High Tide: Feb. 19, 2016

IGH H

Redondo Union High School Redondo Beach, CA Feb. 19, 2016 Vol. XCVI Edition 10

TIDE let’s talk about

ILLUSTRATION BY LULU WEGMAN

SEX

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High Tide

news

Photos of the week Senior Picnic and Comedy Sportz

Splat! 1. Senior Angelina Sabo-Stern smashes a pie in the face of

Girls’ Volleyball Coach and Government teacher Tommy Chaffins at the Senior Picnic held on Jan. 10. Chaffins among five other teachers received a pie in the face as part of the Senior Picnic. PHOTO

BY MATTHEW YONEMURA 2. Seniors Jesus Licon, Brendan Barley, and Jacob Reno perform an improvised skit together as part of the Comedy Sportz improv acting competition held on Feb. 17. PHOTO

BY MICHAEL YOON

RB considers limits on campaign contributions

by Kylie Yorke At a recent LA city council meeting, a decision was made to discuss potential campaign contribution limits for Redondo Beach.

According to Councilman Bill Brand, Redondo Beach is one of the only cities in LA that doesn’t limit the amount of money an individual or corporation can contribute per election cycle. On Jan. 19, the council reached a unanimous decision to further discuss what actions can be taken to address this.

“It was long since past time that we should have campaign limits in Redondo Beach,” Brand said. “The city of LA has limits, the county of LA has limits, there’s limits in Hermosa and Manhattan and Torrance, and it was just time.”

When the city has to make decisions that benefit certain groups, it can seem as though they are favoring the organizations or individuals who contributed to their campaign, according to Brand.

“I think public perception is the most important thing,” he said. “When you see outsiders contributing large amounts of money to candidates or to measures, it taints the perception for the public that there’s influence on our decision making.”

According to Brand, companies often use generous contributions as a way to gain advantage over competitors.

“I don’t take donations from the company Athens Services that does the trash hauling for our town, because it’s a $40 million contract for them,” Brand said. “They pass out campaign donations in every election cycle, so when we have to go decide who’s going to be our trash hauler, the public sees campaign donations going to candidates that have to decide who hauls the trash.”

Brand also knows the positive influence contributions can have on a person’s campaign, allowing them more resources to get the word out.

“It gives them a big advantage, and that’s

why corporations and individuals give large amounts of money because they know it has influence,” he said. “More money means they’re able to send out more mailers, and they’re able to do a lot more things that those who don’t have as much money are able to do.”

Currently, Torrance has a limit of $1000 for individual and company donations, and Hermosa and Manhattan are both limited at $250.

“It hasn’t been fully discussed yet, but I’d like to do something comparable to what the other cities are doing. We’ll just have to see how the discussion goes, but I think just having a limit would be a great start,” Brand said.

A two tiered system was being discussed, meaning those running in the district would have a lower limit than someone running city-wide. However, councilman Brand thinks any position should have the same limit.

“What I see is that [those running city

wide] have a larger pool to draw from for those $250 campaign donations, so I’m not certain we should have a two-tiered system,” he said.

According to Brand, the new limits will have just as much effect on those running or those who plan on running for school board positions, such as Board President or Board Presiding Officer.

“It seemed like there was a general agreement on the council that we needed campaign finance limits,” he said, “and as far as I’m concerned what goes for the council should go for the school board.”

The discussion is set to be in early April, and Brand hopes the outcome will at the least be “some sort of limit, whatever amount that may be.”

“It will certainly put a cap on the influence that corporations and wealthy individuals have in Redondo Beach,” Brand said. “This is something that should have been done a long time ago, and I’m glad it’s here now.”

Feb. 19, 2016

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news

South Bay counts homeless

by Malek Chamas

With homeless numbers rising in recent years, addressing the problem becomes of utmost priority. Over 425 volunteers canvassed the streets of the South Bay to count the homeless population on the night of Jan. 27.

The South Bay Coalition to End Homelessness (SBCEH) helped lead the effort.

The first set of results, containing information about the homeless population of the South Bay as a whole, will be published in April. More detailed city-by-city results are expected to be released to the public in May or June.

SBCEH has conducted similar homeless counts in the past decade. The 2015 Homeless Count was on Jan. 30, 2015, and it revealed that Redondo Beach’s homeless population was the largest out of the Beach Cities, at 165 people. In Hermosa Beach, there were 27 people identified as homeless, and Manhattan Beach had only seven identified homeless people. Nearby Torrance had only six. SBCEH co-chair Nancy Wilcox says Redondo’s homeless population is larger because RBPD has a “good reputation” among the homeless.

“First and foremost, the police force does not criminalize them. Law enforcement officials in Redondo Beach know they can’t arrest away the problem. They know that if someone is locked up for a couple of days that person is just going to come back. And quite frankly, they are very compassionate.

So unless those experiencing homelessness are committing a crime, they will not be arrested. And I can’t say that is the policy for all the cities in the South Bay,” Wilcox said.

“A lot of them are getting more progressive in understanding that homelessness can’t be arrested away, but some officers in other cities have a little bit more to go in realizing that.”

Wilcox also says that RBPD officers’ experience in interacting with the city’s homeless population was “very, very helpful” when volunteers were searching the streets of Redondo Beach, and RBPD’s good reputation caused the homeless to be unalarmed when approached by officers.

“The police department has a detail that works with the homeless, and all of those officers were out helping us count that night.

From their patrols, and from calls, they really know where people are tucked away. They went in teams of two or three with citizen volunteers,” Wilcox said. “There are certain other communities where we may not want a uniformed officer going with us, because the first thing homeless people might do is scatter.”

According to Wilcox, SBCEH is a group made up of member agencies that provide direct services to the homeless. These service providers range from churches, health-

care organizations, county agencies, community members and more.

“Our coalition actually started out as very grassroots, back in the ‘70s. It was actually started out by members of the same community, and I think we really maintained a lot of those values, even though it’s now much more inclusive. We’re really a broad-based group,” Wilcox said.

Wilcox says SBCEH aims to make sure its member agencies are “all in sync” and can use their resources in combined efforts. The coalition also hopes to bring attention to homelessness in the South Bay. “Our main purpose is to provide education for community members as well as our own member agencies. Homelessness is a problem that needs more energy and fiscal resources put into it. Part of what our coalition does is to make sure our elected officials understand what the South Bay’s needs are, because people tend to think, ‘Oh, the South Bay is a nice beach area, there’s very little homelessness there,’” Wilcox said.

City Manager Joe Hoefgen says that the city of Redondo Beach plans on implementing a social program called People Assisting The Homeless (PATH), although the decision was not a direct result of SBCEH’s homeless counts.

PATH will aim to not only help church programs feed the homeless, but also to “gather some information to assist them in their transition back into the working world.”

“PATH will basically be a social worker type of program. It will try to build a rapport with the homeless individuals who are in town, and see if there’s a way to reconnect them with their families, wherever they are,” Hoefgen said. “Another part of what PATH will try to do is understand what their needs are, give them assistance and try to help their situation.”

Wilcox believes that homeless counts give the community an opportunity to provide a service to the city and help in the fight against homelessness, which is “really important” even though the counts by volunteers only occur once a year.

“One of the things I like best about homeless counts is that it gives people an opportunity to really make a huge difference in homelessness. As a volunteer, I do understand why churches want to have feeding programs and other services, but I really feel that in a lot of ways they could be doing a lot more,” Wilcox said. “It’s really important that we are accurate and find as many people as possible during the night of the count.”

Wilcox also feels that volunteers who participate in the count get a more accurate picture of what the homeless population looks like, moving past common stereotypes.

“I’m always trying to get people to move beyond the stereotypes of what homeless

people look like. Because yes, it is the person who has mental illness. But statistics show that’s probably about 20% to 25% of those who are homeless. There are a lot of homeless families and newly homeless people.

People are living in vehicles, and that’s a

huge, growing problem because people have jobs but they just can’t afford rent,” Wilcox said. “It gives people a chance to understand that the problem and state of homelessness is more complicated than what they normally see.”

Homeless population in Redondo Beach 405

Legend

Unsheltered persons 0 1-9

10-24 50+

ILLUSTRATION BY KAITA PANNOR

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High Tide

news

The question of

CONSENT

T

he earliest of laws were simple: a man would be convicted of rape if he was involved in sexual activity with a woman who did not give consent. Today the laws regarding statutory rape are more complex, and they vary among different states but most importantly aim to protect minors from sexual assault and prevent teenage pregnancies.

According to a journal titled “Statutory Rape Laws in Historical Context” from the

ILLUSTRATION BY LUMA WEGMAN

State University of New York (SUNY), the origins of statutory rape laws are said to have begun in England with the Statute of Westminster in 1275. This law, for the first time, applied an age of consent—the age at which one’s consent to sexual intercourse is recognized by the law. In the Westminster Statute, the age of consent was 12.

SUNY reports that in the U.S., laws date back to the colonial era. The age of consent

Consent laws concerning minors change across the U.S. over the years

by Yasi Fazeli

varied between 10 and 12 and only applied to white females. A reform movement took place at the turn of the 20th century regarding statutory rape laws. Society began to view sexual activity at young ages as perverse and urged the government to implement higher ages of consent.

Over time, age of consent laws changed, now protecting males and females of any background and varying between 16 and 18.

The Crime Victim’s Institute states that the logic behind implementing an age of consent was that only someone exceeding the given age was able to make valid decisions regarding their sexual relationships.

Yet, in reality, with today’s higher ages of consent across the U.S., teenagers under the age are still frequently involved in sexual relationships which is where statutory rape laws with Age Gap Provisions and/or the Romeo and Juliet Clause take effect.

Many, especially younger girls feel pressured to engage in sexual relationships with an older man out of fear of losing him.

“I recently had a case where my suspect was 18 when he began dating the victim (she was 13 at the time). He would often pressure her into doing sexual activities that she did not feel ready to engage in. When she would refuse he would threaten to leave her. She submitted to his requests out of fear of losing him. After a few months of sexual activity he left her. She suffered from depression for several years,” Los Angeles Deputy Attorney General, Frank Dunnick, said.

Minors are often not aware of existing laws that protect those below the age of consent.

Many states have added age gap provisions to existing laws in order to protect teenagers in “close-in-age” relationships where one individual is by law an adult and the other a minor. If the two individuals fall within a certain age difference, the adult cannot be tried for misdemeanor.

The states, such as Calif., which do not have Age Gap Provisions have in place Romeo and Juliet Clauses. The two Age Gap Provisions and Romeo and Juliet Clauses are almost identical and have the same function.

The age differences in which sexual relationships between an adult and a minor are legal varies between 0 and 6 years in the 50 states.

In Calif., the age of consent is 18. The Romeo and Juliet Clauses allow a two-year age gap between the partners.

Dunnick reports that nearly half of the cases he works with involve minors, many of whom reported sexual harassment online.

“I have seen cases where teenagers send sexually explicit photos or videos to people they only know online. Almost every time the suspect is nothing like he has described,” Dunnick said.

Whether the abuse happen online or through an in-person interaction, the process that follows the report of crime is extremely complex.

According to Dunnick, once a case is reported, an investigation will follow in which the investigation agency will contact parties involved, authorities will gather all tangible evidence, and the suspect and victim will have a chance to tell his/her side of the story.

Once the investigation is complete, the district attorney will be alerted to file charges.

Education codes influence sex education

by Amanda Shaw and Mylene Silver

With many students loaded down with school work and extracurriculars, the importance of health, especially sex education, gets pushed aside to make room for the classes that will be impressive on a college resume, but are not necessarily vital to a healthy well-informed lifestyle.

“I believe kids benefit if health class expands to a full year course. Major units such as nutrition, mental health, injury/fitness, substance se, and Rrelationships (which includes sexual activity) would better impact our students with expanded instructional time,” health teacher Gene Simon said.

In grades seven through 12, sex education classes about abstinence from sexual activity are to be taught, including their transmission, treatment, and prevention. Sex

education courses are also required to equip students with the proper skills to make responsible sexual decisions.

“Though many youngsters tend to be exposed in sexual imagery, I find they still want and need quality information about the dynamics of relationships and when healthy sexual activity makes sense,” Simon said.

“Comprehensive sex education covers abstinence, contraception, and disease.”

In California, schools are not currently required to teach sexual health education, although 96% of Calif. school districts do.

Schools are, however, required to teach HIV/ AIDS prevention education, according to Sex Education in California Public Schools.

“I don’t think we allot enough time/attention to HIV/AIDS instruction in our semes-

ter curriculum,” Simon said. “Statistics show HIV infection rising for those under 22 and that 50% of HIV infected 18 to 24 year olds don’t know they are infected and are likely spreading the disease unknowingly. These stats are alarming.”

California Education Code Section 51933 states that comprehensive sexual health education be age appropriate; medically accurate; always available; appropriate for pupils of all races, genders, sexual orientations, and ethnic and cultural backgrounds; and appropriate for and accessible to pupils with disabilities. Education Code Section 51934 requires that HIV/AIDS prevention education follow these guidelines. This is meant to encourage student-parent communication.

In accordance with Education Code Sec-

tion 51934, students are to be taught about the effects of HIV/AIDS on the body, HIV transmission, how to reduce the risk of HIV infection, and public health issues associated with the virus.

These classes should also provide information on where students may seek HIV testing and medical care, while also emphasizing compassion for individuals with AIDS. All of these areas affect our students’ wellbeing or development mentally, physically and socially. Solidifying, through increased instruction, how all these many layered areas of life create a whole, thriving student helps drive home the point of the powerful and often disruptive effect sexual activity can play in anyone’s life, especially the adolescent teenager’s.

Feb. 19, 2016

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news

Teens and STDs Teenagers in the U.S. account for a significant number of STD carriers INFORMATION COMPILED BY REEM CHAMAS AND REEMA SAAD FROM CDC.GOV, KIDSHEALTH.ORG AND PERSONALABS.COM

Genital herpes is an STD caused by two types of viruses. It can be contracted by vaginal, oral, or anal sex with someone who has the disease. Fluids found in a herpes sore carry the virus.

Gonorrhea most commonly affects teens. Thousands of cases go undetected because it does not always have noticable symptoms. The infection can cause painful urination and discharge.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) symptoms include fever, chills, rash, sore throat, and other flu-like conditions. A person who believes they are infected should get tested.

Aquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a disease that develops from HIV. It makes it hard for the body to fight infection, namely white blood cells called CD4 helper lymphocites.

12,000

American teens catch an STD or STI each day

22%

6/10

Only of high school students have tested for HIV

high school teens reported using condoms during their of new STD’s in the most recent sex- U.S. occur in young ual experience people ages 15-24

50%

peo1.2 million ple live with

Women under are more suceptible to catching an STD than older women

25

HIV/AIDS in the U.S.

46%

of U.S high school students have had sexual intercourse

1/4 teens contract a sexually transmitted disease each year

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High Tide

opinion

Safe sex starts in the classroom

It is necessary to acknowledge that many students have sex, and so they should be taught safety Editorial

A comprehensive

sex education, according to the California Department of Education, must include information about abstinence; Sexually Transmitted Disease transmission, treatment, and prevention; and Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptive methods..

While RUHS covers some of these topics briefly, it does not provide sufficient detail and should increase its standards for what is considered a comprehensive sex education. The risks for students who have sex unsafely are too high not to prepare them.

Health class touches on sex education, but it is covered in a short unit that does not do enough for students. Because health is also offered as an online class, most of these students hurry through the material in a rush to simply finish it.

When students do learn about sex, it is typically an awkward lesson fraught with immature snickers. Because sex is a biological drive, it should be destigmatized and taught in a mature and factual way, free from bias.

According to the Calif. Education Code Section 220, sex education classes are prohibited from teaching and promoting any religious doctrines or any bias against anyone for their “perceived gender and sexual orientation.”

Micah Ezzes

To achieve this statute, sex education should also be more understanding of differing sexualities. Considering the openness of our campus and the feeling of safety we strive for among all students regardless of their sexual orientation or gender, sex education should be equally as open. Students should be helped and encouraged to “develop healthy attitudes concerning adolescent growth and development, body image, gender roles, sexual orientation, dating, marriage, and family.”

Sex education is given in middle schools, as required by Calif. law, but at that age students lack the maturity to understand and absorb the material completely.

It is required to have an additional sex education course in high school and that material is not comprehensive enough.

RUHS needs to make its sex education program more comprehensive. While education does indeed exist, it does not cover all the material that it should in order to provide students with an informative and comprehensive knowledge about sex.

Students, however, do not leave blamefree. Board policies, regulations, exhibits, and bylaws ensure that every student receives a sufficient, practical education.

Our educators have an obligation to fulfill their requirements, so we do receive the facts, however bland. If the health program

is reformed to comprehensively teach sex education and prepare students for the high-risk realities of intercourse, it is our responsibility to pay attention. If students want to learn and to be safe, they must listen.

Ultimately, if safer sex—not only in high school but also later in life—is the goal, both the curriculum and students must improve.

ILLUSTRATION BY ALINA BIESCHKE

Editorial Board vote

To make sex safer, both students and curricula must improve.

Yes

5

No

2

A fight for America’s future

The death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia could bring the future of everything from privacy rights to climate change into the balance of this election

Micah Ezzes As if the upcoming presidential elections needed any more controversy, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died Feb. 13, leaving a vacancy on the Supreme Court.

That sounds like a lot of politics and jargon to the average high school student — with the exception of those of us who are forced to follow politics in U.S. government classes — so what does this really mean?

Firstly, it means that a new justice must be appointed by the president, and then that appointment must be confirmed by the Senate. While this seems pretty straightforward, its implications reach far beyond the simple task of picking someone. It’s also important that this gets done relatively quickly; the Supreme Court’s decisions require nine justices so as to give a majority vote and prevent deadlock. Considering that the justices serve life terms, selecting an individual with

similar views to his own serves to further the president’s agenda beyond his presidency.

This is where things get hairy. Obama has already selected two justices during his eight years in office, and the opportunity has presented itself yet again. The two justices Obama has appointed, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, are both liberal-leaning, fitting to Obama’s left-of-center views.

However, both of these justices were appointed when the majority of the senators were of the Democratic party and, as such, agreed with Obama’s appointments. The Senate now is majority Republican, and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has publicly stated that the Senate will not confirm an Obama appointment that is too liberal and might not even hold a hearing. Many Republican senators have rallied behind McConnell’s statements.

Other senators have claimed that it is not Obama’s place to make an appointment, considering that he will only be in office for eleven more months, and that the next president should be reserved the right to appoint a new justice. This would put even more pressure on the upcoming elections —- if it had any constitutional basis. In reality, the Constitution states that the president and the president alone has the right to appoint judges.

There is no law that states anything regarding the timing of these appointees.

Long story short, Republicans in the Senate are salty that Obama gets to continue his legacy by appointing yet another Supreme Court Justice. This justice will influence policy — from climate change to abortion rights — for years to come. On top of this, the Supreme Court could be majority liberal for the first time in a long time, furthering social

liberalism and the like. The way it stands right now, Republicans don’t seem interested in confirming an appointee or fulfilling their Constitutional obligation as much as they seem interested in denying Obama.

What does that mean for the time before the new appointment? With eight justices, the Supreme Court doesn’t function properly, as a clear majority is more difficult to reach with an even number of judges. So basically, the Supreme Court won’t work the way it was intended to until the missing seat is filled.

At the end of the day, the ball is in the Senate’s court. It is on them to make good on their promise to deny a hearing for a new candidate, when Obama selects an appointee. Public pressure will mount with time, of course, so one side will have to make concessions if they want anything to get done.

That’s politics for you. PHOTOS BY MITCH ZIEGLER

Feb. 19, 2016

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opinion

Letters to the

Why we need

Editor

If you have an opinion about one of the articles, letters can be sent to the editor at hightideonline@gmail. com.

We reserve the right to edit them for content, grammar, and space constraints. Letters must be signed and are not guaranteed to be printed.

Please keep letters to a maximum of 250 words. Longer guest opinions are also accepted.

High Tide

staff

Editors in Chief: Yasmeen El-Hasan; Stella Gianoukakis Managing Editor: Vaidehi Gandhi News Editor: Lizzie Fauver; Shaniya Markalanda; Reema Saad Opinion Editor: Christopher Paludi Features Editors: Zach Hatakeyama; Caterina Hyneman; Jon Mallen; Samaya Rubio Sports Editors: Jessica Johnson; Adam Yorke Design Editors: Shawn Mallen; Grace Zoerner Writing Editors: Kayla Nicholls; Amanda Shaw Photo Editor: Ted Cavus Copy Editors: Micah Ezzes; Carmen Hamm Online Editors: Romy Moreno; Mylene Silver Illustrators: Alina Bieschke; Luma Wegman Staff Writers: Gianna Aquilina; Cass Anderson; Brittany Baker; Mia Berger; Ben Brill; Malek Chamas; Reem Chamas; Jasmine Dube; Micah Ezzes; Miriam Farah; Yasamin Fazeli; Jason Fong; Dina Ghanim; Kelly Harraka; Hannah Hastings; Patrick Henry; Kayla Hiken; Shyanne Landers; Gerika Macalino; Tanner McEveety; Eden Millan; Micky Munns; Davina Nguyen; Austin Nunis; Faith Petrie; Hayley O’Connor-Rigby; Luke Peterson;Justin Pioletti; Samaya Rubio; Summer Saad; Angie Tait; Simrun Ursani; Lulu Weg-man; Kylie Yorke; Erika Zlatkin Photographers: Syd Alli; Samantha Bendall; Angel Blanquel; Megan Contreras; Elise DiPaola; Sander Fink; Hiroki Goto; Ilene Guerrero; Anam Khan; Serena Maanum; Gisela Pedroza; Faith Petrie; Laua’e Schweitzer; Keiko Shingu; Nita Villas; Karen Vuong; Ania Webb This is a wholly student-managed, designed, and written newspaper that focuses on the school and community..

Signed commentaries and editorial cartoons represent the opinions of the staff writer or cartoonist.

Planned Parenthood Vaidehi Gandhi

While often maligned, the organization provides valuable information and healthcare to many

We need Planned Parenthood.

The Planned Parenthood Federation of America is the largest provider of sex education in the country and actively works toward treating people by providing various health care services. In 2014, over 9.45 million of these medical services were given.

Up to 45% of these services went toward testing for and treating sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), human papilloma virus (HPV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

About 31% went toward reversible contraception, emergency contraception, and female fertility procedures; 13% went toward other women’s health care services such as pregnancy tests and prenatal services. Seven percent went toward cancer screening and prevention involving various exams and vaccinations, and three percent went toward abortion procedures. The last percent went toward other services. (plannedparenthood. org) In addition to these services, the organization holds youth programs at over 30 middle schools per year and reaches over 5,000 students in the Los Angeles County to implement sex education.

Planned Parenthood’s measures are necessary to help reduce STDs and other health problems among youth and adults. In 2014, 66% of all 948,000 chlamydia cases reported included people between the ages of 15-24, and yet, defunding this organization is popular.

Defunding this organization would remove over four million services dedicated to testing and treating people with STDs. Defunding the largest provider of sex education in the country would negatively affect the millions of people who receive treatment, education, and support. (cdc.gov) The controversy with Planned Parenthood lies in its abortion services, which only comprise three percent of their total services.

Rather than focusing on the more prevalent issues that affect women’s health, this littleused service seems to be at the forefront of many people’s minds.

Among other things, Planned Parenthood screens women for cervical cancer and breast cancer and has detected cancer early in 70,000 women in 2014 alone. Out of the 240,000 women with breast cancer or cervical cancer in the Unites States, 70,000 is a substantial number and the impact of these screenings should not be ignored. (plannedparenthood.org) Each year, 20 million people between the ages of 15-24 have STDs in the United

States alone. Planned Parenthood conducted 650,000 HIV tests in 2014 and diagnosed 170,000 infections early, allowing people to get the proper treatment and knowledge before it was too late.

The organization has over 700 health care centers across the country and provides affordable reproductive health care services, allowing people with low incomes to receive quality treatments. In cities with less care

facilities, Planned Parenthood allows those underprivileged people to be treated and well-informed.

Every measure taken by the organization counts, as the statistics show. In antagonizing women for getting abortions, some people lose sight of the more commonly addressed issues such as cancer and STDs. Informing and treating the public helps spread proper healthcare to the many who need it.

Planned Parenthood Locations

ILLUSTRATION BY LULU WEGMAN

Services STI/STD Testing

45%

Cancer Screening and Prevention 7%

Contraception

31%

Abortion Services 3%

Other Womens’ Health Services

13%

Other Services

1%

PATIENT CARE PROVIDED BY PLANNED PARENTHOOD AFFILIATE HEALTH CENTERS FROM 10/01/13 - 09/30/14

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High Tide

features

Aca Dec’s first ever all-girls team makes history

by Austin Nunis

2.

Aca Dec’d out. 1. The team poses together after their regional Super Quiz Event. 2. Aca Dec

A

s the first all-girls team in LA County, the Academic Decathlon team joins the other students and programs that have made history at RUHS. Aca Dec, short for Academic Decathlon, is a class where students study seven different objective subjects like art, economics, literature, math, music, social science, and science; and three subjective subjects including a timed speech, an interview, and a written essay. They compete against all other Aca Dec teams in the region for a chance to qualify for a statewide competition.

“Academic Decathlon is a competition where the decathletes study and perform in ten different subjects,” senior captain Mahzaib Quraishi said. “I think my strongest subjects are speech, interview and science because I enjoy thinking on my feet when people ask me questions.”

The class period is divided into two teams, the A team and the B team, that compete and learn all the curriculum.

“We scrimmage at the end of October against other teams from our region. Our scores are 50% of how our coach chooses what team we’re placed on. The other half is our personal statements where we say which team we would like to be on and why,” senior co-captain Anna Sieger said.

The decathletes participate in two “rigorous” days of competition that include seven exams and several speaking activities.

“Competing is fun, but it can also be terrifying. The fact that I only get one chance to do well on something that I spent most of the school year preparing for can be pretty stressful,” junior Mandy Ramos said.

Though the Aca Dec team has qualified for the state competition for the past four

1.

years, this year they stand out even more since the team is made up entirely of girls.

Senior Anya Watkins said this year was “strange” since there were only two boys in the entire class, but when selection for the teams began, attitudes changed.

“It really had nothing to do with the gender of the decathlete but, rather, how well they could perform,” Watkins said. “So when the teams were decided, competing teams turned out to be all girls, and I think that’s pretty cool.”

Like Watkins, Sieger doesn’t think the gender of the team makes a difference.

“There’s nothing that physically handicaps a girl from [participating in] Aca Dec. It’s a mental thing; it’s about your brain. And there’s no difference between a guy’s and a girl’s ability to learn the curriculum, to study, to be good at interviews and to memorize speeches,” Sieger said. “There just isn’t.”

The girls agree when they say that their favorite part about Aca Dec is the sense of community between the team.

“The thing about Aca Dec is that it’s really hard to be in that class without turning into a family because we spend so much time together,” Watkins said. “We get to know each other very well and the bonds just sprout up and it’s really hard to break them.”

For Quraishi, the best part about Aca Dec is the environment of the meetings.

“We’re talking, we’re eating snacks, we’re jumping up and down studying curriculum and yelling out facts at each other. [Everyone’s] just excited to be together and be here,” she said.

She also loves seeing what they can accomplish as a team.

“I think the other favorite part about Aca

captains seniors Mahzaib Quraishi and Anna Sieger pose outside of El Rancho High School on the first day of their competition. In the first day, the decathletes take their subjective exams, consisting of an essay, a speech, and an interview. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MAHZAIB QURAISHI

Dec is seeing our results and seeing that our hard work has paid off--that every bit of effort that we’re putting in isn’t going to waste,” Quraishi said. “It’s all worth it in the end.”

Although she “wouldn’t trade [her team] for anyone,” Sieger sees a disadvantage to not having any male teammates.

“You don’t have the diversity and the differing opinions or different perspectives you would get if you had guys on the team,” she said. “I was on the Junior Varsity team last year with guys and I think the dynamic of that group was definitely very different from the dynamic of this group.”

Quraishi disagrees and believes that there aren’t any problems with the lack of male members.

“I think having an all girls team brings us closer, because when you have both girls and guys there’s sometimes a bit of separation,” she said. “But we can talk to one another more easily and [can create] a much friendlier atmosphere.”

Yet throughout their experience with Aca Dec, the decathletes have learned many valuable lessons about their lives.

“Aca Dec has pulled me out of my shell,” Quraishi said. “I was really shy before, but now I feel more confident as a person. I love being a nerd and having people to share that with made me comfortable with owning my opinions, interests and myself as a whole.”

Quraishi also believes that being in Aca Dec emphasizes the “value of teamwork.”

Her experience with Aca Dec has impacted her so much that Quraishi hopes to pursue a career involving public speaking.

“It’s really given me the leadership abilities that I want to have to be a leader in the future for whatever profession I’d like to be

in,” Quraishi said.

In addition, Watkins says that Aca Dec made her more driven and focused.

“It’s definitely made me more ambitious and hardworking,” she said. “Before [Aca Dec] I didn’t really think that it was important to do well in school, but because it’s so important to do well in Aca Dec, it’s made me rethink how I do in school and it made me want to put forth my best effort into my academic career.”

Though the team members love the program, Watkins finds that the intensive studying can be a little bit “stressful.”

“It’s pretty hard [to balance school work and Aca Dec studying] because I really want to do well in competitions but I also want to get good grades in school. You have to find time to prioritize everything,” Watkins said.

Despite the demanding workload, there aren’t many requisites to join besides enthusiasm, passion, and a love for learning.

“I feel like a lot of people are hesitant to join Aca Dec because they feel like they aren’t good enough or don’t have a high enough GPA, but if anyone is interested in spending a year learning everything there is to know about a subject and surrounding themselves with people that love learning as much as they do, then they should join,” Sieger said.

Though the decathletes dedicate most of their free time, their effort, and their minds to the good of the team, at the end of the day they all know the true meaning of Aca Dec. “You learn this stuff just for fun,” Ramos said. “If it’s for a class you learn it just to get good grades, but in Aca Dec, you memorize things just because you want to. And that’s the beauty of it—just learning for yourself.”

Feb. 19, 2016

page 9

features

Bolts of

Lightning

1.

Gianoukakis sisters dance with church dance group, Keravnos, which means lightning bolt in Greek

by Simrun Ursani The clarinet sounds, followed by the beat of the drum. The group starts dancing uniformly and the lights come up. Smiles and cheering breathe life into the large room. Sisters Stella and Billie Gianoukakis competed with their Greek dance group at the annual competition, FDF (Faith, Dance, Fellowship).

“Dancing with people who have the same passion for the Greek culture and keeping it alive is such a powerful thing. Every time I dance, I am reminded of who I am and where I come from,” Stella said.

Both girls have been dancing for 13 years and competing for eight. Every year, their group and those from other Greek churches from throughout the west coast including Alaska, Hawaii, and Washington, put two sets of dances together comprised of traditional Greek dances from two regions in Greece. Then they per- form them at

the annual competition. Groups prepare for that weekend starting in September.

The girls performed dances from Florina, near Macedonia, and Leros, a Greek island.

“It’s a great feeling when the competition rolls around. I feel more ready and excited than ever as I know all our hard work will come to fruition,” Stella said.

Before the competition, both sisters were excited and ready to perform as well as when preparing to dance on stage during the competition weekend.

“You feel really ready and you just want to go there so badly that the last week before the competition, you have practices every day instead of once or twice a week. You just get so pumped. We have musicians that come from Canada that play for us so you get really happy to see them,” Billie said. “ T h i s year, I was on

stage and I couldn’t believe that I was actually on stage. It was really crazy because it is the last year with our whole group together because everyone is going to college.”

According to Billie, they continue to compete because they get to connect with their religion and culture. It’s also a “fun way to bond and learn about greek dances.”

“My parents put us into it when we were younger, and I know some people who tried it and stopped, but I like it so much because even though practices get hard sometimes, you always get through it and you know that you’re part of something,” Billie said. “I get to meet so many new people. I have made from Pasadena, Los Angeles, and Vegas. You can communi- cate and connect because of the similar culture.”

After the competit i o n , ac-

cording to Billie, they were “proud and happy” with what they did because of difficulties faced while preparing for the competition.

“We felt so good because we didn’t think that we’d place this year. We got new directors and we changed one of our suites a month before the competition instead of having six months to prepare. So, it was really stressful. We were so proud we pulled it off and placed first,” Billie said.

Stella cannot imagine not dancing.

“Dance is something we grew up with,” Stella said. “I would never trade it for anything.”

Thunder. 1. The sisters compete with their Florina set last

year. 2. Billie and Stella pose with other girls in their group after a performance this year. PHOTOS COURTESY OF STELLA GIANOUKAKIS

2.

page 10

Feb. 19, 2016

High Tide

features

Q: Does peer pressure play a role

in attitudes towards sex?

The

A:

It depends what social circle you’re in. If you’re with a bunch of friends who have already done that sort of stuff, they’re gonna say it’s perfectly okay to have sex, but if you’re with a group of people who haven’t done any of that, they might pressure you into thinking that it’s wrong. -AB You can’t deny that there’s a double standard. If girls have sex, they can be viewed negatively. If guys have sex, it can be like, ‘Good job, dude.’ Guys that haven’t had sex can be pressured by other guys to do it, and girls could feel pressured against it. -JD

TALK Seniors discuss attitudes towards sex at RUHS from Alina Bieschke (AB), Mark Rippee (MR), Jason Dicochea (JD), Anna Fauver (AF), and Luke Lezhansky (LL) Q: Do you think sex ed at RUHS is informative enough?

Q: How do your peers

ILLUSTRATIONS BY LULU WEGMAN

Q: What are your personal views

about teen sex?

A:

I think sex is a dangerous thing that should be thought through, but marriage is a big commitment. To wait to have sex until you make that huge commitment doesn’t seem like something that you should be required to do. I think it makes sense to practice safe sex before you get married. -MR

view sex?

A:

It’s not a huge shock when people say they’ve had sex, but I think that people do pass judgement on it. I know from personal experience that people make comments and pass rumors around. I guess we’re more accepting here than other places, but still, we’re not

A:

Honestly, most of the stuff you learn about sex is going to be from your friends, not from a textbook, but I think the class should cover safe sex more. -JD I think they should teach how students can get birth control, because a lot of people don’t know how to, and it’s embarrassing to even talk to your doctor about it.

-AF

Of 413 RUHS students surveyed . . .

Of those who have had sex,

37.3%

have had sex

62.7%

have not had sex

21% are sexually active

4.40% wish they had waited 10.06% believe it was with the wrong person 5.03% regret for other reasons 80.50% do not regret having sex

page 11

features

Teachers discuss evolving attitudes towards sex

Q: Should RUHS provide

condoms to students?

A:

That would incur a lot of costs on the Department of Education. Not every school is the same. There are schools where students don’t have access to free or functional clinics, in which case I think it would be logical to make birth control available at the nurse’s office. But I don’t think every school should have it, only schools with a definite and discernible need. I think we live in an affluent enough neighborhood where we don’t need it. -LL I don’t think they should provide condoms, because then it’s like you’re getting pressure from the school to have sex. -MR

by Shaniya Markalanda

Q: Do you see slut shaming at

RUHS?

A:

I definitely think slut shaming, like other rumors, is more of a reflection on the insecurities of the person spreading the rumor than of the ‘slut’ herself or himself. -AB The circle of friends that I’m in, we don’t talk about that stuff.

Maybe it depends on your circle of friends and who you surround yourself with. -SS

79.2% believe schools should provide access to condoms for their students

Some choose to do it because they feel their relationship is “at that level.” Other choose not to do it because it’s against their religion or because they haven’t found the right person yet. The fact that high schoolers are choosing to have sex has not changed for years, but what has changed, according to softball coach Jennifer Dessert, is people’s open mindedness towards others’ decisions regarding whether or not to have sex.

“Looking back at 2009 and 2008, that group of kids isn’t as open and accepting of everyone’s differences as they are now, and that translates into everything, whether you’re talking about sex or just accepting who you are as a teenager,” Dessert said.

Having graduated from RUHS in 1991, Dessert believes that students’ attitudes toward sex have changed since her years as a high school student.

“The shift in student attitude is acceptance and it doesn’t matter who you’re hanging with—if it’s girl girl, guy guy. That was big back then. People would point fingers and whisper and make fun because we didn’t have an overall acceptance of people’s differences and I think that definitely is a benefit for [this] generation.”

According to Dessert, this shift in attitude has been greatly impacted by the media.

“Media is contributing to knowledge of sex. When we were growing up back then, we couldn’t just pick up our phone and have instant access to inappropriate things. We only had magazines and rated R movies that people could sneak into. Now you just pick up your phone or you go on the computer,” Dessert said.

Despite not having immediate access to information, Dessert believes the physiology course allowed students to get their questions answered about sex and the human body.

“I took physiology with Dr. Brown and when he surveyed us and realized that we didn’t know as much as we should have, we spent the whole fourth quarter talking

69.5% have witnessed other

students being judged or bullied for their sexual activity

about that stuff and I will never forget that.

I thought that it was a really valuable thing that helped especially my class. We all had questions.”

Because information is more accessible now, even if students do not take a physiology course, it is easier for students to perpetuate the misconceptions and stereotype people who have sex.

According to Dessert, one common misconception dealt with which cliques were having sex. One group, such as the athletes, may have thought it was the popular kids having sex, while the popular clique may have believed that it was the athletes having sex.

“I think that there was more of a difference in opinion about who was having sex. I think that the outside looking in on our group had misconceptions about us. I also think that our group looking out at other groups would have had the same misconceptions,” Dessert said.

She believes misconceptions can arise from rumors among friend groups.

“Working here for over a decade and being [a student] here for four years, I think if the rumors get out that somebody did something with someone and then they get misconstrued and then it turns into a bigger story than it really was in the first place,” Dessert said.

One thing that Dessert feels is the same now as it was during her time as a student, is the importance of having an established relationship when individuals determined whether or not to have sex.

“I think relationship status was the big thing. If you were in a relationship, an established relationship, and you built trust with someone, which I feel is kind of the norm still, then you feel like you can trust that person,” Dessert said.

Just as it was when she was in high school, Dessert still finds that some students have a more serious attitude towards sex while others have a more casual view.

85.2% believe in premarital sex

page 12

High Tide

features

A form of self-expression

Freshman Margaret Wedaa recreates gothic looks with her vintage clothes and wigs

by Shyanne Landers A strong atmosphere of pastel colored hair and soft blends of cute accents surround freshman Margaret Wedaa everyday with her gothic and lolita-inspired wigs and clothing.

“When I have my wig on, it feels like people can understand me better. I don’t feel fake because I am the one actually getting to choose what I wear,” Wedaa said.

Wedaa wears unnatural-colored wigs that range anywhere from pink, green, to grey, and anything in between.

“Nobody else had hair like the way I do now. I thought it looked pretty cool and I don’t really like my natural hair,” Wedaa said.

Beginning with just one wig, she now has a large collection of multicolored hair pieces.

Unhappy with the texture and brown color of her normal hair, she changes it daily.

“You can’t choose your natural hair, but you can choose a wig just like you would choose makeup as opposed to your normal facial features,” Wedaa said.

Wedaa wears the wigs nearly every day and finds them as much as an accessory as any other one.

“It doesn’t really matter. Painting your

nails isn’t part of your natural body and wearing makeup isn’t either. If those things are always acceptable, then I don’t see why unnatural hair wouldn’t be as well,” Wedaa said.

Along with her wigs, Wedaa dresses in “creepy but cute” clothing, which is a mixture of colorful tights, dresses, and accessories. This, of course, catches attention, according to Wedaa.

“I started to wear this kind of style this year, and I’ve found some people to be really rude. They ask me dumb things about my outfits and it’s honestly really childish. This one kid asked me why I wore ‘weaves’, but it’s obviously a wig. I just ignore it. I’m confident in my style so it doesn’t really matter what anyone else thinks,” Wedaa said.

Wedaa made this change to her new style in hopes of becoming a better person.

“In eighth grade, I dressed really badly because I was in a really bad place. Realizing I was being pretty awful to a lot of my friends, I wanted to make a comeback as a better person the next year and change my personality. I wanted a new me,” Wedaa said.

With a new personality, Wedaa keeps her

most loyal friends closest to her.

“My old friends think my style is pretty odd, so they don’t want me to wear it around them. But my best friends are actually really into it,” Wedaa said.

Both Wedaa’s best friends and parents approve of her choice of fashion. Her mother is particularly encouraging on the subject.

“I’m glad that Margaret finds clothing to be a fun way to express her individuality and how she takes the right amount of care in her appearance. She isn’t too focused on fashion but more focused on expression, which is the way it should be. I would never have had the courage to wear a wig in high school and I’m proud she does.” Mrs. Wedaa said.

With supportive parents and friends, Wedaa is able to be completely prideful in who she is.

“At first I didn’t wear my wigs after I bought them because I was hesitant, but then I began to try them out and I felt really confident about myself. I decided that since it makes me confident, I would definitely wear it outside,” Wedaa said.

Even though her wigs are high mainte-

nance, Wedaa wears them constantly and coordinates her clothes as well.

“Wearing wigs was a pathway that lead me to be more outwards in my clothing as well because I wanted it to match more with what I would casually wear,” Wedaa said.

Since having this new fashion, Wedaa has been inspired to open an apparel business of her own.

“When I am older, I want to open a clothing store that sells products like what I wear.

It would have anything from clothes that look like they’re from Hot Topic, to very cutesy, lolita-type apparel. The store would be like a boutique, but not like an Etsy store. It’d be a store for basically anyone of dramatic-type style,” Wedaa said.

Now, with a career already in sight, Wedaa is able to stay proud of herself. She does not have plans to cancel who she really is and how she prefers to dress.

“In the end, it doesn’t matter what people think, as long as it makes you confident, which is most important. If it makes you confident, then you should do whatever it is you want.” Wedaa said.

Feb. 19, 2016

page 13

features

Ghazal learns to embrace one of his old scars

Sophomore Tyler Wunderli and friends form the band “Static Flow”

by Kelly Harraka

by Miriam Farah

After the removal of the cast, he stares at his arm in curiosity and fear. Yoseph Ghazal has a large scar on his forearm from when a possibly cancerous birthmark was removed.

“I had a large birthmark when I was born, and doctors noticed it got progressively bigger as I got older. So after a bit of time, the doctors ran some tests and saw that I had a 10% chance of getting skin cancer,” Ghazal said.

While removing the possibly cancerous birthmark, a skin graft was taken. A skin graft is a procedure where doctors remove skin from one part of the body and place it on the area that needs the skin; Ghazal’s skin graft was taken from another area of his body.

“I had to have a cast for a few months to protect the skin because it was so sensitive.

Once my body adapted, I was able to take the cast off. Ever since, that scar has looked the same,” Ghazal said. “I don’t see it any different from the rest of my skin.”

Ghazal’s father Ahmad Ghazal was not too concerned since the chances of cancer were low and he was completely reassured after the surgery that his son would be fine.

“The surgery went well for removing the scar, taking the skin graft and implanting it over the scar area. So, overall I was pleased with the result of the surgery,” Mr. Ghazal said.

Despite the difference in pigmentation on his arm, Ghazal hasn’t experienced much change in his life because of it other than the attention of that he receives.

“I have had people ask me questions about it. [But] I can play sports, work out, etc like normal. I’ve never been called a freak, yet some people have given me strange looks,” Ghazal said. “I explain the story to them, occasionally I would say a fake story like a shark bit me or it’s a burn.”

Ghazal usually forgets about the scar until someone sees it, but it doesn’t bother him.

“I get lots of stares and people ask, but nothing too bad. If they’re staring I’ll look back and then they’ll stop,” Ghazal said.

His father offered him an opportunity to make the scar smaller but has yet to receive a request from his son.

“What I recall is the scar did not bother him much. I explained to him it is a minor issue and he can have a surgery to reduce the size of scar,” Mr. Ghazal said.

According to Ghazal, since he has lived with it his whole life he has gotten used to his scar and is not embarrassed by it. He is now more comfortable with questions that he is asked and does not mind the attention as much as he did when he was younger.

“I just see it as a usual thing and now I don’t mind.

Back in middle school it annoyed me because at the time people thought of it as weird and gross rather than asking why I have it,” said Ghazal. “I can understand why people are curious to know now, times are different in high school.”

Although his arm appears different from others, Ghazal has now learned to accept the way he is because he is not changing anytime soon.

“I have learned that this scar is just a part of me and that it doesn’t make me any different from anyone else,” Ghazal said. “[I] see it as a normal thing that’s going to be there forever so I might as well embrace it.”

As he steps onto the stage, his heartbeat begins quicken. Soon, his fingers find their place on his guitar and the music starts fills his ears. While the crowd cheers, he becomes more energized and the nervousness he previously felt soon disappears.

Sophomore JJ Hyman formed a band called ‘Static Flow,’ along with his friends, Tyler Wunderli, and Liam McEvoy, in May of 2015 after discovering their common interest in music. On Jan. 30, the group performed at the Lighthouse Cafe in Hermosa Beach.

“We had just come back from another band that performed at the lighthouse, and we decided that it would be cool [to start a band]. I hadn’t played guitar in two years, but we were hanging out and I had my guitar out so we started playing. Then, I started playing a bit more, practicing a lot more to get better, then we started jamming out one time together and it was really fun,” Hyman, one of the band’s guitarist, said.

According to McEvoy, the lead guitarist, performing at the Lighthouse Cafe was their first opportunity to gain more publicity and give them additional confidence and experience for future performances.

“It felt good. We are actually getting a lot more popular from where we started, but this is the first time where we actually showed ourselves to the public. We have been working for a while and this was our first opportunity for a lot of people to actually see us and some of our friends went,” McEvoy said.

Hyman believes the band has drastically improved when performing in front of a crowd. According to him, they are much more energetic instead of before being nervous and standing still.

“The first time we performed we were all very nervous. We weren’t moving around very much, and we were just standing there and playing. Especially the first time we performed, we were pretty scared because we didn’t know how we were going to sound, but once we started playing and realized we weren’t that bad, we had a lot more fun with it. The second time was a little better, the third time was a lot better and we actually had fun,” Hyman said.

Within the next three years, Wunderli and his band wish to expand their audience and release an album in hopes of getting a record deal.

“First, we are going to make a demo cd that we can give out to people so they can check us out. We have a Youtube channel, so people can check us out on there. We have an Instagram account where we can post videos of us playing, so lots of people can hear us and get more exposure. Once we do that, hopefully we can try to set up with a record label,” Wunderli, the band’s bass player, said.

According to Wunderli, balancing band practices along with his schoolwork and sports practices can be difficult and may jeopardize their band, but they always manage to continue practicing despite their other duties.

“Sometimes we have to make sacrifices in order to keep the band going like staying up later to do homework than a normal person would because we have other responsibilities. In general, we can get our work done and then mess around and play music whenever we can,” Wunderli said.

McEvoy believes the competition between countless aspiring musicians makes it very difficult to draw attention from record labels, and the lack of interest in rock music is another challenge they face.

“The music industry as a whole is tiny, so it is very hard to get exposure in order to get more popular at all. It is really tough getting exposure as a young band because there are so many people trying to be musicians. Especially now, rock is not as popular as it used to be so it is a lot tougher. That is pretty much our biggest obstacle,” McEvoy said.

Punk rock.

Wunderli and his band pose together before a concert.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TYLER WUNDERLI

page 14

features

Living the dream

Alec Johnson works as a “specialist” in an Apple Store

by Tanner McEveety

High Tech. ““I wanted to make money, but I also wanted to work in something that I loved.” Johnson said.

“Apple wants people who are imaginative, and who think different.’” PHOTO BY SAM BENDALL

A grinning customer leaves the store with a spring in his step and a new phone clutched in his hand. Senior Alec Johnson smiles and turns his attention to the rest of

the store, looking for anyone else who might need help.

Johnson is employed at the the Apple Store in the Manhattan Village Mall as a

“specialist.” His job is to help customers with and issues they may have.

“The number one thing I tell customers is that my job is to help you, not sell to you,” Johnson said. “Being completely genuine and kind ensures that the customer will walk out of our store with a smile on their face.”

Working at the Apple store is a job Johnson can enjoy while making money.

“I love it. I love it so much. It’s the greatest job on the planet. Everyone there is super supportive and about helping each other out, which I think is phenomenal,” Johnson said.

“You always want a supportive team anywhere you go.”

Helping customers feel welcome is his main concern and what he enjoys the most.

“It’s a unique experience. The best part is getting to help the customer by learning a little about them,” Johnson said. “I want to know more about their everyday life so that I can find the best product or feature for them.”

He mostly applied for restaurant jobs, so he was “surprised and humbled” when he was hired at Apple after applying last November.

“Apple’s been in my heart all my life, but I’d never thought of it as a career before,” Johnson said. “Having a job in the company is like a dream come true.”

The location has roughly 180 employees with ages ranging from 18 to 64 years old.

Johnson became the youngest employee after he began working in January.

“At first it was a little challenging being new because I felt like I had to be the best right away,” Johnson said. “But at Apple,

High Tide they want you to grow.”

He feels like being new was made easier by the supportive people there.

“Apple truly cares about their people.

We want to make sure that every customer feels welcome when they walk into the store,” Johnson said. “Right now, I think I’m still growing. But, more than anything, it’s a great learning experience.”

Johnson sees a potential future for himself with the company.

“I really feel like this job at Apple has changed a lot of things for me. I eventually want to go into media. That’s where my heart is right now, and I feel like I can grow so much within the company,” Johnson said.

“In essence, I want to keep working there as long as I feel that’s where my drive is.”

Natalia Sagar, a former colleague and friend, feels that Apple is a good direction for Johnson to head in.

“I think it’s a great career path,” Sagar said. “Even though he might not use the job to go into the tech field specifically, I think that what he [learns] working in [this] position can be really useful in the future.”

Johnson has a similar mindset, believing that what he has learned is the most valuable gain from his employment.

“Having Apple on a resume looks really nice, but the experience itself is more important,” Johnson said. “I really want to continue next fall. I still want a complete education, but maybe I can go to a school nearby so I can keep working at this remarkable company.”

Feb. 19, 2016

entertainment

page 15

ALBUM REVIEW:

The Life of Pablo KANYE WEST

The rapper returns with his seventh studio album

by Faith Petrie Whether you enjoy his music or not, Kanye West is a common household name.

If you haven’t actually heard his previous albums, you’ve most likely heard of his infamous Twitter rants or his sometimes deplorable attitude towards others.

West recently released his album, The Life of Pablo (T.L.O.P.) after a very delayed and jumbled time period. His album was renamed countless times; It was first titled So Help Me God, then SWISH, Waves, and finally The Life of Pablo.

To his fan’s delight, West premiered T.L.O.P. during his Adidas Yeezy ‘Season 3’ fashion show event. A few days later, West performed the tracks, “Highlights” and “Ultralight Beam” on Saturday Night Live and officially released the album onto the music streaming service, Tidal.

In the track “Real Friends,” West wonders who is truly an ally and who is only using him for his fame and status in the music industry. West pours his feelings of deceit and trust issues within his circle of friends and family under a simple and bass driven beat.

The light hearted track “I Love Kanye” challenges and pokes fun at how the media and his fans view the “new Kanye.” He addresses how he is depicted as narcissistic in

a humorous and innovative way.

The overall theme West portrayed in T.L.O.P. points at his need for redemption and finding fulfillment in a higher power. In the opening track “Ultralight Beam” West makes his faith and need for serenity known — a theme heard in his prior song “Jesus Walks.” “Ultralight Beam” ends in an uplifting prayer said by prominent gospel artist Kirk Franklin - bringing the biblical belief that God forgives anyone who seeks remission.

The order of an album has the ability to tell a story from beginning to end. The Life of Pablo lacks this trait. West originally had the album split into three acts to convey a storyline but it did not make the final cut.

Without this separation of themes the album seems unfinished.

Another issue throughout the album are the lewd lyrics that appear on some songs.

Though every song had incredible production and beats, the lyrics were centered around unrelated themes which hindered the listening experience.

West is an evolving artist like no other. He is constantly challenging the norm of music and though he may not have the best personality, his music is undeniably phenomenal.

ILLUSTRATION BY LUMA WEGMAN

BOOK REVIEW:

MOVIE REVIEW:

RACHEL CAINE

BEN STILLER

Ink and Bone

By Dina Ghanim What if Steve Jobs didn’t decide to drop out of college and put his mind to inventing Apple? What if Mark Zuckerberg went out to a party instead of staying in his dorm room and inventing Facebook?

Would social media be the same? Would the world be the same?

This concept of changing history is the theme in Rachel Caine’s science fiction novel Ink and Bone when protagonist Jess Brightwell’s friend commits a sin by crafting a device that could change their world.

In this novel, alchemy rules all, and The Great Library located in Alexandria, Egypt controls the masses by limiting its output of knowledge and history. Al-

Zoolander 2

by Brittany Baker though trusting of the Library’s power, Jess and his family defy the Library through their involvement in the black market and attainment of knowledge through books illegally.

A reader with an open mind, sense of creativity, and thirst for adventure will enjoy this book for its creative ideas and extensive imagery that the book brings about. This book appeals to readers who enjoy novels such as Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, or even 1984.

However creative the novel is, it requires patience and familiarity with complex vocabulary as well as a taste for plots containing secrets, alchemy, the power of knowledge, villains, spies, and rivalry.

“Zoolander 2,” starring and directed

by Ben Stiller, tells the story of Derek and Hansel helping special agent Valentina get to the bottom of who is killing off famous pop stars.

Set 10 years affter “Zoolander,” the story continues once Derek (Ben Stiller) and Hansel (Owen Wilson) are forgotten and unmentioned, until Derek is invited to a fashion show in Rome.

Derek Zoolander’s Center For Kids Who Can’t Read Good collapses due to an unsteady foundation. His wife Matilda (Christine Taylor) is killed in the accident and Derek is declared unfit to parent his son. A chance to prove himself to the social services arises with his invitation

to Rome where he can produce a fashion comeback.

The movie starts to resemble a spy movie when Interpol agent Valentina (Penelope Cruz) is sent to the fashion show to discover who is responsible for the death of multiple pop stars. She realizes that she is in need of Derek and Hansel’s help in order to solve the case.

While “Zoolander” was a comedic success, this moviefalls flat. The sequel should have expanded on the tone of the first film, instead of portraying a negative view of the younger generation.

“Zoolander 2” only offers few solid jokes and seems to depend on it’s cameos to maintain interest among its viewers.

page 16

Jump shots in Jordans After returing home from Canada, boys basketball looks for success in tonight’s game against Roosevelt High School

by Luke Peterson Boys basketball is playing Roosevelt high tonight in the first game of the CIF playoffs.

The team is coming off of a win against Canadian high school Father Henry Carr in Toronto on Feb. 11 by a score of 97-72.

RUHS was given a special opportunity to play north of the border by the Air Jordan brand in an event called the Jordan International Challenge.

“The trip to Toronto was pretty good for us. We were there because the Jordan brand revealed their first store in Toronto, so they brought up four teams so we could show off the new shoes that they had just released 3 days prior, and to just put a spotlight on the Jordan brand,” senior guard Morgan Means said. “I’d assume we were chosen due to our success as of late.”

According to point guard senior Eli Nesbit the team had high energy in the win due to the circumstances of representing its home country in a foreign exposition.

“The game was pretty competitive. We were fired up to the maximum and we jumped on them with all our might,” Nesbit said. “I’d say we took care of business and represented

High Tide

sports the USA well by the way we played.”

RUHS’s fast pace of play was essential to the team’s wide margin of victory.

“We got out there and ran the fastbreak really well and forced the other team to take a list of jump shots,” Means said.

Despite the game being a friendly competition, RUHS still treated it as a way to find the cracks in the foundation of its style of play.

“The game showed us that we still have things to improve on at this point in the season, like how we have to stop making unnecessary turnovers,” Nesbit said.

RUHS has prepared for tonight’s game against Roosevelt based off of these factors and how they saw them play in the Pacific Shores tournament before the season started.

“The team we’re playing is pretty good; we can’t afford to look over anyone at this point. Roosevelt was in the PAC Shores tournament a while ago and we learned about how they played,” Nesbit said. “We know that they have three core players that we have to stop and lock down to win the game.”

Nesbit cites these players as one of the keys to RUHS winning the game.

“They have two or three very good players that we’re going to have to lock down in order to win. If we want to win, we also need to control the paint,” Nesbit said. “Besides that, we need to beat them at the free throw line and try to avoid turning the ball over.”

Practices have also focused on strengthening and maintaining the core parts of the team’s style of play.

“We’ve been practicing limiting our turnovers, protecting the paint line and taking charges the right way as of late,” forward senior Duncan Lomenzo-Torres said. “We also emphasized our defensive rebounding and just making our free throws in the practices before the game.”

According to Lomenzo-Torres, these areas of practice haven’t been problematic for the team, but areas that could be made stronger.

Baskets. Junior Isaiah Tyler scores against Palos Verdes in the game on Feb. 9.

“I wouldn’t call these things problems we need to address, just things we could improve on,” Lomenzo-Torres said. “There’s always room for improvement, and we’re always trying to play a perfect game.”

Nesbit feels that the team is prepared to start the postseason tonight, but is also aware

PHOTO BY MATT YONEMURA

of the nervousness that accompanies it.

“I think that we’re ready to take Roosevelt on,” Nesbit said. “We might have some jitters right now knowing that we’re about to start the playoffs, but I think that we’re mature enough so they would go away soon. We should be ready to handle business.”

Girls soccer shoots for success in CIF

by Angie Tait While most winter sports teams are handing in their jerseys for the end of the season, Girls’ Soccer is beginning a new journey as they enter the CIF competition.

“We weren’t ready for the season to end, and we were ecstatic to hear we would be getting to continue to display our our talent as a team and prove what we are made of,” senior Brittany Bravo said.

The team finished second to Palos Verdes High School in Bay League, winning 8 games and losing only 2 during the regular season.

“After working so hard in the season, I’m so glad we made it here. The team really deserves it,” junior Ashley Humphrey said.

However, the girls agree that the easy games end here, and that they will continue

to work hard to keep their skills high for the competition.

“I’m excited to see how our team does, and if we are able to handle the adversities we face and make the most of our opportunities. My concern is that we [will] become too relaxed, or make a mistake on the field that we can’t afford in such a high-intensity game,” Bravo said.

Humphrey had similar thoughts.

“We’ve been through some tough competition and stressful games, which have braced us for tournaments like CIF. Even then, we don’t know what the other teams will be like, and we can’t predict what their strategies will be,” Humphrey said.

The team also agrees that they’ll be uti-

lizing the strengths from the regular season during CIF. “Our strengths continue to be reliable defense and our team chemistry on the field, but we still need to work on taking more chances, and finishing the ones we have in order to score,” junior Madi Kennel said.

While the strengths benefit the team’s playing style, the four freshmen and three seniors on the team will have different motivations during the final tournament.

“A young team is hard, with most of them not having a lot of experience on varsity, but it’s good since they have a lot of room for development. Learning from us, they’ll be able to showcase what they learn now, as returning players next year,” Bravo said.

As for the seniors, they have high hopes for the results in what will be their last high school matches.

“CIF games are intense. You win, or your season is over right then and there. That feeling is the worst, and especially since it’s my senior year, I don’t want our season to end on Thursday,” senior Makayla Hughes said.

After winning 3-0 against Redlands on Feb. 18, the physical and mental shape of the players, as individuals and teammates, will be one of their “biggest assets” in CIF. “We’ve worked a lot more on drills that help us work hard and have fun while we’re a team,” Bravo said. “And after working so hard all season, this is our time to show what we got.”

Feb. 19, 2016

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sports

Girls water polo is second in Bay League

by Justin Pioletti Placing second in Bay League, girls water polo dives toward CIF with high hopes while reflecting on their season.

“Overall, I would say the season was really successful. I think we improved drastically from last year,” junior Haley Winn said. ”Our speed also has evidently helped us throughout our season, which is thanks to the hours of conditioning, morning practices, and weight rooms we’ve been through.”

According to senior team captain MacKenzie Thomas, their dedication has caused an apparent uprising in improvement, with much greater drive than previous seasons.

“It’s safe to say that all of us have improved incredibly. Camille Grace has definitely come a long way with her shot, and her confidence has become obvious when in the water,” Thomas said. “Even our freshman Sabrina Dimesa really stepped up and became a key player on the team.”

The girls agree that experience is a key aspect in improvement, which has been supported by reflecting on matches within previous tournaments.

“We played our tournaments earlier in the season, which definitely helped our experience, and showed us the abilities of the other teams,” Winn said. “There were even some division one teams that we went against, and it was really just great to see the competition of other players.”

Aware of their current competition, RUHS has reinforced defensive tactics aimed to deny the set player from shooting.

“We’re aware that some of the other teams have incredible set players, so we’re practic-

Swimming in success. Senior Mackenzie Thomas passes to a team mate who scores a goal againt a Mira Costa player.

ing a drop instead of our traditional press, which should hopefully be effective,” junior Mia Furman said. “During the drop, positions 4 and 5 on our defense drops back to help set gaurd, giving the set player a smaller chance to make the shot. ” Following defensive tactics, the girls have recently begun working towards improved offensive strategies through rigorous drives and plays.

“Offensively we’ve mostly been working on our counter and drives, as well as posting

up in set, but most importantly safe water passing,” Thomas said. “By safe water passing I mean dropping the ball to our own team players, without the chance of the other team getting the ball.”

While their recent CIF game against Notre Dame ended in a 12-4 “domination”, the girls final match with Mira Costa resulted in a 4-7 loss.

“While the score was 4-7, I think it was actually much closer than the score reflected,” junior Sophie Maguy said. “It was a tough

PHOTO BY GISELA PEDROSA

battle, and we are much better than some of the other teams in CIF would think. We’ll do just as well as them, if not better, in CIF.” Facing the final stretch of their season, RUHS is aware their success can only be accomplished through playing as a team.

“Even though we lost our final game against Costa, I think we had some of the best games I have ever witnessed,” Maguy said. “Despite the loss, I thought we played well as a team because we’ve grown so much and gotten a lot better.”

Surf prepares for Redondo-Costa alumni contest

by Romy Moreno

Endless Summer. RUHS surf team member competes in Jan. 16 competiton.

PHOTO BY CLAIRE ANTONELLI

Even with one of their biggest contests right around the corner-Redondo vs Costa alumni contest-the team cannot help but feel eager and thrilled for this upcoming event which will be held on Sunday at 8:00 am at the Hermosa Pier.

“It’s definitely our most competitive contest. However, everyone on both teams are all friends; we all surf together on weekends, everyone knows everyone, so it’s safe to say that we all are pretty excited to surf with one another,” senior Phoebe Mather said. “But none of that is going to take away from how competitive it will end up being.”

According to the team, this particular contest will “definitely [be their] biggest event” of the season.

“As a team we have not been able to actually beat Costa in-I don’t even know how long, which makes this contest a really big deal for us; and not to mention that they are our rival school,” Mather said.

Since this years team has been unable to beat Mira Costa so far within this season, they hope that this will finally be their chance to come out victorious.

“I am positive that a lot of RUHS alumni will be on their A game because of how beating Costa would benefit their old school,” sophomore Taylor Rose said. “We have not been able to beat the high school team in the past so the alumni team would be the next event to finally beat them in.”

It is agreed within the team that this will not be one of the easy contests that they will be participating in.

“This year our team is incredibly strong, but so is Costas’, so it should be interesting to see what it all ends up coming down too,” Mather said.

Rose has similar thoughts. “[Costa] has a lot of strong surfers competing this year so hopefully [we] will all together be able to pull it off,” Rose said.

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sports

High hopes for playoffs Girls basketball heads into CIF after an undefeated Bay League season

by Davina Nguyen

Hard to miss. Sophomore Kayla Ideozu goes for a lay-up between two Palos Verdes defenders on Redondo’s home game on Feb. 9. Redondo went on to win the game 43-11. PHOTO BY NITA VILLAS

After an undefeated Bay League season (10-0), girls basketball begins to make preparations for CIF. “I think we did well. We had a lot of obstacles that were in front of our team, but we just kept going. We all had one goal, which was to win games, and that’s exactly what we did,” senior Kyra Hamlin said.

The girls considered their development throughout the season, agreeing that the team has “matured a lot” compared to the beginning of the season, according to senior captain Micaela Enriquez.

“In the beginning of the season, we would make a lot of silly turnovers, but by the end of the season, we were able to cut down our turnovers quite a bit. That just goes to show how much more focused we are,” Enriquez said.

Not only does Enriquez believe that the team has adapted skill wise, but they have also improved in regards to their teamwork.

“I think the teamwork has improved and any outside observer can tell because we have been playing much more unselfishly lately. We’re moving the ball more quickly and trusting each other more,” Enriquez said. “[It shows] on offense when we pass the ball a lot and work for the highest percentage shot. I also notice it on defense, when we have good rotation and have each other’s backs.”

The girls agree that in spite of their development, they are “not the picture perfect team,” according to Hamlin.

“Some of the members would have personal problems between players that led to the team losing a good player we had from the summer, and moving kids up just added to the drama of the team,” Hamlin said.

Despite the flaws within the team, they know to create a line between dealing with any personal issues and dealing with their opponents in front of them, which contributes to their consistent success in games.

“I think we have really been making an effort to stay united on the floor, regardless of the past issues we’ve struggled with. Leaving our problems and egos at the door before we enter the gym has been a theme that coaches continue to emphasize with our team, as well as putting the team above ourselves,” junior Lauren Tsuneishi said.

Tsuneishi also believes that the aspect that impacts the team most is the friendships that they have developed, and how that pact motivates the girls to play harder.

“My favorite aspect of our team is the friendships I’ve made. It’s a privilege to be around my teammates because they are all genuinely great people whose different personalities complement our team and always keep things interesting,” Tsuneishi said.

The team agrees that one of the team’s strongest moments was in their most recent Mira Costa game, which resulted in a close, but triumphant victory, with an overall score of 44-40.

“I would have to say my favorite moment was our latest Costa game. It has been 5 years since Redondo girls basketball had beat them at their court, so it was pretty awesome to do that my senior year,” Enriquez said.

The girls are confident that their season will end on a high note, as they believe that they have the capability to win CIF. “I believe we can do it, because our coaches keep telling us about how we have a really good chance of getting far into the playoffs, so I’m excited,” Enriquez said.

Boys soccer prepares for CIF

by Mia Berger After a season filled with illness and injury, boys soccer finished fourth place in Bay League and made it to the first round of CIF. “We didn’t expect to make CIF after our poor showing [at Mira Costa]. We barely made it to CIF so we are really going to focus this week to make the most of this fortunate opportunity,” senior Daniel Kelly said.

The team will be playing in the first round of CIF on Friday against Santa Barbara, who they beat earlier in the season at the South Tournament.

“Before, we had it in our minds that this was the team who beat us last year in the first round of CIF, so we stepped up our game and beat them,” coach Nacho Lopez said. “Now it’s a different scenario, a year’s gone by but they are still a great team and we will have to work hard to win.”

It is agreed among the team that during

the second half of the season they began to “lose focus” of winning Bay League.

“I am trying to be optimistic for CIF, but if we continue to play the way we have been, we will lose for sure. The lack of focus at practice is a big thing, and we haven’t played as a team since we played Peninsula the first time,” senior Adam King said.

King defines playing as a team as “everyone connected putting in the same amount of effort.” The team agrees that this has been an ongoing problem throughout the season.

“I do not think that our team played with everything they had [during the season]. I have to admit, in the beginning of the year we played really well as a team and tried hard, but now it’s like the team is just playing to get the season over with,” sophomore Ricky Estrada said.

Before the team played against Peninsu-

la for the second time, they were in second place of Bay League. However, after losing to Peninsula, Palos Verdes, and Mira Costa, they dropped down to fourth.

“We came out hard in in all the games, especially versus PV. The intensity was there, but some things didn’t go our way and we weren’t able to capitalize our opportunities.

This season had a lot of ups and downs. We are a really talented team but lacked the discipline to take us to the next level,” Kelly said.

However, according to Lopez, the sickness and injuries on the team have been a large contributor to the “drop” in the team’s performance.

“We struggled because of the injuries and the sickness of some of the players. Even though we were playing good soccer, and were moving the ball well, we lost the sense of scoring in the second round of the sea-

son,” Lopez said.

Santa Barbara will have the “home-court advantage” when the team plays them on Friday.

“Santa Barbara is at their home field so they are going to bring the intensity to the game. I think we just have to match their intensity and their physical sense so that we can keep the game flowing and finish the opportunities we create,” Lopez said.

According to Lopez, the boys are “mentally and physically” prepared for this game, and he believes that if they work hard, they will be able to win.

“I always tell the boys the same thing, live in the moment and play like it’s your last game,” Lopez said. “Make sure every play you make is 100% and leave nothing for tomorrow. But most of all, have fun in what you are doing.”

Feb. 19, 2016 Athlete of the Issue: Kyra Hamlin

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sports

The last hoorah Kyra Hamlin reflects on her years playing basketball

by Kayla Hiken and Samaya Rubio Kyra Hamlin entered high school as a tall softball player, and is leaving as a Seattle University basketball commit.

Senior Kyra Hamlin never looked at basketball as a sport that she would play; her interest began after a friend introduced Hamlin.

“In the seventh grade, my friend Lena Hosaka, was trying out for the Parras [basketball] team and wanted someone to try out with her. She ended up making the team and I didn’t, which made me really mad, so I practiced really hard and made the team my eighth grade year,” Kyra Hamlin said. “I didn’t really care for the sport just yet, but Lena was trying out for the Redondo team during summer and wanted someone to do it with her. So I would say that Lena really got me into basketball.”

Her friends also supported her throughout her time on the high school team, especially Hosaka, who introduced her to the sport and supports her as the team manager.

“She has the determination and skill set, she loves the sport and she’s put so much time into this. I also think that having the full ride to Seattle has really helped motivate her,” Hosaka said.

After picking up the sport in middle school, Hamlin began teaching and practicing basketball on her own.

“I usually just went to the park and shot [the ball] around. Once I started to get into it my dad got a basketball hoop at our house and then I just started practicing all the time, with the help of him and my brother,” Hamlin said.

Basketball began as just a “side thing” for Hamlin, as she was playing softball at the time.

“I was always the softball player until high school, but then I quit softball and just went for basketball. I never saw myself playing basketball, but once I tried out for the team I saw it more because of my height. When I played softball it was always a disadvantage, but [playing] basketball was the first time I realized ‘Oh being tall is actually an advantage,’” Hamlin said.

As Hamlin began to improve and started enjoying it more, basketball become more of a priority. “[Basketball] impacts my life a lot. It takes up all my time; I’m always practicing or going to a game, there’s always something to do. A lot of my friends [are from] basketball because I am always with them,” Hamlin

said.

In the beginning of her high school career, Hamlin didn’t play well, however, after her freshman year she received positive feedback on her improvement.

“The coaches moved me up to varsity my sophomore year. I didn’t play much, but by the end of the year I started getting into the rotation and everyone would would always say ‘You’re improving so much.’ They were shocked that I could improve that much in just a couple of months. That’s when I knew that if I kept practicing this hard and working on my game I could become something good.”

She received positive feedback from her family, as many of the men in her life played basketball in high school, including her father, uncle, and brother.

“My dad was a supporter and was there to facilitate, but I put in most of the work on my own,” Hamlin said.

She realizes that when she plays in college the stakes will be higher, but Hamlin is up for the challenge.

“I know that the games and the competition are a lot steeper, and practice is going to be harder and more serious because they’re essentially paying me to play, so I always have to be focused,” Hamlin said.

She is planning to use the skills she learned from playing in high school to help her throughout college. “[I am working on] maintaining composure because sometimes I get mad at other players or the other team so I don’t let my emotions get involved because I have to stay focused and I can’t let people make I unfocused,” she said.

She is grateful that she got the four-year scholarship, but does not consider playing professionally a career path.

“Women don’t actually make that much playing professional and it’s just a lot of work and even though I love basketball I don’t love it enough to like that be my purpose in life,” Hamlin said.

Hamlin never expected to get a scholarship for playing a sport she began for fun, but she’s glad that that’s the way it ended up.

“I never thought that in any sport, even softball, that I was going to get a collegescholarship. It was more of something to do instead of going home after school,” Hamlin said. “I’ve always loved playing sports but one sport never really took to me like basketball did.”

Height:

6’0

Committed:

Seattle Univ.

Position:

Fwd Year:

Sr.

PHOTO BY TED CAVUS

page 20

High Tide

news

The naked truth Technology has become a popular platform for sexual expression

by Jason Fong

With the rise in the usage of cell phones and their social media sharing capabilities, today’s youth are often accused of “engaging in risky sexual behavior”.

“Students are much more open about sharing inappropriate images with one another. Because of today’s culture, they may be exposed to sex at an earlier age, and see celebrities sending these kinds of images to each other. Mass media and all of the videos and music that normalize this behavior can influence young people in a negative way,” RUHS Assistant Principal Jens Brandt said.

Statistically, sexual content pervades throughout popular culture, as shown by the amount of sexual scenes on television, which has nearly doubled in the last decade.

“I think that the media presents us with an unrealistic view. In real life, those wild parties don’t turn out so great. People forget about the possibility of an STD [sexually transmitted disease] or of being taken advantage of and manipulated,” senior Bryan Lopez said Others believe that the media has recognized the appeal of sex to both men and women, and have exploited these natural desires in order to better sell products.

“People are drawn to it because it reaches a very instinctual need in all human beings.

It’s being presented to us in food commercials, by any sort of pop artist, or any sort of company that’s selling something—it’s almost the way of life,” senior Luke Lezhansky said This increase in sexualized images in the media has lead to an increase in sexting, which is the sending of sexually explicit photographs or messages. According to several studies, 40 percent of teenagers and young adults have had a sexually explicit message or photo shown or forwarded to them.

“Because of social media and cell phones, things are so quickly reproduced. All it takes is a quick screenshot. In our social media survey, we found that students spend two to three hours a day on social media alone.

When I started, even five years ago, incidents involving social media were definitely not as common,” Brandt said.

However, while many believe that this has lead to an increase in the amount of actual sexual behavior occurring among young people, the reverse is true, as the number of high school students having sex overall has declined significantly.

“I know that many people refrain from having sex for religious reasons, or for their personal beliefs. I think maturity should come with sex, and people don’t understand that. There are other characteristics, including a relationship with the other person, that

need to be developed before having sex can become meaningful. I don’t think eighth graders, or even high schoolers have this yet,” senior Sara Spicker said According to Lopez, making the decision to send these kinds of photos is solely a personal one, as the only potential consequences are ones that affect the sender, in the loss of one’s reputation. He opposes the harsh legal ramifications of the sending of these photos, such as misdemeanor or even felony charges in certain states, if inappropriate images are sent by an 18-year-old to a minor.

“I don’t think that it shouldn’t be criminalized if two minors consensually send out these kinds of pictures to each other. It is their responsibility to be aware of the social consequences, in the potential loss of a job or a potential college admission and educate themselves. However, I don’t think that it’s fair for these images to cause the police to get involved. Having criminal charges carried out against one can change the course of someone’s life permanently,” Lopez said.

Brandt, however, believes that laws such as these are necessary to “protect young people from themselves”.

“Research shows that teenagers biologically tend to take risks. They need to do a better job of controlling these urges, and think before they act. Strict penalties have to be in place in order to limit the spread of these inappropriate photos by teenagers. It’s sad that, because of peer pressure, students lack the empathy to help each other out and put a stop to this, instead of writing mean comments or forwarding inappropriate images,” Brandt said.

According to Lezhansky, however, students lack the skills to make proper decisions regarding sex.

“Although we all might despise some aspects of religion, it is a great tool for restraining those sexual urges. And we’ve seen the gradual departure of religion from our country. An average American teenager doesn’t have a lot of moral guidance. There isn’t a morality class in high school. It’s difficult to establish what’s right or wrong,” Lezhansky said Some also fear that the photos could be used in pornographic materials or fall into the hands of sexual predators.

“At the end of the day, we have to protect our young people in these situations.

You never know who could be on the receiving end of those images. There are a lot of people out there who are looking to cause trouble. As an administrator, it important to be a part of the solution, and prevent young people from being exposed to those things that could hurt them,” Brandt said.

39% of teens sext

Of teens who sext...

53% 47% are girls are boys 69% send to a

significant other

17% share received

sexts with others

61% have felt pressured at least once

49% of teens believe that sexting is common

73%

of parents monitor their children’s social media ILLUSTRATIONS BY LULU WEGMAN INFORMATION FROM INTERNETSAFETY101.ORG