my hair, I wouldn’t change my hair color.

What’s your favorite part of the club?

I like getting people in our school to just go out in our community and help out with the environment. I also enjoy being able to talk to environmentalists and finding out what their lives are all about.

In what way do you think the club benefits students from GBHS? It exposes them to the outside world.

It's not just sports and it's not just books; it's helping the community and the environment.

How much of a benefit do you feel the club has had on the community?

What we're doing with the Maidu museum is really helping the State.

It does so in a small way, but it helps nonetheless. We don't chain ourselves to trees, but we do care enough about (the cause) that we want to help out in any way we can.

Compiled by Katie Bostedt

Compiled by Sonia Iyer

MEDICAL: Labeling a factor in illness DEBATE: Performance level stays stable as the forensics team grows Continued from page B4

for them health wise and also embarrassing.”

Although Friedman said he doesn’t have epilepsy, he has had two seizures in the past and is now on medication to prevent him from having more in the future. “(The seizures) stem from a head injury I had when I was two months old and I fell out of my stroller,” Friedman said. “It didn’t cause any debilitating problems until I had seizures in middle school.”

Friedman said seizures haven’t affected his life on a significant level.

“On a regular basis I am normal,” he said. “People look past it (because) I am who I am.”

The type of seizures Friedman experienced are called Grand mal seizures.

“You’re out cold and you don’t know what happened to you until afterwards,” Friedman said.

The two most common types of seizures are Grand mal and Petit mal. Grand mal seizures are, as Friedman described, when one has a full blown seizure.

Petit mal seizures are smaller and can almost look like day dreaming.

“You won’t notice what’s (happening) around you and you’ll just be staring into space because you’re mind is elsewhere,” Warfield said. “Then all of a sudden you come out of it and you have no recollection of what happened.”

Sako is another student that has seizures and has been diagnosed with epilepsy. He has experienced both Grand and Petit mal seizures. He said they began around five years ago during junior high school.

To manage the condition he takes Depakote which has largely helped keep him seizure free.

However, Sako had two seizures last February when his neurologists took him off the medication to see if the seizures had gone away on their own.

“Epilepsy is something you can grow into, so there’s a chance if you catch it young enough you will outgrow it,” Sako said. “Last year was my first time going off medication and (since) I had a seizure that means it’s (probably) going to be a lifelong thing.”

Sako said that epilepsy really hasn’t affected his life that much.

“It’s really just medical bills and Depakote makes you (kind of) drowsy,” he said. “But, since it’s managed for me, it’s not that disruptive; it doesn’t make my life better or worse.”

Sako has seen epilepsy affect his school work on a few occasions when he had seizures and had to miss

school.

“You chew up your tongue pretty bad (as well) and you can’t talk for a while so that hurts (me in) Spanish,” Sako said.

Warfield said that epilepsy can sometimes make life difficult because it can place some limitations on what students can do.

“You can’t drive (for a certain period of time) after you’ve had a seizure,” Warfied said. “(Although), a lot of kids with seizures are regulated on medication and they do just fine.”

Most people’s initial reaction when they find out Sako has epilepsy is curiosity. Many people have asked him what it feels like to have a seizure. “For me that’s a really annoying question because it’s not really something that can be put into words,” Sako said.

However, Sako tries to be open about his condition.

“If you make it serious it becomes a problem. If you just kind of take it lightly and go with it, it’s no big deal.”

Psychology teacher Natalie Elkin said she thought having any type of illness during the teenage years would be a difficult experience.

“During adolescence fitting in is so crucial that anything that sets us apart or makes us feel different from other people can make it difficult for us to feel a part of something,” Elkin said. “When other people don’t understand what we’re facing or think it’s unusual you’re labeled in a sense.”

This labeling can have many damaging affects and can often make it so people aren’t separated from the conditions they have. “You may (become) the epileptic person instead of the person who has epilepsy,” Elkin said.

It can also be an added stressor in life to manage a health of condition on top of an already difficult load.

“When you have something like a disease or illness where regimen is required that’s another layer of information and regulation you need to keep track of that’s an ongoing thing day in and day out,” Elkin said.

However, Elkin thought that some good can come out of being forced to deal with such serious situations early in life.

“Most teenagers are impulsive and (tend) to think the rules don’t apply to them,” Elkin said. “Kids who deal with illnesses (reach a sense) of maturity earlier because they realize their body isn’t indestructible.

They may find life more precious than other kids their age and have more of a respect for it.”

Continued from page B2 but it’s better than being in an English, history or math class,” Seminer said. “There are (lots of) kids in the class and all of us just work on our debates and speeches together, so it’s really fun.”

The friendships he has developed as a result of the class are somewhat limited, though he is not bothered by it and enjoys the people he has befriended.

“I know a lot of people in the class and I’m friends with a lot of them,” Seminer said. “There are some people that I don’t know as well because they are older than me and have their own circle of friends. There’s no one on the debate team who has no idea who someone on the debate team is.

They have talked to everyone at least once.”

The friendships created through camaraderie between the teammates have been fairly distinct between age groups, where upperclassmen are familiar with others their own age and vice versa.

“The people who have been on the team (longer) have definitely bonded more than some of the newer members,” Nielsen said.

“We do try to get everyone involved and help build those friendships, but there is only so much you can do with 55 people.”

Even with some of the missing intimate connections, the team has been performing well at competitions, and is “on a tear in the state,” according to Nielsen.

“A few years back when we had 14 people on the team, all of them could speak and were all very successful,” he said. “This year, we have about 14 kids who are very

the gazette.

www.granitebaygazette.com

successful. The difference is, we have 55 people in the class, so it leaves a lot of people in the class that pretty much get overlooked.

The success is the same, it’s just not proportionate.”

Both Hollingshead and Nielsen predict another year of outstanding performances, especially from the established veterans, of who most are seniors.

The performances are by no means struggling without having individualized attention and have not gotten any worse; in fact, one could argue the team has become stronger. However, the way experienced members perceive the class has changed.

“As far as team dynamics go, there has been a shift,” Neilsen said. “It has had no impact on the performance of the team, it’s just the unity of the team.”

Friday, December 17, 2010

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Features

B7

WINTER BALL: Seniors and freshmen share their Winter Ball experiences

Continued from page B2 the teddy bear, it asked Scribner to Winter Ball.

Before Winter Ball, Scribner said, “My first feeling of being asked was excitement because I get to go with one of my close friends. I think it’ll be really fun going with all my friends in a group.”

She was most looking forward to the private limo her group of friends rented.

They planned to get ready at Scribner’s house before the dance and hang out afterwards.

Everything was smooth sailing for Scribner, but she learned that in future Winter Ball dances, she would go with a smaller group of people that consisted of only her closest of friends.

Stone asked freshmen Julia Beck by writing on home-made cookies, “Will you go to Winter Ball with me?”

For Stone and his group of friends, they went over to a house that had a large Christmas tree to take pictures in front of and ate dinner. Afterwards, the group went back to Stone’s house for dessert and to relax.

Stone said, “I was expecting Winter Ball to be like all the other dances except more fancier.

I’ve never thought it would be this much fun and it’s probably one of my favorite dances of the year.”

With four years of experience, seniors have gathered up much advice to pass down to the freshmen class of 2014.

Fischer always paints her own nails,

but she does get her hair done. Many girls go to a professional hair salon which may cost them a lot of money, but Fischer goes to Jerry Lee Beauty College, which is located in Rocklin.

The girls that attend and work at the beauty college use their hair styling skills to provide satisfaction for their customers at an affordable price.

For her dress, Fischer usually shops at Macy’s or Nordstrom in order to find cute yet cheap dresses that are in her price range from 50 to 150 dollars.

Hunter has learned that at Winter Ball, you have to behave like a gentleman and treat your date with proper respect.

Back in his freshmen year, he ended up asking his date seemingly late, so he advises to ask earlier because it gives her time to find the perfect dress.

For a place to find a good tuxedo, he recommends going to Douglas Boulevard to buy or rent your own.

Although it was Scribner’s and Stone’s first time at Winter Ball, this is the last year Hunter and Fischer would be attending.

“Go with your friends and have a good time,” Fischer said. “Don’t take it for granted because you don’t have a lot of opportunities to go to them and so definitely go to as many as possible and make the most of your experiences.”

BALLET: Freshman manages the difficult balance between dance and school Continued from page B1 She has danced in five other Capitol Ballet Nutcracker performances and has performed parts ranging from a flower to a party child to a clown.

This role is one of the most demanding because it is done entirely en pointe, meaning that it is performed on the tips of the toes wearing pointe shoes.

They also have an intense practice schedule.

“Rehearsals are six days a week and usually about 24 hours a week,” Howard said. “There’s usually a flat class which is ballet for two hours and then an hour of pointe.”

On top of practicing, Howard also has to balance all of her schoolwork. A few of her fellow dancers are home schooled in order to be able to keep up with the demanding rehearsal schedule, but Howard has managed to make time for both ballet and high school.

T e r i n k e t

a

The final performances are twice on Saturday, Dec. 11 at Delta Center for the Arts in Stockton and once on Saturday Dec. 18 at Sheldon High School in Sacramento.

“I think it’s going to go really well,” Howard said. “Every year they usually draw a crowd of about 800 people.

Even though the company puts on this show every year, Howard said that they are trying to make it better. “(We want to) improve on the partnering and the solos,” Howard said.

Personally, she finds the partnering to be her favorite part of the show.

She really enjoys working with everyone at the company. There is a relatively small number of dancers and they have been together for a long time.

“We’re really close, like family,” Howard said.

Her real family is also behind her 100 percent.

c h e r Gazette photo /DANIEL FLEISCHMAN

BY KEVIN NIELSON

kinielson.gazette@gmail.com

Anyone who has ever had Dale Mortensen for a class, has surely seen many miniature models of all type scattered about the room.

Every semester, Mortensen makes students in his military history class make a miniature model of any military weapon, boat, tank or plane that they want.

Students have four days in class to build and paint the models and the projects range between different levels of difficulty. Students have to choose to make a model with up to, or more than, 50 pieces.

Students in Mortensen’s military history class can purchase kits to make their models anywhere, with projects ranging all over the place in terms of cost.

Because Mortensen can’t keep every project done by a student, he has to be choosy with what projects he keeps.

“Every year we hold a competition in the class and I keep the top five,” Mortensen said.

Because some kids who don’t want their models and

just leave them with Mortensen, it has only taken him two years to gather the wide variety of models he has in his class.

The idea for the project wasn’t Mortensen’s. Instead, the project was a creation of the military history teacher Mortensen took over for.

“When I first took over students said this was their favorite project so I kept it,” Mortensen said.

However, Mortensen did make one small change by having students write a report on their model item.

Mortensen said that he enjoyed the hands-on experience and that it was a good change from a classic learning experience.

Over the years he has seen many unique models come into his classroom.

His favorite one is an aircraft carrier that came complete with moving parts and miniature planes on the deck.

“My parents (are behind my success) because they pushed me to do this, and my directors (are also),” she said.

“I watched her since she was really little,” said Howard’s sister and senior Rebecca Howard. “It’s really cool…to see her go from a bunch of kids doing the exact same thing to having the lead role in The Nutcracker.”

As for the future, Howard has been looking ahead.

“I want to do dance in college…wherever I end up,” she said. “(It) depends on how much effort she wants to put in during high school,” Rebecca said.

As for her dream performance, Howard said she would like to do any famous show.

“Something in the New York City Ballet,” she said.

Her friends and family would agree that she definitely has the talent.

College of the Month: University of Southern California Who: 17,500 undergraduate students and 19,500 graduate and professional students Where: The heart of Los Angeles’ Downtown Arts and Education corridor Tuition and Fee Cost: $41,022 Acceptance Rate: 24% U.S. News Ranking: 23rd Athletics: The USC Trojans wUSC has 19 varsity teams and 91 NCAA Championships, the third most in the nation trailing UCLA and Stanford. wUSC has 358 individual championships between the men’s and women’s teams, trailing only Stanford.

Mascot: wTraveler, a white Andalusian horse is the official mascot of USC. wTommy Trojan is a bronze statue of a model Trojan warrior who is commonly mistaken as the mascot.

Academics: wThe USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences is the largest in the university, encompassing more than 130 undergradu-

ate majors and roughly half of all undergraduate students. wThe School of Cinematic Arts is the oldest and is one of the most revered in the country with notable alum George Lucas. wUSC offers 17 professional schools ranging from accounting to gerontology to theatre.

Fun Facts: wIn the architecture of the Gwynn Wilson Student Union building, there is an engraving of a monkey thumbing its nose at the engraving of former USC Chancellor Rufus B. Von KleinSmid. wBecause of the schools’ proximity to Hollywood, many movie directors use the campus for filming. Recent movies include Legally Blonde, Old School and Forest Gump.

–compiled by Christine Zavesky

Friday, December 17, 2010

B8 Lifestyle

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Following six seniors through the college application process

BY ALISON SALE and SHANNON CARROLL

asale.gazette@gmail.com w scarroll.gazette@gmail.com

Issue 6 of 2011: Where did they get accepted?

This issue: Progress after applying

Issue 8 of 2011: Are they prepared?

Finish

On the road to success

Issue 2 of 2011: Where are they now?

Jade Huang

Amy Jahr

Jimmy Jack

Jade Huang has a passion for keyboards – on the grand piano and on the computer. On a typical day, she returns home from school for two hours of schoolwork, followed by dinner and four hours of piano practice.

Her dream is to pursue her passion for music and computer science at Columbia University and Julliard with the Columbia-Julliard exchange program, which allows students to complete their academic degree at Columbia in four years while participating in music lessons at Julliard, and then focus on music for a fifth year at Julliard to earn a Masters of Music degree.

“I’m definitely not going to be a performing artist because it’s so hard to make a living off of,” Huang admitted. But with the option to double major, she can still continue to hone her talent at a well-known conservatory while pursuing an academic degree.

She also applied to Stanford, Yale, Harvard (paired with the New England Conservatory,) Barnard College (paired with the Manhattan School of Music,) Johns Hopkins University (paired with the Peabody Conservatory,) and others.

She was required to send in an audition tape to each school with recordings of specified piano pieces, some which she learned a few years ago and just brushed up on before recording. She began recording for these audition tapes about a year ago, and continued to do so through Thanksgiving break.

But what does she want to do with her academic degree, computer science? “I don’t know,” Huang joked. “I haven’t done a lot of computer science, but I just really like computers and technology, so I figured it would be fun to make software. It’s a promising field.”

Amy Jahr is looking to combine two of her favorite things in a college degree: biology and engineering.

She has endured through several feet surgeries and met with many doctors – some of which who haven’t been the most exciting scalpels in the medical cabinet – which inspired her to help others.

“I want to be a doctor because I want to be able to share my knowledge in a fun and engaging way,” Jahr said. “I have one doctor who is very matter-of-fact, and I don’t like him.”

She knows she wants to enter a field related to health and medicine, but seeing as she can be “a bit squeamish,” she’s not sure if she will become a true doctor and “actually cut people open.”

But she discovered a solution to the problem: biomedical engineering.

“It’s a big, fuzzy field (that encompasses) anything from designing pharmaceuticals and ways to get drugs into the body, to designing prosthetics, heart pumps and other devices that doctors use,” Jahr explained. “It’s kind of the other side of medicine.”

Jahr is applying to six schools: Oregon State University; Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; UC Davis, San Diego, Irvine and Riverside.

But it’s always been her dream to attend UC Davis.

“When I was in fourth grade, I decided I wanted to go to UC Davis because their mascot is a horse – it was my favorite mascot at the time, and probably still is,” Jahr said.

Davis also happens to have a diverse biomedical and biochemical engineering program, which perfectly suits Jahr’s needs, along with their large campus complete with plenty of trees to ensure that she isn’t in the middle of a big city.

Jimmy Jack has always loved cameras. Being behind the camera, that is. He has taken the media class at the high school since his freshman year and wants to pursue the film field, preferably as a screenwriter or director.

Jack has applied to 20 schools, all in California, in an attempt to get as many options as possible. That’s not to say he doesn’t have an idea of where he wants to go if he had his choice. His dream is to attend Chapman University or the University of Southern California where he wants to jump into the film programs after a semester ot two, even up to a year.

Because media doesn’t count as a college prep class, Jack has had to take three online courses his college counselor recommended to make himself more competitive in the college process.

“I’m nervous and stressed,” Jack said. “It’s hard making these decisions because this really will shape the rest of my life.”

Jack is just thankful he has a college counselor to help him through the process because he feels that without his counselor, things would be more hectic.

Although he has played baseball since he was a little kid and was on the varsity team last year, Jack isn’t really interested in schools solely to play baseball. “ I should have emailed more coaches,” Jack admitted. “My family and I are new at this whole process so I didn’t know what to do.”

Even though baseball won’t be the reason he goes to a school, it’s been such a big part of his life for so long that he would love to join a team and see where the sport takes him.

Jack added, “I just want to be done with high school and see what happens with the rest of my life.”

Lucas Schorer Chelsea Schifferle

There comes a time period where every little kid wants to be a soccer player. Very few want to be a soccer playing aerospace engineer – and Lucas Schorer is one of those few.

Schorer hopes to pursue his dream at any of 15 schools, mainly concentrated in California but also ranging from Colorado to Washington to Arizona.

His dream school is UC Berkeley, but he doesn’t feel like his grades are good enough to get him in. A more realistic school for him would be Cal Poly, a great school for engineering where he would be able to pursue his interests in aerospace engineering and in soccer.

“I’m talking to Cal Poly for soccer right now,” Schorer said. “I’m trying to decide whether I can commit or if I just want to focus on engineering and maybe play soccer later.”

His brother Nate went to UC Davis on a soccer scholarship and although Lucas could probably follow in his footsteps, he decided to carve his own path.

Schorer is another student who has found that having a college counselor has helped him a lot.

“It took a lot of stress off of me,” Schorer said. “Almost all my friends are freaking out because of their applications but I can just laugh at them because (my counselor) did a really good job of spacing everything out.”

His advice to others is to start the college process early and not get “slammed” by waiting to the last minute. That way you can focus on that last little bit of school and enjoy it.

Many little kids decide they want to be a doctor when they grow up but few people come to this conclusion the way Chelsea Schifferle did. When she was little, Schifferle was diagnosed with multiple osteochondromatosis, a condition where she had bone tumors all over her body. She had to have multiple surgeries, leading to her interest in the medical field, namely as an orthopedic surgeon.

She also loves challenges and decided to apply to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, where she feels the disciplined and demanding environment will suit her. After college, she wants to serve as an officer in the medical corps, helping those who need it.

Applying for the Naval Academy is a different process than most other colleges require. As part of a long and complicated process, Schifferle has to get a nomination from a senator or a congressman, pass a medical examination and fitness assessment and get an interview with a blue and gold officer, a retired naval officer who has volunteered to help talk to potential recruits.

Luckily, Schifferle is already on her way to reaching her goal by receiving a Letter of Assurance which states that as long as she is physically and mentally qualified for the grueling atmosphere at the Naval Academy, she is guaranteed admission.

“It definitely makes the process easier,” Schifferle said. “Getting the letter has taken a lot of stress off my back and let me breathe.”

Now she just has to focus on getting through the rest of the school year and can look forward to what her future holds.

“It’s a great school,” Schifferle said. “It’s just not for everyone.”

Dalton King It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s – a court lawyer armed with a bass guitar?

Dalton King considers himself to be an “idealist.” He wants to make his mark on the world, whether that means pursuing a career as a courtcase lawyer and doing what he loves – arguing – or following his lifelong dream to be musician.

He hopes on pursuing these dreams at UC Berkeley or UC Santa Barbara, where he applied as undeclared to the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. He wants to explore his options within political science, Pre-Law and music, in addition to seeking advice from professionals before he declares his major. He also applied to five other University of California schools as back-up schools: Davis, Irvine, Merced, Riverside and Santa Cruz King contributes his idealist mind set to his unique upbringing – he was home schooled in order to better prepare him for the future with a more personalized education until his first day of freshman year at Granite Bay High School.

King’s involvement in the Speech and Debate team also influenced his decision to pursue political science or Pre-Law because it affected his reasoning, the way he views the world and the way he gathers information. He also plans to pursue his interest in poetry in college – he wants to continue to write poetry for his blog, as he considers himself a freelance writer.

King admitted to staying up until 5:30 a.m. the day before the UC applications were due, because he heard warnings that the online system may shut down the night before applications were due.

His advice to prevent this mistake in the future? “Start early.” He found that inputting grades into the online application was time consuming and tedious, and after this busy work was completed, he stayed up until the last minute perfecting his essays.

Gazette photos /MAGGIE LOUIS

Sports

Granite Bay Gazette

C Section

Friday w December 17, 2010

Lighting up the slopes

Commentary

Night skiing attracts nocturnal alpine enthusiasts

BY ADAM TILFORD

atilford.gazette@gmail.com

slater mclaughlin rmclaughlin.gazette@gmail.com

Professional sports make me feel old

J

uan Agudelo is the name of the man who finally killed my childhood sports dreams.

I use the term ‘man’ loosely, as he was only 17 when he did so.

Most of you probably do not know who Juan Agudelo is or how he could have broken my dreams, but these questions will be answered in due time.

Growing up as a kid, I always imagined that maybe I could someday be a professional athlete.

They are so romanticized and idolized.

They have so much fame and fortune, all for doing something so enjoyable as playing a sport.

Who wouldn’t want that as a job?

I played catch with my friends and imagined myself to be Kurt Warner, pretended to be Peja Stojakovic on the basketball court and tried to pitch like Randy Johnson.

Even until midway through this November I tried to kick the ball around like soccer star Fernando Torres from the Spanish national team and Liverpool FC. But then Juan Agudelo entered my life.

The day was November 17, 2010 and I was watching the US men’s national soccer team play against South Africa in an international friendly match on ESPN. It was a fairly uneventful match until a 17-year-old substitute came in and scored what would be the game winning goal for the US team.

That 17-year-old kid was Juan Agudelo.

Why was this so heartbreaking?

The reason is that I am older than Agudelo. By a full 24 days.

That means any scant hope I was clinging on to that I could somehow be in his shoes, garnering glory on an international stage, was dead.

It was foolish, but every time I tuned in and watched a baseball or soccer or football game there was still some chance that I could in someway be in those athletes shoes.

I had an excuse; they were older than me.

Sure, there were warning signs, seeing 20 to 23-year-old athletes in the elite leagues of baseball, basketball and Formula 1 racing was cutting down my hope, but I could still be them someday, I had several years to get there.

Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner still had the dignity to be older than me. So did Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton.

But Juan Agudelo didn’t care that I was older than him.

He didn’t care that he was stripping me from my one last, daft, asinine excuse for not being a professional athlete.

As an 18-year-old there should be very few things that make me feel old, because I’m not. But Juan Agudelo is one of them.

And he has made me realize that I should just pack up my bags and leave playing sports to the youthful. *** R. Slater McLaughlin, a senior, is a Gazette sports co-editor.

Now that winter is in full swing, the weather is pushing a lot of people indoors for their nightly entertainment. However, for an outdoor alternative, Boreal and Squaw Valley resorts offer night skiing and riding opportunities.

Seven days a week, both resorts are open for business at night at very affordable prices.

At Squaw Valley, tickets are only $15 for ages 13 to 18, and just over $20 for adults over 18. At Boreal tickets are $25 for ages 13 and up.

When compared to daily prices that run anywhere from $50 to $90, night riding options can be very appealing to some people.

It’s also great for people that don’t have time to go skiing or snowboarding during the day.

“(If) you’re stuck working a nine to five you don’t get as much time to ski as you might like to,” Jon Slaughter, the Marketing Director for Boreal, said. “Night riding gives you that option to still get your ski days in. You’re just doing it at night.”

Slaughter also said to ignore the common misconception that conditions are always icy and not very good at night.

“Night skiing and riding is more affordable than riding during the day and can be just as fun,” Slaughter said.

Students at Granite Bay High School can also attest to the quality of night skiing and riding.

“Even if you have been skiing before, you really need the experience of going night skiing,” Clare Carroll, a freshman, said.

“It’s one of the best experiences of skiing you’ll ever have.”

Chad Alvarez, a junior, said that night riding is simply one of those things that have to be tried by every snow-sport enthusiast. “(There’s) nothing better than snowboarding in Tahoe at night,” Alvarez said.

The additional challenges created by night are not bad at all, according to Slaughter.

“If it is warmer and above freezing during the day, then at night generally it’s going to be freezing and you’re going to experience icier conditions,” he said. “But I wouldn’t consider that more dangerous. It’s just something you need to prepare yourself for and expect when you’re getting on the mountain.”

However, the conditions do not require an excessive amount of preparation for one to be safe.

“The snow will be harder packed or icy and you have to wear lightly

Squaw Valley Resort Photo /TOM DAY

The main trail is lit for night skiing at Squaw Valley USA resort tinted lenses or no goggles at all to make it easier to see,” Alvarez said.

The sport is dangerous no matter what, but as long as one has common sense and knows what he or she is doing then it’s safe, according to senior Lucas Schorer.

Even if one doesn’t have common sense, ski patrol is there to ensure everyone is safe.

“Ski patrol is constantly monitoring skier traffic and making sure that people are using the mountain responsibly,”

Slaughter said. “We have rope lines, we have signage, and everything like that to inform people of where these ski-line boundaries are.”

Thanks to these precautions, people generally feel very safe on the mountain at night.

Even ski racing at night is welllit and easy to see all the gates, Carroll said. When it comes to available terrain, both Boreal and Squaw Valley have something great to offer.

See NIGHT, page C5

Unusual sports balance athleticism, creativity

GBHS students find original fun

BY SAMANTHA SPARGO sspargo.gazette@gmail.com

Gazette photo /MAGGIE LOUIS

GBHS senior Clarke Stevenson tests his balance and coordination as he slacklines, an alternative sport practiced at GBHS

‘The Tribe’ is basketball ready

Senior Ethan Mendoza cheers at the Granite Bay vs.

Vista Del Lago basketball game with The Tribe

GBHS spirit group prepared to have a positive cheering season

BY KELSEY KNORP

Gazette photo /

kknorp.gazette@gmail.com

After the tribal contentions of the Granite Bay High School 2010 football season, during which lines were drawn, restrictions were made, and innocent motives were questioned, many students feared a possible demise of the tribe and the diminishing of sports-related displays of spirit.

Despite the turmoil, the spirit group has managed to stay active with “The Tribe” t-shirts, the media class’s tribal bulletin advertisement and continually active posts from the online “GBHS Tribe” Facebook.

Their Facebook page, which currently has over 200 fans, is periodically updated with Tribe activity and commends the successful GBHS athletic teams.

The Tribe is beginning to make what it hopes to be a successful transition to basketball season, complete with new leaders and new precautionary guidelines, unique to the much more enclosed features of a basketball gymnasium.

On Nov. 2, five seniors chosen by the administration convened along with students from other schools in the district to discuss proper conduct as spectators at basketball games.

Representatives for GBHS were Ethan Mendoza, Lucas Schorer, Steven Hulse, Grant Dechert, and Bobby Stuckey.

While the main goal of the meeting was to prevent

FRANKLIN ZHUANG

the occurrence of some behavior from the ‘09-‘10 basketball season that was viewed as inappropriate, these existing concerns were presumably not soothed after the Tribe’s original relationship with the administration.

“They had issues with the crowds last year,” Hulse said. “Concerns were mainly with the crowd-tocrowd taunting.”

This taunting, as well as a few other minor issues, apparently led to a more serious incident.

“They had problems with fans [who went] against each other,” Stuckey said. “There was a big fight with Rocklin and Oakmont.”

Clear limits were set on displays of spirit in order to avoid any further problems this season and keep all cheering appropriate.

See TRIBE, page C5

Granite Bay High School senior Clarke Stevenson slacklines in his spare time. Senior Elliot Adams Hacky Sacks with his friends. Junior Chad Alvarez shreds down streets on his Freebord.

If some of these activities sound a little unorthodox, it’s because they are.

While some GBHS students are playing soccer or shooting hoops, others are practicing sports of which some have never heard.

Take Stevenson for example, who has been slacklining for about a year, ever since his friend’s older brother moved off to college and left his slackline for Tilford and his friends to use.

An onlooker watching Stevenson slacklining would compare it to tightrope walking.

Though their end goals are both identical, to balance on a line and eventually make it to the other side, the two are not actually the same.

Slackliners do not use the same line as See OBSCURE SPORTS, page C5

Trap shooting team on target for GBHS

Young club finds tournament success and support from students and principal

BY MATT VENEMAN

mveneman.gazette@gmail.com

Ready, aim, fire. These words have become second nature to members of Granite Bay High School’s trap shooting team.

Many students probably don’t even know that GBHS has a trap team, let alone know what trap shooting is.

Trap shooting is sport in which the goal is to shoot flying clay targets (called pigeons) with a shotgun.

The team was founded two years ago by graduate Andrew Borjon and since its founding, has grown each year. The team had about 13 members last year and has around 20 this year.

“Once we got started and got some key people in there that really wanted to do it and loved doing it, things really took off,” GBHS biology teacher and team advisor Scott Braly said.

There are two parts to the team.

The first part is the club team in the fall, which later turns into the

competitive team in the spring.

In the fall, when shooting for the club team, the members go out about once per month, but in the spring when the competitive season begins, the members have practice once a week, usually after school.

But before a student ever sets foot at the range, they must get legal papers signed by their guardian.

Because Woodcreek High School initially set up the first trap shooting team in the district and went through the entire approval process, the procedure for new teams and new members are relatively simple.

“Now schools in the district just need to follow the proper procedures and rules of safety and they can offer the club on their campus thanks to the efforts of the founding people at Woodcreek,” Braly said.

Above all, the main focus is safety.

See SHOOTING, page C5

inside sports

C2

Athlete of the Month

C3

Rising Star

C4

Grizz Quiz

Connor Hallisey GBHS senior travels to Israel to play for US under18 national soccer team

Playoff Wrap-Up Grizzly sports continue excellence in SFL and beyond

Devin Davis Elite level skier balances school with slopes

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C2 Sports

Friday, December 17, 2010

Soccer senior scores on the national stage

FAST FACTS Connor Hallisey wFour year varsity player for Granite Bay High School under coach Steve Fischer wGBHS career goals: 45 wGBHS career assists: 36 wCurrent member of the California Development Academy

Connor Hallisey called up to the U-18 men’s team rmclaughlin@gmail.com

Simply looking at a stat sheet about Connor Hallisey is impressive. The Granite Bay High School senior scored 25 goals and earned a school record 20 assists in his last season as a Grizzly, and he is now one of 20 players representing the United States under-18 men’s national soccer team on an international stage in TelAviv, Israel.

It’s no surprise that Hallisey is now a record holder for assists – with even the most pedestrian interaction with him his humility and poise become apparent, proving that his stats are far from his most impressive features. “(Hallisey is) obviously an incredible team player (and) he does a really good job moving the ball around,” senior and teammate Connor Puhala said.

Puhala, who has played with Hallisey for several years on the high school level, lauded both Hallisey’s quality as a player and a teammate mentioning how he is always upbeat and excited for every game, especially impressive considering his high school duties are the least critical to his future.

Hallisey’s road to the international stage had modest beginnings. “(I started playing soccer) mostly to be with friends,” Hallisey said. “I just enjoyed playing. I wasn’t serious about it at first.”

What started as a fun social pastime became a passion for Hallisey, and he set escalating goals for himself.

“At first my

GBHS senior soccer player Connor Hallisey was selected, along with 20 other players, to be a member of the U.S. men’s national soccer team that will be playing in Israel.

Gazette photo /Maggie Louis

Kings are not so royal on the court Despite disappointing losses, loyal fans still attend games

BY ALLIE BURGER

aburger.gazette@gmail.com

Performing less than royally for over the last five years, the Sacramento Kings team name is almost a misnomer.

Even though the team has managed to build a lineup full of potential with rookie player DeMarcus Cousins and last year’s Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans, the young talent has not performed to the level the organization or the fans have hoped for.

“So far it has been a pretty disappointing season. A lot of their younger players, especially Tyreke Evans, aren’t coming along as well as I’ve hoped as a Kings fan. But hopefully they’ll pick it up,” Granite Bay High School senior Thomas Taylor said.

Evans is currently hurt with plantar fasciitis, but is continuing to play in games until further notice. If he is too hurt to play, his absence from the games could greatly affect the outcome of the team’s season.

Overall, the Kings have not been doing as well as expected. Losing nine out of the last ten games, the team has an overall record of 5–16, as of Dec. 13, ranking last in both the NBA and the Western Conference.

“It’s been kind of a disappointment to watch them

lose this many games because they’ve had a pretty easy schedule,” senior Andrew Wilson said, “They’ll be lucky to make the eight seed at this point.”

However, even though the team’s scores are so low, they are sixth overall in the NBA for the highest number of total rebounds for the season so far, giving hope to fans that maybe the 2010-11season will turn around.

Despite the continuous losing of the Kings, students are still attending the games at Arco Arena.

“I have season tickets and have been to probably five games this year,” senior Matt Tally said, “but the Kings poor performance affects how often I actually want to go.”

Like Tally, the number of Kings fans attending games in the past few seasons has decreased drastically.

“Not as many people show up and they aren’t into the games as much. It’s not an exciting atmosphere when the team isn’t doing as well,” Tally said. “Sometimes the stadium is only half or three-quarters of the way full. The games aren’t as intense as they used to be.”

Because the atmosphere has changed, making the games less exciting than they used to be, ticket holders have become more apt to try to sell their tickets. One of the best ways to do this has been through StubHub. com.

StubHub.com is a ticket website which allows people who don’t want their tickets to try to sell them and allows those who want to go to games buy tickets

Jacob Keys Boys’ Basketball

Alexa Wolf Girls’ Basketball

goal was a scholarship,” Hallisey said. “Once I got the scholarship my next goal was to be on the national team. (When) you get the chances it’s such a big honor to be able to (take advantage of them). I strive for that.”

Hallisey now has the opportunity to represent his country against the U-18 teams of perennial soccer powerhouses France and Germany, and a competent host team in Israel.

Over Thanksgiving break, Hallisey made the cut as one of 20 athletes chosen to go to Israel after a training camp sponsored by the national team at the Home Depot Center, home to the LA Galaxy and greats such as David Beckham and Landon Donovan.

The national and collegiate spotlight was turned on Hallisey once he began playing for the elite California Development Academy, which competes as part of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy with other teams from California and across the nation. “(The CDA) is a narrowed down, all-star comp team,” GBHS varsity boys’ soccer coach Steve Fischer said. “(They are) another notch above.”

“The academy has been huge (for me),” Hallisey said. “It has brought me forward as a player and changed everything for me. I wasn’t even being talked to by colleges until I joined the academy.”

In addition to the national team, Hallisey has also caught the attention of University of California Berkeley, where he has earned a soccer scholarship.

The Berkeley side will be strengthened by more than just Hallisey’s many physical talents.

“He brought some quiet leadership,” Fischer said. “Connor is not a very verbal guy, especially on the field, but he brings a leadership that other players respect and enjoy.”

The quiet but confident demeanor he possesses is made even more unique by the fact that he is left–footed, which is a virtue because of its rarity.

His talent and personality are also backed by an excellent work ethic, which both teammates and coaches alike compliment.

Fischer mentions that Hallisey would often beat him to practice and arrive a half hour or more early, and be constantly improving his skills, which, according to Fischer, proves his dedication to the sport.

When asked about possibly playing in the 2014 FIFA World cup in Brazil or the 2018 Cup in Russia, Hallisey was his usual, unnecessarily – humble self.

“Of course it’s a dream, but I’m not getting too excited about it,” Hallisey said. “Everything can change. (Being on the U-18 team) doesn’t mean anything for sure. It’s just a one time thing.”

for less.

Using StubHub.com can be a great opportunity for students to go to Kings games because it allows them to see the Kings in a price range that they are willing to pay and they often have the ability to purchase tickets less than a day in advance.

Taylor, Wilson, Tally, and a group of their friends have been to a few games through StubHub.com this year, and have had nothing but a great experience.

“We went to one or two games when they were still doing pretty well and even when they lost the games were still fun,” Thomas said. “If you have nothing to do, the tickets are not very expensive and it is fun to go if you like sports.”

The group spent about eight dollars per game on tickets that at market price cost over twenty dollars each. Better seats are more expensive, but are also less than face value.

Even those who are no longer big fans of the Kings go to the games just to enjoy the basketball atmosphere.

Whether a Kings fan, a basketball fan, or lover of a good time, going to Kings games this season are a great form of inexpensive entertainment.

“Sometimes it’s just fun to see the other team because

Adam Wagner Wrestling

Gazette photo illustration/ALISON SALE

BY R. SLATER MCLAUGHLIN

Compiled by Maxpreps.com

Grizz Quiz

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Gazette photo illustrations/ALISON SALE

they have some star players. One time a guy on the other team scored about forty points—which was exciting to see even if the Kings didn’t do well,” Wilson said.

Maria Dela Cruz Girls’ Basketball

Ryan Ramirez Boys’ Basketball

Which shoe do you tie first?

Left

Left

Left

I have Velcro shoes

Right

What is your favorite animal?

Cat

Wolf

Dog

Puppy Dog

Dog

What was the last concert you went to?

R. Kelly

Rascal Flatts

I’ve never been to a concert

Rascal Flatts

R. Kelly

What was the name of your first pet?

Bo

Sable

Katie

Lady

Lomen

Would you rather go bungee jumping or sky diving?

Bungee jumping

Sky diving

Sky diving

Neither, horseback riding

Sky diving Compiled by Laura Preston

Friday, December 17, 2010

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Sports C3

Fall sports teams rake in championships Season ends in success for girls’ cross country, tennis, boys’ soccer

BY KYLE PAWLAK

team participated in the Masters Golf Tournament, taking fifth place.

kpawlak.gazette@gmail.com

Boys’ Soccer The Granite Bay High School boys’ varsity soccer team has continued its dominant season into the playoffs, winning the Division II section title 4-0 over Bella Vista in the final. With this win, the team capped off an undefeated season in which they tied just twice.

“Going into it we knew we had some competition with Rocklin High School, but we knew we had a chance if we could stay focused,” senior Connor Puhala said.

Boys’ Water Polo The boys’ water polo team, undefeated in the SFL, made it through three rounds of the Div. II Sectional tournament before falling in the finals.

“We lost to Rio Americano in the final.

It was one of our few losses this year,” junior Scott Gaebler said.

The team was undefeated in league play, and lost only twice outside of league.

Girls’ Volleyball The girls’ varsity volleyball team moved to Division I this season, while continuing to play in the SFL league. As a result, the competition was much tougher to reach the sectional tournament, and the girls did not do so.

Girls’ Golf The girls’ golf team finished second in the SFL this year, and advanced into the playoff tournament, and made a run to the finals of the Div. II sectional golf tournament before losing.

Sophomore Paige Lee placed fourth in the State Golf Tournament, and the entire

Cross Country The girls’ cross country team excelled in the postseason, placing first in league finals, subsections, and the section meet.

Following sections, they advanced to the state meet and placed seventh as a team, led by freshman Clare Carroll’s second place finish and senior Brooke Holt’s twelfth place finish.

The boys’ team finished fifth in the SFL league finals, but elected not to continue to subsections with the full team.

Instead only a few individuals went, including sophomore Trent Brendel, who took second in both subsections and sections, and advanced to the state meet.

“Getting to compete in the state meet as a sophomore was a great experience for me,” Brendel said.

Football The Grizzlies tied for first place in the SFL, beat Pitman 35-19 in the first round of the playoffs and Enochs 33-10 in the second round, before falling to Monterey Trail 22-17 in the third round of the Div. I playoffs.

“We were disappointed that we lost, but happy knowing that we did everything we could,” senior Ethan Mendoza said.

Gazette photo /MAGGIE LOUIS

Girls’ Tennis The varsity girls’ tennis team won first place in the league and cruised through the section tournament, winning 9-0 in the final over Bella Vista. This was their fourth straight section title.

Going into the final, the girls were a concerned about their opponent.

“We were a little bit nervous because

GBHS senior Mitchell Kobayashi looks to pass the ball during the boys’ section final game against Rio Americano High School. The Grizzlies kept the game close, but eventually fell to the Raiders by a small margin of 8-6.

Bella Vista beat Del Oro, our rival, and we have played them the last several years in the final,” senior Amy Jahr said. “It was a little nerve-wracking playing a new team”.

The girls proceeded to the Norcal tournament, where they lost in the first round

to Monta Vista High School of Cupertino.

Girls’ Water Polo The girls’ water polo team won the SFL league title again this year. They then made it to section finals, beating Woodcreek High School in the semifinals by a

large margin, before losing to Rio Americano in the final. Rio Americano has won the section title nine years in a row.

“We played cohesively as a team, and I’m very proud of how far we’ve come, but our shots just wouldn’t go in,” junior Rebecca Schmidt said.

Conflicting seasons force tough choice for athletes Winter, spring season sports present problems for those who wish to participate in multiple sports

BY KEVIN NIELSEN

knielsen.gazette@gmail.com

Every year Granite Bay High School athletes face problems with colliding schedules from sport to sport.

Many athletes who play more than one high school sport have to deal with their first sport interfering with their second one.

Whether it is football conflicting with basketball or wrestling or athletes having to choose between tennis and track, multiple sport athletes face a problem every year trying to balance their sports.

This year, many football athletes had to cut their winter sports season short due to the fact that the team made it into the playoffs.

For wrestling and basketball, long fall seasons cause problems with tryouts that can cut each athlete’s season short.

“There was a little bit of a (crossover) from football to wrestling of about two weeks,” junior Connor Guzman said.

Missing the first two weeks of any sports season causes many problems for both athletes and coaches.

Coaches for wrestling allow incoming football play-

ers to take a week off to recover and come back healthy and ready to wrestle. On the other hand, some athletes choose to go straight into the new winter season.

“I go straight into wrestling because I have to lose weight from football,” Guzman said.

Wrestlers face a unique problem from these scheduling conflicts because they suddenly have to lose weight.

During the football season the athletes consume more calories than they usually would in order to build muscle and gain weight, but when wrestling season comes around football players who made the transition have to lose the extra weight. Guzman loses about twenty pounds every wrestling season.

“In wrestling we stop eating as much and don’t lift weights as much, but instead (we) run more,” Guzman said.

For freshman and junior varsity basketball, the coaches hold late tryouts for athletes coming from other sports.

For varsity however, the transitional athletes automatically get on the team if they practiced in the summer league and were a good player and teammate. “(The coaches) judge you during summer and on

ATHLETE OF THE MONTH Julia Eckardt

BY STEPHANIE SHAULL sshaull.gazette@gmail.com

Granite Bay High School junior Julia Eckardt came all the way to California from her native Germany and has found a new hobby in basketball.

Eckardt is studying at GBHS as a foreign exchange student and has enjoyed being in the United States thus far, but has chosen to participate in a sport to fill her spare time.

Eckardt had never played basketball before coming to GBHS, making it a new experience.

In Germany, not only are the schools different, but athletic teams are as well.

“My school is small, only 700 people. There are not many teams and they only practice once a week with one competiGazette photo /FRANKLIN ZHUANG tion,” Eckardt said. GBHS junior Julia Eckardt has been playing varsity basketAlthough she is inexperiball since coming to GBHS from Germany and has enjoyed it. enced in the world of sports, her having plenty of fun in the “We have a lot of spirit and fun. attitude has really helped her process.

All the girls are really nice and progress in her abilities.

“She helps the team rememeven though the practices are “She brings a new energy (to ber the joy of the game and hard we all have fun.” Eckardt the team). It’s all new for her they enjoy seeing her succeed,” said. and learning to play the game,” Triebwasser said.

Though their season is just Melissa Triebwasser, the GBHS Eckardt has embraced her beginning, players are making varsity coach said. change of scenery and she is their mark on the team and EckEckardt has been diligently enjoying everything about her ardt is definitely one of them. learning the plays, but has been new hobby.

your work ethic,” junior Koki Arai said.

“It disappoints me that I can’t do both sports,” Liu This benefits varsity athletes because they can take a said. “It impedes on my ability to try other sports and break and don’t have to worry about trying out. forces me to choose.”

The major problem with basketball is that the farther There is no easy way to fix the scheduling problem, the football team advances into but there are ways to improve it. the playoffs, the more those “I think coaches could put pracfootball players miss. tices at different times to make it so I think people This means players could miss athletes can do multiple sports,” Liu their first basketball games and said. should be allowed to tournaments, which puts the In the case of sports going on at participate in mulwhole team at a disadvantage. the same time, coaches could also tiple sports because Like wrestlers, basketball allow athletes to compete in both players need to change their fitsports. However, this could bring up some athletes want ness level as well. many problems, including conflicting to challenge them“(We) have to be quicker and league games and there is a greater lose weight from football,” Arai chance of injury if athletes overwork selves said. themselves.

Athletes in the spring who Despite these setbacks many – Dan Liu, senior multiwish to compete in different athletes think competing in multiple sports are also forced to choose sports at the same time isn’t a bad sport athlete which sport they will compete thing. in.

“I think people should be allowed “I wanted to do tennis and to participate in multiple sports betrack but I don’t think that it will work out” senior Dan cause some athletes want to challenge themselves even Liu said. more,” Liu said.

Due to the fact that spring holds the majority of Overall, this is a repeating problem from year to year sports, many athletes during this season are forced to that many GBHS athletes are forced to deal with. make a critical decision and decide which sport they “If you are a multiple sport athlete then you just have will compete in. to deal with it,” Guzman said.

Unsung heroes recognized Defense often loses limelight to offensive teammates

BY STEPHANIE SHAULL sshaull.gazette@gmail.com

In sports, the word “team” often gets forgotten. It’s either offense or defense that gets the credit.

When a big play is made by the offense, the defense is left in the dust wondering how they are overshadowed and why people don’t cheer for them as much.

“It all depends, offense is almost always put above us,” Granite Bay High School linebacker Andrew Wright said.

Senior football player Ryan Williams feels the same way about defensive credit.

“All the press goes to the offense, so defense doesn’t usually feel appreciated,” Williams said.

When a good play is made by the defense, offense comes in with a more impressive one that steals the attention from defense.

“I think that most credit goes to the offense. Most of the time, defense is not as appreciated as offense,” senior outside linebacker Drake Smalley said.

How much credit that is given also depends on the show that each part of the team presents, coaches and the fans.

The sport can be offense or defense based and rarely about both.

Though it is supposed to be how a team accomplished or fell short of its goal to win, there is often a lack of team congratulations regardless of how well or poorly defense or offense operated their plays.

Football and soccer, two very different sports, create a contrast in how recognition is seen.

Senior soccer player Lucas Schorer, finds that defensive players are recognized in a different way than football players.

“I feel like when you just consider the fans then the offense gets most the credit because obviously its much more entertaining to watch, but within the soccer team the defense certainly gets credit and is appreciated,” Schorer said.

Football and soccer, being two completely different sports, also have different views on how much

credit goes out to teammates and their positions.

However, in contrast to football, defensive players in soccer are still recognized with nearly as much credit as their offensive teammates.

“Offense always gets the glory.

Our defense understands their role. They’ve grown up playing defense and they know that they won’t always get their names in the paper, but they understand how important and how good they are,” varsity coach Steve Fischer said.

Though the recognition wasn’t equal, the soccer team acted as one and knew each others strengths as a team and program.

“Our forwards and midfielders also know how good the defense is, and they say so...frequently right to the players themselves,” Fischer said.

Though offense and defense are rarely equally recognized, teams all over the country including are making records and becoming champions.

C4 Sports

Friday, December 17, 2010

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Davis skis his way down, rises to elite status Hectic lifestyle brings hope of long-term rewards

BY ARI BLACK

ablack.gazette@gmail.com

At only 2 years old, Granite Bay High School junior Devin Davis was ready to ride his way into a future dedicated to professional skiing.

With time, skiing has caused more and more impact to his every day life.

“It has become my life and how I express myself.

Without it, I would not be the person I am today,” Davis said.

Davis loves a variety of resorts and has conquered many around the country and the world, but Sugar Bowl Ski Resort in Tahoe is his favorite.

“It’s where I put all my blood, runny noses, and tears in,” Davis said.

The weather at Sugar Bowl also has many advantages over other resorts in the area.

“The clouds tend to not want to drop off Donner Summit, (the circle above Sugar Bowl), giving it the best quality of snow,” Davis said.

Like other professional skiers, Devin has worked, and is continuing to work his way up through the skiing challenges ahead of him. His age does not hold him back from adventuring and giving the sport his all.

“I am among the best in my age group. I have traveled across the United States, as well as Canada and New Zealand,” Davis said.

Although he gets the opportunity to excel in what he loves, Davis also must make sacrifices for skiing during the summer.

“When everyone is at the lake, I spend my summer in New Zealand on the snow. I have given up a great social life, and my summer vacation,” Davis said.

From the beginning of the season until the end, Davis must concentrate on his sport and get the most out of the time he has with snow.

“When ski season starts in October, it’s nothing but focus until April. I have a two month break, and then I go to New Zealand to race and train for six weeks,” Davis said.

Davis must balance his love for skiing with his education. On top of his full time sport, he incorporates schoolwork in his daily life of being a student,

switching from GBHS to Sugar Bowl Academy at the end of the first midterm in fall.

“Kids think GBHS is tough,” Davis said. “I have to go to GBHS, leave, and then maintain school from a private ski academy while on the road and traveling around the country. Eventually, I have to come back to Granite Bay and pretend like I never left.”

Not only does his chaotic lifestyle cause physical exhaustion, but mental fatigue as well.

“It’s very difficult and stressful, for not only me, but also my friends and family,” Davis said. “Moving around often makes it hard to maintain relationships with friends, girls, family, and pets.”

Being stationary is not an option for the level Davis competes at, and traveling is a crucial piece to a successful career.

“During the winter, I never have a place that’s home. It’s always hotels and condos and pull out couches,” Davis said Davis doesn’t mind the busy lifestyle.

“It really does take up my whole life, but I love it,” he said.

Skiing has not only enabled him to a life full of adventure and contingency, but also has supported him with a love that he will carry with him throughout his whole life.

His goals in skiing continue to increase in difficulty.

“My goals for the future would be to get a full ride scholarship to college and win a gold medal at the 2014 winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia,” Davis said.

Behind all the chaos of this on-the-go lifestyle, Devin’s mother Amy Davis stands behind him, organizing and promoting the success for Devin’s passion with an optimistic perspective.

“Since Devin was in 7th grade his dad, grandma Diane Feist, and I have taken turns living with him.

It is fun to get away to the snow and mountains,” she said.

Amy notices how Devin’s absence affects the family.

“Devin has a great sense of humor, and when he is not home, our house is really quiet and not the same,” Amy said.

Although Amy and her family have made financial sacrifices for his skiing, she recognizes Devin has

DAVIS FAMILY

GBHS junior Devin Davis skis his way to success on slopes around the world, with competitions in locations ranging from local ones in the Lake Tahoe area to international resorts in New Zealand. given up the most in pursuit of his goal.

“Devin has made all the sacrifices. It is really hard for him to leave his friends in Granite Bay in the summer to train in New Zealand and in the winter to compete,” she said.

As Devin’s skill increases, so does his broad variety of places to travel for races.

“As Devin gets older, his races get further away.

When he was 10, he raced only in the Lake Tahoe area. At age 10 he won the championship and was the fastest 10 year old boy in the Tahoe League,” Amy said.

“The next season he raced for the Far West Team

which represents California and Nevada. His races were still on the West Coast,” she said. “This season his first race is in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and he is scheduled to race on the East Coast and in Canada.”

Through the crazy lifestyle, Amy seems to not have any doubts about her son and his determination to achieve his goals.

“Devin’s drive to succeed has gotten him where he is today. Not once has Devin ever complained or tried to get out of training,” she said. “In the past there were cold, blizzard, stormy days and Devin would just hop out of the car with a smile on his face.

We are very proud of Devin.”

Unlikely friendship under lights between football, band Friday night football games bring a strong mutual bond between groups

BY JON SETIAWAN

jsetiawan.gazette@gmail.com

People generally assume that the Granite Bay High School Emerald Brigade marching band and football team have nothing in common.

However, the two groups support each other during Friday night home games throughout the football season.

Despite all of the misconceptions about the two, the football team actually really enjoys the band’s presence at their games.

“Its awesome. Walking out with the drumline is one of the best parts about football games. The band is great at getting us pumped and we have nothing but positive regard for them,” senior football player Ashwin Subramanian said.

So far, there haven’t been any complaints about the band playing at the games.

“I don’t know anyone that has ever complained about the band at the games; everyone loves them,” junior football player Koki Arai said.

To help the football team get pumped up before the game, the band circles around the team and plays an upbeat song called Barbarian Horde which some players say is their favorite part of games overall.

“My favorite part of the band is when they circle around us before tion could sing and dance to, they would be better,” senior Sam Bruckall the games to pump us up and then we walk out with the drumline,” man said. “Also, they should do their marching show during half time senior football player Andrew Wright said. more.”

The drumline is also a highlight to many other One thing that Subramanian suggested was to football players. possibly coordinate the band’s chants and pep Walking out onto “Walking out onto the field with the drumline songs with the cheering section/tribe in order to is an insanely good way of getting pumped up,” get more people to participate in the cheering in the field with the Subramanian said. the future. drumline is an inFrom the other perspective, the band also enAs much as the band enjoys playing at the footjoys playing at all of the football home games. ball games, there are a few downsides. sanely good way of “I think it’s really fun and it’s my favorite to go “My biggest complaint about playing at games getting pumped up. to the games and get involved,” sophomore band would be when we have to play in the rain, or member Madison Touloukian said. playing at a football game the night before a pretty For most band students, playing at the games big competition that requires us to leave really – Ashwin Subramanian, is really fun even though some don’t understand early for the next morning,” Sato said. senior football player the logistics of football.

In addition, some band members are disappoint“I don’t know a ton about football, but I like to watch my friends play. It’s fun to find them and watch,” GBHS junior and drum major Mackenzie Sato said.

Many spectators and devoted fans at the home games really enjoy the band’s music, but some offer suggestions as to how the band can engage more of the cheering section.

“If they played more fun music that the students in the cheering sec-

Fan of the Month

ed that many of their Friday nights are filled by band. Despite this, the band still works extremely hard practicing for events, and it has definitely

paid off.

“I appreciate the work they put in to be as good as they are. I see them out there every morning during the season working on getting better,” Wright said. “I also like that I don’t remember ever playing an away game where the other team’s band was nearly as good as ours.”

SPORTS BRIEFS GBHS freshman places second at state meet, qualifies for national race wGBHS freshman sensation Clare Carroll blew past her competition at the California Cross Country State Championships on Nov. 27, placing second in the Div. I race and racing to the third fastest time of the day. She followed that performance by qualifying for the prestigious Foot Locker National Championships, placing fourth in the Western Regional. Senior Brooke Holt also ran in the West Regional, placing outside of the top ten qualifying position.

Granite Bay Press Tribune announces football all-league selections

Lucas Schorer Gazette photo /MAGGIE LOUIS

BY ALLIE BURGER

aburger.gazette@gmail.com

where we all get together, listen to music, and eat.

Gazette: How do you show your spirit?

Schorer: By wearing body paint and going all out at the football and soon-to-be basketball games.

What do you do to get the crowd excited?

We yell at them and make them feel awkward until they participate.

What inspired you to cheer on the teams?

Grant Dechert because he used to play and he got injured this year, so he rallied us all together to go support the team.

How does the cheering section help you in the sport that you play?

They get me excited and make me want to play my best because I know that they want to see a good game.

What gets you pumped to be as spirited as you can be?

All of the pre-game tailgates

Who is your spirit idol?

Grant “Brutus” Dechert because

he is such an amazing The Tribe.

What tips do you have for others who wish to be as spirited as you?

Go out and have a good time.

The team can benefit from your cheering.

When do you think that cheering ever goes too far, if ever?

I don’t think that it ever goes too far. It’s part of sports.

How do you think that spirit can be improved at GBHS? I think that this year is the best that it has ever been. Other years are going to have to step it up!

wGBHS football was well-represented in the 2010 All-Sierra Foothill League selections, as chosen by the Press Tribune. Senior linebacker Andrew Wright was named the co-Defensive Player of the Year and junior offensive lineman Gavin Andrews the Lineman of the Year. All-league first team selections include seniors Cory Brehm, Chris Campbell, Austin Cobabe, Matt Kasner,

Danny Thomas and Ryan Williams, and juniors Spencer Briare and Brendan Keeney.

Second team selections include seniors Grant Gunderson,Tanner Holt, Brock Kent and Cory Pierce GBHS wrestling scores big wins at Ponderosa tournament wGBHS wrestlers traveled to Ponderosa High School in Shingle Springs for a tournament on Dec. 10 and 11, and came home with many honors. The Grizzlies won all their dual meet matches except one against host Ponderosa, a perennial section wrestling powerhouse who also won the entire tournament. Both the JV and varsity squads finished fourth overall. The JV team was led by freshmen all-tournament selections Matt Berry and Nick Gainer. Undefeated varsity athletes junior Adam Wagner, junior Ian Mook and sophomore John Cooley were also named to the all tournament team.

—From staff reports

Friday, December 17, 2010

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Sports C5

OBSCURE SPORTS: Unconventional activities NIGHT: Slopes aren’t just for the daytime anymore Continued from page C1 tight-rope walkers, who use real rope or tightly coiled cord.

A slackline is a long, flat rope of sorts made out of nylon that resembles a small strip of trampoline.

The slackline is strung between two trees or other sturdy objects to create tension, but is not held completely taut like the ropes of the circus.

This does not make the wobbly crossing much easier.

“It takes a lot of practice,” Stevenson said.

“The first time (we tried it) no one (was) good.”

There are certain techniques that Stevenson has discovered through practice that help him keep his balance while walking on the slackline.

“You just learn to walk on the balls of your feet,” Stevenson said. “You have to keep in athletic position. It’s kind of like tiptoeing.”

Circus performers have been walking across rope for hundreds of years, but slacklining as a separate sport has only been around for about 20 years.

In the early 1980’s, two climbers from Yosemite, California, Adam Grosowsky and Jeff Ellington, began hanging up their climbing web and walking across it. Other climbers watched them and decided to give it a try, and the activity spread from there.

Today there are many different styles of slacklining, like tricklining, waterlining, highlining, and yoga slacklining.

Some practice slacklining as a form of meditation while others, like Stevenson, practice because it’s plain old fun.

Senior Elliot Adams and his friends Hacky Sack because it is an activity they all enjoy and can practice together. “(Hacky Sacking) is a good way to relax,” Adams said. “It’s a good social event.”

Hacky Sackers stand in a circle and between them attempt to keep the Hacky Sack, which is a trademarked name for a knitted footbag, from hitting the ground. The catch: players cannot use their hands.

“You have to pass (the Hacky Sack) to each other and see how many moves you can do,”

Adams said.

In Hacky Sacking, there is less of a “me vs. you” mentality and more of a team mentality, which leads to the relaxed atmosphere.

Freebording, practiced by junior Chad Alvarez, takes a different approach.

Freeborders speed down steep hills at high velocities, in a fashion similar to that of a snowboarder. “(A Freebord) is like a longboard with an extra set of wheels on the bottom,” Alvarez said.

“It simulates the actions of a snowboard.”

The Freebord’s two added wheels allow the rider to swivel 360 degrees, mimicking the motion of a snowboard, setting it apart from the average skateboard. “(Freebording) is something unique that could catch on but never did,” Alvarez said.

Hacky sacking has caught on, which is made evident by the many students that Hacky Sack during lunch. But slacklining and Freebording have yet to reach mainstream success, a fact which those who participate in the activities cherish.

TRIBE: Transition from football fans to basketball crowd Continued from page C1 “They basically told us not to single out players and to keep the chants positive,” Mendoza said.

Dechert, who already faced some restriction of his proud self-expression once this year because the apparel of The Tribe was not deemed politically correct, seems to have accepted the administration’s terms.

“Some of it’s kind of lame,” he said, “but you have to deal with it.”

The five GBHS seniors were chosen due to their exuberant roles in supporting both this year’s football team or last year’s basketball team, and their leadership among the other supporters.

The five students have humorously dubbed themselves as the “generals.”

“My reputation precedes me,” Dechert said in reaction to the adminis-

tration’s choosing him as a representative.

A few of these self-proclaimed “generals” have also decided to let their spirit and passion towards sports cross over into the world of recreational basketball.

Hotshots, a local recreational basketball league, has recently become a low key way for GBHS students to enjoy basketball but play without much at stake.

“Anyone can play Hotshots instead of competing for a spot on a team of thirteen,” Dechert said, “and Hotshots is for fun.”

Playing for Hotshots allows players to take games as seriously or lightly as they desire.

For some, it may serve as a competitive outlet, possibly contributing to a calmer atmosphere at the GBHS games.

SHOOTING: Little–known gun club is rising into the spotlight Continued from page C1 “Safety is the most important thing of all.

Safety is number one,” Braly said.

After receiving gun safety training, students are allowed to go to the range and shoot.

“It’s really an impressive thing to see so many young people handling guns safely and responsibly,” Braly said.

The team practices at a range out in Lincoln called Coon Creek. Last year at practices, students had to pay roughly ten dollars per round for shell and range fees.

“This year we have gotten grants from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the NRA, so none of that will have to be paid for,” club president Chris Beck said.

Even the $23 tournament fees will be covered by the grants this year. Included in the grant from the NRA were two new shotguns as well.

After much practice throughout the fall, competitions start in late March and take place about every two weeks throughout the spring.

The competitions are sponsored by the SCTP

(Scholastic Clay Target Program).

“By rule, all first year competitors are JV,” Braly said.

Because last year was the first year the team has shot competitively, all shooters on the team were JV. The team has several returning members this year, so those members will now compete at the varsity level.

Even though the team was so young, it experienced tremendous success.

“We placed third in the state last year,” Beck said.

At the state shoot, the GBHS team shoots against teams from all of the state, although mostly from northern California, as well as local teams from nearby high schools such as Del Oro, Roseville and Woodcreek.

At tournaments, each competitor gets 100 shots, allowing for a maximum score of 100 targets hit. The scores of the top five scoring individuals on each team are added to determine the winner. Whichever team of five hit the most combined targets, wins.

At the state shoot, each competitor gets 200 shots instead of 100, making the combined total out of 1000.

“Last year we ended up shooting an 899 out of 1000, which was pretty good,” Beck said.

Students who participated in the state shoot last year were Chris Beck, Cameron Jeter, Brandon Bader, Perry Thompson, Jake Samson and Chad Cassidy.

GBHS principal Mike McGuire has witnessed one of the local competitions.

“I only had a vague understanding that we had a club that did that,” McGuire said.

“The weather was beautiful so I took my 11 year-old son on a motorcycle ride out there I was stunned…the culture was amazing to me,” McGuire said.

McGuire, told the students involved that he believed this was the best kept secret at Granite Bay. They responded by telling him not to tell anyone because they like their unique culture.

“My son and I said we’d like to take lessons and do (it) ourselves,” McGuire said.

Continued from page C1 Boreal has a large part of their mountain open at night, with two terrain parks available at night as well.

Squaw Valley boasts a fully-lit 3.2-mile Mountain Run, as well as adding the Riviera Terrain Park and Superpipe to night riding this year.

Inexpensive, safe and incredibly fun, night skiing and riding at Boreal and Squaw Valley are a must-try according to experienced snow-goers.

Amelia Richmond, Media and Public Relations for Squaw, couldn’t put it any better: “Cruising under the stars in the crisp alpine air is truly an experience not to be missed.”

Upcoming game of the month

BY SAM SPARGO

sspargo.gazette@gmail.com

The Granite Bay High School girls’ basketball team will have to dig deep in order to beat their rivals, the Del Oro High School Golden Eagles, when the two faceoff at GBHS on January 19.

“Last year we played Del Oro closer and tougher than any other team in the league,” GBHS girls’ varsity basketball coach Melissa Triebwasser said. “They didn’t run away from us, we played tough, we really battled with them.”

And the Golden Eagles have continued to dominate, even early into the 2010-2011 season, winning all four of the pre-league games they have played as of December 9.

“I think they are probably the best team in Division II this year,” Triebwasser said.

But with new blood on both teams, it is safe to say that this year’s matchup is set to be very different from the last.

“They have size and we are a bit small,” senior girls’ varsity basketball player Maria Dela Cruz said. “(But) I think it’s going to be an intense rivalry.”

Triebwasser estimates the average height of DOHS’ starting lineup to be about five feet 11 inches, while GBHS’ is closer to five feet six inches.

“It’s a real luxury in girls’ basketball to have that kind of size in all 5 positions on the floor,” Triebwasser said.

The Golden Eagles not only have height on their side, but they have skill, and strategies that are a force to be reckoned with.

“They run a really good full court press,” Triebwasser said. “(And) they can be really intimidating for teams that don’t have good ball skills.”

The Grizzlies’ leading scorers are seniors Shelbi Tooley, Cayley McDowell, and Maria Dela Cruz, with averages of 7.6, 6.8, and 6 points scored per game respectively as of December 9.

GBHS has lost all five of the pre-league games they have played as of December 9, against Del Campo, Rio Linda, River City, McClatchy, and Folsom High Schools respectively.

But sophomore Katrina Reeves, who plays on GBHS’ varsity girls’ basketball team, thinks the Grizzlies are improving.

“They are not superhuman, they are not invincible, but (the Golden Eagles) are a really good basketball team,” Triebwasser said.

With practice, and some luck, the Grizzlies have a chance to lead GBHS to victory.

“Nothing is impossible,” Dela Cruz said.

C6 Sports

Friday, December 17, 2010

w The Granite Bay Gazette

AT A GLANCE wGazette photosw Maggie Louis

Coach Ernie Cooper, top left, is surprised with a bucket of water after his team won a share of the Sierra Foothill League championship with a victory against Roseville. Senior Jon Davis, top right, lays the ball up in a non-league game against Kennedy to score his team two points. Senior Danny Thomas, middle right, runs the ball down the field as the Roseville Tigers give chase. Senior Alison Hamby, above, prepares to pass to her teammate during the water polo section Div. II championship game. The girls lost to Rio Americano to finish second in the section. Senior Shelbi Tooley, left, completes a layup during a preseason game against Del Campo. Senior Nick Yeaton, bottom left, passes the ball to senior Joe Eyen.

Senior Derek McKeon, middle left, maneuvers to make a pass to GBHS hole set Elliot Adams in the section title game against Rio. Like the girls, the GBHS boys lost to the Raiders to finish second in the section.

Stats at a Glance:

Boys’ Basketball

Girls’ Basketball

Wrestling

1/4 vs. Folsom @ Folsom 1/5 vs. Oakmont @ Oakmont 1/7 vs. Jesuit

12/21 vs. Sheldon 12/22 vs. Colfax @ Colfax 1/5 vs. Oakmont @ Oakmont

1/5 vs. Nevada Union 1/12 vs. Roseville @ Roseville 1/19 vs. Rocklin @ Rocklin

Green Screen

The Gazette’s entertainment guide December 2010

f l e s r u o y Have y l d n e i r f o an ec s a m t s i r h C

Gift guide

Fashion preview

What to buy for your loved ones this holiday season

Upcoming trends revealed

Pages 16-17

Page 14

Granite Bay blogosphere Featuring the student bloggers on campus Page 19

Page 2

December 2010

Contents.

In this

ISSUE...

Classic holiday films Page G6

Spraying on the tan Page G8

Fashion forward Page G14

Perfect presents Page G16 & 17

Cool crashpads Page G20

Gazette illustrations /MATT PALKOWSKI and KATIE ZINGHEIM

December 2010

SUNDAY

Page 3

Calendar.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

december Put-onyour-own shoes day

a

14

ti t e ins y o P da

SATURDAY

FRIDAY

Winter Ball

8

11 Term finals

Winter break begins

Christmas day

29

New Year’s Eve Gazette illustrations/KATIE ZINGHEIM and ALISON SALE

Music variation is ‘only just a dream’

M

Radio no longer broadcasts a variety of songs, but overplays the same ones

y stereo and I are at war.

Music and I used to have a beautiful, symbiotic relationship where my speakers would blast various awesome songs, and I, in return, would sing enthusiastically back.

But recently, I have been having the same, frustrating inner monologue every time I listen to the radio.

It usually goes something like this: “Is this déjà vu? Didn’t I just hear this song?!” as I change the channel, and to my surprise, hear the same music.

Why can’t any other songs be played?

Radio stations used to introduce their audiences to new and exciting music, but are now becoming more like mixed CDs that shuffle the top 25 songs on iTunes over and over again.

I mean how many times can Miley Cyrus really have a party in the USA? According to radio stations, at least once every hour. (Wow, she must be tired…)

And really, how much more ‘undeniable, fine,

Commentary

shannon wagner swagner.gazette@gmail.com

fresh and fierce’ can I get by listening to Katy Perry tell me that, by virtue of being a California girl, I am better than the rest of the country?

While radio stations have an obligation to play new hits to an audience that is craving them, they go overboard with the amount of times they play them.

When I can scan from 107.9 to 102.5 over to

103.5 and then to 92.5 and hear “Love the Way You Lie” playing on all four of them at different parts of the song, something is really wrong.

When there are millions of different songs worthy of being listened to, it’s a crime to only let the same select few see air time.

There is no denying that the artists played on the radio have catchy tunes.

Otherwise, singers like Trey Songz, Ke$ha, and Rihanna wouldn’t even have received mainstream exposure for their music.

However, the radio stations that play them all the time discredit the work of these artists by overexposing their listeners to it. Not to mention, it makes these songs unpopular, to the point where they are downright annoying.

I used to feel ‘fly like a G6’ when I listened to hip radio stations, but now it’s more like my G6 has crashed and burned right into a pile of overplayed, obnoxious songs.

Page 4

December 2010

Music.

Kanye West My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

I

BY JUSTIN SHIIBA

jshiiba.gazette@gmail.com

n the past couple of years, rapper Kanye West has watched his image spiral out of control. The self-proclaimed “voice of this generation” has been tarnished with a reputation of egotism and foolishness.

Needless to say, Kanye West needed a big comeback – and that’s exactly what he got. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is a complex album that delivers a juxtaposition of orchestral beats, with catchy and meaningful lyrics sung by some of the biggest names out there.

The first song, “Dark Fantasy,” can’t “get much higher” as the harmonic vocals and laid-back beat take control and never let up. However, several times during the song it becomes clear that Kanye can’t sing very well without auto-tune.

“Gorgeous” features Kid Cudi and seems to be influenced by his style. Listening to the lyrics, it becomes clear that Kanye is ranting about his past reputation, saying he’ll “choke a South Park writer with a fish stick” and that “this is more than just my road to redemption.”

Kanye isn’t lying – this album shows a whole new style of music compared to his last album, 808s & Heartbreak, where his only goal

was to have the biggest bass and the freshest beats.

Now, Kanye is focused on the content – lyrics and melodies that create a more sophisticated sound.

“Power,” the first single on the album, contains a unique beat and background vocals. The song is focused more heavily on the rapping rather than the chorus, compared to most hip hop songs recently which only require a catchy melody to be popular.

“All of the Lights” sets the bar at a new level for hip hop collaborations as Kanye compiles an astonishing 11 big-time artists into one five-minute long masterpiece.

With trumpets blaring, the only distinguishable singer is Rihanna on the chorus; the rest are all blended together to create an incredible sound. Artists include: Fergie, The Dream, Alicia Keys, Kid Cudi, John Legend, Ryan Leslie, Tony Williams, Charlie Wilson, La Roux and Elton John on the piano. Kanye combines the song in such a way that it doesn’t seem overwhelming or lengthy – it’s an ambitious song that is successfully written.

The third single, “Monster,” goes back to the classic Kanye – a chorus riddled with curse words and a collaboration with Rick Ross, Jay-Z and Nicki Minaj. The song starts off and ends with Bon Iver, an indie artist who would seem out of place, but who adds another level to the song and gives it an eerie feel.

BY ARI BLACK

BLUE NOTE RECORDS

...Featuring by Norah Jones was released on Nov. 16.

Skip to: Soon the New Day

F

aublack.gazette@gmail.com

A

eaturing caters to the musical tastes of the entire spectrum of musical genres. Norah Jones releases another soothing album, full of beautifully put together lyrics that top off her gentle and lovely voice. However, this time she has the help of some major artists from the past, present and future.

She’s trying something new and incorporating other artists into her own songs, such as classics Ray Charles and Dolly Parton. Jones also explores modern-day music with artists such as Outkast and the Foo Fighters in the songs “Virginia Moon” and “Take Off Your Cool.”

A truly successful artist is one who is willing to listen to and incorporate every kind of music. This album reveals how advanced Jones has become in her musical maturity, as shown with songs such as “Court and Spark” featuring Herbie Hancock, an artist whose talent is compared to that of Miles Davis.

The album features everything from acoustic backgrounds in “Turn Them,” featuring Sean Jones, to hip hop beats in “Soon the New Day,” featuring Talib Kweli.

A

“Runaway” is Kanye’s darkest and most complex single that alludes to his arrogant persona. It takes a lot DEF JAM of guts to apologize for his My Beautiful Dark behavior, and “Runaway” Twisted Fantasy by is a prime example of how Kanye has changed over the Kanye West was released on Nov. 22. past year. One of his lines includes: “You’ve been putting up with my s--- just Skip to: way too long.”

All of the Throughout the album, Kanye avoids harsh autoLights tune while singing, and only uses it stylistically – seen at the beginning of “Lost in the World.”

The album ends with “Lost in the World,” an elegant cover of Bon Iver’s “Woods”. Bon Iver sings the beginning, a cappella and auto-tuned, but the progressive beat creates a wonderful conclusion to Kanye’s comeback album.

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy shows everyone that Kanye’s music will always shine brightly over the cloud of criticism and controversy of his personal life.

Norah Jones ...Featuring

In “More than This,” featuring Charlie Hunter, Jones takes the authentic talent of Hunter’s quartet and adds her voice as the cherry on top.

Indie-rock band Belle and Sebastian bring Jones back to her roots with soft taps on the snare drum, accompanied by escalating piano notes. The combination produces a sound similar to past hits such as “Sunrise,” from her album Feels Like Home.

Most critics believe a musician has not reached his or her peak of musical prosperity until they have mastered the genre of jazz. Jones has done more than master it – she has reinvented it with her own twist.

In “Bull Rider” featuring Sasha Dobson, Jones takes her classical perspective on her genre – a genre that’s border-line jazz and pop – and keeps an open mind to learning from those who have mastered the jazz genre.

The album is a jumble of her strengths, although most listeners of her music would agree that she does not have many weaknesses.

Jones has outdone herself with her release of ...Featuring – exceeding even the high standard set by her past album. Jones proves that she can innovate with her music and transform her style into something that music-lovers of all ages can enjoy.

The Russian Futurists The Weight’s On the Wheels

BY PARKER EVANS

T

pevans.gazette@gmail.com

he Canadian indie electro-pop group The Russian Futurists return for the first time since 2005 with The Weight’s On the Wheels.

But don’t let the band’s ridiculously pretentious name fool you. The Russian Futurists rely on cute hooks and driving drums behind frontman Matthew Hart’s intelligent rhymes and infectious voice.

Everything about The Weight’s On the Wheels seems a little bit too perfect. The album is punchy, playful and upbeat, but a tad bit overproduced.

Hart’s vocals are sickly sweet, and it won’t take long before his voice becomes grating.

Once you get past the tone of his voice, however, it becomes apparent that Hart is a gifted wordsmith.

His lyrics are rife with double rhymes and dizzying rhyme schemes. The songs become fun to

listen to, if only to see what creative way Hart might phrase the same things that other artists have rehashed countless times.

The album’s opener “Hoeing Weeds Sowing Seeds” is infectious with its call-and-response, witty lyricism that sets the tone for the rest of the album.

It doesn’t have the monster hooks that have come to characterize modern pop music. Instead, it prides itself on a slightly toned-down, restrained Postal Service-esque vibe while holding onto unmistakable energy.

“One Night, One Kiss” provides a nice break from the synthesizers and snares with guest vocalist Ruth Minnikin from the Canadian group Heavy Blinkers.

The track relies on a jazzy piano sample that eventually yields to Hart and Minnikin leading what evolves into a sweet pop song. Minnikin’s soft, classical voice provides an excellent contrast to Hart’s double-tracked, low singing.

The next track is the best on the album.

“Register My Firearms? No Way!” incorpo-

B

rates everything that The Russian Futurists do well. The song’s clever lyrics and rhymes do wonders in front of a driving hip hop beat and happy, bouncy synthesizers.

“100 Days ‘Til Christmas” draws heavily from R&B and soulful hip hop. The track’s deviation from the established formula is welcome, but unfortunately, it’s the only glimpse we get as to what else The Russian Futurists can do. But if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Hart knows what works, and he’d rather play to his strengths.

The Weight’s On the Wheels is over quickly.

There are only ten tracks, the longest of which is just over five minutes. It’s a good thing, too.

After about a half hour, Hart’s schtick starts to wear thin.

The Russian Futurists are best taken in small doses, and fortunately the band is smart enough to realize it and refrain from cramming even more playful, bouncy electro-pop down listeners’ throats.

UPPER CLASS

The Weight’s On the Wheels by The Russian Futurists was released on Nov. 16.

Skip to: Register My Firearms? No Way!

December 2010

Teacher  Shane Dixon

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

More Music.

90s’ Guilty Pleasure Mixtape

t s i l lP ay

“Barracuda” by Heart In the 1970s, (this song) was probably one of my most remembered songs. I really love the hard-rock part of (the song) and the drums made me want to play drums myself.

“Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd In the 1980s, this song was a great song with a light philosophy.

“Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears I think that (this song) is one of the best cruising songs if you want to relax and drive your car off into the sunset.

“Rocket” by Def Leppard Also in the 1980s, I loved the band Def Leppard. They’re just incredible.

“More Than a Feeling” by Boston Boston is a unique group with a unique sound.

Their guitar (skills) were amazing and the music speaks to me – the tone, not necessarily the lyrics.

“Long December” by Counting Crows (I listened to this song) while finishing college in the Northeast, (and the song) really speaks about what our winters were like.

“Flood” by Jars of Clay (I have been listening to this song) since I have been here and teaching. Jars of Clay is a Christian band that gets me pumped to in order to do just about anything.

“Beautiful Day” by U2 (The song) definitely gets my mood up because it has a lot of hope in it. It can take you out of a funky mood and motivate you. Every song that U2 puts out is just good and there isn’t anything that I wouldn’t listen to from them.

“Clocks” by Coldplay This song came out the fall that my daughter was diagnosed with cancer. I found myself by her bedside a lot and looking at clocks. It just takes me back (to that time).

“Hillbilly Deluxe” by Brooks & Dunn My son and I find this the funniest song. (Everyone) should look it up – it’s that funny.

Compiled by Rachael Vasquez

Page 5

BY RACHAEL VASQUEZ rvasquez.gazette@gmail.

1. “(You Drive Me) Crazy” by Britney Spears The pop princess’s third hit single was an instant international hit. “(You Drive Me) Crazy” uses group choruses and simplistic lyrics to depict the complications of love.

2. “I Want It That Way” by Backstreet Boys The song’s soulful emotion and satisfyingly cheesy lyrics create the perfect sappy boy band love song. Much of the emotion is embodied in the build-up of the guitar’s intensity.

3. “No Scrubs” by TLC “No Scrubs” is all about attitude. The guitars, lyrics and drum beats provide the perfect angry tone along side the trio’s coherent vocal ranges.

4. “Tearing Up My Heart” by N’ Sync In the five member boy band, Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez steal the spot light in their third hit single. The snappy beats create a sensitive yet upbeat background.

5. “Wannabe” by Spice Girls Right from the beginning of the song, the British female pop group demands attention. The electrical piano supports all the vocals, creating the perfect sing-along song.

MUSICIAN OF THE MONTH: NICK JONES

BY ARI BLACK

F

aublack.gazette@gmail.com

or Granite Bay High School junior Nick Jones, creative expression comes from his musical passion: playing the guitar.

When Jones received his first guitar in seventh grade, he was determined to prosper and become the rock star he always knew he could be.

Little did he know, guitar took a lot of work to understand.

“I was thinking I would get a guitar and be so good, and then I got it, and didn’t know where to even start,” Jones said.

By eighth grade, Nick decided to buckle down and learn.

Jones was raised in a house where almost the whole family played a musical instrument growing up.

“My mom has played piano forever. My sister has also picked up the piano over the years.”

Although he was raised in a house with music, the influence did not have an effect on his own musical choices.

“I took piano lessons from a young age, but

6. “Say My Name” by Destiny’s Child The power of the group’s vocals is evident in the song, especially with the variety of lyrical speeds. Lyrically, the song’s straightforward tendency builds the urgency and impact of “Say My Name.”

2. “Summer Girls” by LFO LFO achieved large exposure after performing on numerous Nickelodeon TV shows. The song’s fluidity is perfectly matched with cheesy, rhyming lyrics.

8. “Genie In A Bottle” by Christina Aguilera Breaking out into the music scene with her first hit single in 1999, Christina Aguilera exposed to the world her vocal abilities. The song’s fast pace is almost as entertaining as her vocals.

9. “Barbie Girl” by Aqua The Danish dance-pop group lit up international charts with humor and light-hearted lyrics. Its enthusiasm and conversational melody make the song memorable.

10. “MMMBop” by Hanson Even with a lack of musical experience and high pitched vocals, the group of brothers caught America’s heart. The lack of a lyrical chorus is powerful and easy-going.

I never really learned how to play. I still don’t. My favorite instrument to play is bass because I’m familiar with it.”

Along with his varying music talents, Jones’ musical tastes also vary from the classics to modern day rock.

“I love Nirvana…

Courtesy photo Nick Jones Kurt Kobain is a huge Nick Jones has inspiration. Since I play been playing guitar bass, (I like) bands like since seventh Primus and Red Hot grade Chili Peppers.”

Although Jones doesn’t consider himself to be in a band, the group he plays with calls itself The World at Large, named after the Modest Mouse song.

“We don’t actually have a full-on band. There was a Battle of the Bands thing going on, and they asked if we wanted to sign up, so we did.

We had no music, and we didn’t have any members, so we just found a pianist and were ready to go.”

He also hopes to have a future in the music business.

“I’d like to be in a band. I have a bit of an ego – every musician does. I couldn’t handle watching a bunch of other people playing music, and then me sitting there behind a desk.”

Page 6

December 2010

Enjoy.

Home for the Holiday Movies How the Grinch Stole Christmas It has been a decade since Dr. Seuss’s infamous children’s picture book was turned into a feature film.

Award winning actor Jim Carrey almost steals the spotlight of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. His acting skills never cease to capture attention, especially in a hairy, green costume. With Carrey’s attitude, costume and make-up, the childhood vision of the Grinch comes to life.

However, the decorations throughout the movie seem to out-shine the leading actor. The magnitude of the decorations makes it easy to become engrossed in the holiday spirit.

Though additional characters, scenes and extravagances are noticeable differences between the motion picture and the book, the message of the Grinch remains strong – Christmas is about the gathering of people and not about presents. “(How the Grinch Stole Christmas) is the perfect childhood movie,” senior Kelsey Waltrip said. “The characters spread both the Christmas cheer and the idea that Christmas doesn’t need presents and food to be a special day with the people that you love.”

Though Whoville is a microscopic town, the message of this Christmas movie reaches far beyond the town’s seclusion on a snowflake.

Elf Unlike many other Christmas movies with the story taking place in fantasy worlds, Elf is closely relatable to the modern lifestyle.

In the movie, Buddy was raised in the North Pole, completely unaware that he was a human and not an elf. He then begins his journey to New York City to find and connect with his real father while spreading the Christmas spirit throughout the town.

With such a peculiar plot, Will Ferrell adds the element of innocence and playfulness by incorporating family friendly humor for everyone to enjoy during the holidays.

“I watch Elf twice a year and each time Will Ferrell makes me laugh,” junior Andrea Barrett said. “But he also brings the message that family comes first before work.”

To sophomore Scott Allison, Will Ferrell is also a compelling reason to watch Elf. “Ferrell inspires me to bring joy around the holidays (because) of the energy that he brings to (Elf)”, Allison said.

With the help of a hysterical leading actor, Elf is more than a family movie.

Today, people are constantly on the go. Thankfully, the lifestyle of careless Buddy the elf is an annual reminder to enjoy the littlest things – whether it’s the gathering of a family or syrup over pasta.

The Gazette’s Rachael Vasquez shares the best picks for this year’s holiday moviewatching

The Nightmare Before Christmas The Nightmare Before Christmas stays away from the more common Christmas programs by adding a nice twist to holiday spirit. Not only is it a Christmas musical – it is a Halloween musical as well.

Producer and co-writer Tim Burton incorporates both darkness and lightheartedness in the tale of how Christmas can start off on the wrong foot.

In the film, Jack Skellington finds joy outside of Halloween when he learns about Christmas. With the help of his spooky friends, Skellington kidnaps Santa and nearly destroys Christmas. But in the end, Christmas is set right and the nightmare is resolved after dawn.

The stop-motion puppetry gives this fantasy film a unique touch and almost a realistic liveliness while the characters sing both Christmas and Halloween songs.

Maybe the success of The Nightmare Before Christmas can be traced back to its memorable soundtrack.

“I like (The Nightmare Before Christmas) because it’s very random and creative. It connects two unrelated holidays – Halloween and Christmas with songs,” junior Nick Jones said. “How could you not like that?”

Over the years, the characters have become household names and the story’s holiday combination has been so admired that The Nightmare Before Christmas is now another holiday movie continually played on TV.

Classic Christmas Favorites The Classic Christmas Favorites DVD pack includes 10 memorable TV specials. Among the favorites are Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas and Rudolph’s Shinny New Year.

While the full length movie has unbelievable decoration, the simplicity of the 1960’s animated special How the Grinch Stole Christmas can’t be overlooked. Due to its popularity, it is one of the few remaining 1960s TV Christmas specials that is still shown every year.

Some even feel that the animation is superior to the full length film.

“For me (the TV special) is better than (the motion picture), because it’s about how you spend the holidays and not about what you (receive),” senior Mackenzie Sato said. “Plus the animated dog Max and chubby Cindy Lou Who are so much cuter.”

In Rudolph’s Shinny New Year, the most highly acclaimed reindeer once again saves the day. Instead of helping Santa Claus make his way through the sky, Rudolph relates to the little boy Baby New Year because they both have unusual, quirky characteristics. He also helps Baby find his inner light.

“The story is worth watching because it’s about being yourself and finding a place in the world no matter what you look like,” junior Ian Fitzgerald said.

IMAGINE ENTERTAINMENT

December 2010

BY ADAM TILFORD

atilford.gazette@gmail.com

I

n a market flooded by first-person shooters, it’s very refreshing to come across a game like Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood.

Ubisoft has had two very solid titles in the franchise so far, and this new installment does not disappoint.

As a matter of fact, it’s amazing.

Just like the game before, you play as Ezio Auditore da Firenze for the majority of the time, in Rome at the start of the 16th century.

Ezio is part of an ancient order of assassins that promote independence and free thought, and they are in constant battle with their enemies, the Templars.

The plot is very engaging and interweaves notable historical characters like Machiavelli into the mix during Ezio’s time in Rome, which add to the very grounded feeling of the characters within the setting.

Rome is under the influence of Cesare Borgia, Ezio’s arch nemesis, and Ezio’s goal is to remove the Borgia influence on Rome and get back an important object that Cesare stole from him

BY DANIEL FLEISCHMAN

T

dfleischman.gazette@gmail.com

reyarch’s new game in the Call of Duty lineup, Black Ops, is causing a large amount of buzz.

VGChartz.com, a website that tracks video game industry sales figures, has recorded a record-breaking seven million copies sold in the first 24 hours. That is more than the previous record set by Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2.

Black Ops’ online play is a large contributing factor to sales, but the single player campaign also plays a large role.

The game starts off in campaign as brainwashed soldier, Alex Mason, is being used to assassinate John F. Kennedy. Mason has a hallucination about himself holding a gun up to JFK’s head. Then he is stopped, and eventually thrown into jail.

In prison, Mason meets Viktor Reznov, who used to be the squad leader of the Red Army until he was betrayed and locked away. Reznov convinces Mason to help him seek revenge against all the people who had betrayed him.

From there on, you play as Mason, aided

Page 7

Gaming.

Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood

After you get used to the controls, the game plays incredibly well. The parkour-style movement has never felt smoother, and the sandbox style offers so many missions and side missions and mini-games that you’ll never get bored, and assassinations have never felt so satisfying.

Throughout all of this, there are guilds you help create where you can rise in status and do side missions, there are mercenaries you can hire to go on missions with you, and most notably there are other assassins you can train to work with you.

The main game mode, called “Wanted” drops you in a map with at least five or six other players and all the usual crowds and people in the environment. You receive contracts to kill other players while they also receive contracts to kill you.

The multiplayer mode follows the trend of every multiplayer mode since Modern Warfare, including a leveling system with unlockable perks and additions. These are a good incentive to keep playing and add more depth and strategy to the game.

Overall, I have only a few gripes with this game: The multiplayer takes way too long to

load. I found the best way is to create your own match for others to join, and even then it takes two to three minutes minimum to start a game. Fortunately, there is the possibility of a patch by Ubisoft coming soon that should fix the problem.

Also, the game doesn’t do enough to guide the player and explain to them what all those possibilities are. It seems to be a learn-bydoing kind of game, which works out in the end but can waste a lot of time.

Lastly, there are sections of the map that are blocked off until you beat a certain part of the game, but the map doesn’t show this clearly or give you much of a heads up.

These sections should be more obvious to the player.

Despite these few negative aspects, I cannot stress enough how much fun and addicting it is.

I can usually judge a game by measuring how hard it is for me to put down the controller and stop playing. As for Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, my hands felt like they were super-glued to it.

Forget ninjas and pirates, Roman assassins take the cake.

by Reznov, and escape from jail on a mission to get revenge. Partway through their plan, Reznov is killed. However, Reznov lives on through Mason in a sort of split personality.

At the end of the story Mason finally remembers all of the numbers he is being interrogated for, which are used as a code to disable a bomb the scientists had built.

The multiplayer online includes four different game lobbies, plus a local split screen option.

There is the main lobby which includes different game types – the most popular being Team Deathmatch – where people are put on teams and faced against each other.

A new feature is the Wager Matches lobby.

Here you can play several different modified game types to gamble COD points, the virtual currency used to buy guns and emblems.

The third lobby is Theater Mode, where you can either go solo or with friends to watch saved video clips or recent games. It is a great way to record and save your favorite moments in the game.

The final new lobby is called Combat Training – a game mode for online play with friends or against computer players in order to learn the basic game play. You can choose

the difficulty of the coms to anywhere from recruit (really easy) to veteran (insanely strong.)

One of the new features in the game is the cash system that is used. Each time you kill someone in a match, complete an objective or gain a rank, you are awarded COD points.

COD points are used to purchase new guns and attachments, new perks and new ways to customize your playercard, or emblem.

Playercards are also new. They are used to show individuality in the game. Create an emblem for yourself using certain pre-made figures and shapes and buy new backgrounds for your emblem.

All in all, Black Ops is a very good new release with very few noticeable downsides.

However, the one big downside is how people that play online find glitches in the game that give them unfair advantages over other players. Fortunately, Treyarch is good about fixing those quickly.

I recommend this game to any veteran Call of Duty players – I prefer it over Modern Warfare 2.

To anyone who does not own a Call of Duty game, this is a great game to start off with.

A

Ubisoft

Rating: M Call of Duty: Black Ops

A

treyarch

Rating: M

Random Car: 2009 Honda Element Compiled by Daniel Fleischman

When did you get your car?

Adam Holmes: The summer of 2009 on the day that I turned 16.

Why did you get your car?

I got it because I had just turned 16 as a birthday present from my grandfather.

What would be your dream car?

The Saleen S7, a Lotus Elise, or a VW 13US. The first two because they are sleek and stylish, and the third because my dad owned one while he was in Sahel.

What do you like most about your car?

It’s spacious, I have sub(woofers) in it and I can bring

my drum kit wherever I need to take it while bumping like a beast to my 12-inch MTX Subwoofers.

What is your least favorite part?

It’s resemblance to a toaster, which never ceases to be pointed out by people like Mrs. Krishnaraj or friends.

What’s your fondest memory of your car?

One night over summer at around one (a.m.) Mickey Keeley and I were driving and we decided to check and see if we could find the end of Sierra College Boulevard.

Along the way, we found a tunnel that was underneath a railroad track. We turned toward it, and a massive bat or owl thing swooped out directly at us. It freaked both of us out and we had a great time.

Gazette photo /daniel fleischman

 Adam Holmes drives a 2009 Honda Element

Page 8

Tan.

Students at Granite Bay High are able to keep a summer glow year round thanks to spray tanning.

BY SOPHIA ZOGOPOULOS szogopoulos.gazette@gmail.

M

any students at Granite Bay High School are aware that this school is different than other schools.

Besides the excelling academics and sports, GBHS students and staff are also known for their year round tans.

Tanning salons like California Sun Centers and

Gazette photo illustrations/KATIE ZINGHEIM/ MATT PALKOWSKI

Amazing Tans have provided many Granite Bay students and residents with the opportunity to stay sun kissed all year long.

Depending on the location, anyone can get a few shades darker for $25 to $50.

Spray tanning can be done two different ways. Many GBHS students tend to go the cheaper way, which is a mystic tan. The process only lasts about three minutes, the tanner simply steps in to a machine that sprays the tinted color all over their body.

“A lot of girls, especially younger ages from our school get spray tans,” said senior Alie Tinsley, a former employee of California Sun Centers.

“When a dance is coming up, we would usually have about ten people for spray tans in three hours.”

The other route, while pricier, tends to leave better results.

Atrium Salon and Spa in Granite Bay offers airbrush body bronzing, which is done by an employee. This process does take longer, but it also has a lower chance of leaving the client with streaks and uneven skin color.

“When getting an airbrush tan, we suggest you shower and shave before since it’s best to not shower for twenty four hours so the color does not come off,” said Christian Lauser, an employee at

December 2010

Atrium Salon and Spa. “The whole process usually takes about twenty minutes.”

Both tanning methods can have different results due to different formulas, so it is recommended to try both and decide which outcome is the best.

“I’ve found that some of the salons have an orange formula while others have a brown formula,” GBHS Secretary Debbie Nordman said.

However, there are ways that prevent a bad spray tan wherever it is done.

“One of my friends owns a tanning salon so I know some of the tricks; like to put a towel on the ground instead of just the barrier cream and wipe really quick after,” Nordman said.

Spray tans prove to be a great option for younger students who are not allowed to go in a tanning bed. Although spray tans are safer than tanning in a bed, they tend to look less natural.

“With spray tanning, you get dark automatically but tanning in a bed is your actual color and you won’t look orange,” Tinsley said.

The spray tan formulas are designed to match your skin but there have been numerous times where clients have been left with uneven coloring.

It is also important to understand how the machine works and what to do to make your tan successful.

“I didn’t get the mouth piece to help me breathe in the machine during my first spray tan, so I felt like I was going to pass out,” senior Cayley McDowell said. “It was just a bad experience and it left my arms and legs streaky.”

It’s easy to spot girls around the campus with spray tans but many students would be surprised to know that a lot of boys can be seen at the tanning salons.

“It’s surprising how many guys of all ages come in, whether it is for spray tans or for tanning in the bed,” senior Kassi Cobb an employee at California Sun Centers said.

Even though many guys would frown upon spray tanning, it’s beginning to be a better option than tanning in the beds.

“I don’t recommend anyone to use a bed,” junior Casey Ransdell said. “It’s horrible for your skin and can cause long term damage. Spray tanning is fast, safe and leaves amazing results.”

December 2010

iPhone App of the Month: Cut the Rope you have to take advantages of new elements that are introduced. A bubble jsetiawan.gazette@gmail. will bring the candy up towards the hile waiting in line for the screen, and popping it frees it from midnight premiere for Harry it’s ascent. The tricky thing about the Potter 7, things started to get bubble is, if you don’t pop it in time, extremely boring around hour three the candy will float off the screen and (of six). the level is failed.

Luckily, a new iPhone app called Along with the bubble, the rope Cut The Rope was just released, probattachments get much more complex ably to cure such boredom. as you progress through the levels and There’s a piece of candy attached to worlds, and more obstacles are added the end of a system of ropes in a box, such as electricity and the objective that will destroy is to strategically the candy altocut certain ropes gether. Timing is to get the candy crucial to avoid a to a creature’s destroyed candy. mouth.

Speaking of Once the candy timing, points is in, you pass the are awarded not level. However, only for collecting there are bonus bonus stars, but stars you can colalso for completlect on the way to ing each level at a the creature. certain time.

A maximum of CHILLINGO LTD The faster you three stars can be Cut the Rope is a good game to pass a level, the earned per level, pass the time. more points you and the stars need earn for that parto be collected beticular level. fore the candy drops into the creature’s With roughly a hundred levels, the mouth. game will definitely keep you enterAfter five levels or so, the game betained for hours. gins to become much more complex.

Soon enough, you’ll find yourself Levels get complicated fast as more hooked, with the hours quickly passing elements are added. by. It’s a great way to kill some time This is because the placement of while waiting, and is actually incredstars becomes harder, and to get them, ibly entertaining.

BY JON SETIAWAN

W

BY JON SETIAWAN

F

jsetiawan.gazette@gmail.

irst it was the Big Mac Rap. Now, it’s the McNugget rampage.

Although this particular incident happened New Year’s day, the security video has recently became public record.

The video opens up with a car pulling into a drive-through window.

Then, a drive-through thru attendant opens the window up and it looks like the worker is informing the patron that they do not serve chicken McNuggets past a certain time.

Now would be a good time to mention that there is no sound in this video, which actually seems to add to the humor as viewers are left to decide for themselves what was said between the workers and the patron.

After about a minute of conversing, it becomes clear that the patron is extremely irritated by the lack of McNuggets at the establishment.

The employee begins to lock the drivethrough window as the irritated customer gets out of her car, but does not make it in time. The angered customer pries the

Page 9

Enjoy.

Blast from the Past

Good Burger

BY BRITTANY HINCE

bhince.gazette@gmail.com

W

elcome to Good Burger, home of the Good Burger, can I take your order?

For every fan of All That, Kenan and Kel, or Nickelodeon in general (so essentially, every child of the 1990s) Good Burger was a testament to a generation – a generation of kids who loved good humor...and good burgers.

Kenan and Kel rocked our world when they took the recurring All That skit and turned it into a full-blown feature length film.

The story begins when Dexter (Kenan) takes his mom’s car and gets into a car crash after swerving out of the way to avoid hitting a rove roller blader.

After being rejected from Mondo Burger, Kenan begins working at Good Burger and ends up befriending Ed (Kel), a happy, goofy Good Burger employee.

The twist comes in when Dexter fails to recognize that Ed was actually the rove roller blader that caused Dexter to crash, causing Dexter to get a summer job, and conclusively resulting in the development of their lopsided yet comical friendship.

Ed was always the favorite of the infamous duo. Ed was the easily lovable idiot that we could all laugh at – the guy that everyone wanted to be their best friend.

Ed was also responsible for the catchiest song of the entire movie: “I’m a dude, he’s a dude, she’s a dude, ’cus we’re all dudes, hey!”

Every kid who watched Good Burger was curious as to what Ed’s secret sauce

NICKELODEON

Good Burger became a Nickelodeon classic after the 1997 release. actually tasted like – the sauce that finally gave Good Burger the edge on Mondo Burger and led to the epic battle between the two burger joints.

Mondo Burger played the typical bad guy that we kids were quick to pinpoint, as was the case in almost every other childhood movie.

The enemy burger joint attempted to steal Kel’s secret recipe and later resorted to breaking into Good Burger and poisoning the sauce.

In the end, after much shenanigans and massive Mondo Burgers, we are left with yet another Nickelodeon semi-classic that brings us back to the good old days.

Video of the Month: McNugget Rampage

window open and punches the employee in the face, knocking her back a few feet.

She then screams what can only be a mouthful of obscenities before YOUTUBE making a poor McNugget rampage features an intoxicated woman who is attempt at crazy about her McDonalds. entering pulling her hair, but she breaks free and the buildcontinues throwing punches at the air. ing through the tiny drive thru window.

Shortly after, an argument takes place The worker returns to try and shut the and another employee comes in for backwindow, and a few more punches are up to try and shut the window and lock thrown, but it’s no good. The manager the lunatic out. of the establishment apparently tries Two people could not muster up the to calm the enraged customer down by

strength to keep her out, so a third employee comes in to force the window shut.

Her fingers are smashed by the employees trying to shut the window. She then retreats, probably yelling more offensive words before getting back in the car.

At this point, viewers think that she’s about to drive off, but in fact, she grabs a beer bottle and throws it through the window, breaking the glass.

After one more punch through the glass, she finally gets back in her car and clearly speeds off.

Usually by this time, people always catch themselves wondering why someone would be so enraged over a lack of chicken McNuggets early in the morning.

Apparently, the woman was intoxicated early in the morning and was mad because, to her, it did not make sense that McDonald’s doesn’t serve chicken McNuggets for breakfast.

22-year old Melodi Dushane was sentenced to 60 days in jail and ordered to pay for the broken window.

Page 10

December 2010

Eat.

Boudin S.F.

BY MICHAELA MONAGHAN mmonaghan.gazette@gmail.com

N

othing compares to that first wonderful smell of warm, fresh, delicious bread, wafting into my nose as I walk in the door of Boudin, or as Granite Bay students affectionately call it: the bread place.

Walking in, I was first greeted by an assortment of small animals, including a turtle, bear, crocodile and rabbit.

Before getting the impression that this new restaurant is some sort of petting zoo, know that these creatures are not alive, but instead have been creatively crafted out of, you guessed it, bread.

Though only a recent addition to the Fountains at Roseville, Boudin has been well-known by some for years as a popular lunch spot on the San Francisco wharf.

Although nothing can compare to eating a hot bowl of soup while watching the seals on a breezy day in the city, our new Boudin restaurant certainly

comes close to recreating those delicious meals.

The restaurant has a cozy atmosphere, and feels like an adorable little downtown café.

While being greeted by the extremely friendly cashier, (after being greeted by the bread animals, of course), I couldn’t help but notice that there was a lot more to the menu than soup, which is all that’s ever seemed appropriate to order on a cold day in San Francisco.

After momentarily pondering whether or not I should step outside my box and try something new, I promptly dismissed the idea and ordered what I always order: the vegetarian rustic tomato soup in a bread bowl. For dessert, I ordered an apple tart.

While waiting for my meal, I sat outside on the patio.

Although it was cold, the restaurant provided heating lamps, which was a nice touch to make the whole experience more comfortable.

When my food arrived, I immediately dug in. The soup was warm and rich, with a delicious tomato flavor.

As soon as it had been devoured, I started on the

Faith’s Crepes

Granito’s

BY STEPHANIE SHAULL

T

sshaull.gazette@gmail.com

he luring aroma of pasta, meat and garlic bread invaded my nose as I entered the Granito’s restaurant.

When first entering, it’s a charming and welcoming space with décor that makes you feel like you’re eating in Italy.

I was seated quickly, and I was able to place my order only a few minutes later due to the lack of interesting entrees.

Compared to other Italian restaurants, there wasn’t much diversity on the menu.

I decided to order Fettuccine Alfredo

Gazette photo/MAGGIE LOUIS

Despite the charming first-impression, Granito’s is a disappointment in food quality and service.

real highlight of the meal: the sourdough bread bowl.

The bread was crunchy and flaky, with a soft and warm center.

At the risk of sounding like a crazed fanatic, I would go so far as to say that this bread is pure heaven.

Finally, I began my dessert, the apple tart. Usually I am disappointed by restaurant pastries, finding them dry and bland. This time however, I was pleasantly surprised.

The tart was flaky and slightly crunchy on the outside, while the fruit filling was delicious and fresh.

Overall, my experience at Boudin was very positive.

The employees were extremely welcoming, and made a point to give a warm smile and wave to send me on my way.

Although nothing can quite compare to those afternoons spent on the wharf, Boudin certainly succeeds in bringing the taste of San Francisco to Granite Bay.

with shrimp, expecting to be pleased.

After ordering, the only thing left to do after eating some bread was talk and wonder when my food would be in front of me.

However, I was left waiting too long for my meal given the number of customers there.

So when it came, I was only somewhat pleased.

Though it was good, I could have made it myself at home instead of wasting my money. The noodles were ordinary and the shrimp was overdone.

This left me unsatisfied and made me certain that I would never come back.

I skipped dessert and went right to the check.

For how the meal turned out, my check was overpriced and left me disliking pasta – maybe even Italian food altogether.

As for the overall experience, the service was only decent.

The employees cared about how things were going but not enough, and the food could have been served earlier.

For the meal, I’ve eaten better in my life and could have gone somewhere else.

I was left desiring something else to eat and wishing I hadn’t spent my money on a waste of a meal.

Granito’s proved to be unsatisfactory and I don’t advise going there for any occasion.

BY SAMANTHA SPARGO sspargo.gazette@gmail.com

Faith’s Crepes is located many miles away from France, but the taste of their crepes is deliciously similar to those from the Paris cafés.

Faith’s Crepes is one of the newest eateries in Granite Bay, located in the Quarry Ponds shopping center off of Douglas Boulevard.

The café-style space is roomy, but has a quaint feel, and provides a great place to read a book or catch up with friends while munching on one of Faith’s signature crepes.

When it came time for me to order, I had trouble deciding between all of the delicious prospects.

I was in the mood for something with some substance, but nothing too heavy, so I decided to share both a “savory” crepe and a “sweet” crepe with a friend.

Faith’s “savory” crepes are meant to be meal crepes, and usually contain meats, vegetables, cheeses and sauces.

The “sweet” crepes are dessert crepes that contain ingredients like chocolate, fruit and sugar.

Faith’s also offers vanilla gelato that can be added to any crepe for a mouthwatering á la mode alternative.

There is also a make-your-own option with over 20 different tasty ingredients that can be combined to create an original crepe that suits your mood.

After debating, my friend and I

settled on the Napoli “savory” crepe, which was a mouthwatering combination of sun dried tomato pesto, roasted chicken and mozzarella, with a dash of basil oil.

I received my crepe hot off the griddle and both my friend and I were completely satisfied with the rich flavor.

For dessert, I ordered a makeyour-own “sweet” crepe, and added cinnamon sugar and bananas to my warm, flaky crepe. The starchiness of the fruit fit perfectly with the sweetness of the sugar and the crepe; I would highly recommend it.

Having one of Faith’s Crepes is perfect for a light meal, but may not be filling enough to constitute a meal for a voracious eater.

The Quarry Ponds shopping center has struggled to hold onto its businesses over the past few years, but I have a feeling Faith’s Crepes isn’t going anywhere. Faith’s Crepes are made to suit your mood, whether they’re sweet, savory or your own original crepe creation.

Gazette photo/maggie louis

November 2010

Page 11

Eat.

Village Juice ‘n Java

BY ALLIE BURGER aburger.gazette@gmail.com

M

uch like its name states, Village Juice ‘n Java has perfected the art of both juice and java.

Located in the Village Shopping Center off of East Roseville near Treelake Park, this shop has a quiet, friendly atmosphere where music plays softly and employees learn the names of every customer that comes in.

Plus, there is plenty of room in and just outside of the shop for students and families to hang out or study, using the free wireless internet access available.

After opening a year ago, Juice ‘n Java partnered up exclusively with local bakeries, such as Hawk’s, to serve a variety of gourmet pastries.

So, to get your scone or croissant fix, the only place in town that offers such high quality options is Juice ‘n Java.

Not only are the foods offered topnotch, but the drinks are also divine.

Made-to-order drinks are made from well-trained employees who are knowledgeable about coffee, smoothies and various nutritious drinks.

From the Strawberry Bananza to the Açai Berry smoothie, there is a large and varied selection of fruit smoothies

to choose from.

Juice ‘n Java also offers custom frozen yogurt so that customers can use toppings and fruit to create personalized flavors using a special machine.

Although many individuals in the area go to chain coffee shops such as Starbucks or Peets, Juice ‘n Java offers the same products, including the holiday specialty drinks.

New drinks such as the salted caramel hot chocolate or pumpkin chai latte are great orders for students looking for warmth over the holiday break.

For those looking for healthier beverage options, the shop offers wheatgrass juice and Ginger’s juice, a blend of fresh fruit and vegetables such as ginger, apple, beet, carrot, spinach and celery. Both of these drinks are prepared in front of the customer.

With a relaxing environment, great service and delicious products, Juice ‘n Java seems to be the answer for a greatly needed local coffee shop in Granite Bay. It is close to the high school, local playing fields and the golf course, so it is an easy place to stop quickly rather than driving all the way down East Roseville or Barton just for a cup of coffee.

So, next time you think to grab a drink, Village Juice ‘n Java is a good choice.

Bravo Pastaria

BY MATT VENEMAN

mveneman.gazette@gmail.com

B

ravo Pastaria is a somewhat alternative style restaurant.

Traditionally when we think of a restaurant, we think of hostesses leading us to our seats and then a long period of waiting for the food.

At Bravo Pastaria, however, guests order upon entrance, similar to a fast food restaurant.

Prior to venturing to this restaurant, my party and I drove around for nearly a half hour looking for a place to eat, but each place was extremely crowded. Four stops later, we settled on Bravo Pasteria off Eureka Road, and were pleasantly surprised.

We walked up to the counter, grabbed a menu and then ordered our food. We then picked our own table and struck up a conversation while we waited for our food.

I went to fill up our drinks and got napkins and silverware for our party.

The restaurant is a mix of a fast food restaurant and a typical restaurant.

The seating is past the main entrance and kitchen, so it provides a nice, secluded eating environment.

Throughout the night we were greeted by several different staff personnel, but we did not have any single designated waiter or waitress.

The staff was upbeat and very helpful, catering to our requests.

After about ten minutes, our food arrived, piping hot.

I chose the ‘create your own pasta’ option on the menu.

I was able to choose from a wide variety of pastas including angle hair, fettuccini, linguini and penne and then top it with my choice of sauce including marinara, pesto and alfredo.

I chose to combine angel hair pasta with fresh marinara sauce and I was not disappointed. The pasta was fresh and very hot and the marinara sauce was light but full of flavor.

My mom ordered cajun jambalaya pasta. A staff member informed us that this was his favorite dish as well as the most popular.

This dish was composed of penne pasta combined with shrimp, sausage, sautéed onions, tomatoes and peppers, topped with a spicy cajun cream sauce.

My girlfriend ordered the four cheese raviolis. Several raviolis were stuffed with parmesan, mozzarella, ricotta and romano cheeses and then topped with the homemade marinara sauce.

The meal was very pleasant, and it was a nice alternative to what we had originally planned for the night.

So if you’re looking for a pleasant meal on a busy evening, then Bravo Pastaria is a perfect fit.

California Roll

BY JON SETIAWAN jsetiawan.gazette@gmail.com

L

et’s face it, sushi isn’t cheap. But it’s a favorite among many Granite Bay High School students, and it has recently become more popular.

California Roll, a sushi restaurant off of Douglas Boulevard by Dimple Records, is an extremely affordable restaurant with decent food perfect for GBHS students looking to get a quick sushi fix.

After hearing about this place from a few friends who absolutely loved their dining experience there, I knew I had to give it a try.

The first thing I noticed when I walked into the restaurant was the contemporary décor which added a nice relaxed feel and atmosphere to the restaurant.

There were also a few TVs on the wall with sports playing, but with the volume fairly low to maintain the atmosphere.

I was almost immediately seated and given a menu to look over by some friendly staff.

A majority of the menu included various rolls, all of which had their own unique names photos.

After some tough contemplation I finally settled on the Fair Oaks roll and the Philly roll.

For those who don’t think a few rolls will be

enough, California Roll includes a few combination options that allow you to add other items such as a salad, chicken teriyaki or gyoza (pot stickers) to your meal for a small fee.

Shortly after I placed my order, a waitress brought out miso soup for everyone, complimentary with the rolls we ordered.

The soup was pretty much the same as that offered at other sushi establishments in the area, so nothing particularly special here.

The wait time for food was shorter than most other restaurants I’ve reviewed in the past, which is a plus if you’re in a rush to get somewhere and need something quick.

My rolls were brought out on a huge plate, giving lots of room for my dish of soy sauce and wasabi.

My first roll was the Fair Oaks roll, a combination of deep fried tempura shrimp and avocado, topped with masago, tiny orange fish eggs – highly recommended for those not daring enough to try raw fish.

Needless to say, it was quite delicious and better than I had expected when I ordered. The roll also included some slightly sweet sauce, and when mixed with the salty soy sauce, it created an interesting but good taste.

Next, I tried the Philly Roll. This roll was a simple combination of cream cheese and salmon. It was

definitely a different taste from the Fair Oaks roll, but good nonetheless.

The salmon tasted fresh, and was free of any strange fragrances.

Overall, I highly recommend California Roll to anyone who wants affordable sushi.

The service was excellent, with very warm and courteous staff, and the food was quite good for the price you pay.

When on a budget and craving a pleasant sushi dinner, California Roll is the place to go.

Gazette photo /MAGGIE LOUIS

Pages 12 and 13

November 2010

Green.

Green Trees

Dreaming of a Green Christmas Tips for an eco-friendly holiday season

BY JAMIE COLOGNA

jcologna.gazette@gmail.com

H h real after the rong wit is not wasted t to good w g in noth as it is pu There is s trees, as long ake sure a tree ough a wood r a m th tm it ys to put Chris ome wa r firewood or S . s y a holid up fo chop it use is to r mulch. fo chipper

oliday music is carried through the air, Christmas sweaters are pulled out of boxes and gingerbread houses are constructed at the kitchen table. This can only mean one thing: the holidays are under way. In the past few years the term ‘going green’ has become not only a recommendation but a way of life. In order to follow that way of life this holiday season, decorating methods can be altered just slightly to make your Christmas more ecofriendly.

en e r G s t h g Li

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Green Gifts

an plant on you c ell trees s a e s y a if they s the holid ay, after rms can tell you reen tree. The w t a th , a rg or tree f has roots f the eve Christmas trees tree that Local nurseries ually varieties o a g in living des y u s t. are u , try b drop off ch tree and inclu nmen s d l o e e il ir te v tr n w n t e la e a k p e a e th a f r th e n ia f to s e n o h r d lp e turn he e best w in Califo e oppose n the siz If you ar ere else which in e trees that do th it is a company pricing varies o , h h e it somew ots still intact. T is another option ys are over. Th a ro y d n e li a o th p h h m e it o th w C up when hristmas Living C or and pick them o at your d d pick up. n Local a ff o drop

Battery free gifts: Batteries are needed to power many holiday toys. Discarding any kind of batteries causes harm to the environment.

stores: Keep your eyes open for locallymade gifts. Local stores have great gifts for great prices. For music lovers in your life, try buying music at The Beat, an independent music store in mid-town Sacramento. They sell both new and nearly new CD’s, cassettes, records and videos for a fraction of the price.

Wrapping paper: When it comes to wrapping gifts, try using recycled wrapping paper or even brown paper which can be bought at most craft stores, including Jo-Ann Fabrics and Michaels. To add a pop to what seems like a dull box, get creative and add stickers, draw on it or add a fun and colorful ribbon.

Homemade gifts: This year, be easy on your pockets and make your gifts. Some options are knitting, baking, making a scrap book or even a coupon book that will help mom or dad around the house.

Gazette photo illustrations/JUSTIN SHIIBA/ JESSICA REESE/ ALISON SALE/ KATIE ZINGHEIM

Turn the lights off when it gets late that way they are only on for a fraction of the time. Light timers can be purchased at places like Target and Home Depot and they generally cost less than $30.

Page 14

December 2010

Style.

Fashion Passion Spring and summer seasons will sport light, feminine styles R

eady your closets with feminine silhouettes, whites and delicate layers and you will be set, fashionably speaksspargo.gazette@gmail.com ing, for the upcoming spring and summer seasons.

The ready-to-wear runway collections of Spring/Summer 2011 are all about classic femininity.

Fashionable students predicted a similar outlook for the high school fashion scene. “(Trends) will be really girly, but contrasted with boyish accents and hardware,” sophomore Jenny Gilbert, who serves on Nordstrom’s local fashion board, said.

Junior Emily Engwer, also on the board, foresaw bright colors, and the same girly trend predicted by Gilbert.

“Bandage skirts and short boots will be in style (this upcoming season),” Engwer said.

T

Vintage skirts and dresses

he styles of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s inspired the collections of the Spring/ Summer 2011 season.

The maxi dress, a 70’s staple, is back in this coming spring.

Seventies-inspired maxis were included in the lineups of designers like Anna Sui and Charlotte Ronson.

Longer hemlines in general have come back into style and can be found in almost every single one of the spring collections.

50’s and 60’s inspired swingy, knee length skirts will be a trend for spring, as well as 70’s inspired high-waisted minis. It is clear that the skirts of spring are meant to accentuate the figure in a soft way.

I

solid whites and pops of color

BY SAMANTHA SPARGO

Gazette photos /maggie louis

n terms of color palette, neutrals like white, gray, beige and army green, as well as pops of color rule the runway across the board.

There is almost a complete “white-out” in the collections of many of the main fashion players, including Versace, Dolce & Gabbana and Calvin Klein.

In his predominantly white and pastel-colored spring collection, Alexander Wang, who is known for his leather accents and structured designs, showed a new, airy leaning.

“There’s no black!” Wang said in an interview with style. com. “I was looking for something optimistic, something pure.”

Pops of color showed up in the vivid belts and accessories of Christopher Bailey’s Burberry Prorsum collection.

Other designers, like BCBG designed brightly colored pieces that were distinguish against the plainer earth and white tones of the rest of their collections.

feminine aesthetics

A

focus on femininity and the female body characterizes the collections of the Spring/ Summer 2011 season.

Big names across the board experimented with delicate draping for their spring collections.

Sheer textures like silk and chiffon, and feminine details continued to appear in designs from Alberta Ferretti to Valentino and will be top trends for spring.

Filmy layered tops and dresses can be found among the lineups of Philip Lim and many others.

Dripping lace at Dolce & Gabbana, and sweet floral prints at D&G, the designer duo behind the two collections also echoed the feminine trend.

The floral trend can be seen in the spring collections designed by D&G designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana and Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld.

Including more lady-like designs in Proenza Schouler’s Spring/Summer 2011 collection than is common of the label, designers Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough too jumped on the bandwagon.

December 2010

Page 15

Enjoy.

Recipe of the Month Extreme Chocolate Chip Cookies

W Black and white trench coat at Forever 21 --- $50.00

ith winter finally here, it’s time for sweets galore.

Though it’s the season of gingerbread and pies, a classic favorite like chocolate chip cookies is always in season. Just because they’re classics, however, does not mean there can’t be a twist on these beloved cookies.

Whether made with the recipe below or a personal favorite, the addition of white chocolate chips and mini marshmallows takes these classic cookies one step further.

Chockfull of sweetness, they’re melt in your mouth delicious.

Instructions:

Ivory trench coat at Guess --- $300.00

Coats

On the Bay

BY JESSICA REESE

jreese.gazette@gmail.com

Gazette photo /Jessica Reese

Ingredients:

¾ cup butter, melted 1 cup packed brown sugar ½ cup white sugar 1 tbsp vanilla extract 1 egg 1 egg yolk 2 cups flour ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1 cup white chocolate chips ¾ cup mini marshmallows

* Preheat the oven to 325ºF and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or cooking spray. * Cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until completely combined. * Add the vanilla, egg and egg yolk and beat until light and creamy. (The mixture will be thin.) * Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl and sift together. Sifting the dry ingredients is key to light and fluffy cookies. * Add the dry ingredients to the main mixture and mix until just combined. To ensure the cookies come out soft, be sure not to over mix the dough. * Stir in both the white and semisweet chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout. * Then add in the marshmallows. Be sure to stir them in slowly to avoid pulverizing the marshmallows. * Using a spoon, scoop out heaping spoonfuls of the mixture and space them evenly apart on two baking sheets. As they cook, the cookies will spread and double in size. * Place the pans in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. (Cookies will still be soft in the middle.) * Allow the cookies to cool for five minutes before transferring them to wire racks to continue cooling. * Finally, enjoy the toasty cookies with a tall glass of milk!

Artist of the Month Rebecca Fox

latest work.

“I’m proudest of my last painting, because it’s really detailed and a 30x40 canvas, which is enior Rebecca Fox has been huge,” Fox said. interested in art most of her Beyond high school, Fox hopes life, but in high school she that art will remain a part of her decided to step up her involvement daily life. in art by taking classes at Granite After finishing school, Fox Bay High School. wants to put her talents to use. “I Fox has been doing art since she would like to have it be a second was little, but she learned more job,” she said. techniques from GBHS art teacher It appears that Fox is on track Myron Stephens when she started for this goal already, as she is one taking his classes her junior year. of six students who had an art Aside from the artistic tools Fox show at the Blue Line Gallery on has gathered while learning from Nov.20.

Stephens, she has drawn ideas As well as an art show, Fox also from the class as well. has a website for her art. This “I take inspiration from people website includes multiple galleries in my class, but it’s also based on of her high school work, as well my personal experiences and isGazette photo /Rebecca Fox as sketches used to plan for paintsues in my life,” Fox said. ings both complete and that have Rebecca Fox has been taking art Artists in Stephens’ advanced yet to be started. classes at GBHS since her junior year. classes spend their time creating “I have been lucky enough to series of paintings based on similar sometimes you don’t,” Fox said. be given the ability to express ideas and inspiration. Students start a As students progress through the art myself through art,” wrote Fox on her new series in every class. website, “with that I love to explore program at GBHS, they are expected “Right now I am working on paintthe irony I find in life in addition to to build on their talents and increase ings centered around memories and how unexpected things can be thrown the level of their work, so it is only how sometimes you want them and at you and how you handle them.” fitting that Fox is most proud of her

BY KYLE PAWLAK

Black zip jacket at Nordstrom --- $50.00

BY JON SETIAWAN

jsetiawan.gazette@gmail.com

Faux brown leather bomber jacket at Macy’s ---$60.00

Compiled by Jamie Cologna Gazette photos /Jamie Cologna

S

kpawlak.gazette@gmail.

Page 16

December 2010

Give.

All I want for Christmas is...

BY MICHAELA MONAGHAN and KELSEY KNORP mmonaghan.gazette@gmail.com; kknorp.gazette@gmail.com

Dad gift: Fossil Watch

Mom Gift: Quality Timeout Spa Package Most teenagers will agree that dealing with a stressed and frustrated mother is not a fun experience.

Around Christmastime, after the hustle and bustle of shopping and preparations has passed, anyone’s mom would be thrilled to spend a couple hours relaxing.

The Quality Timeout spa package, offered at Serenity Spa on Douglas Boulevard, is a luxurious $145 escape from stress.

This package includes an hour long specialized facial and an hour long Swedish massage.

According to Michelle Reverf, one of the spa’s technicians, the Swedish massage technique and the specialized facial technique are two of the most popular treatments offered at the spa.

“It’s a client-friendly package because it’s nothing too extreme, [such as] a deep tissue technique,” she said. “I would definitely buy it for my mom.”

For the unemployed teen, it may be wiser to choose a spa package such as Bellagio Day Spa’s Express Timeout Treatment, a deep cleansing 30-minute facial for the reasonable price of $40.

For good ol’ Dad, it’s always hard to pick a gift. If you’ve already given him the traditional ties and colognes year after year, it’s time to start fresh. This year, a watch is the perfect accessory for any dad, whether he’s the business type, the stylish type, the on-the-go type or the can-and-will-try-to-fix-anything-around-the-house type.

Fossil has multiple lines of watches, all with different features, styles and colors. The prices range from $75 to the more expensive $135.

The “Decker” watches combine aviation style with sport practicality – perfect for a classic watch. They can be worn in the shower and in shallow water, and are perfect for casual, everyday wear.

The “Vintaged Bronze” watches bring a polished vintage feel to a military inspired watch. They can come with black or white faces, each surrounded by bronze, making these watches classy and stylish.

For the dad who can never make up his mind, convertible watches make it easy for him to suit his style to his mood. These watches come with interchangeable straps in bright colors and patterns.

The Fossil mechanical watches have precision and accuracy, but have the look of a mechanical watch, even allowing a peek at the inner workings through the dial.

For a more conservative budget, moccasin slippers are the ideal gift for your hard-working dad. Available from nearly every store, they typically range from $30 to $60.

Cozy Gift: Slippers Nothing’s better than curling up by the fireplace on a cold day.

Being realistic though, this situation will probably never present itself for us high school students.

For the most stressed person in your life, or maybe even yourself, the perfect gift is a pair of cozy slippers.

Urban Outfitters and Target both have a huge selection of slippers to choose from, everything from faux fur-lined booties to ballet slippers to moccasins to rubber bottomed slip-ons, which allow the wearer to never have to leave the house without comfy footwear. Prices range from $7 to $59.

Slippers come in a variety of colors and patterns, ensuring that you will find the perfect pair to suit anyone’s tastes.

For a higher-end “cozy” gift, Ugg comes to the rescue as usual. The new collaboration with Jimmy Choo has yielded a new take on the same old Ugg we’ve been used to seeing for a decade. The collection consists of six new boot styles, each unlike the other. They range from zebrapatterned to cowboy style to gold and silver studded. The prices are anywhere between $495 and $795.

Gazette illustrations/JESSICA REESE

December 2010

Page 17

Give.

A gift giving guide for your loved ones this holiday season Apple Gift: the iPad It comes as no surprise to consumers that Apple is the producer of one of this year’s most desired advances in technology. Priced at $499, this laptop/iTouch fusion has made even more of a splash than the releases of previous Apple products.

Justin Lara, a Best Buy sales associate in the store’s computer department, offered his insight on the phenomenon.

“Apple has sold more iPads in the short amount of time they’ve been out than any of their laptops,” Lara said.

Within 80 days of its April 3 release, three million iPads were sold.

The main appeal for most iPad users is the number of functions it offers - it comes with a built-in Mail app, as well as the opportunity to use almost any of the 300,000 apps offered in the App Store. Photos, videos and music can all be stored on the iPad. iTunes and YouTube access are available, as well as a built-in iPod. Internet access is available through high-speed WiFi, or optional 3G networking if a WiFi connection is not close by.

For those smaller budgets, Apple offers other, more reasonably priced products such as the Apple TV. At $99, the Apple TV offers plenty of entertainment for a smaller price. Users can easily download HD movies and TV shows, as well as access YouTube and Netflix. Set-up is anxiety-free and involves only the attachment of a single cable.

Boyfriend Gift: Call of Duty: Black Ops If there’s anything that can distract a teenage boy from eating, girls or televised sports, it’s the latest Call of Duty game.

On Nov. 9, Call of Duty: Black Ops hit stores and thousands of male adolescents became confined to the vicinity of their Xbox.

The magnitude of this release was confirmed by Best Buy sales associate Justin Lara.

“Black Ops has been popular. It was the most presold game Xbox has ever had,” Lara said. “It’s bigger than World of Warcraft.”

GBHS senior Kyle Garcia is one of the many CoD enthusiasts on campus.

“The campaign on Black Ops is way more interesting than on Modern Warfare 2,” he said.

Girls, if your guy hasn’t yet been hypnotized by this ongoing phenomenon, impress him by dropping $50 on Black Ops and earn yourself some girlfriend points.

If you’re really looking to splurge on your man, tickets to his favorite band or to see his favorite sports team are sure to win him over.

Girlfriend Gift: Lucky Brand cuff bracelets Many a guy has agonized over what gift to get his significant other since the start of time. A common concern is the male lack of knowledge of women’s ever-changing trends.

This year’s fashionable cuff bracelets are guaranteed to be a safe gift, regardless if a couple has been dating for a couple months or a couple years.

Lucky Brand has a wide selection of these adorable accessories, all reasonably priced around $50 and incorporating stylish elements such as leather and turquoise.

The Rhinestone Cuff Bracelet and Native Turquoise Cuff, both available on the Lucky Brand website, are examples of these simple yet thoughtful gifts that are sure the please any female.

Guys in more serious relationships who really want to go all out on a Christmas gift should consider the $125 heart tag bracelet from Tiffany’s. Any girl is sure to swoon at the sight of a baby blue Tiffany’s box.

Gazette Illustrations/JESSICA REESE

Page 18

Anime.

anime

BY HALEY MASSARA

J

December 2010

EXPLOSION

hmassara.gazette@gmail.com

apanese culture is making its mark at Granite Bay High School.

This time, in the form of cartoons.

While the interest in anime and manga may have only recently surfaced at GBHS, the style itself has been around for years.

Sophomore Lisa Nyguen started drawing anime in elementary school, before it entered the mainstream.

“One of my friends was reading manga, and I passed by and asked what it was,” she said. “That got me hooked.”

Manga and anime – Japanese comic books and cartoons, respectively – have exploded in popularity in the past decade, and its cult fan following has morphed into its own subculture. Thanks in part to the advent of online anime forums and fan communities, anime culture has begun to trickle into the mainstream.

Nyguen now writes her own manga, and has a regular online readership of around 70 people.

“I’ve made too many to count,” she said.

Part of the attraction, Nyguen said, was the angular style of anime art.

“They’re very easy to me to draw, because I can’t do shading at all,” she said. “Manga is a very clean-cut style of drawing for me.”

Stereotypically, manga and anime art is characterized by large eyes, unusual hair color and unrealistic head and body proportions.

But Brian Wei, sophomore and president of GBHS’ Organization for Research and Appreciation of Modern Japanese Visual Culture, said that these traits are sometimes used to simplify storytelling, by differentiating characters with loud dress and hair colors, and quickly conveying emotion with overdramatic facial expressions.

“I don’t really believe that it’s the art that sets

anime apart,” Wei said in an e-mail interview.

Unlike American cartoons and comics, which cater almost exclusively to children, anime is more universal, Wei explained.

“Anime is directed to the vast majority of age and gender groups, from young children looking for a few laughs to adults wanting a serious psychological story,” he said.

Nikki Chang, freshman and president of the other anime-themed group on campus, the Manga Art Club, said that manga tends to bridge gender gaps better than American comic. “(Manga is) very deep, especially the shojo, which is the girls’ (kind), so it’s like, love triangles! And then the guys’ ones are like, fighting scenes and guns and blood splatter!” Chang exclaimed.

She stressed that, with innumerable subgenres and series, there’s a manga for every taste.

“Try it,” she said. “It’s a very fun genre, you just have to find out what you like.”

The two anime-centric clubs at GBHS vary slightly, and those seeking exposure to anime should consider those differences.

Wei described his club as a forum for discussion and appreciation of less mainstream anime.

“Above all, we create an environment where everyone feels included, no matter what their preferences are,” he said.

Inversely, Chang’s club aims to produce a manga and sell it on campus.

“We’re still looking for new recruits, because we’re currently very low on artists, and we really need them,” she said. “(We need) people who have visions, (and) people who can relate (to) the genre, because now we’re (doing) a sci-fi fantasy kind of (story).”

But to appreciate anime, one needn’t be a diehard fan.

Manga and anime aficionados have been the subject of some scorn, and have a reputation for being unhealthily preoccupied with their hobby, as Wei explained.

“Not every fan is obsessive or psychotic,” he said. “Many of us are pretty nice people, who have the ability to separate between reality and fiction.”

Gazette illustrations/LISA NYGUEN

December 2010

Page 19

Blogosphere.

student bloggers.

Dashboard

aburger: Over the last few years, blogging has turned into a cyber phenomenon. Blogging has become one of the leading ways for individuals all over the world with various interests who hope to feature their talents or portray their ideas in a unique, expressive way for others to see.

This developing fad has more recently been dubbed a trend for older generations. However, a few GBHS bloggers prove the art lives in our generation—and is thriving.

chicklitteens.com: Junior Jessica Reese gained the inspiration for her blog in junior high school when writing in her reading journal for her English class.

“I always really liked breaking down characters and talking about different opinions of books. I joined a program called Random Buzzers through Random House where (I could) review books. I really liked it so I started a blog on Blogger,” Reese said.

Two and a half years later, Reese still runs the entire production of her blog. Since her Blogger days, she has bought a domain name to her own website, created her own designs, produced all of her own reviews and run her own networking with authors and publishers.

“I buy the books and read them just like any newspaper would do. In addition to that, I will get emails from authors and publicists who will pitch their books to me and I have the option of accepting advanced or finished copies of their books. I post my reviews up in the month that the book comes out. I also look at covers that publishers have just put out and judge them and interview authors,” Reese said.

Spending a maximum of thirteen hours a week working on the website on top of countless hours of reading, Reese’s hard work has paid off. She gets about 6,000 hits on her website per month and has befriended authors from all over.

Reese hopes to keep her blog up and running through college, become an editor in the future, and hopefully publish a manuscript. But for now, she wants to just keep reading and writing.

“It’s really hard to find books in this day in age, especially with so many books out, so I think the blog is a great thing to have to be able to go on and look at to see my reviews,” Reese said.

artofcat.yolasite.com: With five years worth of art training under senior Cat Stabile-Whitney’s belt, starting a blog seemed like a natural progression to grow as an artist.

“At first, the blog was a school requirement for Art 4, but then it kind of turned into a website that I wanted to use so that people could feel connected to both myself as the artist and my paintings to better understand the works,” Stabile-Whitney said.

Stabile-Whitney did just that.

Updating her blog about once a month, she keeps her fans in the know about her artistic lifestyle and her work.

“There are pages solely of pictures of my artwork and its titles. I also have a blog page set up on the site that talks about the pieces that I’m working on, how I’m feeling about my paintings at the moment and whether or not I have any art shows coming up,” Stabile-Whitney said.

Rather than just putting her art out solely for viewing pleasure, Stabile-Whitney has also received both positive and negative feedback which have helped her grow as an artist.

With a pop-surrealist style, her website has helped define her artistic style to the public.

In the future, Stabile-Whitney hopes to continue drawing viewers to her site and updating it more often. Also, she hopes to contribute to increasing the appreciation for art from the general public through her blogging.

“People should read my blog because the appreciation for art has seemed to lessen over the years, so we need to increase appreciation,” Stabile-Whitney said.

graphscrap.blogspot.com: After her friends left for college this past fall, junior Haley Massara still wanted her friends to be able to read her “rants,” that would normally appear in the Gazette. She decided to start her blog.

Since the first post on her Blogspot account at the end of summer, Massara has received over 1,000 hits to her website.

“When I first started, I uploaded everything I had written for the Gazette, which didn’t get many hits at all. But then, I wrote a piece for the Sacramento News and Review so I linked the original unedited rant back to my blog and readership skyrocketed,” Massara said.

In comparison to other bloggers, Massara’s work takes less time—usually writing a rant in about an hour and looking it over for factual errors more carefully after it is published.

Massara thrives from the comments and critiques, although she hasn’t received any negative feedback yet, from her readers.

“I hope for more feedback, and I think that a lot of other bloggers do, too. That’s really why we put this stuff out there is to see what other people think. We just want some confirmation that there are people out there reading it,” Massara said.

Massara hopes that her ideas hit the people who feel isolated in their beliefs.

“I like to think that my views are the polar opposite of most things that are the norm in Granite Bay. I hope there is someone out there who empathizes with me and feels what I’m feeling. I hope to give the person of Granite Bay who feels differently about X or Y issues a voice,” Massara said.

Gazette illustration/JESSICA REESE

Page 20

Design.

December 2010

creative crashpads For junior Dorien Johnk, memorable visits to the beach have inspired her to bring the experience into her very own room.

She has been moved by the breathtaking scenery of the ocean and uses it for her bedroom’s look.

Her room is painted a blue-green and her walls are filled with beach photos, allowing the calm, ocean feel to invade the room.

Johnk has bamboo on one wall, and every color that fills the room is reminiscent of a tropical beach.

“I was inspired by the colors of the ocean and the life around the beach,” Johnk said.

Johnks’ room reflects her love for the people, waves and relaxation of beaches.

“I like my room because I feel calmed when I walk into it after a long day at school and it helps me relax,” Johnk said.

Decked-out bedrooms with personality

BY STEPHANIE SHAULL sshaull.gazette@gmail.com

Teenagers have a variety of ways of expressing themselves, and for some their rooms are their outlet.

A teenager ’s room is one of the few places they have to themselves and can express just who they are.

Whether the room is movie based, hobby based, or about the places they go, students all over the school are thinking of new, creative ways to show s. their personalities through their room indi ue uniq e thre show s room se The little a from e viduals and what they mad imagination and a few nails.

As movie-watching is a big part of social culture these days, some teens choose to center their rooms on their favorite flick.

Senior Haley Jantzen was inspired by the recent world-wide phenomenon, Twilight.

Jantzen decided to design her room in posters and other Twilight paraphernalia.

Jantzen’s bed sports a team Edward pillow and the whole room envelopes all who enter into the Twilight scene. Her walls are all completely covered with Twilight posters sporting Taylor Laughtner, Kristin Stewart and Robert Pattinson.

You might as well be in Forks, Washington when you enter the room; all of the characters in this room bring you into the scenes of the books and movies.

“I like that I can walk into my room and be engulfed into Twilight without having to see the movies,” Jantzen said.

For some, a favorite hobby is what best expresses their personality.

Senior Rachel Smith is a fashion guru and has a passion for style and design. Her love for this creative art and the many style possibilities are clearly shown by her room.

“I have always been into fashion and design, so I feel like my room now reflects that,” Smith said.

Artsy pictures, a TOMS shoes flag, collages and even a mannequin fill some of her space.

Smith also has a stylish Pottery Barn Teen couch and bed. This creates a relaxed and artistic hangout for Smith and her friends.

“I love that it reflects my interests and has good space for what I like to do,” Smith said.

Smith often creates outfits and clothes in her room as an escape from her busy school life and work, making it the perfect getaway.

Gazette photos/RACHAELVASQUEZ Gazette illustration/JESSICA REESE

December 2010

Page 21

Perform.

Gazette photo /DANIEL FLEISCHMAN

The Granite Bay High School choir members, above perform as a group for the Winter Concert on Dec. 9, led by choir director Kristin Faulkner.

GBHS performing arts lack male participation

BY SONIA IYER

siyer.gazette@gmail.com

W

hen Shakespeare’s first play became a success, he probably didn’t spend much time worrying about where to find male actors to fill the spots.

Back then, entertainment seemed not only abundant in hopeful male performers – it was predominantly controlled by them too.

As time has run its course, however, performing arts have become slightly more female-dominated.

Along with this came more clearly defined gender roles for teenagers. It became more expected of boys to join a rough sport than audition for a play or take a dance class, resulting in a general lack of males in the performing arts.

As with many school theater programs, Granite Bay High School has felt the effects of the lack of males.

Adam Godbey, a senior and upcoming lead actor in the school musical Grease, has been involved in the school’s choir and musical theater programs and has taken notice of these effects.

“One of the reasons I remember (we) was not able to do Phantom of the Opera, which was the musical originally planned for musical theater, was because (we) were starved for male performers,” Godbey said.

While a lack of male auditions is typically seen as detrimental to performing arts because of the gender

unbalance, it can actually be a positive aspect for the males who do audition.

Because a small number of males get involved in theater, there tends to be a lot of opportunity for the hopeful, auditioning males to get a part.

“Looking at the people that auditioned for Grease, I saw that the girls had to be extremely competitive, but about only eight guys auditioned,” Godbey said. “So, almost every guy got a part.”

For Godbey, this idea – along with his natural acting abilities, of course – seemed to work to his advantage when he landed the lead role for Grease despite having not taken a drama class for a couple of years.

“In general, it’s just much easier for guys,” Godbey said. “But it’s kind of unfortunate that the guys don’t have to be as good to get a part.”

Indeed, the shortage of male performers can benefit the boys, but appear unfair to the girls and their stiff competition year after year.

Still, the question remains unanswered as to why there exists today such a lack of males in performing arts.

According to sophomores Eddie Schubert and Neil Martin, two active participants in the choir program, it

Gazette photo /DANIEL FLEISCHMAN

Gazette photo /DANIEL FLEISCHMAN

The Granite Bay High School drama class, above, tends to have more females than males.

The boys and girls in choir, left, rehearse together for the Winter Concert.

is a matter of stereotypes and preference.

“Some guys will do tougher sports just to make themselves look cool,” Schubert said. “But other guys actually love the sport they play.”

Martin carries a similar perspective.

“They think the performing arts are going to feminize (them),” Martin said. “But (choir) is actually a lot harder and more awesome than it looks.”

Jim Prichard, a performing arts teacher at GBHS, is in agreement of this social stigma.

“I think it’s much more socially acceptable to be a jock or an athlete than it is to be involved in drama,” Prichard said. “It’s not much different from when I was in high school.”

It appears that most people are aware of this stereotype and tendency for teenage boys to take interest in only athletics.

Godbey, Schubert and Martin all participate in a variety of sports, including wrestling, cross country, and swim, proving that there should be no need to choose between a rougher sport and a performing arts activity.

For Schubert, his participation in choir started out simply as a whim and gradually turned into a more serious passion.

“My girlfriend convinced me to start doing choir and, (after) a week or two, I just fell in love with it,” Schubert said.

Martin, too, has grown to really enjoy choir, despite the high girl to boy ratio in the class.

“What ends up happening is that the guys get really close to each other,” Martin said. “Me, Eddie, and the (other choir) guys are all best friends and it’s really cool.”

Having unexpectedly taken to choir, Schubert encourages other guys to try new activities outside of athletics.

“I think guys should come out of their shell and try it,” Schubert said. “There’s a play (about) every three months, so guys can just come and try out, and choir is also a great class.”

Godbey similarly feels that gender shouldn’t play any factor in one’s interests.

“It’s really about what you want to do,” Godbey said. “Anyone who feels like they might enjoy the (performing arts) should go for it because there’s so much opportunity to have fun with it.”

ROGUE

Rated: PG-13 By: Matt Palkowski mpalkowski.gazette@gmail.com

the warrior’s way: B-

eaving the near empty theater at Century 14, I felt that I had been totally unprepared to what I was about to watch in the theatre.

The Warrior’s Way is an extremely exciting movie with well-developed action scenes, however the excessive blood and violence can take viewers by surprise to the point of being horrified.

In Sngmoo Lee’s first American film, he creates an action-pact and gore-filled movie that may make even a borderline squeamish viewer a little uncomfortable.

This suspenseful film starts out with the protagonist, assassin Yang, (played by Donggun Jang,) finishing his task of killing a whole opposing assassin clan but decides to show mercy and spare the baby who was the last descendant of the clan.

However, since the purpose of the mission was to deplete the entire line of the enemy clan, Yang’s own people turn against him for not completing his task.

Ostracized by everyone he felt close to and loved in his life, Yang leaves his home and travels until he comes upon an abandoned circus town in which his grandfather had lived when he was a young child.

However, the town is not completely abandoned: Wild West bandits have made their home in it, and Yang decides to begin a new life with them.

Overall, the whole movie was very predictable.

The actions of the characters and the progression of the plot were rarely a surprise, but rather were very easily guessable by the audience. However, this took away from the quality of the movie only a little bit.

But all things considered, The Warrior’s Way is an intriguing film, full of action and intensity.

While I would not recommend this movie to the average calm-minded human being that dislikes gore and fighting, people with a great love of a violent thrills and adrenaline rushes would thoroughly enjoy this movie.

F

CASTLE ROCK ENTERTAINMENT

aster is a movie that has totally sold itself short through its marketing campaign. What I initially expected to be a totally brainless, unrelenting, gunfight filled plot-less extravaganza was, in reality, only mostly brainless, and had an interesting plot.

Faster stars Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson as Driver and Billy Bob Thornton as Cop in quite possibly the most aptly named characters in movie history.

Driver is on a mission of vengeance after spending time in prison, and the plot revolves around him and his hunt for those responsible for his brother’s murder.

The plot is given an extra layer with the inclusion of the young-millionaire thrill seeker introduced as Killer (played by Oliver Jackson-Cohen).

The main problem with this movie is that it is stuck in a rut – it doesn’t cram in enough car chases, explosions or gun fights to be a simple action flick and it lacks the sophistication to maintain enough tangible drama.

Faster sets itself up strong enough with meaningful and interesting back-stories and side-plots for the main cast but the characters are mostly static and the dialogue is left wanting.

Driver, Killer and Cop felt like old friends, as I was regularly finishing their sentences before they did, and this predictability in writing is a serious weakness.

The names themselves became a problem; how can I care about the family problems of Killer or Cop or the history of Driver when I only know them by such impersonal names?

The makers of Faster undoubtedly expected the talent of the acting made up for the lack thereof in writing, and for the most part it did.

Johnson captured the gruffness of his character perfectly while still including his signature charm and likeability and Thornton’s stressed and strung-out persona brought a genuine feel to Cop. Despite the strong acting and riveting action, Faster feels like it could have been a much better movie if it had developed more drama or suspense, both of which it mostly brushes over.

Rated: PG-13 By: R. Slater McLaughlin rmclaughlin.gazette@gmail.com

faster: B-

L

December 2010

Film.

N

20TH CENTURY FOX

arnia is one of thousands of fantastical alternate worlds created by the movie industry. I can imagine the goal of creating such a world would be to engross the movie-goer, to captivate their attention with the creativity and wonder of this ingenious place.

While watching the latest Chronicles of Narnia installment, Michael Apted’s The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, I felt the splendor of Narnia was used to conceal the obvious unoriginality of the plot line and the cringe-worthy acting.

The movie begins with two siblings, Edmund and Lucy, residing in Cambridge, England, with their cousins, while their elder siblings, Peter and Susan, live in America with their parents.

The pain of this heart wrenching separation is somewhat eased when Edmund and Lucy are roughly tossed through yet another furniture portal, this time a painting on the wall. It doesn’t get much cooler than the original wardrobe portal, so this was a little disappointing.

Another mistake in the real world-Narnia transfer occurred with the addition of cousin Eustace on the journey.

Intended to be the comic relief, Eustace proceeds to excessively complain in a corny British accent. I did, however, appreciate his transfiguration into a dragon, a much more silent and impressive role.

The goal established at the start of the Dawn Treader’s journey instilled a sense of foreboding in its lackluster concept.

The feeble residents of the Lone Islands are plagued by a cruel slave industry and tormented by a mysterious mist that swallows Narnians and… poof!... makes them disappear.

Mist? Could the great princes and heroes of Narnia not at least be chasing a concrete, tangible substance? A smoke monster may have worked for Lost but for a Disney movie? Not so much.

Now, I may be a little rusty on my world history, but I think a country or two may have had a morally questionable slave trade issue back in the day… does a special-effect filled fantasyland really need to be taking its story lines from a history book.

Overall, it’s time for an overrated and overdone franchise to retire, and for all furniture portals to Narnia to be closed for good.

Rated: PG By: Kelsey Knorp kknorp.gazette@gmail.com

voyage of the dawn treader: C-

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December 2010

D

Page 23

Film.

Disney pictures

C

Regency

W

WARNER BROS. PICTURES

Rated: PG

Rated: R

Rated: PG-13

By: Kevin Nielson knielson.gazette@gmail.com

By: Ali Valdrighi avaldrighi.gazette@gmail.com

By: Rachael Vasquez rvasquez.gazette@gmail.com

the tourist: C-

hen I heard that two of the most notorious names in Hollywood were starring in a film together, my interest was peaked.

What could be better than watching a powerful duo like Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie bring each of their acting styles to the table?

At first, The Tourist possessed me. The setting of France was beautifully captured, as British beauty Elise, (Jolie,) starts the morning like she usually does: by enjoyed her daily tea.

At the same time, the International Criminal Police Organization is strangely watching Elise’s every move. I asked myself – what would Interpol want to do with such a sophisticated woman?

Later, after watching people essentially stalk Elise for a good portion of the movie, I lost all hope.

Elise finally meets up with Depp’s tourist character, Frank, a Wisconsin community college math teacher, on a train. Using her beauty and arrogant charm she captures not only Frank’s attention but his hope. For a romantic encounter I must say that it was more than weak.

Their first conversations were awkward, but not in an adorable way. Elise had such an air about her while Frank was just off his mark. Neither characters convinced the audience that a romance was taking place.

Nonetheless, the two supposedly have some ‘magic’ between them, even as Elise knew she was going to use Frank to trick Interpol into thinking he was her accomplice in crime.

And so begins the chase of cat and mouse, with Elise constantly posing as if she were a model rather than an actress.

Maybe my expectations were too high and my observations were too quick in allowing me to make judgments, but no matter what, The Tourist had a bad excuse for an ending. It was both predictable and rushed.

Yes, every aspect of it was extravagant, from Elise’s modelesque style to the high-end speedboats.

However, the greatness of a movie should not come from the recognition of fabulous objects and actors but from believable acting. Isn’t that what actors are paid and known for?

love and other drugs: B+

lassic story: boy dates many girls, meets girl he can’t have, falls in love with girl, and everyone lives happily ever after.

Although Love and Other Drugs may follow this traditional story line, it completely revitalizes the ideas and goes from a cliché story to one with a profound life message.

Drug-salesman Jamie Randall, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, has never had a serious connection with anyone he has dated. But when he meets Maggie Murdock, (Anne Hathaway) who avoids commitment because of her affliction with Parkinson’s disease, things begin to change.

The movie shows the progression from a meaningless fling to a love-filled relationship along with the challenges of both loving someone with and having an illness.

Initially, going into this movie, my hopes weren’t very high. Although the previews had seemed funny, I was fully expecting the previews to have been the only funny parts.

And the fact that there were only about 10 people in the theater had me worried.

However, my expectations were entirely off-base. Gyllenhaal and Hathaway made an incredible team and were able to portray the movement from a non-committed relationship to love in a believable fashion.

Gyllenhaal avoided over-the-top romantics, and was genuine in his feelings towards Hathaway.

The movie did a great job establishing the characters and gradually building on the magnitude of their relationship.

However, the realistic transition did make for a slightly slow, and awkward, middle of the movie.

This is definitely not a movie to see with your parents, or anyone you would feel awkward watching a number of graphic sex scenes with.

Hathaway did an amazing job portraying an early-onset Parkinson’s patient. She was incredibly believable both in acting the symptoms of the disease as well as her emotional reactions accompanying them.

Although the plot line was a bit predictable, so many twists and turns were added that the story was almost unrecognizable during the middle. It was only at the end the audience realized it was a traditional love story.

With a combination of romance, drama and comedy, I would definitely recommend at least giving this movie a chance.

tangled: B

isney’s newest movie Tangled is a new take on the classic story of Rapunzel.

And while the plot follows many aspects of a traditional fairy tale, Tangled changes up the original Rapunzel to make an enjoyable hour and forty minute animated film.

In this rendition, Rapunzel was kidnapped at birth because her hair possessed the magic power of healing. To keep her magic powers away from the world, her evil fake mother never permitted Rapunzel to leave the tower she was exiled to.

Her devastated parents, the king and queen of the land, send up lanterns every year on her birthday to hopefully draw their lost daughter back home.

On the day of her 18th birthday, Rapunzel decides she wants to go see the lights over the hills that miraculously appear every day on her birthday.

But Rapunzel’s fake mother won’t permit her to go. Luckily, a thief named Flynn shows up, and Rapunzel decides to leave with Flynn as her guide.

Overall, the story line is well put together and has some action, humor and romance.

There aren’t too many dry parts, but a few every once in a while, but overall Disney successfully engages the viewer into the story.

Disney also did a good job of changing the classic story of Rapunzel with out totally ruining the basic outline of Rapunzel.

Even though they gave Rapunzel magic healing powers, I don’t think it is too unreasonable considering it is just a fairy tale.

Surprisingly, there were a lot of humorous scenes through out the movie. The humor added to the charm of the movie, and made the story even more enjoyable.

The animation was well done, aside from the fact that Rapunzel’s hair length seemed to change length in every other scene.

Tangled is a good family movie. Like most Disney movies, it is geared more towards younger aged kids but it can still be enjoyed by teens because of the humor and action through out the movie.

Despite the film’s predictability, I believe it is still worth watching. So if you are looking for a good movie to watch over break, go see Tangled.

Page 24

December 2010

Movies.

ROGUE

The Warrior’s Way

20TH CENTURY FOX

CASTLE ROCK ENTERTAINMENT

B-

Faster

B-

Voyage of the Dawn Treader

In Theat ers

B

B+

Tangled

DISNEY

Love and Other Drugs

rEGENCY

C-

C-

The Tourist

WARNER BROS. PICTURES