Issue 5 complete combined february

The 2014 Grammys An inside look at the awards ceremony

G8-9

The drop that makes the difference

Varsity wrestling on fire B1

C1

Team off to a dominant start in league

Teachers decided on grade bumps

The Granite Bay Gazette GRANITE BAY HIGH SCHOOL w 1 GRIZZLY WAY w GRANITE BAY, CA w 95746 w VOLUME 18 wISSUE 5 w FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014

COMMENTARY

kiana okhovat kokhovat.gazette@gmail.com

Just do right – and focus on people, not on tasks

O

n a whim, I decided to attend Breaking Down the Walls, the new-and-improved Point Break from previous years. I had never attended Point Break and knew little about it.

I walked into the program, not knowing what to expect. Attending Breaking Down the Walls was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Breaking Down the Walls is basically a program dedicated to unifying nearly 100 strangers through various activities, focusing on themes essential to human connection. Students were given the opportunity to be in an intimate, safe, respectful environment, where they could open up to fellow classmates about their stories.

I never thought I’d be talking with the people I met that day, or have so much in common with them. Really, on the inside, we’re all the same.

I find that we are often so caught up in our own lives, in our own to-do lists and thoughts, that we tend to lose perspective.

Everything is about perspective. We only feel what’s happening at the moment to be a big deal because it’s happening at that moment. So naturally it’s the only thing that we are preoccupied with.

For example, getting the nerve to do something brave, at that moment it’s terrifying. But after we do it, or after we don’t, as time passes by we see that it wasn’t that daunting after all. And we don’t understand why we were so scared of stepping out in the first place. Vulnerability is courage. Whenever I’m nervous about taking a Everything leap, I often think is about about that.

And on top of perspective. that, the older we We only grow, we turn infeel what’s dividualistic, and blow things out happening of proportion, at the thinking life is all about fitting moment in or getting A’s to be a or being cool or making that big deal team or winning because it’s that next student happening body election.

And maybe it is, at that because it can be. moment.

But it makes me sad when we lose ourselves in these superfluous matters. In the end, life is a feast of all the choices you make, how you react to difficulties and struggles and what you make of your opportunities. It’s about how you can connect with other human beings, it’s about those moments when you were vulnerable and took a risk, took a chance when there was no guarantee That’s how, as a society, we advance forward and grow.

Breaking Down the Walls put matters in perspective for me. All the high school “social hierarchies” were eliminated in that gym, cell phones were discouraged, there was no drama, there was no stress.

Our lives were put on pause for one school day, and for one school day (which went by in a flash), we just focused on us.

Teachers and especially the student leaders, who put in prep time beforehand, handled their assignments with such maturity and professionalism.

The atmosphere in the gym was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. So many times I was blown away by the stories of my peers. I mean how often do you spend eight hours in a room with 100 people, isolated from everyone and everything, and just focus and only focus on getting to know the people by whom you’re surrounded?

We started off as strangers, and gradually, but surely, moved closer together and leaned on one another. *** Kiana Okhovat, a senior, is a Gazette co-editor-in-chief.

Gazette photo illustration / CAITLYN HURLEY

A vast majority of students on campus abuse and sell Adderall, a prescription drug primarily used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Adderall: Drug of choice for ‘high’ achievers Students continue to inappropriately use the prescription drug

steadily increasing since 2009.

Katelyn Johnson, a Granite Bay High School junior diagnosed with ADHD, was prescribed Adderall once she and her doctor both recognized she needed help focusing in school.

“I take it daily during the school week because it helps me focus in class, get all my schoolwork done and my homework done after school,” Johnson said. “I don’t take it

BY MAKENZIE BRITO mbrito.gazette@gmail.com

According to the Center for Disease Control, approximately 7.4 percent of high school seniors nationwide abuse Adderall, a prescription drug predominantly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) – a percentage that has been

during the weekends because there’s nothing going on that I really need to be focused for.”

Although it is a prescription drug, Adderall is nonetheless abused by high school and college students across the country. With its reputation of being a “smart drug,” many students use it to gain an academic advantage.

“I feel like anything I’ve ever wanted to do can get done (on Adderall),” said a GBHS senior girl and non-prescription user who would not allow her name to be used. “It makes me better at everything school-related, and the act of learning is more stimulating.”

Westboro protests GBHS play

McGuire to retire at end of year

GBHS principal has served since taking over in ’07

Gazette photos/GRACE MOORE

GBHS principal Mike McGuire is planning to retire in mid-June after being principal for seven years and being an assistant principal before that.

BY SYDNEY KAHMANN

skahmann.gazette@gmail.com

Editor’s note: Granite Bay High School principal Mike McGuire announced at a January faculty meeting that, after 38 years as a teacher and administrator, including seven years as the GBHS principal, he will retire at the end of this school year. The Gazette’s Sydney Kahmann had a conversation with McGuire in his GBHS office about his career. For the full interview, see to GraniteBayToday.org.

*** Gazette: What made you decide this was the year?

Mike McGuire: I’ve been thinking about it for a couple of years, I’ve been trying to decide how (one makes) a decision like that after so many years doing something in (this) business. I’ve not always been a principal, but in public education See MCGUIRE, page A7

Severson set to take top job

Former GBHS principal reflects on his experience

There are also health risks that come with the use of Adderall by people without ADHD. Side effects include restlessness, loss of appetite, nervousness, excitability, dizziness, fear, headache, anxiety and risk of addiction.

“I used to take it almost every day without a prescription, and it made m e e x t r e m e l y u n h e a l t h y, I w o n ’t argue that,” the senior girl said.

Students tend to overlook the more serious effects of taking Adderall.

“It’s like See ADDERALL, page A9

Gazette photos/GRACE MOORE

Current deputy superintendent Ron Severson will become superintendent at the beginning of July. Severson was the founding principal of GBHS until 2007.

BY SYDNEY KAHMANN

skahmann.gazette@gmail.com

Editor’s note: The Roseville Joint Union School District recently announced that Ron Severson will be the new district superintendent, effective July 1, to replace retiring superintendent Tony Monetti.

The Gazette’s Sydney Kahmann recently sat down at the RJUHSD district of-

fice with Severson, Granite Bay High’s founding principal, for an interview that ranged from his experiences opening GBHS to his goals for his new job as superintendent. For the full interview, see GraniteBayToday.org. *** Gazette: I understand you opened GBHS in 1996, tell me about your professional experience.

inside the Gazette news Abuse victims encourage awareness GBHS domestic abuse survivors speak out

Ron Severson: Right before I came up here, I was a principal ... for four years and then I had the chance to come open Granite Bay High School. That was a dream job for me, to have the chance to start from scratch in a brand new facility. We opened in ’96, I was there for 10 years after that. But I had a whole year

See SEVERSON, page A9

GBHS’ The Laramie Project Student-produced play wows audiences

A3

A4

Single protestor departs soon after arriving

BY MEREDITH DECHERT and NICOLAS ONTIVEROS mechert.gazette@gmail.com nontiveros.gazette@gmail.com

On Jan. 19, Westboro Baptist Church posted on its Twitter account that members of the church would be protesting the Granite Bay High School production of The Laramie Project.

The church – notorious for its radical Kyle Holmes protests against gay Drama adviser rights, Jews, U.S. says he wants to soldiers and others – keep the focus opposes The Laramie on the play.

Project, which recounts the true story of the aftermath of For more coverthe 1998 murder of age and photos Matthew Shepard, a of The Laramie gay college student, Project and the in Laramie, Wyo. Westboro protest, The tweet read: see pages A4 and “WBC, in love, to A12. picket @granitebayhigh #Laramie fag propaganda … to warn of the eternal damnation for fags & enablers!”

Several more tweets went out to remind See WESTBORO, page A9

voices Developing young entrepreneurs Having high schools teach business skills is a step in the right direction

A10

News

A2

Granite Bay Gazette

Friday w February 7, 2014

NAMES IN THE NEWS

State education budget is ready to rise Projected average funding per student, 2016-2017

K-12 education: $9929 (up 38 percent)

kristine khieu kkhieu.gazette@gmail.com

Community college: $6396, (up 31 percent)

We’re having a baby, maybe

G

ranite Bay High School’s annual Senior Fifth Quarter event is happening again on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14. Make sure you’re there. I think we’ll see a senior boy give birth. *** Talent show sign ups ended today. Come to see your peers show off their “talents.” *** The Emerald Brigade is going to Carnegie Hall in March. They’ll be Bach. *** Neon dance happened. To the Science Bowl club’s dismay, no other noble gases made an appearance. *** Congratulations to seniors Julia Beck, Sage Guinn-Jacobs, Weston Holt and Sara Wagner!

They received first place in the Northern California Teen Safe Driving Campaign and earned a $500 check. *** Sports-a-Rama will be at 7:30 on Friday, Feb. 28 p.m. in the gym. Students from all grades will be there to compete in athletic games and the fine art of silly dances. *** Powderpuff paperwork is due Wednesday. Time to figure out your punny nickname. Sorry, Khieuty’s already taken. *** Congratulations to Ashley Alunan for winning first place in a national qualifier debate tournament last month.

Also, congratulations to Sumana Kaluvai for winning first place in debate and first place at the regional Speech Trek scholarship competition.

And, if you read our Features section this issue, you’ll find out she’s also a pro roller skater.

Kaluvai is now available to entertain at birthday parties through the month of March. *** Freshman Henry Moore was officially welcomed into the GBHS family when a seagull emptied its lunch onto his lunch while he was sitting with his friends in the breezeway.

This ceremony is a rite of passage for GBHS students. The administration failed to comment. *** It’s the Year of the Horse. Yay?! or Neigh?

*** Kristine Khieu, a senior, is a Gazette news editor.

CORRECTIONS Accuracy is perhaps the most important fundamental of good journalism. It's the policy of the Gazette to correct all factual errors that are brought to our attention. Email us at: gbgazette@yahoo.com Identification Statement Granite Bay Gazette Published eight times per academic year c/o Granite Bay High School 1 Grizzly Way Granite Bay, CA 95746 Subscriptions: $25 per year/ $15 per half year

California State University: $ 7803, (up 33 percent)

University of California: $ 13121, (up 23 percent) SOURCE/California Department of Finance Gazette illustration/THOMAS TAYLOR

In-state college tuition expected to fall for UCs, CSUs regarding lower tuition.

The motivation behind lowering tuition ___Governor Jerry Brown recently signed costs is to encourage talented students to stay the California state budget which includes in California for school.

“The increase is definitely good because $6.1 billion for universities and state schools I’m definitely going towards UCs at this in California.

Education is a popular rallying cry of Cali- point, and that helps to know that it’s a bit fornia politicians. The state is dominated by cheaper,” senior Austin Pink said. “It makes Democrats but it is only been until recently me lean a little more toward public schools over private, but it’ll probably that the state has enough monboil down to whichever school ey to give to higher education.

I like the most.”

Cindi Underwood, the GranI think most Pink is certain that price is ite Bay High School College definitely a factor but it is not the and Career center advisor, said people will be only factor. He said this position that when budget cuts occur, they occur quickly and the efreally overjoyed is certainly a uniquely Granite Bay view on colleges. fects are felt rapidly. But when about this tuition “I think most people will be budget increases occur, it takes really overjoyed about this tua while for students to learn of change. ition change because they can the tuition decreases.

“We saw what happened – Austin Pink, GBHS only afford public schools or no higher education at all,” Pink when tuition was increased senior said. “But in Granite Bay, a lot several years ago, and it hurt us of people have money to send in terms of classes getting cut their kids wherever they want.” and how many spots were open Senior Jonah Poczobutt said to students.” Underwood said.

“It drove our students more out-of-state and the budget was signed too late for him to to private schools and that seemed to happen change his application decisions. He applied in a rapid fashion,” Underwood said. “Now, to the University of Notre Dame and the Unithe hope is we will see more openings for versity of Virginia, both out-of-state schools.

“I applied and got accepted to an out-of-state (California students).”

Underwood said it will take time for local school where I would rather go,” Poczobutt students to shift back into attending state said, “I based my decision solely on the merits schools, and confirmed she has not received of the school and not the costs associated with any official notice or letter from California the school.”

BY THOMAS TAYLOR

ttaylor.gazette@gmail.com

Transgendered law comes into effect at GBHS Legislation to reduce discrimination in athletics, restrooms

BY MAGGIE BELL

mbell.gazette@gmail.com

__A controversial new law prohibiting schools from discriminating against students based on their identified gender went into effect last month.

Created with the goal of providing a more equal learning environment in school restrooms, locker rooms and in athletic teams and attending athletic events for transgender students, the California state-wide Assembly Bill 1266 was signed in August.

Supporters of the law said they hope it will reduce discrimination and bullying for transgendered students, despite concerns about safety issues.

Now after officially being enacted, the Granite Bay community has mixed opinions on the bill.

“It is a really good way to help push our society in the future.” GBHS senior Nikki Chang said. “In my opinion, transgender people have been considered an ‘add-on’ to society, and this is at least a stride toward full acceptance toward the transgender community.”

Chang said the law is helpful to transgendered students because they now have support from the law in addition to friends and family.

However, some said the law would have a limited effect on the local community.

“The intent (of the law) is to find a way to help kids feel safe,” AP Government teacher Jarrod Westberg said. “I only think it will affect the community if it gets to be a bigger thing in the media, but other than that, no one will even know about it.”

Westberg said there is potential for the law to be abused, but said he doubts that a problem will arise from it.

Other people expressed doubts that this law could put people at potential risk.

A referendum has been filed against it, led by Gina Gleason, but it has failed to gather enough signatures to be put to vote at the Nov. 4 election.

Some students at GBHS share this view.

“I think the new law is kind of an invasion of privacy,” junior Amanda Gordon said. “The problem with the law is that you

don’t really have to have much proof that you are transgender ... I really think that this could lead to some uncomfortable situations.”

Gordon said the conservative Granite Bay community will not respond well to the law.

Secretary of the GSA club, senior Alex Rocca, disagreed and said he is optimistic that the Granite Bay community will be receptive to this law.

“I think the new law is a great addition to California because we are kind of at the forefront of the fight for social equality for all LGBT people,” Rocca said.

“I think most people at GBHS are really accepting and are coming around in terms of LGBT issues, … so I hope that people won’t make a big deal out of it and they’ll realize this is just an issue of people being treated fairly,” Rocca said.

Both the cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles already had similar policies before the law was put into place. Neither have experienced any serious problems with the policy.

Despite mixed opinions on the matter, many agreed that GBHS will most likely not face problems with this issue.

“It serves as a good reminder that transgender people do exist and they need to be accepted and integrated into our community just like any other minority group,” Rocca said.

Minimum wage increase anticipated to affect employment Jump to $9 per hour will bring many out of poverty and give high school students a raise

BY MEREDITH DECHERT mdechert.gazette@gmail.com

__ __

___The increase in the California minimum wage from $8 to $9 per hour is approaching.

Passed into law by the state legislature last September and effective July 1, the increase is the first of a two-part series that will bring the California minimum wage to $10 an hour by January 2016.

“The cost of living keeps going up while the minimum wage stays the same,” said Jarrod Westberg, Granite Bay High School government teacher. “The political move, especially on the Democratic side, was … to help those (minimum-wage workers).”

Westberg said, however, that even after the

significant increase of a dollar, the rate will still be far from a “livable” wage that would keep full-time minimum-wage workers out of poverty – estimated at $15 per hour.

Some GBHS students said they recognize the difficulty many workers experience in supporting themselves and their families while working for the current minimum wage.

“I feel like ($8 per hour) is impossible to live on, especially out here in California,” freshman Matthew Esposito said.

Esposito said the current minimum wage might not be worth working in some cases. The minimum wage increase gives him more motivation to get a job in the next few years, he said.

Senior Bailey Earhart said he is thankful he does not have to support himself through his

minimum-wage employment at Starbucks, because the costs of living are high. “(My parents) pay for everything except my car insurance, gas and my phone bill,” he said.

“It’s nothing compared to somebody who has to go home to a family every night and gets the low pay that they do.”

While other students say they are hesitant to see the minimum wage increase significantly, Janelle Bachman, who works at Kumon Math and Reading Center in Roseville, said she is grateful for the raise.

“We didn’t feel ($8 an hour) was fair,” Bachman said. “Our boss never gave us a raise … even though she said she would, so we talked to her about that, too.”

Despite its benefits, the raise may mean that businesses will hire fewer workers, according to Westberg. Highchool students, he said, will be especially vulnerable to the increased competition for minimum-wage jobs.

Wade Roepke, the owner of Chick-fil-A on

Pleasant Grove in Roseville, where several GBHS students work, said the minimum wage boost will not affect the restaurant’s hiring trends, but Westberg is skeptical.

“If (a) business wants to cut something … (teens) are the ones that are going to get cut,” Westberg said. “They might actually lose their jobs because of a minimum wage increase, which would be such a bummer.”

However, Westberg said that if any do occur, lay-offs of teen workers will not likely be dramatic.

California’s incremental increases, he says, are designed to help businesses adjust gradually to the rising wage.

The teens who do currently have jobs are fortunate, Westberg said.

“I remember when we got a ten- or 15-cent raise when I was your guys’ age at a minimumwage job,” he said. “That seemed huge. A dollar is significant, and then to have another dollar not too far in the future is pretty cool.”

Friday, February 7, 2014

News

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Victims of abuse encourage awareness

A3

Survivors from domestic abuse speak out at GBHS

Ten percent of high school students have been hit, slapped or physically hurt by a boyfriend, ac-

BY TREASA MAIREAD HAYES thayes.gazette@gmail.com

The normalization of rape or domestic violence culture, which includes nonconsensual sexual or aggressive advances, is highly pervasive in high schools all across America. Granite Bay High School students are also affected.

According to a survey from the National Network to End Domestic Violence in 2009-2012, one in 10 high school students have been hit, slapped or physically hurt by a boyfriend. Thirty-three percent of teenagers who were in a violent relationship never told anyone. *** “I went to pick up my boyfriend from a party and he was really drunk, like blacked out,” said a GBHS senior girl who asked to remain anonymous.

“He’s a big guy, so I couldn’t carry him … He got really upset about something (and) started getting mouthy to his best friend and I said something, and he smacked my Monster out of my hand and then started getting physical with his best friend …

“I tried to stop it and then he ended up pushing me on the ground. After that, I was kind of shocked. I just sat down on the ground.

“He kept going and fighting his best friend and then like, ‘Why are you talking to him?’ physically putting his his friends left, and it was just me and my friend. I endhands on me. ed up trying to leave … and then he was on top of me, “We would hang out at his house and it would just get not like beating me up but not wanting me to leave. to the point where I was scared of him and did anything he “It got physical at that point because he wouldn’t said or else he would hurt me. get off me, but I had to elbow him in the face and it got “I went to school and I had bruises on my bloody, just trying to make him arms or on my neck and it happened a couple get off. times in the bathroom where he would choke “He got violent toward my car me and put me up against the wall. beating it up, and then wouldn’t I was walking and “Finally, somebody came out at the same time let me leave. In the process (of) he tackled me onto and saw it and that’s when it started getting to me trying to jump in front of my be a bigger issue. He told me, ‘If you break up car, his fist hit my face and it was the concrete ... I with me, I’m going to kill you.’ I didn’t tell anyreally scary.” one; I was scared. was so scared, *** “I was walking and he tackled me onto the In situations like these, resourccrying, didn’t know concrete, and I hit my head on the garden box es are available for students. and ran into the bathroom because I was so what to do.

The Rape, Abuse and Incest Nascared, crying, didn’t know what to do.” tional Network, or the National *** Sexual Assault Hotline, is acces– An anonymous GBHS In addition to RAINN, the Women Escaping a sible for minors. The calls are Violent Environment, based out of Sacramento senior girl confidential, and the victim deterCounty, is also available. mines the extent of their privacy.

This service does not explicitly apply to However, if the caller is under women, despite the organization’s acronym; 18 and reveals information necestheir facilities extend to men and children in sary to be known, RAINN will the region as well. notify authorities. “(Domestic violence and sexual assault) put teens at risk *** “I was a freshman and the guy was a senior, not a for substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behavgood combination. I was turning 14 in freshman year ior and further abusive relationships as an adult,” said Amand he was older,” said another GBHS senior girl ber Whitley, a volunteer coordinator for Stand Up Placer.

Stand Up Placer was originally specifically a rape crisis who asked to remain anonymous. hotline, but has partnered with Placer Extends A Caring “We would hang out with friends and then during Environment For Families. They are now dedicated to emschool, he’d see me talking to another guy or somepowering survivors and saving lives. thing and he’d be like, ‘Oh, go to the bathroom’… and “We’ve had clients come in who are 30, 40, even 50 during the bathroom break when I would go see him it was in my face, a couple times he grabbed me by my years old,” Whitley said. “(They) disclose that their first throat and put me up against the brick wall and was instance with dating violence or family abuse was as a child or teen.”

cording to a survey from the National Network to End Domestic Violence

Additionally, 33 percent of teenagers that were in a violent relationship never told anyone.

Gazette illustration/ Thomas Taylor

*** “I was a freshman in high school, and I was one of those freshmen that hung out with all the upperclassmen all the time, and I thought I was super cool,” said a third GBHS senior girl who asked to remain anonymous.

“This guy that I kind of knew for a while asked me out on a date so I was like, “Okay! Yeah, let’s go!”

“We were supposed to go get dinner and see a movie, and what ended up happening was he drove me to this park and it was super dark, like there were no street lights.

“He parked his car, and he was basically just like, ‘Hey, we should hook up,’ and I was like, ‘No, can you just take me home?’

“He had a Jetta, so you can’t unlock the doors from the inside unless you have the keys, so he locked the doors and was just like, ‘Calm down, it’s fine,’ and I was like, ‘Take me home. I wanna go home. I don’t wanna be here with you.’

“He kind of just jumped on top of me, and the whole time I was just like, ‘I don’t wanna do this.’ He kept saying, ‘No, it’s fine. You just need to calm down.’ And then he said, ‘If you don’t calm down and just do it, I’m gonna tell everyone about it.’

“I didn’t want to sound like a whore, so even though I kept saying no, I didn’t really fight back as much as I should have.

I kind of punched his face and he was like, ‘OK fine, if you’re gonna be such a prude about it, I’ll take you home.’

“I remember I didn’t sleep at all that night. I just laid in my bed and thought, ‘What the hell just happened?’” *** With several different resources available, victimized students have the chance to speak out and get help.

Raising awareness about issues like domestic violence and rape in this community is crucial. Although these situations are prevalent, the student body might not be aware or not understand its significance.

“No means no,” said the third GBHS senior girl. “It’s plain and simple; you learn that from second grade. If you’re a victim, it’s not your fault.”

RESOURCES Rape and domestic abuse organizations contact information: RAINN 1-(800)-656-4673 www.rainn.org WEAVE (916)-920-2952 www.weave.inc National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-(800)-799-7233 Stand Up Placer Crisis Hotline www.standupplacer.org 1-(800)-575-5352 Love Is Respect 1-(866)-331-9474 www.loveisrespect.org Text “loveis” to 22522 PEACE for Families 1-800-575-5352 www.peaceforfamilies.org

Sparks fly over recent electronic contributions from the district Hundreds of new Chromebooks bought for Common Core

BY JENNA MCCARTHY

jmccarthy.gazette@gmail.com

Laptops, anyone?

The California state government recently allocated funds to public school districts to aid the transition into the Common Core.

The Roseville Joint High School District decided to use this money to purchase more than 500 new Chromebooks.

This will allow the Common Core test to be taken with a computer instead of with paper and pencil. The Chromebooks are supposed to be a cheaper way of administering the test.

Jared Amalong, Granite Bay High School technology teacher, is currently

perfecting a campus-wide Wi-Fi system with the GBiT team to support the Common Core test administration.

“The Chromebooks are proving to be the most efficient … way for students to test for the exam,” Amalong said. “No longer do we bubble-in forms – that will now occur on a computer.”

Amalong said he’s very excited for the Chromebooks and hopes to integrate the laptops into the curriculum.

“There’s no point in having Chromebooks sit in a room 364 days out of the year and then just pull them out once a year to take the test,” Amalong said. “So, teachers will be able to use them.”

While the laptops are expected to be worthy investments, GBHS history

teacher Brandon Dell’Orto said it doesn’t always work out that way.

According to Dell’Orto, the RJUSHD has a history of spending on technology that isn’t always effective.

For example, in 1993, the RJUHSD purchased a video retrieval system for Woodcreek High School – a $500,000 purchase.

Dell’Orto taught at WHS when the system was implemented.

“The video retrieval system was a technological wonder, so we were told,” Dell’Orto said. “(It allowed) a mechanical robot arm … to grab a video that has been ordered … by the teacher … and punch it into one of the 50 VCR’s; then, you could turn your TV on and the video

NEWS briefs

ASB UPDATE prepares for Senior Fifth Quarter The Gazette talked to senior and ASB President CJ Stone about future senior activities.

Gazette: What is Senior Fifth Quarter?

Stone: Senior Fifth Quarter is an event to bring our class together. It’s the first senior event of the wave that is coming, because now we have the Senior Picnic, our rally, Senior Ball. It’s basically the start of all those and a chance for our class to bond a little bit. It’s right after one of our home basketball games and then we all go into the cafeteria and we have a bunch of food … after that, we have a little chance to win … after that we just get to socialize a bit and we go to the theater. The hypnotist is there, a few of our classmates get to go up and become puppets.

Gazette: Who provides the food?

Stone: All sorts of restaurants ranging from Carl’s Junior,

Q A

Former GBHS campus monitor will be missed

&

“It is with deep sympathy that we inform you that Kathy Hale, campus monitor, has passed away,” said assistant principal Brian McNulty in an email to the Granite Bay High School faculty on Jan. 24.

McNulty said Hale had been suffering from many health problems in past years and was on extensive medical leave from employment at GBHS. McNulty asked the GBHS staff to keep Hale’s family in their thoughts.

Beach Hut Deli (and) The Taqueria provide food- all local companies and stuff that we call up. Some of it we have to buy (like) bagels and muffins and fruit, but some actual made food is donated… you can call it dinner.

ASB President CJ Stone plans for upcoming GBHS events.

Attendance clerk transfers to Oakmont Administrative assistant in charge of attendance, Sandra Lightfoot, has left GBHS. Her friend, assistant principal secretary Debbie Nordman, said she will “lose her mind” without her. Nordman said Lightfoot transferred because of the convenience of Oakmont’s location near her home.

have a chance to win. Last year I think they got 80 percent of the class to go, around 400 students.

350 to 400 is usually a really good turnout. Since it’s one of those events that is mysterious and you only get to do once, we generally have a lot of students who go to this who don’t go to other events.

–Compiled by Grace Moore

Kathi Geyer joins the staff GBHS welcomes Kathi Geyer, who will be taking over for Lightfoot. Her first day was Jan. 21.

Geyer recently moved to Auburn from Placerville, where she worked at the district office of the Mother Lode Union School District. Like Lightfoot, she previously had a commute that she said was too long.

Her increase in free time has allowed Geyer to take advantage of the amenities in the area, she

Gazette: Who are we playing?

I think we are playing Rocklin that night and they beat us two weeks ago.

Gazette: So, it’s after the game?

Stone: You go to the gym and then you go to the door that faces the parking lots. You have to buy your tickets before… they are either 10 or 12 dollars. It is a three and a half hour event, you get free food of it, get to watch your friends, get to

government teacher, this kind of inefwould play … in that classroom.”

However, the video retrieval system did ficiency with technology spending has not run as smoothly as the district had led to some frustration with other state educational spending ishoped. sues – for example, the “The problem was … you, teachers’ retirement as a teacher, would have to The Chrome- state system has the money to send an email to the librarian and the librarian would books are prov- provide extremely generpensions to retired adgo over and physically … ing to be the ous ministrators. put the VHS tape into the “There are former ad(player),” Dell’Orto said. most efficient. ministrators (receiving a) But, according to $160,000 per year penDell’Orto, the trouble didn’t – Jared Amalong, sion, or a $150,000 per stop there.

When GBHS opened in technology teacher year pension,” Westberg said. “As a teacher, some1996, the same video rehow (spending critics) trieval system was installed even though it was proven not to work think we’re walking around with multiple and cost the school hundreds of thou- hundreds of thousands of dollars in a pension … but someone like me, I’ll never sands of dollars.

According to Jarrod Westberg, GBHS have a $100,000 (pension).”

Gazette photo /GRACE MOORE

Gazette photo /MEREDITH DECHERT

New attendance clerk Kathi Geyer will be taking over for Sandra Lightfoot, who transferred to Oakmont

said.

“I can actually get my walk in and do yoga,” she said. “The area’s really nice. I like to spend a lot of time hiking.”

Geyser said she has also enjoyed joining the staff at GBHS. “I think Granite Bay (High School) is a beautiful facility. Most of the ones I’m used to are over 50 years old,” she said. “It’s been great – nice school.

Everyone’s been nice and helpful.”

–Compiled by Meredith Dechert

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Friday, February 7, 2014

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GBHS Theatre’s Laramie Project wows audiences

Performance aims to encourage tolerance

BY TREASA MAIREAD HAYES thayes.gazette@gmail.com

A few of the tweets from Granite Bay High School students after the opening night of The Laramie Project: “4 words about the Laramie project … life-changing, mesmerizing, beautiful. Way to go all who were involved. You made a difference. #gbhslove” –Emily Gallegos (@EgallegosEmily) “The Laramie project is the best play I have ever seen. Great job to the cast. And the directors.” –CJ Stone (@cj__stone) “I’m still not over how great Laramie Project was????!!! #LifeChanging” –Khylie Boyer (@ KBoyer10) *** The Laramie Project, written by Moises Kaufmann and produced by the Tectonic Theater Project is a production about the aftermath of college student Matthew Shepard’s murder in Laramie, Wyo. in 1998.

The student-directed play debuted at Granite Bay High School on January 30, and reenacts several interviews, trials and investigations to try to understand the level of hate that Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney, the offenders, had toward homosexuality.

Shepard was hanging around a Colorado bar when Henderson and McKinney were seen by witnesses to be intoxicated.

It is unclear whether Shepard or the two straight men approached the other first, but the two then took Shepard in their car and repeatedly beat him with both fists and a pistol because of apparently unwanted homosexual advances from Shepard.

Leading him to a fence, they tightly tied him to one of the poles and continued to torture and beat him, leaving a pool of dry blood for a bicyclist to find.

The causes of Shepard’s death include hypothermia from the freezing temperatures he was left behind in and the obvious torture he endured.

Julia Hedstrom, the GBHS librarian, grew up in Laramie and was moved to tears during several scenes of the play.

“As someone who grew up in Laramie, you can’t help but feel like, ‘This is about me, ’” Hedstrom said. “(With) these actors playing people, (I think) that could’ve been me … had I continued to live there.”

The Laramie Project was an emotional experience for more than just Hedstrom. Many members of the audience were left questioning their actions and inspired by the actors’ performances.

“It’s really eye-opening,” junior Sarah Arfsten said.

“I found it really interesting to watch so I recommend that people go out and see it … and support it.”

The Laramie Project is highly encouraging of love

and acceptance toward the LGBT community, and is stirring a change in the framework of the school.

Senior student-director Perry Vargas was overwhelmed at the amount of support students showed for the play after opening night, especially through Twitter.

“We chose (The Laramie Project) because we knew it would be an impactful show,” Vargas said. “We weren’t sure how impactful, how the school (or) community would react. Last night was absolutely amazing.”

The first weekend sold-out almost two weeks in advance—but the seating for the show is unique.

Limited seating is on the stage itself, positioned in a semi-circle, and the actors are close enough to the audience to create an intimate environment.

Not only was the mostly positive student response due to the seating arrangement, but also because of its emphasis on equality.

As student government’s theme for 2013-2014 is “you are an essential piece,” the play stresses openmindedness and tolerance for the different lifestyles students live at GBHS. The Laramie Project has a religious aspect, too, with numerous scenes including personal opinions on homosexuality and the Westboro Baptist Church picketing Shepard’s funeral.

However, not the entire student body is pleased with their interpretation of The Laramie Project.

“Because of my beliefs, I am not in favor of same-sex marriage,” junior Melynne Evans said. “As this was a play that supported same-sex marriage, I was very uncomfortable since I do not agree.”

Although the play focuses on acceptance, some saw this acceptance with outright support of the homosexual lifestyle, which is not what the directors meant to convey.

“We’re all Laramie, and we’re all the society,” Hedstrom said. “It was really demanding and tricky to be sensitive to the nuances of that portrayal, and I’m just blown away. I think they did an amazing job.”

While The Laramie Project revolves around the murder of a gay student, the intended theme, according to the directors, was of tolerance.

“It was either going to be very accepted or denied as ‘pro-gay,’” Vargas said, “but we got a lot of positive feedback just from talking to people and from Twitter.”

Not only can the message be misunderstood, but the play is recommended for mature audiences because of subject matter and mild language.

As The Laramie Project continues its run, it has the potential to raise awareness and act as a catalyst for discussion, making GBHS a more progressive campus.

“We’re hoping that each night, we can impact more people,” Vargas said, “educate, get more people talking and discussing and make people think about the way that they live their life and appreciate but also see how the community can be better.”

Junior Jude Battaglia, above, performs as a Baptist minister in a sermon. Skyler DePaoli, Stephanie Huffman and Micky Frank, left, reenact a coffee shop scene. Hadley Rood and Cameron Erickson, bottom left and bottom center, perform dramatic monologues about the dangers of hate. Rose Ellis and Kelli McTague, bottom right, portray a tensionfilled phone conversation.

Gazette photos/ LUKE CHIRBAS

Dazed and confused Driving while high on marijuana now worthy of DUI charge equivalent to that of alcohol

BY CAROLINE PALMER cpalmer.gazette@gmail.com

As of Jan. 1, according to the California Department of Motor of Vehicles, it is illegal for “a person who is under the influence of any drug to drive a vehicle.”

This law makes “high driving” or driving under the influence of marijuana a DUI. Many Granite Bay High School students can drive, do drive or will be driving soon. Some would never think to use any substance and drive – others, not so much.

“I feel that it’s not as bad as being drunk,” said a GBHS sophomore girl who asked to remain anonymous. “Yes, it impairs me, but I still think I can focus.”

The level of impairment for those who engage in “high driving” are not as accurate or clear cut as the data is for driving while drunk.

If police officers pull someone over because of a suspicion of driving under the influence of marijuana, they will look for certain signs.

“With marijuana, you may see dilated pupils, slow and slurred speech and trouble comprehending the

situation,” said Monty Stickels, a California Highway Patrol officer in the Stockton area. “Usually there is an odor that goes along with marijuana. There is also what is called ‘lack of convergence’ with the eyes, where the one pupil drifts out while you try to follow an object in toward your nose, and (it) makes your eyes cross-eyed.”

Because there is no way to “breathalyze” someone for weed, however, it is harder to prove that someone was driving high than it is to prove drunk driving.

If an officer is sure the person who has been pulled over is driving high, Stickels said, the same thing will happen that would happen if the driver was drunk driving.

First, the officer will make the person get out of the car and do one or more field sobriety tests. If the driver can’t perform the tests to the officer’s satisfaction, then a breathalyzer test will follow.

If the person is under the legal limit of .08 percent blood-alcohol content, but the officer is still unsure if the driver is sober, then an arrest is made and the driver is taken to a police station on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs.

Once back at the station the person will be thoroughly

evaluated by a drug recognition expert. in the 1970s. The person may feel euphoria, but their Many wonder how exactly marijuana affects bodies are on overload.” someone’s ability to drive.

Despite the law, and despite the greater potency of “Marijuana is a hallucinogen, and it messes with marijuana, some students still argue that driving under your ability to judge time and space like alcohol does the influence of the drug is not a problem.

– it just does it in a different way” health teacher John “When you drive high … you can either be really MacLeane said. “It’s very much just like alcohol in the calm or agitated and nervous,” said a GBHS sophomore fact that you won’t feel impaired.” boy. “Most of the time when I drive high, I’m calm and If the conclusion is the driver was high, the law it’s never an issue. I never feel like I’m endangering authorizes a mandatory blood test showing the amount myself or anyone else.” of marijuana in a suspect’s Some people say they can drive blood stream. high and not have a problem or But because the test only operate any differently than they shows the amount of marijuana would sober. Others say that when present in a suspect’s system they have driven high, they make within the past month or so, it mistakes. is considered by some critics “One time I was driving high and as a flawed method to evaluate I ran a red light accidentally, and it “high drivers.” was kind of scary,” said the GBHS This problem makes it more sophomore girl. difficult for prosecutors to Even though driving high is convince a jury that suspects different than drunk driving, and are guilty of driving under the the effects of driving high haven’t influence, but the field sobriety researched to the same extent, – John MacLeane, GBHS been tests are part of the equation. authorities believe it can cause just Health and Safety teacher as much harm.

“I have been to many accidents where people were under “Any time you introduce a substance the influence of marijuana,” into your body that impairs your Stickels said. “People don’t ability to react as a sober person realize that the marijuana produced today has over would, you are putting yourself and the rest of the 10 times the amount of THC (the active ingredient in motoring public at risk,” Stickels said. “There really is marijuana) in it than the marijuana that people smoked no difference. Impairment is impairment.”

Marijuana is a hallucinogen, and it messes with your ability to judge time and space.

Visit GraniteBayToday.org

your online source for Granite Bay High news

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Retiring custodian leaves impact Cambodian political refugee retired in December

BY KIANA OKHOVAT

kokhovat.gazette@gmail.com

Former Granite Bay High School custodian Leon Yip was in his 70s when he retired last month.

The man students have caught sight of on campus is a Cambodian political refugee from the era of communist enmity.

Finally escaping to Louisiana in 1979, he eventually moved out west to California and ran his own bakery shop. After retiring, he grew restless and decided to find a new trade, rekindling his childhood love for schools and education, ending up at GBHS. Since he worked the swing shift, many students didn’t get the opportunity to meet Yip. For those who did, however, he cemented a lasting impression.

Senior Esha Lal would often stay after school for Speech and Debate practice, and she would run into him in the hallways.

“He used to open the doors for us (and) he’d stay pretty late,” Lal said. “It’s truly inspirational to hear him talk.”

GBHS librarian Julia Hedstrom describes Yip’s personality as ‘infectious.’ A ‘breath of fresh air’ who always came and ‘shared his joy about life,’ and never failed to bring a smile to her face.

“He survived genocide, really,” Hedstrom said.

“The killing fields of Cambodia, I can’t even fathom having that experience. For someone who survived mass murders, seeing mass graves, for years, under these labor camps. But to come and then have this joy about life, and to be happy and joking and singing while he was doing a job where some people would say, ‘Oh this is dirty work, this is not very re-

spectful,’ and here he’s … taking care of our school, taking care of students. He really loved working with and chatting with students.”

Yip would often sing when going about his work.

Junior Ashley Alunan remembers such an occasion.

Alunan often spends her time after school in the library, a place Yip frequents.

“There’s this one time when him and (Hedstrom) were singing karaoke, and they were just blasting the music and (singing) at the top of their lungs,” Alunan said.

Activities director Tamara Givens remembers he was her custodian during her time in the administration building.

“He’d put all my whiteboard markers in rainbow order, that’s how I always knew he was there, (it was) like his signature,” Givens said.

Givens got to better know Yip, as well as the other GBHS custodians, since she would spend many nights at school occupied with student government activities. She especially remembers how supportive he was of all the school events. Even now, you can still catch Yip at various GBHS sports games.

“He was just always so positive,” Givens said, “Anytime the kids saw Leon he had a big smile, he was always happy to help.”

What Hedstrom most fondly remembers about Yip was how appreciative he was of the present. She describes how so many people are caught up in the whirlwind of to-do lists and clouded thoughts, yet he would always soak up the “little things.”

“I see him,” said Hedstrom, “as a testament to the human spirit, and the resilience of the human spirit, the joy of the human spirit and the connection of human spirit.”

A5

Special to the Gazette /JULIA HEDSTROM

Retired janitor Leon Yip poses with Granite Bay High School junior Ashley Alunan.

Speech and Debate team shrinks from prior years

Fewer members does not mean less success at competitions

BY JACQUELINE GORDON jgordon.gazette@gmail.com

For many ambitious students, extracurricular life is just as vital to college applications as a 4.5 grade-point average. Engineering, community service and other “collegiate” electives thrive in the Granite Bay High School culture.

But while other programs have expanded accordingly with Granite Bay High’s reputation as a hub of academic excellence, the Speech and Debate team has diminished from 50 members to just over 30 over the last few years.

“Speech and Debate is basically a program that gives kids a chance to showcase their public speaking skills,” said junior Sumana Kaluvai, a member and champion of the Speech and Debate team. “We meet a couple times a week after school to practice, and during the first semester there’s actually a class. We prepare different kinds of speeches, we prepare for debates and we attend competitions against other schools.”

Kaluvai said she’s seen an obvious decrease in the size of the team.

“I’ve been on the debate team since freshman year.” She said. “In my

freshman year we had close to 50 members, and we have a smaller amount of people on the team (now).”

According to Kaluvai, the team is doing well this year, in spite of the loss of members.

“I don’t think the quality is going away – it’s just the quantity because of classroom size,” Kaluvai said. “(For example) I was in a debate known as Lincoln Douglas debate and it was out of 155 competitors and I actually ended up winning.”

Kaluvai was the first student at Granite Bay High to win Lincoln Douglas, and she said the school has no reason to worry about the future of the Speech and Debate team.

“We have a strong junior class that’s going to be in leadership next year ... and we are expecting a lot of kids from the middle school to join next year ... so there’s nothing really to worry about.”

Kaluvai said she believes the reason for the decline is simply lack of awareness, but as programs become more rigorous, students drop out.

Junior Karthika Saravanavijayan was on the debate team but left last year for academic reasons.

“I’m taking IB at the moment and my IB schedule is packed,” Saravanavijayan said. “We only have time for one elective and I have to use (that) elective wisely. (For example) I have to take AP Government/ Economics.”

Like so many others, Saravanavijayan has fallen prey to the mere nature

of her schedule.

“Also, the debate team is a lot of commitment,” Saravanavijayan said.

“We just have a lot of practices, and I live far away.”

Saravanavijayan says she wishes she could rejoin the team, but it doesn’t look like she will be able to any time soon.

Speech and Debate team captain Reed Klaeser said there has been a significant decline in members, but like Kaluvai, he believes the decline is one of quantity, not quality.

“I’ve been on the debate team ... (since) I was an eighth grader.” Klaeser said. “There’s a lot less people doing it, but we’re still finding success.

For instance, last year we had a lot less people and we won states ...

This year ... we’re doing really well in the Circuit debates, which are invitational debate tournaments.”

Klaeser said that while he isn’t worried about the overall success of the Speech and Debate team, he has noticed changes since he joined.

“Some of our good students have dropped out.” Klaeser said. “It’s just not as much of a magnet as it used to be ... There was more word of mouth (before) and that’s not there as much now.”

Robert Prichard, the Speech and Debate team coach, agrees that the team has not suffered because of fewer members, and they expect to see more students joining in the future.

“I don’t think it’s fair to say we’re a team in decline,” Prichard said. “We have less members, but the quality has not been sacrificed.”

Affirmative action impacts college admissions Students believe policy is form of discrimination

BY NICOLAS ONTIVEROS nontiveros.gazette@gmail.com

As Granite Bay High School senior Lucas Mackey prepares for his upcoming college acceptance letters, there is one admissions factor that worries him: his caucasian race.

“I believe that affirmative action will play a strong role in my admissions decision,” Mackey said. “I don’t think I will get accepted into my top choice schools because of it.”

Affirmative action is when colleges will give preference to applicants of historically discriminated races, mainly African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans.

Universities use affirmative action to increase diversity, as considering race for admissions can boost the number of underrepresented minorities at colleges.

However, these practices make it more difficult for caucasian and Asian students to be accepted.

“I strongly agree that colleges and universities should be diverse,” Mackey said. “But (the colleges) do not need to save seats for minorities nor lower the qualifications for them to achieve this.”

Academic studies demonstrate how affirmative action is a successful tool for promoting diversity.

In 2004, Thomas Espenshade, Chang Chung and

Joan Walling of Princeton University examined admissions practices of top-tier colleges. They note that affirmative action has significantly increased the number of Hispanic and African-American students enrolled at these universities.

According to this study, on a 1,600-point SAT scale (the critical reading and mathematics sections), putting African-American on one’s college application instead of white is equivalent to an extra 230 points on the SAT. Identifying oneself as Hispanic is worth an extra 185 SAT points.

Nonetheless, Asian students face an uphill battle.

Marking Asian on an application is equal to a loss of 50 SAT points.

Anna Lim, an Asian GBHS senior applying to many Ivy League schools, views affirmative action as discriminatory against her race.

“Affirmative action isn’t ethical,” Lim said. “It’s discrimination by race manifested in the system of education.”

Lim also said that affirmative action has long lasting impacts. “(Affirmative action is) particularly malicious because of the significance it has for our future,” Lim said.

Many Asian and caucasian students consider not reporting their race on college applications to not be hindered by affirmative action.

Cindi Underwood, who works at the GBHS College and Career Center, has encountered Asian students who ponder not reporting their race on their college application.

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“I had a senior who asked me about reporting Asian on her college application,” Underwood said.

“She was applying to (the University of Southern California) and she was accepted, even though she ended up putting Asian on her application.”

For the University of California schools, students are not required to report race for admissions.

“The (UC) schools do not use affirmative action, Underwood said. “Race is not a factor for admissions.”

Austin Pink, a caucasian GBHS senior who is applying to top universities such as Harvard College, advocates that colleges move away from affirmative action and utilize other methods for achieving diversity.

“I think we should slowly move away from it,” Pink said. “(Colleges) should find another way to increase diversity in schools by addressing the root of the issue: underachievement by minorities in secondary schools.”

Pink ultimately views affirmative action as being too unfair for historically represented races.

“I understand its purpose … but it’s use needs to be less of a primary factor in admissions,” Pink said.

“Affirmative action is good in theory but its utilization becomes unfair.”

Mackey said he believes race is a misleading factor for college admissions.

“Colleges are making the assumption that the color of your skin equates to the culture you practice,” Mackey said. “This is not the case as I love East Asian culture and am probably more involved with that than my white ethnic background.”

Austin Pink GBHS senior believes affirmative action is a good principle, but needs to be implemented differently.

Some argue that diversity can be achieved without affirmative action.

“I’ve heard that colleges ask for race because they … want to maintain a multi-cultural campus,” Lim said. “I want a diverse college experience too, but I think the melting pot environment would be achieved anyway, even if the balance of races leans to one side.”

Mackey wants college applicants to express their race instead of identifying as a certain race by checking a box.

“We should eliminate the ethnic and gender questions (on) the application,” Mackey said. “If an applicant is extremely proud of (or) defined by their culture, ethnicity, or gender, then they should make that the topic of their personal statements.”

As GBHS seniors await their college admissions, many caucasian and Asian students will be frustrated about affirmative action if they do not get into their dream schools.

“I don’t believe it’s right to base decisions on your ethnic background because it’s an unchangeable trait,” Mackey said. “This is just a new form of racism with a twist that victimizes White, Asian and Pacific Islander ethnicities.”

Friday, February 7, 2014

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MCGUIRE: After almost 40 years in education, principal to retire at year’s end Continued from page A1 (I’ve been an) elementary school teacher, middle school teacher, elementary/middle school administrator (and) high school administrator. How do you just go OK, I’m done?

Recently I looked down at my hands, when I say recently like last year, and went oh my goodness those hands look like the hands of a retired guy, these look like my grandfather’s hands. When the heck did that ever happen? That was a (shock) to me that my hands look like a retired man’s hands, and then I started thinking (that) there is still so much to do. ...

But a still, small voice inside my head said, and has repeated multiple times, there’s a lot to do, but it’s not your work to do.

Gazette: After almost 40 years working in the educational system, what do you hope your legacy is?

McGuire: When you’ve been in it 40 years, what you recognize is that three years from now I’m going to be like removing lockers from a school. I’ve been at two schools where they’ve gone in and said we’re done with lockers. … (Eventually), by the time you get to your third year, nobody even remembers the school had lockers. … So regardless of what I wish my legacy (might be), the reality is in three years from, now the school is going to have its own different cultural identity without my leadership.

Gazette: So what accomplishments are you proud of?

McGuire: In the last six years, we’ve hired some really spectacular teachers for Granite Bay High School and my fingerprints have been on those hires.

They have been making differences in students’ lives every single day here, and will continue to do so for years to come.

Gazette: So what will you miss and not miss?

McGuire: Staff, students, the culture … this is a great culture. But what I’ve come to discover is you move on and then guess what, then there’s another Golden Age that’s even more Golden, and then there’s a triple Golden Age. So being a part of that is what I’m going to miss.

Gazette: So is there any unfinished business you still have to take care of?

McGuire: Oh my gosh. Hiring more teachers; making the transition to the Common Core State Standards completely where the reading and writing are at higher levels, more rigorous levels, are integrated across all content areas and not just in English classes; more kids getting into AP courses; more kids, even higher percentages than now, passing them; additional co-curricular and extracurricular activities so that not just a third of the students, but two thirds of the students or three quarters of the students, are engaged with something outside of the classroom .

Gazette: Are you going to write a list for your suc-

Gazette photos/GRACE MOORE

GBHS principal Mike McGuire has a few things on his bucket list he wants to accomplish when the school year, and his career, come to an end. cessor?

McGuire: Nope. I was here a long time before I became the principal by default, and I was surprised at how much I didn’t know. Because being an assistant principal – and I’ve been an assistant principal at Del Campo, Roseville and Woodcreek high schools, and an assistant principal at middle schools working with entirely different populations and communities – I figured, well, I get that the buck stops here, but other than that there isn’t anything else to learn.

Within a very short period of time, I bought this little green journal, Granite Bay green, and it was my I-didn’t-know-I-didn’t-know-that journal. Shoot, I didn’t know I didn’t know that, and I’d just start writing stuff that I didn’t know I didn’t know. Because once you know that you don’t know it, that’s when your learning begins. … You can’t learn something, when you didn’t know that you didn’t know it. It took three years for me to get to the point, OK, I pretty much understand this.

By the way, back up, here is another thing that I absolutely will not miss and that’s the writing involved in (being principal). I’m really not a very good writer, I know that it’s important that I communicate as best I can without being offensive. … If you took that away and took away having to plan for certain things, I’d probably stay until I was moving across the campus with a little walker in front of me, or one of those little Segway things moving around with a little helmet on. But unfortunately, all that stuff goes with the territory. It’s time for a smarter, younger, brighter, more energetic person to take it from here.

Gazette: So what are you looking forward to in retirement?

McGuire: When I was young, young, young,

young, young, so young that I only remember what I see in pictures my mom has in albums, my dad was in the army. We lived overseas a couple of times, in Germany and France, and did a lot of traveling. …

I can just barely remember anything, and there’s so much in this country and in the world that’s on my bucket list.

So I’m hoping that I will do more with that, and I’m hoping that I will get involved with church stuff in some way. But I want to make sure that it in no way resembles what I do now, because that’s what I’m retiring from. I have no clue what that might be, I have to do something meaningful or I’ll get to be the size of a Volkswagen by my second year of retirement, I can’t let that happen. I’ve got to stay healthy, I have a 14-year-old that I have to try to keep up with.

Gazette: A road trip that hits all 50 states?

McGuire: That’s kind of on the bucket list, but a 14-year-old driving around with his dad, that’s never on their bucket list. But an older (son) who’s going into education and an older daughter who’s doing her student teaching now, hopefully when they wind up with summers off, we’ll be able to do stuff as a family. There was never any time for that before. That part of my future is really foggy to me right now, which made the decision bittersweet because I can’t really get a clear picture of, ‘Oh, this is the life that I’ve wanted.’

Gazette: So you don’t really have any plans for your next Golden Age? McGuire: See stuff that’s on my bucket list.

Gazette: How about skydiving?

McGuire: No. I’m not jumping out of airplanes or trying to see if I can discover treasure 80 feet under

the ocean. I’ve traveled the Atlantic four times on a boat and I wanted to jump off and kill myself each time; I don’t do well on waves. Learning to fly would be cool, but that’s not on my bucket list necessarily. But jumping out of something I’m flying? Nuh-uh. Not remotely interested in that.

I’ve got a motorcycle, two actually, doing some traveling with that (would be cool). I want to haul into places and then travel when I get to places. … I’m just not sure yet. I’m waiting for divine bodies to guide that part of my next Golden Age. I’m just hoping it doesn’t turn out to be a bronze or lead age, that’s my hope.

Gazette: Maybe you’ll start quilting?

McGuire: No, that’s not going to happen either.

Although once upon a time, I thought what I would do in retirement … was build “boxes.” I have zero talent with my hands whatsoever, zero. I can’t even fold towels. But I wanted to buy saws and chop saws and routers, and virtually everything is a ‘box’ … so when I say build boxes, what I mean is whatever is box-shaped. Just get in there and route and sand it and just do stuff to it. Put it in the garage and just hook up this little stuff and just get good at it. … That was big on my list, to build boxes. Right now, that’s sort of gone to the backseat.

Gazette: And you’re going to have to drive with a teenage boy …

McGuire: As bad a driver as I am, it’s probably better for everybody with him driving. My wife, she prefers driving so that she can go to sleep. Because she can’t go to sleep when I’m driving. ... That was a little joke ... that was good.

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SEVERSON: Former GBHS principal tapped to take the district’s reins Continued from page A1

horrible is going to happen.’ We got the lights back on, but that’s a good example. before the school started. We As a school gets bigger and propicked the carpet colors, color of grams develop, it’s really easy for the restroom dividers, I mean every high schools, especially, to become little detail. … I just walk around silos. … It’s probably time for the school and it’s like, ‘Yeah, this Granite Bay to start breaking down is my school,’ because we really did some of those walls. invest a ton of time and energy with Gazette: What are you looking a whole team of teachers and folks forward to as superintendent? just doing the startup.

Severson: We’re really blessed, I left because I had an opportuI’ve got a great school board. I nity to come over (to the district mean they really are, every one of office) to do a lot of leadership dethem cares deeply about kids. … So velopment. … My passion has still I’m looking forward to just working always been in school leadership, with them, charting the next part of and so I do a little bit of work here the journey of the school district. and there helping other schools and Gazette photos /GRACE MOORE Gazette: How have you seen school districts that are trying to get Ron Severson was the founding principal of Granite Bay High School and will become superintendent of the school district on July 1.

Granite Bay change culturally and their leadership going in the same Gazette: What are your short-term and long-term goals come here many years from now and it’ll be a striving, academically since its inception? directions. state-of-the-art, world class school district.

Severson: It’s just when we had 800 kids it was easy to Gazette: When you opened the school, did you have for the district?

Gazette: So what are your short-term and long-term feel like a family. When we had 1,800 it was harder, but Severson: We’re trying to make this transformation to any influence on the mascot or school colors? with 2,200 there’s more challenges to that too. …

Severson: You know when you have a three-syllable the Common Core … but really getting us out of the mul- goals for Granite Bay High?

Severson: It’s a dynamic place, there’s so much goWith the financial struggles the state’s been through in name like Gra-nite Bay, it’s just not a very good cheer. tiple-choice-testing sort of approach to learning, which I mean have you ever heard a Gra-nite Bay cheer? No, is really fact-based, you have to memorize a bunch of ing on with the IB program, all the AP kids, some world the last five or six years, it’s been hard to do everything. it’s GB. And so if you do that, you need to have a two stuff to be successful on those types of tests. … Technol- class band and choir, the art programs are spectacular … The entire time I was the principal, Bayside (Church) syllable mascot because if you’re like ‘Granite Bay Ter- ogy is huge, you know we’re in the process right now of and then the athletic programs. … I went down to the was using our facilities for church (services). Well, they purchasing tablets for every adult in the district, so that state volleyball championship and that as much fun as donated money every year, above what they were paying rapins,’ it’s just not going to sound good.

There was a group of elementary kids who got to we can become more paperless and we can do our work you can have. So there are these huge expectations, but for rent, so I would take 50, 60, 70 people and we would contribute, there was a steering committee of some par- on Google Drive and really model a 21st-century organi- the one thing I think we’re probably going to work on go for two or three days and do training. … That really ents and a bunch of us just worked on the colors and zation. We’ve just ordered 600 Chromebooks for Granite over these next few years is just reconnecting everybody helped us stay focused and together; that’s harder to do the name. We came (very) close to being Placer (High Bay High School, we’ll be buying more next year. … back together. The reason it was so much fun starting a when there’s no money. So we’re just going to look at School) colors. … I had a couple of people on the steer- But for the short term, that’s a huge priority – ramp-up high school was that you are inventing all of these pro- ways and strategies that we can employ to get us refoing committee who just really loved green and gold. I what we’re doing, get everyone in our system comfort- grams. … Things don’t always go perfectly. I mean you cused on some of the relational parts of being a great was really happy with what we came up with. So yeah, I able using technology for communication internally and do a startup and there’s things that you try, and you’re organization.

Gazette: Do you expect to see any changes with the was part of every stinking little detail of when we opened (for) the business function of the district, (and) figure like, ‘That’s a really good idea, it just didn’t work out new budget from the governor? the school, it was something that I was engaged in. It was out how to really use that as a powerful tool to engage very well.’ … kids. … We’ve got growth issues … we’re going to be One of my rules as a principal is don’t ever give kids Severson: It looks as if we’re going to get significant the most fun I’ve ever had. building a high school out (in West Roseville). … And projectiles in the dark. So I’m late getting over to (a) new revenues. … This is a great time because there is Gazette: What were some other ideas for mascots?

Severson: Packers, we had some Green Bay fans, it got then the other part is just decay. Roseville High School is rally, and they’re passing out these little glow balls. I’m money to do things in technology, there’s money to do a couple hundred votes from kids. Alligators got some 100 years old, Oakmont is pushing 50, Granite Bay and like, ‘No!’ So they start the rally, and immediately the things in professional development and there’s things traction for a little while; I mean it was like yeah, there Woodcreek are both almost 20 years old now, and there’s lights go out. It didn’t take five seconds before the first to do in program development, things that we haven’t are a lot of alligators in Folsom Lake? I was like, come just big things that are expensive. It’s replacing a heating ball (flew) across the gym, from the freshmen toward the really been able to think about because of the financial on you guys. I can’t remember the rest, but there were and air conditioning system for a school like Granite Bay seniors. In like 12 seconds it was (crazy), and I was like, circumstances. … that’s costly. … I want to make sure that grandkids will ‘Someone’s gonna get their eye poked out, something So we’re going to be going fast and furious, I hope. like four or five ideas, it was crazy.

WESTBORO: Drama adviser appreciated administration’s support

Continued from page A1

Westboro’s 17,000-plus followers of its plans to protest the school’s student-directed drama production.

Wyatt Coplen, a senior, was one of many GBHS students to promptly tweet responses to the church’s hateful message.

“I think the Westboro Baptist Church is a terrible organization,” Coplen said. “Everybody on Twitter got rightfully angry.”

Kyle Holmes, the director of the GBHS drama department, viewed the potential protest and the attention the drama department received by local news stations like Fox 40 and News 10 as an opportunity to relay the play’s message of acceptance. “(We chose) the play because it had a message,” Holmes said. “The media helped us broadcast the message on a larger scale.”

Senior Perry Vargas also said he and fellow student-directors, Alexa Zogopolous and Robert DeLeon, chose the play to denounce hatred.

The media attention has helped promote the play, according to Vargas.

“The outlets have done a good job, although they sensationalize some information,” Vargas said. “But any press is good press.”

Vargas and Holmes said their main concern is keeping focus on their production, in spite of Westboro. “(The protest) doesn’t change the play,” Holmes said. “The cast is on the same page. … They have a job to do.”

Holmes said the GBHS administrative team has been very supportive of the drama department.

Both Vargas and Holmes said they weren’t surprised Westboro decided to protest the play, and neither was GBHS principal Mike McGuire.

“I even got a phone call from a previous superintendent who had the Westboro Bap-

tist picket at the first high school that (performed) The Laramie Project,” McGuire said.

The GBHS Gay-Straight Alliance, too, had discussed the possibility of Westboro coming to GBHS when its members first heard about the production of The Laramie Project, according to GSA adviser and chemistry teacher Jim Cunningham.

Cunningham said he felt it was likely the church would come because an online calendar showed it to be scheduled to visit Truckee around the date of the opening night.

The GSA met on Jan. 24 to discuss Westboro’s threats and the possibility of holding a counter-protest. But the group voted instead to host a “Welcome Event” on campus from 5-7 p.m. on the opening night of the play for supporters of the theatrical performance, and for the GSA. “Did we want to feed into the negative energy and give (Westboro) more publicity?”

Cunningham said. “No, we didn’t.”

On the afternoon of the opening night of The Laramie Project, a single man parked across the street from GBHS around 2:35 p.m., when school ended, and got out of his car holding the church’s signature sign proclaiming “God hates fags.”

The man might or might not have been officially affiliated with the Westboro Baptist Church, according to school resource officer and Placer County deputy sheriff Joe Herrick.

Herrick, who was asked by the GBHS administration to monitor the proceedings, said approximately 20 students surrounded the solo protestor, asking him why he was there.

Herrick said the students eventually dispersed and the protestor departed within an hour.

“I honestly thought that it was pretty misrepresented on (the church’s) part to send only one person,” said senior Toby Hayes,

GSA member.

At around 5 p.m., supporters of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer rights began trickling onto the sidewalk immediately in front of the GBHS main parking lot.

Approximately 100 people of varying ages from throughout the Sacramento and Placer County areas joined the crowd at its peak – including members of several LGBTQ rights organizations, students from multiple local high schools and unaffiliated individuals.

“When I drove out here I was like, dang, that’s a lot of Westboro guys,” junior Ryan Lucas said. “I saw (a) sign, and it looked like it said, ‘God hates all’, but it was ‘God hearts all.’ … Then I realized everyone out here was supporting gay rights – well, rights in general.”

Among the most prominent of the demonstrators were Jovi Radtke and Beverly Kearney, the founders of the Sacramentobased “Love is Love” organization, who set up a Facebook event page called “Supporting The Laramie Project at Granite Bay High School” after hearing about Westboro’s threats.

“Beverly and Jovi have been very integral in mobilizing people to stand up and advocate for the LGBTQ community,” said Lidian Countryman, the president of the American River College GSA. Countryman held a poster that said, “Love is love.”

“We are just here to show how powerful the concept of love is,” Radtke said. “I hate the word ‘tolerance.’ I operate on a level of love. … Other than that, I am here to support my community – not oppose anyone.”

Before the play began, Holmes visited the crowd and held up a cell phone to show a video of the Laramie actors backstage, shouting and cheering for the supporters.

The GSA Welcome Event was a success, with plenty of food, music and people, ac-

cording to Hayes, but many GSA members did eventually join the crowd outside the parking lot.

“I feel like this is probably one of the best things to even happen in high school history,” Hayes said at the demonstration.

“There’s just so much support and so much love out here ... I’ve never seen half of these people before in my life, and it’s just the craziest thing that they’ll actually come out for something that means so much to some people – like to me, personally.”

Radtke performed spoken-word poetry about bullying in front of the crowd while a woman clad in rainbow gear signed the words to her hearing-impaired brother.

Two local community college students, who said they heard about the situation on Twitter, wore the signature V for Vendetta masks as they cheered along with the crowd at honks from passing cars.

Kirsten Hendrickson, a demonstrator and member of the Folsom High GSA and GSA Statewide Advocacy Council, said she was happy to see all the support.

“If we get the message out there to one person,” she said, “it’s worth it.”

News stations that came to cover the event included Fox 40, News 10, Channel 13 and KCRA 3.

“I think there’s more news stations than Westboro Baptist Church people,” said Megan Manzi, president of the Oak Ridge High GSA, who came from El Dorado Hills with the several others from Oak Ridge.

The group said they thought the press coverage would help the cause.

“Even just seeing the different age groups is really important,” said Lara Loesel, who is the secretary of the Oak Ridge GSA club, “to see really the community’s rallying … not just the school.”

Oak Ridge student Todd Anderson said the group brought a tarp to hold up in front of

ADDERALL: Pill use rampant among students

Continued from page A1

any other serious drug, and (it) comes with serious risk,” health and safety teacher Terry Stafford said. “The No. 1 one killer of teenagers, as of 2012, is misusing and abusing prescription drugs.”

Along with health risks, use of the drug without a prescription also comes with legal consequences.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, Adderall is a Schedule II drug, defined by its “high potential for abuse … with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence.

(It is) also considered dangerous.”

Strict rules are in place for

prescription users, and non-prescription users risk punishment.

“If they have a prescription, they can’t have it here on campus,” said Joe Herrick, the GBHS school resource officer and a Placer County deputy sheriff. “If they need to take it at school, then it has to be left in the nurse’s office.”

On the other hand, the consequences of possession on campus without a prescription are severe.

“You have two separate things that can happen,” Herrick said. “When it’s a school rule violation, you can be suspended or even expelled, then there’s the criminal side – and it’s a felony.”

Despite the risk, students said Adderall is fairly easy to acquire at GBHS.

“It is extremely easy to get on our campus,” the senior girl said.

“A lot of students actually have ADHD and don’t like how Adderall makes them feel or find that selling it instead is a profitable alternative.”

With its tendencies to increase productivity and focus, many students rely on the drug for an upper-hand going into finals and other important tests.

“I only buy Adderall and take it leading up to a test or on test days,” the senior girl said.

Those who taking the drug with a prescription also notice the spike in demand around high stress, test-taking times.

“People know I have a prescription, so sometimes they ask if they

can buy some from me, especially during finals week,” Johnson said.

Although selling or giving Adderall to other students is an additional felony charge, some students choose to take the risk.

“It’s an easy way to make a couple bucks and I don’t mind helping my friends out,” said another GBHS girl who would not allow her name to be used.

Although casual exchanges of this drug seem to occur on campus, there haven’t been any reported instances of dealing or possession.

“There’s always rumors that kids are taking it without a prescription around test time,” Herrick said. “But we don’t see it happen very often.”

Westboro – if any members showed up – so that no one driving by would see them.

Jason Myers of DV8 Tattoo in Roseville, a U.S. military veteran, knew about Westboro because of the organization’s picketing of U.S. soldiers’ funerals, and he and his two co-workers had a similar idea.

“We bought a bunch of black sheets and posters,” Myers said. “(The church’s members) get really angry when their signs can’t be read, so what we were going to do was surround them with the sheets so none of their hate propaganda could be seen by the students and the families of Granite Bay High School.”

Myers said he and his coworkers didn’t know anyone else would be there and were surprised and pleased to see the crowd. He said he planned to come back every night possible.

Myers wasn’t the only veteran who came to support the Laramie Project cause. “(We were) just making sure that if (the church) did show up, none of the kids would be intimidated,” said veteran Jose Belltren, who was accompanied by two friends.

For Disty Stewart, a current Portland resident and LGBTQ individual who graduated from GBHS in 2000 and happened to be in town, all of the support Laramie received was especially meaningful.

“I think it’s freaking awesome you guys are doing The Laramie Project and supporting equal rights,” Stewart said. “I would have never expected it when I was going to high school. … It’s kind of putting some faith back into this town for me.”

Radtke said she was not surprised that the single anti-Laramie protestor left before the bulk of the crowd arrived.

“There’s no point in standing across the street and opposing a gathering of love,” she said. “There’s no fight there. That’s why I think they left.”

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Voices

Granite Bay Gazette

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Editors-in-Chief: Caitlyn Hurley Sydney Kahmann Kiana Okhovat Alexa Zogopoulos News Editors: Kristine Khieu Grace Moore Voices Editors: Haley Byam Nicolas Ontiveros Lifestyle Editors: Meredith Dechert Akash Khosla Willow Wood Green Screen Editors: Austin Alcaine Tamren Johnk Colleen Vivaldi Brian Zhuang Sports Editors: Parker Burman Kevin Burns Zack Zolmer Social Media Editor: Kiana Okhovat Online Editors: Makenzie Brito Caitlyn Hurley Thomas Taylor Illustrators: Austin Alcaine Thomas Taylor Brian Zhuang Photographers: Luke Chirbas Grace Moore Staff Writers: Maggie Bell Steven Gerisch Brendan Gonzalez Jacqueline Gordon Mary-Frances Hansen Treasa Mairead Hayes Jenna McCarthy Katherine McGrail Caroline Palmer Emily Wagner Dante Weeks

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

w February 7, 2014

Developing young entrepreneurs

GAZETTE The Granite Bay

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

A Section

High schools need to teach business skills

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f there is one thing Commentary that students don’t learn before attending college, it’s making money. Money is not necessarily all there is to life, but more schools must teach its importance.

Most students at Granite Bay High School end up at least with a simple knowledge of economics before they leave, akhosla.gazette@gmail.com but the idea of entrepreneurship is blank in their minds.

Many students in college start their own businesses without understanding the formal business strategies they must know in order to sustain their company.

It’s not rare that people get lucky when starting a company in college and manage to make it big. Others get trampled by scaling too fast, investing far too much and trying to be too unorthodox with their products.

Anyone can do it, but the main problem is how inconvenient the process is. Having to fill out bureaucratic forms for trademark and copyright infringement protections and having to register the business within the department of commerce and deal with tax forms – the process is extremely convoluted with discouraging steps in order to obtain rights for something that has yet to be made.

Even more discouraging is the amount of work that comes in order to make profit. But when most make it that far, they tend to keep going if they are truly passionate about their goal.

High school students are more than capable of attempting this. Not everyone can be an entrepreneur, but anyone can start a business, and the least the education system can do is provide instructions to young, ambitious teenagers through an interactive business program.

There are several private programs dedicated to providing the opportunity of entrepreneurship for adolescents, but there are few kids who actually go through these programs to learn – it’s mostly parents who want

akash khosla

giving a hands-on interaction with entrepreneurship. However, I don’t quite have the resources the school could put toward a program like this.

If the school were to take on the task, the program could easily prosper. Moreover, the motivation of a grade can prevent the false hope of never making it big from motivating the person to give up.

I often see 14-year-olds who create a product and sell millions on a daily basis.

Their life becomes simple at that point – they can either continue to expand, or they can sell their company off to a venture capitalist.

Many teens after seeing examples of this become ambitious and have high hopes for their business ideas – but once they see the reality of things, kids get discouraged by a marketing failure.

The benefits for high school students becoming entrepreneurs are tremendous, and the lack of people who try entrepreneurship is alarming.

One doesn’t have to be born to be an entrepreneur, but most other fields require surrounding knowledge to influence passion in a student.

The money can be funded through friends, loans and even a Kickstarter, a funding website that allows ambitious Gazette illustration/AKASH KHOSLA inventors to gain popularity through social networking.

Entrepreneurship has become their teens to explore, not the kids themselves. more accessible for college students, but it should also Ultimately, at least elite schools need to add curbe the same for high school students. riculums dedicated to entrepreneurship and starting a Youth is the stronghold of imagination, and once it business. Most schools that have business programs look goes away, so does the understanding of a consumer through the books and call it a curriculum dedicated base. toward showing a student how to be success.

*** This is something that has to be done hands-on if it Akash Khosla, a junior, is a Gazette Features Editor ever goes into the system. I started a club dedicated to

Living in the wrong generation Why today’s youth’s have a flawed perception of the past

I

know I’m not Commentary the only one who has heard teenagers reminisce about a decade in which they were not alive, often in the context of a pretentious cultural reference that they’ve only seen in an ’80s romcom.

These kids – hbyam.gazette@gmail.com often donning John Lennon-esque sunglasses in a futile attempt to separate themselves from the rest of the millennials – are known to rant about the horrors of their era, from clothing choices to presidents.

It’s not that I blame them – escaping the present can be appealing. Who hasn’t fallen under the spell of the shiny, idyllic luster that a time period like the ’50s has acquired, especially when the future seems so bleak?

I mean, life as a repressed, obedient homemaker under the control of her husband must be pretty difficult, right?

Or, if you’re a man, providing for an entire family on your own?

Oh, wait, those aren’t common barriers we face in

haley byam

2014 because we have advanced as human beings since the mid-1900s.

However, most people ignore – either intentionally or because of a lack of knowledge – issues that America faced in previous times, like the Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, legal segregation and the Nuclear Scare, to name a few.

What makes many of them hypocritical is that their claim to be more cultured or interesting than their peers stems from movies and music of other decades. While wonderful works of art, that’s all a period film or an album is: an interpretation of life during a specific time.

The most heinous offenders are those who believe that modern music “just isn’t the same” as the music of previous generations – but, believe it or not, this is not an epiphany worthy of YouTube comments whining that Justin Bieber “killed” rock ‘n’ roll.

Maybe it seems different because it is different; maybe because music, just like all other things, is constantly evolving as new artists and innovators enter the scene.

Isn’t that what’s so beautiful about the passage of time? In the short few years that we’ve been on this planet, we’ve watched boy bands come and go (until recently), indie rock tackle mainstream charts, Beyoncé rise to her place on the throne of Everything Ever and Miley Cyrus become the next (controversial) idol for female sexuality.

If someone in 50 years listened to any popular album

from our generation, they would probably think we wipe with dollar bills and crash cars for fun – essentially, they would think life is a game of Grand Theft Auto.

Listening to music or watching a movie doesn’t portray the full picture of what it was like to be a teen in another time, no matter how convincing Judd Nelson was as a misunderstood punk.

Being alive in the ’60s probably wouldn’t mean riding a yellow van across the strangely yellow-tinted landscape while Bob Dylan braids your hair, and most people in the ’90s didn’t jam with Kurt Cobain and artfully destroy denim Levi’s jackets together.

Instead of hopelessly wishing for the past, people should enjoy the buffet of music, art, clothes, literature and career opportunities we have to choose from in the 21st century.

Sure, most people don’t consider bell-bottom jeans a wardrobe staple, but doesn’t that make loving and appreciating them even more special? And even though the rest of your classmates write their essays on Microsoft Word, won’t yours feel more authentic on a typewriter?

We’ll never get to see Grease on its opening night, go to a Doors concert or celebrate Molly Ringwald’s 16th birthday, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take tokens of those generations and make them our own. *** Haley Byam, a senior, is a Gazette Voices editor

High school students must reduce Adderall usage

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advance for an imn a world dominated by portant test, the stuthe use of pills to cure dents do not see a everything from obesity reason to immerse to depression, the pill is not The voice of the themselves in eduthe cure for poor academic Granite Bay cation when they performance Gazette could easily cram Increasingly, students at the night before by Granite Bay High School and using Adderall. those across the nation are Adderall abusers no longer see relying on Adderall to concentrate better the night before a final or a standardized education as an opportunity to become intellectuals or functioning members of test, such as the SAT. society. Education is just another game, We at the Granite Bay Gazette cona set of hoops one must jump through demn illegal Adderall usage to aid because society tells them to. studying.

What is the purpose of even going Although abusing Adderall constito school if education is devalued? As tutes a federal crime and has significant Americans with access to free educahealth effects, using Adderall to subtion, we should be fortunate for our stitute time management exemplifies a opportunity to be educated, as thousands lack of intrinsic value for one’s educaof children living in impoverished nation. tions would do almost anything for the Our peers are not prioritizing educachance to become educated. tion; when students are not studying in

EDITORIAL

Furthermore, using Adderall is not preparation for the workforce. One might get through high school and college by abusing pills, but what happens after college?

Continuing to abuse Adderall after college can easily lead to one being fired from a job, and if abusers stop using the drug, then they will be dysfunctional in the work environment, a sign of limited productivity.

However, Adderall usage cannot just be blamed on students. The high school and community need to take action.

For example, teachers should explain how to manage time well. Time management ensures students will not cram the night before a test, a reason why students use Adderall.

Furthermore, there needs to be information available to students that explains the side effects of using Adderall.

Many students believe that Adderall has

little to no side effects, but knowing the side effects can demotivate students.

A simple segment on the bulletin, posters on campus or even emails are effective public service announcements that can quickly inform students.

Nevertheless, school action can be ineffective unless parents and peers explain to Adderall users why they should stop.

The parent who does not punish or discourage Adderall usage is the parent who consents to the drug abuse, which tells students that Adderall usage is perfectly fine.

Peers can have the greatest influence on another student’s life. They can easily encourage drug abuse, yet they can be the loved ones who discourage abuse.

Adderall has significant impacts, both short and long term. The Granite Bay community needs to recognize the problem and combat it.

Friday, February 7, 2014

The Granite Bay Gazette

w

Heard on the BAY

Which spring sport are you most looking forward to?

“I’m most looking forward to girls’ soccer because it is a really great sport and fun to watch.”

freshman

Katie Carson

Voices A11

Say what you need to say Teens: Cell phones are not an effective means of communication

T

he world needs a lesson in communication.

I mean, how many people do you know who are truly effective communicators? How many people do you know who can successfully resolve conflicts using mature communication skills?

Probably only a few.

There aren’t many people who excel in communication, which is pitiful because communication is at the root of most conflicts.

Our society has virtually no “happy medium.” We either explode uncontrollably, spewing out every thought we’ve ever had, or don’t say anything – anything at all.

Sometimes, we have no filter. All thoughts, kind or unkind. All assumptions, true or untrue. All beliefs, just or unjust. It all comes barreling toward whoever or whatever is in the line of fire.

And other times, we’re too insecure, too afraid, or too vulnerable to speak up – to make our thoughts known.

Instead, we bury them deep, trying

Commentary

jenna mccarthy jmccarthy.gazette@gmail.com

to deny their existence. And maybe they’ll stay hidden for a while, but not forever – by no means.

Speaking from personal experience, I’ve seen that communication has power over us. It seems to loom over us and determine the outcome of a difficult situation.

For example, communicating well almost completely assures the desirable outcome. But effective communication skills require us to push aside

the roadblocks – maybe possible hurt feelings – that come with it.

Society needs to come to terms with the fact that effective communication is worth the price of getting there.

Vulnerability isn’t fun, perhaps, but it can be extremely valuable. I believe it’s a key element to mature communication because it allows us to freely discuss big issues.

Although society needs some serious help in the area of communication, I don’t think it’s entirely its fault.

It has a great deal to do with society’s perception that you are “weird” if you don’t own a cell phone.

Modern technology provides us with an extremely easy and extremely quick way to communicate with virtually anyone in the world.

But this has given my generation an easy way out of mature communication.

Apologies, hard conversations and the like turn into mindless, spiritless words whose meaning and significance has been utterly extracted.

It’s also caused us to view

communication casually and lightheartedly, which is inappropriate.

Communication is a great tool, but it’s very important and it must be done well and done right. I think modern technology has done great things for communication – but I also think it’s degraded society.

I think our generation now relies on the ease and informality of text messages and emails because, well, it makes hard conversations a whole lot easier.

My generation is so reliant upon the ease of modern technology that it doesn’t even understand the basic tenets of mature, sophisticated communication.

So, it’s time for change. My generation needs to try to be effective communicators – dealing with the “nittygritty”, being vulnerable, and taking a step back, away from the cell phone – in order to see communication in its true light. *** Jenna Mccarthy, a junior, is a staff writer.

Unfounded hatred is hypocritical

“I’m really excited for soccer because I am trying out for the high school team again this year.”

There is never a ‘good reason’ to hate someone

A

sophomore

year ago, I found mymost of the hate I felt was for its Commentary self, as many sophomores constituents. do, in the wonderful and And the hardest thing for me acoverwhelming world of AP Eurocept in this realization was that the pean History. hate I felt was just as bad and invalThe video we watched was id as the hate they feel. one about the modern Ku Klux I’m sure many of you are shaking Klan. As the Grand Wizard called your heads, buying into the idea that (well, more like screamed) for my hate was valid. The KKK memwhite supremacy, I watched fists bers hate for no good reason, and ball, jaws clench and mouths they deserve to be hated for it. twitch while an incredible weight But do they? of hatred welled up in my heart.

In the same way that the KKK What kind of people would members hate blacks for something jgordon.gazette@gmail.com say things like this? What kind as insignificant as skin color, I imof sick and twisted people could mediately assume that they must be truly believe this stuff? horrible people for thinking such Would it shock you if I said you could? That you thoughts. and I, products of one of the most accepting of all While it is one thing for me to be avidly against the states, have the same capacity to hate so intensely? organization and what it stands for, the bottom line In fact, I’d go as far as to say that you and I comply is that there is no justification for me being so judgto “socially accepted hate.” mental of them as human beings. It’s unfair for me I’m a bit of a skeptic when it comes to epiphanies, to assume that all of them are just horrible people but that day I walked out of the classroom having because of one thing I happen to disagree with. had something of a revelation regarding people and Their belief earns them the utmost scorn from myself. many, myself included, but no one hates me.

Because while I’d like to think that the hate I felt No one hates me for doing almost exactly the same on that day in AP Euro was against the KKK’s ac- thing, simply because we wonderfully tolerant Calitions and beliefs, the uncomfortable truth is that fornians have managed to convince ourselves that

jacqueline gordon

Ivy Liu “I’m looking forward to baseball because it is a fun sport to watch.”

junior

Amanda Gordon “I’m doing track so I’m really excited for that.”

our hate is different. Our hate is for a good reason.

Our hate is perfectly acceptable.

Think about that. Acceptable hate.

It sounds so awful, and it is. But we live it every single day.

Most of the time, our capacity to hate doesn’t look like the KKK. But it comes up every time we scorn people for their “ignorant” views, every time we place ourselves on a throne of superiority because we are so enlightened.

I’m not saying don’t fight for what you believe in, and I’m not defending racism, sexism or anything of the like. But how can we in one breath fight for equal rights and in the next spit on those that disagree?

It is utter hypocrisy.

Shouldn’t we be embracing these people with open arms? I know that if someone was trying to change my mind about an issue, constantly writing off my opinions as foolish and ignorant would not do a very good job of it.

Preaching equality should be more than trying to create a utopia in which everyone is as tolerant as you. It should be about the root of the word – equal, as in, we are no better than anyone else, no matter who they are or what they believe in.

The desire to feel superior is embedded in human nature. But instead of ridiculing those “uninformed” people, what if we actually practice what we preach, and at least try to understand their opinions? *** Jacqueline Gordon, a junior, is a staff writer.

Your names. Your faces.

Your opinions. The Gazette.

senior

Abby Anderson Gazette photos/LAUREL TEAGUE

“I like them all.”

staff

Anthony Davis –Compiled by Jenna McCarthy

Want your voice to be heard?

Submit a guest commentary to gbgazette@yahoo.com!

A12 Second Look

Second look

Love is love

Friday, February 7, 2014

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Play tailgate party and Breaking Down the Walls promote tolerance wGazette photosw Luke Chirbas and Grace Moore Senior Kylan Detzel, junior Alexis Geraghty, senior Joey Montero and senior Cody Tyler play a game of human knot after bonding, left, with their group at Breaking Down the Walls. A student selects a slip of paper with a question on it for her to answer to the group, middle left. Freshman Cody Tyler smiles at his friend’s confession, bottom left. Later that day, protesters gathered in Grantie Bay High School’s parking lot, middle right to show their LGBT pride. A LGBT advocate, bottom right, holds a sign to show his approval for all sexual preferences. A group of play advocates, bottom center, stand outside of the school singing songs.

Lifestyle

Granite Bay Gazette

Friday w

Commentary

wwood.gazette@gmail.com

Don’t let anyone stand in your way

I

*** Willow Wood, a senior, is a Lifestyle co-editor.

February 7, 2014

The drop that makes the difference

willow wood

don’t believe in waiting. I’m a beyond impatient person and I don’t believe that a higher power has a plan for me and I should just accept what comes my way because it’s “supposed to happen.”

It’s also called being a control freak.

I am not bashing on anyone who believes in a higher power, I think that faith is extremely respectable.

What I don’t respect is when people expect change from not doing anything different.

I’m tired of people expecting things to just come to them and accepting the unfortunate things in their lives.

I believe that every human being has power over their own lives. And it baffles me that people don’t fight for what they want.

Even if it’s something as small as gong up to a teacher and saying that something was graded wrong.

Life is full of amazing possibilities and each person has the power to take advantage of that but fear paralyzes so many people.

Fear that the answer won’t be yes. Fear that they can’t do it.

But how do you know that you can’t do it if you don’t try? How do you know the answer won’t be yes?

Why settle for uncertainty in life?

Teenagers seem to have this idea that they’re trapped. They feel trapped by parents, age or lack of a license.

If you want an adventure, go.

Seize the freaking day. Walk out of the house and go somewhere.

Walk until you can’t. You’re not going to have an adventure by pinning pictures of places you want to go on Pintrest.

Don’t wait for life to happen to you. There’s probably thousands of sayings telling people to take life into their own hands cause it’s your life and blah blah blah.

People post these sayings on their walls to inspire them to go out and live life to the fullest (or whatever other cliche you can think of) but do people actually listen?

“One learns in life that if one doesn’t row their own boat, one won’t go anywhere” – Catherine Hepburn.

So I strive to live my life by rowing my own damn boat.

I am writing as much of a message to myself as I am writing it to others. I belive that if you want something, go after it. If something happens unplanned, you can work to fix it.

I also am not operating under the idea this is an easy thing. I know that there are circumstances that are extrenuating and that gong after what you want can be extremely difficult.

But what is the point in not trying? Row your own boat. Stop letting other people dictate how your day goes, and how yourl ife goes.

Sometimes it’s okay to be a control freak

B Section

Teachers make the choice whether or not to bump grades Teachers debate if students’ grades get bumped, and the students who are on the cusp of of the next letter grade are left anxious.

BY JENNA MCCARTHY

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jmccarthy.gazette@gmail.com

ith school comes teachers, with teachers comes grading, and with grading comes the struggle of the bump.

In this context, “the bump” is defined as the instance of a teacher raising a student’s grade to a higher letter grade.

But is that allowed at Granite Bay High School? “(Education) Code of California pretty much governs grading and grading purposes,” Assistant Principal Brian McNulty said.

McNulty said that the Education Code of California’s policy leaves grading up to teachers’ discretion, However, he also addressed the local policy of Roseville Joint Union High School District.

“School boards and Local Education Agencies … can help to direct and dictate what happens,” McNulty said.

According to RJUHSD’s Staff Rule 5121.1, “The pupil’s parent or guardian may file a written request with the

Learning to cope

Students discuss the challenges of dyslexia

BY HALEY BYAM

hbyam.gazette@gmail.com

One in five students has a languagebased learning disability, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

The most common of these disabilities is dyslexia, a developmental reading disorder in which the brain does not process certain symbols.

“Teachers and special education staff, like the general public,” said Nicole Mazzone, an elementary school teacher in the Rocklin Unified School District, “are left to assume (dyslexia) is just reversals of letters and numbers, but that’s such a small piece of it.”

Misconceptions and a lack of education about this learning disability seem to be a common thread in many schools.

Instead of recognizing it as a specific disability, many school districts file dyslexia under an “umbrella” code, therefore not offering specialized treatment for affected students.

“Schools just don’t have the knowledge, tools or resources these kids need,” Mazzone said. “I asked my

principal to correct a grade or mark awarded which the parent or guardian alleges to be inaccurate within fifteen calendar days upon issuance of the report card. Within fifteen calendar days of receipt of such request, the principal shall meet with the parent or guardian and the certificated employee who awarded the grade or mark in question, and attempt to resolve the issue … When a student grade is challenged, the teacher who gave the grade shall be given an opportunity to state orally, in writing, or both, the reasons for which the grade was given … in the absence of clerical or mechanical error, fraud, bad faith or incompetency, the student’s grade as determined by the teacher shall be final.”

McNulty confirmed that the school adheres to this policy. “(District policy) is what all the teachers agree to,” McNulty said. “We, as an entity, make a social commitment. … (our policy) is a social contract.”

Brandon Dell’Orto, GBHS history teacher, openly admits to bumping his students’ grades.

Julia Huss Huss, a freshman, was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 6 and struggles to get needed attention in school.

psychologist on-site about (treatment options), and she didn’t have much info at all.”

Dyslexia, like autism, is a spectrum of varying severity. Students whose dyslexia affects their schoolwork on a more drastic level are often placed on 504 plans in elementary school, a schedule designed to accommodate for struggling students with learning disabilities.

Dayton Allegra, a senior at Granite Bay High School, was put on a 504 plan after he was diagnosed with dyslexia in elementary school.

“All my life it has been very hard for me to read and comprehend things that I read because of my learning disability,” Allegra said. “Though I struggled, I managed to be a B average student throughout middle school and high school.”

Because board policy states that students must demonstrate below average performance to be granted a 504 plan, Allegra’s disability was not recognized on his transcript when he began applying to colleges.

“I felt cheated,” Allegra said. “There is no way for colleges to see that I am dyslexia See DYSLEXIA, page B5

“I don’t know of any (District) policy,” Dell’Orto said.

RJUHSD’s Board Policy 5121.1 states that “the grades students receive should represent the teacher’s best judgment of their achievement of the course objectives and other requirements that are identified in advance by the teacher. In making this judgment, the teacher should consider all available evidence: tests, assignments, class participation, projects, informal teacher observation, etc.”

The RJUHSD declares that a teacher should use their best judgment to determine a grade, but that a grade will only be changed in the case of error, fraud, bad faith or incompetency.

Several GBHS teachers declined to be interviewed about this topic – however, a number of students shared their knowledge and experiences.

Kristen Goldman, a junior, didn’t receive a bump in her Advanced Placement Statistics class.

“My math teacher said, ‘don’t bother asking me to bump you if you don’t See GRADE BUMPS, page B5

Resources for lowincome students

Programs are available for youths in need

BY EMILY WAGNER

ewagner.gazette@gmail.com

We’ve all heard it before: “Oh you go to Granite Bay High School? You must be rich. Everybody there is.” That is the general perception of GBHS. According to assistant principal Dave Vujovich, approximately 18 percent of students at GBHS have been identified as low-income, a number that has increased from 3 percent during the last five school years.

“Not everybody lives in those big houses,” Vujovich said. “Sometimes people automatically think GBHS is just the rich school. That’s not necessarily true.”

Low-income students may not always find it easy to get the support they need, especially since many of the resources available are not usually openly advertised.

Despite a lack of publicity, there are still resources available that can be very helpful for students whose families struggle financially.

The most common resource at GBHS is the Free and Reduced Price Lunch program.

This is a national program that allows students either access to free meals or meals at a reduced price on campus.

In order to apply for the program, students must fill out an application that

includes the family’s annual income, which must meet the requirements in order for teh student to be considered eligible.

A family of four must have an annual income of under $43,500, and a family of five must have an annual income of under $51,000, according to Vujovitch.

According to Vujovich, one of the reasons the number of identified low-income students was so low five years ago was because many students didn’t realize they had to reapply every year - possibly because of a lack of publicity of the program.

Now the school makes sure to include the application in the packet of registration materials given to all students at the beginning of the year.

The forms are also available online at the district web address rjuhsd.us under ‘Food Services’ and can be found in the Student Services section of the office in the ‘cafeteria’ folder.

Junior Catie Hines, who participates in the program, said she was very grateful for the help it provides.

“I find it helpful, because it takes stress off of me and my family as far as providing me with a meal every day during school,” Hines said. “I don’t have to worry about going a day without eating anything, because the See LOW INCOME page B5

inside lifestyle Top Ten

B2

SAT Guide

B3

How to

B4

Random facts

B5

Random student

B5

TCID:BW

Traveling Abroad Students share stories from vacations to exotic places.

Adulthood GBHS students’ take advantage of being legal adults.

B2

B3

Gazette photo illustration/GRACE MOORE

Online Security Snapchat hackers leak database’s account information.

B6

Friday, February 7, 2014

B2 Lifestyle

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Trips abroad whet thirst for adventure

TOP

Students’ winter break vacations provide funny stories, cultural exchange

SPORTS MOVIES In The Blind Side, a kid from the slums of Tennessee is fostered by a family and discovers his talent for football.

Special to the Gazette/SCOTT ZABROSKI

In Cinderella Man, an Irish-American boxer is forced to give up his passion of boxing when he breaks his hand.

Special to the Gazette/KRISTY LUONG

Special to the Gazette/KRISTY LUONG

Uplifting and divulging, Friday Night Lights follows the story of the ups and downs of a varsity football team.

We are Marshall depicts the aftermath of a plane crash in which 37 prominent college football players were killed.

Special to the Gazette/SCOTT ZABROWSKI

Special to the Gazette/TYLER JOHNSON

Students enjoyed their holidays out of town, soaking up different landscapes, sights and cultures – including those of Brazil, Vietnam and Australia.

MARY-FRANCES HANSEN

Eight Men Out is an informational and inspirational drama about the 1919 White Sox baseball scandal.

In Rocky, Sylvester Stallone plays “The Italian Stallion”, a hard-working and determined boxer.

T

mfhansen.gazette@gmail.com

his winter break, some Granite Bay High School students forewent the typical holiday vacation to a nearby destination and, instead, traveled around the world.

“We went to Brazil,” GBHS junior Scott Zabrowski said, “because it (has) one of the biggest New Year’s celebrations, in Rio de Janeiro.”

Others visited foreign countries simply to sit back and relax.

“I went to the British Virgin Islands to lie on the beach and explore the islands,” said

Lexi Geraghty, junior.

Tyler Johnson, senior, vacationed in Australia in the cities of Melbourne, Cairnes and Sydney and was able to experience the exotic entertainment options of Australia.

“We went to the Great Barrier Reef,” Johnson said, “(went) white water rafting, climbed Sydney Bridge, watched fireworks from water in Sydney and held koalas.”

Senior Kristy Luong traveled to Vietnam to visit her relatives.

“I (hadn’t) seen them since the last time I went, which was ten years ago,” Luong said.

Luong noted that many of the activities

she participated in during her vacation were unique to the country she visited.

“My favorite attraction … was Trang An Grottoes,” she said. “We were rowed by a tiny boat through caves for three hours and visited temples along the way.”

Like Johnson and Luong, Zabrowski said he enjoyed experiencing something exciting outside the realm of a usual vacation.

“My favorite part was, without a doubt, hang-gliding,” he said.

The vacationers were also able to explore the countries they visited and see unusual landmarks and landscapes.

“The view and getting to see a (different) beautiful island each day was nice,”

Geraghty said.

Like Geraghty, Luong enjoyed sightseeing.

“It was so gorgeous and peaceful on the water and being surrounded by the mountains and jungles,” Luong said.

Johnson said he also met some interesting people, including an Englishman named Alex who was traveling around Australia for a year.

Geraghty, too, recalls some notable individuals from her trip.

“We saw Richard Branson, the guy who owns Virgin Mobile and Virgin Records,” she said.

See EXOTIC, page B5

‘Coming out’ can be scary and liberating Students and faculty express their sexualities

Tom Cruise portrays sports agent Jerry McGuire in Jerry McGuire, a comedy that never fails to lend a laugh.

BY CAITLYN HURLEY

churley.gazette@gmail.com

Remember the Titans is an eye-opening movie about racial segregation in football.

Based on a true story, Rudy portrays the heart-felt story of the dreams of an aspiring football player.

In Field of Dreams, Kevin Costner plays Ray Kinsella and finds the ghosts of MLB players like Joe “Shoeless” Jackson.

- Compiled by Colleen Vivaldi

There are approximately 2,050 students at Granite Bay High School. There are about 20 members of the Gay-Straight Alliance club at GBHS, which openly supports same-sex relationships. But the number of non-heterosexual students at GBHS is unknown, in part because many might be hesitant to ‘come out’.

The Gazette spoke to two students and one teacher about their experiences as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer individuals at GBHS. *** “I never officially came out. They never rolled me into the quad in a big cake so I could jump out with rainbow sparklers and scream, ‘I’m gay!’ I just stopped hiding, I guess.”

Senior Bryce Ross-Flanagan identifies himself as homosexual. He says he always knew he was gay, but he wasn’t able to fully express himself until high school.

He never announced his coming-out – he simply started acting like himself rather than someone he thought would be more accepted by society and his peers.

Ross-Flanagan said he always wanted an LGBTQ person he knew to come out before him so that he could have an example to look to during tough times.

“I always felt really alone and isolated in my sexuality,” Ross-Flanagan said. “I felt like I needed to hide … because of the culture that I live in.”

Ross-Flanagan said he felt that he couldn’t be open about his sexuality because he was raised in a culture

where homosexuality is looked down upon.

However, he was not afraid to make a statement when he wore makeup and traditionally feminine clothing during the “Battle of the Sexes” week at GBHS to protest against gender stereotypes.

“If there’s anyone who still doubts my sexuality, God help you,” Ross-Flanagan said. “I’m so f---ing gay. … Get a grip!” *** Karli Cussano is a junior at GBHS who identifies herself as pansexual. She said she considered herself bisexual until she later realized her love is not bound to two different types of gender or sex.

Pansexual people are attracted to people regardless of their sex or gender identification. Cussano said she regularly deals with people asking her if she is “attracted to cooking pans” when she says she is pansexual.

“People just don’t get it,” she said. “People try to ask, and I try to explain. But they just tell me I’m stupid.”

Cussano said it has been very hard to come out in the Granite Bay community because people don’t want to take the time to understand who she is.

According to Cussano, coming out wasn’t the hardest thing she has ever had to do, but it has been one of the biggest chores of her life.

“My parents tell me that it’s just a phase, and I’ll realize what a mistake I’m making later,” she said. “If it’s a phase, then let me go through it. I’m OK with making mistakes.”

Gazette photo/ MEREDITH DECHERT

Two female students hold hands to symbolize ‘coming out’ as LGBTQ. Coming out in a religious community, Cussano said, has also made it harder for her to feel accepted.

“Christians tell me that marriage is between a man and a woman because the Bible says so,” Cussano said. “The Bible also said to stone (homosexuals) to death, so are you going to do that to me?”

To help students who are trying to come out but are worried how the community will react, Cussano said she wants people to remember that high school doesn’t matter – in the sense that the people who give you See COMING OUT, page B5

Students question ‘zero tolerance’ and strict policies

Relatively minor drug, alcohol offenses result in suspensions that harm students’ schoolwork

BY CAROLINE PALMER cpalmer.gazette@gmail.com

This winter, President Barack Obama urged high schools to end ‘zero tolerance’, a policy that enforces strict, automatic punishments for drug, alcohol and other serious offenses without regard for individual circumstances.

Some in the Granite Bay High School community agree that the policies do more harm than good.

“The maximum suspension is five days, unless there is extenuating circumstances,” Vice Principal Brian McNulty said. “If somebody has drugs, alcohol or weapons, it’s an automatic five-day suspension.”

Granite Bay High School students have been affected by ‘zero tolerance’ rules in a number of cases, though some of the students might have experienced extenuating circumstances.

Senior Michael Gezi said he was suspended for possession of marijuana in his car that was parked off-campus when the substance was found.

According to the 2014 student handbook, “Students are advised that the

school periodically employs the use of trained dogs to sniff for drug possession and may use breathalyzers if a student is suspected of alcohol use.”

However, Gezi says his car was not on campus or parked near the school, and the handbook does not explain policy for off-campus offenses.

“I was coming back from picking up my buddy before school,” Gezi said, “and I was, according to Deputy Hopping, speeding down Sierra College (Blvd) …

“It was before school had started, and I technically left my house, which gives the school responsibility of me. So Deputy Hopping had to inform the school that he had found weed in my car.”

Gezi said he was given the option to appeal his suspension because he had first period off-campus at the time and wasn’t supposed to be at school until 9:10.

When the case was reexamined, Gezi was given three days of suspension instead of five.

“Getting suspended really set me back in all of my classes,” Gezi said. “I was

failing all of my classes with up to 14 said she did not feel the indiscriminate missing assignments in a class.” punishment was fair.

Junior Katie Duprel also experienced Senior Katie Thomas was suspended suspension. her sophomore year after showing up at “Me and two the school quad with of my friends alcohol on her breath were at the dance after a day at the lake. show freshman “I think (the adminisI think the school year,” she said, trators) always follow “and one of my rules, but almost should really look over the friends happened too harshly,” Thomas the circumstances on said. “I don’t think to have alcohol in their bag. So we someone that shows any situation before took a sip, and up belligerent-drunk suspending anyone. should get the same one of them got really bad and consequence as somewas hitting their one ... like me, who – Katie Duprel, junior who head against the just had alcohol in their experienced suspension bathroom in the system.” stall … So we Thomas said her went with her for suspension seriously questioning, and affected her schoolwe got in trouble for just having it on work and extracurriculars. our breath. I blew a .03 (on the breatha“I was suspended from the cheer lyzer).” program for a little bit, and I missed the Duprel and the intoxicated friend were week before finals, and you can’t really each given the same punishment. Duprel make up that studying.”

In all three cases of suspension, making up schoolwork was something the students recalled having trouble with.

“I got pretty behind in school,” Duprel said “It was right before finals, so that was pretty hard.”

Some wonder if students could learn the same lesson without suspension.

“In certain cases it should be less strict,” Thomas said. “I understand there has to be a (strict) policy, but I think they need to change it a little, because, although it did deter me from drinking, it made me hate the school more.”

According to the 2014 student handbook, starting food fights, bullying, hazing, ‘public displays of affection’, cheating multiple times and possession of weapons from firearms to wallet chains or anything that could be deemed dangerous are all grounds for suspension or expulsion.

“I don’t think the person should always get suspended or expelled,” Duprel said.

“I think the school should really look over the circumstances on any situation before suspending anyone.”

Friday, February 7, 2014

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Lifestyle B3

Junior roller skates her way to national champs

Sumana Kaluvai balances school and intense competition of the relatively unknown sport

Sekhar Kaluvai, Kaluvai’s father, “she loved the sport, and she just continued and decided to take it to the next level.” o many of us, roller skating might be synKaluvai’s parents never suspected her of being onymous with middle-school skate sessions extremely serious about roller skating, but she says or children’s birthday parties. that when she started winning competitions, they But not for Sumana Kaluvai. could tell that it was more than just a phase.

Kaluvai is currently a junior at Granite Bay High Kaluvai says her favorite memory of skating School, and she is a nationally-ranked roller skater. was winning the 2012 USA Roller Sports National Championships in Lincoln, Nebraska during the It all started back in kindergarten, Kaluvai said, summer going into her sophomore year. when she was invited to her elementary school’s At the competition, Kaluvai won the gold medals Skate Night. in two different events – “loops” and “figures and Kaluvai found skating less than a cinch, which loops”, which involve a skater tracing intricate she said ignited her initial interest to improve in forms on the floor of the rink. the sport.

“I only knew that I won one of my events at na“The first time I skated, I was absolutely tertionals,” Kaluvai said. “I found out about the other rified,” she said. “I remember getting almost one when they called out my name. It was quite trampled by kids and going home and telling my insane.” dad that I had to take lessons so In order to qualify for that I could skate along with my nationals, skaters have to first friends.” follow the specific guidelines According to Kaluvai, her She doesn’t have a lot that the National Board for parents took her to these practices Skating releases every so that she could fit in with her of time (to skate) with Roller year.

Depending on what friends. But she grew to enjoy the school, so it amazes me event a skater is in, he or she sport. will have to prepare their how much she After taking club lessons for routines according to specific two years, Kaluvai said she had to progresses. required skating sequences. stop after her family moved out of Then, skaters must comtown, but she later resumed with – Melody Niell, Kaluvai’s coach pete at the regional level, and private lessons in fifth grade and depending on what place they hasn’t stopped since. get, they can qualify for the When a coach approached her national tournament. to train for competitions when she Melody Niell, Kaluvai’s was still in elementary school, coach for over five years, guided Kaluvai through Kaluvai accepted and promptly won her first comall these steps, which ultimately led to the national petition. win.

“My first competition was at the Foothills skate “If she sets her mind to something, she just does rink, and I still remember (being) surprised when it,” Niell said. “She doesn’t have a lot of time (to I saw the score sheet,” she said. “Doing so well skate) with school, so it amazes me how much she at my first tournament inspired me to do more progresses, considering she doesn’t have as much competitions.” time as all the other skaters.”

Kaluvai has greatly progressed since then. Her When Kaluvai isn’t skating, she is highly inachievements include winning two gold medals at volved with the GBHS Speech and Debate team nationals and placing seven times at regionals. and all her AP classes.

“When she first started roller skating,” said Unfortunately, she has not been able to practice

BY KRISTINE KHIEU

kkhieu.gazette@gmail.com

T

Special to the Gazette/Sumana kaluvai

Kaluvai shows off her medals, above, and skates around the rink in costume as judges watch carefully, right.

due to a recent minor injury, but she says she is excited to get back into the rink.

Roller skating may not be very popular among high school students, but Kaluvai and Niell encourage people to give it a try.

“We have competitors of all ages,” Niell said.

“It’s an all-around good aerobic sport and a good mental sport. It’s a lot like ice skating, but we’re a lot more into the figures and dance.”

Kaluvai agrees, stating that roller skating is a sport where one completely focus on the art.

For the future, Niell plans on hosting a roller skating show with Kaluvai coming in April of this year. She hopes to get many more people excited about the sport.

“I took roller skating to fit in, but it progressed from there into something really special,” Kaluvai said. “Roller skating has honestly defined who I am as a person.”

18-year-olds gain privileges

Students vote, get pierced and adjust to ‘adulthood’

BY WILLOW WOOD

wwood.gazette@gmail.com

Seniors all around campus are starting to feel the anxiety of responsibilities as their 18th birthdays come and go.

For some students, the actual 18th birthday is in itself an event.

“On my birthday I did the quintessential 18-year-old things,” said Julie Bauer, a senior. “I got my nose pierced, and I bought a lottery ticket.”

Besides the little freedoms, these high school students are now adults in the eyes of the law, so they are legal to vote.

“Our government program on this campus does a pretty good job of educating students on voting issues and what voting means,” said English teacher Jenny Padgett. “I’m glad that it’s a part of the curriculum to register to vote.”

In both Advanced Placement Government and Politics and College Preparatory Government, seniors get the chance to register to vote and begin getting involved in democracy.

“Voting is a right that was a struggle to earn for many minorities, and I think it’s important to appreciate that,” senior

“I have never really had much restricBre Bolton said. “Also, I like the idea tion from them before turning 18, and that my opinion matters and that my that certainly didn’t change after my voice can be heard.” birthday.”

A lot of students For others, parental face the challenge supervision has always of wanting to be been required, and that independent but doesn’t change when also being comfortthe child turns 18. able with being “My parents don’t dependent on their treat me differently parents. since I ‘still live under “I think it’s an their roof,’” said Bauer. important stage of While that statement life sort of stradmay resonate with dling the dependent students on campus, and the indethere is one student pendent world,” who faces a different Padgett said. situation. Since OctoFor some stuber 2012, senior Caiti dents, turning 18 Hinkley has been living means feeling that on her own and providthey should take on ing for herself. new responsibili“It’s really hard ties or privileges. to live by yourself,” But different parHunker said. “I live out ents have different in Lincoln and have philosophies.

Gazette illustration/AKASH KHOSLA two jobs to support “As far as I can myself. I pay bills and make my own tell, my parents have not treated me in decisions.” a different way, and I mean that in the Padget said she believes turning 18 positive way,” said Diego Docto, senior.

The un-

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is more of a psychological change for every day it becomes tempting to just leave class,” said Padgett. “I think the teens, where they feel the need to break sense that grad requirements are in away, make their own decisions and place really works at keeping most kids manage their own schedules. in line.”

Hinkley manages all of her decisions In addition to some fun new freedoms, and time on her own every day – somebeing 18 means the legal implications thing not many high school students can of independence.

But some students say imagine. they aren’t feeling changed.

“I feel more responsible than most “Being 18 does not really make me high school students,” she said, “befeel any more differcause everything ent than I have in the I do each day is past,” Docto said. based on me and “Besides knowing what I think is I am an adult best for me.”

It’s really hard to live by that now, there’s not much As far as school yourself ...

I live out in that feels different.” privileges at Being a high school Lincoln and have two GBHS, one of student while bethe advantages jobs to support myself. ing 18 means that a of being 18 for I pay bills and make my some students feel students is the restricted because ability to legally own decisions. they still have gradasign themselves tion requirements and out of school. grades looming over – Caiti Hinkley, senior and “I want to sign them. independent teen myself out of “In our society, the school, but I just ritual of (high haven’t gotten school) graduation around to it yet, has become more and I know I of a marker than even the 18-year-old would miss too much school,” Bauer mark,” Padgett said. said.

But even if the restrictions of senior This privilege can also become danconduct, grad requirements or parents gerous, some say, because students then still apply, being 18 means that freedom have the option to simply leave campus to be independent is within grasp.

“Freedom,” Padgett said, “can be an without an excuse. overwhelming thing.”

“When you can sign yourself out

If you really knew me,

you would know...

I use the College Board SAT prep book. I think that’s a really good (prep book), because they make the test.

Studying advice: Don’t wait until the last minute. And make sure you take a full practice test because you can get a feel for the test and can see exactly how you’re doing on it. Also, coffee is beautiful. ”

What not to do: Sona Jeswani is a junior at Granite Bay High School.

Don’t procrastinate. This isn’t a test that you can get going on the night before. Start on it early, because it will creep up on you.

- Compiled by Jacqueline Gordon

Drew Toso

If you really knew me, you would know that, during the summer, I never wear shorts that go below my knee-caps.”

Sydnee Greer

If you really knew me, you would know that I love to play soccer.”

Sean Boyle

If you really knew me, you would know I still listen to NSYNC and Backstreet Boys every day.”

- Compiled by Kat McGrail

B4 Lifestyle

Friday, February 7, 2014

Living without a phone

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Students look for alternatives to communicate

BY EMILY WAGNER

F

ewagner.gazette@gmail.com

or many teenagers, the cell phone is a most prized possession.

It is their means of communication, their entertainment and their social life all wrapped up into a little hand-held box that they can’t imagine living without.

But not every teenager has a cell phone.

According to the Pew Research Center, 78 percent of teens own a phone, a number that continues to rise as technology becomes more prominent in society.

So how do the shrinking 22 percent handle not having a phone when it seems like the whole world is busy texting and tweeting?

Psychology teacher Natalie Elkin said that not having a phone may affect their sense of belonging.

Many teenagers rely on their cell phones for communication with friends.

“The feeling of disconnectedness can be really isolating, and they probably feel like they’re marginalized,” Elkin said. “This can be fairly damaging to their sense of self.”

However, this is not the case for all teenagers without phones.

“It really doesn’t bother me at all,” sophomore Sonia Garza said.

To Garza, it doesn’t feel like she’s missing much. Although she does not have texting or calling, she said a lot of what teenagers use phones for is social media and communicating with friends.

Not having a phone does not stop her from doing either of those things.

“I still come to school every day, and I still see my friends, and I still talk to them and everything,” Garza said. “I don’t have to have social media and apps to do that.”

But not every non-cell-phone user’s experience is the same as Garza’s.

John Berthelsen, a sophomore, admitted he would love to have a phone.

However, he said he doesn’t feel like he’s necessarily missing any opportunities by not having one.

Instead of a phone, he uses an iPod for entertainment.

Because he has the iPod, Berthelsen said the only things he is really missing out on are the calls and the texts.

However, not having a cell phone does create an inconvenience when it comes to contacting parents to figure out transportation.

“The only thing I really find myself needing a phone for is finding rides,” Berthelsen said.

Although this is an inconvenience, he manages the issue by borrowing his friends’ cell phones to call his parents.

Junior Miriam Flinders, who got a cell phone her sophomore year, agreed that contacting her parents when she was out was one of the hardest parts of not having a phone.

“The biggest hassle of not having a cell phone was having to ask people to borrow theirs,” Flinders said. “Now that I have one, I’m able to just text my parents and let them know what’s happening.”

Not having a cell phone can create a safety issue, but some parents have found a solution.

Until she gets a phone, Garza said her parents let her borrow one of theirs when she is out.

Gazette illustration/AKASH KHOSLA

Both Garza and Flinders agree that there can be some serious benefits to not having a cell phone as well – namely when it comes to staying focused.

Not having a phone prevents distractions while doing homework or studying, and ultimately leads to better focus, the two say.

“A lot of people say they get distracted with a phone, but I can’t get distracted by that,” Garza said. “So it helps me, in a way, because I can focus more.”

Despite not having this distraction, Flinders is glad she has a phone now. Not only that – she said the wait was worth it. Because she had to wait so long to get a phone, she said she appreciates having one much more now.

“Although at the time I really wanted a phone,” Flinders said, “I realize now that I was able to learn a life lesson of having to wait and be patient and not necessarily needing what everyone else has.”

Teacher recounts his adventures visiting Finland

Damien Lawrence went abroad for a new teaching experience

BY JONAH POCZOBUTT

Many critics of education in America have proposed adopting Finnish methEditor’s note: Because of an editor’s ods for teaching in order to improve error, this story didn’t appear correctly education in the US. in the December issue. The Gazette is GBHS science teacher Damien Lawreprinting it in this issue. rence spent a year teaching students in *** Finland in the 1999-2000 school year and shared his insights on the differIn recent years, the United States’ ences between the two systems. education system has received heavy According to Lawrence, many aspects criticism from the public based on of Finnish schoolstudents’ test scores in ing are very similar comparison to other to that of America, countries. including school According to a It was not facilities, and in many study done by The respects, the students uncommon for my International Business themselves. students to come up Times, the U.S. public “I would hear the education system to me and ask for same complaints from ranks 17th in the teachers,” Lawrence more reading. world, behind most said. “They’re not first-world nations, paid enough, or the such as the United – Damien Lawrence, kids don’t respect Kingdom, Australia, them.”

GBHS Teacher Poland, South Korea The crucial differand Canada. ence between Finnish Reports such as and American schoolthese are alarming to ing is how students are judged on their the public and have spurred campaigns learning, Lawrence said. for school-system reform across the In America students are given class U.S. grades at the end of their terms, and The top scoring nation, according to these grades are judged harshly by the same survey, was the Scandinavian peers, parents and colleges as an indicacountry Finland, now famous for its tor of the intelligence and aptitude for educational system. learning. jpoczobutt.gazette@gmail.com

Science teacher Damien Lawrence spent a year in Finland on land, above, and sea, right.

In Finland however, all of the emphasis is placed on standardized testing, rather than grades.

“The matriculation exam scores were what got them into college, not grades,” Lawrence said. “So students weren’t concerned about getting an A…they were more concerned about knowing as much of the subject matter as possible.”

According to Lawrence, this emphasis on learning without grades created more ambitious students.

“It was not uncommon for my students to come up to me and ask for more reading,” Lawrence said. “If I gave them 100 pages, they would some-

Checking in with early graduates

Former Grizzlies get a head-start on life beyond high school

BY KAT MCGRAIL

kmcgrail.gazette@gmail.com

Last spring, a small group of Granite Bay High School students graduated early to start a new experience.

“Some students graduate early because they have met all of the graduation requirements, and they just want to get started at, say, a community college and get going,” said Cindi Underwood, an adviser in the College and Career Center at GBHS. Also, students who are not so academically-oriented but are looking forward to a career or a fresh start may also leave early.

“Some students have a miserable high school experience, and they just don’t like it,” said Paul Stordahl, a guidance counselor at GBHS. Sabrina Sabbaghian was one student who wanted to get going instead of waiting for June graduation.

“High school was too slow for me,” grad Sabrina Sabbaghian said. “I was ready to move on with the rest of my life and start college to get closer to beginning my career.”

There is so much more freedom, according to Sabbaghian, that she is now able to use time to do things that will allow her to start up her career.

“To be completely honest, (high school) didn’t prepare me at all,” she said. “I have learned far more about life in the last six months out of high school (as) opposed to the three years I was in high school.”

The decision to graduate early is one that must be thoroughly planned and carefully thought out.

“Personally, I think it’s kind of neat to be able to stay here and finish out that four years ... so that you don’t regret it later,” Underwood said.

Underwood said there can be regrets when students leave high school early.

“If a student is connected here (at GBHS), I’d hate to see them leaving early,” Stordahl said.

The bonds made during senior year are some of the most impactful connections, according to Stordahl, so he discourages graduating early because students miss out.

Sabrina Sabbaghian Sabbaghian, who said she felt she wasn’t suited to high school, is using the extra time she gained from graduating early to get ahead in her career.

But Sabbaghian disagrees. Her only regrets were missing many sporting events and not taking dance as an elective while she was in high school.

“I couldn’t be (happier)!” she said. (Graduating early) was the best decision I have ever made, and ever will make. I wouldn’t be where I am right now if I hadn’t graduated early – I’m blessed to be able to really experience the world at the ripe age of 17.”

College life is vastly different from high school, according to Sabbaghian, in that one doesn’t feel the need to get caught up in the drama. She advises all high school students to never get caught up in the ‘cool’ scene.

“When you graduate, you will realize that none of that even mattered,” Sabbaghian said. “Whatever clothes you wore or whoever you hung out with, no one will remember (that) ten years from now.”

The gratifying experience of high school shouldn’t be ignored, but if one is really not enjoying it, they should graduate early and get a fresh start, Sabbaghian said. “(Put) your energy into your schoolwork and being happy,” Sabbaghian said, “which is what is really going to pay off.”

Special to the Gazette /Damien LawRence

times ask for 50 more.”

This approach by the students, which focuses on learning rather than just getting a good grade is likely the main factor that contributes to Finland’s exceptionally high standardized testing scores, Lawrence said.

Finland also offers more options to their students, regardless of their academic performance.

“All schooling in Finland is free,” Lawrence said. “There are a lot of people in Finland with Master’s degrees.”

Lawrence added that students can pursue a non-academic career if that is what

they are interested in.

“After ninth grade (the students) are given the option to go on to higher-level education or a trade school,” Lawrence said.

Students also have the option to change their minds and switch schools at any time.

Aside from these differences between the two systems, Lawrence also attributes some of the disparity between education in the U.S. and Finland to cultural differences.

“They take pride in the fact,” Lawrence said, “that they are a highly educated society.”

How to...

make Instagram Photo Strips

1. Connect your smart-phone to the computer and transfer the Instagram pictures you want to a folder.

2. Copy and paste the pictures onto a Word document, making sure they are 5x5 inches each. Choose however many pictures you want to run down each strip.

3. Print the Word document on glossy photo paper and cut each strip to size.

4. Give the complete strips to your Valentine or just keep for your beautiful, single self.

-Compiled by Treasa Hayes

Gazette illustration/AKASH KHOSLA

granitebaytoday.org

Friday, February 7, 2014

facts

This issue’s random ...

Prior to 2004, caffeine was on the International Olympic Committee’s list of prohibited substances.

96 percent of the U.S. population lives within 20 miles of a Walmart.

The average American will watch nine years of television in his or her lifetime.

You can’t swallow without your tongue touching the roof of your mouth.

The object most choked on by Americans is the toothpick.

Studies show painting your room blue will make you more creative.

Seven Eleven is called Seven Eleven because it used to be open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

A man is four times more likely to get struck by lightning than a woman.

–Compiled by Willow Wood

There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.

Source: allrandomfacts.com

club

Lifestyle

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Club Name: Gold Ribbon Childhood Cancer Club Club President: Annina Hanlon

What is the purpose of your club?

Pretty much, we need better treatments for childhood cancer, and so that is why I was inspired to create this club.

The purpose is to fundraise for childhood cancer research and to spread awareness about childhood cancer.

How do you fundraise?

We fundraise by selling items at school events, and we’re also going to be having a St. Baldrick’s event in March.

What inspired you to create this club?

In 2009, I was Diagnosed with osteosarcoma bone cancer, which is a rare form of childhood cancer. I was in treatment for eight months, and it was pretty terrible. I was in the hospital for over 95 nights. The treatment was really grueling and horrible.

How can students get involved?

By coming to meetings, which are on Tuesdays after school. Also, starting in February students can sign up to volunteer for St. Baldrick’s or to shave their heads and raise money.

–Compiled by Emily Wagner

student Where do you shop for your clothing?

Walmart If you could be any animal what would it be, and why?

A bird, because it would be really fun to fly.

What is your all-time favorite book?

1984 What makes you laugh the most?

Joking around with all my friends.

What college do you hope to attend to, and why?

University of California, Berkeley, because it’s not too far or too close from home, and it has great academics.

If you could go anywhere outside of the United States, where would you go and why?

Back to Durban, South Africa, because that’s where I used to live.

–Compiled by Tamren Johnk

GRADE BUMPS: Teachers decide their own policies on grade-bumping Continued from page B1 you if you don’t have an ‘A’ in the homework category, because if you don’t ... then you’re not really working for your grade.’” Goldman said. “I didn’t feel comfortable asking my teacher to bump my grade.”

But despite this, Goldman received a bump in her chemistry class.

“My chemistry teacher rounded me from 78 percent to 80 percent, and I didn’t ask them to,” Goldman said.

Junior Kelli McTague shared some of Goldman’s experiences.

“I didn’t get bumped in AP Language and Composition,” McTague said. “But I was pretty happy with a ‘B’.”

Junior Sona Jeswani gave her opinion about bumping grades.

“I feel like teachers should evaluate the student holistically, in terms of effort and their overall grade to discern whether they should bump or not,” Jeswani said. “If a student puts in all the effort they can, they should get bumped.”

Dell’Orto justified his grading procedures in his belief that the teacher should always be on the side of the student.

“I’m fine with being more lenient and helpful on the side of the student than the opposite way,” Dell’Orto said. “I’d rather have kids walking out of here feeling better about their success, even if they got close enough to not get it.”

Furthermore, Dell’Orto said he takes into consideration that errors do occur in the grading process. He explained that students shouldn’t be penalized in this instance, and this recognition has morphed into part of his grading policy.

Another facet of Dell’Orto’s policy is the debate over what exactly defines an ‘A.’ “We are beginning to talk more deeply about what that means,” Dell’Orto said. “What is an ‘A’? … what does an ‘A’ mean? …

Does it mean ‘on time’? Does it mean ‘hard work’? The hard part of grading is that it’s this nebulous thing, no matter what you do. So, what I’ve decided to do … is err on the side of the kids.”

DYSLEXIA: Testing and tutoring for disability too expensive for most Continued from page B1

dyslexic, and I felt like the school didn’t recognize that it was very hard for me to receive the grades I did.”

Robert Poetsch, a father of a dyslexic student in the RUSD, was faced with similar difficulties after his son was diagnosed.

“We had to jump through a ton of hoops to get help,” Poetsch said, “like calling Kaiser, being referred out, finally seeing a neuropsychiatrist. Since schools don’t recognize (dyslexia) as a disability, we need him to qualify for a 504 plan in order to receive services at school.”

As in Allegra’s situation, the 504 plan required Poetsch’s son to be further behind in school than he was.

“In order to have full ... testing through the school, (my son) needs to be at least two years behind,” Poetsch said. “If not, he won’t show a big enough discrepancy on the tests to qualify for services. So we either wait another year for him to

get further behind, or we foot the bill and go out on our own for tutoring.”

Testing for dyslexia can be expensive, with formal assessments exceeding $1,000.

Many families struggle to find their children the support they need, either because tutoring is not covered by most insurance companies or because their school system does not offer adequate accommodations.

“As I have gotten older,” said Julia Huss, a GBHS freshman, “teachers have larger class sizes and more important things to do during the period than to help me understand the material.”

Huss, who was diagnosed with dyslexia at age six, finds it difficult to get one-on-one time with a teacher, especially in high school.

“Dyslexic kids need a specific type of tutoring to help them succeed,” Poetsch said. “We are swinging it, but many families don’t have this kind of money to help their kids out. They are just left to fail in the current school system.”

College of the Month: Who: 7,764 students Where: Spokane, Washington Tuition and Fee Cost: $33,160 Acceptance Rate: 65% U.S. News Ranking: #87 School Colors: White, Blue, Red Mascot: Spike the Bulldog Fun Facts: • Their nickname is the Bulldogs (Zags).

• Gonzaga was originally founded as a mission school for young Native American men.

•The school’s current living mascot, Q the Bulldog, was named after point guard Quentin Hall.

–Compiled by Mary-Frances Hansen

B5

Gonzaga University

Sports: • The men’s basketball team has won 90 percent of its games at the school’s McCarthey Athletic Center.

• More than 60 percent of the student body participates in intramural sports.

Academics: • The school has 37.4 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students.

• The most popular majors at Gonzaga University include: Business, Management, Marketing and Related Support Services; Social Sciences; Engineering; Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs; and Psychology.

Gazette photo /TAMREN JOHNK

Matt Giles, junior

LOW-INCOME: Students in need have unseen resources on campus Continued from page B1

-cause school is able to provide me with a lunch.”

The Free and Reduced Price Lunch program is also the gateway to accessing other financial resources.

“If there are any students that are financially needy,” counselor Paul Stordahl said, “I suggest they complete a Free and Reduced Lunch application, because that can trigger a lot of extra support, as well as giving them a free or reduced (price) lunch.”

One of the most helpful resources available are fee waivers for standardized tests, specifically the SAT and ACT. “For the SAT and ACT, we have fee waivers for students who are on Free and Reduced Lunch,” said Cindi Underwood, the College and Career Center Tech.

Students who are not on Free and Reduced Lunch can still apply for the fee waivers, but, according to Underwood, the process is more extensive. It requires the student to bring in tax records, which must then be verified with income level.

“If a student takes the SAT using

a fee waiver, they are eligible for four application fee waivers to private schools,” Underwood said.

This is beneficial during the college application process, which can be a financial struggle for some families.

The most prestigious colleges tend to have expensive application fees, but fee waivers provide an opportunity for students to apply to schools they otherwise might not have, according to Underwood.

Although the Free and Reduced Lunch program is helpful in gaining access to other financial opportunities, there is also financial help available for students who don’t necessarily qualify.

The school has put away money over the years and received donations that it is able to help students with an assortment of things, Vujovitch says.

GBHS also has a group of students that are considered “VIP.” “When we see somebody that’s struggling, or hear of someone struggling, we go to them, and it’s kind of word of mouth,” Vujovich said.

This program assists students

who struggle financially but don’t qualify for the Free and Reduced Lunch program, Vujovitch said.

They are given a ‘VIP access card’, which is a student body card that says VIP on it.

This card allows them to gain admittance to dances and nonplayoff home sporting events for free. It also provides assistance with class fees, such as those in Ceramics.

Vujovich understands that while many students may be above the poverty line, that doesn’t mean that they don’t need financial help.

If a student already has to pay for five AP tests, for example, the school will often be able to help them out with costs for events like Senior Ball and graduation.

It also provides the opportunity for students to pay for expensive things in installments.

“Our message here at Granite Bay High School is (that) we don’t want any student to go without,” Vujovich said. “This is just a great place to go to school, to work and to be a part of, because there’s a lot of people that would do just about anything for any kid.”

EXOTIC: Students share stories and things learned during travels Continued from page B2

Zabroski, on the other hand, ran into familiar faces by coincidence while vacationing in Brazil.

“We saw my mom’s college friend in the airport in Rio (de Janeiro),” Zabrowski said. “We also met someone that my brother was friends with in college. … It was super random that we saw (them) out of the millions of people there.”

Not only did these students enjoy time with their friends and family on vacation but learned more about the natives and cultures of the countries they visited.

Johnson discovered some cultural norms that dif-

fered from those in the United States, including that Australian’s don’t tip at restaurants.

Luong didn’t miss out on a key cultural component – food.

“The food there is really interesting and diverse, especially in the south,” she said. “I tried a lot of new foods, but most of the time I had home-cooked meals, which were still enjoyable.”

Luong said she felt the trip made her more aware of the differing cultures around the world.

“I learned so much about the (Vietnamese) people and their daily lives,” Luong said. “It’s interesting to get to see the things they experience every day.”

COMING OUT: Becoming open about and comfortable with sexuality Continued from page B2

weird looks aren’t going to remember you, and you aren’t going to remember them.

Ultimately, Cussano said she wants all students to be themselves.

“Yeah, I’m gay,” Cussano said.

“I’m a flaming faggot, and I’m proud.” *** A female teacher at GBHS who has a life partner explained that she hopes to be able to come out during the next 13 years she plans to teach at GBHS. “I’m not completely out,” she said. “I’ve been here for several years, and over the years I come

out a little bit more to the people that I trust.”

When she first became a teacher at GBHS, she said she was terrified she wouldn’t be accepted.

She said she told no one and refused to talk about it.

She started being more vocal about her sexuality within the past year, she says. Now, she said she feels more comfortable – to the point where, if someone were to ask her, she would be honest.

Yet, this teacher said she still feels the need to remain anonymous because of the fact that she doesn’t think students and parents in Granite Bay will accept her.

“I can’t just completely come

out,” she said. “I’m concerned with the conservative community that we live in. … some parents aren’t OK with their kids being gay or their kid’s teachers being gay – as if I were trying to push an agenda that I would never push on kids.”

She said she hopes students at GBHS will learn that it’s OK to explore who they are and not hold it down.

“If we lived in a society that supported love as a whole (as) opposed to gender stereotypes, we would live in a much better place,” she said. “Let’s love and not hate, because we don’t need any more hate in this world.”

Friday, February 7, 2014

Lifestyle B6

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Hacked

Snapchat accounts compromised from recent database leak

BY JACQUELINE GORDON jgordon.gazette@gmail.com

The Jan. 1 euphoria of unattainable resolutions and idealistic hopes for the coming year ended more abruptly than usual for many Snapchat users.

The popular photo app allegedly leaked 4.5 million phone numbers and usernames to a website called snapchatDB.com, which offered the information for free to anyone. The website has since been taken down and the error that allowed the leak fixed.

But the Snapchat leak was just one of many breaches in informational security recently – there was also the Target credit card hack after Thanksgiving, the Adobe data breach last year and, of course, the countless horror stories about sexting and other leaks of personal information.

In an age in which research on any subject is available at the touch of a button, the term “online security” is becoming On a daily basis more and more of an oxymoron. we all are in a “On a daily basis we all position where are in a position where our computers our computers could become compromised,” could become said Jared Amalong, compromised.

Granite Bay High Web Design and Information Technology teacher. “We – Jared Amalong, GBHS see computers sometimes Web Design and IT that come into GBiT ... teacher and, without the user knowing, their computer has been compromised.”

Hackers will often take advantage of people’s hurriedness and lack of care online.

“There’s this concept called phishing where users are presented with, for example, a Wells Fargo login page, but if you don’t carefully look at the page, you won’t notice that it’s not actually belonging to Wells Fargo,” Amalong said. “Somebody created this page to look like that. All of the sudden you type in your bank account information, and game over.”

Attacks such as phishing are far more common than some believe. Thirty-two percent of all mobile attacks succeed in stealing information, according to Symantec

Enterprise, a company specializing in online protection.

One threat affected more than 500 organizations in a single attack. Overall, Symantec noted that 2013 saw a 42 percent increase in online and mobile threats from the previous year.

Still feeling optimistic about 2014?

Fortunately, many hacks can be prevented by relatively simple means.

“Just practice good judgment with the sites that you’re visiting,” Amalong said. “Conduct yourself online as you would in everyday life.”

Most of the time, staying safe online is as simple as refraining from posting key information.

“I don’t shout out on my Instagram to my million followers, ‘Hey, here’s my social security number, hashtag yolo swag,’ ” junior John Coffey said.

But according to many students, the issue of privacy comes not from hackers but from their own peers posting and publishing confidential photos or information.

“You might think you can trust your closest friends, but you really can’t,” said Brooke Golson, a victim of such an incident. “(You say), ‘Don’t post it,’ and they do it behind your back.”

Golson said she’s not willing to take any chances with her online and electronic security, even with her best friends.

“I’m careful, so if people take pictures of me,” Golson said. “I ... watch them delete it or I make sure that it’s safe and nothing gets around.”

A junior girl who chose to remain anonymous said she ran into this problem when an inappropriate photo of her circulated.

“I had a text come out that was supposed to go to one person but ... it got sent around to everyone,” she said.

The girl said she realizes now just how easy it is for information in texts to spread.

“It’s really easy for things to get out of hand, especially over texting,” she said. “There’re so many things with technology now. You can forward literally anything, you can screenshot anything, you can have apps that have secret picture holders. You could always have something, and no one could ever know about it.”

Since the incident, the GBHS junior girl has been much more cautious in her texting to prevent it from happening again.

“I make sure I know who I’m texting,” she said. “I’m just more cautious of what I’m sending out to people now, because anyone can get ahold of it.”

Gazette illustration/AKASH KHOSLA

Sports

Granite Bay Gazette

C1 Section

Friday w February 7, 2014

Commentary

kevin burns kburns.gazette@gmail.com

It’s time to make a change for seniors

U

niversity of Oregon, I think we should break up.

We’ve had a good run.

There were good times, like when we went to the BCS National Championship Game; there were tough times, like when we got upset two years in a row in bowl games, but now it’s time for us to separate.

Listen, it’s not you, it’s me.

Losing isn’t the reason our relationship has come to an end, we’ve won a lot of games. It’s not even that my sister graduated two years ago.

I remember the first time I was a fan of yours. My oldest sister had started her first week at U of O, so I watched the football team take the field and loved what I saw.

The next four years were a happy blur. Two Rose Bowl appearances, one a win, and a BCS Championship appearance made me lucky to be a Ducks fan, but all good things must come to an end.

Despite the past two years being a disappointment and a steady decline in the quality of the jerseys, I still love you Oregon, but … there’s another college – soon at least.  Cutting ties with U of O has been one of the toughest good byes of senior year, but it was necessary. As senior year progresses and college acceptance letters (hopefully) start appearing at my doorstep, I will have to switch my collegiate allegiance to the school that I will attend, and you will too, seniors.

Maybe you root for your favorite college because your parents went there, or you were born in the area, or you just like the mascot, but it’s time to tell whichever school’s team dominates your Saturday mornings and sticker spaces on your bumper that you will soon love some other school.

Take it from me – it’s not easy to do. All of the sweatshirts, lanyards and hats will feel like they were a waste, but it must be done. In fact, it’s better to do it sooner rather than later. The longer you drag it out, the tougher it will be in the end. What if your favorite school plays the school you are going to attend? You can’t pretend to root for your new team but secretly want your childhood favorite.

Granite Bay High School seniors, the time to act is now, and you cannot hesitate. If you do it now, you still have time to gradually start to cheer for your new team. If you wait until the last minute, it will feel forced.

Plus, you want to walk onto your college campus for the first time as the biggest and loudest fan, not someone who is obligated to be a fan because they attend the school.

I have already come to terms with Oregon; I hope the Ducks do well as long as they do not face my new school, whatever it may be. GBHS seniors, it’s time for you, too, to break up with your favorite collegiate sports programs. *** Kevin Burns, a senior, is a Sports editor

Gazette photo /GRACE MOORE

Varsity wrestling off to dominant start in league, tourney matches

The varsity wrestling team takes the mat, hoping to protect their perfect record for league play and into the post season, then onto the Tournament of Champions

Each GBHS winter sport improving record from last year, hoping to draw bigger crowds

BY BRENDAN GONZALEZ bgonzalez.gazette@gmail.com

The varsity wrestling team, led by senior captains Matt Berry and Alex Cooney, has gotten off to a 4-0 start in Sierra Foothills League play.

After having success in preseason tournaments in Oregon, Reno, Chico and locally at Oak Ridge High, the team has gotten off to a strong start in league, defeating Woodcreek High 55-15 and Nevada Union High 76-6.

“Our team has started off strong; the preseason tournaments helped

us get experience that will help us in league” Berry said. “But we still must keep preparing for the match against Del Oro High.”

Berry is ranked 23 in California for his weight class, after top-five finishes in three out of the four preseason tournaments.

Cooney is currently ranked in the “honorable mention” section in the state rankings for his weight class, after taking home the championship belt of the Third Annual Rose City Championships tournament in Oregon. However, he suffered a knee injury during his last tournament and has been

Cooper rejoining coaching ranks Former Grizzly mentor to lead GBHS varsity football program after a year away

BY ZACK ZOLMER

zzolmer.gazette@gmail.com

With the fire in his belly restored following a season of recuperation, Ernie Cooper is back as Granite Bay High’s head football coach.

Last summer following the team’s much-celebrated state championship victory over Long Beach Poly High School, a tearyeyed Cooper announced during a team practice that he would be stepping down from his head coaching position. Some seven months following his resignation, GBHS announced on Jan. 17 that Cooper would be returning.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled that he is coming back,” GBHS athletic director Tim Healy said. “(Cooper) represents the best

possible coaching situation to help our kids maximize their potential.

Not only in a football sense, but also as a student and a young man.”

Senior defensive end and captain Grant Teunissen shares Healy’s admiration.

“I’m sure it means a lot to the school to have him back.

He’s a great coach and mentor,” Teunissen said. “(Cooper) excels at taking boys and turning them into men, and excels at being a leader and a father figure.”

Since Granite Bay High’s inception in 1996, one of the school’s undisputed mainstays has been its football program.

The team’s ten league championships, five section titles, one undefeated season and recent state championship were

limited since then.

“My season has had its ups and downs due to injury,” Cooney said. “But as a team we are 3-0 and going strong to compete for league.”

Sophomore Jordan Jensen is ranked 37 in his weight class, while junior Cameron Young is also ranked in the “honorable mentions” for his.

As for the rest of the season, Cooney has lofty aspirations.

“Personally, I hope to make it to the state tournament; for the team, our goal is to win league,” Cooney said.

Grant Teunissen The senior defensive end is excited for the team next year with Cooper back

Boys’ Basketball

Girls’ Basketball

The varsity boys’ basketball team is currently 12-11 with league record of 3-3.

“We played some of the best teams in the area during the preseason, so I feel like our record is not necessarily a good gauge of how good we are,” senior forward Mitch Riffice said. “However, we have lost some games that we definitely should have won.”

With many young players playing roles on the team, including freshman center Darren Nelson and sophomore guard Charlie Tooley starting, there is much to look forward to for the Grizzlies.

“There is always going to be a learning curve for the young guys,” senior forward Aidan Naughton said. “But we’ll pick it up for the rest of league and hopefully be able to make a playoff run.”

The varsity girls’ basketball team is currently 16-7 (4-2 in league). This is a vast improvement after the team finished 11-16 last year and going 2-8 in league.

The team is led by the big three of senior Jennifer Manduca (averaging 21.4 points per game), sophomore Daeja Black (averaging 16.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game), and junior Annie Wright (averaging 10.3 points and 9.5 rebounds per game).

“Our season has gone really well and we are very competitive this year,” Manduca said.

“I think we have taken a lot of teams by surprise,” Black said.

“We are going to keep working towards our main goal, which is to make it to playoffs and see how it goes from there.”

Young athletes shine for boys’ basketball

Freshman Darren Nelson, sophomore Charlie Tooley making most of starts

BY DANTE WEEKS

dweeks.gazette@gmail.com

all spearheaded by Cooper, who, through all the inevitable change the team underwent, had remained the program’s one reliable constant.

“I felt like I was letting the guys down, but I knew I couldn’t give them the best effort,” Cooper said, “and I knew they deserved the best effort. I didn’t quite have that passion in May and June last year, throughout the summer and fall. (At the same time) I was real proud of the guys and the job they did this year.”

With Cooper’s departure, the search began immediately for a deserving replacement.

“We knew we had to find at least a temporary head coach,” Healy said. “We didn’t think that we See COACH, page C5

This year, the Granite Bay High School varsity boys’ basketball team changed – a freshman, Darren Nelson, and a sophomore, Charlie Tooley, were brought up to play at the varsity level.

Not only are these two young men talented, but they have found their way onto the starting lineup.

As a sophomore, starting on a varsity team is an outstanding accomplishment, and as a freshman it’s almost unheard of – certainly at GBHS. “Both men have worked really hard and earned their spots,” coach Jason Sitterud said.

Nelson has been playing basketball since he was about six years old. Playing on a varsity team has been a dream come true.

“I had a lot of nerves at first and worried about getting better, but I

think I’ve got the hang of it now and it’s a lot of fun,” Nelson said.

Nelson has many goals for himself and his team that he hopes to accomplish at some point this season, but his focus is on helping the Grizzlies win key Sierra Foothill League games.

“I would definitely like to make playoffs and beat (Del Oro High) at home next matchup,” he said.

As well as the goals Nelson has personally set for himself, Sitterud has goals that he would like for Nelson and Tooley to accomplish.

“They are getting used to the speed and physicality of the sport,” Sitterud said.

Nelson has enjoyed his opportunity to play with older GBHS athletes, but he’s been the target of some good-natured joking directed his way.

See BASKETBALL, page C5

inside sports Grizz Quiz

C3

Fan of the Month Athlete of the Month

C2 r

C4

Bullying in Sports Granite Bay High School reviews its sportsmanship policies

C2

Spring Sports Preview Each spring sport kicks off their respective seasons

C3

1,000 Pound Club Newest members of the exclusive club celebrate their hard work

C4

C2 Sports

Sports-A-Rama back at GBHS Students of all classes to compete in annual event “I decided to be Sports-A-Rama captain because I really love working with our class,” Briuolo said. “I helped a lot the past two years and Sports-A-Rama is one of my favorite events, so I thought it would be fun.”

Other students, however, have never participated in this event and did not know whether or not to sign up.

“My friend is the president of the freshman class and he encouraged me to come out and (try) Sports-A-Rama,” said Ryan Byars, freshman at GBHS. “I’m really competitive so I’m excited for the competitive part of it, but mainly (because) of the sports.”

The activities and games the students compete in change yearly, and this year student government has decided to add in a new competition within the event itself to earn even more spirit points.

“This year we are doing a charity competition, so each class is choosing a charity to raise money, and the class who raises the most money earns points,” said Kristen Hilburn, a junior at GBHS and the Sports-A-Rama commissioner.

“You will buy your ticket and as you come through the door, there will be boxes for each class’ charity and you can put in as much money as you want.”

The money raised will help benefit these charities as well as the Granite Bay community.

BY MARY-FRANCES HANSEN mfhansen.gazette@gmail.com

One of the most anticipated events of the year is Sports-A-Rama, held annually at Granite Bay High School.

Sports-A-Rama is a night rally with class competitions to earn spirit points.

Since the school opened in 1996, students have competed in various types of activities and games against the other classes, while their class watches and cheers them on.

“Students should go to (Sports-A-Rama) because it is the most spirited night we have at Granite Bay,” said Tamara Givens, activities director at GBHS. “It’s just a big, giant rally and everybody who’s there is spirited and excited.”

Many students look forward to Sports-A-Rama and have participated in this event multiple times. “(I did) Sports-A-Rama freshman and sophomore year and it was really fun,” said Lauren Bonham, a senior at GBHS. “I wanted to be a part of the senior team especially because I’m really hoping to win this year.”

Similar to Bonham, Daniela Briuolo, a junior at GBHS, decided to take on a more challenging role in this event to try and help lead the junior class to victory.

Friday, February 7, 2014

“I’m most excited to see it all come together and to give back to the community,” Hilburn said.

With many different types of competitions, students at GBHS are excited to practice with their team to try and win against all the other classes.

According to Briuolo, the juniors have the potential to win because they did really well last year as sophomores.

“We have a really awesome team and I think we are going to work really well together,” Briuolo said. “I’m also excited that it’s on a Friday, so hopefully we can get a ton of people to come out and support.”

However, other students are also confident that their class is going to win the competition.

“Everyone thinks that there is a bias because the seniors have (had) the most experience,” Bonham said. “We’ve already (participated) in it for three years and our class also seems to be pretty good at the dances and skits so hopefully that will help us.”

Even though some students may be more competitive than others, many of these students are looking forward to practicing with their team and competing against one another on Feb. 28 to win for their class.

“The great thing about Sports-A-Rama that I love is (that) it’s not strength-based or experienced-based and anybody can win,” Givens said.

“All four classes really have an equal shot (at winning).”

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Gazette photo /RACHAEL VASQUEZ

The Tribe cheers at a Sports-A-Rama event from 2011.

Senior sees GBHS sporting events as a way to get wild David Jin finds pride in attending more than just the usual sports

BY KRISTINE KHIEU kkhieu.gazette@gmail.com

Granite Bay High School is home to some of the best athletic teams in the state, and the winter season is winding down and students are preparing for the spring.

No matter the sport, GBHS’s student fan section, known as “The Tribe,” is sure to be there. Filling up the bleachers in the gym, the Tribe tries to pump up the basketball team throughout the game with cheers.

David Jin, a senior at GBHS, is always seen with the Tribe. Normally

dressed in a white Tribe T-shirt and hat, Jin enjoys cheering the Grizzlies on and “whiting-out” the bleachers.

“It’s really, really fun when the Tribe comes out,” Jin said. “I love to go because everyone gets worked up and excited.”

As an underclassman Jin rarely went to games because he didn’t enjoy them and was too busy to attend.

However, his attitude has shifted now that he’s a senior.

“I try my best to go to all school activities now that I’m a senior,” Jin said. “I regret not going my junior, sophomore, and freshman year.”

In fact, one of Jin’s favorite high school memories was made during this year’s Homecoming game.

While everyone was standing on the sidelines, Jin tried to motivate the fans to cheer on the football team.

“I went out there and danced with everyone in a circle and everyone was just crowding around and it was just fun,” Jin said.

According to Jin, it was one of his favorite experiences because all the students in the Tribe were having a great time and supporting the Grizzlies.

Tim Healy takes over as boys’ golf coach Former coach Stafford resigned last fall

BY STEVEN GERISCH

sgerisch.gazette@gmail.com

Filling the role of a quality and respected coach is never easy, and the fact that the coach won a state championship creates even bigger shoes to fill.

Tim Healy, the new Granite Bay High varsity boys golf coach, has taken over for health teacher Terry Stafford, who resigned as golf coach last fall.

Transitioning into a new style of coaching not only takes a toll on the athletes involved, but also the coach creating the change. “(Healy) is trying to get us to pull for each other more,” said Jeffery InouyeWong, a junior on the team. “He’s trying to get us more prepared than usual.”

Mason Troike, also a junior, said he enjoys Healy’s new strategies that have been implemented so far this season.

“He has us more of a unit,” said Troike, who added that being strong together as a team will prove vital to the Grizzlies’ success in the upcoming season.

Troike was especially disappointed at how GBHS finished last season, only tying for the Sierra Foothill League title with Del Oro after losing to the Eagles twice during league play.

Healy echoed Troike by saying the first and foremost goal for GBHS is to win the league crown after failing to win it outright last year.

Yet, the goals don’t stop there.

Healy passionately believes this team

should return to the Nor Cal Championships in May, and he is also eyeing a return to the state finals to battle powerhouse schools such as R.L. Stevenson of Pebble Beach, Torrey Pines of San Diego and Rancho Santa Margarita of Orange County.

Healy’s level of confidence is high, but he’s also wary. He said he thinks the team will perform well, but he also said “our guys haven’t been consistent enough to let me believe we’re as good as I thought we could be … that inconsistency worries me”.

The team’s ups and downs certainly pose early worries for the season, but listening to Inouye-Wong, you wouldn’t know there was an ounce of concern among the golfers.

“We should definitely make it to Nor Cals,” said Inouye-Wong, who has been on the team since its state title run his freshman year. “Our main goal is to make it back to state obviously, but we just have to take it one step at a time.”

Regardless of how Healy and the golfers think the team will finish this upcoming season, it will be especially difficult replacing Stafford, who won multiple league titles as the GBHS gold coach and is one of only three coaches on the campus to own a state championship. (The others are Ernie Cooper for football, and Tricia Plummer for girls’ volleyball.)

“It’s some pretty big shoes to fill” Healy said when asked how difficult it will be to replace someone of Stafford’s

Your sports. Your teams.

I want the young men to become more charactercentered and grow as individuals.

– Tim Healy, varsity boys’ golf coach

stature.

Healy said he must go back and learn from Stafford to get his expertise on how to take this talented collection of individuals and bring them together as a team. Healy said that even though golf is such an individual sport, high school golf must remain about the team and representing the school in a positive light.

Stafford left his legacy on campus by bringing home a state championship for the Grizzlies – whether or not Healy can follow up and enjoy the same success will be answered in the upcoming months.

One thing is for certain, however – Healy’s main goal isn’t to win state titles, or even league championships; it is to transform young men into outstanding individuals with great attitudes and morals that will last a lifetime.

“The first goal is that the kids have a great experience.” Healy said. “I want the young men to become more character-centered and grow as individuals.”

The Gazette.

When Jin isn’t at a GBHS game, he is involved with many advanced classes and extra-curricular activities.

He enjoys being in a dance club at GBHS where he has the chance to practice and exhibit some dance moves.

Jin encourages everyone to go out to support GBHS’s teams, saying that it’s a great way to make new friends and unforgettable memories.

Now that the spring season is beginning, you can expect to see this enthusiastic supporter at all the spring sports games, including

David Jin GBHS student makes a point to attend every Granite Bay sporting event he possibly can. lacrosse, baseball, softball, track and field, swim and golf events. Jin expects more people join him in the next couple months.

“Going to games is more fun than just staying at home or going to movies because the whole school is out supporting the team,” Jin said.

“Everyone should definitely come out.”

Ski season suffers Less snow saddens GBHS students

BY BRIAN ZHUANG

bzhuang.gazette@gmail.com

Many students at Granite Bay High School invest in season passes for skiing and snowboarding. This cost effective option is ideal for regulars.

The absence of rain has caused a lack of snow, however, disappointing to many hardcore riders.

This year may mark the driest of times, with about 0.1 inches of rain making it the driest January in state history.

The Sierra Nevada mountain range has about 10-30 percent less snow than what it normally has by this time, which has evoked many concerns around the community.

Many ski resorts have not only struggled with maintaining sales with such little snow, but also have had to shut down due to the extremely dry circumstances.

Some ski resorts have been able to maintain enough snow for it to be just adequate for proper skiing and snowboarding.

However with warmer weather prevalent around all of California, even the artificial snow has melted—a struggle for many resorts.

Among others, Donner Ski Ranch was forced to shut down for the time being until more natural snow falls.

Popular destinations have been trying to compensate for the shortage by increasing their snow production. Methods such as using snow machines to shred blocks of ice are common outputs for making snow.

Some have found the artificially produced snow has damaged their equipment, along with their overall experience. The thin layer of snow occasionally causes friction between boards and rocky terrain.

“The snow has really put a damper on my excitement for the season,” said Hannah Davis, a junior at Granite Bay High School. “(The season pass) just wasn’t worth the money in my opinion.”

The terrain and rugged surface changes the whole experience as riders cannot feel the fluidity and smoothness of the snow.

Not only has the decrease of

snow affected riders’ runs, but sales have also dropped for all ski resorts.

Davis had gone to Sugar Bowl Resort several times and had not seen that many people. She only skied once and instead stayed in the lodge most of the time.

“The lodges were filled when I went, but I never had to wait for any lifts or lines of any kind,” Davis said.

In addition, the snow shortage has limited many runs in a majority of resorts.

Carli Kelley, a GBHS junior, has a season pass to Northstar but had only gone up five times, rather than her typical amount of ten each year.

Many say that the artificial snow still makes the terrain park an enjoyable time, but that is about it.

“The terrain park is fun, but it’s a bummer for people who like to do back side or ride in the tress,” Kelley said. “It gets boring quicker because the only thing to do is the terrain park.”

Students have responded with many different reactions to the decrease in snow. Some actually do not mind the lack of powder and just deal with it.

GBHS junior Garrett Walker has a season pass to Boreal, which is one of the most popular resorts among Granite Bay students, and has gone up to Boreal more than 15 times throughout the winter.

“The true shredders come out no matter how much snow is up there,” Walker said.

Despite the low snow, Walker said he still had a great time while he was there.

“The low snow had a small effect on me having fun up there,” Walker said. “I wish there was more fresh ‘pow pow’ but it is what it is.”

After all is said and done, still most GBHS students say they prefer the natural snow and are disappointed in the snow shortage.

Said Walker, “It’s never the same when you compare man-made snow to fresh powder.”

Friday, February 7, 2014

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Sports C3

Spring stands for sports Granite Bay High School athletes prepare for a successful 2014 season

BY MAGGIE BELL

mbell.gazette@gmail.com

Grizzly athletes, from all spring sports, seem confident about the seasons ahead.

The boys golf team, former state champions, is one of the many to be looking forward to their season.

After graduating last year’s key players including standout Brandon Baumgarten, who is now playing at the collegiate level for the University of Oregon, the team is still looking to move forward and continue to be top contenders this season.

“We are all good players and can compete, so I think we will be a standout team this year,” said returning sophomore Bryan Baumgarten, who is also Brandon’s younger brother.

After placing fourth at Masters last year only a stroke behind the third-place team, the Grizzlies are looking to improve and advance past to the Nor Cal tournament and eventually compete for the state title.

Girls’ soccer Last season the varsity girls’ soccer team fell short to Davis High, the future Sac-Joaquin Section Div. 1 champions, 1-0 in the section quarterfinals.

This year, the Grizzlies want to turn it around and follow in the footsteps of the boys’ team, which won the Div. 1 section title in the fall.

“Last year we were a really young team, and I think we have all grown as players – and with most of our team returning this year, we have a strong chance at winning sections,” senior Sara Wagner said.

The team’s goals for the 2014 season include winning the Sierra Foothill League title and advancing to sections.

“Varsity won sections my freshman year and we want to go all the way too, especially us seniors since it’s our last year with this team,” Wagner said

Boys’ and girls’ lacrosse Both boys’ and girls’ lacrosse finished relatively high in rank last season. The boys’ team finished second in league play, and the girls were third.

The boys hope to top last season’s results and make it farther in the playoffs than they did last year. They are already off to a great start, having recently won the Kings Showcase, and they are still undefeated in early season matches.

“We’ve got a lot of key players, but the team is very different than it has been in year’s past,” senior Owen McNiff said. “We used to have a lot of dominant one- on-one players, and our team this year meshes really well and we have a lot of assisted goals, too.”

Besides just the actual results from the field, the Grizzlies are looking to improve their team chemistry this season as well.

“I’m really looking forward to this season with all my boys – it’s about to be a ton of fun,” McNiff said.

The girls’ team is hoping to win the league title and get nominated to go to the North Coast Section tournament this year.

Key players for the Grizzlies include junior Emily Torres, who recently committed to George Washington University, and several seniors – including Megan Taylor and Lauren Molina.

The Grizzlies are also hoping to add some freshmen to the team.

“We lost last year’s senior goalie Katrina Reeves, who was really the leader of our team and helped us win a lot of games, so that’s going to be tough,” sophomore Carlin Isaacson said.

The girls’ team is hoping to come together and really step up to overcome the loss of the key seniors.

Boys’ and girls’ swimming The GBHS boys’ and girls’ swim teams are known for their longlasting success and constant talent throughout the years – and this year looks to be no different.

“Our team is looking to continue our streak and be (SFL) champions for the 18th year in a row,” returning sophomore Kassidy Henson said.

Henson returns after a successful season last year in which she was a varsity All-American as part of the 400yard freestyle relay. She finished sixth in the individual varsity 100 freestyle at the section meet in May, earning a junior national time in the process.

“As a team, our goals are to create a closer bond, more like a family and hopefully win sections too,” Henson said.

The boys’ team, too, is looking to extend its nearly two decades of league titles and make a run at a section championship.

“Last year our team was mostly juniors, so we are going to be really strong this year,” junior standout Alec Dendall said.

The Grizzlies finished third in the section meet last year, eight and a half points behind winner Davis and four points behind Jesuit. The Grizzlies finished fourth in the meet’s closing event, the 400 freestyle relay. A victory in that race would have won the section title for GBHS. It’s that painful memory the Grizzlies want to erase this year.

“We are looking to have stronger relays this year,” Dendall said, “because that was what cost us our section title last year.”

Boys’ volleyball After making it to the semifinals last year in the NorCal tournament, the boys’ volleyball team is looking to move past that and grow even more.

Coach Bruce Honberger is looking forward to the season with his players.

“Key seniors for us this year include John Hayes, Garrison Schlauch and Brandon Freitas,” Honberger said.

With the seniors leading this year, Honberger is hoping the players will all come together as

Spring sport athletes work hard to achieve team goals as their seasons get ready to kickoff and the competition starts to heat up one.

“The team is a talented group of players that has potential to go far, and it is going to be more of a case of how well we can get them to gel and function as a team this season,” Honberger said.

Boys’ tennis After losing to Jesuit in the section semifinals last year, the Grizzlies are looking to improve this season both on and off the court.

We are looking to win sections this year for sure, but our No. 1 goal is to have fun,” returning captain Matt Iwahiro said.

Striking a good balance between competitiveness and amusement is a key point for the season ahead.

“We are planning to sweep league, however it isn’t all about winning – enjoying ourselves and bonding as a team is most important,” Iwahiro said.

Track and field In events ranging from the shot put to the two-mile, the GBHS track team does it all.

2013 graduate Madison Wallace is currently attending UC Santa Barbara as a shot putter on the track and field team after a successful career as a Grizzly.

This is just one of the many success stories that the GBHS track and field team has produced.

“We have a lot of returning talent this season and have a good shot at going far,” returning senior and distance runner Katie Mersereau said.

Mersereau added that some key athletes this year for the team will be Tyler Brendel in sprints, Molly Graves in hurdles and Natalie Caraway in the long jump.

Gazette photos /GRACE MOORE

Baseball The GBHS baseball team is hoping to go undefeated and win league and section championships.

After losing a lot of talented players last year, the boys are looking to come together as a team and have players step up to replace last year’s graduated class.

“This year we want to improve on our team chemistry, and to improve on getting the job done offensively,” senior Alec Ladrech said.

Senior pitcher Mitch Hart, who has committed to the University of Southern California, was out frequently last year because of injury and is going to be a major part in the Grizzlies’ success in the season ahead.

“We have always been a team that prides (itself) on pitching and defense.” Hart said. “If our hitting can match them, we will be very successful in the coming season.”

Grizz Quiz Compiled by Austin Alcaine

What is your dream car?

Zach Boyle Boys’ Basketball

Daeja Black Girls’ Basketball

Colin McHale Boys’ Basketball

Brenna Myers

Alex Cooney

Girls’ Basketball

Wrestling

Aston Martin

Hummer

Bugatti

Range Rover

Classic Mustang

What is your favorite sport to watch?

Basketball

Basketball

Basketball

Basketball

Basketball

What would you play if you had to choose another sport?

Volleyball

Lacrosse

Football

Volleyball

Ice Hockey

Polo Ralph Lauren

Love Culture

Nike

Pink

New Balance

Arizona Cardinals

Denver Broncos

Chicago Bears

San Francisco 49ers

Minnesota Vikings

What’s your favorite clothing brand?

What’s your favorite NFL team?

Friday, February 7, 2013

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Sports C4

1,000-pound club provides motivation Weight-training feat acts as goal for athletes

BY PARKER BURMAN

pburman.gazette@gmail.com

The 1,000-pound club; the culmination of years of hard work and sweat on the way to peak fitness, the goal of weight training students that can’t be achieved without fierce determination and dedication.

The club was founded as a means to motivate and reward those students that had done what most others could not.

To get into the club, one must be able to lift 1,000 pounds combined in four different types of weight lifting– bench press, power lift, clean lift and squats. Or, in other words about 250 pounds in each of those categories.

While this may seem impossible to most, a list in the Palmer Center contains the names of many athletes who have reached the goal since the club’s founding, a list that reaches nearly one hundred names.

One of the more recently inducted members, senior Luke Bussey was very proud of his achievement.

“I got in my junior year during weight training and felt very accomplished,” Bussey said.

“I’d been working on increasing my strength all year so I was

pumped.”

Junior Cam Smith, who got in his freshman year, was also happy with his achievement.

“It was a great accomplishment,” Smith said, “I felt good.”

Many athletes are very excited to get into the club, as it is a prestigious honor for those who love to lift at Granite Bay High School.

“It’s a big deal,” Smith said, “it takes a lot of hard work.”

Bussey agreed about the club’s significance.

“It’s the highest strength award at our school, and it’s cool because it shows how much work you have put into the offseason,” Bussey said.

Senior Xavier Hunter made the club his sophomore year, and he still remembers the feelings when he first got in.

“I felt pretty accomplished when I got in,” Hunter said, “I was proud of myself.”

Today’s members inspire the underclassmen to try and get stronger as they mature. While it is sometimes a secondary goal to getting stronger, it is still something kids strive for in their high school career.

“While I was training for football too, everyone in the

class is working to reach the 1,000 pound club, since it’s the highest award in the program,” Bussey said. “Ever since I was a freshman I was working to get it, as are most other kids.”

Hunter took a different approach to get in, not worrying about whether or not he could make it in.

“I didn’t aim to make the 1,000-pound club.” Hunter said. “I aimed to be the best athlete I could possibly be and the rest just fell into place.”

With many already in the club, and many more to come, the 1,000-pound club remains an impressive feat only achievable by the most devoted students.

“There are a lot of good athletes on that list,” Bussey said, “I’m proud to be one of them.”

However, in the end, the 1,000-pound club isn’t just about the achievement, it’s about getting stronger and pushing your limits every day to reach your true potential.

There’s no doubt that the members of this club are still striving to get stronger even after their induction, with an insatiable hunger for improvement.

“It was important to me at the time,” Hunter said, “but I take more pride in my ability to get better and push myself.”

Granite Bay High School athlete, Jared Baer, works hard to improve their strength in order to reach the lofty goal of induction into the 1,000 -pound club

Gazette photo /GRACE MOORE

Zach Boyle plays key role in GBHS sports success Multi-sport athlete provides quality playing time for both basketball and soccer teams

BY BRENDAN GONZALEZ bgonzalez.gazette@gmail.com

Zach Boyle, Granite Bay High School senior, plays defense against Woodcreek with the GBHS boys’ varsity basketball team. Boyle serves as a leader both on and off the court for his younger teammates

Gazette photo /LUKE CHIRBAS

Tommy Thompson signs with San Jose Quakes

Granite Bay High School alumni inks deal with Major League Soccer club

BY STEVEN GERISCH

sgerisch.gazette@gmail.com

Nine months can bring a lot of change in such a short amount of time, and this is especially true for Granite Bay High School alum Tommy Thompson, who in that short amount of time has graduated high school, gone off to college in Indiana and is now officially a professional soccer player.

Thompson, who graduated a year early from GBHS, went off to Indiana University this past fall and started his freshman semester

with a bang.

Thompson quickly made an impact on the reigning national champion collegiate soccer team, starting 13 games and netting five goals on his way to becoming Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

Thompson made an impact so profound that he caught the eye of the San Jose Major League Soccer club. Once the season ended, the talks began, culminating in Thompson officially forgoing the rest of his college career to sign a “Homegrown” contract for the Earthquakes.

“It is pretty crazy to think how far I’ve come in the past 9 months or so.” Thompson said in an email interview.

“In the grand scheme of things, however, I am still behind the thousands of European soccer players who get signed at age 16 or 17. The progress I have experienced at such a young age is encouraging, but I still have plenty of work to do in order to make sure I become the best player I can be”.

Steve Fischer, the GBHS varsity soccer coach, said, “It’s pretty

After a scoreless regulation and first overtime, when Jesuit scored a goal to put them ahead of Granite Bay 1-0 in the section championship soccer game in November, everybody thought the game was over.

Jesuit was in full celebration mode as Granite Bay ran the ball back to midfield to kick it off. Ten seconds later, senior Zach Boyle scored the gametying goal. Boyle also got a key steal minutes later that led to the game-winning goal.

Boyle was a captain and leader on the section-champion soccer team, scoring 4 goals and racking up 5 assists while only playing about half the season due to an injury.

The team finished ranked first in California and twelfth in the nation.

Now, Boyle has taken his talents to the Grizzlies basketball team.

“The transition from soccer to basketball was easy because I can take aspects of my soccer game and translate them to basketball,” Boyle said. “One thing I have learned to do is to adapt and focus solely on basketball during basketball season.”

Boyle has become vital to the Grizzlies, coming off the bench to provide scoring and adding control to the game, particularly in key league games against Roseville and Woodcreek.

“Zach brings a lot of energy to the team,” head basketball coach Jason Sitterud said. “He does a good job of pushing the ball on offense, getting to the rim, and keeping the defense off balance.”

“Zach is a good teammate on and off the court,” junior and fellow point-guard Colin McHale said. “Going head to head with him in practice every day is definitely a challenge but it helps me grow as a player.”

A key to Boyle’s success this year has been accepting a more teamoriented concept.

“I think I’ve improved as a teammate since the beginning of the season,” Boyle said. “I’ve really bought in to the concept of playing as a team.”

Sitterud also noticed improvement.

“Zach has gained confidence and learned to trust his teammates more as the season has gone on,” Sitterud said For the rest of the season, Boyle’s goals all focus on the team.

“Our main goal is to hopefully win league and make a solid run in playoffs,” Boyle said.

As for the future, Boyle will be playing club soccer and AAU basketball over the summer. Boyle has received interest from some collegiate soccer teams, but has not decided whether he will pursue them.

incredible” when asked about his even predicted that he would opinion on Thompson’s signing. never see Thompson finish out “From day one his high school he was very specareer. cial,” Fischer said.

The middle of “He’s always had this December that little somewas when the He’s always thing extra … that storm started little something brewing. had that little special.”

“The negotiasomething Thompson’s tions started in little sister Tatum, late December,” extra ... a junior at GBHS, Thompson said. that little said that it is pret“I didn’t know ty crazy thinking I was leaving something Tommy should IU until a few special still be living with weeks into the their family. She new year ... we – Steve Fisher, boys continued to say didn’t settle on soccer coach that he has always a number until been ahead of the mid-January.” curve so it comes “There were as no surprise to many factors her. that my parents One thing is for certain howand I discussed at length during ever, Thompson has never lacked the negotiations. A couple of them the skills, often looking like a were maximizing my potential as polished athlete during his time at a soccer player, the importance of GBHS. an education, and the massive life“When I got him, even as a style change going from a college freshman, Tommy was very, very, student to a pro (athlete).” very good” Fischer said. Fischer Yet when asked if he kept his

negotiations from his parents, Thompson said of course not. He finally realized it was his time to sign when his parents, who emphasized education throughout his life, even began to hint at turning pro.

When asked on his opinion about Thompson’s decision Fischer said he feels it’s the right decision for him. While he’s years behind the European soccer stars who begin playing for their clubs around 16, that won’t stop Thompson Fischer said.

Fischer continued to say how he fully expects Thompson to play with these starlets and other giants of the football world over in Europe sooner rather than later. He also expects Thompson to sport the nation’s colors and play for the U.S. national team.

The transition to stardom may take time, but if anyone is up to the challenge it will be the new Earthquake prospect.

“I think he’ll handle it pretty well,” Thompson’s sister said, “He’s already matured a lot since his first semester of college … he’ll do great”

Friday February 7, 2014

w The Granite Bay Gazette

Sports C5

Pushing the limits of sportmanship

Recent events across the country spark questions in GBHS athletics over ethics in competition

BY KEVIN BURNS

sportsmanship.

“Coaches and players should be trained to understand the concept of high school sports,” Healy said.

Running up the score. Playing hard. Sending a “It’s about development of character and developmessage. Outscoring opponents by more than double ment of people.” their points has been known by many names, but until As athletic director, Healy knows that his job is recently, bullying was not one of them. not only to oversee the actions of the athletes during That is, until the Aledo High School football team school and off the field, but also to assess the deciin Texas defeated their challengers 91-0 in the last sions and actions of the coaches at GBHS. game of the season. This controversial win resulted “It may come from the egos of the coaches, the in a lawsuit against Aledo High School for bullying parents and the athletes,” Healy said, “but the botand sparked a question for high tom line is the coaches are the ones schools all over the nation: When responsible for mentoring the kids.” does playing hard until the closing At what point, though, is a team seconds turn into bullying? just playing hard rather than personCoaches and Senior Granite Bay High School ally trying to hurt the opposing team?

Grizzlies lineman Christian Brown Brown attempted to answer that players should was shocked when he first heard question. be trained to about the game and said he could “Would you consider it bullying relate to playing your heart out, when (the varsity football team) beat understand the but that he felt bad for the losing Tokay 58-12?” Brown questioned. concept of high team.

In the game against Tokay High “There should’ve been a point School, eight different Grizzly school football where it should’ve turned into a athletes attempted a run, including scrimmage,” Brown said. “Notheir third and fourth-string running – Tim Healy, athletic body deserves to have 91 points backs, and 3 different quarterbacks put up on them.” director attempted a pass.

Parents at the opposing Fort “I wouldn’t say we bullied them beWorth Western Hills High School cause in the end, it was just me doing agreed with Brown and filed a my job better than (the opponent),” lawsuit against the coach of the Brown said. “Also I have never been Aledo High Bearcats, claiming that he should have bullied nor do I ever want to experience it.” been the one to control his players’ excessive aggresUnlike in the Texas league, the Sierra Foothills sion during the game, knowing they were playing a League has implemented “mercy” rules to prevent a weaker opponent. team running up the score.

GBHS athletic director Tim Healy agreed, say“What we do in our section is pretty good,” Healy ing the ultimate job of a high school head coach is said. “For example, if a team is up by 35 points in to teach young athletes about character and good football or 40 in basketball in the fourth quarter, we kburns.gazette@gmail.com

Gazette photo illustration /mary-frances

Bullying during sporting events extends beyond physical harassment into humiliation have a running clock.”

These rules are made to help the losing team and finish the game quicker, but some people have suggested stopping the game completely to save the losing team from embarrassment. There has been debate, though, over when it is appropriate to stop gameplay.

“I think the referees should call the game when (a team is losing badly) at the freshman and junior varsity level,” Brown said, “but varsity athletes should play out because some players want to play in college.”

Brown, who has played multiple sports at GBHS, said varsity athletes of all sports should play hard at all times because they might play in college, where competition is even harder.

“(Bullying) might sometimes happen when the team is playing a rival,” said Armin Anderson, senior defender for the Grizzlies’ soccer team.

Anderson added that when players get caught up in the emotion of the moment, they do not care about the feelings of the other team, even if they are winning by a lot.

Despite their reasoning behind it, GBHS athletes and coaches should know that Healy has a zerotolerance policy when it comes to intentionally running up the score.

“In a freshman football game this year, we were losing 49-7 and the other team still had their starters in and was throwing the ball,” Healy said.

“If it was one of my coaches, I would have fired him.”

Multi-sport athlete striving to get college scholarship Sophomore Scotty Henrichs competes in football, baseball and basketball; he hopes his efforts pay off

BY DANTE WEEKS

dweeks.gazette@gmail.com

There is a lot of potential in this year’s Granite Bay High School junior varsity boys’ basketball team. One player that stands out is Scotty Henrichs. He has been playing basketball since he was five years old and has stayed passionate about it since then.

Henrichs is a multi-sport athlete; he plays basketball, baseball and football. He plays wide receiver for the junior varsity GBHS football team, was the team’s leading receiver and was awarded offensive player of the year. Henrichs said that his favorite football game was the one against Del Oro High School.

“We lost but we played a great game and I couldn’t have been more proud of my boys,” Henrichs said.

Henrichs also is a shortstop for the junior varsity

baseball team. His favorite game of the year was the game against Roseville High School, a close win for the Grizzlies.

“I hit a walk off home run and it was one of the best feelings,” Henrichs said.

Henrichs is passionate about all the sports he plays.

“I can’t choose a favorite, I love all the sports I play equally,” Henrichs said.

Henrichs plays small forward and shooting guard for the GBHS junior varsity boys’ basketball team.

His favorite basketball game was the one against Del Oro. He also has many goals set for himself and for his team for the rest of the 2014 season.

“I think I can get a scholarship, get drafted and have a chance to make it,” Henrich says.

Henrichs knows that to achieve his goals he must separate himself from the pack. Henrichs shoots for 20 points per game while incorporating other teammates in the game. He puts his team’s well-being

before personal gain and that makes him the wellrounded athlete we see today.

“I hope to stand out in all three sports,” he said.

Henrichs hopes to continue playing all three sports throughout his high school career and continue to grow as an athlete. He spends most of his free time honing his skills.

“Me and my friends have pickup football and basketball games,” Henrichs said. “They get pretty intense.”

BASKETBALL: Beginning starters hoping to make impact despite lack of experience Continued from page C1

“They (older teammates) tease and mess around with me, we have a lot of fun,” Nelson said.

Sitterud has enjoyed having younger athletes on his roster, too.

“Nice, humble kids – they’ve been a nice fit to the team,” Sitterud said.

As a 6-foot, 7-inch freshman, starting on a varsity basketball team came as a surprise to Nelson, who doesn’t actually consider basketball to be his No. 1 sport.

“I prefer to play baseball – baseball is my main sport,” Nelson said.

Along with Nelson, sophomore Charlie Tooley has earned himself a spot in the GBHS starting lineup as well. Tooley has been playing basketball since first grade and has stayed passionate about it. Like Nelson, Tooley shares a love for baseball but said he “loves both (basketball and baseball) equally.”

Not anyone can start on the varsity team, and there are multiple athletes who could easily take the starting positions currently occupied by Tooley and Nelson.

“Yes, I always get nerves before the game,” said Tooley, who is hesitant to talk about his own accomplishments but is perhaps one of the most intense players on the roster. “But they go away once the game starts, and it doesn’t affect my performance.”

“I feel blessed that coach gives me the opportunity to start, and it’s a great feeling when the hard work pays off.”

Fellow teammates seem to enjoy the

Gazette photo /luke chirbas

Junior Colin Mchale, another first-year starter, has taken over the starting point guard spot for the Grizzlies, leading them to a winning record

company of these two esteemed athletes on the varsity team.

“They deserve it,” senior Zach Boyle said. “They have proven they can com-

pete at a varsity level.”

Both of these athletes show great promise and will continue to impress their teammates, coach and school.

As the season progresses, Henrichs sees himself constantly improving.

“I hope to stay healthy and practice, practice and more practice if I want that scholarship,” Henrichs said.

As an athlete, Henrichs takes every opportunity to surround himself with sports whether that is physically playing or simply watching, he stays involved.

“Every time I see a basketball or football laying around,” Henrichs said, “I have to pick it up and

COACH: Former GBHS football head coach makes return to field after a year Continued from page C1

could recruit the kind of long-term person that we would need in the middle of summer. If you’re the coach of another school, you’re not going to walk away from your team in the middle of summer to go some place else.”

Shortly thereafter, it was announced that former offensive coordinator Skip Albano would serve as the Grizzlies’ interim head coach. In the eyes of Teunissen, Albano filled the sudden coaching void perfectly.

“Coach Albano is great at bonding with his players,” Teunissen said. “He’s a great coach and there couldn’t have been anybody better to be our head coach.”

Healy agreed with the decision to make Albano interim head coach.

“Our goal was to find somebody who knows our community, knows our kids, knows our philosophy and would embrace it and execute it, and that was Skip Albano,” Healy said. “He did exactly that.”

In past seasons Albano has traveled overseas to coach European semi-pro teams, and for the upcoming football season he believes he will be coaching at Sierra College.

“At some point we hope he comes back and becomes a part of our staff again,” Healy said. “We would certainly welcome him with open arms if he ever wanted to come back in some capacity.”

For the upcoming season, Cooper thinks his return to coaching is characterized best by his love for the game of football. Like many coaches, football is what Cooper believes keeps him energized and enthusiastic throughout the entire year.

“To be honest with you, I was bored, really. You know, I’m a football coach,” Cooper said. “That’s what I do. I love doing the weight training classes, but football is my thing. That’s what gets me out of bed.”

Cooper was excited with the school’s decision to rehire him, regardless of their reasoning.

“Basically, I think their thought process was ‘coach, it’s either jump in or get out of the way for the next guy,’” Cooper said. “So I thought ‘well, I’m the next guy,’ so that’s why I jumped back in.”

With certainty once again surrounding GBHS’s football staff, the program’s main task is now centered around its ability to translate hard work during practice to success for the upcoming season.

As was evidenced in Granite Bay High’s victory over Long Beach Poly, the Grizzlies play a brand of football focused less on brute strength and more on discipline and technique. “(We) have to focus on teamwork, conditioning and skill. For us to be good, we really have to emphasize those things,” Healy said. “We’re not as big as a lot of other schools. We’re not. We don’t have a bunch of five star recruits. What we do have are a bunch of great kids that play hard and play intelligently.”

For coach Cooper, practicing hard and playing hard is an essential and fundamental factor in football success.

“We’ve always defined success as the self-satisfaction in knowing you’ve done the best you’re capable of doing,” Cooper said, “and so if the guys have given me everything they’ve got, I’m going to be happy at the end of the day—and that’s how we ran the program for 17 years.”

C6 Sports

Friday, February 7 2014

w The Granite Bay Gazette

AT A GLANCE

Stats at a Glance Boys’ Basketball wJan. 17 – Granite Bay 58, Nevada Union 58 wJan. 21 – Granite Bay 57, Woodcreek 46 wJan. 24 – Granite Bay 48, Rocklin 64 wFeb. 7 – Granite Bay vs. Nevada Union, at Nevada Union wFeb. 14 – Granite Bay vs. Rocklin, at Granite Bay

Girls’ Basketball wJan. 17 – Granite Bay 57, Nevada Union 85 wJan. 22 – Granite Bay 64, Woodcreek 40 wJan. 24 – Granite Bay 60, Rocklin 57 wFeb. 7 – Granite Bay vs. Nevada Union, at Nevada Union wFeb. 14 – Granite Bay vs. Rocklin, at Granite Bay

Boys’ Wrestling wJan. 2 – Granite Bay 55, Woodcreek 15 wJan.15- Granite Bay 57, Nevada Union 85 wFeb. 5- Granite Bay vs. Del Oro, at Del Oro wFeb.13 - SFL Tournament, if necessary wFeb.28 - Masters Tournament, if necessary

Point guard Collin McHale, top, inbounds the ball and carries it up court against Woodcreek on Jan. 21. Granite Bay wrestler, top, pins his Rocklin opponent on Jan. 29.

Daeja Black, far left, dribbles the ball up court against Sheldon High School.

Granite Bay wrestler, left, pins his Rocklin opponent on Jan. 29.

Senior Alex Meza, bottom left, looks up at the clock waiting for the round to be over. Collin McHale, bottom right, crosses over against the Woodcreek defense.

Sophomore Charlie Tooley, bottom center, is fouled hard while making a lay-up. Tooley, center left, traps Woodcreek with his full-court press. Alex Meza, far bottom left,

Gazette photos by Luke Chirbas

green screen.

The Gazette’s arts and entertainment guide

February 2014

Inside look at the 2014 Grammy Awards Pages 8 and 9

Page 2

sneak peek.

Gazette photo /COLLEEN VIVALDI

Gazette photo /ALEXA ZOGOPOULOS

wSee pages 8&9 with an inside look into the Grammy award ceremony.

wSee page 11 for a guide to local coffee shops.

M

February 2014

Gazette photo /GRACE MOORE

wSee page 16 for an overview of local art galleries.

Fashion can’t fake fortune

I don’t know if they know that they are wearing fake uch of the today’s society focuses on how peo- items but it sure seems like they are trying a little too hard especially when they cannot afford them. ple look and present themselves. And when it comes I understand that you may not be the richest person, to looking “fresh” or “stylish”, wearing the newest and trendiest outfits on the market is a must, or so they say. so please don’t act and dress like you are.

The saying “It’s too good to Because of this, brands like Jordan, Louis Commentary be true” is almost always correct Vuitton and Gucci are highly sought after. when it pertains to buying designer However, many of these brands are beclothes. ing replicated by incredible manufacturers, Why would anyone give such a setting out to, hopefully one day, make it big huge discount, nevertheless lose and become a reputable producer. money, on things that are highly Teens are usually targeted because of the sought after? From the kindness of inherent assumption that they don’t have a their heart? steady income, whom these manufacturers Additionally, no one really reattempt to appeal to. spects counterfeit sellers. People Not many things provoke me more than who wear fake clothes just pollute someone rocking designer apparel…espebzhuang.gazette@gmail.com the entire vogue culture and socicially when the clothes are fake! ety.

People trying to show off to others their It corrupts the integrity of fashion and deteriorates counterfeit items, as if they were authentic, is just dethe reputation of popular brands. It is not really about ceiving to everyone who looks at it. the brand losing money, but more about the principle It makes the person, seem superficial as well as and morale of authentic shopping. disrespectful towards the actual brand that is being People need to stop trying so hard on wearing dereplicated. signer brands unless they can afford it.

I see tons of students and people walking around It is misleading and portrays something different than with fake Jordan’s all the time, even around Granite what really is.

Bay High School.

Brian Zhuang

Page 3

Guide to Green Screen

Music Reviews

Page 4

Who’s hiring

Page 5

Valentines ideas

Page 6/7

Page 10

Netflix addictions

Food reviews Page 11 Page 8/9 Coffee Grammy first Shops look

Upcoming GBHS Events for February Feb. 7-8

Laramie Project

Feb. 17

Presidents day

Feb. 28

Sports-a-Rama

Page 12 Page 14 Flappy Bird

Page 13

Consumer Electronics Show

Page 15

Film reviews

Winter Page 16 entertainment Art galleries

February 2014

Page 3

tune in.

Aer Aer

BY STEVEN GERISCH

A

sgerisch.gazette@gmail.com

er, a music duo known for smooth, free flowing lyrics and relaxing beats recently released their debut, self-titled album Aer, a follow up to its beloved Eps Strangers and The Bright Side.

Aer doesn’t start their album like most artists typically do.

However, Aer is not like any of yourtypical music group. Aer debuts its album with relatively relaxing tracks, and my personal favorite, is “Spades, Clubs and Diamonds.”

This track embodies much of Aer’s early work, resembling a more peaceful version of its popular song “Floats My Boat.”

Aer then diverges from its usual melodies and follows up with “Stars,” a song with tones resembling a bass guitar, something not typically associated with a rap duo.

While the lyrics alone still bare a resemblance to a style that has become synonymous with the pair, the transformation in background beats come almost as a shock, heavily contrasting with their first track.

Aer starts a trend of mentioning former relationships and ex-girlfriends with the song, “Says She Loves Me,” something that continues

throughout the rest of the album.

Aer blends in reggae influences, “I’m Not Sorry,” a track soft in nature that conveys a lack of remorse in actions presumably towards the ex-girlfriend referenced in the song before.

This is one of the better tracks on the album because it goes back to the roots of the music that made Aer famous in the first place.

The next song seems to relive memories Aer once shared with a loved one. The track “Pretty Lady (Around Me)” is upbeat in nature and has a catchy mix of lyrics and rhythms.

“I’m With It,” the tenth song on the CD, that has a beat somewhat reminiscent of Afroman’s Colt 45 and is a song that many will find appealing because of its catchy tone.

The final song on the album is “Ex,” a song with the somber tone of an acoustic guitar in the background. This finishes off the prominent “ex-girlfriend” theme for the album.

All in all, Aer’s self-titled album has many solid songs, however the high expectations created by the long wait made it hard to live up to the hype.

Aer, LLC.

Aer was released on Jan. 21, 2014.

B+

Skip to: Floats My Boat

Young the Giant Mind Over Matter

BY MAGGIE BELL

Y

Warner Music Group Co.

Mind Over Matter was revealed Jan. 21, 2014.

A-

Skip to: Waves

mbell.gazette@gmail.com

oung the Giant’s new album, Mind Over Matter, is an Indie blend with songs ranging in style from a short instrumental to more upbeat rock-esque.

Young the Giant is pretty unique in their sound and separates themselves from the Katy Perrys and Justin Biebers of the music industry.

They are definitely not your average pop-radio artist; however in my opinion, they offer more with their style and variety.

After originally forming in 2004 in Irvine, CA, the band signed a record deal in 2009 and released their debut album in 2010.

They were quickly discovered by Indie music fans and got to play at the majorly popular four-day concert, Sasquatch, in 2011.

Their first two released singles, “My Body” and “Cough Syrup,” both reached the top 5 on the Billboard Alternatuve Songs charts.

One of their better known songs, “Cough Syrup” from their first album is one of my favorite songs, so when I heard they had a new album being released I was interested to see what it would hold.

With a total of 13 songs on the album, Mind Over Matter manages to have a sellection that works for any mood or time of the day.

Each song adds its own special something and keeps the album from getting repetitive.

More low-key, the song “Firelight” fits its name perfectly. Calm, yet still entertaining, the song is perfect for studying or just hanging out.

My personal favorite, “Waves,” is fabulous for a night-time drive with the windows down. This track is one of the more upbeat songs off the album, but it isn’t too crazy.

“Paralysis” is another quality song that has a unique sound in comparison to the rest of the album being very different from beginning to end.

The album is special in that you can listen to the entire set of songs without getting bored of them. Even if you don’t feel like listening to the entire album, there are elements of all genres for everyone to enjoy.

I highly recommend Mind Over Matter for anyone with an appreciation for music who wants to try something a little different.

Kid Ink My Own Lane

BY DANTE WEEKS

dweeks.gazette@gmail.com

K

id Ink recently released the album My Own Lane, featuring multiple big name artists such as Chris Brown, Tyga and MGK (Machine Gun Kelly.)

Not only are big name artists featured throughout, some names lesspopular names, Elle Varner, Styles P, Eric Bellinger and Casey Veggies.

Unlike many other rap artists, Kid Ink doesn’t use as much foul language, which makes his music easy to listen to and appropriate for a range of ages.

Also, in his music videos, Kid Ink is always somewhere exotic whether that be in the middle of a desert or at a house party, he chooses to make his videos “different.”

This album is very upbeat and would be ideal to listen to before a dance or if one is in the mood to dance.

Although there are a few songs that are a little slower than some of the other songs, such as, “I Know Who You Are” featuring Cay Veggies and “Just Do It” featuring Eric Bellinger.

Most of the songs on this album would be perfect to play at a dance

party.

Kid Ink’s first album Up & Away came as a surprise to many of his fans because he used to only release mix tapes.

The mix tapes he used to produce would feature multiple big name artists such as Chris Brown and Tyga, who have both been in almost all of Kid Ink’s previous albums.

This album was produced by artist DJ Mustard who collaborates with multiple artists like Cardiak, The Runners, The Futuristics, Arthur McArthur, soFLY, Nius and Ned Cameron.

The album was promoted by the hit singles “Show Me,” featuring Chris Brown, and “Iz U Down” featuring Tyga.

Kid Ink, unlike many other artists, features a lot of R&B singers to change up the flow of his songs.

The best song on the album would have to be “Show Me” featuring Chris Brown. This song stands out not only in flow, but in sales. This song and “Iz U Down” are the two reasons why this album is so popular as it is.

I’m not the only fan of My Own Lane, it is highly recommended by DJbooth.com, which is a site where albums can be listened to and reviewed. This album is fresh and perfect for the party scene.

RCA Records

My Own Lane debuted on Jan. 7, 2014.

A

Skip to: Show Me

Page 4

February 2014

current.

Rap Music Hip Hop Classics to Modern-Day Bangers

Who’s Hiring

BY CAROLINE PALMER cpalmer.gazette@gmail.com

BY THOMAS TAYLOR

ttaylor.gazette@gmail.com

1. Hands on the wheel (feat. A$ap Rocky)- Schoolboy Q This song samples the Kid Cudi song that made him famous. The song exemplifies how simple a gangster’s life is.

Panda Express Any hourly position 1450 Lead Hill Blvd (916) 780-0877

2. The Best Day- Atmosphere Atmosphere is possibly the best lyrically in the Hip Hop game. This particular song speaks of the difficulties of life and how the only choice is to get through it and fight.

3. The Next Episode- Dr. Dre Classic Dr. Dre. The song is known by Hip Hop fans for its excellent beat and destructive lyrics. Dre constantly finds ways to innovate but this is by far his best offering.

4. Keep Ya Head Up- 2Pac 2Pac is the master of the Rap and Hip Hop game. His repertoire features amazing songs designed to provoke thought and peace around the world.

Safeway Bagger 8640 Sierra College Blvd (916) 783-2225

Golfland Sunsplash Lifeguard 1893 Taylor Rd (916) 784-1273

Top Netflix Pix 1. Breaking Bad 2008-2013

BY CAROLINE PALMER cpalmer.gazette@gmail.com

A crime drama about a mild-mannered high school chemistry teacher who after being diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, starts making meth with an old student of his.

2. Parks and Rec 2009-Present A quirky comedy about a middle level bureaucrat named Leslie Knope who runs part of the parks department. The show is sarcastic and funny while being super light hearted.

3. The Walking Dead 2010- Present ns (III)

Brownstone Productio

Based on a comic book, this TV show is about a post-apocalyptic world that is taken over by flesh eating zombies.

4. The Office 2005-2013 Adapted from the UK’s version, this comedy follows the workers of Dunder Mifflin, a paper company. All of the characters on the show are hilarious; Michael Scott, played by Steve Carell, is the most famous of them.

feel the love.

February 2014

Page 5

Be mine...or not?

What is your idea of a perfect Valentine’s Day date?

BY MAKENZIE BRITO

mbrito.gazette@gmail.com

As Valentine’s Day approaches, GBHS students highlight its downsides

BY KAT MCGRAIL

kmcgrail.gazette@gmail.

“I’d get her flowers and chocolate, then go to dinner at Chicago Fire and have pizza shaped like a heart.

Then we’d go to the movies and I’d spend more time with my valentine,” said freshman Tyler Weaver.

E

“Get up before the sun comes up, have a breakfast picnic at Folsom Lake and watch the sunrise. Then we’d just hang out together and enjoy the nice morning weather,” said sophomore Savanna Thompson.

“We’d go to the beach and I’d tell her we’re going to watch the sunset from the dock. Once we got there, there would be a sailboat covered with lights, romantic music and a little crew. Then we’d sail out onto the ocean and have a nice dinner served to us while watching the sunset,” said junior Nick Dumke.

“We’d go out to a nice dinner then walk around downtown, talk and spend time together.

Later maybe we’d go ice skating and then go see a movie at the drive-ins,” said senior Sara Wagner.

Gazette photo /KAT MCGRAIL Gazette illustration/AUSTIN ALCAINE

very year on February 14th, Cupid shoots his red-hot arrows at all the sweethearts, but there are a few people who aren’t feelin’ the love.

“Valentine’s Day is stupid because it’s just one day where people do all this crazy stuff for their boyfriends and girlfriends,” said junior Justin Ostrom.

As students get older, those without a significant other are often not included in the festivities.

“It’s different if you’re in a relationship, but not everyone has a boyfriend or girlfriend,” sophomore Kennedy Christie said. “People feel left out, and it’s not as special for them.”

For couples, Valentine’s Day can be seen as a make-or-break day for a young relationship.

“Men would inevitably be caught in a trap – forgetting (Valentine’s Day) is literally like the kiss of death,” said history teacher Brandon Dell’Orto.

Valentine’s Day no longer holds the romantic simplicity that it once did. This day, meant for expressing affection, perhaps shows a little more love to the wallet rather than the loved ones.

“It’s a Hallmark holiday where you feel obligated to give (your significant other) a gift,” Christie said.

According to statisticbrain.com, more than $13 billion is spent annually on Valentine’s Day. Junior Nathalia Sainz said the purpose of Valentine’s Day wasn’t always for companies to make money, but it has slowly turned out that way.

“I just think it’s a little too over the top,” Sainz said. “Don’t go out and buy huge Teddy bears or weird, overbearing gifts.

It’s too much.”

The love and emotion put forth for the contemporary Valentine’s Day is much less, and the demand for pricey satisfaction is much higher.

Valentine’s Day has its personal downsides for Mike Valentine, who teaches Advanced Placement European history.

“How would you like to grow up with a name like Valentine?” he asked. “How many times have I heard ‘be my Valentine’ and every other Valentine joke you can probably imagine.”

Valentine’s Day is not taken seriously by a lot of students.

Many people do not perceive Valentine’s Day as a day to truly show love and appreciation for others, but just as a day to laugh at cards and receive chocolates – chocolates which can be bought at discount prices the very next day.

“Modern Valentine (cards) started being sent around the 1600s to 1700s,” Dell’Orto said. “It kind of became the new thing to sell people, with lace around them.”

When people realized they could make a lot of money selling celebratory goods for this holiday, they took advantage of it.

“I treat Valentine’s Day like any other day,” Ostrom said. “I don’t do anything special unless I have to.”

Valentine’s Day has lost much of its original meaning.

Formerly a day that symbolized love for a significant other, it is now just a day for companies to make a profit and for singles to feel unloved.

Page 6

February 2014

breakfast.

Game of scones:The Gazette staff is on the hunt for the best breakfast joints in town.

Venita Rhea’s A+

BY MAKENZIE BRITO

mbrito.gazette@gmail.com

Tucked in a side road up Sierra College Blvd. lays Venita Rhea’s, a one of a kind breakfast and lunch restaurant.

Although in a somewhat hidden location, the restaurant was bustling with customers.

Venita Rhea’s offers a unique small town kind of atmosphere and a warm environment.

During my visit I looked around and many of the customers appeared to be regulars.

Another factor that makes this restaurant special, is the owner’s willingness to provide whatever the customer wants, even if it’s not listed on the menu.

Their menu includes a generous variety of lunch items, but being a breakfast person, I had to choose something from the breakfast section.

Offering a seemingly endless menu along with daily specials, it took me longer than usual to decide on what I was ordering.

With plenty of breakfast items to choose from, ranging from the classic stack of pancakes to numerous combinations of breakfast burritos to Belgian waffles, I chose

Peg’s Glorified Ham n Eggs A-

the cinnamon roll French toast, a side of hash browns and eggs and a cup of coffee.

When they brought my food out, I was pleasantly surprised with the serving size – my breakfast was about as big as an opened textbook.

My average-priced meal filled my stomach well before I even finished half of it, and I was able to bring it home and re-heat it on two separate occasions after that.

Not only was it cost-efficient, but it was also delicious and topped with their special syrup, whipped cream and about a bowl full of varying fresh fruits.

This breed of breakfast food expertly combined a cinnamon roll and French toast – it was perfect.

My hash browns and eggs were both well-made and very satisfying, while the coffee seemed to tie the entire meal together.

Overall, I was extremely pleased with my experience at this restaurant and will, without a doubt, be sure to visit again soon.

Venita Rhea’s is home to an incredibly friendly and welcoming staff, great service and amazing food.

If you’re looking for a place to grab some a meal, whether it be breakfast or lunch, I definitely recommend Venita Rhea’s.

BY ZACK ZOLMER

zzolmer.gazette@gmail.com

The meaning of the word “breakfast” is quite simply a combination of two words: “break” and “fast.”

Since the dawn of time, man has “broken” the overnight five to eight hour “fast” by getting up in the morning and eating Jimmy Dean sausage, Raley’s carton eggs and Ore-Ida hash browns, all complemented nicely with a glass of freshly poured Minute-Maid orange juice.

And while opinions differ on whether or not breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it is an undisputed fact that breakfast food is far and away the most comforting, versatile and best-tasting.

Can you eat breakfast food for breakfast, lunch and dinner? It would be best if you did. Conversely, can you eat reputed dinner foods like meatloaf or green bean casserole for breakfast? In truth, you can, but it’s more of a chore than a meal.

All of this hard-boils down to one single fact: I am not egg-saggerating when I egg-splain to you that Peg’s Glorified Ham n Eggs egg-cels at serving egg-cellent and egg-straordinary breakfast food.

Looking at the menu, all the items

at Peg’s appear greatly overpriced.

However, this is offset by the enormity of the portion of food that you receive. Ordering the restaurants namesake, the ham and eggs, I got eggs-actly what I wanted.

The dish came with scrambled eggs, perfectly greased ham, hash browns and fresh fruit. The ham and hash browns were perfect with ketchup, the eggs tasted great by themselves and all the fruit was fresh-tasting and in season. The amount and quality of the food at Peg’s is certainly far from lacking.

With a classic diner feel and partially exposed kitchen area, the atmosphere in Peg’s is a refreshing throwback to breakfast restaurants of older times. The service was quick and easy and my waiter was genuine, helpful and welcoming, making it clear that they very much value customer service. Though sounds from the kitchen can become a bit distracting and loud during busy hours, the overall environment is laid-back and inviting.

All in all, my experience at Peg’s Glorified Ham n Eggs can be best characterized as unique and fulfilling. You can eat some ham and scrambled eggs anywhere, but you go to Peg’s because their ham and scrambled eggs are the best.

Karens Bakery and Café A+

BY MAGGIE BELL

mbell.gazette@gmail.com

Located in quaint old town Folsom, Karen’s Bakery & Café seems to be the town’s best kept secret.

Though not as convenient to go to as a Denny’s, Karen’s is located a short distance from Granite Bay, right across the Rainbow Bridge and is well worth the drive.

Walking into the one-of-a-kind bakery, I was warmly greeted by friendly faces and the smell of freshly baked goods.

Faced with cases of pastries and an appetizing menu, I knew it was going to be nearly impossible to pick just one thing to order.

I went for a pastry and a hot chocolate, and obviously I couldn’t pass up a homemade chocolate chip cookie, so I took one of those for the road.

At the register I was pleasantly surprised to find the price of the meal was not going to break my bank, either.

Not only affordable, the ambiance at Karen’s was unbeatable. Opposed to the cliché, dark mysterious atmosphere of Starbucks, Karen’s Bakery had tons of windows with lots of natural light and walls painted in a warm yellow, giving it more of a homey and cheerful feel.

If you are feeling adventurous and want to spend your visit in the fresh air, Karen’s also offers a patio option to sit at.

I chose to play it safe and took a table inside by the window to enjoy my cocoa and croissant.

Lightly dusted with powdered sugar and freshly baked that morning, my chocolate croissant paired nicely with my hot chocolate, which was topped with a tasteful amount of fresh whipped cream.

Along with its long list of breakfast choices, Karen’s had rows of every kind of cake or tart imaginable in cases next to the pastries. Even with my limited knowledge of cakes, I could tell the cakes took a lot of skill.

On my way out after I had finished my “Karen’s experience” I grabbed what I thought was a breakfast menu.

Little did I know that is was a menu for custom design cakes that Karen’s offers as part of its bakery business.

Karen’s strikes the perfect balance of affordable, enjoyable and delicious. Perfect for a morning meal.

If you ever feel like making a breakfast stop and are tired of the same chain restaurants treat yourself to a trip Karen’s Cafe & Bakery.

Gazette photo /MAGGIE BELL

Page 7

February 2014

bacon, eggs.

Waffle Barn B+

BY SYDNEY KAHMANN skahmann.gazette@gmail.

Breakfast food is comfort food, and Waffle Barn is as comforting as can be.

Waffle Barn’s interior is slightly older, and definitely country-styled; Carrie Underwood, Dixie Chicks and other country music plays while shelves of ceramic roosters adorn the walls.

Waffle Barn’s prices are reasonable, and the servings are huge. If you finish one of the country skillet meals, which includes two pounds of country potatoes, you can get your name on the wall along with Oak Ridge’s water polo team and “Mormon Man.” Their menu has an extensive list of breakfast foods and waffle flavors, for example waffles with cherry and bacon inside.

The hot cocoa I ordered had whipped cream stacked so tall that it was drooping over the side of the cup.

I tried the ham, mushroom, and cheese omelet, which was marked as a new item on the menu. My three-egg

omelet came with the choice of either country potatoes or hash browns, and toast or biscuits and gravy.

The omelet was so full of chunks of ham and sautéed mushrooms that I ate less than half of it. I ate all of the hash browns, since they were thin and perfectly crispy, but the biscuits were a tad hard and overdone. The gravy on the biscuits could have been warmer, too.

My dad ordered the country skillet, and was really excited when the waitress brought over the mountain of country potatoes, topped with ham and an egg sunnyside up.

While the skillet was not anything amazing, the majority of it being plain potatoes, it was interesting enough to order again.

Throughout the course of our meal two other diners stopped by our table, the first commented on the size of the country skillet and the second advised us to mix the leftover potatoes from the country skillet into an omelet or scrambled eggs. Obviously the staff’s friendliness

Grandma’s Kitchen ABY ALEXA ZOGOPOULOS

azogopoulos.gazette@gmail.com

When I hear the name “Grandma’s Kitchen,” I envision a tight, run-down space, fully equipped with a broken oven and a smell that just won’t go away.

Luckily, the restaurant that goes by the name does not fit that description.

Grandma’s Kitchen- located off of Sierra College Blvd., tucked behind Taco Bell- contains the perfect morning atmosphere.

Much like a Mel’s Diner, the songs played throughout the restaurant come from the 1950s and 60s, providing that sunshine-pop feel that can help start off anyone’s morning right.

But, unlike Mel’s, the walls aren’t covered in cheesy paraphernalia, and it is much less overwhelming. That, for me, is valuable in a breakfast spot. The last thing I want when I’ve only been awake for a short amount of time is to be blinded by vintage neon signs when I’m just trying to enjoy a glass of OJ. A special quirk of the restaurant that I noticed as I walked in was the assortment of old photos on the wall behind the front counter. At first, I thought the photos were just random vintage shots—but I then learned after asking my waiter that, in fact, they were photos brought in by customers of their own grandmothers.

I found this little touch to be heart-

warming, and by the time I was seated, I was hoping that my meal would be just as astonishingly pleasant.

And it was. Being a lover of carbs and sweets, I ordered what may have been the most sugar-filled item on the menu. I chose the Banana Foster Belgian Waffle-a traditional Belgian waffle, topped with caramelized bananas, whipped cream, powdered sugar and warm syrup and caramel flowing through the individual waffle squares.

If that description didn’t make your mouth water, then perhaps I should mention that the huge plate it filled cost only $7.99. The waffle itself was so large that I barely finished half of it.

It may have put me in a momentary sugar coma, but my meal was delicious, and with a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice on the side (definitely wasn’t from a can or Tropicana), I can say that I was, indeed, satisfied by my Grandma’s Kitchen experience.

The one thing the breakfast/lunch spot lacked was, sadly, a nice amount of customers. While I ate, just one or two other tables were occupied, and the patio outside was completely empty.

It is hidden, but don’t let those two seconds of not being sure whether you see the sign or not be discouraging.

Grandma’s Kitchen’s positive energy, kind staff, cheap prices and quality food make it worth a try.

Gazette photo /ALEXA ZOGOPOULOS

was contagious.

My mom and brother both ordered the “country favorite” of two eggs, four pieces of bacon or choice of sausage, hash browns or choice of country potatoes and toast or choice of biscuits and gravy.

The edges of the sunny-side up eggs were a little crispy on the one plate, but was cooked better on the other.

There was a stack of newspapers diners could read under the country skillet hall of fame, and we noticed other guests choosing papers to read with their morning coffee and eggs.

Waffle Barn closes at 3:00 p.m., and stops seating diners at 2:45 p.m. so weekend mornings are usually pretty busy, you may have to wait a few minutes for a seat, but the wait is definitely worth it.

What’s a better wake-up than good breakfast food in a hospitable, charming country atmosphere? Ditch the cereal and head on over to Waffle Barn.

Early Toast B

BY CAITLYN HURLEY

churley.gazette@gmail.com

Breakfast; the most important meal of the day. One needs to make sure to get all the right nutrients while still having a delicious meal to start the day out right, and the only place around here where that can be achieved is Early Toast.

From the warm atmosphere to superb food, Early Toast starts out their business with a great reputation.

From the moment that you walk into the modern restaurant, you can feel the staff extending their hospitality to every customer. Service can be slow depending on how many customers are at the restaurant, but no matter how long they take, Early Toast caters to their customers’ needs with a smile on their face.

Even though the Roseville location has only been open for a couple months, business is booming due to their excellent food. Early Toast is known for its delicious array of breakfast meals. From crepes to breakfast burritos, Early Toast hooks it up no matter what you’re craving.

With such a wide range of variety in the menu from Crab Cake Benedicts to crazy skillet combinations, breakfast is full of promising choices. Early Toast has their breakfast menu available to customers until three in the afternoon, and until nine at night they offer a variety of lunch and dinner options.

For those who are above the age of 21, Early Toast has a Mimosa House that they pride themselves on.

They experiment with different with mimosas and push the boundaries for accepted flavors.

Not only is Early Toast known for their outstanding mimosas, they also have some of the best milkshakes in town for those who aren’t of age.

Early Toast always sells their mimosas for $5.00 no matter what, making it easy to enjoy a great drink on a budget.

So next time you’re tight on cash, but still want to satisfy those breakfast cravings up until the middle of the afternoon, you know where to go.

With affordable meals throughout the day, Early Toast is the best place to go to get all your breakfast needs.

Gazette photo /CAITLYN HURLEY

Pages 8 and 9

February 2014

unleash the sound.

56th Grammy Awards: A localized look into music’s biggest night of 2014ht

“After E! came, we were greeted by the one-and-only Ciara. If you can’t remember who the hip-hop artist Ciara is, perhaps you should go on Pandora and listen to a 2006 playlist— maybe the song “1,2 Step” will refresh your memory.”

“Before entering, I wondered, how are they going to make this like a Gatsby party? Is there going to be a pool? Will someone get shot?

The party ended up being like nothing I expected, it was a full circus act. Models and professional trampoline acrobats were all featured in 1920s gear and placed next to ModelT cars cars that were encircled by the buffets.”

Compiled by: Alexa Zogopoulos azogopoulos.gazette@gmail.com

YLOR n/THOMAS TA

Gazette illustratio

“We were originally inline, ahead of Steven Tyler for pick-up. But, naturally, he and every other celebrity in view was ushered to an indoor, private area for ticket pick-up. My sister and I stood in line for another 50 minutes to soak everything in. Ironically, we ended up almost running Mr. Tyler over in the parking lot. On the day of the show, we were so systematically separated from the celebrities, that it was almost hilarious. Although we were seated in the back, our view of the stage was perfectly centered. Sitting next to us was a flutist from South Africa and a producer from Mexico who came all the way to Los Angeles for this two-and-a half hour show. This goes to show how much the Grammys mean to avid music geeks.”

Gazette illustrations: THOMAS TAYLOR & BRIAN ZHUANG Gazette photos: ALEXA ZOGOPOULOS

“The party didn’t officially start until E! News showed up to do a “behind-the-scenes” take on the Gatsby/Grammys extravaganza. I spent most of the time during their presence standing in the background staring at myself on camera... I wanted to really soak in my five minutes of fame. To entertain us during commercial breaks, past performances played on the big screens, including 90s Eminem and Beyonce, which obviously kept us from getting bored.”

Page 10

February 2014

binge.

Netflix, the newest addiction?

Students struggle to stay strong scholastically

BY AUSTIN ALCAINE

aalcaine.gazette@gmail.com

The technology giant Netflix, had its start from humble beginnings. Beginning as a competitor to the late Blockbuster, by mailing movies and television shows directly to its consumers.

The idea was revolutionary, movies are sent straight to the consumer after clicking only a few buttons on its easily- navigable website, and in a few days’ time favorite flicks and shows would be shipped right to the mailbox.

Then Netflix went where no internet company had gone before, streaming movies and TV shows directly to computers and televisions.

“At first my whole family loved getting our favorite movies in the mail,” said senior Zachary Boyle, “But then they released their streaming direct to TV feature and that changed everything.”

While the direct streaming does not offer as wide of a selection compared to their mail-in service, it allows for viewers sit down in the comfort of their own home and instantly be watching one of the thousands of titles avail-

able on Netflix online.

However Netflix’s convenience factor comes at a price to some GBHS students.

“Sometimes when I have homework to do I procrastinate for hours, watching episode after episode of my favorite shows,” said senior Jared Liang .

Netflix’s streaming lay out is designed so that when a viewer finishes an episode of their show, the next episode will instantly be queued up and counts down to its start unless the viewer intervenes.

Conversely when viewers finish their movie a list of related titles are brought to the viewers’ attention.

Over the past year Netflix has taken its next step towards multimedia innovation.

Netflix began a campaign of producing their own titles to be available only for Netflix subscribers.

In a recent press conference Netflix chief executive officer, Reed Hastings hinted at the idea that Netflix may begin streaming some movies same day as the box office opening.

“I think it’s great, movies theatres are overpriced and I would much rather watch the movies at home,” said senior Grant Teunissen.

Netflix’s possible ability to stream movies same day as theatre will allow them to close the gap between them and traditional TV services, like cable and satellite.

With Netflix’s continual additions and upgrades to its user interface it may lead to unintentional scholastic consequences for GBHS students.

“I already watch a few hours a day and the way Netflix is heading I may have to up it a few more hours to keep up with all my shows,” Teunissen said.

For now Netflix continues to produce their own shows like Emmy award winning House of Cards as well as Arrested Development, which was originally a Showtime production until Netflix picked it up for another few seasons.

The only thing blocking for Netflix from completely controlling the TV market at this point is its lack of live broadcasting like news and sporting events.

“The only reason I still have cable TV is because my family and I like to watch sports together and that’s not available on Netflix right now,” Boyle said.

Recently, other companies such as Amazon and Redbox have tried to compete with Netflix’s streaming, however Netflix has remained the dominate competitor in the streaming industry.

February 2014

F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Page 11

Old Soul Co.

S h a d y C o f f e e a n d Te a 325 Douglas Blvd.

Roseville, CA 95678

1716 L St. Sacramento, CA 95817

Price range: $$$$

Price range: $$$$

What to purchase: It is highly suggested to buy the honey latte and the grilled cheese from Shady for an optimal snack at any time of the day.

Coffee Wo r k s

BY COLLEEN VIVALDI

Gazette courtesy photos/ TREASA HAYES

Espresso Yourself: With Local Coffee & Tea

cvivaldi.gazette@gmail.com

What to purchase: Old Soul is famous for their hand-crafted breakfast items.

Their breakfast omelets are on point paired with a vanilla mocha.

Bloom Coffee a n d Te a

3418 Folsom Blvd.

Sacramento, CA 95816

1485 Eureka Rd. Roseville, CA 95661

Price range: $$$$

Price range: $$$$

What to purchase: Coffee Works has the best cup of Espresso and the chocolate chip scones the size of a human head are to die for.

Gazette photos /COLLEEN VIVALDI

What to purchase: The baristas at Bloom strongly recommend their homemade pumpkin scones and rich hot chocolate.

Page 12

February 2014

current.

iPhone app of the month:

Artist of the month:

BY EMILYWAGNER

ewagner.gazette@gmail.com

Lucas Mackey: Senior

BY KAT MCGRAIL

kmcgrail.gazette@gmail.com

Recently, Dong Nguyen and .GEARS (dotGears) studios, an independent game developer based out of Vietnam, created the kid-friendly, yet difficult game, Flappy Bird.

This app creates a simple, yet challenging obstacle course for the player. The object of the game is for the player to tap the screen, keeping the bird aloft and guiding it through the middle of consecutive green tubes.

The player must make the bird rise and fall in accordance with the different heights of the green tubes to avoid touching them. If the bird touches the tubes at any point, or the player fails to keep the bird in flight, the game is terminated.

This game has no time limits, but players are awarded bronze, silver, gold and platinum medals for achiev-

ing higher levels.

This game was created to be different from the modern games, bringing back the retro, pixelated graphics.

According to United Press International, a review site, many reviewers complain about the difficulty of the game, however, it tops the lists of free downloads in the iPhone App Store.

This app continuously receives four and five star reviews.

Junior Jessica Miller loves Flappy ird and is constantly infuriated, yet entranced with the game.

“It’s very frustrating and addictive and entertaining. I spend a good majority of my day playing the game,” Miller said. “Flappy Bird is life.”

Gazette photo /EMILY WAGNER

What do you enjoy most about painting?

I enjoy how I get to paint different worlds and put my imagination into actually tangible pictures that I get to see all the time.

What artists inspire you the most to paint?

I really like Kim Cogan and the Chinese and Japanese woodblock artists and Thomas Moran. Best guys ever.

What are you working on right now?

I’m working on my new series called Satirical Selfies. It’s basically a series...of photobombed selfies, but they’re very intensely photobombed.

Are you planning on pursuing art in the future?

Probably just as a hobby. Just in galleries, not really as a primary career choice.

Recipe of the month: 4 Step Coconut Macaroons

BY MARY-FRANCES HANSEN

Directions:

Ingredients:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

•3 egg white

2. Mix the egg whites, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until light and foamy.

With a large spoon, mix in the coconut.

mfhansen.gazette@gmail.com

•½ cup sugar •½ tsp. pure vanilla extract •¼ tsp. kosher salt

3. Drop the batter (approx. 2 tablespoons) in mounds on baking sheets about 1 inch apart.

Bake until light golden brown about 20 to 25 minutes.

•1 pkg. (14 oz.) sweetened shredded coconut

4. Dip the bottoms of the cooled macaroons in melted bittersweet chocolate

Gazette photo /MARY-FRANCES HANSEN

February 2014

social.

Page 13

Alternative winter activities

Gazette photos /MARY-FRANCES HANSEN

Folsom Lake is at such a low capacity thanks to the drought, that many have been looking for the remains of a Gold Rush town called Mormon Island.

Even when some of the more hardcore skiers do head opportunities. up to the mountains, they are disappointed in the snow.

The historically low water levels have exposed the “I’ve gone up about 20 times this year, when I normally remains of a Gold-Rush era mining town called Mormon would have gone about 30-40 times by now,” senior Kyle Island. This has prompted many people to go explore the Chickering said. “There are too many exposed rocks and ruins, hoping to find old artifacts. other hazards on the slopes and many of the best runs Senior Faiz Khan is one such person.

BY BRENDAN GONZALEZ have not even opened yet.”

“There’s a small area where you can see remains of old bgonzalez.gazette@gmail.com As snowboarding is one of the most common winter houses, pipelines, and telephone wires,” Khan said. “A activities for GBHS students, many have been left with lot of people go out there to see if they can find anything t’s no secret that there has been a shortage of winter nothing to do. rare.” weather in our area. This means that there has been a “I have just been hanging out with friends,” Chickering An option for those still itching to go up to the mounsevere lack of snow at Tahoe ski resorts. said.

“Or I’ve been watching ski videos while I hope for tains even without snow is the numerous hiking options Throughout most of the season, a majority of the snow more snow.” in the Tahoe area. at the resorts has been man-made snow. Also, most ski The lack of snow in the mountains has also translated to Eagle Rock, located on the West Shore of Lake Tahoe, resorts only have a fraction of their runs open. a lack of rain here in our area.

However, there are many is a short, fairly easy hike, which offers you some of the Heavenly, one of the bigger resorts only has about 20 alternative forms of entertainment. best views anywhere on the lake. percent of its runs open and the number of visitors is The weather has not only been dry, but even warm on Eagle Falls, located in legendary Emerald Bay, is andown about 23 percent from this time last year. most days.

Therefore, one can partake in many activities other scenic trail.

This has left many local skiers and snowboarders not that would normally only be done in the spring or sumFor those looking for a more challenging hike, the Ruwanting to make the trip up to the mountains for inadbicon Trail is a lengthier trek, which may not be recommer. equate snow. mended, as there are still patches of snow and ice.

A common warm-weather activity in Granite Bay is “It’s frustrating because I bought a season pass at Sugar While many are hoping and praying that wet weather going to Folsom Lake.

But with the lack of rain, FolBowl and have only been able to go up once,” GBHS will come to us soon, there are many options to keep you som Lake is now often referred to as “Folsom Puddle.” senior Michael Gezi said. “The snow just has not been However, the dried up lake has actually opened up new busy until it comes. good enough to go up.”

What to do with no snow in NorCal

I

GBHS Twitter accounts on overdrive Campus-themed profiles have become excessive

BY DANTE WEEKS

R

dweeks.gazette@gmail.com

ecently, the number of anonymous Granite Bay High School-related twitter accounts has spiked. These accounts range from uplifting quote dispensers to funny news updates on GBHS “crime”.

These anonymous GBHS-related twitter accounts include: GBHS love, granite bay seagulls, GBHS crime, GBHS kind words, and others.

GBHS love was one of the first anony-

counts had a positive mous accounts and effect on GBHS students. unlike many of the “There are definitely too others, it is still acmany accounts. And some tive.

The second we of them are too similar to Some of these have a GBHS each other.” accounts such as Others share the same GBHS love act as a seagulls account, view as Teuinissen. dispenser of compliyou know we have “I feel the accounts are ments. GBHS love too many. useless and annoying” said allows people to Eddie Leskauskas, GBHS direct message them senior, when asked a simicompliments of – Eddie Leskauskas, lar question. “The second another person, and senior we have a GBHS seagulls will tweet it anonyaccount, you know we mously. have too many.”

Also, these ac“No, most of them just counts interact with stir up drama between the students at GBHS students every once in a while.

GBHS.” said Tre Ball, a GBHS junior.

“Not at all, I think they are absolutely These accounts don’t seem to be pointless,” said Grant Teunissen, a GBHS completely bad; some kids actually enjoy senior, when asked if he felt these ac-

Gazette illustration /TAMREN JOHNK

GBHS love is a Twitter account that compliments students on campus. these accounts and actively follow them.

Students like Brad Fina seem to think the accounts are funny.

“All of the accounts I’ve seen are funny,” said Brad Fina, “such as the GBHS love and GBHS seagull accounts.”

current.

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February 2014

Showcase of innovative new technology to the public GBHS students and teachers comment on the practicality of the new multimedia inventions

BY AKASH KHOSLA

akhosla.gazette@gmail.com

It’s only once a year that hundreds of thousands get the opportunity to attend one of the world’s largest technology conventions. People from all over attend the international Consumer Electronics Show which is annually commenced in Las Vegas.

The show is actually a trade show, where the main idea for companies is to display upcoming products and innovations while studying recent market trends. Occasionally investors check in on any prominent startups that make it to CES. Because the event is a closed trade show, having the ability to attend requires connections with the press, large corporations or investors that are interested in one’s company.

“It’s really just kind of an industry event,” said Steve Gerisch, the vice president of sales at New Vision Display. “Most people already know what will be shown before the show even happens.”

Innovations at this year’s CES included household products such as a short throw projector, which turns any blank wall into an ultra-high definition screen. Smart products in the household were revised from last year’s showings, and antimicrobial products were beginning to trend. The networking of several types of daily products including cars was trending among the tech industry.

“CES showed a lot of devices that create the internet of things,” said Jared Amalong, the technology instructor at Granite Bay High School. “Your house now has the true smart experience, checking things like the expiration of milk in your fridge and informing you when necessary.”

Virtual reality became more immersive through an update on the Oculus Rift goggles, and Virtuix showed off their Omni, which allows gamers to walk as if they are inside of the virtual world of a video game. Also, Sony introduced PlayStation Now, which allows users to stream games to any location without having a console.

Despite all the innovation however, more people are beginning to view CES as a place where consumer electronics are being minimally updated rather than revamped.

“It’s a lot like how the iPhone came into play in the mid-2000s, and it took a while for the concept of the smartphone to be adopted by many manufacturers,” Amalong said. “I think that’s what we are seeing right now.”

Competitors to Google’s Glass presented their own versions of wearable tech such as iOptik – Innovega created a contact lens that has a micro display which offers the same robust functionality of Google Glass.

Televisions in the show were especially loaded with new characteristics, ranging from 8K resolution to peculiar mirror TVs. With 4K definition still

not standardized in households, many critics find 8K to be overkill.

“There really isn’t any 4K content for people who want to even take advantage of Ultra HD,” said Bradley Chee, a student at GBHS. “The mirror TV is interesting, but it’s more of a gimmick and for aesthetic appeal than for functionality.

Contrary to the superficial focus, car manufacturers raised the bar in automated driving bringing along futuristic laser headlights to cars.

“There were some interesting innovations from different car manufacturers - Audi showed a selfdriving car, and Toyota showed off a hydrogen fuel-cell powered car,” said Heather Cosby, the corporate public relations manager at Gameloft.

“They also showed a small vehicle that leans and tilts, rather than turns.”

One innovation that has been highly anticipated is currently being developed by Motorola’s mobility branch: the modular smartphone.

If someone isn’t happy with their smartphone camera or battery life, they can swap out any parts of the phone for newer and better components. The idea is to make it as easy as placing building blocks into the shape of black slate.

“Overall, I think CES is starting to become less consumer friendly and more corporation focused with the products they have been showing,” Chee said. “Their products are no longer revolutionary, but rather evolutionary.”

Google recently showcased their smart glasses known as Glass. Glass features a camera on the front and an interface that allows users to access the internet

Oculus Rift stunned users at CES with its immersive new gaming technology that places the user inside the virtual reality of a video game Google

Oculus

Audi’s new self driving car drove around a demo area and then parked itself, showing it’s precise computer technology allowing it to drive on its own

Motorola’s new modular phone lets its owners replace any of its parts at any one time so the phone is always up to date

Audi

Motorola

Eccosse films

Rated: PG By: Luke Chirbas lchirbas.gazette@gmail.com

the nut job: C -

t seemed like the year for animated movies.

With the crushing release of Disney’s Frozen it seemed as if the animation style was back from the dead.

Then came the release of The Nut Job. This animated movie may possibly be the worst movie of the year.

The plot is interesting only if you have currently celebrated your tenth birthday.

The whole movie revolves around an animal colony that lives in a city park. The colony is facing a food storage, and misfit Squirrel Surly (Will Arnett) is banished after destroying the already diminishing food supply.

In search of food, Surly has to team up with a band of unsuspected teammates.

Does this remind you of another animated movie?

Right you are. It’s basically the same story line as Over the Hedge.

In that movie, another group of animals are also suffering from a lack of food as well, and bans a memeber after he destroys the food.

The only difference between the two movies is that one takes place in a suburban setting the other in a city.

So on the originality grade the movie gets an F. It just simply copied an older movie.

Script wise the movie is cheesy. There are many scenes where the words felt forced out of the characters mouth. I know that there has to be a lesson behind the movie, but when characters are reaffirming the theme, it sort of gets tiresome.

Not all aspects of the movie were terrible.

The animation was quite enjoyable.The movie does not try to make the characters look realistic, but gives a type of cartoony feel.

The animation and colorful colors are possibly the only positives that stopped me from giving this movie an F. Although it has no future in winning an Academy Award, I enjoyed pieces of it.

The movie takes me back to my youth, when I watched cartoons on Saturday mornings giving me a warm and fuzzy feeling.

For that reason, I encourage people to see the movie, it will bring out that 10-year-old inside of you.

B

NEW LINE CINEMA

efore watching Ride Along, I will admit that my expectations were very low. A movie with Ice Cube and Kevin Hart just didn’t seem very appealing even with its fairly high amount of star power, and the commercials made it seem like the jokes were forced.

After watching, however, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised.

This movie follows an independent cop, James (Ice Cube), and his sister’s boyfriend, Ben (Kevin Hart), on a ride along where Ben tries desperately to gain James blessing to marry his sister.

While the plot was predictable, it was handled well and was fairly entertaining. The two main characters played off each other nicely, and their interactions were funny and well done.

The acting did live up to the hype, with Ice Cube being his usual angry self and Kevin Hart fitting his role perfectly. His humor was consistently entertaining and carried the movie at the times where the plot slowed down.

Although easy to make fun of, Kevin Hart wins over the audience with his witty remarks and character quirks. Meanwhile, Ice Cube’s rough exterior slowly melts away to reveal a softer and more likeable side as he and Hart’s characters grow closer through the various conflicts.

The supporting cast was also nice. Although few played anything more than a little role in the movie, some added some humor.

The soundtrack in this movie was what you would expect from a cop movie, but I enjoyed it because it fit nicely. They wasted no expense getting a solid lineup of music for Ride Along.

Although advertised as an action movie, Ride Along left a lot to be desired in terms of actual action.

Although there were many scenes with guns and violence, few were truly entertaining or suspenseful and even less were memorable.

Overall, as a pure comedy, Ride Along is a pretty funny movie, with many one liners that will cause some laughs. Although technically an action movie, don’t see the film purely for its police standoffs or criminal takedowns or you will be disappointed.

Go see Ride Along if you want a fun time watching a comedy film with your friends; although its commercials may make it seem cheesy or repetitive, the movie has its good features and should appeal to most audiences.

Rated: PG-13 By: Parker Burman pburman.gazette@gmail.com

ride along: B+

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Page 15

film.

J

chartoff productions

ack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is an actionpacked thriller starring Chris Pine as Jack Ryan; a former marine turned undercover CIA analyst.

The movie begins with the backstory of Jack as a young college student majoring in Economics at University of London. When he finds out about the tragedy of 9/11, this prompts him to drop out of college and join the Marines.

After a helicopter accident results in a devastating injury, Jack is then recruited by the CIA for his brilliant economic mind.

Now, Jack works as a broker on Wall Street in order to monitor foreign countries’ finances. When he finds a string of suspicious transactions from a prominent Russian company, the director of the CIA Thomas Harper (Kevin Costner) sends Jack to Moscow to investigate.

Once in Moscow, it becomes clear that Jack was sent over there as more than an analyst.

After almost being killed shortly after arriving, Jack must immediately adapt to being a field agent.

While investigating the Russian company’s finances, Jack finds out that there’s more going on than simply a shifty financial scheme.

Amongst attempting to survive while pitted against dangerous Russian criminals, Jack also has to deal with his longtime girlfriend Cathy (played by Kiera Knightley) finding out that he works for the CIA. Jack Ryan is by no means a ground-breaking movie. Many of the main happenings in the movie are predictable and very similar to other action movies. Also the movie has a slightly unrealistic plot and the occasional corny line.

Despite all this, the movie rarely has a dull moment. And being entertaining almost entirely throughout is all I can ask for in an action movie.

Pine did a surprisingly good job portraying Jack Ryan, which is not easy considering the big names he has to live up to who have played Jack Ryan in the previous movies (Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford and Ben Affleck).

While this movie may not be a must-see or one that I’ll be raving about to my friends, it is a decent movie that would be a fun thriller to rent once it is out of theaters, but is probably not worth paying 10 dollars to see.

Rated: PG-13 By: Brendan Gonzalez bgonzalez.gazette@gmail.com

jack ryan: shadow recruit: C+

February 2014

Page 16

February 2014

paint a picture.

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3 13

1 4 12

8 6 7 The eARTh without ‘Art’ is just ‘Eh’

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2

Artists display their work at local galleries COMPILED BY TAMREN JOHNK

The Crocker Art Museum: 1. Albert Contreras, Untitled; 2. Julie Heffernan, Self-Portrait as Intrepid Scout Leader; Blue Line Gallery: 3. Robert Armstrong, Faceted Face off; 4. Robert Armstrong, The Bonjo Club; 5. Arturo Herrera, Dairy Queen #1; 6. Colin Poole, My Dolce Vita; 7.

Robert Armstrong, Self-Portrait of the Artist in his Garret; 8. Kelly Mclntosh, Desserts; Sacramento Art Complex/2110 Art Gallery: 9. Karen Dukes, “Enlightened”; 10. Karen Dukes, “The Edge”; 11.

Chunhong Chang, White Peaches and Lotus; 12.

Sierra Hillside; 13. Golden Pond

tjohnk.gazette@gmail.com

2110 Art Gallery Open Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., the Blue Line Gallery, is located at 405 Vernon Street in Roseville. Currently, the Blue Line Gallery is featuring the art of Monte Wovlerton and Robert Armstrong.

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Sacramento Art Complex

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The Sacramento Art Complex is open Wednesdays - Saturdays, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., and Second Saturday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., and is located at 2110 K Street Sacramento. The Loft Gallery is currently featuring the art of Richard Yang and Steve Cook in the Sculpture and Garden Patio.

Crocker Art Museum Open Tuesdays - Sundays 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Thursdays 10 a.m. 9 p.m and open select Mondays, the Crocker Art Museum is located 216 O Street in Sacramento. Current exhibitions include Sam Francis’s Abstract Expressionism from January 26 - April 20 and Warren Mackenzie’s ceramics from Nov. 10, 2013 - Feb. 23.

2110 Art Gallery Currently featuring the unique exhibition of James Gasowski, the 2110 Art Gallery is open Wednesdays - Saturdays, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., and Second Saturday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m at the 2110 Art Gallery, located at 2110 K Street Sacramento.

Gazette photos /LUKE CHIRBAS